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Iran’s foreign minister warns Europe against snapback mechanism

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Abbas Araghchi

In an interview with the IRIB state television on Wednesday, Araghchi said invoking the mechanism, meant to reimpose UN sanctions, would place Iran under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and restore previous resolutions.

“These are undoubtedly losses,” he stated, while urging European countries to avoid triggering the mechanism, warning it would cost them their role in future negotiations.

On Lebanon, Araghchi rejected international calls to disarm Hezbollah, saying such pressure is not new and stems from fears over the group’s operational capabilities.
He reaffirmed Iran’s support for Hezbollah’s decisions, stressing Tehran does not interfere in the group’s internal affairs.

Araghchi also highlighted improving ties with Egypt, calling the past year a period of “extraordinary progress.”

He pointed out multiple meetings with Egypt’s president and foreign minister, and said full diplomatic normalization is likely in the coming months, had regional conflicts not delayed the process.

The minister emphasized Iran’s deepening ties with neighbors and praised regional support following recent Israeli aggression against Iran.

Iranian president pays tribute to children killed in Israeli attacks

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The ceremony was held at the Ameneh Welfare and Nursery Complex in Tehran and commemorated the child victims of the Israeli regime’s aggression in June that left over 1,000 killed and more than 5,000 injured.

During the event, President Pezeshkian visited children residing at the welfare center and expressed solidarity with young victims of conflict.

“All these children are like my own grandchildren,” he said. “We are committed to creating better conditions for them.”

According to Iranian officials, 47 children and teenagers were among those killed in the wave of violence. The youngest victims were two infants, aged just two and nine months.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly condemned Israel’s military assault in the region, particularly their impact on civilians, and have called for international accountability and humanitarian support for affected populations.

Iran confiscates large US-made arms smuggled by groups linked to Mossad

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran Police

According to officials, over 210 military-grade firearms were confiscated in three separate operations conducted over the past two weeks.

This brings the total number of weapons seized since late February to more than 1,000 in six coordinated operations.

Authorities stated that a significant portion of the arms were manufactured in the US and had been smuggled into Iran via neighboring countries by agents affiliated with Israeli spy agency, Mossad, and terrorist groups aiming to destabilize the region and carry out acts of sabotage.

The Iranian intelligence operatives successfully thwarted the infiltration at border entry points, preventing a serious threat to national security.

Officials stressed that the networks involved have been dismantled and their plans disrupted.

Saudi Arabia’s Aramco shed $800bn in market value since 2022 peak

By
IFP Media Wire
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The state-owned oil company announced its 10th straight drop in quarterly profits as a slump in prices hit revenues.

It reported a 22 percent drop in second-quarter profit and said it was cutting costs and looking to divest assets.

“The decrease in revenue was mainly due to lower crude oil prices and lower refined and chemical products prices,” Aramco announced in its quarterly report.

In 2022, Aramco was the world’s largest listed company and, despite being worth $1.5 trillion, it now ranks seventh.

Bloomberg said the Aramco slump would negatively impact much of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s planned reform and construction plans, collectively known as Vision 2030.

“The core aim of Vision 2030 is to cut oil dependence,” stated Ziad Daoud, Bloomberg Economics’ chief emerging markets economist.

“[Yet] the kingdom has become more reliant on oil.”

He added that Saudi Arabia needs a higher crude price than in 2016 to balance both its budget and current account.

Oil accounts for roughly 61 percent of Saudi Arabia’s revenue, according to its 2025 budget, as well as two-thirds of exports.

The kingdom has already had to scale back Neom, originally billed as a $1.5 trillion megacity project, which organisers claimed would eventually be 33 times the size of New York City and include a 170km straight-line city known as “The Line”.

Instead of 1.5 million people living in the city by 2030, Saudi officials now anticipate fewer than 300,000 residents. Meanwhile, only 2.4km of the city will be completed by 2030.

The Line is one part of Saudi Arabia’s broader Neom project situated on its northwestern Red Sea coast that includes hotels, industrial parks and a ski resort.

Last month, Reuters reported that Aramco was close to a deal to raise $10bn from a group led by BlackRock, and was considering selling up to five gas-powered power plants to raise up to $4bn.

“What we’re looking at across the portfolio is to unlock capital that is currently locked into low – relatively low-return [assets] … invest it in our core investment, which are high return,” CFO Ziad al-Murshed told reporters.

Murshed declined to name the assets, but added: “It is your typical low-return that is tied in things like infrastructure.”

Over 7,000 air pollution-related deaths in Tehran in 2024

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Air Pollution Iran

This figure marks a slight increase compared to the previous year. The study also showed that annual average PM2.5 levels far exceeded WHO’s thresholds.

