Latest news with #VahidSalemi
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Life in Iran's capital, Tehran, as high-stakes nuclear negotiations with the US go on
Women eat pizza in the outdoor area of a restaurant in northern Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) TEHRAN, Iran: As I prepared to take a photograph of an anti-American mural outside of the former U.S. Embassy in Iran's capital recently, a passerby called out to me. "Take any picture you like, they'll remove all of them later," the man said. It was a telling moment as the murals have long been a feature of the U.S. Embassy compound, which has been held and run by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a cultural center since the 1979 student-led hostage crisis there destroyed ties between Iran and the United States. Today, Iran is talking to America about a possible diplomatic deal over its nuclear program and the idea of ties between the West and the outside world again seems possible, though difficult. That's especially true after President Donald Trump's new travel ban includes Iran once more. The thing about taking pictures and working as a photojournalist in Tehran, my hometown, is that Iranians will come up to you in the street and tell you what they think. And sometimes, even when they won't say something out loud, I'll see it in the images I capture. That's particularly true with the gradual change we have seen in how women dress, whether in ancient corridors of Tehran's Grand Bazaar or in the tony streets of northern Tehran. Women are forgoing the mandatory hijab, or headscarf, even as hard-liners try to pressure a renewed enforcement of the law against what they call the "Western Cultural Invasion." The government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has meanwhile been urging restraint by police and others over the hijab. There are enough problems right now in Iran is their thought, particularly as Iran's economy remains in dire straits. U.S. sanctions have decimated it. Iran's rial currency has plummeted in recent years. That economic hardship has made people more distrustful of the country's theocracy. And so people continue their daily lives in Tehran as they wait for any news after five rounds of talks so far between Iran and the U.S. You can see it in my photos. A carpet-seller waits to sell his wares in a darkened bazaar corner. Women without hijabs smoke shisha, or water-pipe tobacco. Another woman, wearing an all-black, all-encompassing chador, prays in a mosque's courtyard. It can all appear contradictory, but that's life here. Tehran, home to some 10 million people, is the ever-growing beating heart of Iran. And as it awaits the results of the negotiations, it can feel like it is skipping beats in anticipation. ___
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Iran Unveils Next-Level Warfare Drones Amid Tensions With U.S
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran has unveiled a new fleet of combat drones with capabilities for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), signaling a leap in warfare capabilities amid growing tensions with the United States, its state media reported. Newsweek has reached out to the Pentagon and Iran's foreign ministry for comments. Why It Matters These drones, built for multiple military roles, highlight Iran's ambitions for self-sufficiency despite sanctions and friction with the United States over its nuclear program and support regional proxy groups. The Islamic republic has followed a strategy to protect its military assets from potential airstrikes and surveillance while highlighting advances that make its potential threat apparent to adversaries. People look at Iran's domestically-built drones as they visit National Aerospace Park of the Revolutionary Guard, just outside Tehran, Iran, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. People look at Iran's domestically-built drones as they visit National Aerospace Park of the Revolutionary Guard, just outside Tehran, Iran, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. Vahid Salemi/AP Photo What To Know Iran has built three new Vertical Take-off and Landing drones for its armed forces: Homa, Dideban, and Shahin-1, which were unveiled this week at a military drone base in Zahedan, near the country's southeastern border, according to Iran's state-run channel Press TV. According to the report, Iran's navy is the main operator of VTOL drones as most vessels can't support conventional drones. The Homa VTOL supports electronic warfare and reconnaissance, Dideban enables precision targeting, and Shahin-1 is built for pinpoint attacks on enemy positions. Iran had previously announced developing a range of drone systems and plans to set up new drone bases to counter threats to the country's sovereignty and unveiled its first drone carrier warship in February. Iran says it has used captured U.S. drones—most notably the RQ-7 that crashed in 2005 and the RQ-170 it seized in 2011—as templates for developing its own unmanned aerial systems. Russia has made extensive use of Iranian drone technology in its war in Ukraine. The U.S. and Iran concluded a fifth round of nuclear talks brokered by Oman in Rome on Friday and both sides said progress was made, but U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action if talks fail to reach