Page 33 - Iran

Iranian Prez Raisi's helicopter crash could reverberate across Middle East

The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials is likely to reverberate across the Middle East. That's because Iran has spent decades supporting armed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Palestinian territories that allow it to project power and potentially deter attacks from the United States or Israel, the sworn enemies of its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tensions have never been higher than they were last month, when Iran under Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel in response to an airstrike on an Iranian Consulate in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and five officers. Israel, with the help of the United States, Britain, Jordan and others, intercepted nearly all the projectiles. In response, Israel apparently launched its own strike against an air defense radar system in the Iranian city of Isfahan, causing no ...

Helicopter carrying Iran's President Raisi suffers a 'hard landing': Report

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a hard landing on Sunday, Iranian state television reported, without immediately elaborating. Raisi was travelling in Iran's East Azerbaijan province. State TV described the area of the incident happening as being near Jolfa, a city on the border with with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometres (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Raisi had been in Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third one that the two nations built on the Aras River. Iran flies a variety of helicopters in the country, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Raisi, 63, is a hard-liner who formerly led the country's judiciary. He is viewed as a protg of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some analysts have suggested he could replace

Chabahar Port deal 'landmark' for economic ties with India: Iranian envoy

The signing of the Chabahar Port deal is a 'landmark' in India-Iran economic relations and it offers various future investment opportunities, including the development of subsequent phases of the facility, a top Iranian diplomat said in a note. These opportunities include development of the second phase of Shahid Beheshti Port as well as the third and fourth phases on BOT model, among others, Davoud Rezaei Eskandari, Acting Consul General of Iran in Mumbai, said in the note shared with PTI. India on May 13 signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar that will help it expand trade with Central Asia. The Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman - which New Delhi had proposed to develop way back in 2003 - will provide Indian goods a gateway to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia using a road and rail project called International North-South Transport Corridor, bypassing Pakistan. The long-term agreement was signed by Indian Ports Global Limited (IP

Chabahar port to benefit entire region, says Jaishankar on US warning

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Chabahar port would benefit the entire region and a narrow view should not be taken of it, after the US warned that any country having business dealings with Iran runs the "potential risk of sanctions". Speaking at a programme in Kolkata on Tuesday night, he said that in the past, even the US has been appreciative of the fact that the Chabahar port has a larger relevance. India on Monday signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar that will help New Delhi expand trade with Central Asia. "We had a long association with the Chabahar port but we could never sign a long-term agreement. The reason was there were various problems... Finally, we were able to sort this out and we were able to get the long-term agreement done. A long-term agreement is necessary because without it we cannot improve the port operations. And, the port operations, we believe, will benefit the entire region," Jaishankar said. "I did

India asks Iran to release nearly 40 of its sailors detained from 4 ships

India has asked Iran to release nearly 40 Indian seafarers who were detained from four different merchant ships seized by the Persian Gulf country over the past eight months on different charges, sources said on Wednesday. Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made the request during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran on Monday. Sonowal was in Tehran where India signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar that will help expand the trade with Central Asia. Following a request of Iranian side, a meeting was held between Sonowal and Abdollahian where bilateral issues were discussed, sources privy to the development said. During the meeting, Sonowal requested Abdollahian to release all Indian seafarers who are in Iranian custody. Abdollahian said Tehran is positive on the release of the Indian seafarers but it is getting delayed as legal procedures have to be followed, the sources said. The so

A geopolitical berth

Gains from Chabahar deal go beyond logistics

US calls on Iran to halt 'unprecedented' weapons' transfer to Houthis

The United States has called on Iran to halt its transfer of an unprecedented amount of weaponry to Yemen's Houthi rebels, enabling its fighters to carry out reckless attacks on ships in the Red Sea and elsewhere. US Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the UN Security Council that if it wants to make progress toward ending the civil war in Yemen it must act collectively to call Iran out for its destabilising role and insist that it cannot hide behind the Houthis. He said there is extensive evidence that Iran is providing advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, to the Houthis in violation of UN sanctions. To underscore the council's concern regarding the ongoing violations of the arms embargo, we must do more to strengthen enforcement and deter sanctions violators, Wood said. The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war with Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there

$120 mn investments, $250 mn credit line to fund Chabahar port growth

Major issues ironed out; Iran agrees for arbitration at SIAC

After long wait, India inks Chabahar port's 10-year deal with Iran

India's plans with the port go beyond commercial interests, according to the Centre

Explained: Why is Iran's Chabahar Port important for India?

