Tehran and Baghdad hold talks as five more Iraqi banks face US dollar ban

“We are not seeking war… We seek peace and tranquility,” Pezeshkian said Monday, according to semi-official ISNA news agency.

He criticized Western nations for what he called hypocrisy in their human rights advocacy, referencing the civilian death toll in Gaza.

“They massacred more than 18,000 young people and buried 20,000 women under the rubble, yet they claim to champion human rights,” he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks Pezeshkian hailed the role of science in addressing Iran’s challenges, urging reliance on scholars and elites. “There are many paths, but our solution lies in science,” he noted.

He also warned that domestic divisions fuel external hostility, saying, “Unnecessary conflicts encourage the greed of our enemies.”

The president’s remarks come amid international sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and its backing of armed groups across the Middle East.

It also comes after a statement from the G7 at the Munich Security Conference blamed Tehran for being the cause for regional instability.

“The G7 members unequivocally condemned Iran’s destabilizing actions, including its rapid advancement of uranium enrichment without credible civil justification, its facilitation of terrorism organizations and armed groups across the Middle East and Red Sea, its proliferation of ballistic missiles and drones, and its transnational repression and violation of fundamental human rights,” read the statement issued on Saturday.

Pezeshkian previously echoed similar calls for peace during a visit to Tajikistan last month, but has rejected nuclear negotiations with the United States in accordance with a directive by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“The G7 members unequivocally condemned Iran’s destabilizing actions, including its rapid advancement of uranium enrichment without credible civil justification, its facilitation of terrorism organizations and armed groups across the Middle East and Red Sea, its proliferation of ballistic missiles and drones, and its transnational repression and violation of fundamental human rights,” read the statement issued on Saturday.

The G7 ministers held a meeting on the sideline of the Munich Security Conference.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday and during his weekly briefing rejected the statement as politically motivated, arguing that Western powers themselves were responsible for fueling instability.

“The return of stability and security to West Asia requires these countries to stop their interventionist policies in regional affairs,” he said, referring to the United States, Canada, and three European members of the G7.

Iran pushes back on military, nuclear criticism

In response to criticism concerning the military capabilities of Iran, Baghaei said that Iran’s defense facilities follow all prevailing international laws.

“Iran’s military and defense advancements are necessary for national security and contribute to stability in West Asia,” he added.

Over the nuclear issue he dismissed concerns raised over enrichment of uranium as being politically driven.

“Our peaceful nuclear activities are fully in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and international safeguards,” he said, adding that Iran would continue its program based on its technical and industrial needs.

Baghaei accused the G7 of ignoring Israel’s nuclear capabilities. “The biggest obstacle to a nuclear-free Middle East is the Zionist regime, which has stockpiled weapons of mass destruction while enjoying full support from the same G7 countries,” he said.

Diplomatic outreach continues despite tensions

Despite Western pressure, Baghaei highlighted Iran’s ongoing diplomatic efforts, pointing to high-level meetings in Oman by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “These engagements are part of a broader strategy to enhance economic and political cooperation,” he noted.

On restrictions faced by Iranian flights to Beirut, he said discussions are underway with Lebanese officials. “We will not allow external forces to disrupt the strong historical ties between Iran and Lebanon,” he said.

Last week two flights from Tehran were banned from landing in Lebanon's only international airport.

On Friday, the second flight banned from taking off from Iran triggered protests in Lebanon from supporters of the Iran-backed group who blocked the road to the airport. The Lebanese army fired tear gas at protesters.

Responding to Israeli threats, Hezbollah funeral plans

Baghaei also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent comments on a possible attack on Iran.

“Such statements are a blatant violation of international law, and those who issue these threats should be held accountable,” he said.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his intention on Sunday "to finish the job against Iran" with the support of US President Donald Trump.

Regarding Iran’s involvement in the funeral of the assassinated Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel last year, Baghaei said Tehran will be participating at a high level.

The demonstration began at noon on Saturday, with protesters chanting slogans backing Pahlavi and delivering speeches denouncing the decision.

Organizers of the Munich Security Conference, which finishes on Sunday, confirmed to Iran International that the informal invitation to Pahlavi had been withdrawn after discussions with the German government.

“After consultation with the German government, Mr. Heusgen decided not to formalize the invitation to Mr Pahlavi,” they said, noting that Iranian opposition figures had until now, been regular guests.

The German Foreign Ministry acknowledged communication with the MSC but said that decisions on invitations were made independently. A source familiar with the matter told Iran International that Berlin feared Pahlavi’s attendance might jeopardize German dual-national prisoners in Iran.

Pahlavi last participated in the conference in 2023. Dissident journalist and women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad was invited to attend this year.

Earlier this month, the conference reinstated its invitation to Pahlavi after initially withdrawing it due to pressure from the German foreign ministry but then made a u-turn again, retracting the invite for a second time.

On Thursday, the son of Iran’s last king Reza Pahlavi accused the German government of bowing to pressure from Tehran. “This is a betrayal of both the Iranian people and Germany’s democratic values,” Pahlavi wrote on his X social media account.

“This German government has not only silenced the voice of the Iranian people but has actively done the Islamic Republic’s bidding.”

He said that threats from the Islamic Republic had influenced Berlin to retract his invitation to the conference. “The Ayatollah is pulling the strings in Berlin,” he said, adding that Germany’s actions amounted to “outsourcing censorship to Berlin.”

An official X account managed by US-based Pahlavi's office, criticized Germany’s approach, saying, “Instead of supporting those fighting for freedom, Germany has chosen to appease a dictatorship that murders its citizens, takes Europeans hostage, and sponsors terrorism.”