agreement. Iran's armed forces on Monday threatened a potential strike on Israel as what it described as justified by Israeli agression. What People Are Saying Deputy Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces, Brigadier General Nozar Nemati, quoted by Press TV: "It is because of these investments, planning, and persistence in research, as well as progress and development in such efficient and empowering fields that the Army's Ground Force is now recognized as a leading and pioneering force in employment and utilization of the capacity and power of new defense and military achievements." A senior U.S. administration official told Newsweek on Friday: "The discussions were both direct and indirect, and lasted over 2 hours. The talks continue to be constructive – we made further progress, but there is still work to be done. Both sides agreed to meet again in the near future. We are grateful to our Omani partners for their continued facilitation." What Happens Next Iran will continue boosting military capabilities and air defense systems amid threats of war with the United States or Israel.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iran Threatens 'Devastating and Decisive Response' If Attacked
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have issued a sharp warning, vowing a "devastating and decisive response" if Israel initiates any military action against Iranian nuclear facilities. The statement, delivered through state media, came after reports that U.S. intelligence believes Israel may be preparing for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear sites. The escalating rhetoric coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts, as Tehran and Washington prepare for a fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome on Friday. At the center of the impasse is Iran's insistence on its right to enrich uranium on its own soil—something the U.S. and its allies view as a potential pathway to nuclear weapons. Newsweek has reached out to the State Department and the foreign ministries of Iran and Israel for comment. Why It Matters The possibility of direct military confrontation between Iran and Israel has grown amid mounting tensions and stalled diplomacy. A failed deal—or one seen as inadequate by Israel—could lead to preemptive strikes that might ignite a broader regional conflict. The nuclear negotiations are now a critical diplomatic flashpoint with global stakes. While Tehran says that its nuclear program is exclusively for civilian use, its refusal to curb uranium enrichment has raised alarms in Israel and the West. Iran's leaders say they have no intention of building a bomb, but continue to expand their nuclear infrastructure as talks drag on. A Revolutionary Guard member stands guard in front of an Iranian domestically built missile displayed during Basij paramilitary force rally in support of the Palestinians in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. A Revolutionary Guard member stands guard in front of an Iranian domestically built missile displayed during Basij paramilitary force rally in support of the Palestinians in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Vahid Salemi/AP Photo What to Know The Revolutionary Guards' (IRGC) warning marks a sharp escalation in Iran's military rhetoric, signaling Tehran's readiness to respond forcefully to any attack. Spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said adversaries are "miscalculating" Iran's capabilities, stressing the country's strong military and popular backing in wartime. Iran and Israel directly exchanged fire in April and October of last year. U.S.-Iran Talks Face Major Obstacle Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X before departing for the nuclear talks, clearly stating Iran's red line in the upcoming negotiations: a deal is possible if the U.S. demands "zero nuclear weapons," but not if it insists on "zero enrichment." He concluded his message with a stark ultimatum—"Time to decide." Set to travel to Rome for 5th round of indirect talks with the United States. Figuring out the path to a deal is not rocket science: Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal. Time to decide... — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) May 22, 2025 Weapons Grade Friday's talks in Rome come ahead of a June meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the October deadline tied to the 2015 nuclear deal. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. The deal has been severely undermined since President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. in 2018. Since then, Iran has expanded its nuclear program, enriching uranium to 60 percent—well above the 3.67 percent limit but below weapons-grade levels. What People Are Saying IRGC spokesperson Alimohammad Naini stated: "They are trying to frighten us with war but are miscalculating as they are unaware of the powerful popular and military support the Islamic Republic can muster in war conditions." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: "As the president told me, and he's told all of you, this deal with Iran could end in two ways. It could end in a very positive diplomatic solution, or it could end in a very negative situation for Iran." What Happens Next Iran and the U.S. are scheduled to resume nuclear negotiations on Friday at noon in Rome, with uranium enrichment remaining the core issue likely to determine the outcome of any future agreement. The stakes are high, as failure to reach a deal could escalate tensions and increase the risk of regional conflict.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iran celebrates ancient fire festival ahead of Persian New Year as tensions with US loom
