Page 44 - Iran

Iran not currently developing nuclear weapons: US intelligence report

A U.S. intelligence assessment says Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons at the moment but has ramped up activities that could help it develop them. The assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released Monday says Iran has moved to increase its capacity to produce an atomic bomb since 2020 but has stopped short of that so far. The findings corresponded with previous U.S. assessments about Iran's nuclear program, although many in Congress and elsewhere have been skeptical of those. The Biden administration has been defending its desire to return to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, since it first took office. That effort has been complicated in recent months by the suspension of its chief negotiator, Rob Malley, who was placed on unpaid leave last month pending an investigation into claims he mishandled classified information. "Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development ..

West clashes with Russia, Iran at UN over Tehran''s uranium enrichment

The United States and its Western allies clashed with Russia and Iran at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday over Tehran's advancing uranium enrichment and its reported supply of combat drones to Moscow being used to attack Ukraine. The sharp exchanges came at the council's semi-annual meeting on implementation of its resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major countries known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the U.S. under then-President Donald Trump left in 2018. At the start of the meeting, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Britain, which hold the council presidency, of seeking to hold an openly politicized show by inviting Ukraine to take part in the meeting when it is not part of the JCPOA. He demanded a procedural vote on its participation. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood countered, accusing both Iran and Russia of participating in the transfer of drones used in Ukraine without prior Security Council approval in ..

Iran becomes new permanent member of SCO at virtual summit hosted by India

Iran on Tuesday became the new permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the people of Iran on the country becoming a full member of the influential grouping. "I extend my congratulations to President Raisi and the people of Iran on this occasion. We also welcome the signing of the Memorandum of Obligation for Belarus' SCO membership," he said. "The interest of other countries in joining SCO today is a testament to the importance of this organisation," he said. India hosted the summit in its capacity as the grouping's current chair. The summit, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was joined by Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders of the grouping. In his remarks, Raisi expressed hope that Iran's presence in the SCO will provid

India beat Iran to defend men's Asian Kabaddi Championships title in Busan

The Indian men's kabaddi team beat Iran 42-32 in a high-voltage final to defend its Asian Championships title, here on Friday. It was India's eighth title in the continental championships. Iran started aggressively, but the Indians were up to their tasks. Captain Pawan Sehrawat helped India inflict the first All-Out with two touch points and gave his side a 10-4 lead. India kept building pressure on the Iranians and produced another All-Out. India were leading 23-11 at half time. Iranian all-rounder Mohammadreza Chiyaneh tried to lead his side make a comeback but they ended up conceding another All-Out to trail 14-33. India maintained their stranglehold and sealed the issue. "With the score of 42-32 in the final match against Iran, Team India retains the Asian Kabaddi Championship Title! Kudos to the entire team. Well played boys," the Sports Authority of India tweeted. India had beaten arch-rivals Pakistan in the final in the last edition held in Iran in 2017.

Indian Embassy in touch with Iran for fishermen's release: Muraleedharan

The Government of India has given the highest priority for securing the release of Indian fishermen detained by Iranian authorities for allegedly entering their waters without permission, Union Minister for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, said here on Thursday. Seven fishermen from Kerala, three from Tamil Nadu, and a citizen of an Arab nation who went fishing from Ajman, UAE, were detained by the Iranian Navy a few days ago after they unintentionally crossed over the waters of the Middle East nation. Muraleedharan met relatives of the fishermen from Kerala at a church nearby Anchuthengu and said the External Affairs Ministry, through the Indian Embassy in Iran, got in touch with Iranian authorities soon after he was informed about the fishermen's custody in Iran. The minister said the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has experience in securing the release of Indian citizens detained by the security agencies of foreign countries for entering international ..

Gopichand Hinduja takes over as chairman of $34.5 billion-worth group

Gopichand Hinduja, who was the co-chairman of the Hinduja Group, oversees a diverse global business empire that spans several sectors such as automotive, oil and specialty chemicals

China wants end to terror attacks on Pakistan-Iran border: Reports

For the first time, China, together with Pakistan and Iran, has decided to find ways and means to counter the threat of terrorism facing the region, media reports said

White House says Iran helping Russia build a drone factory for war

Iran is providing Russia with materials to build a drone manufacturing plant east of Moscow as the Kremlin looks to lock in a steady supply of weaponry for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to a U.S. intelligence finding released by the White House on Friday. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that U.S. intelligence officials believe a plant in Russia's Alabuga special economic zone could be operational early next year. The White House also released satellite imagery taken in April of the industrial location, several hundred miles east of Moscow, where it believes the plant will probably be built. President Joe Biden's administration publicly stated in December that it believed Tehran and Moscow were considering standing up a drone assembly line in Russia for the Ukraine war. The new intelligence suggests that the project, in the Yelabuga region of Tatarstan, has moved beyond conception. Iran has said it provided drones to Russia before the start of the w

Pak to examine Iran's Indian Ocean alliance proposal maritime security

Pakistan has said it will examine the proposal floated by Iran with regard to forming an Indian Ocean naval alliance aimed at ensuring collective maritime security, media reports said.

