Monday, January 19, 2026

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

Iran urges setting up fact-finding mission over fate of kidnapped diplomats 

The Iranian Foreign Ministry once again called for the establishment of a fact-finding mission between Iran and Lebanon to determine the fate of the four Iranian diplomats kidnapped by mercenaries affiliated with the Zionist regime in Lebanon 42 years ago. 

Iranian expats in 98 countries casting ballots for presidential runoff polls 

Iranians living in foreign countries are taking part in the second round of snap presidential election on Friday in 98 countries through 138 diplomatic missions, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Iranian Expatriates Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry said. 

Iran Leader casts ballot in snap presidential election 

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei cast his ballot in the presidential election run-off in the country on Friday. 

Voting kicks off for Iran presidential runoff election

Voting kicks off for Iran presidential runoff election Polling stations opened across Iran at 08:00 am local time (04:30 GMT) on Friday for the second round of presidential snap elections in thecountry.

Iran’s Central Bank chief proposes FATF-like institution for BRICS

In a forward-looking proposal, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Mohammad Reza Farzin suggested the establishment of an institution akin to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) among BRICS nations.

Iran, China reaffirm strengthening strategic partnership at SCO summit

Mohammad Mokhber, Acting President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, in which the two sides underlined strengthening bilateral ties.

World’s largest Palestinian flag hoisted in Iran’s capital

In a powerful display of solidarity, the world's largest Palestinian flag was hoisted atop the Flag Tower of Iran during a special ceremony attended by the families of Palestinian martyrs.

Gaza death toll surges past 38,000

At least 58 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, bringing the overall death toll to 38,011 since Oct. 7,  2023, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave reported on Thursday.

Mokhber to Putin: Iran-Russia strategic ties change world equations

Iran's Interim President Mohammad Mokhber has stated strategic relations between Tehran and Moscow have changed the world's power equations and challenged the unjust order based on unilateralism.

90% of people in Gaza have been displaced at least once: UN

Approximately nine in every 10 people in the Gaza Strip have been displaced at least once since Israel’s assault on the besieged enclave began, the United Nations humanitarian agency has reported.

Iran launches project to save Lake Urmia

Iran has inaugurated a water storage and transfer project to revive Lake Urmia in the northwest of the country which has been receding in recent years.

Acting president calls on SCO to conduct transaction through Iran

Iran’s caretaker President Mohammad Mokhber says the Shanghai Cooperating Organization (SCO) member states can carry out trade transactions faster and at a lower cost through the North-South Corridor and the southern ports of Iran.

Israel announces largest Palestinian land grab in over 3 decades

The Israeli government has seized about 2,370 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank this year alone, culminating in the largest land grab in more than 30 years, according to an Israeli settlement watchdog.

Ukraine says no compromise with Russia

Ukraine does not intend to cave in to Russian demands and consider formally ceding the territories it claims as its own to Moscow in order to end the conflict, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, has stated.

Presidential election campaign ends for runoff vote in Iran

Countdown beings for presidential election runoff in Iran as the candidates vying for the office stopped their campaigns at 8 am on Thursday local time.

Hezbollah showers Israeli sites after top commander killed

Hezbollah has announced a top commander has been killed in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, at least the third high-ranking official in the group to have been killed in almost nine months of cross-border fighting that has sparked fears of wider regional escalation. In response, the group fired dozens of rockets at Israel's military positions.

Israel says studying Hamas response to ceasefire deal

Israeli spy agency Mossad says it is studying Hamas's response to a ceasefire proposal that mediators have been trying to finalise for weeks to put an end to Tel Aviv's war on the Gaza Strip.

Dozens of US House lawmakers call on Biden to address Turkey’s human rights abuses during NATO summit

A bipartisan group of the US House lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to push Ankara to abide by international law while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in Washington for the NATO Summit between July 9 and 11, raising the alarm over “systematic human rights abuses".

Iran confirms release of citizen detained in France

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has confirmed news reports of the release of Bashir Biazar, an Iranian citizen who was "illegally" detained in France.

Russia claims Western talk of Ukraine peace just for show

Any Western talk of peace in the Ukraine conflict is merely a “decoy” as Washington and its allies remain intent on inflicting a strategic defeat on Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated

Iran and Turkmenistan sign gas swap deal to supply Turkmen gas to Iraq

Iran and Turkmenistan signed a gas swap agreement that will transfer Turkmen gas to Iraq through Iran.

NATO member states pledge 40bn euros in military aid for Ukraine

NATO allies have agreed to fund military aid for Ukraine with 40 billion euros ($43 billion) next year, two Western European diplomats told Reuters on Wednesday. It comes a week before the military alliance's leader's scheduled meeting in Washington.

US lawmakers introduce bill attacking Gaza solidarity encampments at universities

A group of US Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that seeks to force US universities to fully disclose how they will manage Gaza solidarity encampments that have swept the American schools over the past several months.

Iran Leader stresses on participation in presidential runoff vote

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for greater participation in the second round of the snap presidential election on Friday.

Israel’s top generals want ceasefire in Gaza for war with Hezbollah: Report

Dozens of senior Israeli generals want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a truce deal with Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip so they can prepare for a potential war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to a report.