Former nuclear chief says Iran can build bomb, but no order given

The aircraft, formerly operated by Hong Kong Airlines and manufactured in 2012, landed in Tehran last month and were reportedly acquired through a barter arrangement involving Iranian oil and a Chinese company named Haokun Energy.

Each aircraft is estimated to be worth less than $30 million on the secondhand market, but according to ILNA, the planes were exchanged for oil at a total value of $116 million—sparking criticism over inflated pricing and lack of transparency.

ILNA reported that Haokun Energy, a little-known Chinese firm, had been engaged in multiple Iranian infrastructure projects, including a now-abandoned $2.5 billion expansion plan for Imam Khomeini International Airport.

The firm has allegedly failed to settle significant portions of its outstanding oil debts to Iran and previously agreed to broader commitments, including rail projects and the import of 55 aircraft, most of which have not materialized.

The Airbus A330-200 is part of the A330 widebody family, which includes several variants. New list prices vary by model, ranging from $238.5 million for the A330-200 to $317.4 million for the A330-900neo, according to aircraft market sources like Alternative Airlines and Simple Flying.

However, used aircraft—particularly those over a decade old—can be purchased for a fraction of those values, depending on condition, configuration and hours flown. Recent industry reports suggest that similar aircraft have traded for between $25 million and $40 million.

The delivery comes as Iran continues to struggle with an aging and shrinking fleet due to decades of international sanctions.

More than half of its passenger planes are grounded due to a lack of spare parts, particularly engines. Efforts to modernize the fleet following the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) stalled when the US reimposed sanctions in 2018.

Former roads and urban development minister Mehrdad Bazrpash had earlier taken credit for the aircraft acquisition on social media, saying that the deal was finalized under the previous administration.

Critics have questioned why a private firm was not allowed to manage the purchase more efficiently, and why a Chinese intermediary was needed for a transaction involving state-owned assets.

No official response has yet been issued by Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization or Iran Air regarding the pricing and terms of the contract. Calls for transparency have intensified, with lawmakers and aviation experts urging a full investigation into the deal.

A leading Iranian newspaper with ties to the Supreme Leader dismissed ongoing nuclear talks as fruitless and insisted Tehran will not abandon uranium enrichment.

“Neither Iran will give up its borderless right to enrichment, which is recognized in the NPT, nor will America abandon sanctions it uses as a tool against Iran,” the editorial said in Kayhan on Sunday.

The piece accused Washington of entering talks without any intent to compromise, describing both sides as locked into irreconcilable positions.

“The final stop for negotiations, from America’s view, is sedition and chaos inside Iran,” wrote editor and Khamenei representative Hossein Shariatmadari.

He accused Washington of using “contradictory positions” as a tactic to prolong talks while tying Iran’s economy to a stalled process aimed at destabilization.

The strike, called by the national union of truckers and drivers, has emptied highways, halted freight movement, and drawn in voices from across the country demanding action on long-standing sector grievances.

In a video from Kaveh Industrial City in Markazi province, a driver said: “Please respect each other. These men have debts, they have loans, but they stood their ground so we can fix things.”

Another video from Firoozkouh showed drivers refusing to take loads, stating: “Not a single truck moved freight today. Every driver is on strike.”

Protesters cite steep insurance costs, delays in diesel quota refills and low cargo rates as key reasons for the strike.

A driver from Dezful sent a message saying, “These trucks’ freight rates are too low. They either don’t get fuel or the diesel fuel cards are topped up late. Why has truck and driver insurance gotten so expensive?”

The scale of the action was visible in near-empty transport corridors. A driver on the Tehran-Isfahan highway filmed the road devoid of freight trucks, saying: “Today is Saturday, May 24. This is the Tehran–Isfahan highway, and there’s not a single trailer or truck in sight.”

Another video from Sabzevar showed trailers honking in unison.

In Kazerun, farmers were seen protesting the lack of available transport for their produce.

A driver from Zarand, Kerman, urged others to maintain discipline: “This video is from Zarand. No one should enter the city until we can support each other. Stand together.”

The drivers’ union, which earlier announced, “Our trucks are silent, but our voices are louder than ever,” said the strike would continue until authorities formally commit to resolving their demands.

“We won’t be deceived again,” the union said in a statement. “No driver will turn on the engine until our demands are officially recognized and enforced.”

Exiled prince Reza Pahlavi expressed support for the truckers’ nationwide strike on Friday, writing on X: “As one of the country’s vital economic pillars, your protest against unjust working and living conditions gives voice to the shared suffering of millions of Iranians crushed for years under injustice, incompetence, and corruption.”

Launched on May 18 in Bandar Abbas, the coordinated protest has since spread to over 35 cities, with truckers pledging to hold out for a full week or possibly longer if their demands remain unmet.

"Iran is ready to store its enriched uranium stockpiles under 1,000 meters of earth, wherever they (international community) say — but within Iran," said Brigadier General Hossein Daghighi, a top advisor to the chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

"We have said that we do not possess nuclear weapons, but now they say we should not even have enrichment — we do not accept that."

Panahi, who has faced imprisonment and a 15-year travel ban for his outspoken criticism of the Islamic Republic, received a standing ovation as Cate Blanchett presented the award.

In his acceptance speech, he urged unity among Iranians striving for democracy: "Let's set aside our differences. The important thing now is the freedom of our country, so that no one would dare to tell us what to wear or what film to make."

France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in a French post on his X account, "In an act of resistance against the Iranian regime's oppression, Jafar Panahi wins a Palme d'Or, reigniting hope for freedom fighters around the world."

The thriller, co-produced by Iran, France, and Luxembourg, was made clandestinely without official permission from Iranian authorities and features women not wearing the hijab, challenging Iran's compulsory dress code laws.

Panahi who managed to leave Iran and attend his film's premiere at Cannes after a 15-year travel ban, said on Wednesday he would be returning immediately to Iran after attending the Cannes Film Festival to begin work on his next film despite being free to travel again.

Panahi was released on bail from Tehran's notorious Evin Prison in February 2023 after he started a hunger strike.

Making history

Panahi has achieved a rare distinction in the world of cinema by winning the top honors at all three major European film festivals. His 2025 Palme d'Or adds to his previous accolades: the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Taxi in 2015 and the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for The Circle in 2000.

This accomplishment places Panahi among a select group of filmmakers who have achieved this triple crown of European cinema. The other directors who have earned this distinction are Michelangelo Antonioni, Robert Altman, and Henri-Georges Clouzot.