Middle East

US trying to stoke protests against govt in Iran: Khamenei

Editorial Bureau July 31, 2020

DUBAI (UAE) – Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, blamed the US on Friday for trying to stoke anti-government protests in the country by imposing sanctions. He said they were targeted at making the country bankrupt. The clerical rulers of the country have tried to suppress

Middle East

Health Ministry says number of coronavirus cases in Iran crosses 300,000

Editorial Bureau July 30, 2020

TEHRAN (IRAN) – The number of coronavirus cases in Iran has reached 301,530, according to official Health Ministry figures announced on Thursday. Iran has reported the Middle East’s highest number of COVID-19 cases and infections and deaths have sharply increased since restrictions were eased in mid-April. The past 24 hours saw 226 deaths, thereby taking […]

Middle East

Lebanon’s Diab calls for caution as border tension with Israel heats up

Editorial Bureau July 28, 2020

BEIRUT (LEBANON) – Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Tuesday blamed Israel for violating the country’s sovereignty with a “dangerous military escalation” along the border on Monday. He called for caution after a spike in border tensions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said security forces foiled an attempt by Iran-supported Lebanese

Middle East

Foreign states may have carried out cyber attacks on facilities, says Iran

Editorial Bureau July 23, 2020

TEHERAN (IRAN) – Foreign governments must have been behind the cyberattacks on Iranian facilities said the foreign ministry on Thursday. The ministry also played down the possibility of outside states having a role to play in a series of blasts and fire outbreaks in military and other installations. Several incidents of fire and explosions have […]

Middle East

Teheran health officials play down Rouhani’s figure of 25m coronavirus cases

Editorial Bureau July 19, 2020

TEHERAN (IRAN) – Health officials on Sunday decided to play down the president’s figures that some 25 million people have been infected with the coronavirus. They said it was based on serological blood tests that measure exposure to the illness and could not be relied on to show the current condition of the disease. The […]

Middle East

As infections surge ahead, Iran reels from shortage of medical staff, hospital beds

Editorial Bureau July 16, 2020

TEHERAN (IRAN) – As Iran fights a second wave of coronavirus outbreak, hospitals across the country are reeling from acute shortage of medical staff and beds, said a senior official of Tehran’s anti-coronavirus task force on Thursday. Iran, which is the hardest hit Middle East country, began easing lockdown curbs in mid-April. The second wave […]

Middle East

Pompeo urges UN to extend arms embargo on Iran

Editorial Bureau July 8, 2020

WASHINGTON (US) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged the UN Security Council to prolong the arms embargo on Iran. He said the US and allies seized a vessel last month carrying weapons for Houthi rebels in Yemen. “The Security Council must extend the arms embargo on Iran to prevent further conflict […]

Middle East

Iran ready for discussions if US apologises over nuclear pact: Rouhani

Ren Leen June 24, 2020

DUBAI (UAE) – Iran would be open to negotiations with the United States if Washington apologises for leaving a 2015 nuclear agreeement and compensates Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal between Iran and six world powers in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, saying the agreement […]

Middle East

Iran’s Rouhani raises prospect of compulsory wearing of face masks in public

Ren Leen June 20, 2020

DUBAI (Middle East) – Iran is considering making it mandatory within days to wear masks in public places and covered spaces, President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, as the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases continued to rise above 200,000. “Mainly for crowded and covered areas…we may make (masks) compulsory in a week, more or less. […]

Middle East

Iran rejects US sanctions on Syria, vows to expand trade with ally

Ren Leen June 18, 2020

DUBAI (UAE) – Iran on Thursday condemned as inhumane a fresh round of US sanctions against its regional ally Syria, saying it would expand its trade ties with Damascus. The United States on Wednesday imposed its toughest sanctions focussing on President Bashar al-Assad to block revenue for his government and force it back to UN-led […]