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☆ Iran’s Presidential Candidates Agree on One Thing: Trump Is Coming
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Throughout Iran’s presidential campaign, in debates, rallies and speeches, a singular presence has hovered: Donald J. Trump. To hear the six candidates tell it, the former president’s victory in the 2024 White House race is a foregone conclusion. The urgent question facing Iranian voters as they go to the polls on Friday, they say, is who is best suited to deal with him. “Wait and you will see what will happen when Trump comes,” one candidate, the cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi, said during a recent televised debate. “We have to get ready for negotiations.” Another candidate, Alireza Zakani, Tehran’s mayor, accused his rivals at a debate of having “Trump-phobia,” insisting that only he could manage him.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Biden, ”, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, “, Alireza, “ Trump Organizations: White Locations: Tehran’s

☆ Iran’s Onerous Hijab Law for Women Is Now a Campaign Issue
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | Leily Nikounazar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Iranian officials insisted for decades that the law requiring women to cover their hair and dress modestly was sacrosanct and not even worth discussion. They dismissed the struggle by women who challenged the law as a symptom of Western meddling. Now, as Iran holds a presidential election this week, the issue of mandatory hijab, as the hair covering is known, has become a hot campaign topic. He has also said that government officials should be punished over the hijab law because it was their duty to educate women about why they should wear hijab, not violently enforce it. And women have resisted the law, in different ways, ever since it went into effect after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Persons: ” Mustafa Pourmohammadi Locations: Iran

☆ A Brief History of Iran’s Hostage Swapping
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Saturday, Iran and Sweden exchanged prisoners. The swap had the appearance of any two countries engaged in diplomatic negotiations to free their citizens. But the exchange was only the latest chapter in Iran’s long history of what is known in world affairs as hostage diplomacy. In exchange for releasing foreigners it has asked for prisoners, assassins, cash and frozen funds. And on Saturday Iran gained the release of its most prized target: the first Iranian official to be convicted of crimes against humanity.

Organizations: Iran Locations: Iran, Sweden, Iran’s

☆ Middle East Crisis U.S. Says It Is Trying to Bridge Gaps on Gaza Truce
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Aaron Boxerman | Erica L. Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

But after more than eight months of war in Gaza, Israel and Hamas still appear to be far apart on an agreement. On Tuesday, Hamas issued a formal response to the cease-fire proposal to Qatari and Egyptian mediators, which officials in the Palestinian armed group said included some amendments. In the second phase, both sides would declare a permanent cease-fire, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, and more hostage-for-prisoner exchanges would take place. Mr. Biden described the proposal as an Israeli initiative, and Israeli officials confirmed it was approved by the country’s top leadership. Asked about the ambiguous Israeli public stance, Mr. Sullivan said he could confirm that Israel stood behind the proposal.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Biden, Mr, Sullivan, Israel, Hamas’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Farnaz Fassihi Organizations: U.S, Hamas, United Nations Security, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Revolutionary Guard Locations: Egypt, Qatar, Israel, Gaza, Italy, Hamas, United States

☆ Israel-Hamas War: U.N. Security Council Resolution Latest Updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

In passing the resolution, the Council delivered a diplomatic victory to Washington, which had vetoed three previous cease-fire resolutions before the Council. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:43 - 0:00 transcript United Nations Security Council Backs Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution Fourteen of the 15 members on the U.N. Security Council, with Russia abstaining, voted in favor of adopting a proposal calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2735.” “Colleagues, the cease-fire deal would pave the way toward an enduring cessation of hostilities and a better future for all. Russia and China and Algeria, the only Arab member of the Security Council, had said in back-channel negotiations that the text appeared too lopsided in favor of Israel. Ever since the war started eight months ago, the Security Council has been in a deadlock over finding a way to end the conflict and fulfill its mandate to uphold international peace and stability.

Persons: ”, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Thomas, Israel, “, ” “, Biden, There’s, Michael M, Reut Shapir Ben, Naftaly, Ms, Shapir Ben, Vasily Nebenzya, Nebenzya, Nate Evans, Evans, “ Israel, Marko Djurica, Benjamin Netanyahu, Fu Cong Organizations: . Security, United Nations, United Nations Security, Hamas, Credit, U.S, ., Reuters, ” Diplomats, States, Security, Security Council, United Locations: U.S, Gaza, Russia, Washington, United States, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Russian, Tel Aviv, China, Algeria

The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan for the Gaza Strip with only Russia abstaining, a sign of the growing frustration among the world’s major powers over the war and the desire to bring it to an end. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told members of the Security Council that Israel had already agreed to the deal laid out in the resolution — although Israel has so far resisted taking a public position on it — and she urged Hamas “to do the same.”“Hamas can now see that the international community is united, united behind a deal that will save lives and help Palestinian civilians in Gaza start to rebuild and heal,” Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said. The 14-0 vote may strengthen the hand of Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, who returned to the Middle East on Monday to press Hamas and Israel to agree to a cease-fire.

Persons: Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Israel, “, ”, Ms, Thomas, Antony J, Blinken Organizations: United Nations Security, United Nations, Security Council Locations: U.S, Gaza, Russia, Israel

☆ U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Censures Iran and Demands Access for Inspectors
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency on Wednesday censured Iran over its refusal to grant inspectors access to its uranium enrichment program, passing a carefully worded resolution after the United States toned it down in a bid to avoid provoking a crisis at a time in which the Middle East is already roiling. The resolution was sponsored by France, Britain and Germany in response to advances in Iran’s nuclear program over the past year and the Iranian’s government's refusal to cooperate with the agency. Russia has close security ties to Iran and purchases Iranian drones for the war in Ukraine. China is a close economic ally helping Iran evade sanctions by purchasing its oil at a discounted rate. Nine years ago, when Iran agreed to sharp limits on its nuclear program in a deal reached with the Obama administration and European nations, both Russia and China joined the effort to contain Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

Persons: Obama Organizations: United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency, United, Wednesday Locations: Iran, United States, France, Britain, Germany, Tehran, United Nations, Russia, China, Ukraine, Vienna

☆ Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s President, Dies in Helicopter Crash at 63
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Erika Solomon | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president and a top contender to succeed the nation’s supreme leader, was killed on Sunday in a helicopter crash. A conservative Shiite Muslim cleric who had a hand in some of the most brutal crackdowns on opponents of the Islamic Republic, Mr. Raisi was a protégé of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a devoted upholder of religious rule in the country. Mr. Raisi’s presidency was shaped by two major events: the 2022 nationwide uprising, led by women and girls, demanding the end to the Islamic Republic’s rule and the government’s brutal crushing of that movement; and the current Middle East war with Israel, with which it had a long history of clandestine attacks. As the president under Iran’s political system, Mr. Raisi did not set the country’s nuclear or regional policy. But he inherited a government that was steadily expanding its regional influence through a network of proxy militia groups and a nuclear program that was rapidly advancing to weapons-grade uranium enrichment levels following the United States’ exit from a nuclear deal.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Raisi’s Locations: Islamic Republic, Israel, States

☆ What We Know About the Helicopter Crash That Killed Iran’s President
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The deaths of Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, and foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, in a helicopter crash have left one of the Middle East’s most powerful and disruptive nations at a critical moment. Here’s a look at what we know about the crash and its potential implications. Mr. Raisi, 63, and Mr. Amir Abdollahian were traveling back from Iran’s border with Azerbaijan after inaugurating a joint dam project when their helicopter went down in a remote and mountainous area around 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, according to state media. Search and rescue teams battled rain and heavy fog to scour the mountains and dense forest for more than 10 hours, looking for the crash site. The authorities called off the aerial search at one point because of the weather, dispatching elite commandos of the Revolutionary Guards and others on foot.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Raisi, Amir Abdollahian Organizations: Revolutionary Guards Locations: Iran’s, Azerbaijan

