Thursday, April 9, 2026
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No talks with US as long as Washington maintains current attitude: Iran

Speaking at his weekly press briefing on Sunday, Baqaei said Washington’s notion of negotiations is driven less by conventional diplomatic give-and-take and more by an attitude of dictation — a stance that makes any talks impossible.

Referring to the continued crimes of the Israeli regime, he said recent reports about the use of banned weapons, including cluster bombs, by Israel in Southern Lebanon demonstrate that the regime recognizes no limits in violating international law.

He added that if Israel’s crimes and its aggressive policies in the region are not contained, their consequences will inevitably spill over into other parts of the world.

Regarding Iran’s relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Baqaei said: “After three rounds of talks, we reached an understanding with the Agency, and the framework for cooperation following the Israeli–US attack had been clearly defined.

Baqaei said unfortunately, the three European countries – Britain, France, and Germany- under US pressure, deprived the Agency of this opportunity. Their actions at the UN Security Council and the United Nations — along with their recent move at the IAEA — disrupted this process.

 

Iran transfers 211 Afghan prisoners to Kabul as repatriation efforts accelerate

Iran Prison

According to a statement published by Afghanistan’s Embassy in Tehran and reported by Tolo News, the prisoners were handed over to an Afghan delegation after completing all required administrative and judicial procedures.

The embassy expressed appreciation for Iran’s “positive cooperation” in facilitating the transfer and called for the timely implementation of bilateral agreements to improve the management of Afghan prisoners’ cases inside Afghanistan.

Diplomats said the handover is part of a broader initiative to return Afghan citizens serving sentences in Iran, a process that has accelerated in recent months.

They noted that ongoing negotiations between Kabul and Tehran aim to secure the transfer of additional inmates in the near future.

The repatriation of Afghan prisoners has been included in formal agreements for years, but the issue has gained renewed urgency following Afghanistan’s recent political developments and the growing number of Afghans held in Iranian facilities.

Officials in Kabul say they hope the continued transfers will enable more effective legal follow-up and reintegration efforts once the prisoners return home.

Air quality in Tehran, other Iranian cities unhealthy as pollution spreads

According to the Air Quality Control Company, none of Tehran’s monitoring stations recorded air in the acceptable range, and 20 stations registered red-category readings, indicating unhealthy conditions for all residents.

Stations across districts in Tehran showed elevated PM2.5 concentrations and red-level pollution.

Environmental officials say that similar air quality deterioration has been recorded in other major cities, including Isfahan, Karaj, Qom, and Mashhad, due to stagnant weather patterns and increased particulate emissions.

AQI levels between 151 and 200 are considered unhealthy for all groups, while readings above 200 are categorized as very unhealthy or hazardous.

Iranian officials say forest fire in north brought largely under control

Hossein Sajedi-Nia, head of the national disaster agency, said coordinated efforts launched since Saturday, including deployment of crisis-response teams from the capital Tehran to Mazandaran, had brought the blaze “under control.”

He said firefighting operations were planned from both the eastern and western fronts, with participation from local fire brigades, the Red Crescent, natural resources and environmental agencies, and community volunteers.

Authorities also created firebreaks and conducted multiple water-dropping flights using heavy aircraft, which Sajedi-Nia said helped significantly reduce flames and smoke, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

Mazandaran Governor Mehdi Yousefi-Rostami said more than 500 trained responders, along with specialized teams from Tehran and Alborz, were operating at the scene.
He added that aerial support included eight helicopters and two Il-76 water-bombing aircraft, each carrying 40-ton loads.

The forest area near the village of Elite has experienced repeated fires in recent weeks. Approximately eight hectares have burned, with authorities reporting that roughly seven hectares are now extinguished and less than one hectare remains active.

Officials warned that dry vegetation, difficult terrain and weather conditions continue to complicate full containment efforts.

‘He can fight his little heart out’: Trump on Zelensky refusal of peace plan

Washington presented Kiev this week with a new draft proposal for ending the conflict, pressing the Ukrainian leadership to accept it by next Thursday. According to media reports, the proposed 28-point plan includes multiple clauses repeatedly refused by Kiev and its Western European backers, such as Ukraine giving up on its NATO aspirations and downsizing its military.

Trump made the remark while speaking to reporters outside the White House on Saturday. The US president was asked what would happen if Zelensky refused to accept the proposed plan.

“Then he can continue. Then he can continue to fight his little heart out,” Trump said.

Trump’s latest statement echoed remarks he made on Friday, when he stated that Zelensky “is going to have to accept something” at some point. Trump warned that Ukraine is now heading into a “cold winter” while its energy infrastructure sites “have been under attack, to put it mildly.”

“He will have to like [the plan] and if he does not like it then, you know, they should just keep fighting, I guess,” he added.

