Page 23 - Iran

Iran's increasingly vulnerable leadership takes a hit after Assad's fall

The theocracy already faces major levels of internal dissent and economic pain

Netanyahu warns Syria against aiding Iran or arming Hezbollah, vows action

Netanyahu had further acknowledged that while the collapse presents great opportunities, it also poses significant dangers

Trump's pick for intel chief, Gabbard, faces questions amid Syria fallout

President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, faced fresh scrutiny on Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees. But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. I want to address the issue that's in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria, Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president's Cabinet and top administrative choic

Syria falls to Islamist rebels, Assad flees to Moscow: All that happened

Bashar-al Assad's autocratic regime fell on December 8, marking an end to a 13-year-old civil war. Here's all you need to know about the latest rebellion

Syria at crossroads after 54 yrs: Four priorities to avoid yet another war

With Assad's departure, the pressing question now is what lies ahead for Syria's immediate future

Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance'

For Iran's theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decades-long strategy of building an Axis of Resistance supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. First came the crushing Israeli campaign in Gaza triggered by the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Iranian-backed Hamas. That war spawned another in Lebanon, where Israel has mauled Iran's most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran's longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. As dawn broke Sunday, rebel forces completed a lightning offensive by seizing the ancient capital of Damascus and tearing down symbols of more than 50 years of Assad's rule over the Mideast crossroads. Ali Akbar Velayati, a key adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once called Assad and Syria the golden ring of the resistance chain in the region. Without the Syrian governm

US imposes sanctions on 35 entities, vessels for transporting Iranian oils

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 35 entities and vessels, including two from India, for transporting Iranian oil to other countries. The two India-based entities are Vision Ship Management LLP that manages and operates the PHONIX, and Tightship Shipping Management (OPC) Private Limited. Entities and vessels from the United Arab Emirates, China, Liberia, China, Hong Kong among others have also been slapped with sanctions. In a statement, the Department of Treasury said this action imposes additional costs on Iran's petroleum sector following Iran's attack against Israel on October 1, as well as Iran's announced nuclear escalations, building upon the sanctions issued on October 11. Petroleum revenues provide the Iranian regime with the resources to fund its nuclear program, develop advanced drones and missiles, and provide ongoing financial and material support for the terrorist activities of its regional proxies, it said. Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and ..

Turkey calls for reconciliation between Syria govt, Oppn to end conflict

The recent rapid advance by opposition fighters in Syria shows that Syrian President Bashar Assad must reconcile with his own people and hold dialogue with the opposition, the Turkish foreign minister said Monday. At a joint news conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart, Hakan Fidan said Turkey and Iran, which support opposing sides in Syria's civil war, have agreed to resume diplomatic efforts along with Russia to restore calm days after insurgents launched a lightning offensive and captured almost all of the country's largest city, Aleppo. The swift advance by fighters that Turkey supports was a huge embarrassment for Assad and it comes at a time when his allies Iran and groups it backs and Russia are preoccupied with their own conflicts. The push is among the rebels' strongest in years and raises the prospect of another violent front reopening in the Middle East when U.S.-backed Israel is fighting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both Iranian-allied groups. Fid

Iran-backed Iraqi militias enter Syria to help govt fighting rebels

At least 300 fighters, primarily from the Badr and Nujabaa groups, crossed late on Sunday using a dirt road to avoid the official border crossing

Syrian army launches counterattacks to curb insurgency; Iran offers help

The Syrian military rushed reinforcements to the northwest and launched airstrikes Sunday in an attempt to push back insurgents who seized the country's largest city of Aleppo, as Iran pledged to help the government counter the surprise offensive. Iran has been a key political and military ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country's long-running civil war, but it was unclear how Tehran would support Damascus in the latest flareup that began Wednesday. Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo and the countryside around Idlib that day, before moving toward neighbouring Hama province. On Sunday, government troops created a strong defensive line in northern Hama, as they attempted to stall the insurgents' momentum, according to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Meanwhile, jets pounded the cities of Idlib and Aleppo, killing at least 15 people, according to a group that operates in ..

