INSIDER
Iran believes all remaining workers have died in coal mine explosion, raising death toll to 49
Read full article: Iran believes all remaining workers have died in coal mine explosion, raising death toll to 49Iran says it believes the remaining workers trapped by an explosion at a coal mine in the countryโs east have died, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 49.
Death toll after explosion at eastern Iran coal mine rises to at least 38 with 14 still missing
Read full article: Death toll after explosion at eastern Iran coal mine rises to at least 38 with 14 still missingRescuers have recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran.
Iranโs new president reappoints UN-sanctioned official as head of the country's nuclear agency
Read full article: Iranโs new president reappoints UN-sanctioned official as head of the country's nuclear agencyIranโs newly-elected president has reappointed a U.S.-educated official as director of the countryโs nuclear department.
Iranian presidential candidates accuse each other of having no plan or experience ahead of runoff
Read full article: Iranian presidential candidates accuse each other of having no plan or experience ahead of runoffIranโs two presidential candidates are accusing each other of having no solution for the countryโs problems ahead of Fridayโs runoff.
Who is Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's president whose helicopter suffered a 'hard landing' in foggy weather?
Read full article: Who is Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's president whose helicopter suffered a 'hard landing' in foggy weather?Iranโs hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi has long been seen as a protรฉgรฉ to Iranโs supreme leader and a potential successor for his position within the countryโs Shiite theocracy.
Iran starts first election campaign since the 2022 mass protests over Mahsa Amini's death in custody
Read full article: Iran starts first election campaign since the 2022 mass protests over Mahsa Amini's death in custodyCandidates for Iranโs parliament have started campaigning in the countryโs first election since the 2022 crackdown on nationwide protests that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after she was detained for allegedly violating the strict headscarf law.
EXPLAINER: What kept Iran protests going after first spark?
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What kept Iran protests going after first spark?Protests have erupted across Iran in recent days after a 22-year-old woman died while being held by the morality police for violating the countryโs strictly enforced Islamic dress code.
The AP Interview: UN nuke chief says view of Iran blurred
Read full article: The AP Interview: UN nuke chief says view of Iran blurredThe head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has warned that the restrictions faced by his inspectors in Iran threaten to give the world only a โvery blurred imageโ of Tehranโs program as it enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.
UN nuclear watchdog: Iran producing more uranium metal
Read full article: UN nuclear watchdog: Iran producing more uranium metalThe UN's nuclear watchdog says Iran continues to produce uranium metal, which can be used in the production of a nuclear bomb, in a move that further complicates the possibility of reviving a landmark 2015 deal with world powers on Iran's nuclear program.
Iran's president warns weapons-grade enrichment possible
Read full article: Iran's president warns weapons-grade enrichment possibleIranโs outgoing president is warning his country could enrich uranium at weapons-grade levels of 90% if it chose, though it still wanted to save its tattered nuclear deal with world powers.
Iran reimposes virus restrictions as delta variant spreads
Read full article: Iran reimposes virus restrictions as delta variant spreadsIran has announced new coronavirus restrictions on major cities as the spread of the highly contagious delta variant spurs fears of another devastating surge in the nation.
Iran president warns of possible new wave of COVID cases
Read full article: Iran president warns of possible new wave of COVID casesPresident Hassan Rouhani says Iran may face another wave of coronavirus infections, as health officials warn of the spread of the more infectious delta variant of the coronavirus.
In Iran's subdued election, many voters appear to stay home
Read full article: In Iran's subdued election, many voters appear to stay homeIranian state TV showed voters streaming to cast their ballots, but very different scenes were playing out on Tehranโs streets, where traffic was light and polling places appeared relatively empty.
Apathy greets Iran presidential vote dominated by hard-liner
Read full article: Apathy greets Iran presidential vote dominated by hard-linerIranians have voted in a presidential election dominated by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneiโs hard-line protege after the disqualification of his strongest competition.
Iran sends warships to Atlantic amid Venezuela concerns
Read full article: Iran sends warships to Atlantic amid Venezuela concernsIranian state TV says that an Iranian destroyer and support vessel are now sailing in the Atlantic Ocean in a rare mission far from the Islamic Republic, without offering the vesselsโ final destination.
US eyes major rollback in Iran sanctions to revive nuke deal
Read full article: US eyes major rollback in Iran sanctions to revive nuke dealThe Biden administration is weighing a major rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran, in a bid to get the Islamic Republic to return to compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear accord.
