Iran

UK ‘blocks plans’ to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorist group

Britain’s Foreign Office has blocked a plan that would have led to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) proscribed as a terrorist organisation, according to a report. The government department cited the need to keep communication channels with Tehran open as relations between the two countries continue on a downward …

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Thousands of Iranian Weapons Bound for Houthis in Yemen Seized in Gulf of Oman

France’s Navy seized thousands of Iranian-made weapons bound for the Houthi rebels in Yemen, The Associated Press reported, citing unnamed officials. The more than 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles believed to be coming from Iran were seized in the Gulf of Oman …

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Isfahan drone attack linked to Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran state media reveals

On January 29, there were four explosions at the site, all of which appeared to specifically target a facility developing advanced weapons. The explosive materials used to attack the Islamic Republic’s Isfahan facility on Sunday entered Iran via Iraqi Kurdistan by order of a foreign agency, Iranian state-affiliated site NourNews …

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Iran, Russia sign bank messaging agreement to override SWIFT

Both countries are banned from the SWIFT financial messaging system due to US and European sanctions. Iran and Russia signed a financial messaging agreement on Sunday that would allow their banks to transfer funds between one another, and evade sanctions mechanism that blocks most of their entities from SWIFT. The …

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Whither Iran on the Revolution’s Anniversary?

The regime is more vulnerable than ever, even as domestic reforms, nuclear diplomacy and better relations with the West appear remote. Iran marks the anniversary of the Islamic revolution in February amid increasingly existential challenges at home and in relations with the outside world. Four months of nationwide protests — …

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Iran Imposes Sanctions On EU, UK

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran imposed fresh sanctions on dozens of European Union (EU) and British officials and entities for supporting terrorism. The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday released an updated list of sanctions against a number of EU and British individuals and entities. Those individuals and entities …

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Iran accuses France of ‘meddling’ as ties strain over unrest

In a tense exchange, Iran’s top diplomat has accused Paris of being intentionally confrontational while his French counterpart piled pressure on Iran over the detention of French nationals. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Wednesday that France was meddling in his country’s affairs and taking a confrontational approach toward the …

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EU rolls out new Iran sanctions but does not designate IRGC as terrorists

European foreign ministers have added 37 names to the list of Iranian individuals and entities subject to sanctions, but did not call for designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist group. European Foreign Ministers agreed Monday on a fourth round of sanctions against 37 Iranian nationals and entities over …

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Fleeing repression, Iran’s Kurdish activists struggle to find refuge in Iraq

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has become a key escape route for an unknown number of Iranian Kurds fleeing brutal repression and torture in Iran, but most fail to find security and stability in Iraq. Since his release from an Iranian prison a month ago, Kayvan Samadi has been hiding …

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