Friday, January 2, 2026

Iran News

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

Hamas blames US for deaths of Palestinians in Rafah

The Palestinian movement Hamas has blamed the US and its president Joe Biden personally for the Israeli army's attacks on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in massive casualties among Palestinins.

Iran team wins 2024 CAFA women’s futsal championship

The Iranian women’s team was crowned at the 2024 CAFA Women’s Futsal Championship for a third consecutive time at the international sports tournament.

President Raisi says tourism industry can rid Iran of dependence on petrodollars

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has stressed the necessity to enhance the tourism industry to diversify the sources of national income and diminish the country’s reliance on oil.

Iran reformists: Boycotting elections would debilitate society

Over a hundred reformist activists, intellectuals and media personalities in Iran have released a statement, warning that banning the upcoming parliamentary elections will make the society weaker.

Iran president wishes for further development of bilateral relations in New Year message to China

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has wished for further expansion of ties between Tehran and Beijing in a message issued on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.

UNRWA rejects Israeli implications of Hamas tunnel below Gaza HQ

The chief of the UN’s aid agency in Gaza has stated that it had no knowledge of what was beneath its abandoned headquarters amid Israeli claims that a Hamas tunnel ran below the Gaza City site.

NATO chief condemns Trump remarks over alliance security

Former US President Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about NATO members’ failure to pay their share of the bloc’s defense costs put the whole alliance at risk, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned in a statement.

Israel attacks Rafah, claims two Hamas-held captives freed

Israel has carried out airstrikes in southern Gaza’s Rafah, killing dozens, according to health officials, as Palestinians brace for a major military onslaught on the densely-crowded city.

Elon Musk denies providing Starlink internet to Russia

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has dismissed supplying his Starlink satellite internet network to Russian soldiers. The service has been widely used by the Ukrainian army during its fight with Moscow.

Iran’s Amirabdollahian affirms solidarity with Damascus, says Iranian military advisors to stay in Syria

Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, declared unwavering support for Syria, stating that no action of the Zionist regime in the region has gone unanswered.

Ukraine’s security chief says west’s ‘image, authority and unity’ at stake

The situation on the conflict frontline has become even more “difficult” for Kiev, the secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, Aleksey Danilov, has admitted. In order to alleviate it, Kiev urgently needs even more weapons from its backers, the official added, warning further setbacks suffered by Ukraine would ultimately damage the west’s own “image, authority and unity".

Talks resume on US-led coalition withdrawal: Iraq

Iraq has announced that it has resumed negotiations with the United States on the future of the coalition, expressing hope that they would not be disrupted and lead to an outcome soon.

Palestinians have plans for post-war era in Gaza and West Bank: Iran FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Sunday as part of the second leg of a regional tour after visiting Lebanon, saying Palestinians have developed initiatives for post-war stage in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would destroy hostage talks: Hamas

An Israeli ground assault in the city of Rafah would mean the end of hostage negotiations, Hamas-run television channel Al-Aqsa reported Sunday, quoting a leadership source in the Palestinian group.

Pakistan releases official results of election

Pakistan’s official election results were announced by the election commission on Sunday, with independent candidates affiliated with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party securing the most seats in the parliament.

IMF cautions widening of Gaza war would aggravate economic harm

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that any widening of the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip would aggravate the economic harm caused by the conflict.

Israeli forces steal over $54 million from Gaza bank: Report

Israeli troops have seized 200 million shekels ($54.29 million) from the Bank of Palestine headquarters in the Gaza City, according to a report by an Israeli newspaper on Sunday.

Iran president urges Israel’s expulsion from UN

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has called for the  expulsion of Israel from the United Nations, citing its crimes against Palestinians, including the ongoing war on Gaza that has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians since early October last year.

Millions mark 45th anniv. of Islamic Revolution victory in Iran

Millions of people across Iran participated in rallies on Friday to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the former pro-US regime.

Israeli protesters demand resignation of Netanyahu government, return of captives from Gaza

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv and Haifa to demand the dismissal of the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the holding of early elections and a hostage swap agreement with Gaza-based Hamas.

99-year-old Iranian diver crowned at World Aquatics games

Taghi Asgari, an Iranian professional diver of the 1950s and 60s, has made headlines after returning to the world games for a ceremonial dive, and was crowned a special ambassador of the global swimming body World Aquatics after he performed a 1-meter dive in Qatar's Doha on Saturday.

Iranians hold nationwide rallies to mark 45th anniv. of Islamic Revolution victory 

Millions of people are holding nationwide rallies across Iran on Friday to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 that toppled the former pro-US regime of the Shah.

Israeli PM asks army to remobilize reserve soldiers in preparation for ground offensive in Rafah, 28k Palestinians killed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the army to remobilize reserve soldiers in preparation for a ground assault in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. More than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's onslaught against Gaza so far.

Yemen’s Houthis confirm 17 fighters killed in US-led strikes

Seventeen Houthi fighters have been killed in the United States and United Kingdom attacks, the Yemeni group has announced through its official media, following public funerals in the capital Sanaa.

NATO chief says Russia prepares its economy for a long war

Moscow prepares its economy for a long war, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said, calling on Europe to increase its arms production to support Ukraine and prevent “potentially decades of confrontation” with Russia.