Iran defends ‘unshakable’ right to enrich uranium ahead of key talks
Iran on Thursday reaffirmed its right to enrich uranium, saying it was "unshakable", on the eve of key talks with European powers threatening to reimpose nuclear sanctions.
Yemen’s Huthis threaten to attack US ships if it strikes Iran
Yemen's Huthi rebels threatened on Saturday to attack US vessels in the Red Sea, despite a recent truce, should Washington get involved in Israel's bombardment campaign against Iran.Israel says killed three Iranian commanders in fresh wave of strikes
Israel's military said a strike in Qom south of Tehran successfully targeted top Iranian official Saeed Izadi, in charge of coordination with Hamas, adding two other commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards were also killed overnight.Pro-Palestinian protest leader released from US custody
Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University student who was one of the most visible leaders of nationwide pro-Palestinian campus protests, was released Friday from a federal detention center.Tech-fueled misinformation and disinformation distorts Iran-Israel fighting
AI deepfakes, video game footage passed off as real combat, and chatbot-generated falsehoods -- such tech-enabled misinformation is distorting the Israel-Iran conflict, fueling a war of narratives across social media.Israel says delayed Iran’s presumed nuclear programme by two years
Western powers have repeatedly expressed concerns about the rapid expansion of Iran's nuclear programme, questioning in particular the country's accelerated uranium enrichment.Israeli army chief warns of ‘prolonged campaign’ in Iran
"We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history to remove a threat of such magnitude, against such an enemy. We must be ready for a prolonged campaign," Zamir said in a video statement to Israelis.IAEA warns of nuclear disaster if Israel attacks Iran’s Bushehr plant
Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told the UN Security Council that he has not yet detected radiation resulting from Israel's week-long military assault against Iran, including attacks on nuclear sites.US envoy says Hezbollah involvement in Iran-Israel war would be ‘very bad decision’
The US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack warned Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Thursday against getting involved in the war between its main backer Iran and Israel.Iran appoints new Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief
Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), appointed Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, IRNA said.US military aircraft no longer visible at base in Qatar: satellite images
Dozens of US military aircraft are no longer on the tarmac at a major US base in Qatar, satellite images show - a possible move to shield them from eventual Iranian air strikes, as Washington weighs whether to intervene in Tehran's conflict with Israel.Almost 3,000 Australians seek to flee Israel-Iran conflict
Australia has started evacuating almost 3,000 citizens caught up in the rapidly spiralling conflict between Israel and Iran, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Thursday.Syrians watch Iran-Israel crossfire as government stays silent
For days, Syrians have watched as Iranian missiles and Israeli interceptors light up the skies over their territory, but the new government in Damascus has so far remained officially silent on the unprecedented conflict.Trump weighs involvement as Israel launches fresh strikes on Iran
The White House said Trump would receive an intelligence briefing on Thursday, a US holiday and top US diplomat Marco Rubio meanwhile will meet his UK counterpart for talks expected to focus on the conflict.Khamenei vows Iran will never surrender, warns US of ‘irreparable damage’
Khamenei's speech came six days into the conflict, with US president Donald Trump saying he may or may not intervene in the conflict, while demanding Iran's "unconditional surrender".Gulf states on Iran’s doorstep scramble for end of war
Doha, Qatar -- As Iran and Israel trade strikes and the US weighs joining in, wealthy Gulf states on the conflict's doorstep are engaged in frantic diplomacy to halt the war -- but solutions remain elusive. A spillover of the conflict or the Iranian government's collapse are both worrying outcomes...MENA Brief | June 18: Oil calms after Trump’s threat rattles markets; UAE-Iran calls, Riyadh Air signs big Rolls-Royce deal
Oil prices steadied Wednesday after Trump’s demand for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ roiled markets and revived supply fears, as regional diplomacy and major Gulf business deals unfolded alongside.Oil stabilises after surge, stocks drop as Middle East crisis fuels jitters
Of particular concern is the possibility of Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz, through which around an estimated fifth of global oil supply traverses, according to the Commerzbank note.Iran says hypersonic missiles fired at Israel as Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender’
Despite international alarm, neither side has backed off from the long-range blitz that began Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities.Trump says wants ‘real end’ to Israel-Iran conflict, not ceasefire
Trump said that he wanted a "complete give-up" by Iran in return for peace, without elaborating on the outcome he seeks. China accused Trump of "pouring oil" on the conflict.Oil prices jump after Trump’s warning, stocks extend gains
Oil prices rallied Tuesday after Donald Trump urged Tehran residents to evacuate, stoking fresh fears of all-out war as Israel and Iran continued to pound each other with missiles.Israel, Iran trade missile fire as Trump warns Tehran to ‘evacuate’
The United States and Iran had engaged in several rounds of indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear programme in recent weeks, but Iran said after the start of Israel's campaign that it would not negotiate while under attack.G7 urges Iran de-escalation as Trump makes hasty summit exit as ally Israel pounds Iran
The G7 statement said that Israel "has a right to defend itself" and stressed "the importance of the protection of civilians," as the growing attacks kill civilians on both sides.Day 4: Tehran residents flee Israeli attacks as casualties mount
Images verified by AFP, shot by a social media user from an overpass, showed near immobile traffic on a Tehran highway heading north with almost no vehicles in the opposite lane.Oil prices drop, stocks climb as Iran-Israel war fears ease
Israel's surprise strike against Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday -- killing top commanders and scientists -- sent crude prices soaring as much as 13 percent at one point on fears about supplies from the region.France shuts Israeli weapons industry booths at Paris Air Show
The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's deadly crash of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Black walls were installed around the stands of five Israeli defense firms at the trade fair in Le Bourget, an airfield on the...MENA Brief – June 16: Netanyahu eyes Gaza breakthrough, Iran rejects talks, Trump at G7, UAE oil giant bids big
