PARIS: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday ruled out Tehran ever giving up uranium enrichment in its <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-talks-with-iran-very-good-more-negotiations-expected" style="color:#0073e6;">negotiations</a> with Washington, insisting it will not be intimidated by the threat of war with the United States. Washington first threatened to intervene over Tehran&#39;s deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters, with authorities on Sunday arresting three prominent reformists accused of anti-government rhetoric. They also imposed another hefty prison sentence on Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, who was arrested before the protests, on charges of harming national security. Araghchi told a forum in Tehran attended by AFP that Iran had little trust in Washington and doubted that the US side was taking renewed negotiations seriously. He later said Iran was consulting with its &quot;strategic partners&quot;, China and Russia, about the talks. &quot;Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up, even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behaviour,&quot; Araghchi said at the forum. &quot;Their military deployment in the region does not scare us,&quot; he added, referring to the arrival of an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, in the Arabian Sea. The United States and Iran reopened negotiations on Friday in Oman for the first time since Israel&#39;s 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June of last year, which the US briefly joined. Iran is seeking to have US economic sanctions on the country lifted, in exchange for what Araghchi said at the forum could be &quot;a series of confidence-building measures concerning the nuclear program.&quot; Western countries and Israel, thought to be the Middle East&#39;s only country with nuclear weapons, say Iran is seeking to acquire an atomic bomb, which the Islamic Republic denies. &quot;They fear our atomic bomb, while we are not looking for one. Our atomic bomb is the power to say &#39;no&#39; to the great powers,&quot; Araghchi said. The US and Israel want the negotiations to go beyond the nuclear question and include Iran&#39;s ballistic missiles and support for armed groups in the region, issues Iran refuses to include in the talks. &#39;Peace through strength&#39;&nbsp;Washington&#39;s lead negotiators, envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, visited the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln on Saturday, the US <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-launches-onewayattack-drone-force-in-middle-east" style="color:#0073e6;">military&#39;s</a> Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The ship was dispatched to the Middle East several weeks ago as part of a military buildup in the region, following US President Donald Trump&#39;s threats against Iran. In a social media post, Witkoff said the carrier and its strike group were &quot;keeping us safe and upholding President Trump&#39;s message of peace through strength.&quot; The threat of war continues to hover over the negotiations, even as Trump called the talks &quot;very good&quot; and Iran&#39;s President Masoud Pezeshkian said they &quot;constitute a step forward.&quot; Following Friday&#39;s first round in Oman, Trump signed an executive order calling for fresh tariffs on countries still doing business with Iran. The United States also announced new sanctions against numerous shipping entities and vessels, aimed at curbing Iran&#39;s oil exports. At the Tehran forum on Sunday, Araghchi said ongoing &quot;sanctions and military actions raise doubts about the seriousness and readiness of the other side to conduct genuine negotiations.&quot; Arrests, sentencingThe talks between the two foes and the US <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-military-to-prioritize-homeland-and-curbing-china-limit-support-for-allies" style="color:#0073e6;">military</a> buildup in the region follow Iran&#39;s crackdown on anti-government protests that began in late December, sparked by economic grievances. Iranian authorities on Sunday arrested three reformist figures, including the head of Iran&#39;s Reform Front coalition, Azar Mansouri, the Fars news agency reported, listing charges that included &quot;targeting national unity&quot; and &quot;coordination with enemy propaganda,&quot; among others. After the demonstrations began, Mansouri posted on Instagram that &quot;when all avenues to be heard are closed, protest takes to the streets,&quot; later calling the death toll a &quot;great disaster.&quot; Meanwhile, jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was sentenced on Saturday to six years in prison on charges of harming national security and one-and-a-half years for &quot;propaganda&quot; against Iran&#39;s Islamic system, her foundation said in a statement. She was arrested after speaking out against the government at a funeral ceremony in December. The authorities in Iran have acknowledged that 3,117 people were killed in the protests, publishing on Sunday a list of 2,986 names, most of whom they say were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders. International organisations have put the toll far higher.

Men look at Iranian daily newspapers reporting on the first round of talks between Iran and the United States at a kiosk in Tehran. (AFP)

Middle East

Iran’s foreign minister rejects abandoning uranium enrichment as talks with the United States resume, while questioning Washington’s sincerity amid new sanctions, military deployments and threats of war during renewed nuclear negotiations.