Iran sought to project a sense of order and control on Monday by quickly naming an acting president and foreign minister a day after a helicopter crash killed both leaders. The change in leadership came at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and domestic discontent in Iran, where many residents have called for an end to decades of repressive clerical rule. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced five days of mourning for the president, Ebrahim Raisi, 63, and the foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, 60, who died when their helicopter plunged into a mountainous area near the Iranian city of Jolfa. The men had been returning from Iran’s border with Azerbaijan after inaugurating a joint dam project. He had been widely viewed as a possible successor to Ayatollah Khamenei, 85.

Persons: Iran’s, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Mr, Raisi, Ayatollah Khamenei Organizations: Iran’s Armed Forces Locations: Iran, Iranian, Jolfa, Iran’s, Azerbaijan

☆ Iran’s President Died, Opening a New Chapter of Instability
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ebrahim Raisi, Iran’s president, was killed yesterday in a helicopter crash along with the country’s foreign minister. A conservative Shiite Muslim cleric, Raisi had a hand in brutal crackdowns on opponents of the Islamic Republic, and he was widely viewed as a possible successor to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Now there’s also anxiety about what’s going to happen in the future.”Politically, little is likely to change in the short term. Khamenei sets the tone, and the next president will all but certainly follow his lead. Raisi’s death added to the speculation that Khamenei’s son, an invisible but powerful figure, could become the next supreme leader.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, Iran’s, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ”, Khamenei, it’s, Farnaz Fassihi, there’s Organizations: State Locations: Islamic Republic, Iran, Israel

is the United Nations bureau chief for The Times, leading coverage of the organization, and also covers Iran and the shadow war between Iran and Israel. She is based in New York.

Organizations: United Nations, The Times Locations: Iran, Israel, New York

☆ Helicopter Carrying Iran’s President Has Crashed, State Media Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

ETA helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday, according to Iran’s state media and the country’s mission to the United Nations, but has yet to be found by search-and-rescue workers because of heavy fog. State media has yet to report on casualties or confirm the whereabouts or condition of the president. A delegation of ministers traveled with him in a convoy of three helicopters, state media reported, adding that the two other aircraft had reached their destinations. Here are the latest developments: The government canceled a planned cabinet meeting and instead convened an emergency meeting with the country’s crisis management committee, state media reported. Iran’s law stipulates that if the president dies, power is transferred to the first vice president and that an election must be called within six months.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, IRNA, “, ” Ahmad Vahidi, Raisi, Mohammad Mokhber Organizations: United Nations Locations: Western Azerbaijan, Iran

☆ Raisi Has Died in Helicopter Crash, State Media Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Inside a clothing store in Tehran, a television is set to a news channel reporting on the crash of the helicopter carrying the president of Iran. The crash of a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran could hardly have come at a more volatile time for the Islamic Republic. The crash also raises questions about who would become Iran’s supreme leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 85, Mr. Vaez said. Mr. Raisi has been seen as a possible successor. Mr. Vaez said that Mr. Raisi has been viewed as “predictable for the system — and that’s the reason he was chosen as president and was being groomed for the top job.”Farnaz Fassihi contributed reporting.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi —, Iran’s, —, Ali Vaez, ” Mr, Vaez, Mahsa Amini, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Raisi, ” Farnaz Fassihi Organizations: Crisis Group, Parliamentary, Islamic, Israel Locations: Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic, Israel, United States, ”, Kerman, Islamic State, Gaza, Lebanon, Damascus, Syria

