alarabiya – Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message on Thursday that the United States had been defeated in its war with Iran, as the Iranian leadership defied President Donald Trump’s warnings of a prolonged blockade. “Today, two months after the largest military deployment and aggression by the world’s bullies in the region, and the United States’ disgraceful …

alarabiya – Iran warned the United States on Thursday that its naval blockade was doomed to fail, after President Donald Trump signaled it could be enforced for months to come, in a confrontation wreaking havoc on global energy markets.Oil prices soared to a four-year high, with Brent crude for June delivery up 7.1 percent to more than $126 dollars a barrel, and …

iranintl – Taliban leaders and affiliated figures voiced support for Iran after Israeli strikes in June 2025 and later US threats, signaling a limited and conditional alignment despite longstanding disputes with Tehran. Despite a history of sectarian and political friction, recent statements from Taliban officials point to an alignment with the Islamic Republic during a period of heightened regional confrontation. …

iranintl – Iranians condemned selective access to restricted internet services as discriminatory and corrupt in messages to Iran International, urging others to reject the scheme in recent days. Dozens of citizens described the rollout of tiered internet, branded as “Internet Pro,” as part of a system of inequality emerging during months of widespread connectivity restrictions. Internet access was first cut …

Iranwire – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced in its latest annual report that Iran has dropped one place in the World Press Freedom Index compared to last year, ranking 177th out of 180 countries and territories. According to the report released today, Iran remains alongside China, North Korea, and Eritrea in the group of countries with the lowest levels of …

Iranwire – Twenty-one days after her arrest, Sara Sepehri, a 41-year-old Baha’i citizen, remains in legal limbo at Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, held without any specified charges. Ms. Sepehri was arrested by security agents at her private residence in Shiraz on Thursday, April 9. According to an informed source, Sepehri has had several brief telephone conversations with her mother over …

Iranwire – The Student Rights Defense Working Group at the Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) has reported that a number of students have recently received text messages demanding that they submit their legal defense via email by May 2. These messages were sent to students who participated in campus rallies during the January protests. The demand for an …

Iranwire – Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), responded to remarks made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the consequences of the ongoing blockade of Iran’s southern ports. Ghalibaf claimed that the Islamic Republic’s oil and gas infrastructure remains undamaged and that the country’s energy exports are continuing. He stated that Tehran is prepared …

RFL/RE – Iran’s currency has fallen to a record low against the US dollar as the two-month-long conflict rattles the country’s sanctions-hit economy. Air strikes by the United States and Israel, launched at Iran on February 28, along with the American naval blockade on Iranian ports and vessels, have disrupted Tehran’s vital oil exports, hampered domestic production, and fueled inflation. …

RFL/RE — The deepening military partnership between Moscow and Tehran has moved beyond simple arms deals and into a sophisticated cross-continental defense ecosystem, according to a former Pentagon analyst. Matthew Tavares, who specialized in Russian military strategy and US foreign policy, suggested the West is no longer facing a partnership of convenience but a strategic alignment that spans the tactical, operational, …