Iran defies US threats to insist on right to enrich uranium

PARIS:&nbsp;Iran&#39;s foreign minister warned on Wednesday its forces would respond immediately and forcefully to any US military operation after President Donald Trump declared time was running out to avoid one, but did not rule out a new deal on Tehran&#39;s nuclear program. The Islamic Republic&#39;s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, warned its forces have their &quot;fingers on the trigger&quot; to &quot;powerfully respond&quot; to any US strikes, but also used language strikingly similar to Trump&#39;s to describe a possible agreement to defuse the stand-off through a new nuclear deal. &quot;Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL &mdash; on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation &mdash;&nbsp;which ensures Iran&#39;s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS,&quot; Araghchi posted on X. &quot;Such weapons have no place in our security calculations, and we have NEVER sought to acquire them,&quot; he added, restating Tehran&#39;s long-standing insistence &mdash; dismissed by sceptical Western capitals &mdash; that its nuclear program is focused only on research and civilian energy development. Earlier, before Trump&#39;s latest declaration, Araghchi had said, &quot;Conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful&quot;. But if some saw his shift in tone as an opening, Ali Shamkani, an adviser to Iran&#39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, posted more stark language warning of conflict and strikes on US ally Israel. &quot;A limited strike is an illusion,&quot; he posted on X. &quot;Any military action, from America, from any origin and at any level, will be considered the start of war, and its response will be immediate, all-out and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all supporters of the aggressor.&quot; &#39;Massive armada&#39;&nbsp;Hours earlier, Trump had warned that a &quot;massive armada&quot; of US naval vessels was heading to waters off Iran and ready &quot;to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.&quot; But, mirroring Trump&#39;s language, Araghchi added: &quot;Hopefully Iran will quickly &#39;Come to the Table&#39; and negotiate a fair and equitable deal &mdash; NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS &mdash; one that is good for all parties.&quot; After Trump issued his latest threat, his top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said the Iranian leadership was at its weakest ever point, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz predicted the Islamic Republic&#39;s &quot;days are numbered&quot; after this month&#39;s deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. Anti-government protests erupted in late December and peaked on January 8 and 9.&nbsp; Washington has expressed support for the revolt, but Trump&#39;s recent statements have focused more on Iran&#39;s nuclear program than the fate of the demonstrators. In June last year, the US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during Israel&#39;s 12-day war against the Islamic Republic. &#39;Severe damage&#39;&nbsp;Analysts say US options include strikes on military facilities or targeted hits against the leadership under Khamenei, in a full-scale bid to bring down the system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the shah. Following a Tuesday call between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and de facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iran reached out to other US allies in the region. The Secretary of Iran&#39;s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and expressed support for &quot;efforts aimed at reducing escalation,&quot; Qatar&#39;s foreign ministry said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meanwhile, held separate calls with both Araghchi and Witkoff, and stressed the need to &quot;work towards de-escalation,&quot; the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

Americas

Trump warned Iran to negotiate or face harsher US military action, as protests rocked Tehran, thousands were reportedly killed, regional leaders urged de-escalation, and Iran vowed unprecedented retaliation if attacked.

Iran vows to resist any US attack as Trump warns 'time running out' 

