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Wife: Iranian political detainee Tajzadeh makes phone call with incarcerated opposition leaders Mousavi, Rahnavard

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The news was confirmed by Tajzadeh’s wife, Fakhr al-Sadat Mohtashamipour, in a social media post on Tuesday.

Mohtashamipour stated that her husband called her from Evin Prison, expressing joy over the rare conversation.

She described the contact as a “positive step” toward resolving the long-standing isolation of the detained Green Movement leaders.

The development follows reports of security personnel withdrawing from the home of Mehdi Karroubi, another opposition leader under house arrest, as noted by Karroubi’s son on Tuesday.

Mousavi, Rahnavard, and Karroubi have been confined since 2011 following their objection to the outcome of the 2009 presidential election that triggered deadly demonstrations by his supporters.

Tajzadeh, a former deputy interior minister and advisor to reformist former president Mohammad Khatami, is serving a prison sentence for “assembly and propaganda against the state.”

No official comment has been issued by Iranian authorities yet regarding the reported phone calls.

US imposes sanctions on Iranian businessman, his company

By
IFP Media Wire
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United States Department of the Treasury

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had designated an Iranian businessman identified as Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh and his corporation for their role in Iran’s crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports.

OFAC claimed Emamjomeh and his network have been “collectively responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian LPG and crude oil to foreign markets.”

It even claimed that the businessman, who is based in Iran, and his son, who it said was a British and Iranian national based in the United Arab Emirates, have sought to export LPG even from the United States to evade US sanctions and generate revenue for Iran.

The Treasury said that Emamjomeh’s company had exported thousands of shipments of LPG from Iran to Pakistan and had conducted tens of millions of dollars’ worth of business on behalf of the PGPICC, an Iranian state-run petrochemical company.

The new sanctions are the seventh such action taken by the US government against Iran since February 4, when US President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum ordering a campaign of maximum pressure on the country.

They come despite the fact that Iran and the US have held two rounds of reportedly positive talks to settle disputes about Tehran’s nuclear program. The indirect talks started earlier this month in Oman’s capital, Muscat, and continued over the weekend in Italy’s Rome.

Top representatives from Iran and the US are scheduled to meet again on Saturday in Muscat to review technical negotiations between their exports that will start on Wednesday in Rome.

Iran’s FM lauds cooperation with China against unilateralism

By
IFP Media Wire
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Araqchi, who is in Beijing at the official invitation of his Chinese counterpart, met on Wednesday morning with Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and China’s First Vice Premier. During the meeting, he reiterated the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy of prioritizing Asia in its foreign relations.

Araqchi referred to China as a strategic and reliable partner of the Islamic Republic of Iran and stressed the importance of enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries, including within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS.

The two sides exchanged views on ways to accelerate the implementation of the 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement between Iran and China.

Araqchi also briefed Ding Xuexiang on the progress of the indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US, emphasizing that despite past bitter experiences, the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in diplomacy with goodwill and seriousness.

The Iranian Foreign Minister further highlighted the ongoing genocide by the Zionist regime in occupied Palestine and its warmongering in the region, as well as repeated US aggressions against Yemen.

He stressed the urgent need for an effective global response to prevent further violations of international law.

Ding Xuexiang, in turn, expressed satisfaction with the expansion of comprehensive Iran-China relations across all fields and described the strategic partnership between the two countries as highly significant.

The Chinese Vice Premier emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination and cooperation between Iran and China to uphold multilateralism and the rule of law in international affairs.

He reiterated China’s support for Iran’s efforts to lift sanctions and engage in dialogue on the nuclear issue.

Putin discusses US-Iran negotiations with leader of Oman

By
IFP Media Wire
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Oman has been mediating between Iran and the United States as US President Donald Trump seeks an agreement that would curb Iran’s nuclear programme, which Washington believes is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon – something that Iran denies.

“This topic was touched on … in the context of mediation efforts by Oman,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during a briefing at the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov also stated both sides “discussed the progress of negotiations between Iranian and American representatives”, according to remarks carried by Interfax.

“We will see what the result will be. We maintain close contact with our Iranian colleagues. Where we can, we help,” Ushakov was quoted as saying.

Trump has threatened to bomb Iran unless a deal is reached. Tehran has stressed there can be no deal under threat of bombardment.

Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran in January and is also trying to improve relations with the Trump administration.

Moscow has a role in nuclear talks with Iran as a signatory to a previous landmark 2015 nuclear deal that Trump abandoned during his first term as US president in 2018 – a move that prompted Iran to breach its terms a year later.

Russia has warned that any US military action against Iran would be illegal.

In televised comments, Putin was shown telling the sultan that Russian energy companies were interested in developing relations with Oman.

