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Two Iranian youths rescued from drug cartel near US-Mexico border home

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The mission was carried out by the Iranian Embassy in Mexico City in close coordination with Mexican police.

The two individuals, whose identities were withheld, had attempted to migrate to the United States and found themselves stranded near the border, where they were ensnared by drug trafficking cartels.

Their families, upon learning of their location, alerted the Iranian Embassy, which immediately initiated efforts to secure their release.

After intense negotiations and collaboration with Mexican authorities, the two were successfully rescued and flown back to Iran in the early hours of the Persian New Year on Thursday.

The Iranian Embassy emphasized the dangers of illegal migration and warned against falling prey to human traffickers and misleading social media content.

“Many who post videos of migration routes are fraudsters on cyberspace seeking to attract followers or clients. The reality is far more dangerous, and countless lives have been lost in such attempts,” the embassy warned.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry urged Iranian citizens to avoid risking their lives and to be wary of deceptive promises made by smugglers.

France considers UN peacekeeping mission for Ukraine in case of peace agreement: Telegraph

By
IFP Media Wire
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France Macron

The proposal follows ongoing efforts by a “coalition of the willing” led by the U.K. and France, which aims to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.

The initiative was first introduced by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a summit in London, where leaders from European nations and Canada discussed military support for Kyiv.

Macron reportedly raised the idea of a UN-backed alternative during a European Council summit, where he discussed the concept with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The proposal would align with traditional UN peacekeeping operations, which typically involve deploying multinational forces to maintain security, protect civilians, and facilitate humanitarian aid in conflict zones.

Any UN peacekeeping force would require approval from the UN Security Council, where Russia holds veto power. Given Moscow’s opposition to foreign troops in Ukraine, the likelihood of securing a UN mandate remains slim.

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow European peacekeepers to operate in Ukraine as part of a settlement, though Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov publicly rejected the idea.

Over 30 countries have expressed willingness to contribute to the coalition’s peacekeeping force, Starmer’s spokesperson said, confirming that the initiative has moved into an “operational phase.”

British military leaders have considered deploying Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets as part of a potential security arrangement, the Telegraph has reported.

Germany confiscates Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker in Baltic Sea: Der Spiegel

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Oil

The shadow fleet refers to aging and largely uninsured oil tankers that Russia uses to transport oil above the $60 per barrel price cap that the EU, the U.S., and G7 countries imposed in December 2022 as part of the effort to cut Moscow’s fossil fuels revenue.

German customs authorities has seized the Panamanian-flagged tanker Eventin. It was sailing from the Russian port of Ust-Luga through the Baltic Sea to Egypt and had been anchored off the coast of Ruegen since mid-January.

Due to the risk of an oil spill, the tanker was towed to the waters off Sassnitz, where it was monitored by Germany’s Coast Guard and federal police.

After a confiscation order from the General Customs Directorate (GZD), Germany has acquired ownership of the vessel and its cargo — approximately 100,000 tons of crude oil worth over 40 million euros ($43 million).

By seizing the Eventin, the German government aims to signal to Russia that it will not tolerate their oil shipments through the Baltic Sea, Der Spiegel reported.

In recent months, shadow fleet vessels have been suspected of sabotage operations in the Baltic Sea, causing major damage to undersea cables.

US claims Ukraine will hold presidential elections

By
IFP Media Wire
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Carlson echoed a Russian narrative saying that Moscow considers President Volodymyr Zelensky “not elected” and, therefore, “can’t sign any kind of treaty.”

“Do you think there will be elections in Ukraine?” Carlson asked.

“Yes. There will be. They’ve agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine,” Witkoff responded without providing further details.

The Kremlin has long tried to portray Zelensky as illegitimate to undermine Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready for talks with Zelensky but insisted that “legal aspects related to his legitimacy” must be considered. Meanwhile, Putin himself has ruled Russia for over 20 years.

Ukraine has not held elections during Russia’s full-scale war because they are prohibited under martial law, which was declared in February 2022, just hours after the invasion began. Ukrainian law also requires elections to be safe, equal, and uninterrupted—conditions that are impossible to meet while Russia continues its attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure.

Witkoff also noted that he is completely certain Russia will not attack Europe, dismissing concerns about a potential Russian advance across the continent as unfounded.

Thousands join march in Istanbul to protest mayor’s detention

By
IFP Media Wire
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Demonstrators took to the streets in Turkiye’s commercial hub on Friday for the third consecutive day to show their support for Ekrem Imamoglu – Erdogan’s chief political rival – who was arrested on Wednesday, days before he was due to announce his 2028 presidential run.

Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said more than 300,000 people had joined protests across Istanbul.

