Sunday, December 21, 2025

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

Iran’s Financial Intelligence Center defends FATF engagement, calls CFT and Palermo accession unavoidable

Iran’s Financial Intelligence Center has issued a detailed statement responding to speculation following the recent FATF plenary.

Iranian newspapers criticize parliament speaker remarks targeting former officials

Iranian newspapers have strongly criticized recent remarks in the parliament that targeted former president Hassan Rouhani and former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Israel allows Hamas to enter army-controlled areas in Gaza to search for captive remains: Report

Tel Aviv has allowed the Palestinian group Hamas to enter areas under the military’s control in the Gaza Strip to search for hostage remains, Israeli media reported on Monday.

UK military chiefs support nuclear-sharing pact with Germany amid Russia threats: Telegraph

British military chiefs have backed the idea of a new security agreement with Germany that could involve sharing nuclear weapons, according to a report by The Telegraph.

Istanbul mayor hit with new ‘political espionage’ arrest order

A Turkish court has issued a fresh arrest order for Istanbul's jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on suspicion of "political espionage", marking a new stage in an unprecedented crackdown on President Tayyip Erdogan's opponents.

Iran’s Alireza Faghani nominated for World’s Best Football Referee Award

Iranian-born referee Alireza Faghani has been nominated for the title of World’s Best Referee of 2025 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

South Korean presidential aide: US president and North Korea’s leader unlikely to happen soon

A South Korean presidential security adviser has stated that she did not believe a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was likely to happen soon.

Advisor to Iran Leader highlights strategic role of Iran, China, Russia in emerging global order

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Leader on international affairs, said that Iran, China, and Russia are the three independent powers in Asia shaping the emerging global order.

Former reformist president Khatami criticizes Iran’s development policies, citing tourism gap with Turkey

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has criticized Iran’s development trajectory, saying the country has pursued unrealistic goals and fallen behind regional peers.

Iran approves national plan to confront climate change

Iran is facing widespread drought and severe climate impacts, prompting the government to adopt a comprehensive National Climate Change Management Plan.

ICE arrests British journalist after criticism of Israel on US tour

British journalist Sami Hamdi was reportedly detained on Sunday morning by federal immigration authorities at San Francisco international airport, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) announced that action is apparent retaliation for the Muslim political commentator’s criticism of Israel while touring the US.

Israel continues to bar journalists from Gaza

The Israeli government plans to reexamine a policy barring journalists from entering the war-torn Gaza Strip, local media has reported.

Russia missile testing not ‘appropriate’: US

US President Donald Trump has stated that the announcement by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of a nuclear-powered cruise missile test was not "appropriate".

Israel allows Red Cross, Egyptian teams into Gaza to search for captive bodies

Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been allowed beyond the “yellow line” in the Gaza Strip to help in the search for hostage remains, a government spokesperson has stated.

Israeli military dumps waste, debris from border settlements into Gaza: Report

The Israeli army has allowed the transfer of large quantities of waste and construction debris from settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip into the Palestinian enclave, according to a report.

Russia says major Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow repelled

Russian air defenses have neutralized dozens of Ukrainian drones attacking Moscow overnight, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has claimed.

Bazargan: Iran’s northwestern border city emerging as a tourism destination

The city of Bazargan, located in West Azerbaijan Province at Iran’s northwestern tip near the Turkish border, is drawing renewed attention as both a vital trade hub and a growing tourism destination.

Interior ministry: 280,000 foreign pupils have left Iran; 320,000 enrolled for new school year

Iran’s Interior Ministry announced that around 320,000 foreign students have enrolled in Iranian schools for the 2025–2026 academic year, down from 700,000 last year, following the departure of nearly 280,000 Afghan students and their families as part of the government’s repatriation program.

US readies new sanctions as Russia stalls on Ukraine peace negotiations: Report

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has prepared new sanctions against Russia, Reuters has reported, citing an unnamed U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter.

Israel says to determine which international forces are unacceptable for Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Tel Aviv would determine its security policy and which foreign troops to work with.

Saudi Arabia says its Vision 2030 goals 85% completed

Saudi Arabia's investment minister has stated that 85% of the kingdom's Vision 2030 targets were complete or on track as of the end of 2024.

Iraqi officials say 2 workers killed in pipeline fire at Zubair oilfield

At least two workers were killed in an oil pipeline fire in Iraq's Zubair oilfield on Sunday, oilfield officials have confirmed.

Iranian actor and former footballer Pejman Jamshidi released on bail amid ongoing legal case

Iranian actor and former footballer Pejman Jamshidi was released from prison on bail on Sunday after five days of detention, his lawyers confirmed.

Former Khuzestan bodybuilding champion Kianpour dies of heart attack during training

Nima Kianpour, a former bodybuilding champion and experienced coach from Khuzestan province, southern Iran, died suddenly from a heart attack while training on the evening of Saturday, local sports officials reported.

Ukraine may face heating failures, plants shutdown in winter amid war with Russia: NYT

Ukrainian residents may face heating failures this winter and plants may fail to cope with rising electricity prices and will have to close, The New York Times (NYT) has reported.