ISTANBUL:&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s&nbsp;top diplomat urged Washington to start&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/uk-france-germany-aim-to-restart-iran-nuclear-talks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">nuclear</a>&nbsp;talks with Iran in an interview broadcast Wednesday, as US warships arrived in the region ahead of a possible strike over Tehran&#39;s protest crackdown. &quot;It&#39;s wrong to attack Iran. It&#39;s wrong to start the war again. Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again,&quot; Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television in English. &quot;My advice has always been to our American friends: close the files one by one with the Iranians. Start with the nuclear issue and close it. Then move on to the others.&quot; Fidan&#39;s comments after a US naval strike force led by an aircraft carrier took up position in Middle Eastern waters, US Central Command said on Monday, without revealing its precise location. Washington has not ruled out new military intervention against Tehran over its harsh response to the protests, which according to rights groups saw thousands of people killed within days. Since Iran began its crackdown earlier this month accompanied by a nationwide internet blackout, US President Donald Trump has given mixed signals on intervention. NATO member Turkey, which shares a 530-kilometre (330-mile) border with Iran, has often expressed opposition to military operations targeting the Islamic Republic. Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the unrest in Iran as a &quot;new test&quot; for Tehran, pledging Turkey would &quot;stand against any initiative&quot; that would drag the region into chaos. He said he hoped diplomacy and dialogue would help Iran get through this &quot;trap-filled period.&quot; Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Fidan said the problems with Iran should be tackled individually. &quot;Do not treat them as a package. If you put everything together as one package, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest and truly process it,&quot; he said. &quot;In some cases, it may even seem humiliating for them. It would be hard to explain not only to themselves but also to their leadership.&quot; The minister made similar comments Friday, telling Turkey&#39;s NTV he had visited Tehran late last year, urging them to &quot;take steps&quot;, saying he believed an agreement with the US on the nuclear issue was &quot;possible.&quot; &quot;A friend tells the bitter truth, and I said what needed to be said,&quot; he said. Fidan also urged Iran to build trust in the region. &quot;When I was in Iran two months ago, I was very frank with my Iranian friends. They need to build trust in the region,&quot; he told Al-Jazeera. &quot;They need to pay attention to how they are perceived by regional countries.&quot;

Türkiye Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urges Washington to start nuclear talks with Iran as US warships arrived in the region ahead of a possible strike over Tehran's protest crackdown

Türkiye urges US to start nuclear talks with Iran

TEHRAN: The son of Iran&#39;s president, who is also a government adviser, on Saturday called for internet connectivity to be restored, warning that the more than two-week blackout there would exacerbate anti-government&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-internet-to-gradually-return-to-normal" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">sentiment</a>. Yousef Pezeshkian, whose father, Masoud, was elected president in 2024, said, &quot;Keeping the internet shut will create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government.&quot; &quot;This means those who were not and are not dissatisfied will be added to the list of the dissatisfied,&quot; he wrote in a Telegram post that was later picked up by the official IRNA news agency. Such a risk, he said, was greater than that of a return to protests if connectivity were restored. Iran&#39;s more than 90 million people have been largely cut off from the internet since authorities imposed a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-3117-killed-in-protests-sparked-by-economic-grievances" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">blackout</a> on Jan. 8 amid major protests sweeping the country. Under the cover of the blackout, they launched a deadly crackdown on protesters, with rights groups documenting several thousand dead and the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights saying the final figure could top 25,000. The Iranian government has put the toll at 3,117, including 2,427 it has labelled &quot;martyrs,&quot; a term used to distinguish members of the security forces and innocent bystanders from those described by authorities as &quot;rioters&quot; incited by the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-still-watching-iran-fleet-sailing-to-region" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">US</a> and Israel. The younger Pezeshkian, a media adviser to the presidency, said he did not know when internet access would be restored. He pointed to concerns about the &quot;release of videos and images related to last week&#39;s &#39;protests that turned violent&#39;&quot; as a reason the internet remained cut off, but criticised the logic. Quoting a Persian proverb, he posted &quot;&#39;He whose account is clean has nothing to fear from scrutiny.&#39;&quot; The president&#39;s son blamed foreign interference for the protests&#39; violent turn, but said &quot;the security and law enforcement forces may have made mistakes that no one intends to defend and that must be addressed.&quot; He went on to say that &quot;the release of films is something we will have to face sooner or later. Shutting down the internet won&#39;t solve anything; it will just postpone the issue.&quot;

Yousef Pezeshkian, whose father Masoud was elected president in 2024, said, 'Keeping the internet shut will create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government.'

