Leader condoles demise of prominent Shia cleric

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has voiced his condolences over the demise of prominent Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussaini Shahroudi.

British envoy at Foreign Ministry for third time over tanker seizure

TEHRAN – British Ambassador to Tehran Robert Macaire was in Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday for the third time since last week over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

Chief diplomat says seizure of Iranian oil tanker “must end now”

Zarif calls British seizure of oil tanker piracy done on behalf of B-Team

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that British seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Gibraltar constitutes a concrete example of “piracy” which has been done on behalf of the B-Team.

U.S. holds Iranian scientist over transporting medical materials

TEHRAN - An Iranian scientist will go on trial in the United States after he was charged with violating trade sanctions by trying to transport to Iran medical material he uses in his research.

Iran won’t tolerate British piracy: Hatami

TEHRAN - Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said on Monday that Britain’ act in seizing Iranian oil tanker was an act of piracy which will not be tolerated.

U.S. asked Iran’s permission for limited strike to save face: general

TEHRAN – The commander of the Civil Defense Organization said on Sunday that the U.S. has sent a message to Iran saying it wanted to conduct a limited strike against the country in order to save face after Iran shot down its drone.

Tulsi Gabbard says war with Iran would be “far more devastating” than Iraq war

TEHRAN – Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard believes that war with Iran would be “far more devastating” to the U.S. than the war in Iraq was.

MP: Iran needs 90% uranium for maritime propellers

TEHRAN – A senior MP, Mojtaba Zonnur, has said that Iran needs to have 90% uranium to set maritime propellers working.

Britain should be ‘scared’ of Iran’s retaliation: cleric

TEHRAN – Britain should be “scared” about the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory moves over the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker, a member of the Assembly of Experts said on Saturday.

Reza Pahlavi to be featured in new Iran International program: report

TEHRAN – Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last dictator, will soon be featured in a TV program broadcast by the UK-based Iran International TV channel, which is linked to Saudi Arabia, according to Nour News.

Moscow condemns seizure of Iranian tanker

TEHRAN – The Russian Foreign Ministry has slammed Britain for seizing an Iran-operated supertanker off the coast of Gibraltar.

Turkey, Russia, Iran to hold summit on Syria in August

TEHRAN - Ankara will host a trilateral summit with the participation of Russia and Iran in August, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday.

Iran will enrich uranium as much as it needs, cleric says

TEHRAN – Tehran Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Movahedi Kermani says Iran will enrich uranium to any level and in any quantity it needs starting from July 7.

Iranian ambassador meets Turkish party leaders 

TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to Turkey has held a series of meetings with a number of Turkish political party leaders, discussing ways to boost relations between the two neighboring countries.

Iran in possession of ‘secret weapons’: general

TEHRAN – Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard, commander of Iran’s Air Defense Force, on Wednesday pledged to hand the enemies the harshest response in case of any hostile moves against Iran, adding that Iran is in possession of “secret weapons” to be used in the event of war.

INSTEX a preliminary step for Europe to implement its commitments: Zarif

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that INSTEX is a preliminary step for Europe to implement its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Novak says sanctions on Iran are ‘unlawful’

Iran is not cause of instability in Persian Gulf, Russia says

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that Iran is not the cause of instability in the Persian Gulf and that sanctions against the country are “unlawful”.

Iran won’t accept a weakened INSTEX, top MP warns

TEHRAN – Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee says Iran will not agree to EU’s trade mechanism, dubbed INSTEX, if it is aimed at putting all of Iran’s oil revenues into one place which could be taken advantage of by the U.S.

Iran denounces terror attack in Afghan capital

TEHRAN – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani has denounced a terrorist attack that killed and injured dozens of people in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Monday.

Ayatollah Khamenei names new military commanders

TEHRAN – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed the new deputy chief of the Iranian Armed Forces as well as the new commander of the Basij Organization, Mehr reported.

Minister: U.S. sanctions hampering Iran’s humanitarian projects

TEHRAN – Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Monday the cruel sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Iran prevent the country from implementing its humanitarian projects.

Zarif says Iran to make Washington talk to people with respect

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that Iran will not give in to pressure and will make Washington talk to the people of Iran with language of respect.

‘Iran pursues case of diplomat arrested in Germany’

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that case of Assadollah Asadi, an Iranian diplomat who was arrested in Germany, will be pursued.

By staff and agency

Mogherini says INSTEX is processing first transactions

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said that INSTEX, a special purpose vehicle aimed at facilitating legitimate trade between European economic operators and Iran, has become operational and is processing the first transactions.

Macron: Europe plans no immediate sanctions if Iran scales back nuclear commitments 

Europe has no immediate plans to follow the U.S. and impose sanctions on Iran, even if Tehran makes good on its threat to scale back its commitment to a nuclear accord, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday in Osaka, Japan, the venue of the G20 summit.

‘INSTEX is useless at resolving economic problems’

TEHRAN – INSTEX is a useless mechanism that cannot resolve Iran’s economic problems created by U.S. sanctions, an Iranian lawmaker said on Sunday.

Iran files complaint against U.S. over violating its airspace

TEHRAN – Iran has filed a complaint to the UN Security Council against the United States over violation of its airspace by a U.S. drone which was shot down by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps on June 20.

Kushner behind Trump’s withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal: writer

Donald Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner represents Jewish interests in the United States that basically caused the U.S. president to withdraw Washington from the Iran nuclear agreement, says an American writer and former professor.

Top MP calls new U.S. bans ‘ineffective’

TEHRAN – The newly-elected chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has described the fresh sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Iran as “useless, futile and ineffective”.

By staff and agency

Russia: JCPOA parties to help Iran export heavy water, enriched uranium

Russia has announced parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are tasked to practical measures to make it possible for Iran to export low enriched uranium and heavy water.