Iran

21 Sep 2022; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said yesterday that Tehran is investigating the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody, and rejected American calls for accountability, Anadolu news agency reported.

In a post on Twitter, Abdollahian described Mahsa Amini's death as "tragic" and said she was "just like our own daughters".

TEHRAN, Sept 21 (NNN-IRNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said, his country is ready to help meet Lebanon’s energy demand.

Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks, in a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on important regional and global issues, and discussed bilateral relations, according to the report.

Sept 21 (Reuters) - Iran curbed access on Wednesday to Meta Platforms' (META.O) Instagram and WhatsApp, two of the last remaining social networks in the country, amid protests over the death of a woman in police custody, residents and internet watchdog NetBlocks said.

Last week's death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police in Tehran for "unsuitable attire", has unleashed anger over issues including freedom in the Islamic Republic and an economy reeling from sanctions. 

20 Sep 2022; MEMO: An aide to Iran's Supreme Leader paid condolences to the family of a woman whose death in police custody has sparked days of protests and promised their rights would not be ignored, Iranian media said on Tuesday, in an apparent effort to defuse tensions, Reuters reports.

19 Sep 2022; MEMO: Iran does not rule out the possibility of a meeting on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly in New York on reviving its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.

19 Sep 2022; MEMO: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani said Sunday, that Tehran is ready to conduct a prisoner exchange deal with the United States, whether the nuclear agreement is revived or not.

In an interview with the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Kanaani said his country had conducted negotiations "in different ways" with the United States regarding the exchange of prisoners, explaining that "now it is the decision of America whether this deal is implemented or not."

16 Sep 2022; MEMO: Russian President, Vladimir Putin, hailed growing ties with Tehran as he met his Iranian counterpart, Ebrahim Raisi, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Putin said Iran will soon join the SCO, a security group formed by Beijing and Moscow, as a full-fledged member. Iran signed a Memorandum of Commitment Wednesday for its permanent membership in the regional organisation.

12 Sep 2022; MEMO: A top Iranian military Commander said Iran has developed a long-range drone that is designed specifically to target the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari, the Commander of the Iranian army's ground forces, made the remarks in a program broadcast on State TV Sunday night, amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.

TEHRAN, September 12. /TASS/: Iran will sign an agreement to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at its upcoming summit, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.

"The process of Iran's admission [to the organization] is coming to an end. At the upcoming meeting of the SCO, an agreement will be officially signed on Iran's obligations to obtain the status of a member of the organization," he was quoted as saying by the ministry’s press service.

TEHRAN, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian army has developed an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of striking the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa, Press TV reported Monday, citing an Iranian commander.

The Arash-2 drone, with the capability to retrieve information before striking and destroying the designated target, "has been specifically designed to target Haifa and Tel Aviv," Kioumars Heydari, ground force commander of the Iranian army, said in an interview on Sunday.