Thursday, December 25, 2025
type here...
Home Blog Page 78

Iranian actress Mojdeh Daei passes away

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The news was confirmed by theater director Maziar Seyedi, who had worked with her in the play On the Wave of Sundays. According to Seyedi, Daei died in Esfahan, where she was living with her family.

Born in 1987, Daei held a Master’s degree in Dramatic Literature from the University of Tehran and had performed in several notable plays, including In the Depths, Everyone with Their Loneliness, The Kitchen, The Story of Metronpazh, Cold Things, I Wanted to Be a Horse, and On the Wave of Sundays.

Details regarding her funeral and burial ceremony have not yet been announced.

Vital wound dressings for Iran’s EB patients listed under US sanctions

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Dressings are a major necessity for individuals with EB”, the director stated, noting that Mepilex dressings that are made in Sweden and used in more than 150 countries are the standard care for these patients.

However, he explained that Mepilex has been classified as a sanctioned product, making its importation into Iran extremely difficult.

“Other dressings available on the market do not meet the required quality standards”, he added.

The foundation currently provides patients with a monthly allowance of 700,000 tomans as financial assistance, and emphasizes that no child with EB should be deprived of education due to their condition.

The US claims its sanctions exempt humanitarian goods, but in practice the bans have inflicted serious damage on Iranian citizens, including financial strain and medical shortages. Meanwhile, restrictions on banking and international transactions have severely limited access to essential medicines, medical equipment, and specialized supplies such as EB wound dressings. This has left many patients in Iran to bear the cost of policies far beyond their control.

US backs repeal of Caesar Act sanctions on Syria

By
IFP Media Wire
-
The US State Department

“The administration supports repealing the Caesar Act. Congress should include the repeal in the NDAA,” a State Department spokesperson told Anadolu.

The spokesperson added that the “cessation of sanctions against Syria preserves the integrity of our primary objective – the enduring defeat of Daesh – and will give the people of Syria a chance for a better future.”

“The United States is in regular communication with regional partners and welcomes any investment or engagement in Syria that supports the chance for all Syrians to have a peaceful and prosperous country,” the spokesperson continued.

It follows Trump’s May 2025 announcement to lift most US sanctions on Syria after meeting with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia—the first between US and Syrian leaders in 25 years. At the time, Trump described the sanctions as “brutal and crippling,” and added that lifting them would “give Syria a chance at greatness.”

On June 30, Trump signed an executive order to end US sanctions against Syria, though the 2019 Caesar Act authorizing such measures remains in force. Syria’s new government considers the Caesar Act sanctions an obstacle to the country’s recovery after nearly 14 years of war that devastated Syria’s economy and infrastructure.

Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly a quarter century, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, marking the end of the Baath Party’s decades-long rule, which began in 1963.

Al-Sharaa, who led anti-government forces that ousted Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January, pledging to rebuild the country and restore stability.

 

Remains returned by Hamas from Gaza not those of Israeli hostages: Report

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Israel Hostages

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, citing an unnamed Israeli source, reported that the remains “do not belong to any of the Israeli abductees.”

Army Radio confirmed that none of the remains “belonged to any of the hostages.”

The Red Cross transferred on Friday the remains of the three bodies to the National Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for examination.

No details were provided about the circumstances or conditions under which the handover took place.

Since the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement began on Oct. 10, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over the remains of 19 out of 28, most of them Israelis. However, Israel claimed that one of the received bodies did not match any of its listed captives.

Israel has killed 211 Palestinians and injured 597 others since the ceasefire, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel has tied the start of negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire to the handover of all the hostage remains. Hamas says the process requires time due to the massive destruction in Gaza.

Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Israel has killed more than 68,500 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,600 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

 

‘Secret’ Ukraine meeting set for Spain: El Mundo

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The organizers are reportedly maintaining “utmost secrecy” for the event planned for November 4, instructing delegates from 35 countries to leave their cell phones in a designated room and refrain from posting about the gathering on social media, according to a government document cited by the outlet.

Participants are expected to discuss ways to increase military and financial aid for Kiev, as well as possible security guarantees. They will also coordinate additional pressure on Russia. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares is set to attend, El Mundo reported.