☆ Iranian President Helicopter Crash Raisi Has Died in Helicopter Crash, State Media Reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Arab League Calls for U.N. Peacekeepers in Gaza and the West Bank
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Anushka Patil | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Arab League called on Thursday for a United Nations peacekeeping force to be deployed in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank until a two-state solution can be negotiated, in a statement that also called for the U.N. Security Council to set a time limit for that political process. The notion of deploying U.N. peacekeepers into the Israeli-Palestinian conflicthas been mentioned occasionally by diplomats. It’s unlikely that U.N. peacekeepers would be deployed to Gaza and the West Bank in the near future because sending U.N. peacekeepers into any conflict requires first the authorization of the Council. “We don’t go into active combat, and parties themselves have to agree on allowing the presence of peacekeepers. In addition to calling for an immediate cease-fire and accusing Israel of obstructing those efforts, the Arab League called for “the deployment of United Nations international protection and peacekeeping forces in the occupied Palestinian territory until the two-state solution is implemented.”

Persons: Farhan Haq, Mr, Haq, don’t, Israel, ” Organizations: United Nations, West Bank, . Security, League Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Manama, Bahrain

☆ Crackdowns, Attacks and Threat of War Put Iranians on Edge
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the early hours of Friday, Mehrdad, an engineer in Isfahan, Iran, woke to the sound of explosions rattling the windows and shaking the ground. In Tehran, passengers about to board flights were abruptly told the airspace was closed. As booms and gunfire went off in the distance, Mehrdad, 43, came to realize that the Israelis’ target was a military base on the outskirts of the city. He and his pregnant wife remained fearful that war would break out, he said in an interview by phone. Facing deep economic troubles and a restive population, the government seems to have adopted a two-track policy, analysts say, declaring victory over Israel and cracking down at home.

Persons: Israel, ”, Mehrdad Locations: Isfahan, Iran, Tehran, Israel

An Israeli airstrike on Iran on Friday damaged an air defense system, according to Western and Iranian officials, in an attack calculated to deliver a message that Israel could bypass Iran’s defensive systems undetected and paralyze them. The strike damaged a defensive battery near Natanz, a city in central Iran that is critical to the country’s nuclear weapons program, according to two Western officials and two Iranian officials. The attack — and the revelation on Saturday of its target — was in retaliation for Iran’s strike in Israel last week after Israel bombed its embassy compound in Damascus. But it used a fraction of the firepower Tehran deployed in launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. But the relatively limited scope of Israel’s strike and the muted response from Iranian officials seem to have eased tensions.

Organizations: Israel Locations: Iran, Israel, Damascus, Tehran, Syria

☆ Israeli Weapon Damaged Iranian Air Defenses Without Being Detected, Officials Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | Ronen Bergman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Some Democrats are fine sending defensive weapons to Israel, but want to see some limits on offensive weapons, which could be used against civilians in Gaza. But progressive Democrats estimated that 40 to 60 members of their party may oppose it on the House floor on Saturday. The legislation would allocate $5 billion to Israel’s defense capabilities and $9 billion for “worldwide humanitarian aid,” including for civilians in Gaza. “To give Netanyahu more offensive weapons at this stage, I believe, is to condone the destruction of Gaza that we’ve seen in the last six months. But they see a “no” vote as part of a strategy to pressure Mr. Biden to condition aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers.

Persons: Biden, ’, Pramila Jayapal, Joaquin Castro, We’re, Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Ro Khanna, Netanyahu, Nancy Pelosi, Mike Johnson, —, Becca Balint, “, it’s, Lloyd Doggett, Doggett, Ms, Balint, Dan Kildee, Greg Casar Organizations: Democrats, Democratic, “, Congressional Progressive Caucus, ”, Democrat, Israel, Democratic Party, Republican, Republicans, Texas Democrat, White House, Michigan Democrat Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iraq, Washington, Texas, Ukraine, Taiwan, United States, Rafah, Iran, California, Yemen, Louisiana, Vermont, U.S, American

The Israeli strike on a military base near the Iranian city of Isfahan was part of a cycle of retaliation that has alarmed world leaders, but it produced a largely muted response from both on Friday. Television networks and some officials in both countries played down the significance of the strike, which Israeli and Iranian officials confirmed. In Israel, officials described the strike as a limited response designed to avoid escalating tensions. Pundits on the country’s morning news shows said the strike did not appear to cause significant damage to military sites in Iran. In one video that was widely shared online Friday, a girl throws a paper airplane at an apartment building and compares it to the Israeli strike, giggling as the folded paper hits the concrete structure.