“We are 300,000 people,” the CHP leader told the vast crowds in front of City Hall, adding protesters had gathered at several places across the country’s largest city due to the road and bridge closures preventing people from all being in one place.

The mayor was arrested early on Wednesday over alleged corruption and “terror” links. Dozens of other prominent figures, including journalists and businesspeople, were also detained. After the detentions, the government announced a four-day ban on political demonstrations.

The arrests came a day after a university in Istanbul invalidated Imamoglu’s diploma, in effect disqualifying him from the presidential race because having a university degree is required to run for the nation’s highest office under the Turkish Constitution.

Imamoglu said he would challenge Istanbul University’s decision.

Erdogan on Friday stated the government would not tolerate street protests and accused Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP) of links to corruption and “terror” organisations.

“An anticorruption operation in Istanbul is being used as an excuse to stir unrest in our streets. I want it to be known that we will not allow a handful of opportunists to bring unrest to Turkiye just to protect their plundering schemes,” Erdogan added.

Government critics viewed Imamoglu’s arrest as an attempt to remove a key challenger to Erdogan from Turkiye’s next national ballot.

Government officials rejected accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insisted that Turkiye’s courts operate independently.

Protests over Imamoglu’s arrest began in Istanbul on Wednesday and quickly spread to 32 of Turkiye’s 81 provinces, according to an AFP news agency count.

The CHP, Turkiye’s main opposition party, which was intending to make Imamoglu its presidential candidate on Sunday, has described his arrest as a “coup”.

“Don’t be silent! Otherwise, they’ll come for you,” protesters yelled. Many held aloft placards with slogans such as “Don’t be afraid, the people are here” and “Rights, law, justice”.

Since the protests erupted, at least 88 protesters have been arrested, Turkish media reported, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya saying 16 police officers had been hurt.

Police have also detained another 54 people for online posts authorities deemed “incitement to hatred”, he said.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkiye’s largest city in March 2019 in a historic blow to Erdogan and the president’s Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.

China urges end to US meddling in Beijing-Tehran cooperation

By
IFP Media Wire
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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning issued the call on Friday while responding to new U.S. sanctions on two Chinese petrochemicals groups for allegedly importing Iranian crude oil.

Beijing has always opposed the use of “illegal unilateral sanctions” and “long-arm jurisdiction” and has repeatedly called on Washington to stop interfering and undermining normal trade and economic cooperation between China and Iran, Mao said.

She stressed that her country will take all necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department announced that it had sanctioned the Huaying Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Terminal Storage, located in Guangdong, South China, for purchasing and storing Iranian crude oil from a sanctioned vessel and an oil refinery in Shandong, East China.

This is the latest in salvo of sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump under his so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.

Trump resorted to the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran after unilaterally pulling his country out of the landmark multilateral nuclear deal in 2018.

Russia says Iran has the right to peaceful nuclear energy

By
IFP Media Wire
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Kremlin

At a briefing with reporters on Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow accepts Iran’s repeated statements that it has no intention of acquiring or building nuclear weapons.”

Peskov rejected any force against Iran and stressed the need for diplomacy when asked how Russia would respond if the U.S. or Israel resorted to attack Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

“We are convinced that the problem of Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved exclusively by peaceful political and diplomatic means, and we believe that everything necessary is available for this. All that is needed is political will,” Peskov added.

“Secondly, Iran, like all other countries, has the right to develop the peaceful atomic sector, peaceful nuclear energy, and is taking important steps in this direction. And all this is happening in strict accordance with international law,” he continued.

The remarks came a day after the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in response to a question about new nuclear talks with Iran, called for adherence to the multilateral framework of these negotiations.

Maria Zakharova announced her country’s readiness for constructive engagement with all parties on Iran’s nuclear issues, emphasizing that the fate of the 2015 nuclear deal and multilateral efforts cannot be dictated from outside.

Russia has repeatedly called for the revival of the landmark agreement originally signed by Iran and six other world powers and then endorsed by the UN Security Council.

U.S. Resident Donald Trump, during his first term at the White House, unilaterally withdrew his country from the agreement in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the accord.

Following the U.S.’s exit, the European signatories–Britain, France, and Germany— urged Tehran to stick to its obligations, promising to compensate for any economic harm incurred. Iran waited for an entire year before it began rolling back its nuclear commitments after the Europeans’ failure to deliver on that promise.

Ancient watermills of Iran’s Dezful attract visitors on first day of Nowruz

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Dating back to the Sassanid era, the watermills are located along the Dez River and are constructed using materials such as stone, brick, and sarooj mortar. They were later restored during the Safavid and Qajar periods.

Recognized as one of the oldest hydraulic systems in the world, the Dezful watermills are a testament to ancient engineering and have been registered as a national heritage site in Iran.

