Hostage-taking by Iran has become ‘industrialised’, senior MP tells Nazanin Zachari-Ratcliffe December 28, 2022 Hostage-taking by states has become “industrialised”, according to the chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns made the claim as she appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme as it was guest-edited by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was imprisoned in Iran for six years until her release earlier this year. Zaghari-Ratcliffe also [...]
Iran seizes Greek oil tankers in escalation of Tehran’s spat with Western powers May 28, 2022 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized two Greek oil tankers, after the Iranian government said it would take “punitive action” against Greece over its seizure of an Iranian oil cargo last month. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) said it had seized two Greek tankers sailing in international waters off the coast of Iran. The seizures [...]
Boris Johnson tells Iran to ‘face up to consequences’ of its drone attack August 2, 2021 Boris Johnson has called for Iran to “face up to the consequences” of its drone attack on an oil tanker that killed two people. It comes after Iran’s ambassador to the UK was today summoned to the Foreign Office in the wake of the attack, which saw a British national killed. The UK has said [...]
Second-highest Swiss diplomat in Iran found dead after fall May 4, 2021 A senior employee at the Swiss embassy in Tehran today died after falling from a high-rise building where she lived, Switzerland’s foreign ministry has confirmed. An emergency services spokesperson told Iranian news agency ISNA that the staff member was a 51-year-old woman. She was the second-highest ranked employee at the embassy and had lived on [...]
Iran says Natanz nuclear site hit by terrorism April 12, 2021 An incident at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility yesterday was caused by an act of “nuclear terrorism”, the country’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said, according to state TV, adding that Tehran reserves the right to take action against the perpetrators. Israel’s Kan public radio cited intelligence sources, whose nationality it did not disclose, as saying [...]
Iran executes French-based dissident journalist captured last year December 12, 2020 (Reuters) – Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, who was convicted of fomenting violence during anti-government protests in 2017, was executed on Saturday, Iran’s state television reported. France reacted with anger to the hanging of the Paris-based journalist, which it called “barbaric and unacceptable” and said ran counter to Iran’s international obligations. Iran said on Tuesday [...]
German defence minister confirms US car tariff threat over Iran January 16, 2020 Germany’s defence minister has confirmed that the US is threatening to impose new tariffs on European car exports if they continue to support the Iranian nuclear deal. Yesterday, Washington Post cited European sources as saying the Trump administration was threatening a 25 per cent levy on cars made in the UK, Germany and France, over [...]
DEBATE: Is a new ‘Trump deal’ the answer to the Iran nuclear problem? January 15, 2020 Is a new “Trump deal” the answer to the Iran nuclear problem? YES, says Ben Kelly, a commentator for Reaction. Does anyone genuinely believe that Donald Trump’s objection to the Iran nuclear deal was based on detailed analysis of its contents? No. Trump rejected it as part of his obsession with dismantling Barack Obama’s legacy. [...]
UK ambassador to Iran labelled ‘persona non grata’ by Iranian judges January 14, 2020 The UK’s ambassador to Iran has been called a “persona non grata” by the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, who claim he contributed to escalating anti-government tensions. Rob Macaire was detained by Iranian police this weekend for attending a vigil for those who died in last week’s plane crash in Tehran, before later being released. Gholam-Hossein Esmaili, [...]
Barrelling towards conflict: How the oil market reacted to Iran-US tensions January 14, 2020 For good or ill, oil remains the lifeblood of the global economy. It is essential to industrial production, to how we transport goods (as well as ourselves) around the world, and how we heat our homes and generally go about our everyday lives. Rising oil prices can therefore act as a handbrake on global growth, [...]