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Iran

September 13, 2025

Tehran 2:05 pm

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Protesters hold placard against executions in Iran during a rally against the Iranian regime in Rome on July 30, 2025.

Iran executions hit 913 this year as postwar crackdown deepens: What to know

The latest spree comes in the aftermath of the war with Israel and amid deepening domestic crises facing the Islamic Republic, which has repeatedly turned to executions when its survival is on the line.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty (C) meets with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi (L) and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi in Cairo, on Sept. 9, 2025.

Iran FM signs preliminary deal with IAEA chief in Cairo amid diplomatic push

The announcement of the agreement comes less than two weeks after the European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal triggered snapback sanctions, which will likely mean the automatic reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran within 30 days.

Chinese President Xi jinping attends a photo session for participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit 2025 on Sept. 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China.

China calls on BRICS to boost multilateral trade as Iran, UAE eye closer ties

The UAE’s and Egypt’s trade with BRICS members is on the rise, while Iran’s efforts to increase economic ties are complicated by sanctions.

A picture obtained on Dec. 14, 2013 from Iran's ISNA news agency allegedly shows the launch of the Pajohesh (research) rocket containing a live space monkey named Fargam (Auspicious) at an undisclosed location in Iran.

Iran eyes launch of 4 satellites, open Chabahar space port by spring 2026

Iran is set to launch four domestic-made satellites into orbit by next March, in the latest milestone for Iran's space program.

Latest News

Analysis

Iran turns to China, Russia to bolster air defenses as it preps for next Israel war

Traffic flows past a huge billboard showing a missile falling on Israel with the slogan "The missile has fallen amidst the demons," on a main road in central Tehran on July 16, 2025.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Analysis

Old sanctions, new risks: Iran’s economy hampered by war fallout, China reliance

Stacks of Iranian rials and US dollars sit counted on a table in an unofficial currency exchange shop, Tehran, Iran, Aug. 6, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Iran, IAEA officials meet in Vienna as UN sanctions clock ticks

JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Inside Israel's Yemen operation that decapitated Houthi leadership

MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Elizabeth Hagedorn

State Department Correspondent

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

Andrew Parasiliti

President and Chief Content Officer

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, national security

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

Bijan Khajehpour

In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics

Iranian presidential candidate Saeed Jalili arrives to attend an election campaign rally in Tehran on June 18, 2024.

Runoff seen likely in Iran's election as Jalili, Pezeshkian, Ghalibaf lead polls

The Islamic Republic is still facing the key challenge of voter apathy according to the latest opinion polls, while fierce factional rivalries characterized the live debates seen by only one out of every four Iranians.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for a news conference on January 9, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada had intelligence from multiple sources indicating that a Ukrainian airliner which crashed outside Tehran was mistakenly shot down by Iran. (Photo by Dave Chan / AFP) (Photo by DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How significant is Canada's designation of Iran's IRGC as terrorist organization?

Iranian Canadians have been advocating for designation of the IRGC for years, including after the downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight 752.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Former foreign minister of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, delivers a speech during an electoral campaign rally to support Masoud Pezeshkianin in Tehran, Iran, on June 19, 2024. Iran is holding snap presidential elections to choose the next president after the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. (Photo by Hossein Beris / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by HOSSEIN BERIS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Could Zarif tilt Iran's election toward long shot Reformist Pezeshkian?

By enlisting Mohammad Javad Zarif, Masoud Pezeshkian is sending a signal to the United States and the West, as well as to Iranians, about a possible change of course in Iran's foreign policy if he pulls off an upset next week.

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the ceremony of signing an agreement on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway.

Russia, Iran inaugurate Rasht-Caspian Railway: What we know

The railway was launched at a ceremony attended by Iran's acting president, Mohammad Mokhber, Minister of Transport and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash, and senior Russian and Azerbaijani officials.

Vehicles move past a billboard displaying the faces of the six candidates running in the upcoming Iranian presidential election in the Iranian capital Tehran on June 16, 2024.

In first debate, Iran’s 6 presidential contenders clash over sanctions, ailing economy

The first in a series of live debates was held as part of a campaign by the state broadcaster to instill voter enthusiasm and reverse anticipated apathy in a largely disillusioned electorate.

The Azerbaijan Army holds military pentathlon competitions on June 11, 2024.

Iran, Azerbaijan seek to move past tensions with joint military exercise

As part of its policy to build regional alliances, Tehran has been seeking to dissuade Azerbaijan against its warming ties with Israel, and to exert influence in the South Caucasus geopolitical calculations.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won in country's general election, in New Delhi on June 4, 2024. Modi claimed election victory for his party and its allies on June 4, but the opposition said they had "punished" the ruling party to confound predictions and reduce their parliamentary majority. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)

From Israel to Iran, Modi 3.0 eyes deepening of India's Middle East ties

India refuses to be restricted by its former Cold War commitments; as with any other power or wannabe power, only self-interest matters, and the oil monarchies of the Gulf top India's list of friends in the region.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani leaves after talks at the Coburg Palais, Vienna, Aug. 4, 2022.

Iran’s acting FM in Iraq for talks on bilateral ties, Gaza war

The visit is part of an ongoing regional tour that also took Ali Bagheri Kani to Lebanon and Syria and kicked off shortly after his appointment.

BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 31: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi talks to Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during a meeting at the Diaoyutai state guest house on December 31, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Noel Celis - Pool/Getty Images)

With China-Iran ties on rollercoaster, Tehran can only grit its teeth, hang on

Iran can get upset about China’s statement over Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, or they can express their anger at China, move on and focus instead on extracting the many economic and political benefits that they derive from their relationship with Beijing.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani leaves after talks at the Coburg Palais, the venue of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna on August 4, 2022. - The United States and the European Union's Iran nuclear envoys on August 3, 2022 said they were travelling to Vienna for talks with Tehran's delegation as they seek to salvage the agreement on its atomic ambitions. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran hopes to finalize 20-year pact with Russia as Bagheri Kani meets Lavrov

Despite lingering questions and skepticism at home, the Iranian government has been pushing the agreement as part of its overall strategy to build new alliances meant to mitigate Western political pressure and economic sanctions.

This pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik shows Russia's President Vladimir Putin attending a virtual summit of the BRICS group of nations (the bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, in Moscow on November 21, 2023. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE, Saudi, Iran, Egypt, Turkey FMs attend Russia's BRICS meeting

The BRICS foreign ministers meeting focused on diplomatic developments related to the Gaza war and efforts to ditch the US dollar in international trade, among other matters.

Iran lawmakers

With Larijani, Ahmadinejad disqualified, six main contenders in Iran's elections

Iran’s electoral Guardian Council has approved the candidacy of six political figures for the snap elections that follow the death of Ebrahim Raisi, rejecting dozens of other potential candidates.