Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Millions of Shiite Muslims — from Iran to Afghanistan and Pakistan — were marking the festival of Ashoura on Monday, one of the most emotional occasions in their religious calendar, commemorating the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein.

Security forces, particularly in Taliban-run Afghanistan, were on high alert for any violence. In the past, bloody attacks have marred the festival across in the Middle East, as Sunni extremists who view the Shiites as heretics seize on the holy day to target large gatherings of mourners.

08 August 2022; MEMO: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that, "False Israeli calculations reinforce Palestinian resistance and accelerate [the occupation state's] collapse." The IRGC was highly critical of the latest Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip.

Tehran, IRNA – According to the figures recently released by the Turkish Statistical Institute, the value of trade between Iran and Turkey increased by 37 percent to $3.365 billion in the 6 months of 2022, up from $2.448 billion during the same period a year earlier.

According to the figures recently released by the Turkish Statistical Institute, during six months of 2022, 61-percent growth in Iran’s exports to neighboring Turkey, reaching $1.904 billion in value.

Tehran, IRNA – Iran strongly censured the provocative act of desecrating the holy Quran and insulting Islamic sanctities in front of the Islamic Centre of Hamburg, Germany, on Sunday.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the insulting move is a blatant example of seditious acts and spreading hatred, which is categorically condemned by all Muslims, monotheists, purified consciousness and believers in coexistence and dialogue among religions.

TEHRAN, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's negotiating team is discussing the safeguards issues in the Vienna talks, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting between the Iranian negotiating team and the European Union deputy foreign policy chief Enrique Mora.

With regard to the progress of the new round of the Vienna talks on the revival of a 2015 agreement, Kamalvandi said "not bad."

TEHRAN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- While the ongoing negotiations in Vienna are aimed at the removal of anti-Iran sanctions, the United States keeps sanctioning as leverage to pressure the Islamic republic, an Iranian spokesperson told official IRNA news agency on Sunday.

TEHRAN, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iran's top nuclear official said on Thursday the Iran will reactivate the surveillance cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its nuclear sites only if the IAEA withdraws its accusations against Tehran.

Mohammad Eslami, president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was also quoted by the official news agency IRNA as saying that Iran seeks to achieve a "good agreement" at the Vienna talks that would safeguard its people's interests.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran, the United States and the European Union said Wednesday they would send representatives to Vienna amid what appears to be a last-ditch effort at reviving talks over Tehran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

It wasn’t immediately clear if other parties to the landmark accord would attend the surprise summit, nor if there had been any progress after a monthslong stalemate and fruitless round of indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. in Doha.

01 August 2022; MEMO: Iran's Intelligence Ministry said on Monday it had arrested a number of adherents of the banned Baha'i faith for links to a centre in Israel, and for proselytising in schools and kindergartens, Reuters reports.

The Ministry statement, carried by State media, did not say how many people were arrested or when the arrests were made.

TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's nuclear chief on Monday said although Iran has the technical capability to build an atomic bomb, it is not on the agenda.

"Iran has the technical ability to build an atomic bomb, but such a program is not on the agenda of the Islamic republic," Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told semi-official Fars News Agency.

Some Western countries have been making "false accusations" to "deceive the public," he added.