Sunday, December 28, 2025

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza because it was not linked to the release of hostages, saying it would embolden Hamas.

Putin refutes Zelensky’s call for peace talks, citing Ukraine’s deadly bridge attack” in Russia

President Vladimir Putin questioned the value of ongoing peace talks with Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of orchestrating deadly attacks on infrastructure in Russia that killed seven people and injured 115 others.

Public figures in Germany call on government to take clear stance against Israel

Numerous public figures in Germany have urged the government in Berlin to take a clear stance against Israel in an open letter obtained on Wednesday by the Der Spiegel news magazine.

Almost 2 million Muslim pilgrims begin annual Hajj pilgrimage

Nearly two million Muslim pilgrims started the soul-searching journey of the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Record number of Russians support peace negotiations, end of war in Ukraine: Poll

The number of Russian citizens who support peace talks and an end to the war in Ukraine has reached a record high since the start of the conflict, according to a poll by the independent Russian pollster Levada Center.

Turkey backing Syria’s military and has no immediate withdrawal plans: Ankara

Ankara is training and advising Syria's armed forces and helping improve its defences, and has no immediate plans for the withdrawal or relocation of its troops stationed there, Defence Minister Yasar Guler has told Reuters.

Israel bans Palestinians from approaching aid distribution centers in Gaza

The Israeli army has announced that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are prohibited from approaching humanitarian aid distribution centers in the enclave.

Iran atomic chief reaffirms commitment to nuclear progress

Iranian Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has issued a statement reaffirming the nation’s unwavering commitment to advancing its nuclear industry.

Iranian security forces foil major Daesh terror plot

In a large-scale and complex counter-terrorism operation, Iran’s Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA) has dismantled a suicide terrorist network affiliated with the ISIS group. That's according to Iranian police spokesman Brigadier General Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi.

Britain to provide Ukraine with 100,000 drones by April 2026

The United Kingdom has pledged to supply Ukraine with 100,00 drones by the end of the financial year in April 2026, saying that unmanned aerial vehicles have changed the way modern wars are fought.

US warns Britain and France not to recognise Palestinian state

The United States has warned Britain and France against recognising a Palestinian state at a UN conference later this month, Middle East Eye reported.

Pentagon chief to skip Ukraine meeting at NATO headquarters

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend a meeting of 50 defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels that has been critical to coordinating military aid for Ukraine, marking the first time in three years a Pentagon chief has skipped the event.

NATO urging European states to ramp up air defenses fivefold in face of Russian threat: Bloomberg

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is calling on European member nations to increase their ground-based air defense capacities by five times in order to mount a more effective response to the threat of Russian aggression, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

New anti-Russia sanctions ready, need to be approved by Congress, US President: Envoy

A new package of anti-Moscow sanctions, including restrictions against third sides, is ready, but still requires congressional and presidential approval, US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has stated.

Iran’s deputy FM warns IAEA Board of Governors against any politically motivated act

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for legal and international affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has warned members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s Board of Governors that any politically motivated move against Iran could derail Tehran's cooperation with the agency.

Ayatollah Khamenei rejects US nuclear proposal, calls it contrary to Iran’s sovereignty

Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has firmly rejected a recent US proposal in the Oman-mediated nuclear talks, describing it as “100 percent against the principle of ‘We Can’,” a phrase symbolizing Iran’s self-reliance and resistance.

Russia says train sabotage was Ukrainian ‘terrorist attack’

The recent acts of railway sabotage in Russia’s Bryansk and Kursk regions were “terrorist attacks” planned by Ukraine to cause maximum civilian casualties, the Russian Investigative Committee has said in a report.

US says to scale down its military bases in Syria

The United States will scale down its military presence in Syria to one base from eight and Washington's policies will shift in the country "because none of them worked" over the last century, the new U.S. special envoy has stated.

Russia says Iran has ‘right’ to peaceful nuclear program

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has reiterated Moscow’s support for efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of Tehran’s nuclear issue, saying Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

Indian hostages rescued in Tehran following swift police operation

Three Indian nationals who had gone missing shortly after arriving in Tehran were rescued in a swift and targeted police operation in the city of Varamin, near the capital, according to Iranian authorities.

Gaza death toll tops 54,500

At least 54,510 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war against the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave announced on Tuesday.

Russia’s Crimean Bridge rocked by blasts, Ukraine claims responsibility

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) carried out the third attack against the Crimean Bridge since Russia's full-scale war began in 2022, mining and damaging its underwater supports, the SBU has announced.

Iran FM Araghchi: U.S. proposal contains ambiguities

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi stated that the recent proposal received from the United States regarding nuclear negotiations “contains numerous ambiguities and unresolved questions,” emphasizing that “many aspects of the proposal remain unclear.”

President Pezeshkian: Iran welcomes negotiation but not coercion

Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, pointing to the indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US, stated that the Islamic Republic welcomes negotiations, but dialogue should not be a means for coercion or for imposing one's demands on the other side.

Ukraine invited to NATO summit: President Zelensky

Ukraine has been invited to the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague between June 24 and 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed during an online press conference.