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there’s a fresh opening to free hostages held in Gaza, backing a US-mediated proposal for a 60-day ceasefire as Israel continues its unprecedented military exchange with Iran.Netanyahu sees Gaza hostage release ‘opening’, orders talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he ordered negotiators to "advance" talks on releasing hostages held in Gaza, after sensing an opportunity amid Israel's unprecedented attack on arch-foe Iran.Iran tells mediators it won’t negotiate ‘while under attack’: official
Mediators Qatar and Oman were told by Iran that Tehran "will not negotiate while under attack", an official briefed on the talks said Sunday, amid a massive exchange of strikes between Israel and the Islamic republic.Trump due in Canada as G7 confronts Israel-Iran crisis, may consider joint stance
Trump has praised Israel's strikes, noting it used US weapons, even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied his public calls to hold off as the United States sought a negotiated solution with Iran on the state's contested nuclear work.Israel pounds Iran from west to east in deepest strikes yet, Tehran police headquarters hit
Israel's military said its air force hit Mashhad airport in Iran's far east, making it the longest-range strike of the conflict with the target "approximately 2,300 kilometers (1,430 miles) from Israel".‘Nothing left’: Israelis grapple with damage from Iran strike
Bat Yam, Israel -- A shocked Julia Zilbergoltz said she had never experienced anything like the Iranian missile strike that hit her home in central Israel early Sunday. "I'm stressed and in shock. I've been through hard times in my life, but I've never been in a situation like this,"...MENA brief Jun 15: Erdogan warns of ‘devastating war’, Gaza internet restored
Iran announced it will scale back cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), expressing deep dissatisfaction over what it views as the agency’s failure to condemn Israeli attacks on its nuclear facilities.8 killed in overnight strikes on Israel, Iran’s defense headquarters hit
In the central region, at least four people, including a 10-year-old boy, were killed and around 100 others wounded in a rocket strike, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom (MDA).UK moving assets, jets, to Middle East amid Iran crisis, says Starmer
Britain is deploying assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East amid tensions between Iran and Israel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday heading to Canada for G7 talks.Israel warns ‘Tehran will burn’ after wave of Iranian missile fire hit Tel Aviv
Following decades of enmity and conflict by proxy, it is the first time that Israel and Iran have traded fire with such intensity, with fears of a prolonged conflict engulfing the region.MENA Brief June 14: Iran-Israel War, Abu Dhabi Summit, Saudi Football Rise, & More
Tensions spiked as Iran fired ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for Israeli air raids that killed senior Iranian military leaders and hit nuclear sites. Both nations reported casualties and damage amid calls from the US and UK to pursue dialogue and de-escalation.Iran fires back at Israel after onslaught targets nuclear facilities
Air raids sirens and explosions rang out across Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the airwaves to warn he expected "several waves of Iranian attacks" in response.Iran calls Israeli strikes ‘declaration of war’ amid international calls for restraint
Trump warns Tehran that the "next planned attacks" will be "even more brutal" and said Iran should cut a deal to roll back its nuclear program "before there is nothing left".US still wants talks with Iran on Sunday: US official
Washington, United States - The United States still hopes to hold talks Sunday with Iran, even after Israel launched a massive attack on the Islamic republic, a US official said. "We still intend to have talks Sunday," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The official had no further...Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear sites, kills top generals; Tehran, Iraq shut airspace, casualties reported
Israel's operation struck at the "heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme", taking aim at the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.Iran says to target US bases if conflict breaks out
"All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries," Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said in response to US threats of military action if the talks fail.Tehran readies counter-proposal as Iran-US nuclear talks set to resume Sunday in Muscat
Iran has said it will present a counter-proposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticised for failing to offer sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.Trump warns of decision time as Iran prepares nuclear counter-proposal
In a key sticking point, Iran has insisted on the right to enrich uranium at low levels for civilian use -- as allowed under a 2015 deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama which Trump tore up in his first White House term.Iran says no sanctions relief in US nuclear proposal
Tehran, Iran -- Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appear to have hit a roadblock. The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to...Key MENA trends: M&A surge to five-year high, Saudi port activity rises in May
Qatar's foreign reserves rise 3.6 percent year-on-year despite a dip in bonds and treasury holdings, Iraq releases Australian and Egyptian engineers and other developments.Iran says US travel ban reflects ‘racist mentality’
Tehran, Iran - Tehran denounced on Saturday the US travel ban on Iranians and citizens of 11 other mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, saying Washington's decision was a sign of a "racist mentality". US President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday an executive order reviving sweeping restrictions that echo his...Iran president in Oman as nuclear talks progress
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday began a two-day visit to Oman, which is mediating ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.Filmmaker Panahi cheered on return to Iran after Cannes triumph
Paris, France - Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was given a hero's welcome by supporters on his return to Tehran on Monday after winning the top prize at the Cannes film festival, footage posted on social media showed. After being banned from leaving Iran for years, forced to make films underground...Iran rejects push to suspend uranium enrichment to reach nuclear deal with US
The issue has come into focus in recent weeks, with Iran staunchly defending its right to enrich uranium as part of what it says is a civilian nuclear programme, while the United States wants it to stop.Iran-US nuclear talks: key points of contention hampering progress
Tehran, Iran - Long-time adversaries Iran and the United States held a fifth round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks on Friday in Rome, but with no breakthrough reported. However, both sides still described the meeting as constructive and expressed a willingness to continue the discussions. Here are some of the main...