Tech White House in talks with Elon Musk to set up Starlink in Iran The White House is in talks with billionaire Elon Musk about setting up SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink in Iran, CNN reported on Friday, citing officials familiar with the matter. The satellite-based broadband service could help Iranians circumvent the regime’s restrictions on accessing the internet and certain social media platforms. The Islamic Republic has been […] October 23, 2022
Paris-based Eutelsat accuses Iran of jamming its satellites Eutelsat alleged on Thursday that Iran had jammed two of its satellites since Sept 26, adding that it had asked the relevant authorities to stop the interference immediately. Paris-based Eutelsat also said in a statement that it had reminded the Iranian authorities that intentional jamming is “explicitly prohibited” by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio […] October 7, 2022
Energy Iran’s petrochemical capacity to double in next decade: Official National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NIPC) expects petrochemical production in the country will double in the next decade, IRNA, state-owned news agency, reported. Petrochemical production capacity in the country will reach 200 million tons in a year in the next decade, said NIPC managing director Morteza Shah-Mirzaei. Despite sanctions imposeed on the country, the petrochemical industry is […] September 27, 2022
Sustainability Fears mount over Iran’s inaction on climate change In just over a year, Iran has endured deadly flash floods, crop-ruining drought, punishing dust storms and heatwaves that have pushed temperatures as high as 48 degrees Celsius – all crises likely fuelled by climate change. But for the people affected, finding help is proving very difficult. Iran is one of just four countries that have […] September 26, 2022
Tech Elon Musk says activating Starlink for Iranians after Blinken’s tweet SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Friday that he would activate the firm’s satellite internet service, Starlink, in response to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s tweet that the United States took action “to advance internet freedom and the free flow of information” to Iranians. The US Treasury Department on Friday issued guidance expanding internet […] September 25, 2022
WhatsApp says it is working to keep Iranians connected Meta Platforms Inc’s WhatsApp said on Thursday that it was working to keep users in Iran connected after the country restricted access to the app and social media platform Instagram. WhatsApp “will do anything” within its technical capacity to keep the service accessible and that it was not blocking Iranian phone numbers, the messaging service […] September 23, 2022
Tech Elon Musk’s satellite firm seeks exemption from Iranian sanctions SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Monday that the company will ask for an exemption from sanctions against Iran to provide the firm’s Starlink satellite broadband service in the country. Musk made the statement on Twitter at a time of widespread protests in Iran over the death of a woman in police custody. Some people […] September 20, 2022
Energy Iranian minister says ‘world needs more of its oil’ Iran’s minister of petroleum Javad Owji said the world needed more Iranian oil, and that his country was ready to play a role in providing it away from politics, the Iranian oil ministry’s news agency SHANA reported on Monday. In a statement issued after an OPEC+ meeting in which a minor cut was agreed, Owji […] September 6, 2022
Economy UAE says envoy to return to Iran in coming days The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Sunday that its ambassador to Iran, Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, would return to Tehran “in coming days”, more than six years after the Gulf Arab state downgraded ties with the Islamic Republic. The move is in line with UAE efforts to strengthen relations with Iran “to achieve the […] August 22, 2022
Opinion Iran nuclear deal Riyadh offers wary support for revived Iranian nuclear deal Saudi views Iran’s nuclear programme with concern, but remains worried any revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action won't contain Iran's missile programme or its support for militias August 18, 2022
Banking & Finance Iran makes first import order using cryptocurrency Iran made its first official import order using cryptocurrency this week, the semi-official Tasnim agency reported on Tuesday, a move that could enable the Islamic Republic to circumvent US sanctions that have crippled the economy. The order, worth $10 million, was a first step towards allowing the country to trade through digital assets that bypass […] August 10, 2022
Energy EU puts forward new draft text to revive Iran nuclear deal The European Union’s foreign policy chief said on Tuesday he has proposed a new draft text to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying there is no room left for further major compromises. “I have now put on the table a text that addresses, in precise detail, the sanctions lifting as well as the nuclear […] July 27, 2022
Analysis Biden Middle East ‘Could do better’: the experts’ verdict on Biden in Middle East Did the US president achieve his objectives on his tour of the Middle East? AGBI asked seven analysts to give Biden marks out of 10 President Joe Biden hoped to usher in a new era in Washington’s relationship with the Middle East during his whistlestop tour last week – seeking to reinforce America’s commitment to […] July 19, 2022
Analysis Biden Middle East Biden boosts relations but fails to move the dial The president hoped to reset Washington’s relationship with the Middle East last weekend. In this in-depth analysis, AGBI explores how he performed on Israel, Iran, human rights and oil President Joe Biden’s whirlwind tour of the Middle East sought to reinforce America’s commitment to the region after several years of disengagement. In a speech to […] July 19, 2022
Iran nuclear deal Iran sanctions 61 more Americans as nuclear talks hit impasse Iran has imposed sanctions on 61 more Americans, including former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, for backing an Iranian dissident group. Months of talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal remained at an impasse despite president Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East, which ended yesterday. Others blacklisted by Iran’s Foreign Ministry for voicing support […] July 17, 2022
Analysis Biden Middle East Biden’s ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ could slash UAE-Iran trade The US and Israel pledged today to deny Iran nuclear weapons – a move that could dissuade global trade partners from dealing with Tehran, experts have said. The freshly united stance from US president Joe Biden and Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid represents a rare show of unity by allies long divided over Iran diplomacy. The […] July 14, 2022
Biden Middle East US and Israel sign pledge to deny Iran nuclear weapons US president Joe Biden and Israel’s prime minister Yair Lapid today signed a joint pledge to deny Iran nuclear weapons, closing ranks on Tehran. A senior Biden administration official said the agreement will expand on the long-standing security relationship between the United States and Israel. “This declaration is pretty significant, and it includes a commitment […] July 14, 2022
Economy Iran says it and Saudi Arabia interested in more talks Iran and Saudi Arabia are interested in holding more talks, Tehran’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday, three months after a fifth round of contacts aimed at restoring relations between the Middle East’s two main rival powers. Tehran gave an update on the status of the talks as US President Joe Biden landed in Israel in […] July 14, 2022
Energy UAE firms sanctioned in Iranian oil shipment crackdown The United States has imposed sanctions on four United Arab Emirates-based companies accused of being part of an international network engaged in the illicit sale and shipment of petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products from Iranian firms to China and elsewhere in East Asia. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control […] July 7, 2022
Energy Iran, US hold nuclear talks with EU in separate Doha hotel rooms Indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington started on Tuesday in Doha, Iranian state media reported, as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator met with European Union envoy Enrique Mora, who will shuttle between the American and Iranian sides. Based in separate rooms in a hotel in Qatar’s capital, Iran’s Ali Bagheri Kani and US Iran special […] June 29, 2022
Energy Russia’s Lavrov visits Iran to discuss nuclear deal Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Iran on Wednesday, Iranian state TV reported, as world powers and Tehran are struggling to revive their 2015 nuclear pact and negotiations are stalled. Russia’s foreign ministry posted a clip of Lavrov’s opening remarks during a meeting with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in which he said Moscow was […] June 23, 2022
Energy Iran expanding nuclear work, switches off UN watchdog’s cameras Iran has begun further expanding its underground uranium enrichment and said on Wednesday it would switch off two of the UN nuclear watchdog’s cameras, as the watchdog’s 35-nation board overwhelmingly passed a resolution criticising Tehran. Only Russia and China opposed the resolution submitted by the United States, Germany, France and Britain saying the Board of […] June 9, 2022
