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☆ Iran election: Mostly hardline candidates approved for next presidential vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Iranian election committee has approved a slate of mostly hardline candidates to run in the presidential election on June 28, following the helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials last month. Out of 80 initial candidates, only six individuals were approved in a vetting process by Iran’s Guardian Council, a powerful 12-member body charged with overseeing elections and legislation. The slate includes hardline parliament speaker and former Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Saeed Jalili, ex-chief nuclear negotiator and former head of the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security body. Competition is expected to be fierce between Qalibaf and Jalili, both of whom backed Raisi in the 2021 presidential election. The Guardian Council has, however, also approved Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist lawmaker who served as parliament deputy speaker from 2016 to 2020.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Saeed Jalili, ”, Sina Toossi, Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, Alireza Zakani, Mostafa Pour Mohammad, Masoud, Pezeshkian, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ali Larijani, growingly restive Organizations: CNN, Iran’s Guardian Council, Revolutionary, Supreme National Security Council, Center for International, Guardian Council Locations: Iranian, Iran

☆ Iran Tries to Avoid War With U.S. After Stoking Mideast Conflicts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council held an emergency meeting this week, deeply worried that the United States would retaliate after an Iran-aligned militia in Iraq killed three American soldiers and wounded more than 40 others in Jordan. The council, including the president, foreign minister, chiefs of the armed forces and two aides to the country’s supreme leader, debated how to respond to a range of possibilities, from a U.S. attack on Iran, itself, to strikes against the proxy militias that Iran backs in the region, according to three Iranians with knowledge of the council’s deliberations who were not authorized to speak publicly. They relayed the plans developed at the Monday meeting to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the people familiar with the discussion said, and he responded with clear orders: avoid a direct war with the United States and distance Iran from the actions of proxies who had killed Americans — but prepare to hit back if the United States struck Iran.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Organizations: Iran’s, National Security Council Locations: United States, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, U.S

☆ Iraq and Iran sign deal to tighten border security
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Ahmed Rasheed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani looks on as Iraq's National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji and Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani sign the security agreement that includes coordination in protecting the common borders between the two countries, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 19, 2023. The joint security agreement includes coordination in "protecting the common borders between the two countries and consolidating cooperation in several security fields", a statement from the Iraqi prime minister's office said. Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani signed the deal with Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, the prime minister office said. "Under the signed security deal, Iraq pledges it would not allow armed groups to use its territory in the Iraqi Kurdish region to launch any border-crossing attacks on neighbour Iran," said an Iraqi security official who attended the signing. Iran has also accused Kurdish militants of working with its arch-enemy Israel and has often voices concern over the alleged presence of the Israeli spy agency Mossad in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region.

For Saudi Arabia, a deal could mean improved security. Saudi Arabia, Washington's most important Arab ally, began exploring ways to open a dialogue with the Islamic Republic two years ago in Iraq and Oman, said a Saudi official. In a bilateral meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the president expressed his desire to broker dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran. CHINESE MEDIATION 'BEST OPTION'An Iranian official said the deal covered a range of issues, from security concerns to economic and political issues. "China was the best option considering Iran's lack of trust towards Washington and Beijing's friendly ties with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

☆ Iran's top security official to visit the UAE amid regional rapprochement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, March 15 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, Nour News, which is affiliated with the Iranian top security body, reported. His visit to Abu Dhabi comes at a time of growing rapprochement between Iran and Gulf countries. News of the visit came as Saudi Arabia's finance minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan, said that Saudi investment in Iran could happen "very quickly" following last week's agreement. "Top economic, banking and security officials will accompany the Supreme National Security Council secretary to the UAE," it added. The UAE has business and trade ties with Iran stretching back more than a century, with the Dubai emirate long being one of Iran's main links to the outside world.

☆ Saudi, Iran restoration of ties a 'victory for dialogue'-China’s Wang Yi
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

China Daily via REUTERSBEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - The successful talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Beijing are a victory for dialogue and peace, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday, following the major diplomatic coup for China in Middle East geopolitics. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on Friday to re-establish relations after seven years of hostility which had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria. In the statement, the three parties expressed their willingness to make "every effort" to strengthen international and regional peace and security. "As a good-faith and reliable mediator, China has faithfully fulfilled its duties as the host," Wang said. Reporting by Ethan Wang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

☆ U.K. condemns ‘barbaric’ execution of British-Iranian accused of spying in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Iran has executed British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported on Saturday, after sentencing the former Iranian deputy defense minister to death on charges of spying for Britain. The U.K., which had declared the case against Alireza Akbari as politically motivated and called for his release, condemned the execution. In the video, Akbari did not confess to involvement in the assassination but said a British agent had asked for information about Fakhrizadeh. Iran’s state media often airs purported confessions by suspects in politically charged cases. Iran has issued dozens of death sentences as part of the crackdown on the unrest, executing at least four people.