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — I've worked for The Associated Press as a photographer since 1999. A lot of what I cover involves either Iran's government or its relations with the West, but I also try to shoot on the streets of Tehran as well to show the world what life looks like here in my hometown. The fire festival offers a great opportunity for that. Known as 'Chaharshanbe Souri' in Farsi, the festival comes in the hours just before the Wednesday before Nowruz, which is the Persian New Year. To celebrate, people light bonfires, set off fireworks and send wish lanterns floating off into the night sky. Others jump over and around fires, chanting 'My yellow is yours, your red is mine,' invoking the replacement of ills with warmth and energy. The fire festival also features an Iranian version of trick-or-treating, with people going door to door and being given a holiday mix of nuts and berries, as well as buckets of water. It's not necessarily an easy assignment though. Here in Iran, some people remain sensitive about having their photograph taken, particularly women who aren't wearing Iran's mandatory headscarf, or hijab. Meanwhile, the joy sometimes overcomes safety concerns as smoke fills the air and fireworks explode at random overhead. There are injuries every year and sometimes deaths. I ended up having a piece of a burning firecracker land inside my left shoe. I'm OK — it just burned a hole through my sock and left a small blister. I used a flash for some of my photos to capture people jumping through the fire, given their speed and the low light available. One picture my photo editors especially liked shows a man holding a lit firework, his face silhouetted by its bright light. Behind him, you can see the empty branches of trees in the park I shot in. Nowruz marks the start of spring. Soon, leaves will sprout again. ___ See more AP photography at Vahid Salemi, The Associated Press
Egypt Independent
15-02-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Iran is rearming its missile program and a ship of supplies just arrived from China, Western sources say
CNN — The first of two vessels carrying 1,000 tons of a Chinese-made chemical that could be a key component in fuel for Iran's military missile program has anchored outside the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Thursday, ship tracking data shows. It could be a signal that Iran's missile production is back to business as usual after the devastating, and embarrassing, attacks by Israel on key factories last year. The ship, Golbon, left the Chinese port of Taicang three weeks ago loaded with most of a 1,000-ton shipment of sodium perchlorate, the main precursor in the production of the solid propellant that powers Iran's mid-range conventional missiles, according to two European intelligence sources. The sodium perchlorate could allow for the production of sufficient propellant for some 260 solid rocket motors for Iran's Kheibar Shekan missiles or 200 of the Haj Qasem ballistic missiles, according to the intelligence sources. The shipment comes as Iran has suffered a series of regional setbacks with the collective defeat suffered by its allies: the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Hezbollah's losses in Lebanon. Following Israel's strike on Iran's missile production facilities in October, some Western experts believed it could take at least a year before Iran could resume solid-propellant production. This delivery points to Iran being not far from – or that they could already be back to – the production of its missiles. Iranian demonstrators march next to a domestically built missile during a rally commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran earlier this week. Vahid Salemi/AP The shipment was purchased on behalf of the Procurement Department of the Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization (SSJO), part of the Iranian body responsible for the development of Iran's ballistic missiles, according to the sources. The second ship, Jairan, has yet to be loaded and leave China, with both vessels operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) company, the sources told CNN. The Jairan is due to ferry the remainder of the 1,000 tons to Iran. The Golbon left the Taicang port for Iran on January 21. CNN has reached out to IRISL for comment. The sources could not say if the Chinese government knew of the shipments prior to media reporting about their movement late January. The delivery of sodium perchlorate in itself is not illegal, nor does it breach Western sanctions. In a response to a request for comment from CNN, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was 'not aware of the specifics of the case' mentioned and reiterated that it opposed 'illegal unilateral sanctions' and 'arbitrary smearing and accusations that lack evidence.' 