European Parliament calls to end Iran's 'hostage diplomacy'

“Until now, I don't see any signal from Washington that they are ready to negotiate with the Iranian side while the Iranians are giving that signal,” Hussain told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“We are rather worried about the tension and we hope that both sides will choose a different approach. And that's the approach of, once again, negotiating," he said, expressing his country's readiness to play a role.

“The tension between Washington and Tehran, it affects us directly, not indirectly,” Hussein said,

Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian has conveyed Tehran's willingness to engage in talks with Washington but hardline factions have strongly criticized such gestures.

The remarks by Iraq's foreign minister follows reports suggesting Iran is actively seeking Iraqi mediation to facilitate talks with the United States, with which it has not had diplomatic ties since 1980.

An unnamed Iraqi political figure has been authorized to establish a special channel for discussions between Washington and Tehran, according to UAE-affiliated Erem News.

The presence of Iranian-backed Shia militias in Iraq is a key source of friction between Washington and Baghdad, despite the US describing its relationship with Iraq as a strategic partnership.

The outlet also said concerns are growing in Iraq about the potential repercussions of escalating tensions in the region between Iran, its military allies and Israel. With possible Israeli attacks on Iran, Iraq fears for its own security and stability, Erem News said.

The outlet added that Iranian political leaders representing Masoud Pezeshkian's government had informed Iraq of their readiness to engage in talks with the US. However, this idea continues to be rejected by Iran's Supreme Leader.

The proposal comes as Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday for his second, non-consecutive term as US President.

During his previous tenure, Trump introduced stringent measures to counter Tehran's influence, particularly targeting its nuclear program. The sanctions imposed by Washington during that time dealt a significant blow to the Iranian economy.

"The US has a long history of using such baseless, arbitrary listings and defaming independent countries as a tool to advance its foreign policy," Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by IRNA, Iran's state news agency, on Thursday.

On Monday, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump reversed the Biden administration's last-minute decision to remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House said.

The Cuban president responded late on Monday by calling Trump's decision to revoke Biden's measures an "act of mockery and abuse."

"Trump's goal is to continue to escalate the cruel economic war against Cuba with the aim of domination," Miguel Diaz-Canel said.

Cuba announced it would release 553 prisoners in a deal brokered by the Catholic Church after Biden's administration removed Cuba from the list.

Both Iran and Cuba are currently experiencing significant economic crises. Cuba is in its most severe economic crisis since the Soviet era, facing critical shortages of essential goods such as food, medicine and fuel.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to battle severe currency depreciation and hyperinflation in the worst depression since the founding of the Islamic Republic.

Iran has cultivated alliances with Latin American nations like Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, strategically positioning itself to challenge Western influence in the region through diplomatic and ideological channels.

Zarif's interview with CNN host Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday failed to satisfy both the public and the government’s hardliner opposition, according to the Rouydad24 news website in Tehran.

"In addressing the hijab situation, he angered the public, especially women, while his comments about radical factions’ confrontations with him provoked the ire of the government’s critics,” the outlet reported.

During his conversation with Zakaria on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, Zarif stated: "If you go to the streets of Tehran, you will find women not covering their hair. It's against the law, but the government has decided not to put women under pressure … We are moving in the right direction … It’s not enough, but it is a step in the right direction.”

He also told Zakaria that the decision not to enforce a new strict hijab law was adopted by the “leadership” of the country, that is, the heads of the three government powers and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), because Pezeshkian had promised it to voters. He added that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not involved in the alleged decision.

Addressing Zakaria's assertion that ultra-hardliners dominate Iran’s security policies, Zarif denied the claim and argued that he would not have been able to walk freely in Tehran if they had such influence.

However, he admitted that ultra-hardliners have been attempting to remove him from office by invoking a law that prohibits individuals with family members holding foreign citizenship from serving in senior government positions.

Criticism on social media

Zarif’s remarks on the hijab issue sparked backlash on social media, with critics accusing him of misrepresenting the Islamic Republic's stance. Many argue that the enforcement of the new and more restrictive hijab law has merely been suspended temporarily, leaving the possibility of its reimplementation at any time.

Hossein Selahvarzi, the former head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, criticized Zarif on social media, writing: “As the most recognized Iranian figure in international circles, Mr. Zarif, in addition to all his merits and capabilities, possesses two other remarkable talents: the ability to say things in Davos while fully knowing they are untrue, and the ability to return to Iran and look his compatriots in the eye [without feeling ashamed].”

The hijab law enforces extensive surveillance of public spaces to identify women who violate its regulations, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment. Businesses are required to deny service to unveiled women or report them to authorities to avoid facing sanctions themselves. Additionally, daily reports from Iran highlight that hijab police and clerics continue to harass women in streets and shopping centers for failing to cover their heads.

Ultra-hardliners react

Ultra-hardliners have doubled down on their criticism of Zarif’s remarks. They emphasize Supreme Leader Khamenei’s clear stance on the hijab, citing an April 2023 speech in which he declared that flouting the hijab was both "religiously and politically haram (forbidden)."

