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Hamas hands over remains of one more Israeli hostage

By
IFP Media Wire
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Israel Hostages

The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, announced in a statement on Friday that its fighters handed over the remains at 11pm local time (20:00 GMT), without elaborating on where the body was retrieved.

According to the group, the remains were pulled out earlier in the day and were those of an “occupation prisoner”, suggesting they belonged to an Israeli rather than one of the captives of several other nationalities also taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed a short while later that Israel had received the coffin of a captive after it was handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza.

The coffin will be transferred to Israel’s Ministry of Health’s National Center for Forensic Medicine, where a formal identification process will be conducted before the family is informed.

The Israeli military requested that “the public act with sensitivity and wait for the official identification”. It also added that “Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages”.

Hamas has said it’s committed to the terms of the United States-mediated ceasefire deal, including the handover of captive bodies still unaccounted for under Gaza’s ruins. It has repeatedly stressed it has returned all the bodies it was able to recover, but needs help locating remaining captives trapped under the rubble following Israeli strikes.

In a statement earlier on Friday, Hamas announced that some captives’ remains were in tunnels or buildings that were later destroyed by Israel, and that heavy machinery was required to dig through rubble to retrieve them. It blamed Israel for the delay, stressing it had not allowed any new bulldozers into the Gaza Strip.

Most heavy equipment in Gaza was destroyed during the war, leaving only a limited number as Palestinians try to clear massive amounts of rubble across the bombarded territory.

US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas that he would greenlight Israel to resume the war on Gaza if the group does not live up to its end of the deal and return all captives’ bodies, totalling 28. So far in the past days, Hamas handed over the remains of nine captives, along with a 10th body that Israel claims was not that of a captive.

The return of the 10th dead captive on Friday comes as Gaza’s civil defence said more than 10,000 slain Palestinians remain trapped under debris and rubble across the enclave. Only 280 have so far been retrieved.

Hamas has urged mediators to ensure the increased flow of essential aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction. Despite the ceasefire deal agreed last week, Israel has yet to allow the entry of aid in scale and is still operating in about half of the Gaza Strip, as attacks continue in some areas.

 

Iran says answers only to rule of law, not coercion

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iran Nuclear Program

The top diplomat made the remarks in a post on X, former Twitter, on Friday.

He noted that Saturday would mark the expiration date of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorsed a 2015 nuclear deal between the country and others, therefore imposing the restrictions.

Upon expiration, the official said, Iran would legally be removed from the Security Council’s agenda.

The development will allow the Islamic Republic to increase its peaceful nuclear energy activities within the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“As an NPT signatory, Iran will remain bound solely to its rights and obligations under the Treaty,” Araghchi likewise said.

“This includes no limits whatsoever on the scale of its nuclear program.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s inspections of the country’s nuclear program too would be confined to the agency’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and not beyond that, he added.

Additionally, Iran’s cooperation with the agency would be subject to a legislation passed unanimously by Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) that has required suspension of all cooperation with the body following an unlawful and unprovoked Israeli-US war on the Iranian soil, the foreign minister said.

The legislation has conditioned resumption of cooperation with the IAEA on ensuring the safety and security of the country’s nuclear facilities and scientists. It has also demanded respect for Iran’s right to peaceful enrichment activities inside the country’s soil.

The agency has so far stopped short of meeting the dual requirements.

Araghchi noted how countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which met in Uganda on Thursday, voiced support for the Islamic Republic in its opposing the unlawful re-imposition of the Security Council’s sanctions against Iran late last month.

The sanctions were restored after the European trio of the UK, France, and Germany illegally triggered Resolution 2231’s so-called “snapback” mechanism.

In doing so, the trio accused Iran of “diversion” of its nuclear activities, while sidestepping their own sheer non-commitment to the resolution that had mandated them not to stop their trade with Iran.

Araghchi hailed the NAM summit for “recognizing reality.”