India has signed a 10-year agreement with Iran to operate and manage the Chabahar Port, marking a significant milestone in India's first venture into overseas port management. But what does this mean

India, Iran sign pact for long-term operation of terminal at Chabahar Port

India and Iran on Monday signed a long-term contract for the operation of the Shahid Beheshti Port terminal at Chabahar in Iran. The contract was signed by India Ports Global Ltd and Ports and Maritime Organisation of Iran in the presence Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, according to a series of posts on X by the Indian Embassy in Iran. This is the first time India will take over the management of an overseas port. Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, "With the signature of this contract, we have laid the foundations of India's long-term involvement at Chabahar." Sonowal added that the signing of this contract will have a multiplier effect on the viability and visibility of Chabahar port. According to him, Chabahar is not only the closest Iranian port to India but it is also an excellent port from nautical point of view. Sonowal also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart. Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern

India to sign 10-year agreement with Iran to manage Chabahar Port

Chabahar Port will serve as a vital link connecting India to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the broader Eurasian region

Iranians vote in runoff election after hard-liners dominate initial voting

Iranians voted Friday in a runoff election for the remaining seats in the country's parliament after hard-line politicians dominated March balloting. People in 22 constituencies across the country will elect 45 representatives from a pool of 90 candidates, 15 of whom are considered moderate. In the capital, Tehran, 16 representatives will be chosen from 32 candidates, all hard-liners. Final results are expected on Monday, though counts in smaller constituencies are likely before that. Iran's parliament plays a secondary role in governing the country. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say in all important state matters. State TV showed Khamenei voting on Friday immediately after the polls opened. He urged people to vote and said the runoff election was as important as the main one. In the March election, hard-liners won 200 out of 245 seats, with more moderate candidates taking the other 45. A total of 25 million ballots were cast, for a turnout of just under 41 p

Five Indian sailors on seized MSC Aries released, depart from Iran

The Indian Embassy, while sharing details of their release, thanked the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas

Indian Coast Guard detains Iranian fishing vessel with 6 Indian crew

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has detained an Iranian fishing vessel with six Indian crew off the coast of Kerala, the defence ministry said on Monday. The vessel was detained on Sunday following a swift "sea-air" coordinated operation by the ICG, it said. The ministry said the crew alleged that the "Iranian sponsor" of the vessel ill-treated and deprived them of basic living conditions and confiscated their passports. Initial investigation revealed that the owner of the boat was an Iranian national who had contracted the Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, it said. "The Indian Coast Guard detained an Iranian fishing vessel, with six Indian crew, west of Beypore off the coast of Kerala late on May 5. The swift sea-air coordinated operation involved the ships and aircraft of the ICG," the ministry said in a statement. "After intercepting the boat, an ICG team boarded the vessel and thoroughly investigated it to check the involvement of any anti-national activity," it said. "Initial .

As China and Iran hunt for dissidents in US, FBI races to counter threat

After a participant in the historic Tiananmen Square protests entered a 2022 congressional race in New York City, a Chinese intelligence operative wasted little time enlisting a private investigator to hunt for any mistresses or tax problems that could upend the candidate's bid, prosecutors say. In the end, the operative ominously told his contact, violence would be fine too. As an Iranian journalist and activist living in exile in the United States aired criticism of Iran's human rights abuses, Tehran was listening too. Members of an Eastern European organised crime gang scouted her Brooklyn home and plotted to kill her in a murder-for-hire scheme directed from Iran, according to the Justice Department, which foiled the plan and brought criminal charges. The episodes reflect the extreme measures taken by countries like China and Iran to intimidate, harass and sometimes plot attacks against political opponents and activists who live in the US. They show the frightening consequences

Some technicalities involved in return of 16 Indians onboard MSC Aries: MEA

Nearly two weeks after an Israel-linked container vessel was seized by Iran's military, India on Thursday said there are certain "technicalities involved" in the return of the remaining 16 Indian crew members is concerned. Ann Tessa Joseph, the sole woman cadet among the 17 Indian crew members of the vessel "MSC Aries" that was seized on April 13, was released on April 18 following "concerted efforts" by the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government. In response to a question during his weekly media briefing here, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the 16 Indians are in "good" health. The Indian mission was given consular access to the Indians by Iranian authorities. There are 16 Indians onboard MSC Aries now as one woman has come back, Jaiswal said. "These 16 people, we had asked consular access for, which we got. Our officers went there and met. They are in constant touch with their families. Their health is good. And they have no problems of any kind onboard the sh

Iran sentences 'world's bravest rapper' to death for backing protests

The rapper's songs voiced support for the protests that swept across Iran in 2022 after Mahsa Amini's death

Iran Prez Raisi, Pak army chief Munir discuss stability, border security

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir discussed regional peace, stability and border security, months after the two neighbours carried out tit-for-tat air strikes against alleged terrorist hideouts on rival lands. Gen Munir called on Raisi, the first head of state of any country to visit Pakistan after the February 8 general elections, and emphasised the need for improved coordination against the terrorists, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army said. General Munir described the Pakistan-Iran border as the border of peace and friendship, emphasising the need for improved coordination along the border to prevent terrorists from jeopardising the longstanding brotherly relations between the two neighbouring countries, it said. The statement said that the discussion between the two dignitaries focussed on matters of mutual interest, notably regional peace, stability, and border security. "Both sides concurre

Where should you invest if the Iran-Israel conflict continues?

Last week, the Iran-Israel conflict sent shockwaves through global stock markets. Wondering how to steer your investments through these turbulent times?