Mideast Crisis

The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency said Iran will seek to revive its nuclear program if given the chance but that Israel would thwart its ambitions to acquire a weapon.

US President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy (NSS) signals a more hands-off approach toward Iran and marks a departure from the outlook of his first term, according to veteran Iran-watcher and analyst Behnam Ben Taleblu.

US Senator Lindsey Graham on Tuesday expressed disappointment that Washington had not more clearly committed to toppling Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, calling his continued rule a boon to Iran and terrorism.

An Iran-linked hacker group said it was offering a $30,000 reward for information related to Israel’s military sector after releasing material it said identified people involved in designing Israeli missile defense systems.

Iranian tourism and media officials said reshaping the country’s international image, particularly after the 12-day war, has become a central challenge for the tourism sector, expressing the need for a coordinated and credible narrative to support recovery and growth.

Iran’s nuclear chief on Monday said the UN atomic watchdog has no right to demand inspections of sites attacked by the United States and Israel in June, deepening the stalemate over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Heavy Israeli blows on Iran and its armed allies in two years of fighting after October 7, 2023 earned a fragile calm in the region, Mideast analyst Merissa Khurma told Iran International, but only US-Iran diplomacy can win peace.

Australian authorities are investigating whether Iran may be linked to a deadly shooting at a Jewish holiday event in Sydney, according to a Jewish community leader cited by The Times of Israel, after police declared the attack a terrorist incident that killed at least 12 people.

Iran said accreditation for its newly appointed ambassador to Lebanon remains pending and expects the process to proceed naturally, playing down talk of a diplomatic rift after reports about the Lebanese foreign minister delaying the file.

Iranians are increasingly discontented with how their country is run but the Islamic Republic persists because of its ability and willingness to crush dissent by force, ex-CIA analyst and National Security Council director Ken Pollack told Eye for Iran.

Lebanon’s foreign minister has delayed processing the credentials of Iran’s newly appointed ambassador, the Lebanese pro-Hezbollah daily Al-Akhbar reported, marking the latest escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Iranian authorities have detained 18 crew members of a foreign tanker seized in the Gulf of Oman, state media reported on Saturday, saying the vessel was carrying 6 million liters of smuggled fuel.

The Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl hailing from Iran's Baluch ethnic minority announced it would change its strategy toward civil disobedience under a new umbrella group gathering like-minded factions, even as it continued deadly attacks on government forces.

Israel will not allow Iran to restore its air defense systems, missile infrastructure or nuclear facilities after a 12-day war in June and is prepared to strike again if Tehran moves to rebuild, a former senior Israeli general told Iran International.

Lebanon’s foreign minister said Arab and international parties have warned Beirut that Israel is preparing a wide military operation, while accusing Iran of playing a destabilizing role in Lebanon and the wider region.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Iran's nuclear program is "gonzo" after air attacks he ordered in June and that it faced "obliteration" if restarted, telling Tehran they could avoid more destruction with a nuclear deal.

Lebanon is one of Iran's key launchpads for regional influence via its longtime armed ally Hezbollah, but Beirut dealt a deep cut this week when its foreign minister curtly declined an invitation to visit Tehran.

The FBI on Thursday warned that Iran's campaign to avenge the US killing of Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani remains active and persistent.