Tehran

The U.N. nuclear watchdog has voiced growing concern over Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons, fuelled by recent public statements in the country, according to a confidential report seen by AFP on Monday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro lashed out at his Argentine counterpart Thursday, three days after the United States completed the seizure of a Venezuelan plane held in Buenos Aires since June 2022.

Explosions struck a natural gas pipeline in Iran early yesterday, with an official blaming the blasts on a "sabotage and terrorist action" in the country as tensions remain high in the Middle East amid Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Iran marked Sunday the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution amid tensions gripping the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of Iranians marched through major streets and squares decorated with flags, balloons and banners with revolutionary and religious slogans.

The United States initiated airstrikes in Syria and Iraq in response to a drone strike in Jordan that claimed the lives of three American soldiers. ABC and Fox News reported the targeted strikes, hitting over 85 locations, including command posts, intelligence centers, ammunition depots, and logistics facilities, using more than 125 precision-guided munitions.

At a prominent Shiite shrine in southern Tehran, Qasem Ashgari was buying yet another gemstone ring in the hope it would help his prayers to be answered promptly.

Asghari, in his 30s, who was already wearing several bands on each hand, had a specific ring in mind: A silver one, adorned with yellow agate and engraved with religious scripts.

The U.S. military launched retaliatory air strikes against Iranian forces and Tehran-backed militia groups in both Iraq and Syria on Friday, following a recent drone attack that killed three American soldiers at a remote base in Jordan.

American forces carried out strikes in Yemen against 10 attack drones and a ground control station belonging to the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, the U.S. military said Wednesday.

A U.S. warship also shot down an anti-ship missile fired by the Huthis and later downed three Iranian drones, Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The Americans claim that the attack was carried out by militants supported by Iran.
The conflict in the Middle East escalated dramatically after Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7 last year. People across the region are bracing for more violence, but does that mean a major war is likely?

US and Iranian efforts to prevent a direct confrontation have been complicated by the attack of a pro-Iranian group which killed three American soldiers and injured many more in Jordan on Sunday. President Joe Biden declared that the US response will be fitting, while Tehran quickly declared that it had nothing to do with the attack.