iranintl – Iran’s top commanders sharpened their rhetoric against the United States and Israel ahead of expected diplomatic contacts in Oman, boasting of technical superiority and strategic endurance in the face of Western pressure. “Despite all their claims, the United States and the Zionist regime are ineffective in practice,” said Revolutionary Guard Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani at an event in …

Iranwire – A new round of high-level talks between the U.S. and Iran begins Saturday in Oman, with each side describing the negotiations differently to their own public. Abbas Araghchi will meet with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East representative, seven years after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei refused a message from Trump delivered by the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe …

Iranwire – An advisor to the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader said Tehran’s reluctance toward direct talks with the United States stems from viewing the American side as “spoiled brats who can surprise us.” Javad Larijani said, “The Americans are irrelevant – suddenly they open the door and say, ‘Forget it, let’s negotiate so we don’t waste time.’” He added that …

Iranwire – Iran said on Friday it is approaching upcoming negotiations with the United States with diplomatic intentions. “In earnest and with candid vigilance, we are giving diplomacy a genuine chance,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. He added, “We do not prejudge. We do not predict. We intend to assess the other side’s intent and resolve this Saturday. …

Iranwire – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism on Thursday about the upcoming nuclear talks with Iran, scheduled to take place this weekend in Oman. “We hope that will lead to peace,” Rubio said during a meeting of President Donald Trump’s cabinet. “We’re hopeful about that.” The negotiations, set for Saturday, will involve U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian …

Iranwire – Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, warned on Thursday that Iran may expel UN nuclear inspectors amid rising tensions ahead of scheduled talks with U.S. officials on Saturday. Shamkhani said that Iran could take “deterrent measures, including expulsion of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” if foreign threats continue. “The continuation of external threats …

Iranwire – Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib said there are “no serious signs” of an imminent foreign military attack despite the recent increase in U.S. military presence in the Middle East. His comments come as the United States has deployed B-2 and B-52 bombers to the Diego Garcia base and positioned aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf. Speaking at a …

Iranwire – Iran’s Sunni community is diverse, comprising followers of various Islamic schools of thought, including Shafi’i, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali. Many Kurds in western Iran follow the Shafi’i school, while Baluch and Turkmen communities predominantly adhere to Hanafi jurisprudence. Religious and legal diversity is not limited to Sunnis – Shia Muslims also follow different branches. While Twelver Shiism is …

RFL/RE –  Executions On The Rise In Iran: Iran continues to rank second worldwide in annual executions, Amnesty International has said in its latest report. Executions have risen steadily since 2020, largely driven by drug-related offenses. Activists argue the Islamic republic also uses the death penalty as a tool to silence dissent and suppress political opposition. • Nuclear talks in Oman: Iranian and US …

Iran Human Rights –  Mehdi Sharifian, Hadi Rostami and Mehdi Shahivand, three men sentenced to finger amputation for theft, are at imminent risk of having their sentences carried out in Urmia Central Prison. Given the Islamic Republic’s history of carrying out inhumane punishments such as executions, amputations, and other forms of corporal punishment during times when public and international attention is …