Iran unveils advanced signals intelligence ship alongside military drills
Iran’s navy unveiled its first signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel, Zagros, on Wednesday, said to be designed for electronic surveillance and cyber intelligence operations.
Iran’s navy unveiled its first signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel, Zagros, on Wednesday, said to be designed for electronic surveillance and cyber intelligence operations.
The announcement follows the news that Iran's army received 1,000 new drones, bolstering its military capabilities.
"The Zagros will serve as the watchful eye of Iran's navy in the depths of the seas and oceans," Navy Commander Shahram Irani said during the unveiling ceremony.
The launch coincides with extensive military exercises aimed at safeguarding the country's nuclear infrastructure, including key facilities in Natanz and Fordow.
The drills, involving both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army, are expected to continue until mid-March.
The head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, announced on Wednesday that two additional exercises will be conducted in the coming days, focusing on passive defense to demonstrate maximum operational readiness.
The unveiling of the Zagros comes amid intensified and ongoing international scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program.
Tehran maintains its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, a claim increasingly challenged due to its elevated uranium enrichment levels.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran holds uranium enriched to 60%, approaching weapons-grade levels.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated in recent years, especially after the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal during Donald Trump's presidency and reimposed sanctions. Relations were further strained by the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, as well as Tehran's support for regional proxy groups, and alleged attacks on commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf.
Reports earlier this month suggested that the Biden administration considered potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities if Tehran continued its progress toward developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s investment in the Zagros and other military technologies underscores its focus on strengthening surveillance and defensive capabilities in response to regional and international challenges.
Admiral Shahram Irani asserted that the ship is domestically constructed and will play a key role in securing maritime domains, including the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
"The Iranian navy has successfully addressed the nation’s defensive demands through local expertise and advanced intelligence capabilities," Admiral Irani said.
Abbas Araghchi addressed Iran’s stance on nuclear talks in an interview with state TV, saying discussions with Washington are not on the table because it withdrew from an international deal on the issue.
“We are not negotiating with the US government on nuclear issues until they return to the JCPOA or, in any case, announce their policy on this matter,” he said, referring to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
"The new US administration has not yet taken office. We will only participate in honorable negotiations based on mutual respect, not under pressure and sanctions, and for our own interests," he added.
"The JCPOA formula remains valid and in place."
Negotiators from Iran and the European E3 countries—France, Britain, and Germany—held a third round of talks on Iran's nuclear program in Geneva on Monday, according to an Iranian deputy foreign minister.
"We discussed ideas involving certain details in the sanctions-lifting and nuclear fields that are needed for a deal," Kazem Gharibabadi said in a post on X. Describing the talks as "serious, frank, and constructive," he noted that both sides agreed to continue their dialogue.
"Sides concurred that negotiations should be resumed and to reach a deal, all parties should create and maintain the appropriate atmosphere," he added.
The JCPOA, signed in 2015, aimed to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
The US withdrawal from the deal in 2018 under the first Trump administration led to renewed sanctions and escalated tensions. Efforts under the Biden administration to revive the deal have been marked by significant challenges, including disputes over sanctions and verification mechanisms.
Araghchi said that in Geneva, Iran will engage with representatives from the EU and three European countries in a bid to revive the nuclear agreement.
“The main goal of the two-day talks in Geneva with representatives from the three European countries and the European Union is to find a way to restart nuclear negotiations and resolve this issue,” Araghchi explained.
He affirmed Iran’s openness to dialogue, provided it adheres to Iran’s terms.
“Regarding the nuclear issue, Iran has never left the negotiation table nor said to oppose negotiations, as it is confident in the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. If there is an honorable and dignified negotiation, we will join it,” he said.
Talks on arms supplies to Russia
Araghchi signaled Iran’s readiness to negotiate with Europe on Ukraine, provided the talks address mutual concerns.
“If Europe complains about Iranian weapons being in Russian hands, it must also answer for its military cooperation in our region and with the Zionist regime. We are ready for dialogue with Europe, but it must be based on mutual concerns,” he added.
Iran has significantly increased its military support to Russia, supplying hundreds of Shahed-136 drones, which have been extensively used in Ukraine to target infrastructure and civilian areas.
In addition to direct deliveries, Iran has collaborated with Russia to establish a drone manufacturing facility in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, which became operational in July 2023.
