Page 3 - Iran

Iran's currency falls to all-time low as Donald Trump claims US presidency

Iran's currency, the rial, fell on Wednesday to an all-time low as former President Donald Trump was on the verge of clinching the US presidency again. The rial traded at 703,000 rials to the dollar. In 2015, at the time of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, it was at 32,000 to USD 1. On July 30, the day that Iran's reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian was sworn in and started his term, the rate was 584,000 to USD 1. Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord in 2018, sparking years of tensions between the countries that persist today. The slide comes as Iran's economy has struggled for years under crippling international sanctions over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, which now enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels. Pezeshkian, elected after a helicopter crash killed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi in May, came to power on a promise to reach a deal to ease Western sanctions. However, Iran's government has for weeks been trying to downplay the effect

Red Cross launches international emergency appeal urging aid for Lebanon

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on Tuesday launched an international emergency appeal asking donors to provide resources for Lebanon during the Israel-Hezbollah war. IFRC also called on all parties to protect paramedics in the conflict that has left thousands of people dead and wounded, many of them over the past six weeks. Jagan Chapagain, the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told The Associated Press in Beirut that needs are just growing so fast. He met with officials and toured shelters housing people displaced by the conflict. The IFRC said its emergency appeal for 100 million Swiss Francs (USD 115.8 million) is aimed at helping Lebanon and the Lebanese Red Cross through the ongoing conflict. The 13-month war between Israel and Hezbollah has killed more than 3,000 people, wounded over 13,000 in Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of the displaced are staying in shelters around the small ..

Iran's foreign minister visits Pakistan to discuss Middle East tensions

Iran's foreign minister arrived in Pakistan's capital Tuesday for a two-day official visit to discuss a range of issues, including tensions in the Middle East and further improving bilateral ties, officials said Tuesday. Abbas Araghchi was received by Pakistani officials just after midnight when his plane landed at an airport near Islamabad. He will meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other officials at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. The visit comes as Iran is in an escalating standoff with Israel. Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel after its Oct. 26 attack on the Islamic Republic that targeted military bases and other locations and killed at least five people. Pakistan denounced Israel's strikes at the time. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the visit also provides an important opportunity to advance cooperation and dialogue between Pakistan and Iran on a wide rang

Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites as Moscow, Tehran expand ties

A Russian rocket on Tuesday blasted off successfully to carry a pair of Iranian satellites into orbit, a launch that reflected growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled from Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia and put its payload into a designated orbit nine minutes after the launch. It was carrying two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites and several dozen smaller satellites, including the two Iranian ones. Iran's two satellites, named Kowsar and Hodhod, were the first launched on behalf of the country's private sector. In 2022, a Russian rocket launched an Iranian Earth observation satellite that was built in Russia on Tehran's order. Tuesday's launch comes as Russia and Iran have expanded ties in various spheres. Ukraine and the West have accused Tehran of providing Moscow with hundreds of exploding drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine and helped launch their production in Russia. The Iranian drone deliveri

Stripped of freedom: Iranian woman's hijab protest shakes regime

A young woman's defiant protest at Tehran's Islamic Azad University has reignited global attention on Iran's compulsory veiling laws and the broader fight for personal freedoms

Iran's help transformed Houthis into potent military force: UN experts

Yemen's Houthi rebels have been transformed from a local armed group with limited capabilities to a powerful military organisation with support from Iran, Iraqi armed groups, Lebanon's Hezbollah militants and others, UN experts said in a new report. The Iranian-backed Houthis have exploited the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and worked to enhance their status in Iran's self-described Axis of Resistance to gain popularity in the region and beyond, the experts monitoring sanctions against the Houthis said in the 537-page report to the UN Security Council. To support Iranian-backed Hamas militants, whose surprise attacks in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, sparked the war in Gaza, the Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, disrupting global shipping in a key geopolitical area. Despite Houthi claims that they would target ships linked to Israel, the panel said its investigations revealed the rebels have been targeting vessels indiscriminately. Its analysis of

Oil climbs more than 2% on reports of Iran preparing strike on Israel

Israeli intelligence suggested that Iran is preparing to attack Israel with a large number of drones and ballistic missiles

After execution of a German-Iranian, Germany closes 3 Iranian Consulates

Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates in the country on Thursday in response to the execution of Iranian German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who lived in the United States and was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 by Iranian security forces. Sharmahd, 69, was put to death in Iran on Monday on terrorism charges, the Iranian judiciary said. That followed a 2023 trial that Germany, the US and international rights groups dismissed as a sham. The decision to close the Iranian consulates in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich, announced by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, leaves the Islamic Republic with only its embassy in Berlin.