Meantime, in response to recurring winter smog, a member of Iran’s Parliament Environment Committee has proposed winter school closures as a mitigation strategy.
Abbas Shahsavani noted that school closures are intended to protect vulnerable groups, especially children, from exposure, not to reduce pollution levels.

“Children are among the most sensitive groups”, he said.

“When pollution reaches critical levels, emergency committees recommend shifting to virtual learning.”

Shahsavani underscored that the key to combating air pollution lies not in temporary measures, but in enforcing the Clean Air Act passed in 2017.

“Unfortunately, despite the law, we’ve seen no significant decline in pollutant levels, only weather conditions like wind have made short-term improvements.”

In 2024, Tehran experienced only 15 days with PM2.5 levels below WHO guidelines.

Shahsavani urged the government to prioritize reducing emissions such as phasing out old diesel vehicles and providing cleaner fuel for power plants, instead of relying on reactive measures like school closures.

Almost 80,000 Israeli soldiers rehabilitated since start of Gaza war

By
IFP Media Wire
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Israeli Army

The department announced that it allocates around 4.2 billion shekels ($1.2 billion) – more than half of its annual budget – to provide medical services for wounded soldiers.

A statement by the department cited by the daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that 33% of the 26,000 soldiers with mental health issues suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The number of injured soldiers, along with a growing wave of suicides, constitutes a “major national challenge,” it warned.

The statement came following protests by former Israeli soldiers outside the rehabilitation department’s headquarters in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv, demanding better treatment and warning of rising suicide risks among reserve soldiers.

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, 16 soldiers have taken their own lives since the start of this year.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its destructive war on Gaza, where more than 61,000 people have been killed since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Hezbollah labels Lebanon’s government decision to disarm non-state groups ‘grave sin’

By
IFP Media Wire
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Hezbollah

“The government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has committed a grave sin by adopting a decision that strips Lebanon of its weapon of resistance against the Israeli enemy,” the group said in a statement.

Salam stated Tuesday that his government has authorized the army to prepare a plan to consolidate weapons under state control by the end of this year.

Hezbollah announced that the decision “undermines Lebanon’s ability” to confront the ongoing Israeli-US assaults and allows Israel to achieve its objectives in Lebanon after it had failed to achieve its plans via military operations.

“Therefore, we will treat this decision as if it does not exist,” the group added.

Hezbollah said the government decision was the result of “dictates of the US Envoy Tom Barrack,” who has previously presented a roadmap for the Lebanese government to disarm the group.

Hezbollah added it is open to dialogue to “discuss a national security strategy,” end Israeli assaults, release prisoners, and reconstruct the war-ravaged areas, “but not under aggression.”

“The agreement must first be implemented by the Israeli side,” Hezbollah stressed.

“The government’s priority must be the liberation of all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation, as stated in its ministerial declaration.”

Israel launched military operations in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September 2024, killing more than 4,000 people and injuring around 17,000.

A ceasefire was reached in November, but Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target activities of the Hezbollah group.

Under the truce, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.

Political Party chief: Larijani’s moderate approach a positive shift for policy-making

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ali Larijani

Vaezi said the move will have a positive impact due to Larijani’s moderate stance.

“Dr. Larijani’s nonpartisan outlook, developmental leadership style, and moderate approach will contribute to a constructive transformation in the Council’s future policy-making”, Vaezi noted.

He further said this change signals a reinforcement of the values of moderation and rationality in the political arena.

“If this move is aimed at shifting direction and sending a message to the people, I see it as a constructive step”, he added.

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

Larijani served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2005 to 2007 as well.

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

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza

A ministry statement said that 96 children were among the victims.

Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and, since March 2, has shut down all crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening conditions for the territory’s 2.4 million population.

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, Israel had allowed in just 843 aid trucks since July 27 – far short of the 6,000 trucks required to meet the daily needs of residents over 10 days.

Israel has been facing mounting outrage over its destructive war on Gaza, where more than 61,000 people have been killed since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran Prison

Lindsay and Craig Forman, both 52, were traveling around the world by motorcycle when they were detained by Iranian authorities in the southeastern city of Kerman. A month later, officials announced they were suspected of spying.

On Tuesday, the couple made brief phone calls from separate prisons in Tehran. Their families confirmed Lindsay is being held at Qarchak women’s prison, while Craig is in Tehran’s Fashafouyeh prison.

“We waited 213 days,” said Joe Bennett, Lindsay’s son. “We hoped, we held our breath, and today, we finally heard their voices. For a moment, the heavy weight of the past seven months lifted.”

The eight-minute call was described as emotional, filled with “laughter and tears.” Despite the relief, Bennett criticized the UK government for not clearly outlining a plan to secure their release, calling the ongoing silence “deeply concerning.”

Kieran Forman, Craig’s son, also described the call as “a huge relief” and said it gave him renewed hope amid ongoing uncertainty.

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