Iran plans to install new uranium-enrichment centrifuges, says IAEA report

More enrichment capacity means Iran can enrich uranium more quickly, potentially increasing the nuclear proliferation risk

Former British soldier convicted of passing on sensitive info to Iran govt

A former British soldier whose audacious escape from a London prison spurred a dayslong search was convicted on Thursday of passing on sensitive information to the Iranian intelligence service. Daniel Khalife, 23, was found guilty by a jury in Woolwich Crown Court on violations of Britain's Official Secrets Act by collecting information useful to an enemy Iran. He was cleared of a charge of planting fake bombs in his military barracks. Prosecutors said Khalife played a cynical game by claiming he wanted to be a spy after he had delivered a large amount of restricted and classified material to Iran, including the names of special forces officers. Khalife testified that he had been in touch with people in the Iranian government but that it was all part of a ploy to ultimately work as a double-agent for Britain, a scheme he said he got from watching the TV show Homeland. The former soldier snuck out of a London prison in September 2023 while awaiting trial on the spying charges. Hesp

Iran seeks help from India to shed FATF's blacklisted country tag: Official

Iran has sought technical help from India through the Eurasian Group (EAG) so that it can be excluded from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) blacklist by compliance of norms, a senior central government official said here on Tuesday. India has assured support to Iran on sharing technical knowledge and expert advice through the EAG, he said. Earlier this year, Iran retained its place on the FATF's blacklist over international banking and related rules. Talking to reporters in Indore, Vivek Aggarwal, Additional Secretary of Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, said, "At present, Iran is on the blacklist of the FATF." Agarwal is attending the 41st plenary meeting of the EAG in Indore as the Head of the Indian Delegation (HOD). The five-day meeting of the EAG, involving nine member countries including India, began on Monday. "Since Iran has joined the EAG as an observer, it has sought technical cooperation from the EAG regarding compliance with FATF standards," he said.

Iran to hold nuclear talks with three European powers in Geneva on Friday

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei later said the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and Britain would take part in the talks

Iran braces for Trump takeover with economy buckling from sanctions

As Trump prepares for a second term as US president, all eyes are on whether he will revive his so-called maximum pressure policy against Iran that came to mark his first spell

UN nuclear agency's board condemns Iran again for failing to cooperate

The UN nuclear watchdog's board on Thursday condemned Iran for failing to cooperate fully with the agency, the second time it has done so in just five months. The International Atomic Energy Agency also called on Tehran to provide answers in a long-running investigation into uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites. Nineteen members of the IAEA broad voted for the resolution, while Russia, China and Burkina Faso opposed it, and 12 abstained and one did not vote, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-doors vote. The resolution was put forward by France, Germany and Britain, supported by the United States. It comes at a critical time, ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term in office was marked by a particularly tense period with Iran, when the US president pursued a policy of maximum pressure against Tehran. In 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew

Iran defies pressure, increases stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium: UN

Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear programme and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog seen on Tuesday by AP. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of October 26, Iran has 182.3 kilogrammes of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent, an increase of 17.6 kilogrammes since the last report in August. Uranium enriched at 60 per cent purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. The IAEA also estimated in its quarterly report that as of October 26, Iran's overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 6,604.4 kilogrammes, an increase of 852.6 kilogrammes since August. Under the IAEA's definition, around 42 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible -- if the material is enriched further, to 90 per ...

Iran's uranium stockpile enriched to near weapons-grade levels, says UN

Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels in defiance of international demands, according to a confidential report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog seen Tuesday by The Associated Press . The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Oct. 26, Iran has 182.3 kilograms (401.9 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%, an increase of 17.6 kilograms (38.8 pounds) since the last report in August. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. The IAEA also estimated in its quarterly report that as of Oct. 26, Iran's overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 6,604.4 kilograms (14,560 pounds), which represents an increase of 852.6 kilograms (1,879.6 pounds) since the last report in August. Under the IAEA's definition, around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possibl

UK hits Iran with new sanctions for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia

The U.K. government hit Iran with new sanctions Monday for sending ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia to support the war against Ukraine. The Foreign Office said it will freeze assets for Iran's national airline and its state-owned shipping company that helped transfer weapons. It will also sanction the Russian cargo ship Port Olya-3 that delivered the missiles from Iran. Iran's attempts to undermine global security are dangerous and unacceptable," Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement in advance of announcing the sanctions at the U.N. Security Council. Alongside our international partners, we were clear that any transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran to Russia would face a significant response." The announcement comes on the eve of the 1,000th day of the war in Ukraine and the day after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use missiles supplied by Washington to strike deeper inside Russia. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the G20 summit in ..

Elon Musk meets Iran's UN envoy as Trump prepares for January takeover

US-Iran relations: Iranian diplomats described the discussions with the tech entrepreneur as 'positive' and 'good news'