The Siege: Ben Macintyre's book recalls a forgotten Iranian hostage crisis

Mr Macintyre's original aim in writing this book was to showcase the brilliance of the SAS in post-war action

What is happening to oil prices amidst Israel-Iran conflict?

Israel, Iran playing dangerous game that will be impossible to contain

Though Tehran has played down the extent of the damage, the Iranian regime has not ruled out a response

Netanyahu says Israel hit Iran hard; Khamenei says don't overstate damage

With warfare raging in Gaza and Lebanon, direct confrontation between Israel and Iran risks spiralling into a regional conflagration

Israeli leaders debate attack on Iran: 'grave mistake' or 'good start'?

However, the strike was criticized for not inflicting serious damage to either Iranian economics by striking oil reserves or to Iran's nuclear program

Attack on police in restive southeastern province of Iran kills 10 officers

An attack on an Iranian police convoy Saturday in the country's restive southern province of Sistan and Baluchestan killed at least 10 officers, authorities said. Details remain scarce over the attack in Gohar Kuh, some 1,200 kilometres southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Initially, reports simply described an attack by miscreants without more information. But shortly after, Iranian state media said 10 officers had been killed. HalVash, an advocacy group for the Baluch people of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, posted photos and video of what appeared to be a disabled truck painted with the green stripe used by Iranian police vehicles. One graphic photo shared by the group showed what appeared to be the corpses of two police officers in the front seat of the truck. HalVash said the attack appeared to target two security force vehicles and all those riding in them were killed. The truck appeared to have only damage from bullets, rather than any explosive being used. The state-

Israel attacks Iran: Israel used 100 jets to carry out 'precise strikes'

Israel's air strikes resulted in at least seven explosions in and around Tehran and targeted its three military bases in Tehran, Ilam, and Khuzestan

US urges Israeli strikes on Iran to end, warns against retaliation

The White House indicated that Israel's strikes on Iran should end direct exchange of fire between the two enemy countries, while warning Tehran of consequences should it respond. A senior White House official said the administration believed the Israeli operation should close out the direct military exchange between Israel and Iran, and said other allies were in agreement. United States President Joe Biden was updated throughout the day on Friday as the operation was developing and by his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, as the operation was carried out by the Israelis, the official said. The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said the Israeli operation was extensive, it was targeted, it was precise. The official underscored that the US had no involvement in the strike.

Israel says it has completed its strikes on Iran, including missile plants

The Israeli military launched strikes early Saturday on military targets in Iran, officials said. It wasn't immediately clear what the targets were. Iranian state media reported the sound of explosions around Iran's capital, Tehran, without immediately elaborating. An Israeli military statement said that Israel has the right and the duty to respond. The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7 on seven fronts including direct attacks from Iranian soil, the statement read. It also did not elaborate on the targets. Iranian state television later identified some of the blasts as coming from air defense systems, without offering more details. Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

Efforts by Russia, Iran, China to sway US voters may escalate: Microsoft

Foreign adversaries have shown continued determination to influence the US election - and there are signs their activity will intensify as Election Day nears, Microsoft said in a report on Wednesday. Russian operatives are doubling down on fake videos to smear Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, while Chinese-linked social media campaigns are maligning down-ballot candidates who are critical of China, the company's threat intelligence arm said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Iranian actors who allegedly sent emails aimed at intimidating US voters in 2020 have been surveying election-related websites and major media outlets, raising concerns they could be preparing for another scheme this year, the tech giant said. The report serves as a warning building on others from US intelligence officials that as the nation enters this critical final stretch and begins counting ballots, the worst influence efforts may be yet to come. US officials say they remain confident that election ...

Brics Summit: PM Modi, Iran Prez discuss Chabahar Port, West Asia conflict

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran's President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian discussed regional connectivity and West Asia conflict. PM Modi also extended a formal invitation to Pezeshkian to visit India

Russia, Iran may fuel violent post-election protests in US: Intel officials

Russia and Iran may try to encourage violent protests in the US after next month's election, senior intelligence officials warned Tuesday, citing two recent examples of foreign intelligence agencies seeking to sow discord ahead of the vote. The officials, with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said both countries could support violent protests either by covertly organizing events themselves or by encouraging participation in those planned by domestic groups. The aim, the officials said, would be to increase division, cast doubt on election results and complicate the transfer of presidential power. In January, Russian military intelligence tried to recruit an American to organize protests in the US, according to a declassified national intelligence memo released publicly Tuesday. The American was probably unwitting and did not know he was in contact with Russian agents, the memo said. The US first accused the Iranian government of covertly supporting protests again