This marks the latest in a series of deportations under policies implemented during Donald Trump’s presidency, which have sent undocumented migrants to countries including Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama and the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei urged the US to uphold international norms in its treatment of immigrants. He said that Iran “will spare no effort in protecting its citizens abroad,” adding that the Iranian Interests Protection Office in Washington and diplomatic missions in South America have been instructed to assist deported Iranians.

“Iran is the homeland of all Iranians, and our compatriots can freely return to their homeland and travel,” Baghaei said.

This follows the deportation of at least 12 Iranian migrants who had illegally entered the US via Mexico. The migrants were detained and flown to Panama on a US military plane, a move that has drawn significant scrutiny.

The deportees say they were shackled and handcuffed during the transfer and are now confined to a Panamanian hotel under US government oversight. According to the deportees, the US appears intent on erasing any evidence that they had ever entered the country.

It is not clear how many applied for political asylum in the US, but some report being stranded without money, internet access, or legal counsel, and they fear being sent back to Iran.

Among them is Artemis Ghasemzadeh, who told Iran International TV that she and others were initially told they were being moved to a camp in Texas.

“The security personnel didn’t tell us where we were going, and when we landed, we saw Panama’s flag on their uniforms,” she said.

Ghasemzadeh described their current confinement, saying, “We are monitored, denied legal help, and terrified we might be sent back to Iran.”

Ghasemzadeh also said that many of the group had entered the US legally before or shortly after Trump took office. “The US says we are illegal immigrants, but we are not. We have all approved documents,” she added.

The deportees say they fled Iran to escape persecution for their involvement in anti-government protests or religious conversion to Christianity—both punishable by severe measures in Iran, including imprisonment or execution.

Iran has faced international criticism for its crackdown on dissent, with thousands arrested and hundreds killed during protests since the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini in custody. Several protesters have been executed without fair trials, and many others are at imminent risk of execution.

Panamanian officials have said the deportees will remain in shelters temporarily before being repatriated to their home countries. However, the group’s future remains uncertain as they contend with the fear of life-threatening consequences should they return to Iran.

Findings by Iran International show that while Iran’s oil sales to China dropped sharply last month, the decline in export revenues began months earlier, coinciding with US sanctions on dozens of tankers carrying Iranian crude.

The Biden administration imposed sanctions on dozens of tankers carrying Iranian oil after Iran’s missile attack on Israel in early October last year. While this initially led to a relative decline in Iranian oil offloading at Chinese ports, the real blow came in early January when China, fearing potential US sanctions under Donald Trump's administration, prohibited sanctioned oil tankers from entering Shandong port.

Iran’s only oil customers are small, independent Chinese refineries, known as "teapots," most of which are based in Shandong, where 90% of Iranian oil cargoes is discharged.

Data from Kpler shows that Iran’s oil deliveries to China fell below 850,000 barrels per day in January, compared to over 1.8 million barrels per day in October last year.

Homayoun Falakshahi, a senior analysis at Kpler told Iran International that Iran’s floating oil reserves have also tripled to 35 million barrels during this period. This explains the discrepancy between Iran’s claims of steady shipments and falling deliveries to China.

Most tankers are anchored in the waters off Singapore and Malaysia, while the Islamic Republic is seeking non-sanctioned vessels to transport the shipments to Shandong port.

Oil export revenues collapse, far exceeding decline in sales

Although Iran’s oil deliveries volume to China saw a relative drop in late 2024 and experienced a steep plunge in January, Iranian customs data indicates that the sharp decline in the country’s oil revenues began as early as October last year.

From March to September 2024, customs and government officials regularly reported monthly oil revenue figures. However, they had remained silent in since October until Iran’s Abdolnasser Hemmati, the minister of economic affairs recently referenced oil export revenues briefly in a tweet about the country’s foreign trade.

The latest data published by Iran’s Customs Administration indicated that the country had exported $23 billion worth of oil in the first six months of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 21 to September 21). No further official figures were released until Hemmati, citing customs data, announced that Iran’s oil export revenue had reached $30 billion over the past ten months.

In simple terms, Iran’s monthly oil export revenue has plunged from $3.83 billion in the first half of the fiscal year (March-September), to just $1.75 billion over the past four months.

It remains unclear why Iran’s oil revenues have plummeted far more than the drop in crude sales volume to China. However, it appears that latest sanctions by the Biden administration on dozens of tankers in October 2024 have significantly increased the cost of transporting Iranian oil to China, leading to a severe revenue decline.

Moreover, Iran’s oil exports to Syria have also halted in recent months following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government. However, with a daily export volume of only around 60,000 barrels, this alone cannot explain the halving of Iran’s oil revenues over the past four months.

Since October last year, the Iranian rial has also suffered a sharp devaluation, with the US dollar surging from around 600,000 rials to 900,000 rials in the free market—highlighting a major challenge for the Iranian government in meeting the country’s foreign currency needs.

Russia’s Challenge for Iran

In the final days of the Biden administration, Washington sanctioned over 180 oil tankers carrying Russian crude oil. According to Reuters, this move has caused the cost of chartering non-sanctioned tankers for transporting Russian oil to China to increase 3.5-fold. As a result, some previously non-sanctioned vessels that were involved in smuggling Iranian oil have shifted toward Russia, making it even more difficult for Iran to find non-sanctioned tankers to transport its oil to Chinese ports.

In this regard, TankerTrackers reported on February 13 that a very large crude carrier (VLCC), previously engaged in smuggling Iranian oil, is now en route to China with 1.9 million barrels of Russian crude.

Similarly, Kpler has confirmed that several large tankers that previously operated for Iran are now serving Russia.

Meanwhile, Russia’s floating oil storage has surpassed 88 million barrels, and it appears that the country’s logistical challenges won’t be resolved anytime soon.