The Kremlin argued earlier this month that Ukrainian forces could not have conducted strikes on energy facilities deep inside Russia without direct support from Western intelligence services. Moscow has said that Western military assistance will only serve to escalate the conflict without altering the situation on the battlefield.

US President Donald Trump has recently declined to provide Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, warning against depleting the US arsenal. He also indefinitely postponed his planned in-person summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary.

 

Iran’s FM warns Israel of “heavy, irreparable” defeat in any new war

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Abbas Araghchi

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi said Iran has taken lessons from recent hostilities.

He added, “We are more prepared at all levels, and Israel will experience another defeat in any future war”.

The top Iranian diplomat went on to say that the Islamic Republic learned a great deal from the recent war and tested its missiles in real battlefield conditions.

Araghchi further said the Zionist regime attempted to widen the conflict by striking Iranian energy installations, noting Tehran successfully managed the confrontation and prevented its spillover across the region.

He also said that Israel would not have dared to attack Iran without a US green light and described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal”.

The foreign minister maintained that Zionist regime is the region’s true adversary.

On diplomacy, Araghchi said Iran is “ready to negotiate” to allay concerns about its nuclear program and stressed its peaceful nature, while criticizing Washington for imposing “unacceptable, coercive” conditions.

He however stated that Iran will not negotiate over its missile program.

“We will not negotiate about our missile program…no sensible person would accept disarmament”.

Araghchi also underlined that what was not taken by war will not be surrendered by politics. He added Iran prefers indirect talks with the US and confirmed that nuclear material remains under rubble at bombed facilities and has not been moved elsewhere.

Turkish prosecutors hand several people life sentences over ski resort blaze

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Among those sentenced on Friday were Halit Ergul – the owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel, which sits in the Kartalkaya ski resort about 295km (183 miles) east of Istanbul – according to state-run broadcaster TRT Haber.

The court also sentenced Ergul’s wife, Emine Ergul, and their daughters, Elif Aras and Ceyda Hacibekiroglu – all of whom were part of the hotel’s management team.

The deadly blaze broke out overnight in the restaurant of the Grand Kartal on January 21, quickly engulfing the 12-storey hotel, where 238 guests were staying.

Thirty-four children were among 78 people killed in the fire, which occurred during the school holidays when many families from Ankara and Istanbul head to the Bolu mountains to ski.

Another 137 people suffered injuries during the incident, as panicked hotel guests were forced to jump from windows in the middle of the night.

Also sentenced on Friday were the hotel’s general manager, Emir Aras, as well as the deputy mayor of Bolu, Sedat Gulener, and the director of another hotel, Ahmet Demir, both of whom were reportedly on the board of directors of the company that owned the Grand Kartal.

There are a total of 32 defendants in the trial, 20 of whom are in pre-trial detention, according to TRT. It’s unclear when the remaining defendants will appear in court.

In total, the convicted were handed 34 aggravated life sentences for the 34 children killed in the disaster. Those in the courtroom greeted the announcement with applause.

The fire sparked nationwide anger in Turkiye, with questions raised over safety measures in place at the hotel after survivors said no fire alarms went off during the incident, and they had to navigate smoke-filled corridors in complete darkness.

Under pressure to act, Turkish authorities quickly arrested nine people in connection with the blaze, while the government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation.

Speaking to reporters outside the still-smoking hotel, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya pledged that those “responsible for causing this pain will not escape justice”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a day of national mourning, as he served as a pallbearer at a funeral ceremony for the victims the following day.

 

Iran’s deputy FM says negotiations with pre-set results hold no value

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Majid Takht-e Ravanchi

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Takht-Ravanchi said the United States has shown no genuine willingness to engage in talks grounded on equality, leaving Iran with no reason to continue negotiations under current conditions.

He revealed that Tehran had been in indirect, Oman-mediated negotiations with Washington when Israel launched its military assault against Iran—an act he condemned as a “blatant betrayal” of the diplomatic process.

Earlier this year, Iran and the US held five rounds of indirect talks in Italy and Oman over Tehran’s nuclear program, before Israel’s attack in June derailed the diplomatic momentum.