Meanwhile, Putin announced plans to stage a summit with the Arab League group of states later this year as Moscow searches for new partners as it continues its three-year offensive on Ukraine.

Slapped with sweeping Western sanctions after sending troops into Ukraine, Russia has turned towards Asian, African and Arab countries for political and economic ties.

“We plan to hold a summit between Russia and Arab countries this year,” Putin told the Omani leader.

“Many of our friends in the Arab world support this idea,” he added, inviting Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said to the summit, without specifying the date and location.

The visit comes days after Putin hosted Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow for talks on Syria and the besieged and bombarded Gaza Strip. Doha is a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

The Persian Gulf states are gaining ever-growing diplomatic influence as mediators in negotiations to resolve the world’s most pressing crises, which have claimed thousands of lives, such as the conflict in Ukraine and Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.

A third round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington is scheduled to take place in Oman on Saturday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi visited China on Wednesday at the invitation of Beijing, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The two sides will discuss bilateral relations and international and regional hot-spot issues of common concern, ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press conference.

The visit is believed to have great significance for deepening political mutual trust between the two countries, Guo told reporters.

Araghchi previously visited China, which was a signatory to the since-abandoned 2015 agreement brokered by world powers that both reined in Tehran’s nuclear programme and provided it with substantial financial relief, in December.

During a trip to Moscow last week, Araghchi told state TV that Tehran always closely consults with its friends, Russia and China, over nuclear issues.

Zelensky pushes back on ceding Ukrainian land in potential peace accord

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the issue is expected to be on the agenda for discussion again this week as all parties focus on finding consensus on a credible approach for ending the war that the United States can convey to the Russians.

But amid media reports about the U.S. proposal, Zelensky stated the idea of ceding territory — including Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, seized by Russia more than a decade ago — is a nonstarter.

“There is nothing to talk about — it is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky added.

Some European allies are at least somewhat wary of the American proposal. But there’s also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine — Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Still, Ukraine’s territorial integrity and aspirations to strengthen ties with the rest of the continent are a top priority for the Europeans, the European official noted.

It remains to be seen whether the latest diplomatic efforts can lead to an endgame after more than three years of war since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, will represent Washington in the discussions in London, the U.S. State Department announced.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio won’t attend because of a scheduling issue, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff were part of the U.S. delegation in Paris last week.

“They want diplomacy to work,” Bruce said of Trump and Rubio.

Trump stated last week that negotiations were “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the war. That came after Rubio suggested that the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that “the settlement issue is so complex that it would be wrong to put some tight limits to it and try to set some short time frame for a settlement, a viable settlement — it would be a thankless task.”

Zelensky also told journalists that after the ceasefire, we are ready to sit down in any format.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Monday for the first time in years that he would be open to bilateral talks with Kyiv.

Organized fuel smuggling ring busted in Iran: over 6 million liters seized

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran Petrol Station

The vessels were caught carrying more than six million liters of smuggled fuel in the southern waters of the Persian Gulf near Abu Musa Island.

The case, described as one of the most significant in terms of volume and coordination, involved two tankers with a total of 34 foreign crew members.

According to an official statement, the first tanker was found smuggling over 4.25 million liters of fuel. Its captain and two senior officers were each sentenced to five years in prison and fined a total of 4,300 billion rials—three times the value of the seized fuel.

The second tanker’s crew received similar prison terms and were collectively fined more than 2,375 billion rials.

Mojtaba Ghahremani, the Chief Justice of Hormozgan Province clarified that the ships will not be released until the financial penalties are fully paid.

US dollar sinks to three-year low

By
IFP Media Wire
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Dollar

It comes after President Donald Trump’s blistering attack on the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, caused alarm among investors.

Spot gold reached the record price on Tuesday morning, extending a rally that has pushed bullion up from $2,623 an ounce at the start of this year. Analysts now predict the metal could even reach $4,000 only a matter of weeks after the price moved through $3,000 for the first time.

The US currency and its government debt are usually seen as a safe haven during times of market turmoil, but as America itself has caused much of the recent volatility investors have been turning to another “port in the storm”, gold, in large numbers.

An ongoing exodus from US assets has led to stocks on Wall Street suffering further heavy losses on Monday. The Dow Jones – which lost close to 1,000 points, a 2.5% drop – is headed for its worst April since 1932.

Traders are anxious after the US president intensified his attacks on America’s top central banker, calling Powell “Mr Too Late” and “a major loser” for not lowering interest rates.

This pushed the dollar down against a basket of currencies to its lowest level since March 2022 on Tuesday morning, although it was later trading slightly higher.

The pound hit a seven-month high of $1.3423 on Tuesday and is on track for its longest winning streak against the dollar in more than 50 years. Sterling has risen against the dollar for 10 days, gaining 3.5% since “liberation day” on 2 April, when Trump announced sweeping global tariffs.

