Thursday, January 1, 2026

Iran News

Iran Front Page offers a handpicked set of the latest news and views from Iran and the Middle East

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.

Iran FM warns Israel not to take one-way path to ‘hell’ in Lebanon

Iran's acting foreign minister has warned that Lebanon will turn into a ‘hell without return’ for the Israeli regime in case it wages a war against the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.

Minister: Iran preparing for presidential runoff elections

Iran’s interior minister says preparations are in place for a “great election” on Friday to elect a successor to the late president Ebrahim Raisi, calling on the nation to show strong participation.

Iran censures US support for Israel’s crimes in Gaza, sanction regime as rights violation

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has slammed the US support for the Israeli regime's crimes in the Gaza Strip, the imposition of unilateral sanctions on independent states, and its backing the suppressive regimes worldwide as clear examples of Washington's long history of human rights violations.

Confidence in Ukraine’s Zelensky drops in Europe, ‘warms’ for Russia’s Putin in some places: Poll

Global confidence in Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to do the right thing has declined across a broad grouping of countries, including in Europe, according to a Pew survey.

Iran imposes sanctions on American individuals over rights violation in US pro-Palestine protest

Iran has put sanctions on several American individuals for involvement in the violation of human rights regarding the pro-Palestine student protest movement in the United States.

Hundreds arrested during anti-Syria riots in Turkey

Turkey’s government has urged for calm after violence against Syrian refugees broke out in the central Melikgazi region and spread to other areas.

12 US officials resign in protest at Biden’s Gaza policy

Twelve American government officials have resigned in protest at President Joe Biden’s Gaza policy, accusing Washington of complicity in the killing and starvation of Palestinians as Israel’s war on the besieged strip approaches it ninth month.

Iranian presidential candidates square off in last debate before runoff vote

The two presidential hopefuls vying for the office in Iran’s runoff vote sought to woo more voters in their second and final televised debate aired from the state television (IRIB) on Tuesday evening.

More than 9,600 Palestinians held in Israeli jails: Rights group

At least 9,623 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli prisons, including thousands without trial, official Israeli figures show.

Israel’s army says needs 10,000 soldiers ‘immediately’

The Israeli army needs 10,000 more soldiers immediately amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has stated.

Hundreds of thousands hit by Israel’s Khan Younis evacuation orders in Gaza: UN

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Tuesday reported about 250,000 Gazans were affected by the recent evacuation orders issued by Israel, and that they are heading towards the West.

Official: 138 cases of dengue fever reported in Iran

Iran's Deputy Health  Minister announced that since May of this year, 138 cases of dengue fever have been identified in Iran.

Iranian singer Alireza Ghorbani mesmerizes audience during concert at historic Persepolis

Renowned Iranian vocalist Alireza Ghorbani captivated a large audience Monday night with a mesmerizing concert held at the historic site of Persepolis in southern Iran.

Iranian women’s taekwondo team crowned champions in World Cup

The Iranian women’s taekwondo team outshone its rivals on Tuesday and won the title for the 2024 World Cup championship in South Korea for the first time in the country’s history.

Saudi Arabia announces discovery of major oil, gas deposits

Saudi Arabia's energy minister has announced the discovery of seven oil and gas deposits in the kingdom's Eastern Province and Empty Quarter, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.