Connect with us

Latest News

US ready to lift many sanctions but Iran says it wants more

Published

on

Photo credit Reuters

The United States has expressed its readiness to lift many of its sanctions on Iran at the Vienna nuclear talks but Tehran is demanding more, top Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi told state media on Friday.

“The information transferred to us from the U.S. side is that they are also serious on returning to the nuclear deal and they have so far declared their readiness to lift a great part of their sanctions,” Araqchi told state TV.

“But this is not adequate from our point of view and therefore the discussions will continue until we get to all our demands,” Araqchi said as indirect talks were scheduled to resume on Friday in the Austrian capital.

In Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden said he believed Iran was seriously engaging in the talks but it was unclear what Tehran was actually prepared to do for both sides to resume compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Asked at the White House if he thought Tehran was serious about talks, Biden replied: “Yes, but how serious, and what they are prepared to do is a different story. But we’re still talking.”

U.S. officials have returned to Vienna for a fourth round of indirect talks with Iran on how to resume compliance with the deal, which former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, prompting Iran to begin violating its terms about a year later.

The crux of the agreement was that Iran committed to rein in its nuclear program to make it harder to obtain the fissile material for a nuclear weapon in return for relief from U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions.

Tehran denies having nuclear weapons ambitions.

Latest News

Iranian envoy calls for Afghan solidarity amid escalating war with Israel

Published

on

Continue Reading

Latest News

UN confirms small number of Iranians seeking refuge in Afghanistan

Published

on

The United Nations has confirmed that a small number of Iranians, including dual Iranian-Afghan nationals, have crossed into Afghanistan following the outbreak of conflict between Iran and Israel.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), around 30 families with dual citizenship have entered Afghanistan, and a limited number of Iranian asylum seekers were registered on Sunday, June 22.

UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, stated that the agency is closely monitoring developments at border crossings and is fully prepared to support any Iranians fleeing the violence.

He also highlighted the broader regional displacement crisis, noting that since 2023, an estimated 3.5 million Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan—many under duress.

Jamal emphasized the need for all returns to be conducted with dignity and called on the international community to invest in Afghanistan’s long-term peace and development.

“We are at the borders – in Milak and Islam Qala. We are monitoring the situation and indeed we are ready to receive Iranians if they choose to come. At the moment, we have not observed large numbers,” Jamal said.

“We have seen about 30 families that have dual nationality – Iranian and Afghan nationality. And I believe that yesterday we may have received just some small numbers of pure Iranian cases, but it is not big numbers at the moment,” he added.

UNHCR is working alongside Afghan government institutions and humanitarian partners to strengthen returnee reintegration programs. Jamal further urged neighboring countries to continue hosting Afghan refugees in a humane and respectful manner, while reaffirming UNHCR’s commitment to supporting those displaced by the ongoing conflict.

 

Continue Reading

Latest News

Iran’s Supreme Leader cuts off all electronic communications amid assassination fears

It also notes that communications with senior military officials are now being conducted exclusively via one close aide.

Published

on

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly severed all electronic communications and retreated to an underground bunker amid fears of an assassination, according to a report by The New York Times.

The report, citing intelligence sources and Iranian insiders, claims that Khamenei, 86, is now directing the country through a trusted intermediary while avoiding any traceable digital contact.

The move comes as Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue into their second week, heightening concerns within Tehran’s leadership about regime destabilization.

“Ali Khamenei… has cut all electronic channels out of concern for his safety,” the report states, adding that the Supreme Leader is preparing for “worst-case scenarios,” including a potential coup.

It also notes that communications with senior military officials are now being conducted exclusively via one close aide.

In a striking revelation, the Times reports that Khamenei has made contingency plans to flee to Russia if the regime’s stability collapses. The Iranian leader has also reportedly formalized decisions regarding both military command succession and his own potential successor, identifying three senior clerics as candidates should he die during the crisis.

There has been no official response from Iranian authorities regarding the report, which comes at a time of extreme internal and external pressure on the Islamic Republic following U.S. and Israeli strikes on key nuclear sites.

The situation remains fluid, and analysts suggest these developments point to the most severe leadership security measures seen in Iran since the 1980s.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025 Ariana News. All rights reserved!