Page 12 - Iran

Iranians cross into Iraq for cheaper food, work after border reopens

Dozens of Iranians crossed into northern Iraq Sunday - the first day the border had opened since war struck their country - to buy cheaper groceries, access the internet, contact relatives and find work. Travellers said constant airstrikes and soaring food prices have made life in Iran increasingly desperate. Trucks laden with goods snaked through the Haji Omeran crossing from Iraq's Kurdish region, offering a hoped for respite from high costs on the Iranian side. Even before the US and Israel launched their war against Iran, Iranian Kurds routinely crossed into Iraqi Kurdistan, sharing deep familial, cultural and economic ties and porous borders that enable steady trade and regular visits. Now Iraq's Kurdish region has become a crucial lifeline for Iranians in the war-torn region to reach the outside world. "When this border was closed, it affected everyone. Poor people, rich people, workers," said Khider Chomani, a truck driver on his way to Iran carrying goods. The border was .

Iran assures safe passage for Indian vessels through Strait of Hormuz

The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other

India repatriates non-essential crew of Iranian warship docked in Kochi

India has repatriated the non-essential crew members of an Iranian warship that docked in Kochi on March 4 amid the escalating military conflict between Iran and the US, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday. Over 50 of the 183 crew members have stayed back as the ship, IRIS Lavan, remains in Kochi, they said. The non-essential sailors left India by a Turkish airline aircraft. The aircraft landed in Kochi late last night after picking up the bodies from Colombo of over 80 Iranian sailors of another warship that was sunk by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4. IRIS Lavan has remained in Kochi since March 4. The ship had developed urgent technical issues and was granted emergency docking approval on March 1 following a request from the Iranian side. It is learnt that the Iranian sailors of IRIS Lavan will travel to Iran by road from Yerevan, Armenia's capital city. The repatriation of the crew members comes as New Delhi makes efforts to ensure safe passag

Was bullying, now begging: Iran mocks US over India's Russian oil waiver

Iran's foreign minister mocked Washington's policy reversal after the US granted a short-term waiver allowing Indian refiners to resume imports of Russian crude amid energy market disruption

Prisoner and prison guard: Jafar Panahi's empathetic vision of cinema

His latest feature film, 'It Was Just An Accident', uses a child's morality to demand what it means to be human in a world shaped by power

What is Kharg Island: Iran's 'forbidden' oil lifeline targeted in US strike

Kharg Island, the centre of Iran's oil export network in the Persian Gulf, has come under the spotlight after Trump said US forces carried out a major strike on military facilities there

US bombs military targets on Iran's Kharg Island as war escalates

Trump said American forces executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the West Asia, including destroying military targets on Kharg Island

Two gas tankers said to be sailing to India through Strait of Hormuz

Iran permits two Indian-flagged LPG carriers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, offering limited relief to India's cooking gas supply concerns

"If oil flow is blocked...": US threatens Iran over Strait of Hormuz disruption

The White House has issued a strong warning to Iran over any attempt to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy routes.

No life insurance for Mojtaba Khamenei, says Israeli PM Netanyahu

Asserting that the joint US-Israel campaign against Iran is "going better than expected" and Israel is "stronger than ever", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said there was "no life insurance" for Iran's newly chosen Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Responding to a question about whether Israel would target Khamenei and Hezbollah leader Naem Qassem, Netanyahu said, "I wouldn't take out a life insurance policy on any of the leaders of the terror organisations." Mojtaba's father, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint US-Israel strikes on February 28. Israel launched its campaign dubbed "Roaring Lion" on February 28 against Iran, which was joined by the US which gave it the name "Epic Fury", with the claimed objective of "foiling Iran's nuclear ambitions, dismantling its missile programme and delivering a crushing blow to its regional proxies". On the topic of toppling the regime in Iran, the Israeli prime minister said that the US and

PM Modi speaks to Iranian President on 'serious' West Asia situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia. Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure. The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities. "Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure," Modi said in a post on X. The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis. Notably, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping passage through which India's

Datanomics: India's natural gas squeeze amid rising West Asia conflict

India's LNG imports have more than doubled in the last decade from $6 billion in FY17 to nearly $15 billion in FY25

Why are ships in the Strait of Hormuz identifying themselves as Chinese?

Iran and groups aligned with it have generally avoided targeting ships linked to China, as per analysts, citing Beijing's relatively neutral position in the conflict and its economic ties with Tehran

All about Shahed-136: Iran’s deadly kamikaze drone

Dubai’s skyline. A low-cost drone. A new era of warfare. The Shahed-136 is Iran’s “kamikaze” drone reshaping modern air combat. With a range of up to 2,000 km and designed for mass deployment, it for

Invading our islands will make Gulf run with blood: Iran Parliament speaker

Iran's parliament speaker said Thursday that any invasion of Iran's islands will "make the Persian Gulf run with the blood of invaders." It wasn't immediately clear what prompted Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf's comments, which again escalated the rhetoric surrounding the ongoing Iran war. Iran holds three islands it took from the United Arab Emirates before its formation in 1971. There also has been speculation that the United States could target Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, Iran's main oil terminal.

US, Israel strikes on Iran raise alarm over damage to historic sites: UN

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least four cultural and historical sites, including palaces and an ancient mosque, raising alarms about the impact of the widening war on protected landmarks that are important to Iranian identity and world history. The speed and extent of the damage have so concerned Iran and Lebanon that they sent a request to the United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO, this week to add more sites to its enhanced protection list. UNESCO confirmed that it has verified damage to the lavish Qajar-era Golestan Palace in Tehran as well as the 17th century Chehel Sotoun palace and the Masjed-e Jame, the country's oldest Friday mosque, both in Isfahan. There also was verified damage at buildings close to the Khorramabad Valley, which includes five prehistoric caves and one rock shelter providing evidence of human occupation dating to 63,000 B.C. At Golestan Palace, shattered glass from the mirrored ceilings blanketed the floors alongside broken archways, ..

Iran lists 3 demands to end war: Reparations, rights, security guarantees

It's unclear if the US is willing to give Iran such a pledge and if it would be able to insist on Israel doing the same

Iran govt not at risk of imminent collapse despite ongoing war: US intel

US intelligence reports indicate that the IRGC and the interim leaders who assumed power after Khamenei's death retain control of the country

From Karbala to Iran: How Shia Islam has evolved across centuries

From the dispute over Ali's succession to the legacy of Karbala, here is how Shia Islam evolved, what its core beliefs are, and where Shia communities are found today

West Asia crisis: EAM Jaishankar speaks to Iranian counterpart Araghchi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi amid increasing concerns over the fallout of the West Asia crisis, especially on the energy supplies. It was the third time that Jaishankar spoke to Araghchi since the US and Israel launched the joint military strikes on Iran. "A detailed conversation this evening with Foreign Minister @araghchi of Iran on the latest developments regarding the ongoing conflict. We agreed to remain in touch," Jaishankar said on social media. The phone conversation between the two foreign ministers came amid increasing global concerns over disruptions in oil supplies in view of the crisis in West Asia. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). Jaishankar conveyed to Araghchi Indi