He denounced the European states’ actions as “unlawful measures pursued by a handful of isolated governments, reiterating that those measures “have been rejected by a vast majority of nations.”

“Those who insist on distorting reality will only further isolate themselves with their current path,” the foreign minister stated, concluding, “The rule of law — not coercion — must prevail.”

 

Afsaneh Hessamifard becomes 1st Iranian woman to summit all 8,000-meter peaks

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Afsaneh Hesami Fard

In a video message shared on her Instagram page, Hessamifard dedicated her achievement to the people of Iran, saying, “Through cold, hardship, and death, one can reach their dreams, for a prosperous Iran and a free tomorrow”.

Hessamifard had previously become the first Iranian woman to summit K2, the world’s second-highest and most technically challenging peak, in July 2022.

Earlier that same year, in May 2022, she and fellow climber Elham Ramezani successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. Born in 1976 in Bojnourd, Hessamifard holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and serves as both a sports team physician and the head of the Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Board of North Khorasan Province.

Iran FM: Any claim to restore or reactivate terminated UNSC resolutions null and void

By
IFP Media Wire
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Abbas Araghchi

In his letter, Araqchi stated that despite Iran’s full and verified compliance, the United States, in blatant violation of its JCPOA commitments, first refused to implement its obligations and subsequently, on May 8, 2018, unilaterally withdrew from the agreement, reinstating and even expanding its unlawful, unilateral, and extraterritorial sanctions.

Araqchi added that the European parties to the JCPOA—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—despite their initial pledges to preserve the deal and offset the effects of the US withdrawal, not only failed to meet their own obligations but also imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities, thus committing further material breaches of the JCPOA.

He said that after one year of Iran’s full compliance with the JCPOA despite the US withdrawal, the Islamic Republic of Iran, within its legitimate rights under the terms of the JCPOA, began implementing phased, proportionate, and reversible remedial measures as of May 8, 2019.

The letter further stated that Iran’s clear record of constructive engagement—including multiple rounds of consultations with European parties and even talks with the US side—demonstrates its continued commitment to diplomacy.

However, according to Araghqchi, these good-faith efforts were met with acts of sabotage and aggression against Iran’s peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities.

He said in recent months, instead of fulfilling their obligations, the three European countries have launched a new campaign of political manipulation and legal distortion, attempting to turn the so-called “snapback” mechanism into a tool against Iran.

Araqchi stressed that, in light of the foregoing, the course pursued by the three European states constitutes a clear case of abuse of legal procedures and runs counter to both the letter and spirit of Resolution 2231 (2015) and the JCPOA.

He further emphasized that Resolution 2231 (2015) remained in force until October 18, 2025, and as of that date, pursuant to its operative paragraph 8, all its provisions, as well as those of the previously terminated sanctions resolutions, have expired and no longer carry any continuing legal effect.

According to the Iranian foreign minister, none of the previously terminated measures can be revived or implemented after that date, and any attempt to do so is illegal, null, and devoid of any validity.

3 Iranian villages join UNWTO’s list of best tourism villages in the world

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Eight Iranian villages from Ardabil, Qeshm, Lorestan, West Azerbaijan, Yazd, Mazandaran, Alborz, and Kurdistan were nominated by Iran for consideration by the UNWTO.

After evaluation, the three were selected as part of the prestigious global network.
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri hailed the recognition as “a reflection of Iranian wisdom in sustainable development and heritage protection”.

Soheili, known as the “Star of the Persian Gulf”,souhern Iran, has pioneered eco-friendly wetland tourism by replacing noisy motorboats with floating gazebos and hosting culinary and cultural festivals that celebrate southern Iran’s heritage. Kandolus, in the Hyrcanian forests along the Alborz Mountains, north of Iran, represents a model of cultural and community-based tourism rooted in 4,000 years of local history and craftsmanship.

Shafiabad, in the Lut Desert, is a symbol of women’s empowerment in desert tourism. According to the UNWTO’s official website, inclusion in the Best Tourism Villages list draws global media attention and provides a unique opportunity for countries to showcase their cultural and natural assets on an international stage.

Funeral of Iranian dubbing artist Saeed Mozaffari held in Tehran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

A group of artists and colleagues participated in the ceremony.

Born in 1942, Mozaffari began his dubbing career around 1962 and became one of the prominent figures in Iranian voice acting.

After a period of illness, he passed away on October 13, 2025, at the age of 83.
More in these pictures…

Iranian film “In the Embrace of the Tree” wins top award at Canadian Muslim Film Festival

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Directed by Babak Khajeh-Pasha and produced by Mohammadreza Mesbah and Sajjad Nasrollahinassab, the film continues its international success, earning critical acclaim for its emotional storytelling and artistic direction.

Established in 2019, the Muslim International Film Festival celebrates authentic and bold voices in global cinema, providing a platform for Muslim filmmakers and audiences worldwide to engage with diverse cultural narratives.

“In the Embrace of the Tree” has already been recognized at several domestic and international festivals, praised for its delicate yet powerful portrayal of family and social issues through a deeply human perspective.

The film’s success at MIFF further underscores the growing influence of Iranian cinema on the global stage, showcasing its ability to blend artistic vision with universal themes that resonate with audiences and critics alike.

Zarif rejects Lavrov’s claims on ‘snapback’ mechanism

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Speaking at Tabriz University on Thursday, Zarif said snapback, as part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement, was neither a late-stage bargaining chip nor limited to his private talks with then US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Lavrov on Wednesday blamed Zarif for the inclusion of the snapback mechanism in the nuclear deal, describing it as a “legal trap” set ahead of the 2015 accord.

Zarif accused Lavrov and French officials of proposing a damaging Security Council approach toward Iran that Tehran resisted.

He recalled that in 2020, when the US sought to reimpose sanctions via snapback while Iran had scaled back JCPOA commitments, 13 Security Council members signaled Washington could not act unilaterally: 11 abstained and Russia and China voted against further measures.

The former foreign minister noted that Russia had previously supported UN resolutions under an earlier Iranian administration.

Defending Iran’s nuclear record, Zarif said Tehran had preserved its ability to resume certain activities and published documents to the UN as evidence.

He reiterated support for strategic ties with Russia and China but warned their policies do not always serve Iranian interests, and urged diplomacy over confrontation in regional affairs.

Iran: US, France directly responsible for violation of Lebanon sovereignty

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Esmail Baqaei, strongly condemned Thursday airstrikes by the Zionist regime on targets in southern Lebanon, describing them as a blatant violation of Lebanon’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

Baqaei highlighted the continued ceasefire violations by the Zionist regime over the past several months, now totaling around 5,000 incidents, which have harmed Lebanese civilians, destroyed infrastructure, and disrupted the country’s reconstruction and economic development efforts.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson attributed the situation to the ongoing inaction and complacency of the ceasefire guarantors, France and the US, and held them directly responsible.

Iran shines at AFC annual awards 2025 in Riyadh

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Marziyeh Jafari was named AFC Women’s Coach of the Year, marking a major milestone for Iranian women’s football.

Jafari’s achievement was recognized during the ceremony hosted in Riyadh, where the continent’s best players, coaches, and officials were honored.

In futsal, Salar Aghapour claimed the AFC Futsal Player of the Year award after an impressive season. Moslem Oladghobad and Mohammad Osamen Mousa were also among the nominees, underscoring Iran’s dominance in Asian futsal.

Meanwhile, renowned Iranian referee Alireza Faghani and his two assistants received the AFC Special Refereeing Award.

Faghani, one of Asia’s most respected officials, officiated key matches in the past year, including the opening and final games of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation won the prestigious AFC Platinum Award for Best Member Association, with Iran and Japan also nominated.

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