Iran

Iran's supreme leader makes online threats to attack golfing Trump

A photomontage, on his official website, appears to show the ex-US president playing golf in the shadow of a warplane or large drone.

The website image is captioned "vengeance is definite".

Twitter has suspended a small account which first tweeted the image.

A spokeswoman told Reuters the account - @khamenei_site - was fake and violated Twitter's platform manipulation and spam policy.

However, the post was also retweeted by Ayatollah Khamenei's much larger Farsi Twitter account with more than 300,000 followers. It has since disappeared from that account.

Iran to grant IAEA inspectors access to suspected ex-nuclear sites

A joint statement said Iran was doing so in good faith to resolve outstanding issues related to nuclear safeguards.

The agreement came during a visit to Tehran by the IAEA's director general.

The global watchdog has criticised Iran for not answering its questions about possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at the two locations, and denying it access.

It is thought the activities took place long before 2015, when Iran struck a landmark deal with world powers that placed limits on its nuclear programme.

Iran fears second wave after surge in cases

The health ministry said 3,574 new Covid-19 infections were recorded on Wednesday - the third consecutive day the figure has exceeded 3,000.

Another 59 people with the disease died, raising the toll to 8,071.

The president has said restrictions may be re-imposed if people do not follow social distancing and hygiene rules.

Before Wednesday's new infections were reported, bringing the overall total to 164,270, the previous high was 3,186 on 30 March. The number of cases then declined steadily until 2 May, when 802 were recorded.

 

     

Iran's deputy health minister tests positive as coronavirus outbreak worsens

The country is one of three hot-spots outside China causing concern that the virus could be becoming a pandemic.

The deputy minister, Iraj Harirchi, on Monday denied covering up the scale of the outbreak. He appeared in physical discomfort as he spoke to reporters.

Iran has reported 95 cases, but the actual number is thought to be higher.

The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the sudden increase in cases in countries outside China is "deeply concerning".

Tehran ends co-operation with Ukraine over downed jet

It comes after leaked remarks suggested Iran knew immediately that it had struck the plane.

Ukrainian TV aired an exchange between air traffic control and a pilot who was landing as the jet crashed.

The Iranian pilot allegedly states he saw a flash like missile fire in the sky, and then an explosion.

Iran initially denied responsibility for the downing on 8 January that killed 176, but Ukraine's president said the conversation proved the country knew the flight had been hit by a missile.

'Several people detained' over airliner loss

Spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said investigations into the incident were continuing, but provided no details.

President Hassan Rouhani said the probe would be overseen by a "special court".

Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 was brought down shortly it took off from Tehran on Wednesday, killing all 176 people on board.

Most of the victims were Iranian and Canadian citizens.

For the first three days after the crash, Iran denied that its armed forces had shot down the Boeing 737-800 and suggested there had been a technical failure.

Iran says it 'unintentionally' shot down plane

The statement, released on Saturday morning, said it had done so due to "human error".

Those responsible would be held accountable, the statement read on state TV said.

Iran had previously rejected suggestions that one of its missiles brought down the plane near the capital, Tehran, on Wednesday.

The crash of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 with the loss of 176 lives came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

Evidence suggests missile downed jet - Trudeau

Mr Trudeau called for a full and thorough investigation into the crash, which killed all 176 people on board.

Iran has ruled out a missile strike by its air defences.

The crash came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq.

CBS News quoted US intelligence sources as saying a satellite detected infrared "blips" of two missile launches, followed by another blip of an explosion.

Trump's White House address: Iran 'standing down' after missile strikes

The US Department of Defense confirmed that yesterday, Iran launched more than a dozen rockets against the US military facilities of al-Asad base in western Iraq and Erbil in the north.

Introducing his statement at the White House, Trump said: "As long as I'm president of the United States Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon."

He went on to say US forces are "prepared for anything," but for now, "Iran appears to be standing down".

Stampede kills 50 mourners at Soleimani’s burial in Iran

The deaths in Qasem Soleimani's hometown of Kerman led to the ceremony being delayed.

The burial is the last in a series of funeral events that have brought millions on to the streets in Iran.

Soleimani's killing has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran.

The head of the Quds force was tasked with defending and projecting Iranian interests abroad, and was hailed as a hero by many in his home country. Immediately after his death, Iran threatened retaliation.