US outlines possible sanctions relief for Iran in nuke talks
Read full article: US outlines possible sanctions relief for Iran in nuke talksA senior U.S. official says the Biden administration has laid out examples of the kinds of sanctions on Iran it's willing to lift in exchange for Iran's return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran, Saudis hold talks in Baghdad, few expect quick results
Read full article: Iran, Saudis hold talks in Baghdad, few expect quick resultsA first round of direct talks between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran signal a possible de-escalation following years of animosity that has often spilled over into neighboring countries.
Iran sees highest daily death toll in months as virus surges
Read full article: Iran sees highest daily death toll in months as virus surgesIranโs daily coronavirus death toll has climbed over 400 for the first time in months, as the country, which has long had the regionโs largest outbreak, battles a post-holiday infection surge.
EXPLAINER: Iran atomic sites targeted by diplomacy, sabotage
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Iran atomic sites targeted by diplomacy, sabotageIranโs nuclear program has been targeted by diplomatic efforts and sabotage attacks over the last decade, with the latest incident striking its underground Natanz facility.
EXPLAINER: Iran restricts UN atomic agency to pressure West
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Iran restricts UN atomic agency to pressure WestDirector General of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi from Argentina, speaks to the media after returning from Iran at the Vienna International Airport, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)DUBAI โ Iran will begin restricting the ability of United Nations nuclear inspectors to monitor Tehran's nuclear program. Restricting IAEA inspections, a cornerstone of ensuring Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, provides Iran a way to grab the West's attention. Without success at the negotiating table, Iran could bar IAEA inspectors or withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. ___Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and David Rising in Berlin contributed to this report.
UN nuclear chief says Iran to grant 'less access' to program
Read full article: UN nuclear chief says Iran to grant 'less access' to program(AP Photo/Ronald Zak)TEHRAN โ Iran will begin to offer United Nations inspectors โless accessโ to its nuclear program as part of its pressure campaign on the West, though investigators will still be able to monitor Tehran's work, the U.N. atomic watchdog's chief said Sunday. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying it needed to be renegotiated. AdGrossi met earlier Sunday with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's civilian nuclear program. In November, Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who founded the country's military nuclear program some two decades earlier, was killed in an attack Tehran blames on Israel. โSome of them may have security ramifications for Iran, whose peaceful nuclear sites have been attacked," Zarif said.
Biden repudiates Trump on Iran, ready for talks on nuke deal
Read full article: Biden repudiates Trump on Iran, ready for talks on nuke dealBesides signaling Thursday a willingness to talk with Iran, the administration also reversed Trumpโs determination that all U.N. sanctions against Iran had been restored. He's expected to address the U.S. stance on the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal, the war in Afghanistan and the economic and national security challenges posed by Russia and China. The U.S. has not participated in a meeting of those participants since Trump withdrew from the deal and began steadily ramping up sanctions on Iran. The Trump administration had imposed the severe restrictions, which essentially confined them to their U.N. mission and the U.N. headquarters building in New York. โIt is concerning the Biden Administration is already making concessions in an apparent attempt to re-enter the flawed Iran deal," he said.
US, Europeans urge Iran to keep allowing nuclear inspections
Read full article: US, Europeans urge Iran to keep allowing nuclear inspections(UNTV via AP)PARIS โ Top European and U.S. officials urged Iran on Thursday to allow continued United Nations nuclear inspections and stop nuclear activities that have no credible civilian use. Iran is โplaying with fire,โ said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who took part in talks Thursday in Paris with his British and French counterparts. Iran has said it will stop part of International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of its nuclear facilities next week if the West doesnโt implement its own commitments under the 2015 deal. The 2015 accord is aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The head of the IAEA is scheduled to travel to Iran this weekend to find a solution that allows the agency to continue inspections.
Iran may pursue nuclear weapon, intel minister warns West
Read full article: Iran may pursue nuclear weapon, intel minister warns WestIran's supreme leader said the U.S. must lift all sanctions if it wants Iran to return to its commitments to the nuclear deal with Western powers. The remarks by Mahmoud Alavi mark a rare occasion that a government official says Iran could reverse its course on the nuclear program. A 1990s fatwa, or religious edict, by the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei states that nuclear weapons are forbidden. AdIsrael has long accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, and the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers put strict limits on Iranian nuclear activities to prevent it from reaching weapons capabilities. Israel, which has been suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists over the last decade, has repeatedly declined to comment on the attack.
Iran asks watchdog not to publish 'unnecessary' nuke details
Read full article: Iran asks watchdog not to publish 'unnecessary' nuke detailsThe report quoted a statement from Iranโs nuclear department that asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to avoid publishing details on Iranโs nuclear program that may cause confusion. โIran has no credible civilian use for uranium metal,โ they said in a joint statement. โThe production of uranium metal has potentially grave military implications.โOn Thursday, the IAEA said Iran had informed it that it had begun installing equipment for the production of uranium metal. Iran reacted to the European statement Sunday saying Iran informed the U.N. nuclear watchdog nearly two decades ago of its plans for the โpeaceful and conventionalโ production of uranium metal. The three European nations alongside the U.S., Russia and China signed the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that prohibited research and production of uranium metal.
Iran starts 20% uranium enrichment, seizes South Korean ship
Read full article: Iran starts 20% uranium enrichment, seizes South Korean shipIn this photo released Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, by Tasnim News Agency, a seized South Korean-flagged tanker is escorted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats on the Persian Gulf. Iranian state television acknowledged that Tehran seized the oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif seemed to acknowledge Tehran's interest in leveraging the situation in a tweet about its nuclear enrichment. Meanwhile, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized the MT Hankuk Chemi, with photos later released showing its vessels alongside the tanker. The South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted an anonymous company official denying the Iranian claim the ship polluted the water.
Iran builds at underground nuclear facility amid US tensions
Read full article: Iran builds at underground nuclear facility amid US tensionsThis Dec. 11, 2020, satellite photo by Maxar Technologies shows construction at Iran's Fordo nuclear facility. Iran has begun construction on a site at its underground nuclear facility at Fordo amid tensions with the U.S. over its atomic program, satellite photos obtained Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, by The Associated Press show. Already, Iran is building at its Natanz nuclear facility after a mysterious explosion in July there that Tehran described as a sabotage attack. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to stop enriching uranium at Fordo and instead make it โa nuclear, physics and technology center.โโThis location was a major sticking point in negotiations leading to the Iran nuclear deal,โ Lewis said. Meanwhile, an Iranian scientist who created its military nuclear program two decades ago recently was killed in a shooting outside of Tehran.
Iran summons EU envoys for protesting reporter's hanging
Read full article: Iran summons EU envoys for protesting reporter's hangingTEHRAN โ Iran on Sunday summoned the German and French envoys to Tehran after the European Union condemned the execution of an Iranian journalist whose work helped inspire nationwide economic protests in 2017, Iranian state media reported. IRNA said an Iranian Foreign Ministry official summoned the ambassadors because of EU statements on the exiled reporter Ruhollah Zam, 47, who was hanged on Saturday. Zam had been jailed in Iran after Iranian authorities seized him while he was traveling in neighboring Iraq last year. โThis is a barbarous and unacceptable act,โ the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement, which condemned the hanging as a โgrave blowโ to freedom of speech in Iran. The initial spark for the 2017 protests was a sudden jump in food prices.
Iran's president opposes bill that would boost enrichment
Read full article: Iran's president opposes bill that would boost enrichmentTEHRAN โ Iranโs President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday expressed his opposition to a bill approved by parliament the previous day to suspend U.N. inspections and boost uranium enrichment, saying it would be โharmfulโ to diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal and easing U.S. sanctions. Under the law, if the president refuses to sign the bill, it will be automatically singed by the parliament speaker to go into effect. Tuesday's approval by lawmakers appeared to be a show of defiance after Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a key figure in Iran's nuclear program, was killed in an attack Iranian officials have blamed on Israel. Iran insists its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. The U.S. imposed crippling sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018.
Iran closes businesses, curtails travel amid virus surge
Read full article: Iran closes businesses, curtails travel amid virus surgeIran on Saturday shuttered businesses and curtailed travel between its major cities, including the capital of Tehran, as it grapples with the worst outbreak of the coronavirus in the Mideast region. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)TEHRAN โ Iran on Saturday shuttered businesses and curtailed travel between its major cities, including the capital of Tehran, as it grapples with the worst outbreak of the coronavirus in the Mideast region. Top Iranian officials initially downplayed the risks posed by the virus outbreak, before recently urging the public to follow measures like wearing masks and avoiding unessential travel. The Iranian Health Ministry said on Saturday that the total number of confirmed cases has risen to above 840,000. The new lockdown measures, which include shuttering most businesses, shops, malls, and restaurants, include Iran's largest cities of Mashhad, Isfahan, and Shiraz.
Iran's allies on high alert in Trump's final weeks in office
Read full article: Iran's allies on high alert in Trump's final weeks in officeOn Friday, Nov. 20, two Iraqi officials say Iran has instructed allies in the Middle East to be on high alert and avoid provoking tensions with the U.S. that could give an outgoing Trump Administration cause to launch attacks in his final weeks in office. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)BAGHDAD โ Iran has instructed allies across the Middle East to be on high alert and avoid provoking tensions with the U.S. that could give an outgoing Trump administration cause to launch attacks in the U.S. president's final weeks in office, Iraqi officials have said. Iranโs allies have collectively welcomed Trumpโs election defeat. However, if there was a U.S. aggression by the Trump administration, Iran's response would โbe in line with the type of strike,โ one of the Iraqi politicians cited Ghaani as saying. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the leader of the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group, Hasan Nasrallah, warned followers and allies to be vigilant during Trumpโs remaining weeks in office.
Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear deal
Read full article: Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear dealIn this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. On Sunday, Rouhani called on President-elect Joe Biden to "compensate for past mistakes" and return the U.S. to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)TEHRAN โ Iran's president called on President-elect Joe Biden to โcompensate for past mistakesโ and return the U.S. to Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, a state-run news agency reported Sunday. Hassan Rouhani's comments mark the highest-level response from Iran to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris clinching the Nov. 3 election. In an effort to pressure Europe to find a way around the sanctions, Iran has slowly abandoned the limits of the nuclear deal.
Wary of angering public, Iran has few ways to contain virus
Read full article: Wary of angering public, Iran has few ways to contain virusFILE - In this Oct. 15, 2020, file photo, people wear protective face masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the Tajrish traditional bazaar in northern Tehran, Iran. In the last week, Iran shattered its single-day death toll record twice and reported daily infection highs three times. He demanded for the first time they prioritize public health over โthe security and economic aspectsโ of the pandemic, without elaborating. Only in late March โ with infections skyrocketing โ did Iran impose a two-week shutdown of offices and nonessential businesses. ___Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
Months into pandemic, Iran sees worst wave of virus deaths
Read full article: Months into pandemic, Iran sees worst wave of virus deathsIn this Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, photo provided by the Iranian Health Ministry, medics tend to a COVID-19 patient at the Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The single-day death toll hit a record high three times this week. On state TV, gravediggers can be seen breaking new ground in vast cemeteries for virus victims, as the daily death toll shattered records Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. A top health official announced that overall hospitalizations in Tehran, the capital, were up 12% more than in even previous virus surges. โThere is not an empty bed for any new patient.โContradictory messages and measures have plagued the governmentโs virus response, helping propel the country's toll of 29,600 reported deaths to No.
Iran strikes defiant tone at UN under crushing US sanctions
Read full article: Iran strikes defiant tone at UN under crushing US sanctionsThe sanctions effectively bar Iran from selling its oil globally. โThe United States can impose neither negotiations nor war on us,โ Rouhani said, adding: โLife is hard under sanctions. Because Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement, few U.N. member states believe the U.S. has the legal standing to restore the sanctions. Iran has steadily broken restrictions on the amount of uranium it can enrich in order to pressure countries to do more. It was his last speech to the U.N. assembly as president of Iran.
Virtual UN meeting saps NYC of yearly hubbub, cash infusion
Read full article: Virtual UN meeting saps NYC of yearly hubbub, cash infusionA general view of United Nations headquarters on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020. Leaders will not be traveling to the United Nations in New York for their addresses, which will be prerecorded. As the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak this spring, New York City has lost more than 23,000 residents to confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19. โFrom a city perspective, we have been very grateful for that,โ said Penny Abeywardena, New York City's international affairs commissioner. โWe have people that we know them for years โ every General Assembly, they come here.
Iran dismisses US efforts for UN sanctions as currency drops
Read full article: Iran dismisses US efforts for UN sanctions as currency dropsFILE - In this Aug. 21, 2019 file photo, a man counts his banknotes and traveler checks in Tehran, Iran. On Sunday, Sept 20, 2020, Iran dismissed U.S. efforts to restore all U.N. sanctions on the country as mounting economic pressure from Washington pushed the local currency down to its lowest level ever. As the currency plummeted, Iranโs President Hassan Rouhani slammed the Trump administration's declaration Saturday that all U.N. sanctions against Iran have been reimposed because Tehran is not complying with the nuclear deal. They say the U.S. lost legal standing to invoke snapback sanctions when President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 and began reimposing U.S. sanctions on Iran. Iranโs Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the snapback sanctions have only happened in โthe fantastical worldโ of the Trump administration.
Iran begins new school year amid virus concerns
Read full article: Iran begins new school year amid virus concernsStudents and their parents wearing protective face masks to help prevent spread of the coronavirus listen to their national anthem during the opening ceremony of the Hashtroudi school in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. Iran on Saturday opened the new school year after nearly seven months of closure as many expressed concern over a possible increase in infections of the Covid-19. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)TEHRAN Iran on Saturday opened the new school year after nearly seven months of closure. The reopening of schools came as many expressed concern over a possible increase in infections, including medical professionals. Prevent physical reopening of all schools across the country.Iran has so far used distance learning via internet apps and TV programs.
Iran threatens 'dangerous future' for UAE after Israel deal
Read full article: Iran threatens 'dangerous future' for UAE after Israel dealTEHRAN Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard vowed Saturday there would be dangerous consequences for the United Arab Emirates after it announced a historic deal with Israel to open up diplomatic relations. The UAE is the first Gulf Arab state to do so and only the third Arab nation to establish normalized relations with Israel, Iran's regional archenemy. The Guard warned that the deal with Israel will set back American influence in the Middle East, and bring a dangerous future" for the Emirati government. In a televised speech Saturday, he warned that the United Arab Emirates has made a huge mistake in reaching a deal toward normalizing ties with Israel. Israel has quietly cultivated ties with the UAE and other Gulf countries for several years as they have confronted a shared enemy in Iran.
Virus deaths top 600,000 as cases rise in SAfrica, Australia
Read full article: Virus deaths top 600,000 as cases rise in SAfrica, AustraliaChina confirmed 13 new cases in the northwestern city of Urumqi on Sunday, while South Korea reported less than 40 additional cases for a second straight day. The number of confirmed infections worldwide has passed 14.2 million, out of which 3.7 million are in the United States. Local governments in India continued to reimpose focused lockdowns in several parts of the country following a surge in cases. Iran has the Middle Easts worst outbreak with more than 270,000 confirmed cases. In Bangladesh, confirmed cases surpassed 200,000 but experts say the number is much higher as the country lacks adequate labs for testing.
Breathtaking virus numbers show normal life still far away
Read full article: Breathtaking virus numbers show normal life still far awayHealth workers wait to screen people for COVID-19 symptoms at a temple in Mumbai, India, Saturday, July 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)JOHANNESBURG South Africa was poised on Saturday to join the top five countries most affected by the coronavirus, while breathtaking numbers around the world were a reminder a return to normal life is still far from sight. Confirmed virus cases worldwide have topped 14 million and deaths have surpassed 600,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data, a day after the World Health Organization reported a single-day record of new infections at over 237,000. The country, however, remains the worlds most unequal, and health officials have warned that the pandemic will lay that bare. The two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began.
Iran estimates it has 25 million coronavirus infections
Read full article: Iran estimates it has 25 million coronavirus infectionsHe estimated as many as 25 million Iranians could have been infected with the coronavirus since the outbreak's beginning, citing an Iranian Health Ministry study that has so far not been made public, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. President Hassan Rouhani cited a new Iranian Health Ministry study in offering the unprecedentedly high number of 25 million infections. Rouhani also said that he believes an additional 30 million to 35 million people could be infected in coming months, again without citing the basis for his estimate. Iran has seen the worst outbreak in the Middle East, with more than 270,000 confirmed cases and at least 13,979 deaths. Even today, Iranian death tolls remain based on those who died in coronavirus wards in hospitals.
Pompeo urges UN arms embargo on Iran's `terrorist regime'
Read full article: Pompeo urges UN arms embargo on Iran's `terrorist regime'The United States has circulated a draft Security Council resolution to extend the arms embargo indefinitely, and Pompeo said the United States overwhelming preference is to work with its 15 members to adopt it. Pompeo spoke at a virtual open meeting of the council on implementation of resolution 2231, which was adopted in 2015 to endorse the Iran nuclear deal. The arms embargo is included in the measure. Zarif told the council later that the U.S. violated all provisions of the deal by its withdrawal and insisted that the arms embargo be lifted completely on its Oct. 18 expiration date. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow opposes "blessing the U.S. maximum pressure policy through the arms embargo resolution.
Iran journalist who fueled 2017 protests sentenced to death
Read full article: Iran journalist who fueled 2017 protests sentenced to deathIn this June 2, 2020 photo, journalist Ruhollah Zam speaks during his trial at the Revolutionary Court, in Tehran, Iran. The judiciary spokesman, Gholamhossein Esmaili, announced Tuesday, June 30, 2020 that Zam, a journalist whose online work helped inspire the 2017 economic protests and who returned from exile to Tehran was sentenced to death. (Ali Shirband/Mizan News Agency via AP)TEHRAN Iran sentenced a once-exiled journalist to death over his online work that helped inspire nationwide economic protests that began at the end of 2017, authorities said Tuesday. The initial spark for the 2017 protests was a sudden jump in food prices. The 2017 protests reportedly saw some 5,000 people detained and 25 killed.
Hard-line former Tehran mayor named Iran parliament speaker
Read full article: Hard-line former Tehran mayor named Iran parliament speakerMohammad Bagher Qalibaf, center, is surrounded by a group of lawmakers after being elected as speaker of the parliament, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, May 28, 2020. Iran's parliament voted Thursday to elect Qalibaf, a hard-line former mayor of Tehran as the legislative body's new speaker. As speaker, Qalibaf leads a body that can debate Iran's annual budget and push for the impeachment of government ministers. That takes on new importance as the U.S. withdrew waivers from Iran's nuclear program late Wednesday and as tensions between the two nations remain high. A trained pilot, Qalibaf served in the paramilitary Guard during the countrys bloody 1980s war with Iraq.
So-called honor killing of teen girl brings outcry in Iran
Read full article: So-called honor killing of teen girl brings outcry in IranTEHRAN The so-called honor killing of a 14-year-old Iranian girl by her father, who reportedly used a farming sickle to behead her as she slept, has prompted a nationwide outcry. The girl reportedly told the police she feared a violent reaction from her father. Proposed legislation against honor killings has apparently shuttled for years among various decision-making bodies in Iran. There is little data on honor killings in Iran, where local media occasionally report on such cases. Under the law, girls can marry after the age of 13, though the average age of marriage for Iranian women is 23.
1st Iranian ship reaches Venezuela with no sign of US threat
Read full article: 1st Iranian ship reaches Venezuela with no sign of US threatIran and Venezuela have always supported each other in times of difficulty, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted. Russ Dallen, head of the Miami-based investment firm Caracas Capital Markets, confirmed the Fortune's location using ship tracking technology. Venezuela sits atop the worlds largest oil reserves, but it must import gasoline because production has crashed in the last two decades. The Iranian tankers hold what analysts estimate to be enough gasoline to supply Venezuela for two to three weeks. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Saturday that the United States should not to interfere with the shipment of oil bound for Venezuela.
Protests strike Iran cities over gasoline prices rising
Read full article: Protests strike Iran cities over gasoline prices rising(AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)DUBAI Protests struck several Iranian cities early Saturday over the government cutting back on gasoline subsidies and increasing costs by 50%, demonstrations ranging from people abandoning their cars in traffic to trying to attack an oil depot in one city. Iran announced the cuts to gasoline subsidies at midnight Friday without any prior warning. Gasoline prices jumped to a minimum of 15,000 rials per liter of gas 50% up from the day before. Previously, drivers were allowed up to 250 liters at 8 cents per liter, or 10,000 rials. Iranians long have felt subsidized gasoline was one of the only benefits it saw from its reserves.
Iran president's new atomic pitch: International arm sales
Read full article: Iran president's new atomic pitch: International arm salesTEHRAN Iran's president is making a new pitch to hard-liners to stay in the country's unraveling 2015 nuclear deal with world powers: the chance to buy and sell weapons abroad next year. Rouhani said: "If we save the nuclear deal, Iran's arms embargo will be lifted and we can buy weapons or sell our weapons to the world. The end of the weapons embargo, imposed by the United Nations, already worries the Trump administration. All this comes a year after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal. In the time since, Iran has begun breaking limits imposed by the deal to pressure Europe.
The Latest: UN: Iran is now enriching uranium underground
Read full article: The Latest: UN: Iran is now enriching uranium underground(Office of the Iranian Presidency via AP)VIENNA The Latest on the Iran nuclear deal (all times local):4:45 p.m. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has confirmed that Iran is now enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, a move prohibited by 2015 nuclear deal. Iran invited inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to Fordo to see its work. The U.N. atomic watchdog says Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium are still growing in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal. Since the U.S. pulled out of the Iran nuclear pact last year and imposed sanctions, Iran has been slowly violating its provisions to pressure other nations to provide more incentives.
Atomic watchdog: Iran's stockpiles of uranium still growing
Read full article: Atomic watchdog: Iran's stockpiles of uranium still growing(Office of the Iranian Presidency via AP)VIENNA The U.N. atomic watchdog says Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium are still growing in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal. In a confidential quarterly report distributed to member states, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium still exceeds the amount allowed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. It also said Iran continues to enrich uranium up to 4.5%, above the 3.67% allowed. The agency says as of Nov. 3, Iran's stockpile of low-enriched uranium was 372.3 kilograms (820.78 pounds) compared to 241.6 kilograms reported on Aug. 19, and past the 202.8 kilogram limit. Since the U.S. pulled out of the Iran nuclear pact last year and imposed sanctions, Iran has been slowly violating its provisions to pressure other nations to provide more incentives.
