Iran
Iran and Russia unleash a contractual tsunami in several meetings
Iran and Russia are converging in sectors for the first time as both countries face off against the US and the West.
Russian, Iranian defence chief meet in Tehran to discuss the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met with Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, in Tehran on September 19 to continue building on good ties and discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
Will the Iran-US prisoner swap lead to better relations?
A rare deal came through between Iran and the US on September 18 that could potentially pave the way for further de-escalation in the historically tense bilateral ties.
Ronaldo lands in Tehran for friendly game with his team Al Nassr
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr football team arrived in Tehran early on September 18 for the first match of the Asian Football Confederation Champions League 2023-24 against Iranian club Persepolis.
Iran releases five US citizens after receiving €5.5bn of frozen funds
Iran has released five dual Iranian-US citizens and put the ex-prisoners on a Qatar Airways chartered flight out of the country, FlightRadar reports.
Unidentified air defence accident over northern Iranian city of Gorgan
Following the explosion of an unidentified flying object in Gorgan, the Chief of the Golestan Judiciary, Heydar Asiyabi, has announced the initiation of a judicial investigation into the incident.
Iran's petrol crisis: low quality, high demand
A new leaked document from the Iranian government has indicated that only 20% of the country’s petrol is Euro-4 or Euro-5 compliant.
TEHRAN BLOG: Iran's challenges remain daunting, one year after Amini's death
The causes of the protests – discontent with the theocratic ruling system, economic grievances, the fight for women’s rights – remain relevant one year on from her death in the custody of the country's morality police.
Iranians are returning to Dagestan after 300-year absence
Iranians are returning to Dagestan with a new group visa waiver programme between Tehran and Moscow. Locked away from Derbent for 300 years, direct flights to the region will start on September 20.
Iran becomes third-largest crude oil producer in OPEC as Saudi turns down taps
Iranian production hits 3mn bpd in August, rising by 143,000 bpd compared to July.
G20 powers get Erdogan’s back up with $17bn trade corridor that excludes Turkey
“There is no corridor without Turkey,” fumes Turkish president after announcement of $17bn India-Middle East-Europe infrastructure project.
Widespread internet disruption in Iran ahead of Amini anniversary
Iranian authorities are purposefully disconnecting entire regions and throttling speeds in Tehran in expectation of a repeat of protests over the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16 last year.
Russia and Iran: the Pariah Club
The war in Ukraine has led to unprecedented levels of Russian-Iranian co-operation in the military, economic, and political spheres. The rise of anti-Western hardliners in both Moscow and Tehran means that this co-operation is likely to continue.
Russia’s Sberbank launches direct bank transfers to Iran
Russia's Sberbank has entered into an agreement with Iran's Pasargad Bank to facilitate payment transfers between the countries for Russian citizens.
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Iran accuses US-funded network of plotting unrest ahead of Mahsa Amini's death anniversary
Iran has announced the discovery of a group they claim is backed by the US, aiming to incite unrest in the country on the upcoming anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini.
Iran's Internet censorship spurs lucrative VPN market, estimated at up to $600mn
High VPN usage in Iran, where officials claim a preference for domestic online platforms, reveals widespread efforts to bypass strict censorship laws, resulting in a substantial market and growing concerns amid government crackdowns.
Iranian ride-sharing group refuses to pay off cyber hackers after massive data breach
Tapsi has confirmed that hackers stole the data of 27 million users, in what is potentially the largest hack to date of any major Iranian tech firm.
Iran bans weightlifter for life after handshake with Israeli counterpart
Mostafa Rajae falls foul of Tehran's strict ban on interacting with Israelis at international sporting events.
Perspectives: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan building up for another potential round of fighting
An unusual constellation of outside players taking shape.