Iran and the United States
Why Iran prefers Oman’s mediation and Muscat as venue for US talks
Tehran has reluctantly agreed to hold the upcoming talks with the United States in Rome rather than Muscat. However, it insists that Oman will continue to play its central mediating role, even as negotiations move to Italy.
Economy
How Iran’s sovereign fund was depleted
While sovereign wealth funds tied to oil revenues in Iran’s neighboring countries have surpassed $3.6 trillion, a new report by the Iranian Parliament Research Center reveals the extensive depletion and misuse of Iran’s National Development Fund (NDF).
Iran's Nuclear Program
Iran could use talks to buy time for nuclear ambitions, ex-CIA official says
The United States faces a formidable adversary in talks with Islamic Republic, a former top US intelligence official told Iran International, and Tehran's aim could be to buy time for its nuclear program.
How Iran’s nuclear program became a crisis in global diplomacy
Iran’s nuclear program has dominated global headlines for over two decades, drawing in multiple US presidents, triggering waves of sanctions, and raising persistent fears of a regional war.
Iran's nuclear program at 'extreme danger' level, think tank warns
Iran's nuclear threat has worsened to an "extreme danger" level since last year, according to a new report by a US-based research institute.
Mideast Crisis
Hezbollah’s arms may be folded into Lebanese army, president says
The Lebanese state must have a monopoly on weapons in the country and the transfer of Iran-backed Hezbollah's arms to Beirut should proceed via direct talks between the presidency and the group, Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun said on Tuesday.
Iran Sanctions
Iran hardliners push back on FATF accession citing sanctions risk
Over 150 hardline Iranian lawmakers urged a key decision-making body on Tuesday to block Iran’s accession to the Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Palermo conventions, two key components of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) reform package.
Human Rights
Iranian lawyers who defended 2022 protesters sentenced to prison
Twelve Iranian lawyers who represented protesters during nationwide antigovernment protests in 2022 have been sentenced to three years in prison and fined, a human rights group said, underscoring a continuing crackdown on civil society.
Iran disemboweled dissident before transfer to Germany, autopsy reveals
Iranian authorities had removed several organs from dual national Jamshid Sharmahd before transferring his body to Berlin after his sudden death in an Iranian prison while awaiting execution, the family's lawyers said Friday.
Trump admin plans 50% cut to State Department funding - NYT
The Trump administration is considering a proposal to cut nearly 50 percent of the State Department's funding for the upcoming fiscal year, The New York Times reported.
Squeezed Iranians doubt whether Iran talks will bring relief
Some Iranians are questioning whether US-Iran talks will alleviate persistent economic hardship and political repression.
Islamabad demands Iran find killers of eight Pakistani workers
Pakistan called on Iranian authorities to identify and detain those responsible for the killing of eight Pakistani nationals in southeastern Iran.
'Martyr families': Iran's last war leaves bitter legacy
My 23-year-old cousin, Ali, newly married and the father of a two-month-old baby, was killed in the Iran-Iraq war in 1985. From that moment, everything in my uncle’s family changed.
Whether it's talks or war, we'll suffer all the same
In Case You Missed It
Enforce hijab or lose us, ultra-hardliners warn Iran’s leadership
Iran's ultra-hardliners and vigilantes associated with them are increasingly warning that the Islamic Republic risks alienating its staunchest supporters if authorities continue suspending strict hijab enforcement.
Eye for Iran Podcast
Iran: deal or no deal?
Tehran and Washington are heading into high-stakes talks in Oman this weekend that could determine the path ahead: diplomacy or war. The outcome may shape not only regional stability, but the survival of the Islamic Republic, which has ruled Iran for more than four decades.
Tehran Insider
Inside Tehran’s nightlife: a hidden world of dance, drinks and defiance
It starts with a text message on social media by an established cafe. A few million rials deposit, and a promise of a night unlike any other in Tehran.
Whether it's talks or war, we'll suffer all the same
US president Donald Trump has sent Iran’s leader a letter, we’re told, and that it’s significant. It probably is, but nobody I know seems to think so.
