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Iran

July 16, 2026

Tehran 3:03 am

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BEIRUT, LEBANON - OCTOBER 13: Lebanese people wave flags and hold portraits of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (not pictured) as he arrives in southern suberb of Beirut on October 13, 2010 in Lebanon. The controversial visit is seen as a boost for key ally Hezbollah. According to reports Mr Ahmadinejad may visit the border with Israel - the site of recent deadly clashes between Israeli and Lebanese forces. (Photo by Salah Malkawi/Getty Images)

Ahmadinejad denies alleged Mossad plot to install him as Iran leader: What to know

The former president, who was a virulent critic of Israel while in office, was reportedly part of a Mossad plan to replace the current Iranian leadership.

A ship sails off the coast of Ajman on July 10, 2026.

Interview

Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF

The fund's Middle East director, Jihad Azour, told Al-Monitor that the big Gulf energy producers now have more capacity to absorb the shock.

Jihad Azour

Jihad Azour

Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund

Latest News

Analysis

How UK's IRGC designation raises stakes for Iran and Europe

A general view of the Iranian Embassy on July 13, 2026, in London, England.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Bahrain sentences 3 to life in prison over ties to Iran's IRGC: What to know

A photograph shows a damaged building in the aftermath of a drone strike in the Seef district of Manama on March 10, 2026.

Trump hosts Iraqi PM Zaidi as Iran war intensifies

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, DC, July 14, 2026.

Trump retreats from Hormuz 20% fee plan in pivot to Gulf investment deals

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

Investigators recover voice recordings from Ukrainian airliner shot down by Iran

Iran's civil aviation authority has sent to France the black boxes from a Ukraine jet it shot down.

Iran executes man it says spied for US and Israel

Mahmoud Mousavi Majd was found guilty of reporting the whereabouts of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian military commander killed in a US drone strike.

Zarif's visit to Baghdad foreshadows Iraqi PM's trips to Iran and Saudi Arabia

In today's Iran media review, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Iraq for the first time since Iran’s former Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was assassinated by the United States in January.

The picture illustrates United States 100-dollar bills bearing the portrait of US statesman, inventor and diplomat Benjamin Franklin next to Iran's various Rial banknotes, bearing a portrait of Iran's late founder of Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on January 18, 2012. The Rial's plunge, to 18,000 to the dollar hit a record low on January 18, based on rates in black market trading that the government has tried to ban. AFP PHOTO/ATTA KENARE (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP via

History repeats itself in Iran's currency exchange market

The Iranian rial continues to lose value against foreign currency, as exporters face high costs due to sanctions and the government continues a policy of forcing them to accept low exchange rates.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani walks past a portrait of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as he arrives for a news conference in the capital Tehran, on February 16, 2020. - Iran's President Hassan Rouhani ruled out resigning and vowed to see out his term, even as he admitted he had offered to step aside twice since being elected. Speaking ahead of a general election next Friday, Rouhani also appealed to voters to turn out despite the fact that many moderate and reformist candidates were disqualified f

Iran’s Khamenei nips Rouhani impeachment in the bud

Iranian lawmakers behind a motion to impeach President Hassan Rouhani immediately backpedaled on their bid after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly opposed it.

Iran claims Israeli ‘propaganda’ on nuclear facility attack

In today's Iran media review, Tehran claims that speculation regarding Israeli attacks are "propaganda."

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: U.S. President Donald Trump exits the Oval Office and walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on July 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. The President is traveling to the Atlanta, Georgia area to visit the UPS Hapeville Airport Hub and deliver remarks on infrastructure. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Intel: Trump joins chorus of Iranians urging halt to imminent political executions

President Donald Trump today joined the online chorus of Iranians warning the government against the imminent execution of three young men sentenced to death after participating in last year’s mass protests against rising gasoline prices.

A picture shows supertanker Grace 1 off the coast of Gibraltar on July 6, 2019. - Iran demanded on July 5, 2019 that Britain immediately release an oil tanker it has detained in Gibraltar, accusing it of acting at the bidding of the United States. Authorities in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on Spain's southern tip at the western entrance to the Mediterranean, said they suspected the tanker was carrying crude to Syria in violation of EU sanctions. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP) (Photo cred

Oil tanker sanctioned by US, later found off Iran was hijacked, says captain

A missing crude oil tanker subject to US government sanctions over alleged involvement in Iran’s oil exportation was hijacked, according to the ship’s captain.

Iran's envoy to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo speaks during a Security Council meeting after a vote on the Iran resolution at the UN headquarters in New York on July 20, 2015. The UN Security Council on July 20, unanimously adopted a resolution that will clear a path for international sanctions crippling Iran's economy to be lifted. On condition that Iran respects the agreement to the letter, seven UN resolutions passed since 2006 to sanction Iran will be gradually terminated, according to the text.

Rouhani warns against extension of Iran arms embargo

President Hassan Rouhani urged the remaining signatories of the Iran nuclear deal to stand up for multilateralism by rejecting US calls for the extension of an arms embargo against Tehran.

Iran shipyard incident latest in series of unexplained fires

A huge fire engulfed ships docked at the port city home to Iran's only nuclear power plant.

Ukraine rejects Iranian conclusion of 'human error' in downed passenger plane

Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by Iranian forces in January amid their strikes on US military positions in Iraq.

Intel: Democrats advance legislation to restrict Trump’s Middle East war powers

House Democrats advanced three provisions today that would broadly curtail President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct offensive military action across the Middle East — and the world — should they become law as part of the annual defense spending bill.