In the same speech, Khamenei accused "the enemy" of orchestrating plans to undermine the hijab and urged authorities to formulate a counter-strategy.

Notably, Khamenei has refrained from mentioning the hijab issue in recent speeches, sparking speculation that he might be concerned about the possibility of a strong backlash from the public.

Ultra-hardline publications also criticized Zarif’s comments on other topics, including his complaint about pressure from radicals.

In an editorial published Thursday titled “From whitewashing Trump to attacking domestic rivals,” Kayhan newspaper accused Zarif of making “out-of-norm remarks” and giving foreign adversaries ammunition to criticize the Islamic Republic.

The Revolutionary Guards-linked Javan newspaper similarly condemned Zarif for taking “his quarrels and grudges against domestic rivals to Davos” and singing “the ugly song of factional disputes,” for the enemies.

“These remarks undermine Iran's national security and authority,” Javan declared.

On Tuesday, at the World Economic Forum summit, Herzog was asked by conference interviewer Fareed Zakaria what message he had to convey to Javad Zarif, Iran's representative at the annual meeting.

”I’m not sure he's involved any longer in decision-making in the Iranian leadership, even if he has a title," Herzog replied.

Zarif, the VP for Strategic Affairs, was outraged at the public snub, retorting on Wednesday at the conference that Herzog is “a nobody in Israel”, when speaking at a round table at Davos.

The Israeli president snapped back with a public statement saying, ”Mr. Zarif, I suggest you look in the mirror”.

Zarif said: "Herzog can come to Switzerland because he is just another person in Israel; otherwise, he would have gone to The Hague like Netanyahu and Gallant,” delivering another sharp rebuke.

His comment referenced the International Criminal Court (ICC) proceedings against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

The two are accused of war crimes in Gaza, meaning that the 124 countries recognized by the ICC in theory, are able to arrest the pair.

While the ICC lacks its own enforcement mechanisms and the court depends on member nations to cooperate in executing arrest warrants, which they are obligated to enforce, Switzerland is one of the countries believed to be complying with the ICC.

During his Davos speech, Herzog called Iran an "evil empire" that spends billions to finance its military allies including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, which have been in a 16-month conflict with Israel since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in 2023.

"Iran is repeatedly investing billions at the expense of its citizens to create a base for terrorism, it's unbelievable,” Herzog told attendees.

"They are working even now and do not take stock of how they failed and how much sadness they caused. They continue to rush towards the bomb, constantly planning terrorist attacks all over the world, including in our region - especially the Revolutionary Guards [IRGC] … there is a great danger as long as this regime in Iran remains in place and continues its efforts.”

As the shadow war between Iran and Israel came to the fore last year, with Iran launching two direct attacks on Israel and Israel allegedly doing a brazen assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in an IRGC compound in Tehran, the two countries’ leaders continue with fighting talk.

In April and October, Iran launched hundreds of drones, rockets and ballistic missiles to Israel, sending millions of people into shelters.

“We believe that there should be a clear message from world leaders to Iran - no more,” said Herzog.

"Fighting gender apartheid is not merely a struggle for women’s liberation from systemic oppression; it is an essential step toward achieving democracy, peace, and justice. One cannot oppress and enslave half of society while speaking of democracy, freedom, and equality," Mohammadi said during her speech to the Delegation for Women’s Rights of the French Senate and National Assembly.

Released on medical leave on December 4, the prominent human rights activist was due to return to prison on December 25. Her lawyer requested an extension which was supported by medical evaluations, but the decision remains pending.

In her address, Mohammadi raised concerns about the rise in executions in Iran, including those targeting women political prisoners. She highlighted the cases of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi, detained in Evin Prison and facing execution.

"The Iranian regime is exacting revenge on women for the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement. Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi… now face the looming threat of execution. The regime wields the noose as a tool of terror to break the resolve of Iran’s brave and conscientious women," Mohammadi said.

Varishe Moradi was sentenced to death in November by Tehran's Revolutionary Court on charges of "armed rebellion." Pakhshan Azizi received the same sentence in July.

Mohammadi urged the international community, including the French Parliament and Senate, to adopt a firm stance on human rights in dealings with the Iranian government.

"Make human rights a prerequisite and the central focus of all negotiations. Any negotiations that sideline fundamental human rights, women’s rights, and civil liberties risk emboldening religious authoritarianism and undermining the Iranian people’s efforts for democracy, freedom, and equality," she added.

The activist has spent over a decade in prison and has been sentenced to 36 years, 154 lashes, and 135 days in solitary confinement.

Her human rights advocacy has earned her international accolades, including the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, UNESCO's Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, and the Courage Award from Reporters Without Borders.

The United Nations human rights office reported in January that Iran in 2024 executed 901 people, including 31 women, marking a sharp rise in capital punishment cases.

"To stop the ever-increasing executions and to achieve human rights and women's rights, put pressure on the Islamic Republic," she said as last year's tally was a record high for decades.

Calling on international support, she added: "Prioritize international mechanisms such as universal jurisdiction to hold regime officials accountable, rather than normalizing a regime responsible for crimes against humanity."