Iran

US: Iran cash linked to prisoner release

Spokesman John Kirby maintained the payment was negotiated separately from the release, but said it was withheld until the Americans had left Iran.

Five Americans held in Iran were released in January in exchange for seven detained Iranians.

The US airlifted $400m (£300.8m) worth of cash to Iran on the same day.

The exchange came as the US lifted international sanctions against Iran as part of the country's historic nuclear deal.

The timing of both incidents has prompted an outcry from Republicans, who accused the Obama administration of quid pro quo.

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Iran's ex-president writes Obama urging return of assets

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president from 2005-2013, demanded in a letter that Obama overturn an April US Supreme Court ruling that allowed the seizure of $2 billion worth of Iranian assets to compensate victims of a 1983 terror attack.

In his entreaty, Ahmadinejad suggested Obama had failed to deliver on a promise to improve ties to Iran by allowing the court decision to stand.

Iran: Nuclear scientist executed for spying

Shahram Amiri had been in custody in Iran since 2010.

"Shahram Amiri had access to the system's top secrets and had gotten connected with our number one enemy the Great Satan," Iranian judicial spokesman Hojjat al-Eslam Mehdi Mohseni-Ejehei told reporters Sunday, according to state news agency IRNA.

Amiri's case had been reviewed by the Iranian high court, which upheld the conviction, according to Mohseni-Ejehei. "The Iranian High Court reviewed this decision with extreme care given the allegations of espionage," he said.

Iran 'foils plot by Sunni militants to bomb Tehran'

The ministry said members of an "anti-Islamic terrorist takfiri group" had been arrested and explosives seized.

The intelligence ministry gave no further details about the suspects.

"Takfiri" is a term used by officials in Shia Iran to describe Sunni extremists who declare other Muslims as apostates deserving of death.

Iran is currently helping both the Syrian and Iraqi governments battle the jihadist group, Islamic State (IS), which considers Shia to be infidels for their veneration of the Prophet Muhammad's family and other beliefs and practices.

Iran MPs want US to pay damages for 'hostile action' Posted 9 minutes ago

"The Government has the duty to take the necessary measures seeking compensation for material and moral damages caused by the United States" to the country and Iranians over the past 63 years, the text reads.

It cites "material or moral damage" caused by the US during the coup against nationalist leader Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953, in the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988, in the destruction of oil platforms in the Gulf and in espionage against the Islamic republic.

Iran lobbied for Russian campaign in Syria , officials say

The statement was made to the Associated Press by Iraqi government officials. 

Yemen government denies cutting ties with Iran

"Cutting ties with Iran does not align with Yemen's supreme interests," said Rageh Badie.

The internationally recognized government has long been accusing Iran of arming and training the country's Shiite rebels known as Houthis. Tehran admits to supporting and advising the rebels, but denies any military aid.

Shell, Total get first foreign gas stations in Iran

The Press TV English-language channel quotes the head of Iran's filling stations union, Bijan Haj Mohammadreza, as saying 100 new licenses have been issued to each company.

Until now, the only retail service stations belonged to the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company.

The agreement comes after Iran and world powers reached a deal in July that curbs the Persian country's disputed nuclear program in return for the lifting of international economic sanctions.

Top Iran leader warns of 'harsh' measures over hajj disaster

 

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's warning came as Iran summoned Riyadh's envoy for the fourth time since last Thursday's deadly crush of pilgrims to protest what it called the kingdom's "mishandling" of the incident.

Saudi authorities say 769 pilgrims died in the stampede near Mecca in the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage in a quarter-century. Iran appears to have lost the largest number of pilgrims, with 239 dead.

After success with Iran, pope, next stop for Obama is UN

And he's carrying some heavy burdens.

There's the threat from Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, and the Syrian civil war and refugee crisis. Also, Russia's moves in Ukraine and, more recently, in Syria.

On Monday evening, Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin (POO'-tihn) meet on the sidelines of the U.N. gathering. It will be their first face-to-face encounter in nearly a year.