Iran Watch

Iran executes man for alleged spying for Israel, activists say he was tortured into false confession– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser September 18, 2025 0

Iran executes man for alleged spying for Israel, activists say he was tortured into false confession– abcnews.go.com
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Iran says it executed a man accused of spying for Israel, but activists dispute the claim, saying he was tortured into a false confession

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran said Wednesday it executed a man it alleges spied for Israel, something disputed by activists who say he was tortured into a false confession.

The judiciary’s Mizan news agency identified the executed man as Babak Shahbazi, who it claimed had gathered and sold sensitive information about Iranian data centers and security installations to Israeli handlers.

Activists however said Shahbazi was detained over writing a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offering his help.

Iran has supplied Russia with drones that Moscow has used to attack Ukraine.

The group Iran Human Rights had warned Shahbazi could be executed.

“Babak’s message to President Zelenskyy offering to help in the war against Russia was used as an example of espionage for Israel who they claim taught Babak to use Microsoft Word,” the group said. Iran did not acknowledge that claim.

Europeans say Iran has yet to take necessary actions to stop the ‘snapback’ of UN sanctions– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser September 17, 2025 0

Europeans say Iran has yet to take necessary actions to stop the ‘snapback’ of UN sanctions– abcnews.go.com
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — European officials warned Iran on Wednesday it had yet to take the actions needed to stop the return of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program.

The comments from the German Foreign Ministry and the European Union came after a call Iran had Wednesday with representatives of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

“The window for finding a diplomatic solution on Iran’s nuclear issue is closing really fast,” Kallas warned in a statement. “Iran must show credible steps towards addressing the demands of France, (the) U.K. and Germany, and this means demonstrating full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and allowing inspections of all nuclear sites without delay.”

The German Foreign Ministry separately wrote on the social platform X that “Iran has yet to take the reasonable and precise actions necessary to” stop the reimposition of U.N. sanctions.

Iran had no immediate comment on the call, though it had acknowledged earlier that the call would take place. Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier reached a deal mediated by Egypt to grant the U.N. watchdog access to all Iranian nuclear sites and for Tehran to report on the whereabouts of all its nuclear material. It remained unclear when Iran will make that report.

Britain, France and Germany threaten to reimpose sanctions on Iran as deadline nears– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser August 14, 2025 1

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BERLIN — The top diplomats of Britain, France, and Germany threatened to reimpose sanctions on Iran as an end-of-the-month deadline nears for the country to resume negotiations with the West over its nuclear program and cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

The three countries, known as the E3, wrote in a letter to the United Nations dated Friday that they were willing to trigger a process known as the “snapback” mechanism, which allows one of the Western parties to reimpose U.N. sanctions, if Tehran doesn’t comply with its requirements.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Nöel Barrot posted the letter Wednesday to X. He co-signed it along with top diplomats from Germany and the United Kingdom.

Iran’s regime preparing for Plan B?– www.americanthinker.com

pgnewser July 30, 2025 0

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After the recent Israeli war against the Iranian regime and the American attack on the Fordo nuclear site, the mullahs in Tehran are feeling the heat. This is the most fragile the regime has been over the past 46 years, and talk of regime change is spreading. For the past year and a half, some in the regime have been preparing for a plan B, in case they need to flee urgently. While that does not mean that the regime is about to fall, it is still a valid indicator of the nervousness of the leadership.

After Hamas, one of Iran’s proxies, attacked Israel by surprise on October 7, 2023, the Iranian regime and its allies have sustained major military and strategic losses at the hands of Israel. For instance, Hezbollah, from far its most powerful proxy, is just a shadow of itself after the elimination of most of its leadership, including its long-time ruthless chief Hassan Nasrallah. Therefore, apparatchiks of the regime started panicking, deciding that it was time to either turn against the regime by defecting and/or working for the Israelis or the Americans to build a life abroad.

Iran Stays Committed to Getting the Bomb

pgnewser July 25, 2025 0

Iran vows to press on with nuke enrichment despite Trump’s threats and ‘serious damage’ done by stealth bombings– www.thesun.co.uk
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IRAN has vowed to push on with nuclear enrichment – in a stark warning to the west following Donald Trump’s stealth blitz on Tehran’s nuke plants.

The pariah state pledged to enrich uranium, despite the 12-day war which started over fears the mullahs were dangerously close to getting a nuclear warhead.

How Assassinations of Iranian Scientists Set Back Tehran’s Nuclear Program How Assassinations of Iranian Scientists Set Back Tehran’s Nuclear Program– freebeacon.com

pgnewser July 22, 2025 0

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Israel successfully assassinated 19 senior Iranian nuclear scientists during the 12-Day War, depriving Tehran’s atomic “weapons program of its most capable and experienced personnel,” according to a new intelligence assessment by a leading nonproliferation organization.

The military campaign evaporated decades of nuclear know-how, striking at the heart of Tehran’s weapons program in a way kinetic attacks could not, according to the Institute for Science and International Security.