The factory aims to produce thousands of drones annually, bolstering Russia's self-sufficiency in drone production.
Beyond drones, Iran has supplied Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, with satellite imagery revealing shipments of 220 missiles in 2024.
"All the assassinations and acts of terror we see happening in Europe and elsewhere, can we see the footsteps of Iranian nationals or other nationals?" Pezeshkian was quoted as saying in translated remarks in a video preview of the NBC News interview.
"Have there been any links between those terrorist assassinations and Iran? Iran has never been in pursuit of assassination and acts of terror," he added.
Asked by anchor Lester Holt in the interview in Tehran whether Iran had plotted to kill Trump, Pezeshkian replied: "Never by no means."
Holt persisted, asking Pezeshkian if he would promise never to seek to kill Trump.
"Ever since the beginning, we never intended to do that," Pezeshkian said.
The US Justice Department in November unsealed murder-for-hire charges against an Afghan national it said was tasked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with assassinating Trump.
Farhad Shakeri, 51, who is believed to be in Iran, was asked by an IRGC official "to put aside his other efforts on behalf of the IRGC and focus on surveilling, and, ultimately, assassinating (Trump)", the department said.
"Shakeri indicated to IRGC Official-I that this would cost a 'huge' amount of money. In response, IRGC Official-I said that 'we have already spent a lot of money ... [s]o the money's not an issue'."
Iranian officials have repeatedly denied any plot to kill Trump. However, that contradicts several statements by high-ranking officials who have threatened the former US president in the past few years.
Following Khamenei’s proclamation of a “harsh revenge” against the US killing of Soleimani, his official account on X (then Twitter) published an image of Trump on a golf course under the shadow of a drone, hinting at his targeting. That post has since been deleted.
Khamenei’s official website also released an animation with the same theme, showing IRGC forces killing Trump using a robot.
Message of peace
In his interview with NBC News, Pezeshkian added that Tehran is committed to peace and de-escalation, in a dovish message likely aimed at the incoming US administration
"The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to peace and de-escalation in the region and globally, condemns the Zionist regime's war-mongering, aggression, and genocide, and stands ready for honorable and equal negotiations," Masoud Pezeshkian added.
The Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation for Human Rights in Iran reported last year that the Islamic Republic had kidnapped, disappeared or extrajudicially 452 people beyond Iran's borders in its nearly half-century existence.
Providing few details, Iran's vice president for strategic affairs said in a preview of an online interview that sanctions on Iran and its allies deepened security challenges and made them vulnerable to Israeli booby traps.
“Our colleagues had purchased a centrifuge platform for the Atomic Energy Organization, and it was discovered that explosives had been embedded inside it, which they managed to detect," he told the Hozour (Presence) online program.
It was not clear when the alleged incident occurred.
A power failure at Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment site in April 2021 apparently caused by an explosion was decried by Iran as an act of "nuclear terrorism".
The murky incident was neither fully explained by Iran nor claimed by Israel, which has repeatedly carried out cyberattacks and assassinations aiming at Tehran's nuclear program.
Iran says it is pursuing peaceful nuclear technology, while Israel and the United States believe Iran may ultimately seek a bomb.
Zarif detailed how sanctions compel Iran and its allies to rely on intermediaries, creating vulnerabilities that have allegedly been exploited by Israel.
“Instead of being able to order equipment directly from the manufacturer, sanctions force you to rely on multiple intermediaries for such purchases," Zarif said.
"If the Zionist regime infiltrates even one of the intermediaries, they can do anything and embed anything they want, which is exactly what happened.”
A series of coordinated explosions in Hezbollah's communication devices in September 2024 arose from Israel's diligent infiltration of those suppliers, he added.
“The issue with the pagers in Lebanon turned out to be a multi-year process, meticulously orchestrated by the Zionists."
The September incidents in Lebanon involved the detonation of around 5,000 pagers and 1,000 walkie-talkies, resulting in at least 32 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries.
Though Israel has not taken credit for the attacks, Israeli intelligence operatives appear to have covertly modified the devices, embedding explosives during a decade-long operation involving fake companies and deceptive distribution tactics.
In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) suspended communication devices, conducting inspections to prevent recurrence. The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization also banned electronic communication devices, barring mobile phones, on commercial flights.
"These are, in fact, some of the damages caused by sanctions, which have made circumventing them a necessity for us," Zarif said. "In addition to financial losses, there have also been significant security risks.”