AP EXPLAINS: Iran's nuclear program as atomic deal unravels
Read full article: AP EXPLAINS: Iran's nuclear program as atomic deal unravelsHere's where the deal now stands and what Tehran has done to ramp-up its atomic program:THE NUCLEAR DEALIran struck the nuclear deal in 2015 with the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and China. ___IRAN'S NUCLEAR FACILITIESNatanz, in Iran's central Isfahan province, hosts the country's main uranium enrichment facility, located underground. ___IRAN'S URANIUM STOCKPILEUnder terms of the nuclear deal, Iran can keep a stockpile of no more than 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of low-enriched uranium. Under the atomic accord, Iran had been limited to operating 5,060 older-model IR-1 centrifuges at Natanz only. ___FROM 'ATOMS FOR PEACE' TO STUXNETIran's nuclear program actually began with the help of the United States.
Iran's Rouhani says he agreed four-point plan for Trump talks
Read full article: Iran's Rouhani says he agreed four-point plan for Trump talksIran agreed to a four-point plan for talks with the United States during the UN General Assembly last week, until US President Donald Trump threatened to increase sanctions against Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech. French President Emmanuel Macron made the proposals and tried to broker a meeting between Trump and Rouhani, the Iranian leader said. Tehran balked when Trump doubled down on increasing sanctions in two announcements he made over 24 hours, the Iranian president said. In his UN speech last week, Trump warned he would tighten economic penalties if Iran continued its "bloodlust." "If he leaves the country without meeting with President Trump, this is a lost opportunity," Macron told Johnson.
Oil prices slide on easing Middle East tensions
Read full article: Oil prices slide on easing Middle East tensions(CNN) - Oil prices fell Friday on some signs that stability could return to the Middle East. Iran's release of the British tanker has eased tensions also sank oil prices. U.S. oil prices are down 1.8% at $55.42 a barrel, while Brent Crude, the international benchmark, is down 1.9% at $61.55 a barrel. Two weeks ago, Saudi oil production facilities were attacked, which sent oil prices soaring the most in a decade. A deceleration in China's economy continues to weigh on oil prices too.
UK-flagged tanker leaves Iranian port after being held for months
Read full article: UK-flagged tanker leaves Iranian port after being held for monthsCNNTEHRAN - The UK-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero has left Iran, where it has been detained since July 19, and is heading for international waters. The ship sailed from Bandar Abbas port at 9 a.m. local time on Friday, Iran's state-run news agency IRNA reported. The company operating the ship, Stena Bulk, also confirmed the tanker's release. Twenty-three crew members -- none of them British -- were on board. Earlier this month, seven Indian crew members aboard the tanker were released.
Iran's Zarif raises prospect of new nuclear agreement with Trump
Read full article: Iran's Zarif raises prospect of new nuclear agreement with TrumpCNN(CNN) - Iran's foreign minister has raised the prospect of a new agreement with the United States that would see permanent sanctions relief exchanged for Tehran's permanent denuclearization. "We are prepared, if President Trump is serious about permanent for permanent. Permanent -- Iran was never a nuclear weapons state, but permanent denuclearization as they like to hear it," said Zarif. Under the 2015 agreement, Iranian sanctions relief would be sent to Congress for ratification in 2023. Asked if the two Presidents would meet, Zarif said, "Provided that President Trump is ready to do what's necessary."
Iran says UK-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero is now 'free to leave'
Read full article: Iran says UK-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero is now 'free to leave'CNNTEHRAN - The British-flagged tanker Stena Impero is "free to leave," Iranian officials said Monday, marking the end of a two-month standoff between Tehran and London over the detained vessel. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) captured the Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19 amid increasing hostility between Tehran and the West. While the tanker was sailing under a UK flag, the company that operates it is headquartered in Sweden. The ship was seized two weeks after the UK detained an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on the edge of southern Spain. Gibraltar authorities released that ship in late August, despite eleventh-hour efforts by the United States to halt the move.
Trump says US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi oil field attack
Read full article: Trump says US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi oil field attackCNN VideoWASHINGTON (CNN) - President Donald Trump on Sunday evening tweeted that the US has "reason to believe that we know" who is responsible for an attack on a Saudi Arabian oil field and the country is "locked and loaded depending on verification" following the crippling strike. Trump's tweet, which appeared to raise the specter of a US military response, served to ratchet up tensions in a region already on edge after Saturday's audacious attack on the Saudi oil field. On Saturday, coordinated strikes on key Saudi Arabian oil facilities -- among the world's largest energy production centers -- disrupted 5% of the daily global oil supply. Though Trump did not name Iran in his tweet, the attack has caused another spike in tensions between the US and Tehran. The official could not say whether it's possible drones from Yemen could have angled around to attack northwest facilities.
