Iran and the United States
'Great': US envoy answers Iran's top diplomat in cryptic, deleted post
US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff reacted "great" on Wednesday to a spirited statement by Iran's foreign minister on X before swiftly deleting the post.
Iran's Nuclear Program
Russia says US threats on Iran nuclear sites 'illegal and unacceptable'
Moscow has rejected as illegal US threats against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as tensions between Washington and Tehran have ramped up in recent weeks.
Domestic Politics
Iran arms top officials over assassination threat - hacker group
The Iranian police intelligence agency has issued thousands of gun permits to senior state officials in what a hacktivist group described as an unprecedented response to fear of internal reprisals.
Is Iran’s real sedition from the streets or the top?
In his Eid al-Fitr sermon, Ali Khamenei once again voiced concern about the possible resurgence of anti-government protests in Iran, using his signature rhetoric to warn of a "new sedition."
Conscripted, condemned: how a Canadian ban punishes Iran's forced recruits
Soroush Salehi campaigned to have Canada label Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group but now the law for which he strived may eject him and others forced into the group as conscripts.
Human Rights
Imprisonment of Christians jumps sixfold as state cracks down on converts
Persecution of Christian converts in Iran has surged sixfold in the past year, with the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) reporting violent arrests, interrogations, lengthy prison terms, and mistreatment.
Iran Sanctions
New US sanctions target Iran drone procurement network
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on six firms and two individuals in Iran, China and the United Arab Emirates accused of supplying drone components to Iran’s Quds Aviation Industries and its military partners.
Secondary tariffs: US wields a powerful tool against Iran
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran and impose secondary tariffs if Tehran refuses to reach an agreement with Washington on abandoning its nuclear ambitions and making other concessions.
Iran’s trade with East Asia crumbles under weight of sanctions
Iran’s commercial ties with East Asia have withered under the sustained pressure of US-led sanctions, pushing once-robust relations with countries like Japan and South Korea into near dormancy, according to a former senior Iranian diplomat.
Iran developing Chabahar space center for heavier liquid-fuel rockets
Iran has started the second phase of construction at its Chabahar space launch facility, which will be dedicated to launching heavier semi-heavy liquid-fueled rockets, the Iranian Space Agency announced on Tuesday.
Mideast Crisis
Israel says Revolutionary Guard operative killed in Lebanon
The Israeli military said on Tuesday it has assassinated a Revolutionary Guards member coordinating Hamas and Hezbollah operations in Lebanon.
US targets Houthi missile expert in strikes as Trump vows continued attacks
The White House said on Monday that a top Houthi missile expert was killed in US strikes, as President Donald Trump warned that that military action against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen would continue until the group no longer threatens maritime security.
Iran seizes two foreign oil tankers in Persian Gulf
Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Monday, state media reported, accusing them of smuggling diesel fuel.
Iran's Water Crisis
Tehran to cut water for 12 hours to high users ignoring warnings
Tehran will implement 12-hour water supply cuts for people with excessively high consumption who disregard government warnings and text message alerts to reduce water use amid a national crisis.
Road deaths mount as Iran records over 84,000 holiday crashes
More than 700 people have been killed in road accidents across Iran since the start of the new year on March 20, according to the country’s traffic police.
'Made in America': US classic cars evoke prestige and nostalgia in Iran
More than 40 years after the 1979 revolution and despite persistent tensions between Tehran and Washington, American cars remain a prized symbol of prestige and nostalgia in Iran.
In Case You Missed It
IRGC agents stole millions during crypto fraud case, leaked files reveal
Senior officers in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard's intelligence organization stole around $21 million in cryptocurrency while pretending to investigate a corruption case, Iran International has found.
Eye for Iran Podcast
As war looms, Iran ensures military gets paid but people struggle
Ordinary Iranians are bearing unprecedented economic pain as their Islamic government's row with its hated enemies Israel and the United States ramps up and Tehran prioritizes military spending to shore up defense and its regional clout.
Tehran Insider
Inside Tehran’s nightlife: a hidden world of dance, drinks and defiance
It starts with a text message on social media by an established cafe. A few million rials deposit, and a promise of a night unlike any other in Tehran.
Whether it's talks or war, we'll suffer all the same
US president Donald Trump has sent Iran’s leader a letter, we’re told, and that it’s significant. It probably is, but nobody I know seems to think so.
