IRGC celebrates Israeli military chief's resignation as victory

Azizi and Moradi were sentenced to death for “armed rebellion against the state” after what the resolution described as “unfair trials” involving “torture and solitary confinement.”

The European Parliament demanded their immediate and unconditional release, along with at least 56 other political prisoners on death row in Iran.

The resolution passed with overwhelming support, receiving 556 votes in favor, six against, and 42 abstentions.

The resolution also criticized Iran's use of so-called hostage diplomacy, highlighting the arbitrary detention of EU nationals, including Olivier Grondeau, Cecile Kohler, Jacques Paris and Ahmadreza Djalali. It called for their immediate release, saying that these detentions violate international norms and fair trial rights.

The European Parliament also condemned the death in custody of Iranian-German activist Jamshid Sharmahd, urging Iranian authorities to provide transparency regarding the circumstances of his death and to return his remains to his family.

Asked by a reporter in the Oval Office whether he would support Israel striking Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump said: "Obviously, I'm not going to answer that question."

"It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step ... Iran hopefully will make a deal, and if they don't make a deal, I guess that's okay too."

Without elaborating, Trump said he would be meeting various "very high-level people" in the coming days to discuss the Iran dossier.

Trump has long opposed foreign wars but has adopted a hard line on Iran, beefing up sanctions on its oil exports in his first term and pulling out of an international deal on Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Iran has denied seeking a nuclear weapon but Israel has long contended that a bomb in the hands of its arch-enemy poses an existential threat.

Trump has previously said that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon but has also maintained Washington should not pursue regime change.

A correspondent from Israel's Channel 12 quoted a Trump administration official as saying Trump is opposed to the idea of an Israeli strike and believes in a deal.

The President is alarmed at the idea of an attack on Iran, Yaron Avraham cited the official as saying. "He will want to reach a very restrictive deal that would stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and he believes he can reach an understanding with Iran."

"Moreover, he believes the Iranians will run to the negotiating table under his leadership.”

“Anti-coup forces must arrest Zarif upon his return to the country and subject him to interrogation," the secretary of Tehran’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Council, Momeni-Nasab, wrote on X Thursday. "Otherwise, the country will soon face more complex and highly dangerous crises.”

The criticism arose after Zarif signaled a softer line on hijab enforcement in a CNN interview on the sidelines of the Davos Forum in Switzerland.

“The Islamic Republic has decided not to pressure women regarding the hijab,” Zarif said. “If you walk on the streets of Tehran, you will see some women without hijab. Although this is illegal, the government has chosen not to put women under pressure.”

Tehran’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Council is a governmental body tasked with enforcing Islamic behavioral codes, including mandatory hijab laws. It plays a significant role in shaping and implementing the Islamic Republic’s social policies.

In November 2024, the council announced plans to establish a "hijab clinic" aimed at providing "scientific and psychological treatment" for women who defy compulsory hijab regulations.

In addition to Momeni-Nasab, Zarif’s remarks on the hijab issue sparked backlash on social media, with critics accusing him of misrepresenting the Islamic Republic's stance.

Many argue that the enforcement of the new and more restrictive hijab law has merely been suspended temporarily and it could be revived at any time.

Ultra-hardliners have doubled down on their criticism of Zarif’s remarks. They emphasize Supreme Leader Khamenei’s clear stance on the hijab, citing an April 2023 speech in which he declared that flouting the hijab was both "religiously and politically haram (forbidden)."

"The Supreme Leader has stated in his general policies that our approach should be based on dignity, expediency, and wisdom, and that we should maintain relations with everyone—except for Israel, which is a separate case as it is an aggressor," Pezeshkian said in a speech aired on state TV on Thursday.

He also pointed to China’s pragmatic approach to its relations with the US, appearing to suggest that Iran should take a similar path.

"Look at China with all its greatness. Despite the US calling it a threat and labeling it as its number one enemy in its books, China still practices tolerance. Why? Because it seeks to maximize its benefits in the world it lives in. We, on the other hand, cannot even tolerate ourselves, let alone our neighbors," he said.

Pezeshkian underscored the need for dialogue, saying that Iran must engage with the world through the language of peace, understanding, and integrity rather than "quarreling with everyone".

Pompeo and Hook were key figures in Trump’s hardline policies toward Tehran during his previous term, including the 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Citing four people with knowledge of the matter, the New York Times reported that intelligence assessments indicated Iranian threats to the lives Pompeo and Hook related to their deeds in office remain ongoing, which led the Biden administration to extend their security details during its term.

Earlier this month, the AP reported that Washington extended protection for Pompeo and Hook over threats from Iran.

Last month, the State Department informed Congress that the threats against Pompeo, former secretary of state, and Hook, former special envoy for Iran, are still “serious and credible”, which justify the renewal of their protection programs.

Citing one of the sources briefed on the matter, the report said that their State Department-funded security was withdrawn on Tuesday. A day earlier, Trump also terminated the Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser, who allegedly faces similar threats.

The report added that Biden administration officials had privately briefed the Trump administration about the ongoing threats to Pompeo, Hook, and Bolton.

“I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection,” Bolton said in a statement on X on Tuesday, adding that Joe Biden had given the protection despite his criticism of Biden's policies.

“The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hitman to target me. That threat remains today,” Bolton added.

According to the US Justice Department, Shahram Poursafi, an Iranian operative, attempted to pay $300,000 to have Bolton killed in Washington DC or Maryland.

Bolton also confirmed to the New York Times that he was contacted by two government agencies last week and informed that the threat level had not changed.