SHIITE THEOCRACY
As Iran faces a rare runoff presidential election, disenchanted voters are staying away
Iran will hold a runoff presidential election Friday, only its second since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, after only 39.9% of its voting public cast a ballot the previous week. Of over 24.5 million votes, more than 1 million ballots were later rejected - typically a sign of people feeling obligated to head to the polls but wanting to reject all the candidates.
Iran seesawing vote results put race between reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-liner Saeed Jalili
Early results from Iran's presidential election show a close contest between reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-liner Saeed Jalili, with Pezeshkian leading with 5.3 million votes to Jalili's 4.8 million. Another candidate, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, garnered 1.6 million votes. Turnout figures were not yet disclosed. If no candidate secures over 50% of the vote, a runoff between the top two contenders will be held. This election follows the recent death of President Ebrahim Raisi, complicating Iran's political landscape amid regional tensions and internal challenges.
''Hamster'' crypto craze sweeps across Iran, highlights economic malaise ahead of presidential election
During an early June heatwave in Tehran, cab drivers, bikers, and pedestrians tap away on their phones playing the "Hamster Kombat" app, seeking potential wealth amid Iran's economic struggles due to Western sanctions and high inflation. With the upcoming presidential election, Iranians are turning to cryptocurrency and mobile games for hope, despite warnings from authorities about distractions and security risks associated with such apps.
Iran helicopter crash shows Tehran's reliance on an aging fleet as well as its challenges at home
While the cause of the May 19 crash remains unknown, the sudden death of the hard-line protege of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei exposed the contradictions and challenges facing the country's Shiite theocracy. The Iranian military investigators probing the crash have previously faced international criticism over their report on troops shooting down a Ukrainian airliner in 2020.
Iran opens registration for the June presidential election after Raisi died in a helicopter crash
Iran opened registration for candidates in the upcoming presidential election, which will replace the late Ebrahim Raisi. The election comes amidst heightened tensions with the US and protests in Iran. Candidates must be between 40 to 75 years old with a master's degree. The Guardian Council, overseen by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will approve candidates. The election follows low turnouts in previous elections, reflecting discontent with the ruling cleric. Potential candidates include Mohammad Mokhber, Saeed Jalili, and former presidents Ahmadinejad and Khatami.
Iran's supreme leader to preside over funeral for president and others killed in helicopter crash
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will begin the service at Tehran University, the caskets of the dead draped in Iranian flags with their pictures on them. On the late President Ebrahim Raisi's coffin sat a black turban - signifying his direct descendance from Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
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Iran's nuclear policy of pressure and talks likely to go on even after president's death
Iran's nuclear program is nearing weapons-grade uranium enrichment, prompting indirect talks with the U.S. and inviting the UN atomic watchdog for negotiations. This strategy aims to lift economic sanctions crippling Iran's economy. Following a major attack on Israel amid its Gaza conflict, Iran seeks to manage risks from the U.S. Despite the recent helicopter crash killing key Iranian leaders, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remains in control, continuing efforts to balance pressure and diplomacy. Indirect talks with the U.S. are ongoing, with uncertain outcomes.
Who will become Iran President? When is Presidential Election?
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi is dead and now the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds the key as a Presidential election has become imminent.
Iran president dead: What we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter?
On Monday, Iranian state television announced the death of President Ebrahim Raisi. As of Monday morning, rescuers had not yet reached the site, though they spotted the helicopter approximately 2 kilometers away at dawn. Reports indicate slim chances of survival. Several countries have expressed concern and offered help. The crash occurred in Iran's East Azerbaijan province, which is notorious for its harsh weather conditions and dense fog.
Who was Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's hardline president who died in a helicopter crash?
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, considered a hard-liner and a potential successor to the supreme leader, died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous northwestern region, Iranian media reported. Raisi, who previously ran Iran's judiciary and faced U.S. sanctions over his role in the 1988 mass executions, became president in 2021 in an election with historically low turnout. As president, he supported Iran's uranium enrichment and aggressive foreign policy, including attacks on Israel.
Iran President Helicopter Crash: Iranian President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian have died, say news reports
An Iranian official has informed Reuters that President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have died in a helicopter crash in Iran's East Azerbaijan province, near the border with Azerbaijan. The helicopter was returning from a trip to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. The crash occurred in the Dizmar forest between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa, with reports suggesting it was forced to make a hard landing due to bad weather and fog. Mohammad Mokhber would assume the presidency under the Iranian constitution in the event of Raisi's death.
Iran's supreme leader tacitly acknowledges Tehran hit little in its massive attack on Israel
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei avoids discussing the effectiveness of Tehran's attack on Israel, omitting details on the Israeli retaliatory strike, air defenses, impact on commercial flights, conflict with Hamas, and the use of Scud missiles.