“This act weakened Iran’s base for building nuclear weapons, eliminating needed expertise and hard-to-get management experience,” the organization determined. “This time the Israeli effort is different, and recovering may be far more difficult and take far longer.”

BRICS group condemns increase of tariffs in summit overshadowed by Middle East tensions– www.euronews.com

pgnewser July 9, 2025 0

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The BRICS bloc of developing nations at their summit in Brazil on Sunday condemned the increase of tariffs and attacks on Iran, but refrained from naming US President Donald Trump.

The group’s declaration, which also took aim at Israeli military actions in the Middle East, spared its founding member Russia from criticism and mentioned war-torn Ukraine only once.

The bloc issued a declaration in which they raised “serious concerns” about the rise of tariffs which it said were “inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organisation) rules.” In an indirect swipe at the US, they said those restrictions ”threaten to reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains and introduce uncertainty.”

Lula also criticised NATO’s decision to hike defence spending up to 5% of member states’ GDP. He said it was “always easier to invest in war than peace.”

The declaration also criticised the attacks on Iran without mentioning the US or Israel, the two nations who conducted them.

BRICS leaders expressed “grave concern” for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, called for the release of all hostages, a return to the negotiating table and reaffirmed their commitment to the two-state solution.

The group’s 31-page declaration mentions Ukraine just once, while condemning “in the strongest terms” recent Ukrainian attacks on Russia.

Trump trade war, Middle East tensions overshadow BRICS summit – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser July 9, 2025 0

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Brazil is playing host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies Sunday and Monday during which pressing topics like Israel’s attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to be handled with caution.

Analysts and diplomats have said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit’s moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump’s radar.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has some of his priorities, such as debates on artificial intelligence and climate change, front and centre for the talks with key leaders not in attendance.

Lula said in his speech on Sunday that “we are witnessing the unparalled collapse of multilateralism” and that the meeting is taking place “in the most adverse global scenario” of the four times Brazil has hosted it. He called for the group to promote peace and mediate conflicts.

Brazil hosts BRICS summit, eager to avoid provoking Trump’s ire– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser July 9, 2025 0

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RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil will play host to a summit of the BRICS bloc of developing economies Sunday and Monday during which pressing topics like Israel’s attack on Iran, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to be handled with caution.

Analysts and diplomats said the lack of cohesion in an enlarged BRICS, which doubled in size last year, may affect its ability to become another pole in world affairs. They also see the summit’s moderate agenda as an attempt by member countries to stay off Trump’s radar.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will have some of his priorities, such as debates on artificial intelligence and climate change, front and center for the talks with key leaders not in attendance.

China’s President Xi Jinping won’t attend a BRICS summit for the first time since he became his country’s leader in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will make an appearance via videoconference, continues to mostly avoid traveling abroad due to an international arrest warrant issued after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The restraint expected in Rio de Janeiro marks a departure from last year’s summit hosted by Russia in Kazan, when the Kremlin sought to develop alternatives to U.S.-dominated payment systems which would allow it to dodge Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump threatens additional tariffs on nations ‘aligning’ with ‘anti-American’ BRICS– thehill.com

pgnewser July 9, 2025 0

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President Trump threatened to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on countries “aligning” themselves with the BRICS bloc of developing nations.

“Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Sunday evening.

The threat comes after members of the BRICS group issued a declaration on Sunday condemning the U.S. increase in tariffs, as well as the strikes on Iran — all without mentioning Trump by name.

The group’s statement raised “serious concerns” tariffs, saying they are “inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules” and threaten to “reduce global trade, disrupt global supply chains, and introduce uncertainty.”

Trump says countries aligning with BRICS bloc will face extra 10% tariff– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser July 9, 2025 0

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U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened an additional 10% tariff on countries that orient themselves along the “Anti-American policies of BRICS.”

Trump’s announcement, which did not elaborate on any specific policy of BRICS, came as the group’s meeting is underway in Rio de Janeiro.

The bloc’s leaders appeared to take aim at Trump’s sweeping tariff policies in a joint statement on Sunday, warning against “unjustified unilateral protectionist measures, including the indiscriminate increase of reciprocal tariffs.”

Without calling out the U.S., the leaders voiced “serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules,” warning that the “proliferation of trade-restrictive actions” threaten to disrupt the global economy and worsen the existing economic disparities.

“Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy,” Trump said in a post Sunday evening stateside on Truth Social.

Homan warns of possible Iranian sleeper cells who entered US under Biden– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

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Border czar Tom Homan revealed Sunday that 1,272 Iranian nationals were released during the Biden administration, who were among the “over 10 million people” who crossed into the United States illegally.

Homan’s warning comes after President Donald Trump announced on Saturday night that the U.S. struck Iran, in which “a full payload” of bombs was dropped on three nuclear sites in the country. The border czar was asked about the possibility of sleeper cells occupied by Iranians in the U.S., to which he reiterated his national security concerns posed by the last administration’s handling of the border and how it greatly contrasts with Trump’s security of it.