The US subsequently joined the aggression and targeted Iranian nuclear sites under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision.

Referring to his recent visit to Muscat, Takht-Ravanchi said he met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi on Thursday to reiterate Iran’s clear position on the nuclear issue.

“We underscored that negotiations should be constructive and their results must not be predetermined. The outcome should depend on the negotiation process itself and the cooperative spirit of the parties involved,” he stated.

In a post on X, Takht-Ravanchi described his trip to Oman as “short but successful,” noting that Thursday had been “a busy day in Muscat.”

He said he held “fruitful” discussions with the Omani foreign minister and his deputy Sheikh Khalifa Alharthy on bilateral, regional, and international topics.

“Oman is a trusted neighbor and a vital partner with whom we share excellent relations and historic ties,” he emphasized.

The Iranian diplomat also mentioned his productive meetings with Mohammed Abdul-Salam, head of Yemen’s negotiating delegation and spokesman for the Ansarullah movement, as well as with the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg.

 

Venezuela pursuing military aid from Iran, Russia, China: WaPo

By
IFP Media Wire
-

According to the newspaper, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping requesting radar detectors and directly citing the “escalation” with the US.

Caracas also reportedly urged Iran to provide radar-jamming equipment and drones capable of flying up to 1,000km (around 600 miles).

The Washington Post cited documents indicating that Venezuelan Transport Minister Ramon Celestino Velazquez was set to deliver a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip to Moscow last month, requesting unspecified missiles and assistance in repairing Su-30MK2 fighter jets and radar systems previously purchased by Venezuela.

The report added that it is unclear how Russia, China, or Iran responded to the requests.

US President Donald Trump has accused Maduro of operating “macroterrorist” cartels that smuggle drugs into the US and has offered a bounty for his arrest.

Washington has deployed a naval armada in the western Caribbean, and since September, has conducted strikes in international waters against more than a dozen alleged cartel vessels.

Maduro has denied the allegations and accused Trump of “fabricating a new war.”

Yemen’s Houthis say detained UN staff will be tried over Israeli links

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Yemen Houthis

Abdulwahid Abu Ras, Yemen’s acting foreign minister, told the Reuters news agency on Friday that a cell within the UN’s World Food Programme was involved in directly targeting the government.

The Houthi prime minister and nine other ministers were killed in an Israeli strike on the capital Sanaa in August, the first such attack to kill senior officials.

The UN, which has repeatedly rejected Houthi accusations, announced on Friday that a total of 36 UN employees were arrested after Israel’s attack. It noted that at least 59 UN personnel are being held by the group.

Abu Ras told Reuters that security agencies were acting “under full judicial supervision” and that public prosecutors were being kept informed “step by step”. It was certain, he added, that the process would lead “to trials and the issuance of judicial rulings”.

Separately, Nasruddin Amer, a senior Houthi official, told the dpa news agency on Friday that the detained UN workers would be tried on charges of spying for Israel.

“The judiciary will determine the penalty for those accused of spying for Israel in accordance with Yemeni law,” Amer continued, adding, “This is not a law we enacted. It is a law that has been in effect and applied in the country by previous regimes.”

The UN defendants are Yemenis and could face the death penalty under the nation’s laws.

Hundreds of UN personnel, including a small number of international staff, remain in parts of Houthi-controlled Yemen, according to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary general.

Houthi security forces entered several UN offices in Sanaa on Sunday. The UN says it is operating under increasingly difficult conditions, hindering its ability to provide assistance to those in need in Yemen.

Amer told dpa: “The trial is not against the organisations, but against those who exploited humanitarian work to carry out espionage against our country and our people.”

Abu Ras claimed that the Houthis are supporting humanitarian provision, and will “assist organisations committed to the principles of humanitarian work, facilitating their activities and work”.

There was no immediate comment from the World Food Programme.

Since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and carried out drone and missile attacks against Israel, saying that they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians under fire in Gaza.

Israel has regularly struck the war-torn country, targeting civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and the main international airport, while killing dozens at a time.

Last month, Israeli strikes on Sanaa and the northern province of al-Jawf killed dozens of people, including journalists and children.

 

1...777879...5,014Page 78 of 5,014

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks