Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

US suggests Ukraine consider ceding territories: El Pais

US President-elect Donald Trump has sent a message to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him to start thinking about a ceasefire and to abandon the territories that are currently under Russian control, El Pais newspaper reported.

Iranian official touts  blanket removal of internet filtering, dismisses step-by-step plan as ‘ineffective’

A member of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace has voiced his opposition to the government's step-by-step plan for lifting internet restrictions in the country.

Sacked Persepolis coach Garrido bids emotional farewell

Juan Carlos Garrido, the former head coach of Persepolis, shared an emotional farewell message on his Instagram page following his departure from the Iranian football team.

Sanctions against Syria must be lifted ‘as soon as possible’: Turkish FM

Ankara has called for the anti-Syria sanctions to be lifted "as soon as possible" as Turkey's foreign minister visited Damascus for talks with the new Syrian rulers.

Yemen’s Houthis claim downing US F-18 fighter jet

The Houthis in Yemen have claimed that they have successfully thwarted a joint American-British attack by shooting down a US F-18 warplane and forcing other aircraft to withdraw from their country's airspace.

Israel has broken all rules of war in Gaza: UNRWA head

Israel has violated all the rules of war in the besieged Gaza Strip, the commissioner-general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has stated.

Historic all-Women flight lands in Mashhad

For the first time in Iran's aviation history, a flight carrying an all-female crew and 110 prominent Iranian women landed at Mashhad International Airport, northeastern Iran.

Tehran Cyber Police shut down 40 Instagram accounts of harassers 

Tehran’s Cyber Police Chief, Brigadier General Davood Moazzami Goudarzi, announced a crackdown on individuals causing public distress through "hidden camera" and Instagram challenge videos. This initiative led to the identification and closure of 40 Instagram accounts. 

Qatar warns may stop gas shipments to EU amid Russia-Ukraine war

Doha will stop gas shipments to the EU if member states enforce new legislation on carbon emissions, Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi has told the Financial Times (FT). Qatar has become an important supplier to the bloc after Brussels resolved to wean itself off Russian gas following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

UK armed forces struggling for recruits: Telegraph

At least 15,000 British soldiers left the country's Armed Forces between November 2023 and October 2024, The Telegraph reported. The resignations persist despite London's efforts to address the recruitment crisis with a record pay raise.

Nearly 85k Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine: Report

Journalists have identified the names of 84,761 Russian soldiers who died during the war in Ukraine, according to a joint investigation by BBC Russia and Mediazona news outlet.

US downs own warplane while bombing Yemen: Pentagon

The United States Navy has inadvertently shot down its own F/A-18 fighter jet in a friendly fire incident over the Red Sea, the Pentagon has announced shortly after issuing a press release about another attack against Houthi targets in Yemen.

China brands US as ‘war-addicted’

China’s Defense Ministry has accused the Pentagon of fabricating false narratives and twisting reality in order to deceive the public with incorrect perceptions, in its latest annual report on Beijing's military and security developments.

Iran Leader calls on Syrians to stand strong, predicts ‘better future’ for West Asia

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has expressed optimism about the future of the West Asian region, predicting that the current events in Syria will lead to the emergence of a strong and honorable group similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

IRGC says disbanded terrorist team in western Iran

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that its intelligence forces have dismantled a team of terrorists in Iran’s western province of Kermanshah.

Hamas says Gaza ceasefire deal ‘imminent’ unless Israel imposes new conditions

The possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war in the besieged Gaza Strip “is closer than ever, provided Israel refrains from imposing new conditions”, Hamas has announced in s statement.

The majestic Eagle’s Nest; Kangelo Castle in Iran’s Savadkuh

Perched on a massive rock in the village of Kangelo, 39 kilometers from Pol Sefid in Savadkuh County, stands one of Iran’s historical treasures, Kangelo Castle, also known as the Eagle of Mazandaran, in northern Iran.

Iranian women entrepreneurs shine in BRICS competition

Four out of 22 projects submitted by Iran were recognized as top projects in the BRICS Women Entrepreneurs Forum competition, the head of the International Organizations Cooperation Group affiliated with the Iranian Presidential Center for Transformation and Progress has announced.

US says attacked Houthi targets in Yemen’s capital

The United States military said it has carried out air strikes against targets linked to the Houthis in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, including a missile storage facility and a “command-and-control” site.

Iranians celebrating Mother’s Day

Iranians are celebrating Mother's Day and Women's Day together on Sunday, honoring the invaluable role of women in society and family.

Syria’s new rulers name HTS figures as foreign, defence ministers

Syria’s new rulers have appointed foreign and defense ministers, the official news agency SANA has reported, as they work to establish international relations following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.

Qatar’s embassy in Syria reopened after 13 years

Qatar has officially reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus after nearly 13 years.

Two Iranians arrested abroad for alleged involvement in equipping drones used against US forces

Iranian nationals Mohammad Abedini and Mehdi Mohammad Sadeghi have been arrested in Milan and Massachusetts respectively on charges of aiding in the equipping of drones used in an attack on American soldiers, an allegation that Iran strongly denies.

7 soldiers killed in road crash in Iran’s Lorestan province

A tragic bus accident occurred on Saturday in Lorestan province, western Iran, killing seven soldiers and injuring 16 others.

Azerbaijan president thanks Iran for support of Baku’s membership in D-8 group

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has expressed gratitude to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian in a letter, thanking him for Tehran's support for Baku in its bid to join the D-8 group of countries.