Page 46 - Iran

Iran's currency hits new low amid anti-government protests

Iran's currency fell to a record low against the dollar on Sunday, with nationwide anti-government protests now in their fifth month. A breakdown in negotiations to restore Tehran's nuclear deal has also hurt the value of the rial. Traders in Tehran were exchanging the rial at around 600,000 to the dollar on Sunday, after the currency plunged further from 500,000 rials for USD 1 on Wednesday. Iran's currency was trading at 32,000 rials to the dollar at the time of the 2015 nuclear accord that lifted international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for tight controls on Iran's nuclear programme. It was trading at 100 rials to the dollar in 1979 when the Islamic Revolution the West-back monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Iran's statistics centre said last week that the inflation rate reached 53.4 in January. It was 41.4 in January 2021, two years ago. Iran has been gripped by nationwide protests since September. Demonstrations broke out following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amin

Iran just shy of a nuclear bomb, enriched uranium at 84% purity: IAEA

The development comes as Iran is increasingly isolated from the West and nuclear talks with world powers remain suspended

Delhi Metro clears pre-qualification tender process for Bahrain Metro

Delhi Metro has qualified for the pre-qualification tender process for an international consultancy project to construct the phase-1 of Bahrain Metro, the DMRC said on Monday. The DMRC is bidding for this project which involves construction of around a 30-km network with 20 stations, officials said. In view of this, the Delhi Metro on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BEML Limited, the DMRC said in a statement. As a part of this MoU, the BEML will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying of rolling stock and the DMRC will provide expertise in the fields of project development, budgeting and facilitating development of contractual obligations for the Bahrain Metro Project, it said. The MoU was signed by Saleem Ahmed, Executive Director (Last Mile Connectivity), Delhi Metro and D S Ganesh, General Manager (Marketing), BEML in the presence of Vikas Kumar, Managing Director, DMRC and Amit Banerjee, Chairman and Managing Director, BEML. "The Delhi Metro has qualif

Iran sees widespread protests in weeks over govt's execution of two men

Protesters in Iran marched through the streets of multiple cities overnight in the most widespread demonstration in weeks amid the monthslong unrest that's gripped the Islamic Republic, online videos purported to show Friday. The demonstrations, marking 40 days since Iran executed two men on charges related to the protests, show the continuing anger in the country. The protests, which began over the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the country's morality police, have since morphed into one of the most serious challenges to Iran's theocracy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Videos showed demonstrations in Iran's capital, Tehran, as well as in the cities of Arak, Isfahan, Izeh in Khuzestan province and Karaj, the group Human Rights Activists in Iran said. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the videos, many of which had been blurred or showed grainy nighttime scenes. In Iran's western Kurdish regions, online videos shared by the Hengaw .

China, Iran urge Afghanistan to end work related restrictions on women

China and Iran have urged mutual neighbour Afghanistan to end restrictions on women's work and education. The call came in a joint statement Thursday issued at the close of a visit to Beijing by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during which the two sides affirmed close economic and political ties and their rejection of Western standards of human rights and democracy. Since taking over Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has banned women and girls from universities and schools after the sixth grade and forced out those in elected offices and other prominent positions. The two sides ... called on the Afghan rulers to form an inclusive government in which all ethnic groups and political groups actually participate, and cancel all discriminatory measures against women, ethnic minorities and other religions," the statement said, adding that the US and its NATO allies should be responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan." The US had backed Afghanistan's elected government ..

We will resume talks soon to normalise ties with Saudi Arabia: Iranian FM

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks on Sunday at a joint press conference with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani following their meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran

Iran vows legal pursuit of Trump, Pompeo for Soleimani's assassination

On January 3, 2020, the US military, at the order of Trump, assassinated Soleimani and the deputy commander of Iraq's paramilitary

Iran imposes new sanctions on EU, UK individuals for inciting violence

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has imposed new sanctions on number of individuals and entities of European Union (EU) and the UK for "supporting terrorism and inciting violence and unrest" in Iran

Iran to get Russian Su-35 fighters in next Iranian year, says lawmaker

The lawmaker noted that Iran has also ordered a number of defense and missile systems as well as helicopters, most of which will be soon delivered by Russia

Iran hangs former defence ministry official Ali Akbari in spy claim

Iran said Saturday it executed a former high-ranking defence ministry official and dual Iranian-British national, despite international warnings not to carry out the death sentence. The execution further escalated tensions with the West amid the nationwide anti-government protests shaking the Islamic Republic. The hanging of Ali Reza Akbari, a close ally of top security official Ali Shamkhani, suggests an ongoing power struggle within Iran's theocracy as it tries to contain the demonstrations over the September death of Mahsa Amini. It also harkened back to the mass purges of the military that immediately followed Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Akbari's hanging drew immediate anger from London, which along with the US and others has sanctioned Iran over the protests and its supplying Russia with the bomb-carrying drones now targeting Ukraine. This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people, British Prime