☆ Factbox: Alireza Akbari: the British-Iranian executed by Tehran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 14 (Reuters) - Iran has executed British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on Saturday, after sentencing the former Iranian deputy defence minister to death on charges of spying for Britain. - According to a caption in a video aired by Iran's state news agency IRNA on Thursday, Akbari moved to Britain after being briefly detained and released on bail in 2008. Reuters could not verify if Akbari had moved to Britain in 2008, or when he returned to Iran. - In the audio recording, Akbari said he had made false confessions as a result of torture. In the video, Akbari did not confess to involvement in the assassination, but said a British agent had asked for information about Fakhrizadeh.

☆ Iran executes British-Iranian national despite UK, U.S. pleas
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Iran has executed British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on Saturday, after sentencing the former Iranian deputy defense minister to death on charges of spying for Britain. In the video, Akbari did not confess to involvement in the assassination but said a British agent had asked for information about Fakhrizadeh. Iran's state media often airs purported confessions by suspects in politically charged cases. Reuters could not establish the authenticity of the state media video and audio, or when or where they were recorded. Iran has issued dozens of death sentences as part of the crackdown on the unrest, executing at least four people.

☆ Iran video links detained British-Iranian to death of nuclear scientist
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Iranian state media published a video on Thursday in which British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, sentenced to death for spying, said he played a role in the 2020 assassination of the country's top nuclear scientist. Iran sentenced the former deputy defence minister, who holds dual Iranian-British citizenship, to death on charges of spying for Britain, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday. British officials did not immediately comment about the video clips aired by Iran's state media. Iran’s state media often airs purported confessions by suspects in politically charged cases. "He was one of the most important agents of the British intelligence service in Iran who had access to some very sensitive centres in the country," Iran's Intelligence Ministry said.

Iran’s national men’s soccer team refused to sing the country’s national anthem at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday, in an apparent act of defiance against their government, which has become the target of growing and incendiary protests. The Iranian team has enthusiastically sung the anthem in previous tournaments, including the World Cup in 2018 and the Asian Cup in 2020. Head coach Yahya Golmohammadi of Persepolis FC League during a match between Persepolis FC and Mes Rafsanjan in Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 28. The news came as the continuing protest movement and the security forces’ attempts to quash dissent led to further unrest over the weekend and into Monday. “We expect the security forces to protect people’s lives and property,” he said in a statement.

☆ Iran soccer team silent during national anthem at its first World Cup game
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Patrick Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Iran's national men's soccer team refused to sing the country's national anthem at the World Cup in Qatar on Monday, in an apparent act of defiance against their government, which has become the target of growing and incendiary protests. The Iranian team has enthusiastically sung the anthem in previous tournaments, including the World Cup in 2018 and the Asian Cup in 2020. Nour News, an outlet owned by the Iran's National Security Council, posted infrared footage which it said was from a Ministry of Intelligence drone observing what it called "armed terrorists." "We expect the security forces to protect people's lives and property," he said in a statement. He said he wrote to the Supreme National Security Council asking security forces stationed in the city to "treat the people with dignity and kindness so that the city calms down."

☆ Exclusive: Iran agrees to ship missiles, more drones to Russia, defying the West
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Iran has denied supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin on Tuesday denied its forces had used Iranian drones to attack Ukraine. Asked if Russia had used Iranian drones in its campaign in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin did not have any information about their use. White House spokesperson Karinne Jean-Pierre also accused Tehran of lying when it said Iranian drones are not being used by Russia in Ukraine. "They (Russians) wanted to buy hundreds of our missiles, even mid-range ones, but we told them that we can ship soon a few hundred of their demanded Zolfaghar and Fateh 110 short-range, surface to surface missiles," said one of the security officials. Several senior Iranian officials are outraged about "unjust" planned sanctions on Iran over its arms shipments to Russia, said the second diplomat.

☆ Women in Iran defy the Islamic regime by removing their headscarves and waving them in the air in protests over police custody death, video shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mahsa Amini died on Friday, four days after her arrest for allegedly breaking hijab-wearing rules. At her funeral, videos show women protesting by taking off their headscarves and waving them in the air. Mahsa Amini died on Friday, four days after witnesses accused police officers of forcing her into a van and beating her in Tehran, Insider reported. Police said Amini died of a "sudden" heart attack after she was detained, a claim that her family disputes and human rights groups say warrants investigation. A video shared by Masih Alinejad shows several women in Saqqez waving their headscarves in the air as they chant anti-government slogans.

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