‘Still believes nuclear talks can yield deal’ says Iran
TEHRAN: Iran has said it still believes that negotiations can succeed to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, despite a recent rebuke from the UN nuclear watchdog. Tehran last week condemned as “unconstructive” a move by the International
Iran launches second satellite
TEHRAN: Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a second reconnaissance satellite into space as world powers await Tehran’s decision in negotiations over its tattered nuclear deal. Meanwhile, Iran’s top diplomat at the monthslong talks suddenly flew home late Monday
Iranian fighter jet crashes in Tabriz, three including two pilots killed
TEHRAN: An Iranian fighter jet crashed into a school stadium in a residential area of the northwest Iranian city of Tabriz, killing two pilots and at least one civilian, state media report. State news agency IRNA reported early on February
US and Iran ready for ‘direct’ nuclear talks
TEHRAN: Iran for the first time said it was open to direct nuclear negotiations with the United States, which declared itself ready to hold talks “urgently” – in a possible turning point in efforts to salvage the 2015 nuclear accord.
World powers insist Iran deal still possible
BERLIN: The world powers in Berlin insisted it was still possible to revive the Iran nuclear deal but said “time is running out.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that negotiators working in Vienna to salvage the 2015
Vienna nuclear talks to restart around joint document: Iran
TEHRAN: The eighth round of Iran nuclear talks are starting on Monday in Vienna, Austria. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told the reporters in Tehran in this regard that the fresh round of talks is based on a new joint
Iran says war games in Gulf were warning to Israel
TEHRAN: War games conducted this week by Iran in the Gulf were intended to send a warning to Israel, the country’s top military commanders said, amid concerns over possible Israeli plans to target Iranian nuclear sites. The Revolutionary Guards’ war
Iran says it warned off US drones near its Gulf drills
TEHRAN: Iran s military warned off U.S. drones trying to approach Iranian war games near the mouth of the Gulf, state broadcaster IRIB said on Tuesday. The annual exercises concluded on Tuesday, a few weeks before resumption of talks between
FM Qureshi meets Iranian President Raisi
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi paid a courtesy call on the President of Iran Syed Ibrahim Raisi in Tehran. Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Tehran, Rahim Hayat Qureshi and senior officials accompanied the
Iran says cyberattack closes gas stations across country
TEHRAN: A cyberattack crippled gas stations across Iran on Tuesday, leaving angry motorists stranded in long lines. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which rendered useless the government-issued electronic cards that many Iranians use to buy subsidized fuel
Iranian governor slapped in the face during public speech
TEHRAN: The new governor of an Iranian province was slapped in the face by an angry man during his inauguration in an unusual breach of security. The new governor of East Azerbaijan province, Brig-Gen Zeinolabedin Khorram, had taken the podium
Israel holds largest-ever air force drill with UAE visit
TEL AVIV: Israel is holding its largest-ever air force exercise this week, joined by several Western countries and India, with the United Arab Emirates’ air force chief set to inspect the drills. Amir Lazar, chief of Israeli air force operations,
Iran successfully tests anti-missile defences to protect ‘sensitive’ sites
TEHRAN: Iran has successfully tested anti-missile defences for “sensitive” sites during war games in central Iran, after Israeli and US warnings over its nuclear programme. “The country s air defences are perfectly prepared to protect sensitive and vital installations through a
Former Iranian President Bani-Sadr dies in Paris
PARIS: Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, who became Iran’s first president after the 1979 Islamic revolution before fleeing into exile in France, has died aged 88. He died at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris following a long illness, his wife and children said
Iranian men can no longer serve women tea on TV channels
TEHRAN: The Iranian government has imposed new sanctions on its TV channels that bars TV makers in the Islamic Republic from showing women eating pizza on screen. According to a foreign news agency, Iranian censorship has issued new rules for TV
Saudi Arabia supports efforts to prevent nuclear Iran: King Salman tells UN
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz told the United Nations General Assembly that his kingdom supports efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, as world leaders prepare to resume talks with Tehran to reinstate a 2015 nuclear
Iraq caps foreign pilgrim numbers at 40,000 for Arbaeen
BAGHDAD: Iraq will allow only 40,000 foreigners, 30,000 from Iran, to attend the Arbaeen pilgrimage later this month in the Shia shrine city of Karbala due to the pandemic. Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the
FM Qureshi, Iran counterpart discuss Afghan situation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to continue consultations in the wake of the evolving situation in Afghanistan. The understanding to this effect was reached during a telephonic conversation between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart Hossein
UN Security Council to discuss deadly tanker attack off Oman
LONDON: Britain will raise a deadly tanker attack off the coast of Oman during a closed-door United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday, diplomats said, but the 15-member body is not expected to take any action. Britain, Romania and Liberia
Hardline cleric Raisi sworn in as Iranian president
TEHRAN: Hardline Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi took the oath of office before parliament with the Islamic Republic’s clerical rulers facing growing crises at home and abroad. The mid-ranking cleric formally started his four-year term on Tuesday when supreme leader Ayatollah
Iranian-backed forces seize oil tanker off UAE: sources
LONDON (Reuters): Iranian-backed forces are believed to have seized an oil tanker in the Gulf off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, three maritime security sources said, after Britain’s maritime trade agency reported a potential hijack in the area.
Iran warns of response if security threatened after oil tanker attack
TEHRAN: Iran will respond promptly to any threat against its security, the foreign ministry said after the United States, Israel and Britain blamed Tehran for an attack on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman. Tehran has denied any
US, UK blame Iran for attacking Israeli-managed tanker
WASHINGTON: The United States and Britain said they believed Iran carried out an attack on an Israeli-managed petroleum tanker off the coast of Oman that killed a Briton and a Romanian, both pledging to work with partners to respond. Iran
Pakistan welcomes Iran’s mediation for settlement in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed efforts by Iran to engage with the Taliban and the Afghan government in search of a negotiated political settlement in the country. “Pakistan welcomes Iran’s engagement with Afghan parties to achieve a negotiated political settlement,” said
Iran takes steps to make enriched uranium metal
VIENNA (Reuters): Iran has begun the process of producing enriched uranium metal, the U.N. atomic watchdog said. It is a move that could help it develop a nuclear weapon and that three European powers said threatened talks to revive the
US troops come under fire in Syria after strikes against militias
WASHINGTON: US troops came under rocket fire in Syria but escaped injury in apparent retaliation for US airstrikes against Iran-aligned armed groups in Syria and Iraq. A US military spokesman said US forces had responded to the multiple rockets by
US carries out airstrikes against militia in Iraq, Syria
WASHINGTON: The United States said it carried out another round of airstrikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria, in response to drone attacks by the militia against US personnel and facilities in Iraq. In a statement, the US military
Raisi’s win
Pakistan’s geographical location has been of great importance since time immemorial. Even when it was known as the land of Sindh, it was culturally, socially and politically separate from Hind. With the advent of Islam in the Arabian desert, Muslims
Conservative judge Raisi wins Iran’s presidential election
TEHRAN: Conservative judge Ebrahim Raisi has won the presidential election in Iran, state media reported on Saturday. Three out of four candidates in Iran’s presidential election have conceded defeat hours before the interior ministry is expected to announce the official
Who are the candidates in Iran’s presidential election?
Iranians have a choice between seven mostly hardline candidates in a presidential election on Friday, June 18, a contest likely to reinforce the authority of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Clerical officials who vetted the candidates rejected several prominent moderates