Analysis: Iran upends decades of shadow warfare in direct attack on Israel as tensions mount at home
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will mark his 85th birthday Friday, with no clear successor in sight and still serving as the final arbiter of every decision Iran makes. Coming to power in the wake of Iran's devastating eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s, Khamenei preached for years about "strategic patience" in confronting his government's main rivals, Israel and the United States, to avoid open combat.
Why Iran is the common link in conflicts from Gaza to Pakistan
The Iran connection stems partly from Iran's decades-long efforts to deter threats and undermine foes by building up like-minded militias across the Middle East. In addition, Iran itself, like neighboring countries, faces armed separatist movements and terrorist groups in conflicts that readily spill over borders.
Iran Bomb Blast: Nearly 100 killed, 211 wounded in Iran bomb blasts at ceremony honoring slain general
Iran Bomb Blast: Two explosions occurred near an Iranian cemetery during a ceremony commemorating Qassem Soleimani's 2020 killing by a U.S. drone. Iranian state media reported injuries from gas canister blasts. Ambulances rushed to the scene in Kerman as attendees gathered to honor Soleimani's anniversary. Details on casualties and the situation are under monitoring by authorities.
Muslim-majority nations express outrage and plan street protests over Quran desecration in Sweden
In Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, protesters planned demonstrations after Swedish police permitted a protest Thursday in which an Iraqi Christian living in Stockholm kicked and stood on a Quran, Islam's holy book, outside of the Iraqi Embassy. Hours before that, demonstrators in Baghdad broke into the Swedish Embassy and lit a fire to show their anger at his threats to burn the book.
Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman pivots to peace after years of war
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is attempting to achieve peace in the region by reaching a detente with Iran, reestablishing ties to Syria, and ending the kingdom's yearslong war in Yemen. Success would have significant implications for the Middle East and Prince Mohammed's ambitious plans to transform the kingdom's economy beyond oil. Failure would jeopardize his future rule over a nation crucial to global energy supplies and a wider region shaken by years of tensions.
Meta's Oversight Board tells company to allow 'death to Khamenei' posts
The board, which is funded by Meta but operates independently, said in a ruling that the phrase is often used to mean "down with Khamenei" in referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been leading a violent crackdown on nationwide protests in recent months.
Iran ousted from U.N. women's body ECOSOC after U.S. campaign
The 54-member U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted a U.S.-drafted resolution to "remove with immediate effect the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term."
Second Iranian detainee executed over alleged protest crime
The execution of Majidreza Rahnavard, less than a month after he allegedly carried out the fatal stabbings of two security officials, shows the speed at which Iran now carries out death sentences for those detained in the demonstrations the government hopes to put down.
Niece of Iran's Supreme Leader urges world to cut ties with Tehran over unrest
A video of a statement by Farideh Moradkhani, an engineer whose late father was a prominent opposition figure married to Khamenei's sister, was being widely shared online after what activist news agency HRANA said was her arrest on Nov. 23.
Niece of Iran's Supreme Leader urges world to cut ties with Tehran over unrest -online video
A video of a statement by Farideh Moradkhani, an engineer whose late father was a prominent opposition figure married to Khamenei's sister, was being widely shared online after what activist news agency HRANA said was her arrest on Nov. 23.
How a 92-year-old cleric silently halted Iraq's slide back into war
Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani said nothing in public about the unrest that erupted on Iraq's streets. But government officials and Shi'ite insiders say it was only Sistani's stance behind the scenes that halted a meltdown. The story of Iraq's bloodiest week in nearly three years shows the limits of traditional politics in a country where the power to start and stop wars rests with clerics - many with ambiguous ties to Iran, the Shi'ite theocracy next door.
Moderate Iran candidate concedes win by judiciary chief
Both moderate and former Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati and former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei offered their congratulations to Ebrahim Raisi. Counting, however, continued from Friday's vote and authorities have yet to offer any official results.
Iran cleric Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour who founded Hezbollah, survived book bomb, dies
A close ally of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Mohtashamipour in the 1970s formed alliances with Muslim militant groups across the Mideast. After the Islamic Revolution, he helped found the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Iran and as ambassador to Syria brought the force into the region to help form Hezbollah.
Iran state TV says Ahmadinejad will run in presidential race
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly marched accompanied by supporters to a registration centre at the Interior Ministry where he filled out registration forms.
Wheels only, please: Iran marks 1979 revolution anniversary
"There is no other way for the world and for the region," Rouhani said during a televised speech. "The only path is definitely the path of diplomacy. The only path is the world's agreement with Iran. God willing, we will be successful in this path."
Iran executes journalist who encouraged 2017 protests
Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency said that Ruhollah Zam was hanged early Saturday morning.
Iran surpasses 20,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus: Health Ministry
Iran suffered the region's first major outbreak, seeing top politicians, health officials and religious leaders in its Shiite theocracy stricken with the virus. It has since struggled to contain the spread of the virus across this nation of 80 million people, initially beating it back only to see it spike again beginning in June.
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