'China has consistently abided by export controls on dual-use items in accordance with its international obligations and domestic laws and regulations,' the statement said, adding that 'sodium perchlorate is not a controlled item by China, and its export would be considered normal trade.' Sanctions backdoor The United States and United Kingdom have levied sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines company, with the State Department saying the firm is the 'preferred shipping line for Iranian proliferators and procurement agents.' The UK treasury said the company was 'involved in hostile activity' by Iran and highlighted its links to the Iranian defense sector. Both the Golbon and Jairan are under US sanctions. Meanwhile, China has remained a diplomatic and economic ally for sanctions-hit Iran, decrying 'unilateral' US sanctions against the country and welcoming Tehran into Beijing- and Moscow-led international blocs like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles on October 1, 2024. Amir Cohen/Reuters China also remains by far Iran's largest energy buyer, though it has not reported purchases of Iranian oil in its official customs data since 2022, according to analysts. Despite China's historic ties to Iran's defense sector, observers say Beijing has scaled back security ties over the past decade as it seeks to bolster relations with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The US has in recent years, however, sanctioned a number of Chinese entities for alleged roles supporting Iranian military drone production. Recent joint naval drills between China, Iran and Russia have also signaled a potential deepening of government-to-government strategic ties. A key ingredient While Iran would need solid propellant for a range of missiles, including smaller air defense weapons, the lion's share of such deliveries would likely be headed towards Iran's ballistic missile program, Fabian Hinz, research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told CNN. Although sodium perchlorate trade is not restricted by Western sanctions, it can be chemically transformed into ammonium perchlorate – a fuel and oxidizer which is a controlled product. 'Ammonium perchlorate is the material that was used in the solid rocket propellants of the Space Shuttle,' Andrea Sella, professor of inorganic chemistry at University College London, told CNN. 'There really aren't very many alternative things' that the chemical in the Chinese deliveries can be used for, aside from for rocket propellants, fireworks and fuel, he said, adding: 'Perchlorates have a fairly narrow range of uses.' Increasing controls on perchlorates in the West have seen China become a major alternative supplier of such chemicals, he said. China has long been 'a primary source of sodium perchlorate for Iran's missile programs, dating at least to the mid-2000s,' Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, told CNN. 'This is just the latest shipment in a decades-old pattern,' Lewis added. Supply troubles Defense analyst Hinz said that while Iran has previously boasted of its ability to produce ammonium perchlorate itself, this delivery hints at supply chain bottlenecks as domestic precursor supply has been unable to meet missile production needs. It's a problem even countries like the US can face, he added. Hinz said that Iran's solid propellant production infrastructure has 'dramatically expanded in the last few years – and potentially even since October 7, (2023),' with new sites built and existing ones enlarged. Kheibar Shekan missiles have a range of 880 miles (around 1,420 km), with their Haj Qasem cousins able to reach targets 900 miles (around 1,450 km) away, according to the Western intelligence source. Although not the most technically advanced weapons in Iran's arsenal, their range does make them valuable for attacks on Israel. Hinz said that variants of such missiles have been used by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen against Israel, despite the distance ostensibly outstripping the missiles' standard range. Modifications of the warhead mass or secondary propulsion units could lengthen their reach, he said. Solid propellant is also used in Iran's short-range missiles – like those used in the past against US bases in the region and in exports to Russia, Hinz said. Iran's largest and most powerful ballistic missiles typically use liquid propellant. Missiles are seen during a joint exercise called the 'Great Prophet 17,' in Iran's southwest in 2021. Saeed Sajjadi/Fars News/WANA/Reuters According to the Israel Defense Forces, wreckage from at least one Kheibar Shakan missile was recovered following Iran's October 1, 2024 barrage against Israel. Analysis from one of the Western sources confirmed that some 50 medium-range missiles with solid propulsion were fired at Israel by Iran in this attack. Iran's arsenal is believed to hold 'over 3,000 ballistic missiles,' US Air Force Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told Congress in 2023 – but exact numbers of each type of missile are unknown. A western intelligence official told CNN that, although relevant US government agencies are aware of the delivery, there is limited concern over the shipment. If Iran does funnel the chemicals towards missile fuel production, especially on weapons destined for Russia, that will be of greater concern, the source said. The Iranian government declined to comment in response to questions posed by CNN for this article.