Copy of Trump says US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi oil field attack
Read full article: Copy of Trump says US 'locked and loaded' after Saudi oil field attackCNN VideoWASHINGTON (CNN) - President Donald Trump on Sunday evening tweeted that the US has "reason to believe that we know" who is responsible for an attack on a Saudi Arabian oil field and the country is "locked and loaded depending on verification" following the crippling strike. Trump's tweet, which appeared to raise the specter of a US military response, served to ratchet up tensions in a region already on edge after Saturday's audacious attack on the Saudi oil field. On Saturday, coordinated strikes on key Saudi Arabian oil facilities -- among the world's largest energy production centers -- disrupted 5% of the daily global oil supply. Though Trump did not name Iran in his tweet, the attack has caused another spike in tensions between the US and Tehran. The official could not say whether it's possible drones from Yemen could have angled around to attack northwest facilities.
UK Navy to escort tankers through strait amid Iran crisis
Read full article: UK Navy to escort tankers through strait amid Iran crisisCNN(CNN) - The UK Royal Navy says it will now accompany British-flagged oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of Iran's seizure of a ship last week. The decision comes after Iran seized British-flagged Stena Impero oil tanker on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, considered one of the world's most vital waterways for global oil supply. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appeared to signal Wednesday that his country might be willing to release the vessel in exchange for the UK's release of a detained Iranian tanker. UK authorities alleged the tanker was attempting to transport oil to Syria, a violation of EU sanctions. Last Thursday, the U.S. Navy destroyed an Iranian drone using electronic jamming, a U.S. defense official said.
Iranian boats attempted to seize British tanker
Read full article: Iranian boats attempted to seize British tankerBruno Vincent/Getty Images(CNN) - Five armed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats unsuccessfully tried to seize a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf Wednesday, according to two US officials with direct knowledge of the incident. The British Heritage tanker was sailing out of the Persian Gulf and was crossing into the Strait of Hormuz area when it was approached by the Iranian boats. The Iranians ordered the tanker to change course and stop in nearby Iranian territorial waters, according to the officials. Heightened tensionsThe alleged Iranian attempt to seize the British tanker comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. following news that Iran was enriching uranium beyond the limits imposed by the Iran Nuclear Deal.
Rouhani: Iran to start enriching uranium at higher levels
Read full article: Rouhani: Iran to start enriching uranium at higher levels(CNN) - Iran will begin enriching uranium at a higher level than what is allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal within days, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday. Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to slash its stockpile of enriched uranium by 90%, and cap uranium enrichment at 3.67%. He has also vowed to revive work on the Arak heavy-water reactor, which had been suspended under the nuclear deal. He urged the Americans and the Europeans to "go back to their commitments in the nuclear deal." Zarif added that Iran took steps to exceed uranium caps 60 days after Trump pulled out of the deal.
Local 4 News at Noon -- June 25, 2019
Read full article: Local 4 News at Noon -- June 25, 2019DETROIT - Here's what you missed on Local 4 News at Noon (watch the episode above).Police search for suspect after alleged assault in Highland ParkPolice are still looking for a man who allegedly held his girlfriend hostage at gunpoint for most of the night, officials said. Metro Detroit weather: Heating up to the mid-80sA late shower didnt spoil the Ford Fireworks and the weather was ideal for the big show in Downtown Detroit last night. Grosse Pointe school board votes to close 2 schools despite requests to table voteThe school board in Grosse Pointe Farms has voted on which schools will close despite requests from the public and a Michigan Department of Civil Rights official to table the vote. Iranian president: White House 'suffering mental disability'Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the White House is "suffering from mental disability" and behaving as "no sane person," in the wake of new sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this week which an Iranian spokesman said have closed the "channel of diplomacy forever." Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
Watch Local 4 News at Noon -- June 25, 2019
Read full article: Watch Local 4 News at Noon -- June 25, 2019DETROIT - Here's what's coming up on Local 4 News at Noon:Police search for suspect after alleged assault in Highland ParkPolice are still looking for a man who allegedly held his girlfriend hostage at gunpoint for most of the night, officials said. Metro Detroit weather: Heating up to the mid-80sA late shower didnt spoil the Ford Fireworks and the weather was ideal for the big show in Downtown Detroit last night. Grosse Pointe school board votes to close 2 schools despite requests to table voteThe school board in Grosse Pointe Farms has voted on which schools will close despite requests from the public and a Michigan Department of Civil Rights official to table the vote. Iranian president: White House 'suffering mental disability'Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the White House is "suffering from mental disability" and behaving as "no sane person," in the wake of new sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this week which an Iranian spokesman said have closed the "channel of diplomacy forever." Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.