Son of Iranian president calls for end to internet blackout

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, on Thursday said that the country hoped for an &ldquo;early normalization of the situation in Iran,&rdquo; expressing support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at regional peace and stability.&nbsp; &ldquo;A stable and peaceful Iran is in the interest of Pakistan, the region, and beyond,&rdquo; Iftikhar said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 656px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011947345001263561&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=96e8984ea63531ead039973a37444360eb38ffd7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Unrest in Iran began last week as traders and shopkeepers protested over economic difficulties. Tehran has asserted that the protests were &ldquo;hijacked&rdquo; by armed groups with foreign backing. Separately, earlier this week, US President Donald Trump repeatedly talked in recent days about coming to the aid of the Iranian people through military action over the crackdown on protests. While speaking at the UN Security Council, Iftikhar said that Pakistan was &ldquo;carefully observing developments in Iran and the region in recent days,&rdquo; stating that &ldquo;new threats to regional peace and stability are emerging at a time of heightened tensions and thus remain a serious cause of concern.&rdquo; &ldquo;Iran is an immediate neighbor of Pakistan and a brotherly country. The people of our two nations share deep-rooted historical, friendly, cultural, and religious bonds,&rdquo; the Ambassador said, according to the statement on X.&nbsp; The ambassador said that Pakistan had &ldquo;full confidence&rdquo; in the wisdom of the Iranian people and leadership, &ldquo;rooted in their rich culture, ancient civilization, history, and resilience to address all challenges.&rdquo; He added that any &ldquo;external interference in the domestic affairs of states&rdquo; was inconsistent with international law and principles of the UN Charter. &ldquo;We strongly believe that all disputes must be resolved through peaceful means and in accordance with international law,&rdquo; the ambassador said, adding that &ldquo;continued hostilities, use of force and unilateral actions will only take us further away from the resolution of core issues and cause unnecessary humanitarian suffering.&rdquo; He called for all parties to exercise &ldquo;restraint, act responsibly, [and] strictly stay within the bounds of international law.&rdquo;&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 769px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011929722062581951&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=96e8984ea63531ead039973a37444360eb38ffd7&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" spellcheck="false">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving negotiated settlement of all contentious issues in accordance with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of the parties concerned,&rdquo; the statement said while quoting the ambassador.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ambassador Iftikhar reiterated that Pakistan consistently advocated the &ldquo;primacy of diplomatic engagement and the imperative of avoiding confrontation and conflict in a region already beset by tensions and volatility.&rdquo; &ldquo;We sincerely hope that the situation in Iran will soon return to calm and normalcy, free from any internal turmoil or external pressure, and all relevant parties will return to the negotiating table to find a lasting solution to their differences, based on mutual respect and understanding,&rdquo; Ambassador Iftikhar said.

Foreign Affairs

Ambassador Iftikhar calls for all parties to exercise 'restraint, act responsibly, strictly stay within the bounds of international law'; says 'diplomacy, dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving a negotiated settlement.'

Pakistan hopes for ‘early normalization’ in Iran, expresses full diplomatic support 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said it hopes for a peaceful and stable Iran, reaffirming its support for diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions, while sharply criticising India over the conviction of Kashmiri leaders as &ldquo;baseless&rdquo; allegations by the Indian military. Responding to questions during the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan viewed stability in Iran as vital for the region. &ldquo;Pakistan hopes that peace and stability will prevail and reaffirms its support for all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the situation,&rdquo; he said. Describing Iran as a &ldquo;neighbor, friend and brotherly country,&rdquo; Andrabi said Pakistan wished to see a &ldquo;peaceful, stable and prosperous Iran.&rdquo; He pointed to deep historical, cultural, and religious ties between the two countries and praised the Iranian people for what he called their &ldquo;remarkable courage and resolve&rdquo; in confronting past challenges. He added that Pakistan hoped the recently announced livelihood and financial support measures by the Iranian government for traders and the general public would help ease economic hardships. &ldquo;A stable and peaceful Iran, free from domestic unrest or political upheaval, is in Pakistan&rsquo;s interest,&rdquo; the spokesperson said. Condemns conviction of Kashmiri leaderAddressing the conviction of Asiya Andrabi, head of the banned Dukhtaran-e-Millat, under India&rsquo;s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Andrabi condemned the ruling along with the convictions of her associates Fehmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen. He described the cases as &ldquo;another fabricated case after sham trials,&rdquo; accusing New Delhi of systematically misusing anti-terror laws to silence dissent in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). &ldquo;This conviction underscores the continued misuse of draconian laws to silence legitimate political voices,&rdquo; he said, adding that Andrabi had been imprisoned for &ldquo;peacefully advocating the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people.&rdquo; According to the Foreign Office, the convictions reflect a broader pattern of reprisals and intimidation against Kashmiri political leadership. &ldquo;Asiya Andrabi Sahiba has already languished for more than eight years in prison,&rdquo; the spokesperson said, calling it a stark example of what he described as systemic repression of Kashmiris asserting their right to self-determination. Pakistan reiterated its &ldquo;steadfast diplomatic, political and moral support&rdquo; for the Kashmiri people and their struggle for self-determination in line with United Nations resolutions. Rejects Indian army chief&rsquo;s claimsThe Foreign Office also rejected recent remarks by the Indian Army chief alleging the presence of militant camps in Pakistan. &ldquo;Pakistan has made unparalleled sacrifices in blood and treasure in combating terrorism,&rdquo; Andrabi said, adding that these efforts had been acknowledged by the international community. He described Indian statements as &ldquo;clich&eacute;d, habitual and delusional rhetoric&rdquo; aimed at exploiting terrorism for domestic political gains, warning that such claims only further damage India&rsquo;s credibility. The spokesperson cited the arrest of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, a serving Indian naval officer convicted by Pakistan of espionage and terrorism, and accused India of financing and facilitating militant proxies against Pakistan, including from Afghan territory. Pakistan urged India to abandon what it called baseless allegations and instead confront &ldquo;growing extremism and religiously motivated terrorism&rdquo; at home, including what it described as state-facilitated Islamophobia, which it said posed risks not only to Indian society but also to regional stability.

