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

Iran’s nuclear chief says plans underway to construct Bushehr plant’s second, third units

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says domestic experts are pushing a project to complete the Bushehr power plant’s second and third units within five and seven years respectively.

Biden admin. fears Netanyahu’s visit: Report

The White House is reportedly getting increasingly concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could use his upcoming speech at the US Congress to publicly criticize US President Joe Biden and his administration’s response to Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip.

Iranian parliament condemns Canada’s ‘hostile’ labeling of IRGC

Iranian parliamentarians signed a statement on Sunday denouncing Canada for listing Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a ‘terrorist’ organization.

Iran ex-president Rouhani lambasts incumbent administration for ‘weak performance’

Former president of Iran Hassan Rouhani has castigated the current administration of late president Ebrahim Raisi for its ‘poor economic performance’.

Hezbollah releases footage of vital Israeli targets

Hezbollah has released a video showing an array of sensitive sites across the Israeli-occupied territories as Tel Aviv provokes war with the Lebanese group.

Iran says to launch two satellites next month

Iranian Space Agency (ISA) chief has announced that the country will carry out two significant satellite launches in the coming weeks.

Egypt revokes licenses for several tourist agencies following Hajj deaths

Egypt has revoked the licenses of 16 tourist agencies due to "fraud" following the deaths of over 1,000 people at the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Prosecution may follow.

Tens of Thousands rally against Netanyahu amid Gaza war

Tens of thousands of protesters, chanting slogans against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday, demanding new elections and the return of captives held in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian death toll surges past 37,500

At least 37,551 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing military onslaught on the Gaza Strip since last October, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave announced on Saturday.

Firefighters struggling to put out huge fire in Iran’s Lorestan Province

The director general of the Crisis Management Department in the western Iranian province of Lorestan says firefighters are facing an uphill task containing a massive fire that broke out in Poldakhter.

Iran’s Leader calls on presidential candidates to avoid comments pleasing enemies

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has urged the candidates in the race for the upcoming Iran's presidential election to avoid making remarks that may gratify the enemies of the Islamic Republic.

Poll: 45.5% of eligible voters will vote in Iran’s Friday presidential election

Mellat Opinion Poll Institute affiliated with the Iranian Parliament Research Center says a third survey conducted by the institute found that 45.5 percent of Iranian citizens will vote in the upcoming presidential elections.

US offers assurances to Israel in the event of full-blown war with Lebanon

Senior American officials have reassured a delegation of top Israeli officials visiting Washington this week that if a full-out war were to break out on the northern border between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States is fully prepared to back its ally, according to a senior administration official.

Envoy says Iran hosting over 6mn Afghan refugees

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has highlighted Tehran’s endeavors to deal with extremism and underdevelopment in Afghanistan. Iravani said Iran is hosting more than six million Afghans at an annual cost of 10 billion dollars, despite Western sanctions.

Lawyer: Iranian rapper Salehi’s death sentence overturned

Iran’s Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of the renowned Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, initially handed for taking part in the deadly unrest and riots in 2022, his lawyer announced on Saturday.

Iranian police summon individuals for manipulating presidential election polls

The Iranian cyber security police have identified and summoned four people for publishing fake online opinion polls on the snap presidential elections scheduled to be held on Friday.

World cannot afford Lebanon becoming another Gaza: UN

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed increasing concern over the escalating war of words and deadly border clashes between Israel’s military and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.

Senior US official resigns amid Gaza war

A senior official at the US State Department, who served as deputy assistant for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, has announced his resignation from his post, citing family obligations, according to a report by the Washington Post.

UK arms exporters warned of criminal liability over weapons sales to Israel

Campaigners have written to the directors of 20 British arms companies, warning them of potential criminal liability for failing to prevent war crimes if they continue weapons sales to Israel.

Iran former FM Zarif comes down hard on principlists in election campaign, rivals on defensive

Iran’s former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, a heavyweight supporter of reformist presidential candidate Massoud Pezeshkian, has made a fiery speech in the central Iranian city of Kashan against the rival principlist camp.

Iran’s UN mission says Israel will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Lebanon

Iran has stressed that Hezbollah is capable of defending itself and Lebanon, warning Israel that it would be the “ultimate loser” in an all-out war with the armed group.

Putin says Russia could arm North Korea

Moscow reserves the right to provide weapons to allies, as the West claims it can arm Ukraine with impunity, and could send long-range weapons to North Korea and other countries, President Vladimir Putin has stated.

More than 70% of public facilities in Gaza’s Rafah destroyed by Israel: Mayor

Israeli attacks have destroyed over 70% of public facilities in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, the city’s mayor has stated.

Armenia says recognised Palestinian statehood

Yerevan has officially recognised a Palestinian state, the Armenian foreign ministry has announced, the latest country to do so despite opposition from Israel.

Iran’s Kanaani: Canada’s move regarding IRGC best service to Zionist regime

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has reacted to Canada’s move to blacklist Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, saying it was the best service to the Zionist regime.