According to media reports, Washington has already threatened Kiev with cutting off military aid and intelligence sharing should it reject the draft peace proposal. Earlier this year, the US used the same leverage to press Ukraine into accepting Trump’s rare earths deal.

 

Iran wins Seven-a-Side Football Asian Championship for the third time

Iran faced the host nation in the final and secured a decisive victory to lift its third continental trophy in the history of the competition.

The victory further solidifies Iran’s status as a dominant force in Asian seven-a-side football.

The sport, part of the Paralympic program, features athletes with cerebral palsy who are classified into different groups based on functional ability.

Iran had an unbeaten run throughout the tournament, winning all group-stage matches and defeating Australia 4–0 in the semifinals.

The event hosted teams from Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, and Australia.
Iran previously won the Seven-a-Side Football World Cup for the first time in 2024, beating Australia, England, and Ukraine.

The country is currently ranked second in the world.

Seven-a-side football consists of two 30-minute halves with a 15-minute halftime break.

Trump says Zelensky ‘will have to like’ American peace plan

Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine was facing “one of the most difficult moments in our history,” being forced to choose between “28 difficult points” in the American proposal or risk losing its key backer, the US. According to Financial Times, Washington has issued an ultimatum to Kiev to accept the plan by Thursday.

Asked by journalists about the Ukrainian leader’s stance later in the day, Trump asked: “You mean, he does not like it?”

“He will have to like it and if he does not like it then, you know, they should just keep fighting, I guess,” he added.

Reuters reported earlier that Washington has threatened to cut Ukraine off from intelligence and military aid if it rejects its proposal.

“Well, at some point he [Zelensky] is going to have to accept something,” the US president insisted.

Trump explained that Ukraine faces “a cold winter… but a lot of the big energy producing plants have been under attack, to put it mildly.”

“You remember, right, in the Oval Office not so long ago, I said: ‘You don’t have the cards’,” he recalled.

The US president was referring to his meeting with Zelensky in February, also attended by Vice President J.D. Vance, which escalated in front of the cameras. It resulted in the Ukrainian leader’s visit being cut short, with Trump and Vance accusing him of ingratitude for American aid and not wanting peace.

The US push to persuade Ukraine to agree to its road-map comes amid a corruption scandal in Kiev that according to analysts has significantly weakened Zelensky’s political position.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Moscow received the American plan, but added that it has not yet been discussed “in detail.” According to Putin, the proposal could “form the basis of a final peace settlement.”

Iran’s Intelligence Minister: Israel facing “epidemic” of Iranian infiltration

Esmaeil Khatib

Speaking about the recent twelve-day conflict involving Israel and the United States, Khatib described Iran as emerging victorious, with its missile capabilities successfully targeting critical Israeli sites, contrary to Tel Aviv’s predictions.

Khatib referred to the arrest of an Israeli air force officer accused of spying for Iran and the transfer of sensitive nuclear and classified documents as evidence of Iran’s intelligence effectiveness.

He argued that these developments reflect the country’s growing power and resilience, reinforced during the twelve-day war.

The intelligence minister underlined the unity of the Iranian people during the conflict, saying that foreign attempts to incite unrest or undermine public support backfired. He praised the solidarity of Iran’s diverse population, including different ethnic and religious groups, in supporting national defense.

Khatib said that the US and Israel are involved in backing extremist groups,  cyberattacks, weapons smuggling, and other destabilizing measures to disrupt Iranian security, particularly in border regions.

He added that these efforts were thwarted thanks to the coordinated work of Iran’s military, intelligence, security, and judicial institutions.

He stated that strategic victories and Iran’s ability to compel enemies to revise their policies demonstrate Tehran’s growing influence, resilience, and global standing as a secure and united nation.

Rapid spread of H3N2 influenza across Iran

COVID in Iran

The official then issued an advisory which advises high-risk groups, including the elderly, people with underlying health conditions, and infected children to avoid crowded gatherings.

It however said mortality and ICU admission rates related to this influenza strain remain very low. The advisory also urged citizens, particularly in Tehran, to take mask-wearing seriously in public spaces.

The official noted that authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further spread.

Iranian lawmakers submit impeachment motion against minister of roads and urban development

Iran's parliament

Zeynab Gheisari, MP, said more than 70 members of parliament have signed various impeachment motions targeting the minister. She noted that despite lawmakers’ repeated efforts to avoid invoking the impeachment mechanism, the chamber was ultimately left with “no alternative.”

According to Gheisari, parliament had sought for months to address performance-related issues through other supervisory instruments, including more than 400 formal warnings and 340 written questions to the minister.

“These steps were intended to guide the ministry back to its proper legal and operational path,” she said, adding that the attempts did not yield results.

The impeachment request has now been delivered to the parliament’s presiding board, which will determine the next procedural steps, including scheduling a session for the minister to appear before lawmakers.