TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iranians vote Friday in elections billed by the moderate president as vital to curbing conservative dominance in parliament and speeding up domestic reforms after a nuclear deal with world powers. A pro-government coalition called “The List of Hope” is representing President Hassan Rouhani’s ambitions in the polls. Almost 55 million people are eligible to cast ballots that will ultimately elect 290 lawmakers. They will also vote in a second election to select the […]
Tag: Iran
Obama warns Russia ‘world will be watching’ Syria ceasefire
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Barack Obama put the onus for upholding a ceasefire in Syria firmly on the regime and its Russian ally Thursday, warning Moscow and Damascus that the “world will be watching.” Hours before the Saturday cessation of hostilities comes into force, Obama huddled with his top national security advisors to plot the way forward and discuss the campaign against the Islamic State group. “Everybody knows what needs to happen,” Obama […]
Iran starts talks on oil output levels
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — Iran’s oil minister started talks Wednesday with his Iraqi, Venezuelan and Qatari counterparts as investors watched whether Tehran would follow Saudi Arabia and Russia’s pact to freeze output. Iran returned to the global oil market just weeks ago after sanctions on its energy and banking sector were lifted upon implementation of a landmark deal on its nuclear programme with world powers. The Islamic republic has long said it must pump more oil […]
Iran’s Rouhani says “terrorism” main problem in Syria
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday (January 28) that defeating “terrorism” had to be Syria’s main priority problem, not who is leading the war-ravaged country. Rouhani said that the main issue in the devastating five-year war in Syria was the threat from the Sunni militant group Islamic State and their supporters, and not Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “The problem today in Syria and the region is not a question of ‘this person’ or ‘that […]
Saudi Arabia warns of ‘nefarious activities’ by Iran
The lifting of sanctions on Iran as a result of its nuclear deal with world powers will be a harmful development if it uses the extra money to fund “nefarious activities”, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Reuters on Tuesday (January 19). He said in an interview, the first direct Saudi comment on the lifting of sanctions on its bitterest regional rival, that Saudi Arabia would never negotiate on “our faith and our security”. […]
World reacts to lifting of Iran sanctions
Since the European Union and the United States on Saturday announced the lifting of their nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, members of the international community have been voicing their opinions about the historic event. The White House hailed the historic deal, saying it is the best solution available to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon without taking military action. “Now that Iran’s actions have been verified, it can begin to receive relief from certain nuclear […]
Iran holds 10 U.S. sailors; U.S. officials expect prompt return
Ten sailors aboard two U.S. Navy boats were seized by Iran in the Gulf on Tuesday (January 12), and Tehran told the United States the crew members would be promptly returned, U.S. officials said. A senior U.S. defense official said the U.S. had lost contact earlier in the day with two small craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain. U.S. officials told Reuters it was unclear how or if the boats became disabled. Iranian Foreign […]
DFA: No travel, deployment ban yet in Saudi Arabi and Iran
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokeman Charles Jose said that the Philippine government is yet to impose a travel or a deployment ban to Saudi Arabia and Iran despite the tension between the two countries. (Eagle News Service)
Curfew imposed on Yemen’s Aden after fighting kills 12
Government troops regained full control of Yemen’s Aden port on Monday (January 4), after hours of fierce clashes with gunmen who stormed the facility a day earlier. The government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has been grappling with lawlessness in the southern port since militiamen, backed by a Saudi-led Arab alliance, drove the Iran-allied Houthis out in July. The clashes were concentrated around the cargo and container terminals in Aden, which the gunmen had sought […]
Saudi-Iran crisis will not affect Saudi peace process role – Saudi U.N. ambassador
Saudi Arabia’s decision to break off diplomatic ties with Iran will not affect its own efforts to secure peace in Syria and Yemen, the kingdom’s ambassador to the United Nations, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, said on Monday (January 4). “From our side it will have no effect because it will continue to work very hard towards supporting the peace efforts in Syria, in Yemen, wherever there might be a need for that. How is that going to […]
White House urges restraint in Saudi-Iranian tensions
The White House on Monday (January 4) urged Saudi Arabia and Iran to show restraint in the crisis spurred by the execution of a senior Shi’ite cleric by Saudi Arabia. “We do continue to be concerned about the need for both the Iranians and the Saudis to de-escalate the situation. We are urging all sides to show some restraint and to not further inflame tensions that are on quite vivid display in the region,” White […]
End of Iran sanctions “not impossible” in January 2016, IAEA chief says
Iran’s aim of having sanctions against it lifted by the end of January under a deal with major powers is “not impossible”, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog monitoring its implementation said on Wednesday (December 16). Tehran is racing to keep its side of the deal reached with world powers in July, under which the sanctions that have battered its economy will be suspended in exchange for Iran severely limiting its nuclear programme. Iranian […]





