Tehran

US Expands Sanctions Against Iran’s Oil Industry Over Israel Strikes

The United States hit Iran's oil and petrochemicals sectors with fresh sanctions on Friday in response to Tehran's October 1 attack against Israel, designating dozens of new companies and firms. In a statement on Friday, the Treasury Department said it was going after Iran's so-called "shadow fleet" of ships involved in selling Iranian oil in ...

The World’s Three Biggest Nuclear Hotspots

After Japan's anti-nuclear group Nihon Hidankyo won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, here is an overview of today's biggest nuclear hotspots. Israel-Iran trade warnings Israel regards Iran's nuclear facilities as an existential threat and has promised a "deadly, precise and surprising" response after Iran launched its second-ever direct strike ...

Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivor Group Wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Japan's Nihon Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors pushing for a nuclear weapons ban, as states like Russia threaten to use them. The group, also known as Hibakusha and founded in 1956, received the honor "for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and ...

Fear, Indifference in Iran Over Threat of Israeli Attack

With Israel threatening retaliation against Iran's missile attack, many on the streets of the Iranian capital appeared unfazed, while some expressed worries for their safety. All around Tehran, streets remained choked with the usual traffic as families took leisurely strolls through parks at the start of the weekend. Chatter poured onto the ...

Russia and Iran Hail ‘Close’ World Views

Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday hailed their "close" views on world affairs, with the Russian leader saying ties with Tehran were a "priority" for Moscow. The pair held a meeting in Turkmenistan, one of the world's most secretive states, amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, with Israeli air strikes on Beirut ...

Iranian Foreign Minister in Qatar, After Saudi, as Israel Threatens Retaliation

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Qatari counterpart in Doha on Thursday, his spokesman said, after Israel warned it would retaliate against his country for last week's missile attack. Qatar has played a key role in efforts to secure an elusive ceasefire in Gaza and has called for a truce in Lebanon, where Israel has escalated last ...

Electing a President Is Necessary Before Achieving a Ceasefire

Some may argue that electing a new president before achieving a ceasefire and ending the Israeli war on Hezbollah is illogical, because it contradicts the natural course of events. How can MPs head to the Parliament and cast their votes under the pressure of Israeli airstrikes, even if those strikes are on the outskirts of the capital and not in ...

Iran Warns Israel Against Attacking Infrastructure

Iran warned Israel on Tuesday against attacking any of its infrastructure amid fears of a possible Israeli assault on oil or nuclear sites following Iran's missile barrage last week. The state television quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying, "Any attack against infrastructure in Iran will provoke an even stronger response." He spoke ...

Hezb Members in Yemen Isolated by the Houthis?

Hezbollah members in Yemen have reportedly been isolated by the Houthi security apparatus, according to the Yemeni media outlet Al-Jumhuriya. They are allegedly forbidden from meeting with the leaders of the Iran-backed group, according to the media, which cites sources close to the movement. These preventive security measures reportedly include ...

Who Is Yahya Sinwar, New Political Leader of Hamas?

On Tuesday evening, Yahya Sinwar was appointed new political leader of Hamas, a week after the assassination of his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. One of Hamas's most influential leaders, he has made his career in the shadows and is known for his alleged role in the events of October 7, of which he is said to have been the architect. A ...

Iran Elections Emptied of Their Substance

A double ballot is scheduled to take place in Iran on Friday, March 1. In a country where power remains monopolized by the mullahs, what is the true significance of these elections? This Is Beirut contacted Bernard Hourcade, director of the CeRMI (Centre de recherche sur le monde iranien), to answer these questions. On Friday, March 1, about 61 ...