“So we’re not releasing people in this country, special interest aliens aren’t crossing this border undetected,” Homan stated on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. “But under Joe Biden, we had over 10 million people cross that border. But my biggest concern, from day one, beyond the fentanyl, beyond the sex trafficking of women and children, were the two million known gotaways. Over two million people crossed that border, we don’t know who they are, where they came from, because they got away because border patrol is so overwhelmed with the humanitarian crisis that Biden created that 2 million people crossed the border and got away.”

Homan went on to state that Trump’s intelligence community has been working “since day one” to figure out where the illegal gotaways are within the U.S. He also expressed gratitude that new leadership at the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are in place, namedropping FBI Director Kash Patel and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

Carney calls for de-escalation, ‘diplomatic solution’ after U.S. strikes on Iran – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

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In the aftermath of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for a de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East and for parties to “return immediately to the negotiating table.”

“Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security, and Canada has been consistently clear that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,” he wrote in a statement shared to X Sunday morning. “While U.S. military action taken last night was designed to alleviate that threat, the situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile. Stability in the region is a priority.

“As G7 leaders agreed in Kananaskis, the resolution of the Iranian crisis should lead to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” he continued, adding, “Canada calls on parties to return immediately to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.”

BREAKING: Trump at G7 says Iran now wants to talk—’they should have done that before’ | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser June 16, 2025 0

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“They have to make a deal, and it’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk, and they should talk immediately, before it’s too late,” the president added.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran has interest in de-escalating its current conflict with Israel and called on Tehran to begin discussions immediately, warning that it needs to happen “before it’s too late.”

Speaking to reporters at the start of a G7 meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, Trump confirmed he had received indications that Iranian officials are seeking to ease tensions.

“Yes… They’d like to talk,” Trump said when asked if he had heard that Iran was looking to reduce hostilities. “But they should have done that before. I had 60 days, and they had 60 days. On the 61st day, I said, we don’t have a deal.”

State Department Authorizes Middle East Evacuations As Iran Speculation Swirls– dailycaller.com

pgnewser June 11, 2025 0

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The State Department has authorized a partial evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq while allowing military dependents to leave various locations around the Middle East, U.S. and Iraqi sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The officials told Reuters the move was made due to “heightened security risks,” but did not specify which threats prompted the decision. Tensions between Iran and Israel have put the region on high alert as Israel has said its forces would strike Iran if ongoing nuclear talks do not bear fruit.

“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Reuters.

A big banner depicting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is placed next to a ballistic missile in Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran, on September 26, 2024 on the sideline of an exhibition which marks the 44th anniversary of the start of Iran-Iraq war. (Photo by HOSSEIN BERIS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh also said Wednesday that Iran could retaliate against U.S. bases in the Middle East if nuclear talks fail and the U.S. gets involved in a conflict with Tehran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized the voluntary departures of military dependents from U.S. bases in the Middle East, with the base in Bahrain housing the majority of the affected persons, according to The Associated Press. The U.S. has a military presence in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Iraq.

“President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad,” a State Department spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “In keeping with that commitment, we are constantly assessing the appropriate personnel posture at all our embassies. Based on our latest analysis, we decided to reduce the footprint of our Mission in Iraq.”

U.S. Prepping for an Earth-Shattering Kaboom in the Middle East? – PJ Media– pjmedia.com

pgnewser June 11, 2025 0

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Here we go again: “Heightened security risks” in the Middle East have Iraq embassy staff and dependents preparing to evacuate the country, according to State Department officials. A Pentagon official said that SecDef Pete Hegseth also “authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations across the Middle East.”

Reuters’s sources “did not specify which security risks had prompted the decision and reports of the potential evacuation pushed up oil prices by more than 4%.”

“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” is all that White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly had to say about it today. But sources told the UK Independent that the State Department also authorized “the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait.”

“Authorized” in this case means that State or Defense will provide and pay for transportation, if requested. It isn’t like an embassy spouse isn’t allowed to travel without permission.

‘Go after them and their families’: Islamist terror leader calls for assassination of Donald Trump, JD Vance in 30-minute rant; watch video– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser June 11, 2025 0

‘Go after them and their families’: Islamist terror leader calls for assassination of Donald Trump, JD Vance in 30-minute rant; watch video– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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An Islamist terror group leader has released a disturbing video calling for the assassination of US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several top advisers. He said their strong support for Israel was the reason behind the threat, according to the New York Post.

The Yemen-based figure is Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, who is the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).In a disturbing 34‑minute video titled ‘Inciting the Believers’, released on Sunday, the terror leader urged American Muslims to “take revenge” and strike at those he called “infidel Americans”.

He named Trump, Vance, as well as figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and billionaire Elon Musk. “Go after them and their families and all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians of the White House,” al‑Awlaki said.He further said, “There are no red lines after what has been happening to our people in Gaza,” and endorsed recent antisemitic attacks and prior assassination attempts on Trump, according to security sources.

The video also includes a broader incitement of violence against Jewish people in the US. “Do not leave a single safe place for Jews — just as they have not left any homes, shelters, or respite for the Palestinians,” al‑Awlaki said.

“Even hospitals are being bombed … Take revenge.”