Persons: Israel, ” Dana Weiss, General Siavash Mihandoust, Itamar Ben, Tally Gotliv, ” Organizations: ., State, Israel Channel, Israel, National, Likud Locations: Iranian, Isfahan, Syria, Israel, Iran, “ Israel, Brig

☆ Live Updates: Iran State-Run Media Reports Explosions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

The next year, Palestine was granted the lesser status of observer at the United Nations, a level shared by the Holy See. With the war raging in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority asked the United Nations to take up its bid a second time. The Vatican has also recognized Palestinian statehood. But as the death toll has climbed in Gaza, the push for Palestinian statehood has intensified. But some have in recent months suggested that they might recognize a Palestinian state sooner.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Timothy A, Clary, Riyad Mansour, ”, Israel —, Lynsey Addario, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Biden, David Cameron, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, “ Organizations: West Bank, . Security, Palestinian, Security, United Nations, United Nations Palestine, UNESCO, Observers, General, International Court of Justice, Organization for, Chemical Weapons, General Assembly, Agence France, Palestinian Authority, Union, The New York Times Locations: Hebron, West, United, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Palestine, United States, Russia, China, Ramallah, Canada, France, Britain, Spain, Ireland, Malta, Slovenia

Israel was mere moments away from an airstrike on April 1 that killed several senior Iranian commanders at Iran’s embassy complex in Syria when it told the United States what was about to happen. Aides quickly alerted Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser; Jon Finer, the deputy national security adviser; Brett McGurk, Mr. Biden’s Middle East coordinator; and others, who saw that the strike could have serious consequences, a U.S. official said. Publicly, U.S. officials voiced support for Israel, but privately, they expressed anger that it would take such aggressive action against Iran without consulting Washington. On Saturday, Iran launched a retaliatory barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, an unexpectedly large-scale response, if one that did minimal damage. The events made clear that the unwritten rules of engagement in the long-simmering conflict between Israel and Iran have changed drastically in recent months, making it harder than ever for each side to gauge the other’s intentions and reactions.

Persons: Israel, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk Organizations: U.S, Publicly, Israel, Washington Locations: Syria, United States, Biden’s, Iran, Israel

Persons: Israel, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk Organizations: U.S, Publicly, Israel, Washington Locations: Syria, United States, Biden’s, Iran, Israel

Iran’s much-anticipated retaliation for Israel’s killing of senior military leaders produced a fiery aerial display in the skies over Israel and the West Bank. But in important ways, military analysts say, it was just that: a highly choreographed spectacle. Just as they did back in 2020 when retaliating for the U.S. killing of Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iranian leaders this weekend gave plenty of warning that they were launching strikes. The result: a lot of bang, but relatively little destruction on the ground. Few of Iran’s drones and missiles found their intended targets, an inaccuracy level that military experts and defense officials say was probably by design.

Persons: retaliating, Qassim Suleimani Organizations: West Bank, Jordanian, Iranian Embassy Locations: Israel, Gen, Iran, Iranian, Syria

☆ Strikes on Israel Open a Dangerous New Chapter for Old Rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Steven Erlanger | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

That represents a moment of great risk, with key questions still to answer, they say. Or given the relatively paltry results — almost all the drones and missiles were intercepted by Israel and the United States — will it feel the need to strike again? And will Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, see the strong performance by his country’s air defenses, in cooperation with allies, as a sufficient response? Or will he choose to escalate further with an attack on Iran itself? “But in doing so, the shadow war it has been waging with Israel for years now threatens to turn into a very real and very damaging conflict,” one that could drag in the United States, he added.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ”, Ali Vaez Organizations: United, Crisis Locations: Iran, Israel, Damascus, United States

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