More in pictures:

Israeli Supreme Court halts dismissal of Shin Bet head

By
IFP Media Wire
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Netanyahu announced last week that he had lost confidence in Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and intended to dismiss him. Tens of thousands of people joined demonstrations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv this week protesting against the sacking, which critics saw as an attempt to undermine state institutions.

“I’m looking at the end of the way of Israel as we knew it in the past. We are very concerned that these are the last days of Israel as a democracy,” stated Uri Arnin, an entrepreneur who joined a protest outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence.

“We are here to try and change this course, but the chances are not very high,” he added.

The Supreme Court ruling will allow the court to consider petitions launched against the dismissal, which was approved by cabinet late on Thursday, with a decision no later than April 8, a court statement said.

Campaigners behind the petition announced there were clear concerns about the move to dismiss Bar and an investigation by Shin Bet into alleged financial ties between Qatar and aides in Netanyahu’s office. But they said the concerns were wider.

“This is not just about Ronen Bar, it’s not even just about alleged ties between Netanyahu’s inner circle and Qatar,” said Eliad Shraga, a lawyer and founder of the Movement for Quality Government, an anti-corruption group that filed a petition against Bar’s dismissal.

“This is really about Israeli democracy, it’s about the rule of law,” he added.

The dismissal of Bar followed more than two years of hostility between Netanyahu supporters and elements of the security and defence establishment that was worsened by blame over the failures that allowed Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack, the worst security disaster in Israel’s history and the trigger for the war in Gaza.

Bar, who had been one of the main Israeli negotiators in ceasefire and hostage release talks, had already indicated he would resign before his term was due to end in about 18 months, accepting responsibility for Shin Bet’s failure to forestall the attack.

Netanyahu, with a secure majority in parliament and bolstered by the return of hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has been able to brush off the protests.

“There will be no civil war! The State of Israel is a state of law and according to the law, the Israeli government decides who will be the head of the Shin Bet,” Netanyahu wrote on social media platform X.

The move to dismiss Bar came amid a bitter fight over the so-called “Qatargate” investigation that has simmered for months, involving allegations of leaks and influence peddling from Netanyahu’s office.

Israeli media reported that Shin Bet opened an investigation into the allegations in February and in a letter to the government contesting his dismissal that was leaked to the press, Bar said he regarded completion of the investigation as a “public duty of the highest order”.

Netanyahu, who is on trial over a separate series of corruption charges that he denies, has rejected the allegations as “fake news” and a politically motivated campaign against him. A Qatari official also dismissed them as part of a “smear campaign” against Qatar.

In his letter to the government, Bar said his dismissal was founded on baseless allegations, tainted by conflicts of interest and motivated by illegitimate concerns which would jeopardize the investigation.

Even before the war in Gaza there had been mass protests over Netanyahu’s plans to curb the power of the judiciary, a move he justified as a necessary check on judicial overreach but which protestors viewed as a direct threat to democracy.

In addition to the battles over judicial reform, Netanyahu has been obliged to give regular testimony in a case over couuption allegations, which he denies.

The protests, which build on earlier waves of anti-government demonstrations, have blended with actions by supporters of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza who have been shocked by the decision to resume bombing the Palestinian enclave after weeks of truce and to send troops back in.

As the battle over the Shin Bet chief widened, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that a motion of no confidence in Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara, a frequent target of the government’s ire, had been put on the agenda for the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday.

US Secretary of State threatens Iran with regime change

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iran Flag

During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal, meant to facilitate dialogue on Iran’s nuclear program, and imposed sanctions against Tehran. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has urged the Islamic Republic to reopen negotiations and has allegedly set a two-month deadline for Tehran to strike a new agreement with Washington.

Speaking to radio host Hugh Hewitt, Rubio said that while Washington is still pursuing diplomacy, it is ready to act if Iran continues to develop its nuclear capabilities.

”If you asked [Trump], he would tell you he would much prefer to work this out diplomatically without a war,” Rubio added.

“But if he has to take action to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear capability, he will. We have the ability to do that and to go further, perhaps even threaten the regime.”

Earlier this month, Trump confirmed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s leadership proposing new talks. According to media reports, the letter was delivered through United Arab Emirates President Mohammed Bin Zayed and is currently being reviewed in Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has rejected the idea of renewed negotiations, dismissing the US proposal as an effort to “exert their dominance and impose what they want” instead of “solving issues.” He also rebuffed Trump’s threat to use force.

Earlier this month, Ayatollah Khamenei insisted that any accusations against Iran over its alleged failure to implement its part of the deal were “fundamentally flawed when divorced from the full context of the US withdrawal”. Tehran has repeatedly denied having nuclear weapon ambitions, insisting that its program is entirely peaceful.

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