Page 50 - Iran

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

Was Iran's former deputy defence minister a British spy?

Iran's former high-ranking defence minister and dual Iranian-British national Alireza Akbari was killed despite international warnings not to carry out the death sentence.Watch the video to know more

US, West seek to turn Ukraine conflict into 'war of attrition', says Iran

The Iranian Defence Minister stressed that Iran supports any diplomatic efforts that would result in the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine war

Iran's navy seizes oil tanker with 24 Indian crew members near Oman

Iran's navy seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker with 24 Indian crew members in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday heading to the US amid wider tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme, the latest-such capture in a waterway crucial for global energy supplies. The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in the Gulf of Oman, just north of Oman's capital, Muscat, on Thursday afternoon. It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination as Houston. The Advantage Sweet issued a distress call at 1:15 p.m. while in international waters as Iran seized the vessel, the Navy said. "Iran's actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability," the 5th Fleet said in a statement. Iran should immediately release the oil tanker. The Navy initially said Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized the vessel, but an American naval aircraft

Iran slaps 'retaliatory' sanctions on EU, British individuals, entities

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has imposed sanctions on 17 individuals and four entities of the European Union and the UK for "supporting terrorism and fomenting violence and unrest in Iran"

India, Armenia, Iran hold 1st trilateral political consultations in Yerevan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, Armenia and Iran held the first trilateral political consultations on Thursday in Yerevan.The three countries had a wide range of discussions, particularly on economic issues and regional communication.Trilateral cooperation in various fields was also discussed during the meeting.Informing of the consultations, the official Twitter account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia wrote, "First trilateral political consultations btw MFAs of #Armenia, #Iran & #India were held in Yerevan. Sides discussed, particularly economic issues & regional communications outlined prospects of deepening cultural & people to people contacts & trilateral coop in various fields."Armenia and India celebrated 30 years of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2022. Armenia and India maintain active political ties. Effective cooperation exists between the two nations within international bodies.After Armenia's independence in 1991, ...

Iran reportedly unveils new radar system for detecting low-altitude drones

The radar system also boasts features such as 3D target detection, tactical capability for rapid reaction operations, long endurance, and utilisation of modern techniques

Iran may consider extension of natural gas pipeline from Oman to India

Iran may consider an extension of the sub-sea natural gas pipeline from Oman to India, its Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Relation Mehdi Safari said in a statement on Friday. "Already, Iran is building this natural gas pipeline to Oman, which can be extended to India up to Porbandhar," Safari said while speaking at an interactive meeting organised by MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai on Thursday evening, it added. The deputy foreign minister was in Mumbai to promote the 'Iran Expo 2023' to be held from May 7-10 this year in Tehran and explore trade and investment collaborations across 11 major categories, MVIRDC World Trade Center Mumbai said in the release. Despite economic sanctions, India is among the top five trade partners of Iran, and both countries are strategic partners, the statement quoted the deputy foreign minister as saying. "Our export to India has grown 60 per cent in 2022, and in the last two months, it has grown 90 per cent. This implies diversification of tra

Iran 'successfully' tests kamikaze drone with 50-kg warhead: Official

An Iranian official said Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully tested a homemade long-range, high-precision kamikaze drone equipped with a 50-kg warhead

Will Saudi-Iran accord have a domino effect and stabilize the Middle East?

It looks like the bloody war in Yemen, where the Iranians backed the rebel Houthis and Saudi Arabia the internationally recognized government, will come to an end

Iran says won't hesitate to give 'decisive response' to Israeli threat

Iran's envoy to the United Nations said Iran will not hesitate to give a "decisive response" to any threat from Israel, state media reported.