Iran unveils hypersonic missile amid US tensions that can beat air defences

Iran claimed on Tuesday that it had created a hypersonic missile capable of travelling at 15 times the speed of sound. The announcement comes as tensions remain high with the United States over Tehran's nuclear programme. Iran's state television reported that the missile called Fattah, or Conqueror in Farsi had a range of up to 1,400 kilometers (870 miles). The report also claimed the missile could pass through any regional missile defense system, though it offered no evidence to support the claim. The TV broadcast what appeared to be a model of the missile being unveiled by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a hard-line paramilitary organization in the Islamic Republic, before President Ebrahim Raisi. The Guard already has a vast arsenal of ballistic missiles. In November, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh of the Revolutionary Guard claimed that Iran had created a hypersonic missile, without offering evidence to support it. That claim came during the nationwide protests that followed the Septe

India cements relations with Afghanistan by routing food aid through Iran

The Chabahar port is proving to be useful as a politically unstable and economically-weak Pakistan has been refusing Indian aid trucks to cross its territory into Afghanistan

Iran's media claims UN watchdog closes line of inquiry on nuclear programme

Iran's state-run news agency claimed Tuesday that international inspectors had closed off two lines of inquiry they had over Tehran's nuclear programme ahead of a scheduled quarterly report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, however, did not respond to questions over the report published by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. Citing knowledgeable sources, IRNA said that the IAEA had closed off its inquiry over the recent discovery of traces of uranium enriched up to 83.7 per cent purity. A quarterly IAEA report in March said inspectors found the particles in Iran's underground Fordo nuclear site, further raising nonproliferation concerns as weapons-grade material is enriched to 90 per cent. Iran had blamed unintended fluctuations for the discovery at Fordo nuclear site. The Islamic Republic has been producing uranium enriched to 60% purity a level which nonproliferation experts say Tehran does not need for civilian ...

Ukrainian Parliament backs 50-year sanctions on Iran, including trade bans

The sanctions also include the suspension of transit of resources, flights and transportation in Ukraine by Iranian residents

Iran unveils latest version of ballistic missile amid wider tensions

Iran unveiled on Thursday what it called the latest iteration of its liquid-fuelled Khorramshahr ballistic missile amid wider tensions with the West over its nuclear programme. Authorities showed off the Khorramshahr-4 to journalists at an event in Tehran, with the missile on a truck-mounted launcher. Defence Minister Gen. Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said the missile could be prepared for launch in a short period. One of the prominent characteristics of this missile is its ability to evade radar detection and penetrate enemy air defense systems, thanks to its low radar signature," the general told journalists. This missile has the capability to utilize various warheads for different missions. Iranian officials described the missile as having a 2,000-kilometre (1,240-mile) range with a 1,500-kilogram (3,300-pound) warhead. They also released undated video footage purportedly showing a successful launch of the missile. The Khorramshahr has the heaviest payload of Iran's ballistic missile

New Iranian nuclear facility will not be immune from attack: Israeli NSA

The Israeli government's national security adviser on Tuesday said a new nuclear facility being built by Iran would not be immune from attack, despite assessments by experts it will be beyond the reach of last-ditch U.S. bunker-busting bombs. Tzachi Hanegbi made the comments in response to an Associated Press report that said the new facility appears to be as deep as 100 meters (328 feet) below ground. Hanegbi, speaking at a security conference near Tel Aviv, said he was not surprised by the report, noting that Iran has other underground facilities. While he acknowledged the location would complicate any potential military strike on the facility, he said there are still solutions to the challenge. What is possible to say about this matter is that there is no place that can't be reached, he said. He declined to say whether Israel had the ability to do this on its own. We hope we won't get to a situation where the solution to the story of a nuclear weapon in Iran is a kinetic soluti

Iran-IAEA cooperation continuing, no 'plunge' in inspections: Nuclear chief

Eslami said that relations between Iran and the IAEA are continuing on the basis of the safeguards agreements and the Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding no disruption has occurred

US announces criminal cases involving flow of information to Russia, China

The Justice Department announced a series of criminal cases Tuesday tracing the illegal flow of sensitive technology, including Apple's software code for self-driving cars and materials used for missiles, to foreign adversaries like Russia, China and Iran. Some of the alleged theft highlighted by the department dates back several years, but U.S. officials are drawing attention to the collection of cases now to highlight the work of a task force created this year to disrupt the transfer of goods to foreign countries. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent these advanced tools from falling into the hands of adversaries who wield them in a way that threatens not only our national security but democratic values everywhere, said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, who heads the Justice Department's national security division. One of the cases, unsealed Tuesday in federal court in Los Angeles, accuses a former software engineer from Apple of taking proprietary data related

Amid fiscal woes, private dealers in Pakistan turn to Iran for cheaper fuel

Amid reeling economic crisis and shortage of foreign exchange reserves, Private dealers in Pakistan have turned to Iran for less expensive fuel as the country's inflation rate has hit historic highs

Iran expels four Azerbaijani diplomats in a 'retaliatory' response

In early April, Azerbaijan declared four diplomats of the Iranian embassy in Baku as "persona non grata" due to their activities that were "incompatible with diplomatic status"

Iran blames US sanctions for causing environment, health problems

Iravani said that the US sanctions against Iran have exacerbated the country's environmental problems, posing risks to the health of Iranian citizens