Iran - The African Mirror

Jan

2021

Iran, Turkey block rivals from joining U.N. disarmament talks

EMMA FARGE TALKS aimed at overcoming a years-long deadlock over disarmament at the United Nations began in acrimony with two countries blocking rivals from taking part in widely criticised manoeuvres that sparked concern about the forum's future. Iran blocked Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from joining as observers, lashing out at the former's military record, while Turkey blocked Cyprus in a trend that marks a significant departure from normal U.N. protocol and might set a precedent for other bodies that operate on a consensus basis. Iran's delegate said that Saudi Arabia had used the forum as a platform…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

Iran denies seized Korean ship and crew are being held as hostages

WORLD

SANGMI CHA and JOSH SMITH IRAN has denied that it was using a South Korean ship and its crew as hostages, a day after it seized the tanker in the Gulf while pressing a demand for Seoul to release $7 billion in funds frozen under U.S. sanctions. The seizure of the MT Hankuk Chemi and its 20-member crew near the strategic Strait of Hormuz has been seen as an attempt by Tehran to assert its demands, just two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office in the United States. Iran wants Biden to lift sanctions imposed by outgoing President Donald…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

Iran says it resumes 20% enrichment at Fordow amid growing tensions with U.S.

WORLD

PARISA HAFEZI IRAN has resumed 20% uranium enrichment at an underground nuclear facility, the government has revealed, breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal. Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Iran's arch foe Israel, said the move was aimed at developing nuclear weapons and Israel would never allow Tehran to build them. The enrichment decision, Iran's latest contravention of the accord, coincides with increasing tensions between Iran and the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump's administration. Tehran started violating the accord in 2019…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

U.S. intelligence agencies say Iran, Russia have tried to interfere in 2020 election

WORLD

JOSEPH MENN and SARAH N. LYNCH U.S. Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has revealed that Russia and Iran have both tried to interfere with the 2020 presidential election. Ratcliffe made the announcements at a hastily arranged news conference that also included FBI Director Chris Wray. The announcement two weeks before the election showed the level of alarm among top U.S. officials that foreign actors were seeking to undermine Americans' confidence in the integrity of the vote and spread misinformation in an attempt to sway its outcome. "We have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran,…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Rouhani says U.S. can impose neither negotiations nor war on Iran

WORLD

PARISA HAFEZI IRAN’S president has told the U.N. General Assembly that the United States could impose "neither negotiations nor war" on the Islamic Republic amid heightened tension between the longtime foes over Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. "Iran is not a bargaining chip in U.S. elections and domestic policy ... Any U.S. administration after the upcoming (U.S.) elections will have no choice but to surrender to the resilience of the Iranian nation," Hassan Rouhani told the annual U.N. gathering in a video message. The U.S.-Iranian confrontation has intensified since 2018 when President Donald Trump withdrew the United States…