Many Asian stock markets followed Wall Street lower; in Europe, the German, French and Italian indices lost between 0.2% and 0.6%. The UK’s FTSE 100 and Spain’s Ibex were up slightly, by 0.2% and 0.3%.

Stock futures are pointing to modest gains on Wall Street when US markets open, after Monday’s sell-off.

Iran launches 2 new digital platforms to strengthen fight against money laundering, terror financing

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Cyber Attack

According to the FIU, SAMAM (the Integrated Smart AML Platform) is designed to serve as a centralized and intelligent tool to process, monitor, and evaluate financial transaction data across the country.

By connecting directly to key institutions, SAMAM enables real-time aggregation of transaction data, automatically flags anomalies, and applies a risk-based scoring system to incoming reports.

Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, SAMAM enhances the accuracy and efficiency of financial investigations.

The platform also provides a wide range of analytical dashboards, allowing experts to quickly assess risk profiles and take targeted decisions.

Alongside SAMAM, the FIU introduced SABA, a real-time inquiry and analytics platform supporting the processing of suspicious transaction reports.
SABA houses over one billion data records across more than 600 categories, and connects to 32 information services from 15 executive and judicial bodies.
This interlinked system allows for robust cross-referencing and enhances the FIU’s ability to generate analytical reports and insights on financial crime.

House arrest of Iran’s opposition leader formally ends after over 14 years

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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He explained that the withdrawal was initially scheduled for April 8, but due to security and logistical considerations, it was delayed by approximately 10 days.

“As previously indicated, the departure of security personnel from my father’s home has now taken place,” he stated.

He added that starting next week, the family hopes to receive friends and well-wishers at Karroubi’s place of residence, while ensuring that there is no disruption to the neighbors.

Mehdi Karroubi, a prominent political figure and former Speaker of Parliament, was placed under house arrest on February 14, 2011, following his objection to the outcome of Iran’s 2009 presidential election that saw mass deadly demonstrstions of his supporters.

His house arrest officially lasted 14 years, 2 months, and 6 days — totaling 5,180 days.

Karroubi was among those who insisted that the election was rigged, a claim strongly refuted by the authorities.

Israeli spy head accuses Netanyahu of demanding illegal operations

By
IFP Media Wire
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Benjamin Netanyahu

Ronen Bar, chief of Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence service, made the assertion in an affidavit to the Supreme Court on Monday. Netanyahu’s move last month to dismiss Bar was suspended by the court pending an investigation, and the ensuing tussle has provoked large protests, with crowds accusing the prime minister of endangering democracy.

Netanyahu said he would sack the spy chief due to a breakdown in trust, supposedly linked to Hamas’s attack in October 2023 that led to the Gaza war.

However, Bar stated Netanyahu’s decision was motivated by a series of events between November 2024 and February 2025.

In the unclassified part of the court submission, Bar noted Netanyahu had told him “on more than one occasion” that he expected Shin Bet to take action against Israelis involved in antigovernment demonstrations, “with a particular focus on monitoring the protests’ financial backers”.

The Shin Bet head also added he had refused to sign off on a security request aimed at relieving Netanyahu from testifying at an ongoing corruption trial in which he faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust.

Netanyahu’s bid to oust Bar came as Shin Bet was investigating financial ties between the prime minister’s office and Qatar, a key mediator in the Gaza war. Critics say the firing is tainted by a conflict of interest and was meant to derail that inquiry.

Shin Bet also happened to be carrying out an inquiry based on suspicion that the government had ignored warnings in advance of Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when the armed Palestinian group killed more than 1,100 people and took about 250 captive.

More than 50 of them remain in Gaza. Netanyahu and the hardline Zionist parties that support his government have faced harsh criticism for their failure to agree to a ceasefire and the return of the remaining prisoners.

Israel’s onslaught on Gaza has killed more than 51,000 people, according to the enclave’s Ministry of Health.

Netanyahu’s office has said Bar’s affidavit was “full of lies”, and later responded to several of his claims, stating that he had “failed miserably” when Hamas attacked Israel.

It also denied that the move to sack Bar was aimed at thwarting the so-called “Qatargate” investigation.

“The dismissal was not intended to prevent the investigation. Rather, the investigation was intended to prevent the dismissal,” it added.

Netanyahu’s move to sack Bar was suspended by the Supreme Court after political watchdogs and opposition lawmakers argued the dismissal was unlawful.

The bid to unseat the spy chief and the continuing fight have further fuelled the protests over the government’s failure to secure the captives from Gaza.

Bar has accepted Shin Bet’s failure to stop Hamas’s attack, stating on Monday that he would “soon announce the date of my resignation”.

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