Foreign Office spokesperson says Pakistan views stability in Iran as vital for the region; hopes peace, stability will prevail, reaffirms support for all efforts aimed at a peaceful resolution of the situation."


Pakistan urges calm in Iran, condemns India over Kashmir convictions

ISLAMABAD: &nbsp;Iran&rsquo;s Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam has said that the recent unrest in Iran was not a popular uprising, but a wave of violence driven by &ldquo;terrorist elements&rdquo; with foreign backing, claiming that peaceful economic protests were deliberately turned violent.&nbsp;Speaking to SAMAA TV&rsquo;s Red Line in an interview with Pakistani journalist Talat Hussain, the ambassador said the unrest, which began as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-forces-accused-of-firing-on-protesters-as-death-toll-mounts" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">protests</a>&nbsp;by traders and shopkeepers over economic difficulties, was &ldquo;hijacked&rdquo; by armed groups late Friday night.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YyMqLykmXpM?si=wnrCB0QRwZ2uS1cG" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div>&ldquo;For three to four days, the protests were completely peaceful,&rdquo; Dr. Moghaddam said. &ldquo;Then suddenly, on Friday night, terrorist elements entered, using firearms and bladed weapons, and deliberately created chaos.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-chief-calls-on-iran-to-respect-demonstrators-right-to-protest-peacefully" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">violence</a>&nbsp;lasted &ldquo;seven to eight hours&rdquo; and resulted in significant casualties, particularly among Iranian security forces.&nbsp;&ldquo;Most of the funeral processions taking place across Iran are of security personnel,&rdquo; he stated. &ldquo;In Tehran alone, around one hundred security force martyrs were laid to rest.&rdquo;&nbsp;Dr. Moghaddam alleged that attackers targeted civilian and public infrastructure, including &ldquo;hospitals, schools, mosques, banks, ambulances, vehicles, and police stations,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;people were burned alive in mosques and hospitals.&rdquo;&nbsp;He claimed that some arrested individuals had confessed to receiving training, weapons, and instructions. &ldquo;They admitted they were trained, armed, and taught how to create unrest,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They were given two agendas: first, to target security forces; and if that was not possible, to target ordinary civilians.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to the ambassador, the aim was to maximize casualties and influence public opinion inside and outside Iran. &ldquo;Their objective was mass killing so that global and domestic opinion could be turned against the Islamic Republic of Iran,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Addressing criticism that economic grievances reflected broader public anger, Dr. Moghaddam acknowledged hardship caused by decades of sanctions. &ldquo;We have faced US sanctions for 40 years,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;These sanctions have created economic pressure, and people have genuine difficulties. We do not deny that.&rdquo;&nbsp;He stressed that Iran&rsquo;s leadership supported peaceful protest. &ldquo;[Iran&rsquo;s] Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] himself recognized the traders&rsquo; right to protest and instructed the government to address their issues,&rdquo; he said, adding that senior officials met with business representatives before violence erupted.&nbsp;Dr. Moghaddam also slammed the United States and Israel of openly encouraging unrest.&nbsp;&ldquo;Their interference is clear from their own statements,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When foreign leaders publicly tell protesters to seize government buildings, that is not support for protest, it is incitement.&rdquo;&nbsp;The ambassador said the violence subsided by Friday morning, after which large public rallies were held in support of the state. &ldquo;From Sunday onward, the majority of people came out to condemn the violence, condemn the United States and Israel, and support the system,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He concluded by saying that allowing peaceful protest was &ldquo;a strength, not a weakness,&rdquo; but warned that &ldquo;no country in the world accepts armed groups turning protests into bloodshed.&rdquo;

