Monday, December 29, 2025

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

Iran refutes ‘totally absurd’ claims of sending missile launchers to Russia

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has categorically rejected claims that Tehran is preparing to supply launchers for short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow for the war in Ukraine.

Putin refutes ceasefire ultimatum proposed by European leaders, Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected an ultimatum by European leaders to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face increased sanctions, but has proposed holding direct negotiations with Kyiv this week.

FM Araghchi reaffirms Iran’s nuclear rights, calls for regional unity

Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, reiterated that Iran would not back down from its nuclear rights, stating that any negotiations attempting to limit them are unacceptable.

Fire erupts at Tehran hotel, 130 evacuated safely

A fire broke out early Sunday morning at a hotel on Mofatteh Street in central Tehran, prompting the evacuation of approximately 130 people, according to the Tehran Fire Department.

Ukraine, European allies pledge harsher sanctions on Russia’s banking, energy sectors if Moscow refuses ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland have agreed to impose additional sanctions against Russia if the Kremlin does not accept their proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Iranian female mountaineer conquers 8,167-meter peak in Himalayas

Afsaneh Hesamifard, an Iranian mountaineer and doctor, has successfully summited Dhaulagiri in the Himalayas.

India and Pakistan agree to “full and immediate” ceasefire: Trump

New Delhi and Islamabad have agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” following a night of talks mediated by the US, President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

Iran reports ‘slight rise’ in COVID-19 cases, urges continued vigilance

Iran’s Ministry of Health has reported a slight increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks but confirmed that no new variant has been detected.

UN committee warns world could witness ‘another Nakba’ in Palestine

The world could be witnessing “another Nakba”, or the expulsion of Palestinians, a United Nations special committee warned on Friday.

65,000 Gaza children facing death due to Israeli starvation policy

The Gaza government has warned that more than 65,000 children are at immediate risk of famine because of Israel's siege and two-month blockade of essential supplies to the Gaza Strip as part of its genocidal campaign on the Palestinian enclave.

Qatar searches for bodies of Americans killed by Daesh in Syria

A Qatari mission has begun searching for the remains of US hostages killed by Daesh in Syria a decade ago, two sources briefed on the mission stated, reviving a longstanding effort to recover their bodies.

European leaders arrive in Kyiv for talks with Zelensky

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Iran Leader urges continued focus on Palestinian struggle, denounces Israeli actions, Western support

Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei warned that global powers are deliberately attempting to push the Palestinian issue out of public consciousness through diversionary tactics and disinformation.

Israel intercepts missile launched from Yemen

Air raid sirens were heard in Israel as a missile was launched towards the occupied territory by Yemen’s Houthis, who say they are retaliating against Tel Aviv in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Trump has increasingly grown frustrated with Netanyahu amid Gaza war: Report

US President Donald Trump has increasingly grown frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Tel Aviv’s resistance to Washington's directives regarding the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, according to a report published by Yedioth Ahronoth.

Gaza aid operation to begin soon without Israeli involvement: US envoy

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has stated that a food aid operation for the Gaza Strip is set to begin soon and will proceed without Tel Aviv's involvement, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Iranian daily criticizes US policy, urges halt to nuclear talks

Iran's principlist newspaper Kayhan has called for an immediate suspension of nuclear negotiations with the United States, citing Washington's continued “disrespect and hostility” toward Iran.

Tehran’s Intl. Film Festival hosts many artworks from Gaza

The secretary of the 14th International "100 Film Festival", which concluded on Friday in the Iranian capital Tehran, announced that 22 cinematic works from inside the Gaza Strip were submitted to this edition of the festival.

Eight family members fall into 50-meter agricultural well in Iran’s Kuhdasht

Eight members of a family in Iran’s western city of Kuhdasht fell into a 50-meter-deep agricultural well on Saturday, according to Kuhdasht Governor Morad Naseri.

Ukraine imposes sanctions on Russian nationals, companies from Russia, China, Iran

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed sanctions on Russian nationals and companies from Russia, China, Iran, and Uzbekistan, according to a decision by Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).

36th edition of international book fair underway in Tehran

The 36th Tehran International Book Fair opened on Wednesday, under the theme “Let’s Read for Iran.”

FM Araghchi: Iran, US set to resume indirect talks on Sunday

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that the fourth round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States is expected to take place on Sunday.

Russia says rejects 30-day ceasefire as long as Ukraine receives weapons

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has refuted the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News that it would be "an advantage" for Kyiv.

Britain targets 101 ships in ‘largest ever’ sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet

The United Kingdom has announced its "largest ever" sanctions package against Russia's so-called "shadow fleet", imposing restrictions on 100 oil tankers and an additional vessel said to be supporting Moscow.

Israel dropped 100,000 tons of explosives over Gaza since start of war, wiped out 2,200 families: Report

Israel has dropped 100,000 tons of explosives on the Gaza Strip since launching its war on the besieged enclave 19 months ago, killing or leaving missing over 62,000 Palestinians and committing more than 12,000 massacres, the Gaza government media office said.