Israel, Hamas reach long-awaited ceasefire deal to end Gaza war

Former politician Abolfazl Hassanbeigi, who is permitted to express his views in Iran's domestic media, also cautioned the country's officials that Iran is likely to face two challenging years ahead.

In the interview with the conservative Nameh News site, Hassanbeigi suggested that with proper management, the situation could improve -- ultimately bringing the region in line with Iran’s interests.

In its analysis, Nameh News noted that recent developments in the region have led many to believe that Tehran's influence has been weakened.

The diminishing influence of Hamas and Hezbollah, coupled with the fall of Assad in Syria, and the rise of Joseph Aoun—viewed as a candidate favored by both the US and Saudi Arabia—as Lebanon's president, has led many analysts to conclude that the dominance of Iranian-backed forces in the region might be drawing to a close.

Several Iranian observers, including imprisoned government critic Mostafa Tajzadeh, have argued that the fall of Assad, along with Israeli strikes on Hezbollah and Hamas, signals the collapse of what Iran refers to as the "axis of resistance," a term Tehran uses to describe its network of allies and proxies in the region. These observers view this as a strategic defeat for the Islamic Republic, attributing Iran’s growing isolation and economic difficulties to Supreme Leader Khamenei’s commitment to the "axis."

Meanwhile, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, said last week that the election of Aoun, who has not been Hezbollah's candidate, does not represent a defeat for Iran.

Other reports suggest that the Houthis in Yemen remain the sole remnants of the so-called axis of resistance.

Nameh News dismissed the idea of the "axis of resistance" ending as a delusional, suggesting that over time, the prevailing perception might shift towards viewing the region as increasingly aligned with the US.

However, the outlet also noted that some analysts believe the "axis" has experienced similar fluctuations in the past but has ultimately been revitalized, continuing to influence regional developments.

The website also pointed out that "none of the two views reflect the whole truth. In fact, both of them reflect what the analysts like to happen. West Asia has always been giving birth to new developments that disrupted previous equilibriums. However, the main question is that where will Iran be standing and what role Tehran is likely to play in the region."

Hassanbeigi told Nameh News that Iran's regional strength depends on resolving its internal disputes, asserting that the country is powerful enough to deter opposition if united.

He criticized radicals in Iran's political landscape, particularly in the parliament, for undermining the presidential administration through psychological warfare and efforts to tarnish its image.

"The radicals think of themselves as a new political force and that they can do anything they want even if their behavior harms the country's national interests," Hassanbeigi argued.

Addressing tensions with the US, Hassanbeigi remarked that despite Netanyahu's efforts, Washington does not appear to view a war with Iran as being in its best interest.

He acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, "We face a couple of difficult years, but if we navigate this period effectively, the regional dynamics will shift."

He claimed that American policies often create adversaries wherever they intervene, as their excessive demands alienate others in the region.

The announcement follows the news that Iran's army received 1,000 new drones, bolstering its military capabilities.

"The Zagros will serve as the watchful eye of Iran's navy in the depths of the seas and oceans," Navy Commander Shahram Irani said during the unveiling ceremony.

The launch coincides with extensive military exercises aimed at safeguarding the country's nuclear infrastructure, including key facilities in Natanz and Fordow.

The drills, involving both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian army, are expected to continue until mid-March.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, announced on Wednesday that two additional exercises will be conducted in the coming days, focusing on passive defense to demonstrate maximum operational readiness.

The unveiling of the Zagros comes amid intensified and ongoing international scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program.

Tehran maintains its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes, a claim increasingly challenged due to its elevated uranium enrichment levels.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran holds uranium enriched to 60%, approaching weapons-grade levels.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated in recent years, especially after the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal during Donald Trump's presidency and reimposed sanctions. Relations were further strained by the killing of General Qassem Soleimani in 2020, as well as Tehran's support for regional proxy groups, and alleged attacks on commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Reports earlier this month suggested that the Biden administration considered potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities if Tehran continued its progress toward developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s investment in the Zagros and other military technologies underscores its focus on strengthening surveillance and defensive capabilities in response to regional and international challenges.

Admiral Shahram Irani asserted that the ship is domestically constructed and will play a key role in securing maritime domains, including the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

"The Iranian navy has successfully addressed the nation’s defensive demands through local expertise and advanced intelligence capabilities," Admiral Irani said.

"If Trump proves he follows through on his words, we will engage in talks with him," President Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting.

His comment followed the foreign minister's statement on state television the previous day, saying that Tehran would not engage in talks with the US unless Washington first rejoined the 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“We will not negotiate with the United States until it returns to the JCPOA. We will also continue consultations with China and Russia, considering them two key members of the JCPOA,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated.

This is not the first occasion on which the Islamic Republic has insisted on evidence of US intentions prior to entering into negotiations.

Since the Trump administration withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and imposed severe economic sanctions, Tehran has repeatedly called for the easing of these sanctions as a sign of Washington's goodwill.

Iranian and international media, along with analysts, however, anticipate Trump to intensify sanction enforcement to compel Tehran into make concessions.

NBC is scheduled to air an interview with President Pezeshkian on Wednesday, where, according to his aide, he will convey Tehran’s willingness to engage in talks with the Trump administration.

This apparent divergence in messaging has drawn attention and criticism inside Iran.

In a short version of the interview NBC released on Tuesday, Pezeshkian also denied that the Islamic Republic had any plans to assassinate Donald Trump for the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, a pivotal figure who led Tehran's military operations across the Middle East.