Talking to Pakistani journalist Talat Hussain, Iranian Ambassador Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam says peaceful protests by traders escalate, security forces suffer casualties, and public rallies support the state.

Iranian ambassador says recent unrest was ‘foreign-backed terrorism,’ not protest

PARIS: US President Donald Trump urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting against the country&#39;s theocratic leadership, telling them &quot;help is on its way,&quot; whereas Iranian authorities insisted they had regained control of the country.&nbsp;As international outrage grows over a crackdown, protests nationwide since Thursday have posed one of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since it came to power in the 1979 revolution.&nbsp;International phone links were restored on Tuesday, but only for outgoing calls, according to an AFP journalist, and the quality remained spotty, with frequent interruptions.&nbsp;Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention, said Iranians should continue their nationwide protests, take over institutions, and record the names of &quot;killers and abusers.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING,&quot; Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. &quot;I have canceled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.&quot;&nbsp;It was not immediately clear what meetings he was referring to or what the nature of the help would be.&nbsp;European nations also signaled their anger, with France, Germany, and the United Kingdom among the countries that summoned their Iranian ambassadors to protest what French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called &quot;state violence unquestioningly unleashed on peaceful protesters.&quot;&nbsp;The European Union also summoned Iran&#39;s ambassador in Brussels.&nbsp;&#39;Last days&#39;The government on Monday sought to regain control of the streets with mass nationwide rallies that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed as proof that the protest movement was defeated, calling them a &quot;warning&quot; to the United States.&nbsp;In power since 1989 and now aged 86, Khamenei has faced significant challenges, most recently the 12-day war in June against Israel, which resulted in the killing of top security officials and forced him to go into hiding.&nbsp;&quot;When a regime can only hold on to power through violence, then it is effectively finished,&quot; said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a trip to India. &quot;I believe that we are now witnessing the last days and weeks of this regime.&quot;&nbsp;Analysts, however, have cautioned that it is premature to predict the immediate demise of the theocratic system, pointing to the repressive levers the leadership controls, including the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is charged with safeguarding the Islamic revolution.&nbsp;&quot;These protests arguably represent the most serious challenge to the Islamic republic in years, both in scale and in their increasingly explicit political demands,&quot; Nicole Grajewski, professor at the Sciences Po Centre for International Studies in Paris, told AFP.&nbsp;She said it was unclear if the protests would unseat the leadership, pointing to &quot;the sheer depth and resilience of Iran&#39;s repressive apparatus.&quot;

As international outrage grows over a crackdown, protests nationwide have posed one of the biggest challenges to the clerical leadership since it came to power in the 1979 revolution; international phone links are restored, but only for outgoing calls, and the quality remains spotty, with frequent interruptions.