Iran sentences former defence ministry official to death over espionage

The former Deputy Defence Minister, identified by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry as Alireza Akbari, was charged with 'espionage on behalf of Britain'

Iran, Pakistan call for setting up joint military task force: Report

Noting the good relations between the armed forces of the two countries and the development of defence and security cooperation especially on the common borders

Iranian detained, suspected of chemical attack plot, says Germany

A 32-year-old Iranian man has been detained in Germany on suspicion of planning an attack with deadly chemicals, officials said Sunday. Police and prosecutors said the man and another person were detained overnight in the town of Castrop-Rauxel, northwest of Dortmund. In a joint statement they said the man is suspected to have planned a serious attack motivated by Islamic extremism, for which he had allegedly sought to obtain the potent toxins cyanide and ricin. Specialists wearing anti-contamination suits were seen carrying evidence out of the man's home. A spokesman for Duesseldorf prosecutors later said an initial search of the premises turned up no toxic substances, German news agency dpa reported. It wasn't immediately clear how far advanced the plans for an attack were and whether the suspect had picked a specific target. Dpa quoted the top security official for North Rhine-Westphalia state, Herbert Reul, as saying authorities had received a serious tip that led police to .

Iran's exports to S Arabia see rapid growth in 2022 amid detente: Report

Iran's exports to Saudi Arabia have increased dramatically in 2022 amid the two countries' efforts to ease tensions

1 killed, 2 injured in shooting attack at oil and gas company in Iran

One person was killed and another two were injured in a shooting attack at an oil and gas company in the southwestern Iranian province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad

Iran carries out execution of 2 more men detained amid nationwide protests

Iran said it executed two men Saturday convicted of allegedly killing a paramilitary volunteer during a demonstration, the latest executions aimed at halting the nationwide protests now challenging the country's theocracy. Iran's judiciary identified those executed as Mohammad Karami and Mohammad Hosseini, making it four men known to have been executed since the demonstrations began in September over the death of Mahsa Amini. The judiciary's Mizan news agency said the men had been convicted of killing Ruhollah Ajamian, a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's volunteer Basij Force, in the city of Karaj outside of Tehran on Nov. 3. The Basij have deployed in major cities, attacking and detaining protesters, who in many cases have fought back. It wasn't immediately clear which court heard the two men's cases. However, Iran's internationally criticized closed-door Revolutionary Courts have handed down two of the death sentences. Activists say at least 16 people have been sentence

Iranian drone maker sanctioned by US for allegedly supplying to Moscow

The US on Friday hit six executives and board members of an Iranian drone manufacturer with sanctions after the firm allegedly supplied Moscow with drones that Russian forces have been using to attack Ukraine. Qods Aviation Industries, a previously sanctioned Iranian defence manufacturer, is alleged to be responsible for the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles used to conduct strikes on civilians during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Treasury Department says the firm changed its name to Light Airplanes Design and Manufacturing Industries in mid-2020 to evade sanctions. The financial penalties imposed by Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control highlight the growing tension between the US and Iran over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal as well as US allegations of Russia and Iran deepening cooperation through shared military assistance as the war rages on. Iran has now become Russia's top military backer, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. Iran m

Iran tests military drones in wargame near Strait of Hormuz: Report

Iran's military tested new attack drones in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Saturday as part of its ongoing annual drill, state TV reported. Meanwhile, antigovernment protests underway for over three months continued. Videos on social media showed protests in Tehran's grand bazaar and several cities and towns including in the Kurdish area. Part of Tehran's bazaar closed in the wake of the protests which authorities cracked down on. State TV said the Ababil-5 attack drone was used during wargames for the first time and successfully hit its target with a bomb after traveling 400 kilometers (250 miles). Iran has tested many other military drones over the past decade. The military drones have been a point of contention between Iran and the United States and its allies, which claim Tehran is supplying Moscow with drones that have been used in attacks in West-backed Ukraine. In November, Iran acknowledged it has supplied Russia with drones

War in Ukraine to tech layoffs: A look at 10 events that defined 2022

2022 will be remembered for a plethora of things but these 10 events will perhaps be on top of the list

Russia attacks Ukraine with 16 Iran-made drones, Kiev officials claim

Officials in Kiev have claimed that Russia attacked Ukraine with 16 Iran-made drones just a day after Moscow struck cities across the war-torn nation with the latest barrage of missile