Iran

Russia Takes Center Stage

How did this happen? It’s straightforward: genetically wired as a skilled chess player, Vladimir Putin now positions himself as the guarantor of cutting off the flow of arms, smuggling, and funds to Hezbollah via Syria. Holding the symbolic scissors over the lifeline of the pro-Iranian militia, he is offering his services to other stakeholders. ...

Khamenei’s Advisor Ali Larijani to Visit Syria on Thursday

Ali Larijani, the senior adviser to the leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ali Khamenei, is expected in Syria, on Thursday. The announcement was made by the spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei. Baghaei said that Ali Larijani, who is also a member of the Expediency Council, “will depart for Damascus at the head of ...

UN Nuclear Chief in Iran to 'Reach Diplomatic Solutions'

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi arrived in Iran on Wednesday for discussions on Tehran's nuclear program, a week after Donald Trump's election as the new US president. During his first term in the White House from 2017 to 2021, Trump was the architect of a policy called "maximum pressure" levying against Tehran biting ...

CIA Official Charged for Leaking Israel’s Attack Plans on Iran

A CIA official has been charged with leaking classified documents that reportedly revealed Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran following a missile attack earlier this year, as reported by a New York Times report, quoting individuals familiar with the case, in addition to court documents. The official, Asif W. Rahman, was indicted last week ...

French-Iranian Relations: Between Rifts and Distrust 2/2

Building on long-standing cultural ties, France and Iran have maintained a difficult relationship following the rise of the Islamic Republic and the Iran-Iraq War. However, the issue of nuclear weapons will deepen the rift between the two countries. Second Rift: The Issue of Iran's Nuclear Program In the early 2000s, Iran was suspected of ...

Iran Announces Building 'Defensive' Tunnel in Tehran

Iran is building what it calls its first "defensive" tunnel within the capital Tehran's metro network, state media reported on Tuesday, but without elaborating on what the defense measures are. "For the first time in the country, a tunnel with defensive functionalities is being built in Tehran," Jafar Tashakori, who heads the city council ...

Netanyahu Addresses Iranian People, Threatens Khamenei Regime

In an English language video directed at the Iranian people, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that a third Iranian attack on Israel "would simply cripple Iran's economy." “It would rob you of many more billions of dollars,” he said, after claiming that the ballistic missile attack directed at Israel in October cost Tehran ...

IAEA Chief Warns That Flexibility With Iran Is 'Shrinking'

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog warned on Tuesday that “the margins for manoeuvre are beginning to shrink” on Iran's nuclear program ahead of an important trip to Tehran. “The Iranian administration must understand that the international situation is becoming increasingly tense and that the margins to manoeuvre are beginning ...

Iran, Russia Link Bank Card Systems in Latest Move to Overcome Sanctions

Iranian bank cards can now be used in Russia, state television reported, as the two countries linked their banking systems in the latest bid to counteract sanctions. Iranian banks have been excluded since 2018 from the SWIFT international financial messaging service, which governs the vast majority of transactions worldwide. The move is part of ...

American Forces Strike Iran-Backed Targets in Syria: US Military

American forces carried out strikes Monday against nine targets associated with Iranian-backed groups in Syria in response to attacks on Washington's troops in that country, the US military said. "These strikes will degrade the Iranian-backed groups' ability to plan and launch future attacks on US and coalition forces," the US Central Command ...

Israeli Ministers Send Mixed Signals over a Lebanon Ceasefire

Israeli leaders sent mixed signals on the possibility of a ceasefire with Lebanon on Monday, with Defense Minister Israel Katz seeming to contradict comments by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Saar, who replaced Katz at the foreign ministry this week, told journalists there had been progress towards a ceasefire in Lebanon, where war has raged for ...

Iran to Ration Electricity Amid Fuel Shortages

Iran is to impose electricity rationing in Tehran and other provinces from Monday because of a shortage of fuel in power stations, the official IRNA news agency said on Sunday. The agency said different areas of the capital will experience two-hour power cuts on a rotating basis between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm (0530 GMT to 1330 GMT). It said similar ...