Iran protests: Tehran asserts control as Trump says ‘help coming’

ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump is keeping the option of military strikes against Iran &ldquo;on the table&rdquo; as his administration weighs how to respond to a severe crackdown on nationwide protests, the White House said Monday.&nbsp;White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters outside the West Wing that air strikes would be among &ldquo;the many, many options&rdquo; available to the commander-in-chief in addressing the unrest and the reported killing of demonstrators on Iran&rsquo;s streets. But she stressed that diplomacy remains Trump&rsquo;s preferred first course of action.&nbsp;Leavitt indicated that messages being received privately from Iranian officials differ from the regime&rsquo;s public stance, and the administration wants to explore those back-channel communications before making a final decision. &ldquo;Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;The comments come amid mounting international furor over protests in Tehran. While there is no official confirmation of the number of people killed, the estimate provided by Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) suggests that at least 648 protesters in Iran have been killed.&nbsp;Although Trump and senior US officials have not ordered military action, the administration has been discussing a wide range of responses, including further sanctions and other pressure tactics, alongside possible cyber operations or assistance to opposition forces. Military strikes remain one of several options under consideration should diplomatic efforts fail or conditions worsen.&nbsp;According to media reports, Trump will consult with senior national security advisers on how best to balance diplomatic channels with the potential for stronger action, underscoring the fragile and uncertain moment in US-Iran relations. Trump slaps tariffs on Iran&#39;s trade partnersThe move comes hours after <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-tariffs-on-countries-doing-business-with-iran" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump</a><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-announces-tariffs-on-countries-doing-business-with-iran" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;announced a 25% tariff</a> on any country doing business with Iran, increasing pressure even as a human rights group released casualty estimates of protesters.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'><span style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18px;'><br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;"><p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'>There is no official confirmation of the number of people killed. The estimate provided by Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) suggests that at least 648 protesters in Iran had been killed, including nine people under the age of 18.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'><br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;"><p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'>Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention, said in a social media post on Monday that the new levies would &quot;immediately&quot; hit the Islamic Republic&#39;s trading partners who also do business with the United States.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'><br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;"><p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'>&quot;This Order is final and conclusive,&quot; he wrote, without specifying who they will affect.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'><br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;"><p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'>Iran&#39;s main trading partners are China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq, according to the economic database Trading Economics.

Trump slaps 25% tariff on Iran’s trade partners; Press Secretary Leavitt says messages being received privately from Iranian officials differ from the regime’s public stance; administration may explore those back-channel communications before making a decision.

US may carry out air strikes on Iran: White House

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that no country would tolerate terrorist violence against its civilians and armed forces, stressing that Tehran is prepared both for conflict and negotiations, provided talks are fair and not imposed, state-run Press TV reported.&nbsp;Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, Araghchi condemned what he described as US- and Israeli-backed terrorist violence that erupted after peaceful economic protests in late December. He stated that the initial demonstrations were legitimate and constitutionally protected, and that government engagement and reforms had helped alleviate tensions.&nbsp;However, from Jan. 8 onwards, he said armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties. Iranian security forces, he added, responded with restraint while seeking to prevent violence.&nbsp;Araghchi accused Washington and Israel of interference, citing what he said was evidence of foreign involvement, including claims of Mossad-linked operatives active inside Iran. He also criticized former US president Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks on possible US intervention, calling them &ldquo;outright interference.&rdquo;&nbsp;The foreign minister said Western governments were wrongly condemning Iranian law enforcement while ignoring what he termed terrorism, accusing them of &ldquo;shedding crocodile tears&rdquo; and applying double standards.&nbsp;More than 70% of Iranians support firm action against violent rioters, he said, adding that while peaceful protest is a right, no state tolerates arson, terrorism, or live fire against civilians and security forces.&nbsp;Referring to recent unrest as a continuation of earlier conflict, Araghchi warned adversaries against miscalculation. &ldquo;Iran does not seek war, but is ready for it,&rdquo; he said, adding that the country&rsquo;s readiness now exceeds levels seen during the June fighting.&nbsp;At the same time, he said Tehran remains open to negotiations &mdash; but only on equal footing and without pressure.&nbsp;Trump threatens Iran, again The statement comes hours after the US President Donald Trump threatened to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-want-to-negotiate-and-meeting-being-set-up" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">intervene militarily</a> if Tehran killed protesters.&nbsp;For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fresh-protests-in-iran-as-internet-blackout-persists" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">protest movement</a> that has swelled despite a crackdown.&nbsp;Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge to the Iranian government.&nbsp;Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of the capital, Tehran, and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;The leaders of Iran called yesterday,&quot; Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that &ldquo;a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.&quot;&nbsp;He added, however, that &quot;we may have to act before a meeting.&quot;

Says armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties; Iranian security forces showed restraint.

Articles tagged with "Iran protests"