Efforts by the Biden administration to restore the 2015 nuclear deal included extensive indirect talks with Tehran in 2021–2022, which stalled after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia, a key JCPOA signatory, played a significant role in those negotiations.

Iran's government is under increasing pressure from a worsening economic crisis and regional military setbacks in the Middle East over the past year.

Inside Iran, Trump’s return to the White House has led many officials, analysts, and state media to advocate for preemptive talks with the incoming administration to prevent further strain in relations with the US.

Araghchi's comments elicited strong criticism from Hamid Abutalebi, a political advisor to former President Hassan Rouhani. In a post on X, Abutalebi charged the Pezeshkian administration with inconsistency and a lack of clarity in its foreign policy approach.

“It seems that the esteemed government is engaging in ‘political self-deception,’” Abutalebi wrote. “On one hand, the President sends a message signaling a willingness to negotiate, while on the other, his Foreign Minister, in tonight's interview, takes a stance against the President's position, effectively neutralizing it.”

According to the NSC statement issued in Hebrew, the operatives introduced themselves as journalists from the Persian edition of Al Arabiya -- the Saudi-owned media network with a presence in Dubai.

The Iranian agents, the statement read, reached out to the Israeli businessman via Telegram, inviting him for an interview on the topic of Iran for the news channel.

The team then attempted to plant malicious software on the Israeli man's device through links, "designed to grant them access to his mobile phone without his knowledge."

The businessman, suspicious about the messages, reported the account to security services leading to an investigation.

"The characteristics of the conversation and the invitation to conduct an 'interview' on the subject of the Iranian regime indicate that indeed Iranian terror elements are behind the approach. In fact, this was an attempt to lure the Israeli to Dubai with the intent to harm him," the NSC statement said.

This incident comes less than two months since Chabad emissary Zvi Kogan was murdered in the UAE, who Israel says was murdered in "antisemitic act of terror."

Kogan’s body was found near the Omani border.

Three Uzbek citizens have since been arrested in connection with the case, with UAE authorities saying they will take "take the necessary measures to uncover the details, circumstances, and motives of the incident."

In 2020, Jamshid Sharmahd was kidnapped by Iranian operatives from Dubai and forcibly taken to Iran via Oman. He was sentenced to death and executed in what Amnesty called a "grossly unfair trial" in 2023. Iran accused him of being the leader of a pro-monarchist terrorist group. Sharmahd and his family denied the claim. Amnesty International said he faced a grossly unfair trial based on forced “confessions", held in solitary confinement since 2020.

In 2013, Iranian intelligence agents are believed to have kidnapped British-Iranian businessman Abbas Yazdi from the car park of his Dubai company.

Israel saw a record surge last year in Iran-backed plots, rising by 400% in the wake of the Gaza war.

“During the year, 13 serious espionage affairs by Israelis were exposed and thwarted for the Iranian intelligence agencies, and serious indictments were filed against 27 Israelis,” a statement from Israel’s security agency Shin Bet said.

Israel is currently in the midst of a 60-day US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, while both sides accuse the other of dozens of breaches.

On Monday morning, the Israeli military said it had conducted a series of intelligence-based strikes on a number of Hezbollah military targets in Lebanon.

“Prior to the strike, the threat posed by the targets to the Israeli home front and IDF troops was presented to the monitoring mechanism of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and the threats were not addressed,” a statement said.

“Among the targets struck were a rocket launcher site, a military site, and routes along the Syria-Lebanon border used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah.”

The ceasefire is due to expire on January 26, but earlier this month, the head of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, said the group could well bypass the agreement.

“There is no timetable that specifies the resistance’s work, and our patience is linked to the appropriate timing to confront the enemy,” he said in a speech. “Our patience may run out before or after the 60 days, when we decide to do something that you will see directly.”

However, the new President in Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, has vowed to reduce the influence of the Iran-backed group as he takes the country into a new direction following years of Hezbollah political domination.

As Israel continues to fight Iran’s allies even further afield, on Friday, the Israeli air force also conducted strikes on military targets belonging to the Houthis, as missile attacks continue to come from Yemen.

“The Houthi terrorist regime has repeatedly attacked the State of Israel, its citizens, and civilian infrastructure in Israel, including with UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles,” a statement said.

Around 20 aircraft were used in the operation, with approximately 50 ammunitions, focusing on three main targets, the Israeli military said. Fighter jets refuelled during flights.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war, sparked by the Iran-backed Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, the Houthis have launched approximately 320 UAVs toward Israel, over 100 of which were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.

The group, which controls around one third of Yemen, has aligned with Hamas in a bid to force a ceasefire in Gaza. It has embarked upon a blockade of the Red Sea region which has hugely disrupted the global shipping route.

“The Houthi regime serves as a key proxy of the Iranian axis in the Middle East that is responsible for destabilizing the region and disrupting global shipping routes,” an Israeli military statement said following Friday’s airstrikes.

“Since the start of the war, the Houthis have launched approximately 40 surface-to-surface missiles from Yemen toward Israel,” the statement said.

Since September, Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah, once Iran's strongest ally, targeting its military infrastructure and leadership. Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza has also been dealt a huge blow in the long-drawn war, which has left most of the coastal strip in ruins.

But as the Yemenis continue their offensive, Israel remains on alert from the militant group which has taken the country off guard in its allegiance with Hamas and the Palestinian cause, with almost daily aerial attacks on the Jewish state.