Thursday, December 25, 2025

Latest News and Views from Iran and the World

5 more Gazans die of starvation under Israeli blockade, death toll rises to 193

Five more Palestinians died of starvation in the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll since October 2023 to 193, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave announced on Wednesday.

Detained British couple in Iran make first phone call to family after seven months

A British couple detained in Iran on suspicion of espionage have spoken with their families for the first time since their arrest in January.

EU Parliament groups call on top officials to take action to end Gaza genocide

Leaders of the Left, Greens/European Free Alliance and Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament urged top European Union officials to take immediate steps to end Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Trump pledges to pull US out of Ukraine ‘mess’

Washington is working hard to withdraw itself from the “mess” of the Ukraine conflict, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

Nursing shortage forces hospital ward closures in Iran, officials warn

Iran’s Nursing Organization has warned of severe staff shortages leading to the closure of hospital wards across the country, with some facilities at risk of full shutdown.

Iranian politician: Larijani’s appointment as Security Council head signals shift away from hardliners

Iranian political analyst and former MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh has described the appointment of Ali Larijani as secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council as a sign of declining influence among hardliners, both domestically and internationally.

Iran’s fiber optic production plant launched in Venezuela

Iran has extended its export of advanced technology to the heart of Latin America with the establishment of a fiber optic plant in Venezuela.

Iran says it cannot trust US after attack on nuclear facilities

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has stated that Tehran does not trust Washington following US onslaught on the country’s nuclear sites.

It is ‘up to Israel’ whether to occupy all of Gaza: Trump

United States President Donald Trump has suggested that he will not block possible Israeli plans to take over the Gaza Strip.

US official says Trump to host Armenia, Azerbaijan leaders for peace negotiations

United States President Donald Trump will host the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace talks at the White House, a US official told Reuters news agency.

Iran executes two men for ties to Daesh, Mossad espionage

Iran’s Judiciary announced the execution of two individuals on Wednesday, for involvement in terrorism and espionage.

Gaza death toll from Israeli war tops 61,000

At least 61,020 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, including 188 who have died from hunger, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Iran demands security guarantees before resuming U.S. talks

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi has said Tehran will not return to negotiations with the United States unless it receives firm guarantees that military attacks will not disrupt diplomacy again.

Larijani appointed Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council

Iran's President Massoud Pezeshkian has appointed Ali Larijani as the new Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), a pivotal position in Iran’s national security architecture.

EU seeking to impose sanctions against China: Politico

The EU is considering imposing sanctions on China over its alleged support for the Russian military, Politico has reported, citing a diplomat. The plan is reportedly based on recent media allegations.

US says will withhold disaster funding to states boycotting Israel

US states and territories that boycott Israeli companies or those operating in the occupied territories will be denied federal funds for natural disaster preparation, Reuters has reported.

Rare footage captures Asiatic Cheetah, Persian Onager in same frame

A rare video showing an Asiatic cheetah and a Persian onager, also known as Iranian zebra, moving in the same habitat has captured widespread public and expert attention.

Tehran officials raise alarm over crimes by undocumented migrants

Theft is the most common crime committed by illegal migrants in Tehran, according to the province's Judiciary Deputy for Social Affairs and Crime Prevention.

Ex-diplomat outlines why a military nuclear program would endanger Iran

A former Iranian diplomat has emphasized that Iran’s continued insistence on the peaceful nature of its nuclear program reflects a strategic understanding of the country’s national interests.

US House speaker becomes highest-ranking American official to visit illegal settlements in West Bank

US House Speaker Mike Johnson became the highest-ranking American official to visit an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank during his trip.

Netanyahu has decided on full occupation of Gaza: Report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to announce plans to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, Israeli media have reported.

Russia says ‘no longer considers itself bound’ by nuclear treaty with US

Moscow believes that conditions for maintaining the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Washington have “disappeared” and “no longer considers itself bound” by it, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

US House Democrats call on Trump administration to recognize Palestinian state

Over a dozen US House Democrats have signed a letter urging the Donald Trump administration to officially recognize a Palestinian state.

1,500 Gazans killed while seeking aid since May: UN

Around 1,500 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since May while seeking humanitarian aid, the United Nations has announced.

28 children killed daily in Gaza: UNICEF

An average of 28 children are being killed each day in Gaza amid Israel's restrictions on the delivery of direly needed humanitarian assistance and a collapse of vital services, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced.