Iran
Iran: Defense Expert Discusses Iran's Missile Capabilities
Iran's Revolutionary Guards testing Shahab-2 missiles outside of Qom (undated) (epa) June 4, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, has called the U.S. missile-defense initiative in Europe the "joke of the year." Larijani says Tehran's current missile arsenal cannot reach Europe and adds that it would be illogical for Tehran to attack Europe, which is Iran's most important commercial partner. But Doug Richardson, the editor of the London-based defense journal "Jane's Missiles And Rockets," tells RFE/RL correspondent Ron Synovitz that Iranian missiles probably can already reach parts of Europe. He adds that Iran appears to be developing long-range missiles that could reach Italy, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
RFE/RL: Iranian National Security Council Secretary Larijani reportedly has described the U.S. missile-defense shield for Europe as "the joke of the year," saying Iranian missiles do not have the range to reach Europe. Do Iranian missiles now have the capability to reach European targets from Iranian territory?
Doug Richardson: They do have a capability to hit some of Eastern Europe and southern Russia but not particularly deep into those countries. Obviously, we don't have very solid information on Iran's missiles, they don't release a lot of information but we think that their Shahab-3 has got a range about 1,300 kilometers while it's improved the version of Shahab-3A, it's stretched its length to get some more fuel into the tanks and they've cut the weight of the warhead by more than half; we think that can do up to 1,800 kilometers. Now if you look at the map of Europe, Volgograd is 1,100 kilometers from Iran and certainly Volgograd was in Europe the last time I looked. That sort of narrow range would get you just about to Istanbul; there's certainly no argument that bit of Turkey is in Europe, that's about 1,400 kilometers from just inside the Iranian border. If you move to the longer-range figure (1,800 kilometers), then you get more cities of East Europe starting to come into range. Eighteen hundred [kilometers] will give you Iran to Kyiv, just about Iran to Athens, I suspect, Iran to Bucharest.
RFE/RL: What about Iran's plans to develop longer-range missiles in the future? What kind of range are they trying to develop and how far could those missiles reach from Iran?
Richardson: In order to get to Moscow you would have to get a missile of 2,000 kilometers range. We hear rumors of such developments from Iran but nothing very firm. We honestly don't have any real hard information on Iran's future missile plans, we've heard talk of something allegedly called the Shahab-3B; the story is rather vague. The reports talked about 2,000-2,500-kilometer range. There've been reports [about] Shahab-4 [but] the Iranians have said there is no such thing as Shahab-4. We have seen some pronouncement that there is a Shahab-4 but it's not a missile, it's going to be a satellite-launch vehicle. So there's just no hard information. We know they are doing a lot of rocket development work, 2,500 would not quite get you to Rome, it would probably get you to Zagreb, Budapest, you'd get most of Slovakia, it would get you a bit into the Czech Republic [and] up to Warsaw, Minsk, and not quite St. Petersburg.
RFE/RL: Who is helping Iran develop its long-range missiles?
Richardson: It's largely being done, we think, with help from North Korea. But they are probably becoming much more self-independent and self-supporting. [Iran] needed help to get started with the Shahab, so they worked in conjunction with the North Koreans, who were working on their No-Dong missile program. But [Iran] has probably got enough expertise now to be able to do most of this themselves. Whether there is a fertilization path directly from Iran to Pakistan, that I don't know. I don't think anyone outside the world of the intelligence services [knows].
RFE/RL: What do you think about Larijani's description of the U.S. [missile-defense plan] in Europe as "the joke of the year"?
Richardson: When politicians start talking about "jokes of the year," they are usually making political statements. Obviously, the U.S. Department of Defense must feel that it has credible evidence that Iran is working on much longer-range missiles, or has the capability to develop much longer-range missiles. Otherwise, it wouldn't be developing and putting this amount of money into potential defenses against them.
RFE/RL: Russia has said the U.S. missile-defense shield plans for Europe [are] targeted at the Russian missile system. Do you agree?
Richardson: The U.S. missile-defense shield is going to be a relatively small number of interceptors. It is focused very much on rogue states -- North Korea, Iran, countries that might be able to develop nuclear weapons and a small number of ballistic missiles. The Russians have been complaining recently that they see the plan to put U.S. ballistic missile interceptors in Poland as being aimed at their system.
But the basic laws of geography suggest it is not. Ballistic missiles from Russia being fired, say, at the United States, are going to fly up over the polar region. They are going to go nowhere near Warsaw. So a ballistic missile interceptor fired from Poland would have a very hard time trying to catch a Russian missile because the Russian missile would be traveling at right angles to its flight path. Essentially, the inceptor would be doing a tail chase. It would be trying to catch something that is going faster than it is. It just wouldn't [be able to] do it.
RFE/RL: Do you think the U.S. missile-defense shield plans for Europe are meant to protect Israel and Europe from Iranian missiles in the future, or is it meant more as a protective shield for the United States?
Richardson: The full range performance of the American ballistic-missile [interceptor] system has simply never been released. They have not given any hard figures as to [its] range and height capability. If you look at where the missiles are being deployed, or [where] there is talk of them being deployed, and then start looking at the potential trajectories from Iran and North Korea to the continental United States, then those existing deployments and announced deployment sites make sense. That's what they are aimed to deal with -- attacks on the continental United States of America from either the Middle East and Iran area or from North Korea. If you plot a great circle trajectory -- as navigators call it -- from North Korea to different places in the USA, or from Iran to different places in the USA, you can see that those paths are getting close to the locations where America is planning to deploy its ballistic missile interceptors.
Security Guarantees For Iran?
Hans Blix (CTK)
SECURITY GUARANTEES On January 26, RFE/RL Radio Farda correspondent Fatemeh Aman spoke with former UN chief weapons inspector HANS BLIX about the confrontation between Iran and the international community over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Blix urged the United States to participate in direct negotiations with Tehran and to offer Iran security guarantees that are similar to those being discussed with North Korea...(more)
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US House Panel Backs Tougher Iran Measures, But Divisions Persist
US lawmakers and experts at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing underscored a rare bipartisan consensus -- preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as a top priority.
However, divisions remain over how far Washington should go in applying pressure versus pursuing diplomacy.
Republican lawmakers strongly supported the Donald Trump administration’s decision to reinstate the “maximum pressure” campaign that defined his Iran policy during his first term as US president.
“The maximum pressure campaign devastated Iran’s economy and denied it critical resources. A nuclear Iran is not an option,” Subcommittee Chairman Mike Lawler (Republican-New York) said on April 1.
Democratic lawmakers also acknowledged the threat posed by Iran but stressed the importance of diplomacy.
“There is bipartisan understanding of the danger posed by Iran as the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism. We must combine pressure with diplomatic engagement,” Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (Democratic-New York) said.
Three expert witnesses provided testimony on the challenges posed by Iran and the potential consequences of US strategies.
Norman Roule, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, warned that Iran is advancing its nuclear program and could produce a weapon within months if left unchecked.
“Iran is closer than ever to producing a nuclear weapon,” Roule warned, adding that military strikes could only delay its program. He called for a comprehensive approach that combines sanctions, military readiness, and diplomacy.
Claire Jungman of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) highlighted the economic toll that sanctions have taken on the country, noting that its economy remains fragile due to inflation and currency devaluation.
She stressed the importance of targeting Iran’s oil trade with China in violation of US sanctions and leveraging its economic vulnerabilities to weaken its support for regional proxies like the US-designated Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
Dana Stroul of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that military strikes could escalate into broader conflict and urged Washington to pair pressure tactics with robust diplomacy.
She added that “the pillars of Iran’s security strategy”, including its nuclear program, proxy network, and arsenal of missiles and drones, are “more vulnerable today than ever.”
Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if it fails to reach a deal with Washington. Tehran has dismissed the threat, describing it as an “affront” to peace and security.
Iran last week delivered a formal response to Trump’s letter proposing direct talks to reach a new nuclear deal. Tehran has dismissed direct negotiations as long as the “maximum pressure” campaign is in effect.
Axios reports that the White House is “seriously considering” Iran’s proposal for indirect talks while boosting its military presence in the Middle East.
Addressing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Committee Chairman Brian Mast (Republican-Florida) said Trump “will work with you to peacefully end” Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“Or, President Trump will destroy your nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. You get to choose the remedy,” he said.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, but there are growing calls in Iran to weaponize it as a form of deterrence against the United States and Israel.
Later on April 2, the Trump administration announced sanctions against individuals and companies it claims are helping the Iranian-backed Houthis, a rebel group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
The Houthis, formally known as the Ansarallah movement, seized power in Yemen in 2014 by toppling the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government. The Trump administration last month launched strikes against Houthis rebels, who have been target shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial transportation corridor.
The Trump administration sanctioned two Russia-based Afghan brothers who assisted an Iran-based financier l in orchestrating shipments of stolen Ukrainian grain from Crimea to Yemen.
It also blocked eight digital asset wallets used by the Houthis to transfer funds associated with the group’s activities.
- By RFE/RL
US Military Orders Second Aircraft Carrier Group To Middle East
The US military has announced a second aircraft carrier group will deploy to the Middle East to respond to regional threats to stability as US forces continue to hit Iran-linked Huthi fighters in Yemen from its ships in the Red Sea.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on April 1 that the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson will join the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman in the Middle East "to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region."
The Carl Vinson has been ordered to arrive from the Indo-Pacific following completion of a scheduled exercise, Parnell said without saying when it would get there.
The announcement comes as US forces hit Huthi fighters in Yemen with near-daily air strikes in a campaign aimed at ending the threat they pose to civilian shipping and military vessels in the region.
"The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security in the CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility) and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region," Parnell said. CENTCOM is the US military command responsible for the region.
Parnell added that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth continues to make clear that “should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people.”
The Huthis, which the United States has designated as a terrorist group, began targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the start of the Gaza war in 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.
Huthi attacks have prevented ships from passing through the Suez Canal, forcing many companies to send their goods on a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa that takes considerably longer.
President Donald Trump vowed on March 31 that strikes on the Huthis will continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.
"The choice for the Huthis is clear: Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Huthis and their sponsors in Iran," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.
Trump added that the Huthis had been "decimated" by "relentless" strikes since large-scale air strikes began on March 15, saying that US forces "hit them every day and night -- Harder and harder."
The large-scale air strikes began after Trump warned the Huthis that "hell will rain down upon you" if they did not stop their extremist actions, including missile launches against Israel.
Trump has also said that "there will be bombing" if Iran does not reach a deal on its nuclear program.
Huthi officials said at least 12 civilians were killed and another nine injured in the US attacks, but the claims could not be independently confirmed. The officials vowed revenge without specifying how it would carry it out.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 16 said the attacks were “a message to Iran” to stop supporting the Huthis, and Hegseth said Iran "is on notice" that Huthi attacks on American ships, aircraft, and troops will not be tolerated.
With reporting by AFP
Iran Vows Strong Response After 'Bombing' Threat By Trump
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a "strong" response following a threat by US President Donald Trump that "there will be bombing" if Tehran doesn't agree to talks on its nuclear program as concern grows over escalating rhetoric between the two countries.
Speaking after Trump reiterated his threat of adopting measures ranging from fresh sanctions and tariffs to military action, Khamenei said in a sermon marking Eid Al-Fitr on March 31 that any attack by the United States would "surely receive a strong reciprocal blow."
The Iranian leader, however, added that he did "not really expect mischief from abroad."
The comment suggests Khamenei does not expect an attack but rather sabotage operations like explosions and assassinations, said Damon Golriz, a lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
"He's effectively pointing the finger at Israel here," Golriz told Radio Farda, adding that Trump's remark on Iran and US officials talking was "important."
Switzerland's ambassador to Iran, who represents US interests and acts as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, was summoned on March 31 by Iran's Foreign Ministry to express the regime's determination to respond "decisively and immediately" to any US threat.
Since Trump returned to the White House, his administration has consistently said Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and has previously warned that military action is on the table should Iran reject Trump's outreach.
Iran has long maintained that its program is for peaceful use, but Iranian officials have also threatened to pursue a weapon as tensions amid a growing standoff with the United States over sanctions and renewed bombing in the Gaza Strip following the collapse of a cease-fire in Israel's war against Iran-backed Hamas, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU.
Trump again threatened Iran in an interview with NBC News on March 30 just days after Tehran rejected holding direct talks with Washington over its rapidly expanding nuclear program.
While high-ranking Iranian officials had previously spoken against the idea of holding nuclear talks with the United States, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said specifically on March 30 that Tehran would not enter direct negotiations with Washington, though it is willing to continue talks indirectly in line with an injunction from Khamenei.
"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump said in the NBC interview by phone.
"There's a chance that if they don't make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago," he added.
But Trump also said US and Iranian officials are "talking," without offering details.
Mohammed Ghaedi, a lecturer at George Washington University's department of political science, told Radio Farda that Trump was "saber-rattling" and "exercising brinksmanship."
"I think it highly unlikely that Trump will bomb Iran, not least because he vowed on the presidential campaign trail not to drag the United States into a war," he told Radio Farda.
The latest trading of threats was preceded by a round of diplomacy that failed to bring the sides any closer.
An Emirati delegation delivered a letter to Tehran from Trump proposing nuclear talks with the United States earlier this month, but hours before it arrived Khamenei had already dismissed the prospect of talks with the Trump administration.
The letter gave Tehran a two-month window to decide on holding talks.
Similar comments were made by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on March 27 when he said Tehran had sent a formal written response to Trump via Oman that maintained Iran will not hold direct negotiations as long as Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign is in effect.
A report in February by the UN's nuclear watchdog said Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.
Iran's economy has been reeling from years of sanctions, particularly after Trump in his first term pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran is looking to find ways to ease those sanctions or have them removed entirely, but the public rejection of Trump's letter could lead to new pressure from Washington and other powers who are worried about Iran's nuclear program.
With the 2015 nuclear deal set to formally expire in October 2025, world powers that are still part of the pact have just a few months before they lose the ability to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kian Sharifi, AP, Reuters, and AFP
Iran's President Publicly Rejects Trump's Letter Calling For Nuclear Negotiations
Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian publicly rejected holding direct negotiations with Washington over its rapidly expanding nuclear program, which had been proposed in a letter from US President Donald Trump and delivered to Tehran earlier this month.
“Although the possibility of direct negotiations between the two sides has been rejected in this response, it has been emphasized that the path for indirect negotiations remains open,” Pezeshkian said in televised remarks on March 30, referring to Trump’s letter.
While high-ranking Iranian officials had previously spoken against the idea of holding nuclear talks with the United States, Pezeshkian’s comments mark Iran’s first formal rejection of the US call for negotiations.
Since Trump returned to the White House, his administration has consistently said that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and they have previously warned that military action is on the table should Iran reject Trump’s outreach.
Pezeshkian’s remarks now help set the stage for a further rise in tensions between Tehran and Washington over the country’s nuclear program.
Iran has long maintained that its program is for peaceful use, but Iranian officials have also threatened to pursue a weapon as tensions amid a growing standoff with the United States over sanctions and renewed bombing in the Gaza Strip following the collapse of a cease-fire in Israel’s war against Iran-backed Hamas, which is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU.
A report in February by the UN’s nuclear watchdog said that Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.
An Emirati delegation delivered a letter to Tehran from Trump proposing nuclear talks with the United States earlier this month, but hours before it arrived Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had already dismissed the prospect of talks with the Trump administration.
Similar comments were made by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on March 27 when he said that Tehran had sent a formal written response to Trump via Oman which maintained that Iran will not hold direct negotiations as long as Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign is in effect.
“This official response includes a letter in which our position regarding the current situation and Mr. Trump's letter has been fully explained to the other party,” Araqchi said.
In his televised comments, Pezeshkian offered the most direct acknowledgement yet that Tehran has rejected direct talks, although he left the door open for indirect negotiations with the United States and trust-building efforts.
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said. “They must prove that they can build trust,” he said, referring to the United States.
Iran’s economy has been reeling from years of sanctions, particularly after Trump, in his first term, pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions.
Tehran is looking to find ways to ease those sanctions or have them removed entirely, but the public rejection of Trump’s letter could lead to new pressure from Washington and other powers who are worried about Iran's nuclear program.
More sanctions could also be coming if Tehran doesn't reach an agreement.
With the 2015 nuclear deal set to formally expire in October 2025, world powers that are still part of the pact have only have a few months before they lose the ability to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.
With reporting by the Associated Press
- By RFE/RL's Radio Farda and
- Kian Sharifi
Insisting On Indirect Talks, Iran Responds To Trump Letter Via Oman
Iran said it has given a "restrained" response to a letter by US President Donald Trump proposing direct talks over a new nuclear deal, as Tehran continues to insist on indirect negotiations.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on March 27 that Iran delivered its formal written response to Trump via Oman, maintaining that Tehran will not hold direct negotiations as long as Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign is in effect.
"This official response includes a letter in which our position regarding the current situation and Mr. Trump's letter has been fully explained to the other party," Araqchi said.
Trump’s letter was delivered to Iran by an Emirati official on March 12. Some observers have argued that Iran’s decision to reply via Oman was due to concerns over the relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
Others, however, have pointed to Trump’s rapport with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that Israel will be made aware of the contents of Iran’s letter by Washington.
Reports say Trump’s letter included a proposal for direct negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and threats that failure to reach a deal would have severe consequences. Washington has not ruled out air strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.
Indirect Talks A No-Go
Ali Shamkhani, a top adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran’s response was “restrained.”
“It has been said in the letter that Iran is ready for indirect negotiations and if talks are held on equal footing, there is readiness to take further steps to negotiate,” said Shamkhani, a former national-security adviser.
Ali Vaez, Iran Program director at the International Crisis Group, says Tehran’s insistence on indirect talks will not go down well in Washington because Trump cares about the optics of face-to-face negotiations.
“Trump has no interest in indirect negotiations,” Vaez told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda. “Any indirect talks through mediators, no matter how good they progress, will be vulnerable.”
Hossein Mousavian, a former Iranian ambassador to Germany, wrote on X that he believes Iran delivered “an ambiguous response” and “addressed all the key points in Trump’s letter.”
Vaez, however, criticized Iran’s negotiation tactics, arguing that decision-makers in Tehran “have no understanding” of how Trump operates.
“You cannot be ambiguous with Trump and his representatives. This type of diplomacy doesn’t work with this administration,” he said, adding that Iran needs to table a clear proposal for direct talks.
“Iran’s approach is a waste of time, and in the worst-case scenario, it’ll bring us to a dead-end where you can no longer have a peaceful resolution,” Vaez said.
The Islamic republic insists its nuclear program is peaceful, but there have been growing calls among hard-liners to weaponize it.
Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran during his first term in office, arguing that it did not go far enough to rein in Iran's threat, such as restricting its missile program and ending support for its regional proxies.
Iran says it is willing to talk to lift US sanctions, but it has categorically ruled out talks over the missile program and regional activities.
With reporting by Elaheh Ravanshad of RFE/RL's Radio Farda
- By Mehran Karimi and
- Kian Sharifi
Iranian Journalist Trades Microphone For Rifle To Defend Ukraine
Kourosh Sehati was working for the UK-based Iran International TV station when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Now, the broadcast journalist aims to fight on the front lines in Ukraine, the Eastern European country he calls his “second home.”
Sehati is the first known Iranian to apply to join Ukraine’s Foreign Legion, a military unit of the armed forces composed of foreign volunteers. The Foreign Legion has not yet approved his application.
In an interview with RFE/RL’s Radio Farda, Sehati said he wanted to defend Ukraine against what he called “the club of dictators and invaders.”
That was a reference, he said, to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his key allies, including Iran’s clerical rulers, the Belarusian authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko, as well as North Korea and China.
The 46-year-old’s decision to fight in Ukraine was also deeply personal.
“I have an attachment to Ukraine because my wife is Ukrainian and our kids are half Ukrainian,” he told Radio Farda, adding that his family lives in London.
Sehati announced his decision to fight in Ukraine on March 18, writing on X that he had enlisted to “fight the criminal Putin and his backers.”
Russia 'Hurt' Iran
Beyond his personal ties to Ukraine, Sehati’s opposition to Moscow is rooted in Iran’s historical grievances against Russia.
“Russia has hurt Iran a lot over the last 200 years,” said Sehati, who worked for Voice of America’s Persian Service and holds US citizenship.
Persia and tsarist Russia fought a series of wars in the 19th century, culminating in Tehran ceding much of the Caucasus to Moscow.
The Russian Empire also vied for control of Iran’s natural resources and occupied Iranian territory.
In the mid-1940s, the Soviet Union supported short-lived ethnic Kurdish and Azeri republics in northwestern Iran. Although the republics were swiftly dismantled, they contributed to ethnic tensions that persist to this day.
Not All Iranians Support The Islamic Republic
Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Iran has supplied Moscow with drones that have been used to strike Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
While both Tehran and Moscow deny it, there is substantial evidence suggesting otherwise. There are also growing concerns that Iran could provide Russia with missiles for use in Ukraine.
Sehati said one of his motivations for enlisting was to challenge perceptions about Iranians.
“I’m trying to send a message of solidarity between Iranians and Ukrainians so that Ukrainians don’t associate Iranians with the Islamic republic’s actions,” he said.
A rights activist who was arrested several times for his political activities, Sehati fled Iran to Turkey in 2004. He was granted the status of political refugee and later moved to the United States.
Not Murder, But Self-Defense
Sehati was 10 when the Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988 and has no prior combat experience beyond the two-year mandatory military service he completed in Iran.
Sehati said he is looking forward to receiving "professional training" and admitted he has never killed anyone in battle. But he is mentally prepared.
“It’s like when someone breaks into your home with a weapon and tries to attack you. What do you do?” Sehati said. “Defending yourself is legitimate self-defense, not murder.”
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said Kourosh Sehati has joined the Foreign Legion, is on the front lines, and has received professional training. According to a statement by the press service of the International Legions of Defense of Ukraine, Sehati's application has not been approved yet, he has not received training and has not been dispatched to the battlefront.
- By Margot Buff and
- Austin Malloy
Iran Shows Off Military Might In Footage Of 'Underground Missile City'
Iran has released video showing a massive underground missile facility filled with a cache of high-powered weaponry.
The footage, shared by Iranian state media on March 25, showed Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mohammad Baqeri and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Aerospace Force commander, showing off what Iranian media said was an "underground missile city."
Some of Iran’s most advanced weapons are seen mounted on vehicles parked in the underground tunnels.
The release of the video comes at a moment of high tensions between Iran and the United States.
Farzan Sabet, a researcher specializing in nuclear nonproliferation and Middle East politics at the Geneva Graduate Institute, said the Islamic republic has made similar displays of its military strength in the past.
“During times of tension, they'll find various ways to signal their offensive military power, their defensive military power, and their deterrence capabilities. And so, one of the things they do, for example, is test missiles or carry out military exercises,” Sabet told RFE/RL. “One of the other things they do is to tour military facilities, and among those are missile facilities.”
On March 15, the United States launched large-scale air strikes on Yemen targeting the Iran-backed, US-designated terrorist group Ansarullah, better known as the Huthis.
Some defense observers consider the strikes to be intended in part as a warning to Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian hard-liners have renewed a push for the development of nuclear weapons in the new Iranian year, which started on March 20.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on March 25 that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon. But she noted that US intelligence agencies are monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities closely.
Iran Unveils 'Underground Missile City' Amid Regional Tensions
Iran's military officials toured a massive underground missile facility filled with a cache of high powered weaponry. The footage, shared on March 25, showed Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mohammad Baqeri and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Aerospace Force commander, showing off what Iranian media said was an "underground missile city." According to a defense researcher, Iran wants to signal its military strength to its rivals but is leaving the door open for deescalation.
- By Kian Sharifi
Iran Rings In Nowruz Amid Calls To Go Nuclear
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.
I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition I'm looking at how hard-liners are urging Iran’s decision-makers to green-light the development of nuclear weapons in the new Iranian year.
What You Need To Know
• Hard-liners Push For Nukes In New Year: Iranian hard-liners have renewed a push for the development of nuclear weapons in the new Iranian year, which started on March 20. As prospects of direct talks with the United States fade, they argue that only going nuclear can serve as a reliable deterrent to war.
• US Strikes To Degrade Houthis And Weaken Iran: Meanwhile, the United States has been launching wave after wave of air strikes against the Iran-backed, US-designated Yemeni terrorist group Ansarullah, better known as the Houthis. Analysts argue that the attacks are not only meant to restore freedom of navigation, but also serve as a warning to Iran.
• Authorities Step Up Crackdown On Female Singers: Iran has intensified its efforts to suppress female singers, detaining or summoning several women in recent weeks as part of a broader crackdown. Authorities have also targeted their online presence, shutting down Instagram accounts to further silence their voices. RFE/RL’s Radio Farda has the story.
The Big Issue
Have No Fear, Go Nuclear?
Sentiment to develop nuclear weapons has been growing in Iran in recent years, particularly among hard-liners who staunchly oppose engagement with the West.
The renewed calls come as Iran is weighing how to respond to a letter from US President Donald Trump on direct negotiations to reach a new deal over Iran’s nuclear program.
In a Nowruz appearance on state television, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on March 20 that the Islamic republic’s policy was to not have direct talks with the United States. He added that Iran is in “no rush” to respond to the letter, but will reply “in a few days.”
The letter, which Axios says includes a two-month deadline to reach a deal, is “mostly threats but also claims to have opportunities,” Araqchi said.
Why It Matters: Iran and Western powers are in a race against time. The 2015 nuclear deal, which has been effectively defunct since Trump withdrew the United States from it during his first term in office in 2018, expires this October.
In other words, the United States and its European allies only have until then to trigger the deal’s “snapback mechanism” to reimpose UN sanctions against Tehran. Without a new nuclear deal, the sanctions will, in all likelihood, return before October.
That could prompt Iran to weaponize its nuclear program, risking Israeli -- and possibly US -- air strikes on its nuclear facilities.
Last month, The New York Times reported that Iran was exploring the possibility of building a crude nuclear weapon to ward off an attack, but experts argue Western intelligence would still be able to detect it in time to launch an attack.
Curiously, there are those in Iran who prefer a limited attack on nuclear facilities to giving into US demands. They argue that, if the Islamic republic survives an attack on its nuclear sites, it would be worth the trade-off.
What's Being Said: Going for shock and awe, the hardline Vatan-e Emrooz newspaper’s yearend front page displayed a large picture of a mushroom cloud with a headline simply reading, “Nuclear Year.”
The paper alleged that, because the United States “cannot be trusted,” the world at large is moving toward nuclear weapons.
Nezamoddin Mousavi, a hard-line commentator, argued that, despite being militarily well-equipped, Japan during World War II lacked nuclear weapons.
“Japan had everything except for an atomic bomb, which America did have!” he wrote on X.
Nour News, which is affiliated with former national-security adviser Ali Shamkhani, hinted that Iran might withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if Washington and its allies “make good on their threats.”
Expert Opinion: “The chances for an Israeli-American attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities this summer just went up pretty significantly,” Nadav Pollak, a lecturer at the Tel Aviv-based Reichman University, wrote on March 19.
That's all from me for now.
Until next time,
Kian Sharifi
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- By RFE/RL
2 Men Convicted In New York For Plotting To Kill Iranian Dissident Journalist
Two men identified by prosecutors as members of the Russian mob have been convicted in New York City for plotting to kill Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad in a murder-for-hire scheme financed by Iran's government.
The verdict was returned on March 20, ending a two-week trial that included testimony about how Iran targeted Alinejad, 48, for her online campaigns encouraging Iranian women to defy Iran’s law requiring women to cover their hair in public.
Prosecutors said Iranian intelligence officials first plotted in 2020 and 2021 to kidnap Alinejad and move her to Iran to silence her criticism of the government. When that failed, Iran offered $500,000 for her to be killed, prosecutors said.
Assistant US Attorney Michael Lockard told the jury on March 19 that the “Iranian government” had set the award to “fund the plan to silence” Alinejad.
Alinejad called the verdict “a powerful gift from the American government” to the people of Iran because it shows that justice is beginning to be served.
“I am relieved that after nearly three years, the men who plotted to kill me have been found guilty. But make no mistake, the real masterminds of this crime are still in power in Iran,” she told The Associated Press. “Right now, I am bombarded with emotions. I have cried. I have laughed. I have even danced.”
Leslie R. Backschies, who heads the FBI's New York office, said the verdicts show that the “Iranian government's shameless conduct and attempt to violate our laws and assassinate a critic of their human rights atrocities will not be tolerated.”
Prosecutors said the convicted men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, were members of the Russian mob. Defense lawyers argued at trial that their clients were innocent and evidence was flawed.
“We respect the jury's verdict, but plan on filing an appeal on Mr. Omarov's behalf,” Elena Fast, an attorney for Omarov, was quoted by the AP as saying in an e-mail. A lawyer for Amirov did not immediately respond to the AP’s request for comment on the verdict.
In court on March 19 his lawyer, Michael Martin, said there was no doubt "Iran targeted Alinejad, but his client was not part of any plot."
Alinejad testified last week that she came to the United States in 2009 after she was banned from covering Iran's disputed presidential election and after the newspaper where she worked was shut down.
After establishing herself in New York City, she built an online audience of millions and launched a campaign that told Iranian women to send photos and videos of themselves exposing their hair when the morality police were not around.
She ultimately inspired women to take to the streets in Iran on Wednesdays to peacefully protest, leading the government to arrest hundreds of women. The crackdown only caused her following to grow.
Prosecutors said that by 2022, the Iranian government enlisted organized crime figures to kill Alinejad.
Khalid Mehdiyev, a former member of the Russian mob, testified that he was hired as the hitman.
Mehdiyev, who cooperated with prosecutors after pleading guilty to multiple crimes, said he bought an AK-47 to kill Alinejad in July 2022, but the plan was foiled when his car was stopped by police and the gun was found. Mehdiyev, like Amirov and Omarov, are citizens of Azerbaijan.
American officials have accused Iran of backing several assassination plots in the United States, including one against President Donald Trump during his presidential campaign last year.
In a separate case, US prosecutors in 2022 charged a man in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) with plotting to kill former US national-security adviser John Bolton. Tehran has denied being behind any such plots.
The plots came after Iranian officials vowed to exact revenge against Trump and others over the 2020 drone strike that killed prominent IRGC General Qassem Soleimani.
With reporting by AP
Undocumented Afghans In Iran Face Uncertain Future Amid New Restrictions
Millions of Afghans in Iran face an uncertain future as Tehran prepares to implement sweeping restrictions that will cut off access to health care, education, housing, and other essential services for undocumented immigrants.
The new policy, set to take effect on March 21, has left many Afghans grappling with impossible choices between a hostile host country and an unstable homeland.
For Rasheed, an Afghan immigrant living in Iran, the consequences of these policies have already hit home.
Rasheed recently returned to Afghanistan after doctors in Iran refused to treat his elderly mother for her heart disease.
“I was told to return to Afghanistan because Afghans were not supposed to get any treatment here,” Rasheed recalled of his conversation with an official at a government hospital in Tehran.
“My mother’s condition was rapidly deteriorating, which prompted me to return to my country,” he told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi. Rasheed requested that his real name be withheld to protect his identity.
In Karaj, a city near Tehran, Ehsan Zia, another Afghan immigrant, is devastated that his two teenage daughters can no longer attend school.
“Our hopes have been dashed,” he told Radio Azadi. “Even here, my daughters are being deprived of education.”
Zia moved to Iran three years ago after the Taliban banned teenage girls from attending school following their return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Despite having a legal visa to stay in Iran, Zia says he has been unable to enroll his daughters in school due to bureaucratic obstacles and shifting policies.
Who Will Be Affected By The New Policy?
Earlier this month, the Center for Aliens and Foreign Immigrants’ Affairs (CAFIA) at Iran’s Interior Ministry announced six categories of Afghans who will remain eligible for key services under the new rules.
These include Afghans registered as refugees, those with valid visas or work permits, former employees of the Western-backed Afghan government that was toppled by the Taliban, and families with school-going children who apply for visas.
Tehran has already deported more than 2 million Afghans over the past two years as part of a campaign targeting undocumented immigrants.
Nader Yarahmadi, head of CAFIA, defended the government’s move, telling the semiofficial ISNA news agency that “there is no obstacle to returning [to Afghanistan] due to the relative stability and declared policies of the current Afghan government.”
The United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that that some 4 million Afghans live in Iran, including more than 2 million undocumented migrants. Figures cited by Iranian officials and media vary widely, with some claiming that 8 million Afghans reside in Iran.
Risking Tensions With The Taliban
The crackdown on undocumented Afghans has coincided with rising anti-Afghan sentiment in Iran. Impoverished Afghan migrants are often scapegoated for crimes, insecurity, and unemployment. Such views have fueled mob violence against Afghans as well as mass arrests and brutal treatment by Iranian police and border security forces.
“Cutting off basic services to migrants will disrupt the labor market and drive more people into the underground economy,” said Graeme Smith, senior Afghanistan analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.
Afghan migrants make up a significant portion of Iran’s labor force in agriculture and construction -- sectors that could suffer if undocumented workers are expelled en masse.
Smith also warned that Tehran’s policies could worsen tensions between Iran and Afghanistan. The Taliban government has already clashed with neighboring Pakistan over its treatment of Afghan refugees.
“The Taliban may feel provoked to respond, for example, with restrictions on water sharing,” Smith said, referring to a long-standing dispute over water rights.
Experts argue that Tehran’s approach could backfire, both economically and geopolitically. An isolated and heavily sanctioned Iran needs stable relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban government to expand trade ties, maintain border security, and build a more integrated regional economy.
“Not only will this cause suffering for the Afghans affected,” Smith noted, “but it’s a self-defeating policy for Tehran.”
- By RFE/RL
RFE/RL Audiences Voice Support For Its Journalism -- And Fears For Its Future
Amid an attempt by US President Donald Trump’s administration to halt congressionally allocated funding from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the broadcaster’s audiences in the countries it covers are voicing support and admiration for its journalism.
From Iran to Belarus, Afghanistan to Russia, Pakistan to Ukraine: Readers and listeners praised RFE/RL journalists for their brave, impartial, and honest reporting on the front lines of war and in some of the world’s most repressive political and media landscapes -- and expressed concern that it could vanish.
“I live in a small village. We don’t have satellite or reliable Internet. Your radio [is] giving me hope,” one listener in Iran wrote in a Telegram message to Radio Farda, RFE/RL’s Persian-language service.
Another listener from Iran posted on social media that Radio Farda “is my main source of information because of its unbiased and professional reporting."
“Losing it would be very difficult. I hope that day never comes,” the listener wrote.
Trump on March 14 signed an executive order aiming to reduce seven federal agencies – including the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees RFE/RL and other US taxpayer-funded broadcasters like Voice of America (VOA).
After the executive order was published, Kari Lake, senior adviser to the agency's acting CEO, sent a letter saying the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL had been terminated.
RFE/RL is nonetheless continuing its work and on March 18 filed a federal lawsuit to block USAGM’s attempt to terminate the broadcaster's federal grant that provides funds necessary to operate.
Unlike VOA, which is a federal agency, RFE/RL is a private, nonprofit corporation, with corporate headquarters in Delaware and editorial headquarters in Prague.
Breaking Through 'The Darkness Of Lies'
In Ukraine, where RFE/RL has covered Russia’s full-scale invasion from the front lines since it was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022, reader Oleh Prozorov thanked RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service for its “protection of political freedoms.”
“Sometimes you were like a ray of light that broke through the darkness of lies,” Prozorov wrote on Facebook.
In a message to RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, reader Lesya Bondaruk expressed fear of losing “a bastion of real freedom of speech and thought."
“An attack on Radio Liberty is an attack on humanity’s freedom of speech. This cannot be allowed,” she wrote.
Readers and viewers of RFE/RL’s Russian-language services expressed gratitude for their coverage of the country amid a steady decline in press freedoms during Putin’s 25 years in power that intensified following the Ukraine invasion.
“I am in Russia, engulfed in the zombifying, villainous propaganda of the Kremlin. Current Time is the only Russian-language TV channel that can be trusted, with objective information and many documentary programs,” wrote one viewer of RFE/RL’s 24/7 Russian-language television channel.
“I am endlessly amazed by your reporters who risk working in front-line areas, the professionalism of your anchors, and the high level of journalism,” another Current Time viewer wrote in a message to the network.
'Ray Of Hope' In Afghanistan
Hundreds of messages and calls have poured in from RFE/RL listeners in Afghanistan and Pakistan expressing deep concern about the fate of the broadcaster’s Afghan Service, known locally as Radio Azadi, which broadcasts in the Dari and Pashto languages, and Radio Mashaal, a Pashto-language service in Pakistan.
“Radio Azadi is very important for us. It keeps me informed about the world. I listen to it day and night, both on the radio and my phone,” Radio Azadi listener Haji Khodaiberdi wrote in a WhatsApp message.
“Radio Azadi is a ray of hope for countries that are often forgotten. Its programs connect people from small villages to the world. Living in a remote village with only one radio, I find its voice truly comforting. I hope your programs always remain strong and vibrant,” listener Safa Mehr wrote.
Another listener, Nabiullah Zabuli from Afghanistan’s southern Zabul Province, urged Trump and “everyone who can influence this decision to reconsider” cutting funding for Radio Azadi.
“Please do not betray your millions of loyal listeners. Keep this beacon of information alive,” he wrote.
Heela Darkhast Ahmadzai, a Radio Azadi and Mashaal listener, said in a Pashto-language Facebook post that both channels are “sources of enlightening our minds and thinking.”
“We Pashtun women learned a lot from those two radio stations,” she wrote. “And we came to know about our rights, education, and about the world from those two platforms.”
Another Radio Mashaal listener, Ebadullah Khan from the Shangla district in northwestern Pakistan, said on Facebook that the broadcaster’s journalists “did their job with courage” and that their “journalistic efforts in spreading awareness among the people are great.”
'This Story Must Go On'
In Belarus, where the government of Belarusian autocrat Aleksandr Lukashenko has all but wiped out independent media, RFE/RL’s Belarusian-language service is one of just a handful of news organizations continuing to report critically on authorities.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one reader, Zmitrok Siemieniuk, said that he immediately rushed to find out what was going on and came across Radio Svaboda’s YouTube channel.
“There were millions of views, which helped me grasp what was really going on, and I still use Radio Svaboda’s channels,” he wrote on Instagram. “You provide news free of propaganda and hatred. I can learn about the most important events happening in the world. And, of course, here I can read the news in my native language.”
Another reader, Tatsiana, said that Radio Svaboda “is the only place in the world where I could truly feel like a citizen of a free, European Belarus.”
“In 2020, millions of Belarusians who took part in the peaceful revolution against Lukashenko’s brutal authoritarianism embraced Radio Svaboda’s values, while it live-streamed these historic events in real time,” she wrote in a private message.
“Its mission remains unfinished today -- this story must go on.”
Based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Afghan Service, RFE/RL’s Belarus Service, Current Time, RFE/RL's Radio Farda, RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, and RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service
EU Politicians Make Push For Radio Free Europe Funding After Trump Cuts
European Union politicians said they are continuing their push into possible support for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty after the US government moved to cut the Prague-based broadcaster's funding amid concerns its closure would be a blow to pro-democracy media.
Czech European Affairs Minister Martin Dvorak told reporters in Brussels on March 18 that several nations have supported the initiative so far but the bloc must act quickly as "it would be a big mistake to let this institution die."
"We must initiate some interest and meet with commissioners and some states. At this point, that initiative has been supported by seven other nations, and after we make the initiative public at the General Affairs Council, more countries will join us," Dvorak said, adding the issue needs to be resolved in a matter of "several weeks."
At the initiative of the Czech Republic, a meeting of foreign ministers from the bloc's 27 members on March 17 addressed the issue with the future of RFE/RL unclear due to the cutting of its Congress-approved funding by the administration of President Donald Trump over the weekend.
EU Countries Voice Their Support Of RFE/RL
While Dvorak said he did not want to reveal the names of the countries that have voiced their support for the move, diplomatic sources told RFE/RL that Germany, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the three Baltic nations are among those who support the initiative.
"The financial challenges faced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty put independent journalism at serious risk in regions where the free press is silenced, from Russia and Belarus to Iran and Afghanistan," Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said in a post on X.
" If RFE/RL disappears, disinformation and propaganda will fill the void. That would a direct win for those who seek to undermine democracy.... Europe cannot let that happen. Protecting a free press means protecting democracy. Access to fact-based reporting is not just a principle, it is a necessity for security and fundamental freedoms," he added.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said after the March 17 foreign ministers meeting that he sensed "a certain interest" from other EU members in his country's initiative, and that "it is our responsibility to seriously deal with this issue."
Radio Free Europe's Cold War History
Lipavsky's Polish counterpart, Radek Sikorski, also voiced support for RFE/RL, recalling how his father listened to the station as well as the Voice of America broadcaster during the Cold War.
"It's how we learned the basic facts about our own countries because communist propaganda was so tightly controlled," he told reporters. "And these institutions continue to do similar work for autocracies today."
Trump signed an executive order late on March 14 that aims to reduce seven federal agencies -- including the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and other federal broadcasters.
The order, which also targets agencies that deal with homelessness, labor disputes, and community development, gave the heads of each governmental entity named seven days to submit a report confirming full compliance.
Hours after the executive order was published, a letter from USAGM said the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL, headquartered in the Czech capital, Prague, had been terminated.
RFE/RL President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Capus said canceling the grant agreement would be "a massive gift to America's enemies," a point that was echoed by many media rights watchdogs, democracy advocates, and politicians.
Added US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "The Trump administration's latest effort to dismantle entities established and funded by Congress that provide accurate, unbiased information to hundreds of millions of people in countries where press freedom is under attack undermines the US commitment to democracy."
'Critical Lifeline'
“If President Trump gets his way, those who depend on US-supported independent media as alternatives to Chinese and Kremlin run media outlets and those living under authoritarian regimes will lose a critical lifeline."
The USAGM is an independent US government agency that oversees the broadcasting of news and information in almost 50 languages to some 361 million people each week.
The total budget request for the USAGM for fiscal year 2025 was $950 million to fund all of its operations and capital investments.
This includes media outlets such as RFE/RL, Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio Marti), Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), and the Open Technology Fund.
"Sweden has cosigned a Czech initiative to look for ways in which the EU and its member states can support Radio Free Europe and its role as a voice of freedom, where it is needed the most," Swedish EU Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz said.
Trump, who has taken several moves to slash government spending since taking office for a second term in January, clashed with the USAGM over editorial independence and the direction of programming during his first term.
He has reiterated those concerns again since retaking office. Supporters of the broadcasters say they are an important arm of US diplomacy.
RFE/RL operates in 23 countries and 27 languages across Central and Eastern Europe, the Near East, and Central Asia.
- By RFE/RL
Hundreds Reported Killed After Israel Begins Deadly Strikes On Gaza, Lebanon, Syria
More than 300 people were reported killed after Israel launched deadly air strikes in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and southern Syria in what it said were targeted attacks against extremists planning terror assaults, reigniting tensions that threatened to engulf the region in a new, bloody conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military to take "strong action" against Iran-backed Hamas -- deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and EU -- in response to the Islamist group's refusal to release all remaining hostages and its rejection of new cease-fire proposals.
"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
The strikes represent the biggest escalation in the conflict since the cease-fire was reached in mid-January.
Citing medical officials under the control of Hamas, several media outlets reported that the death toll across the Gaza Strip had reached at least 326 people from the attacks.
The information could not independently be confirmed.
The United Nations' Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory called the strikes "unconscionable" and demanded an immediate reinstatement of the ceasefire.
"People in Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering. An end to hostilities, sustained humanitarian assistance, release of the hostages and the restoration of basic services and people’s livelihoods, are the only way forward," Muhannad Hadi said in his statement.
Israel's military said the Gaza strikes targeted mid-level Hamas commanders and leaders and the group's infrastructure.
Along with the strikes against Hamas in Gaza, the Israeli military said it conducted air strikes in southern Lebanon and southern Syria as well.
It said it was prepared to continue attacks against Hamas for as long as necessary and would expand the campaign beyond air strikes. Israeli tanks and soldiers operated extensively in Gaza during the previous retaliatory action.
The White House was consulted by Israel in its latest strikes on Gaza, a White House spokeswoman told Fox News.
"As President [Donald] Trump has made it clear -- Hamas, the Houthis [in Yemen], Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose," press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox.
Trump on March 5 warned Hamas that there would be “hell to pay” if it does not immediately release all hostages after the White House confirmed that it had conducted secret talks with the extremist group.
Reuters quoted a senior Hamas official as saying that Israel is "unilaterally ending" the Gaza cease-fire agreement and that the action put the fate of the remaining Israeli hostages in jeopardy.
The violence comes amid disputes between Israel and Hamas over ways to maintain the three-phase cease-fire that began on January 19, including the exchange of remaining hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Two weeks ago, Israel cut off all food, medicine, fuel, electricity and other supplies to the territory’s around 2 million people to pressure Hamas to accept a new proposal to extend the cease-fire.
Much of Hamas's leadership was killed during Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza following the extremist group’s bloody cross-border attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Hamas-led militants' attack on settlements in southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, with 251 hostages being taken to Gaza. Some two dozen remain in Hamas control.
Israel struck back by launching a devastating war in the Palestinian enclave that has killed tens of thousands of people, according to local authorities, and displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Following the cease-fire agreement – which led to the release of numbers of hostages and prisoners -- the Israeli military has often conducted attacks against Hamas as well as strikes against Hezbollah locations in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah has also been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU has deemed its armed wing but not its political section as a terror group. Much of its leadership was also killed during Israel's 14-month war against the group prior to a US-brokered cease-fire in November.
In the renewed attacks, Israel said it struck two Hezbollah leaders in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor. It said the men were “observation operatives.”
The military said other, unspecified strikes were carried out against Hezbollah sites in Lebanon.
In Syria, Israel has seized a buffer zone in the south after the collapse the brutal autocratic regime of Bashar al-Assad in December. It described the move as a preemptive measure against the former Islamist insurgents who overthrew Assad and now control Syria.
On March 17, Syrian authorities said Israeli strikes hit a residential area in the southern city of Daraa, killing three people. The report could not be verified.
Israeli said it was targeting military command centers and weapons sites in southern Syria belonging to remnants of Assad’s forces and that they posed a threat to Israel.
Assad fled Syria and in December and was reported to be in Russia, which along with Iran, was a major backer of his regime. Assad assumed power in 2000 upon the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By Kian Sharifi
US Strikes On Yemen's Houthis A Message To Iran
The United States has launched extensive air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, aiming to curb their threat to shipping while also signaling a warning to Iran.
In a statement announcing his directive on March 15, US President Donald Trump also warned Iran to “immediately” end its support for the Houthis and vowed to hold Tehran “fully accountable” if it threatened Americans or shipping lanes.
On March 17, Trump turned up the heat, posting on his Truth Social platform that “the hundreds of attacks made by the Houthi, who are hated by the Yemeni people, emanate from, and are created by, Iran.”
"Any further attack or retaliation by the 'Houthis' will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that the force will stop there,” he wrote.
The strikes come as Iran is weighing its response to a letter by Trump on direct talks over Tehran’s nuclear program, and possibly its regional activities and missile development.
Michael Horowitz, head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy, said he believes the attack on Houthi targets may well have something to do with Iran’s opposition to direct talks with the Trump administration.
“There is a message being sent in the type of weapons used, including sea-launched missiles,” he told RFE/RL. “Nuclear negotiations haven’t started, and Trump is threatening to use force if diplomacy doesn’t work. This is a way to show that he is serious.”
How Are The Attacks Different From Past Strikes?
Designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the Houthis, who are formally known as the Ansarallah movement, seized power in Yemen in 2014 by toppling the internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government.
Soon after the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis began launching attacks on Israel and targeting ships in the Red Sea believed to be sailing to or from Israel. The group said this was in solidarity with the Palestinians.
The attacks stopped after a fragile cease-fire went into force in January, but the Houthis have threatened to resume their attacks if aid does not flow into Gaza.
Last year, US and British militaries carried out multiple air strikes against the Houthis, but the new wave of attacks seems to be different.
Horowitz said the administrations of former US President Joe Biden was focused on defensive and pre-emptive strikes, targeting weapon depots and weapons just before they were launched.
“Trump appears to have widened the scope of those strikes to include Houthi officials and offices. I would not discount that we’ll even see a campaign of targeted assassinations,” he added.
The Houthis have vowed to retaliate and claimed to have launched 18 drones and missiles against USS Harry S. Truman on March 16. The United States has not commented on the claim, but reports citing unnamed US officials say the drones were intercepted and the missiles did not reach the warship.
The Yemeni group claims US strikes have killed dozens of people, including children. But White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz said on March 16 that the United States “took out” multiple Houthi leaders.
How Has Iran Responded To The US Air Strikes?
The X account of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 16 posted a quote from the top Iranian decision-maker dating back to 2020, in which he insisted that the “nation of Yemen is definitely victorious.”
“The only path is that of resistance. That which has caused the US and its allies to panic today is the fact that the Muslim nations are standing firmly and that this resistance will prove to be effective,” the post read.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi criticized the Trump administration for demanding that Tehran cut ties with the Houthis, saying that US government “has no authorities or business dictating Iranian foreign policy.”
Meanwhile, Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), rejected assertions that Iran influences the Houthis, insisting that Tehran “has no role” in the Houthis’ decision-making process.
The Houthi movement is a key member of the Iran-led "axis of resistance," a network of non-state actors that has suffered major setbacks over the past year. The movement has particularly risen in stature as a defender of the Palestinian cause since it started hitting Israel and alleged Israeli-linked vessels.
Horowitz said the Houthis’ rising profile within the axis of resistance gives them some level of autonomy, but they are ultimately an Iranian proxy.
“They are still extremely dependent on Iran for weapons they use regularly so they will follow Iran's lead in my opinion,” he added.
Iran Steps Up Crackdown On Female Singers
Iran has escalated its crackdown on female singers in an effort to silence them. In past weeks, several women have been detained or summoned by authorities, while their Instagram pages have been shut down.
Since the 1979 revolution, women in Iran have been banned from singing solo in public. But despite the restrictions, many female artists have turned to social media to share their voices—often defying both the singing ban and the country’s strict hijab laws.
Among them is Golsa Rahimzamani, whose Instagram account was banned following an order by Iran’s Cyber Police. Reyhanoo, another singer, also had her page removed, while Bita Hajisadeghian, a singer and music teacher, was summoned by authorities in Isfahan and accused of “harming public decency and publishing indecent work.”
In February, singer Hiwa Seyfzadeh was arrested mid-performance in Tehran when plainclothes agents stormed the venue and took her away. She was later released, but her social media accounts were also shut down.
Last August, singer Zara Esmaili was detained after videos of her performing in public— including singing Amy Winehouse’s hit Back to Black—went viral. Her current whereabouts remain unknown.
In December, singer Parastoo Ahmadi created a stir after recording a performance with her hair uncovered, wearing a dress, and accompanied by male musicians. The video, uploaded to YouTube, quickly went viral—earning her praise for challenging both the ban on female singers and Iran’s compulsory hijab laws. Authorities briefly detained her and launched legal proceedings against her and her bandmates for what they called an "illegal concert."
The crackdown has drawn criticism from many, including religious figures.
Pro-reform cleric Mohammad Taghi Fazeli Meybodi, from the holy city of Qom, dismissed the ban as baseless, stating that there is no religious justification for prohibiting women from singing.
Iran’s music icon Googoosh, who was banned from performing at the peak of her career, has also voiced her support.
"This is a historic moment that future generations will talk about," she told Radio Farda in December. "More women will take the stage—there is no turning back."
These Iranian Women Sang In Public. They Were Arrested, Questioned, Or Banned Online
Iranian authorities are cracking down on female vocalists who have defied the country's restrictions on women singing in public. In recent weeks, a number of performers have had their social media pages blocked, while others have been summoned for questioning by security officials. One singer was detained in the middle of a performance; another, whose appearance without a hijab went viral, was arrested and is still unaccounted for.
- By RFE/RL
US Officials Pledge To Keep Hitting Huthi Targets In Yemen
U.S. officials vowed to continue hitting Huthi targets in Yemen after launching air strikes aimed at curbing the group’s attacks on maritime shipping and naval vessels in the Gulf region.
Speaking on CBS News on March 16, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also signaled that there were no imminent plans to send US troops to directly engage the Huthis, which Washington has designated a terrorist group.
"I don't think there's a necessity for it right now,” he said.
"This was [also] a message to Iran — don't keep supporting [the Huthis] because you will also be responsible for what they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping," he said.
The March 15 overnight attack – which included fighter jets launched from a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea and missile barrages— killed at least 12 civilians, Huthi authorities said, though the toll could not be independently confirmed.
"Huthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X:
The barrage followed warnings from President Donald Trump that "hell will rain down upon" the Huthis if they continue firing missiles on ships in the Gulf region, and at Israel.
"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones," he wrote.
The strikes in Yemen appeared to be the largest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office on January 20. Media outlets quoted US officials as saying the strike “is not a one-day event -- this is the first of many days if not weeks of strikes."
Huthi rebels have launched dozens of attacks on shipping over the past 18 months, claiming they are intended to support Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza.
Many shipping firms have been forced to change their courses to longer and more expensive routes to avoid the Gulf region.
Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, denied Tehran's involvement in Huthi operations.
"Iran will never start a war... but if anyone threatens us," he was quoted as telling state media. Iran "will give appropriate, decisive and final responses."
"I warn all enemies that we will respond to any threat, if it takes on a practical aspect, with a stubborn, decisive, and destructive response," he said.
The US president has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran since taking office in January, seeking to bring it back to negotiations aimed at curtailing its nuclear ambitions.
The White House last week sent Tehran a new proposal regarding its nuclear program but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has so far rejected the proposal.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
US Launches Large-Scale Attack On Huthi Rebels, Warns Iran To End Support
The US military has launched a large-scale attack against Iran-linked Huthi fighters in Yemen and warned Tehran that it must immediately cease support for US-designated terrorist group.
The March 15 attack -- conducted by warplanes from a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea -- came after President Donald Trump warned the Huthis that "hell will rain down upon you" if they do not stop their extremist actions, including attacks on shipping in the Gulf region and missile launches against Israel.
Trump also warned Iran that "America will hold you fully accountable and, we won't be nice about it!" as it ratchets up pressure to force Tehran back to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.
Trump posted on his social media platform that he had "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Huthi terrorists in Yemen."
"They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, shops, aricraft, and drones."
The US president referred to the Huthi as "thugs" who are "funded by Iran."
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and informed him of the military operation.
The strikes in Yemen appear to be the largest US military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office on January 20. Media outlets quoted US officials as saying the strike “is not a one-day event -- this is the first of many days if not weeks of strikes."
Huthi officials said at least 12 civilians were killed and another nine injured in the US attacks, but the claims could not be independently confirmed. The officials vowed revenge, without being specific.
Reuters quoted a resident, who gave his name as Abdullah Yahia, as saying that "the explosions were violent and shook the neighborhood like an earthquake."
Huthi rebels have launched dozens of attacks on shipping over the past 18 months, claiming they are in support of Palestinians over Israel's war in Gaza with Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.
The Huthis have also struck shipping vessels, claiming they are only targeting Israeli ships but hitting a number of others registered elsewhere. Many shipping firms have been forced to change their courses to longer and more expensive routes to avoid the violence.
The US Central Command said the action was the beginning of large-scale "operation consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Huthi targets across Yemen in order to restore freedom of navigation."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: "Huthi attacks on American ships & aircraft (and our troops!) will not be tolerated; and Iran, their benefactor, is on notice."
"Freedom of Navigation will be restored," he added.
Meanwhile, Trump wrote on social media that "we will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective."
The Huthis on March 11 warned they would resume attacks on Israeli ships in the region, ending a period of relative calm that followed the January cease-fire agreement reached by Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The action also comes as Washington steps up pressure on Iran to reenter talks over its nuclear program.
The White House on March 9 warned Tehran that it can be dealt with either through military means or by negotiating a deal regarding its nuclear program, remarks that came hours after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals.
During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms. Trump said the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign that was the cornerstone of his Iran policy in his first term, with the aim of slashing Tehran's oil exports to "zero." Experts say the United States is unlikely to be able to stop Iran's oil sales entirely but will be able to substantially reduce it.
Huthi rebels in 2014 seized much of Yemen's northwest and its capital, Sanaa, leading to a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and created a humanitarian nightmare in the Arab world's poorest country.
Many observers described the hostilities as a "proxy war" between Saudi- and Iranian-led groups. Saudi Arabia supports the nationally recognized government that the Huthi rebels seek to overthrow.
With reporting by Reuters
- By Kian Sharifi
Decision Time For Iran After Delivery Of Trump Letter
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.
I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition, I'm looking at why Iran continues to reject direct talks with the Donald Trump administration while weighing its response to the US president's nuclear outreach.
What You Need To Know
• Trump’s Letter To Khamenei Arrives In Tehran: US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks over a nuclear deal was delivered this week by an Emirati delegation. Hours before the delegation arrived, Khamenei reiterated his stance that there was no point in negotiating with Washington.
• IRGC Veteran Claims Killing Of Iranian Dissidents In Europe: Mohsen Rafiqdoost, one of the founders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed this week that he had orchestrated the killings of several high-profile Iranian dissidents in Europe between 1979 and 1992. His office later attributed the comments to “extensive complications” from a brain operation, while the IRGC dismissed Rafiqdoost’s comments as “his personal opinion.” One dissident whose assassination Rafiqdoost claimed is Fereydoun Farrokhzad. RFE/RL’s Radio Farda has produced a documentary on his grisly killing.
• Spotlight On Iran And Russia After Violence In Syria: While the eruption of violence in western Syria has raised questions about the transitional government’s ability to control its affiliated factions, it has also brought Russian and Iranian involvement in Syrian affairs into sharp focus. Through interviews and analysis of open-source data, RFE/RL can give a clearer picture of what's happening inside Syria.
The Big Issue
Will Talks Lift Pressure On Iran? Khamenei Doesn’t Think So
Khamenei on March 12 again dismissed the prospect of talks with the Trump administration, telling an audience in Tehran that “negotiating with this US administration won’t result in the sanctions being removed.”
As Khamenei was delivering his speech, Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, was on his way to Tehran to deliver Trump’s letter to the Iranian supreme leader.
The contents of the letter have not been disclosed, but Trump said last week when he revealed he had written to Khamenei that Washington “cannot let [Iran] have a nuclear weapon”, insisting that he preferred a peaceful resolution to tension over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Why It Matters: Iran’s economy has been reeling from years of sanctions, particularly after Trump, in his first term, pulled the US out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions.
But more sanctions could come if Tehran and Washington don’t reach an agreement. With the 2015 nuclear deal formally expiring in October 2025, world powers only have a few months before they lose the power to “snap back” UN sanctions on Iran.
Washington’s European allies have gradually begun threatening Tehran that they will trigger a return of the sanctions. Iran has threatened to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if UN sanctions are reimposed.
While the Islamic republic has not formally responded to Trump’s letter, the White House has warned that military action is very much on the table should Iran reject the US president’s outreach.
What's Being Said: Khamenei claimed in his speech that negotiating with Trump “will cause the knot of sanctions to become tighter and pressure to increase,” though he didn’t elaborate further.
Shahin Modarres, an Iranian security expert based in Rome, told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that the weakening of Iran’s offensive and defensive capabilities, as well as the unraveling of its network of regional proxies, have left Tehran with “no leverage” at the negotiating table.
“The lack of leverage at the table leads to a kind of surrender,” he said.
In an interview published on March 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran won’t negotiate with Washington as long as Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign is in force.
“If we enter negotiations while the other side is imposing maximum pressure, we will be negotiating from a weak position and will achieve nothing,” he said, adding that talks can only take place when both nations are on “equal footing.”
Expert Opinion: “Negotiating with this US administration could result in some sanctions being removed. That's what negotiations address: Often they fail, occasionally they succeed. Dismissing negotiations, especially out of hand, guarantees that the knot of sanctions becomes tighter,” writes Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group.
That's all from me for now.
Until next time,
Kian Sharifi
If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.
- By RFE/RL
China, Iran, Russia Demand End To US Sanctions On Tehran
China, Russia, and Iran demanded an end to Washington's "illegal, unilateral sanctions" on Tehran, after three-party talks on the Iranian nuclear issue in Beijing on March 14.
But a leading sanctions expert involved in past nuclear talks with Iran says lifting sanctions as a precursor to negotiations is neither likely nor advisable.
The meeting included Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.
"We conducted in-depth exchanges of views on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. We emphasized the necessity of ending all illegal unilateral sanctions," Ma said after the talks concluded.
"The relevant parties should work to eliminate the root causes of the current situation and abandon sanctions, pressure, and threats of the use of force," he added.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who welcomed the Iranian and Russian diplomats ahead of the meeting, was set to have his own meeting with them later during the day.
The Iranian position has been that it will not negotiate with the Trump as long as his "maximum pressure" campaign is in force and sanctions in place.
"I don't think there's any likelihood the Trump administration is going to drop sanctions against Iran just to talk. I wouldn't advise him to," said Richard Nephew, the lead sanctions expert for the US negotiating team that clinched a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in 2015.
"At the end of the day, that's a concession for a talk, as opposed to a concession for actual action," he added.
Tehran and Moscow have strengthened relations in recent years as Iran's disputes with the United States have mounted. Both nations have had close ties to China.
Moscow, which is engaged in efforts to normalize relations with Washington, has offered to mediate talks between the United States and the Islamic republic.
Both China and Russia have benefited from Iran's stand-off with the United States. China has been buying Iranian oil at a sharp discount while Russia has been using Iranian drones against Ukraine. But if tension with the United States spirals, it may have consequences that both Moscow and Beijing would want to avoid.
"I'm not sure that the Russians or the Chinese each have an interest in a deal. I think they have an interest in not having a bigger crisis," Nephew said.
This week, the three countries conducted naval drills in the Gulf of Oman near the strategic Strait of Hormuz in a show of force in the tense Middle East, with participating ships stopping at Iran's Chabahar Port.
Attention on Iran's nuclear issues has intensified in recent days after US President Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to Tehran urging a resumption of nuclear talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry on March 13 said it would conduct a "thorough assessment" before responding to Trump's letter.
"The letter was received last night and is currently being reviewed," spokesman Esmail Baqaei was quoted by the official IRNA news agency, adding: "A decision on how to respond will be made after a thorough assessment."
Trump, during his first term, quit the nuclear deal, which had imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. Trump said the accord was not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and he accused Tehran of fomenting extremist violence in the region -- a charge denied by Iran.
China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany had also signed the nuclear deal with Iran in 2015.
Following the US withdrawal in 2018, Tehran eventually started expanding its nuclear program, while efforts to reach a new accord through indirect talks have failed. Tehran claims its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes.
Iran has floated the possibility of resuming indirect talks, but Nephew dismissed its viability.
"To be clear, I think indirect talks have been a disaster. It has been both a strategic mistake...as well as something that actually limits the possibility of negotiations being successful," he said, adding that Trump's letter was unlikely to change the Iranian position.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations -- the United States, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan -- labeled Iran the "principal source of regional instability" in a joint statement on March 14.
They said Tehran "must never be allowed" to develop and acquire nuclear weapons, adding, "Iran must now change course, de-escalate and choose diplomacy."
The United States said on March 13 that it was sanctioning Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad and a number of Hong Kong-flagged ships that are part of a shadow fleet "on which Iran depends to deliver its oil" to China. Tehran blasted the move, calling it "'hypocrisy."
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
UAE Delegate Delivers Letter From Trump To Khamenei, Iran Says
Iran said a delegation led by a senior Emirati figure has delivered a letter from US President Donald Trump to the Islamic republic's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei told the semiofficial ISNA news agency on March 12 that Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, had delivered the letter.
Trump said last week that he had written to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing talks to reach a deal over Tehran’s expanding nuclear program.
"We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon," he said, adding that "something is going to happen very soon."
"Hopefully we will have a peace deal," he said, apparently meaning a peaceful resolution of tension over Tehran's nuclear program. "I’m just saying I’d rather see a peace deal than the other. But the other will solve the problem.”
Khamenei has opposed talks direct talks with the Trump administration and said after the president’s announcement last week that Tehran would not negotiate with “bullying governments.”
"Such negotiations aren’t aimed at solving issues. Their aim is to exert their dominance and impose what they want," Khamenei said during a Ramadan speech on March 8.
Without explicitly naming the US, he said “bullying governments” are not only focused on Iran’s nuclear program but also “make new demands” targeting the Islamic republic's defensive capabilities and regional activities.
“Negotiations are a means to impose new demands. Iran will definitely not fulfill these new demands,” Khamenei said.
The Iranian leader has accused Trump of being untrustworthy after US president withdrew the US from a landmark nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms.
After abrogating the accord in 2018, Trump welcomed an offer by Japan's then-prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to mediate and in 2019 asked the Japanese premier to deliver a letter to Khamenei. The Iranian leader rejected the letter, saying it was "not worthy" of a response.
Russia, which is one of the signatories to the original nuclear deal, has expressed an interest in mediating talks between Tehran and Washington, though many have questioned whether Moscow can be an impartial broker.
Referencing Moscow’s talks with Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on March 12 said the Iranian nuclear program has been discussed and that Trump has made Tehran ending its support for its proxies a “precondition for a new nuclear deal.”
Meanwhile, China has announced that it will host a trilateral meeting with Iran and Russia on March 14 to “exchange views on the Iranian nuclear issue,” among other topics.
- By Kian Sharifi,
- Schemes,
- Systema and
- RFE/RL's Radio Farda
What Data Tells Us About The Violence In Syria
While the eruption of violence in western Syria has raised questions about the transitional government’s ability to control its affiliated factions, it has also brought Russian and Iranian involvement in Syrian affairs into sharp focus.
Various human rights groups monitoring the situation in Syria have documented over 800 casualties, including civilians, since clashes erupted on March 6 between government forces and gunmen loyal to the deposed president, Bashar al-Assad.
Rebel groups led by Ahmad al-Sharaa toppled the government in a lightning offensive in December 2024, bringing an end to half a century of Assad family rule over Syria.
Assad’s government was backed by Russia and Iran. While Russia has maintained ties with the new government, Iran has been completely excluded.
Through interviews and analysis of open-source data, RFE/RL can give a clearer picture of what's happening inside Syria.
Men Executed By Gunshots
Rights groups say among the dead are hundreds of civilian casualties, most of whom were Alawite, a minority community which Assad belongs to. The UN on March 11 said entire families, including women and children, were killed during the violence.
Social-media footage analyzed by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, suggests that some of the worst violence against Alawite civilians took place in the port city of Latakia, where Russia’s Hmeimim air base is located.
Some videos showed unarmed men being executed by gunshot from behind and others depicted victims being physically abused and humiliated, such as being forced to bark like a dog and crawl over dead bodies.
Nobil, a Syrian from Latakia who currently lives in Greece, told Schemes that factions affiliated with the transitional government entered his home village of Muzayraa on the night of March 6 and indiscriminately shot at houses with large-caliber machine guns mounted on trucks.
He said he lost six family members in the attack, including two aunts and two nephews, but his brother managed to escape.
Schemes found the Facebook profile of one of the alleged attackers known as Abu Bakr Mork, also called Talha, whose page is filled with posts about the attacks in western Syria.
In one post, he called for men to come to the area because the women in the area “are widowed and there are no men left.” In another, he wrote about the “campaign to clear the remnants of the defunct regime,” referring to Assad’s government.
Seeking Refuge In A Russian Air Base
Satellite images provided by Planet Labs and analyzed by Schemes show that, as early as March 7, people started to gather near the Russian-operated Hmeimim air base, seemingly seeking refuge from the clashes.
“This very well may be the only safe place for people to stay, given that neither side wants to spoil relations with Russia at the moment,” Ihor Semyvolos, director of the Kyiv-based Center for Middle East Studies, told Schemes.
Russia was a major backer of Assad, providing his forces and Iranian-backed proxies air support as they fought not only against Islamic State (IS) militants but also rebels opposed to Assad’s rule.
Those same rebels are now in charge, but Moscow has managed to position itself as a critical partner to Syria’s new rulers, who rely on Russia to print its local currency.
The Russians have maintained a significant presence at their two military bases, especially at Hmeimim.
Systema, RFE/RL’s Russian investigative unit, has confirmed at least 37 flights by large Antonov An-124 cargo planes between December 2024 and March, identifying 22 arrivals and 15 departures from the air base. Each plane can carry up to 150 tons of equipment, indicating substantial movement of personnel or equipment.
Shaky Ground: Inside The Russian Military Bases In Syria
Analyzing images on social media from the last few days, Systema has found that Major General Sergei Gashkov, head of Russia's Center for Reconciliation and Refugee Movement Control in Syria, is currently at the air base.
It is unsurprising that Russia seeks to maintain strong ties with Damascus under its new leadership, as retaining control over the Hmeimim air base and the naval base in Tartus provides strategic access to the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea.
What Is Iran’s Role?
There is no solid evidence suggesting that Russia is involved in fomenting unrest along Syria’s western coast, but some have accused Iran of playing a part.
In Assad, Iran lost a key ally who had allowed Tehran to use Syria as a land corridor to connect its regional proxies in Iraq and Lebanon.
When Syrian rebels deposed Assad, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed that Syrians would rise and resist the rebel government.
Iran currently has no way of getting funds or arms into Syria, but several key figures leading the pro-Assad resistance to the new government are close to Tehran and trained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Assad’s surviving loyalists are led by four figures: Major General Suhail al-Hassan, whose hometown of Aita was among the first to witness clashes; Muqdad Fatiha, founder of the Coast Shield armed group; Ibrahim Hawija, former head of Syrian Intelligence; and Ghias Dalla, aformer officer in Syria's elite 4th Armored Division with links to the IRGC and the US-designated Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian proxies and Shi'ite militias, told RFE/RL that Iran “desired an overreaction” from the transitional government, and it got what it wanted.
Tehran "is happy this was set off," especially since it establishes that Iran "can cause massive disruption" in Syria, Smyth said.
With reporting by Olya Ivleva, Kyrylo Ovsyaniy, Anna Myroniuk of Schemes; Daniil Belovodyev, Dmitry Sukharev, Svetlana Osipova, Yelizaveta Surnacheva of Systema; and Iliya Jazaeri of RFE/RL’s Radio Farda
- By RFE/RL
Iran Will Not Negotiate Under US 'Intimidation' As Trump Intensifies Pressure
Iran said it will not enter negotiations with the United States over its disputed nuclear program under what it said is “pressure and intimidation” from Washington.
The stance comes as US President Donald Trump increases pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its neighbor.
"We will NOT negotiate under pressure and intimidation. We will NOT even consider it, no matter what the subject may be," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X on March 10.
Araqchi’s comments came a day after Iran's mission to the United Nations struck a more conciliatory tone, saying Tehran could be open to talks aimed at addressing concerns about the potential militarization of its nuclear program.
"If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," said a March 9 statement from the mission.
But Araqchi appeared to close the door on such talks, saying Tehran's nuclear program is peaceful and there was "no such thing as its 'potential militarization.'"
During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms. Trump said the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign that was the cornerstone of his Iran policy in his first term, with the aim of slashing Tehran's oil exports to "zero." Experts say the United States is unlikely to be able to stop Iran's oil sales entirely, but will be able to substantially reduce it.
The US State Department said on March 9 that the decision not to renew Iraq's sanctions waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief."
Iran supplies one-third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with significant revenue.
The White House on March 9 warned Tehran that it will deal with its nuclear program either through military means or by reaching a deal, remarks that came hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected a US proposal for negotiations between the two bitter rivals.
"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on March 9.
In an interview with Fox Business recorded on March 6, Trump said, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Khamenei, speaking on March 8 to a group of Iranian officials, said the US offer of talks “are not aimed at solving problems” but to "impose" their demands on Tehran.
- By RFE/RL
China, Russia, and Iran Set To Hold Naval Exercises Amid Deepening Cooperation
Warships from China, Russia, and Iran will hold exercises in a key Middle Eastern waterway as the three partners highlight their deepening cooperation and showcase their growing capabilities, according to reports in state-run media.
The joint naval drills will start on March 10, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, while the Chinese Defense Ministry said the Security Belt 2025 exercise would be held near the Iranian port of Chabahar on the coast of the Gulf of Oman with the aim of deepening "military trust and pragmatic cooperation."
The drills are part of an annual exercise between the three countries and comes as both China and Iran are navigating tensions with the United States.
All three countries are also increasing their cooperation. The Chinese and Russian navies have been hosting more frequent drills together in recent years, including in the Pacific and further away location like off the coast of South Africa.
Russia and Iran also signed an agreement in January to boost cooperation in areas such as trade and defense issues.
This year's naval exercises will include simulated attacks on maritime targets, joint search, rescue drills, spot checks, and arrests.
China also said it will send its Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, a new type of advanced warship that is at the center of Beijing's push to build up its navy.
Russia and Iran have not yet confirmed which of their fleets will be involved, but they gathered in March 2024 along with other countries for live-fire exercises focused on anti-piracy.
During those exercises, China's 45th naval escort task participated, along with Russia's Pacific fleet and more than 10 Iranian vessels. Representatives from Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, India and South Africa acted as observers.
The drills come after a series of moves in recent months where China has been looking to showcase its power at sea.
China now possesses the world's largest maritime fighting force, operating 234 warships to the U.S. Navy's 219, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The United States maintains a technological advantage in its fleet, but Beijing is investing heavily to catch up.
In February, China conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea near Australia. Australian and New Zealand ships and aircraft monitored three Chinese military vessels for several days and the Australian government complained that the Chinese drills forced airlines to adjust flight routes due to safety concerns.
In December 2024, Taiwan also said China had conducted one of its largest military exercises ever around the self-governing island, as Chinese ships encircled the island and jets entered Taiwanese air space.
Tensions over Taiwan, which Beijing regards as its own and has long threatened to invade and annex if the island refuses to peacefully accept unification, is at the heart of ongoing tensions between China and the United States.
The United States is Taiwan's largest military backer and its support is considered vital for its survival.
Beijing has been intensifying its rhetoric around the island, with China's military saying on March 9 that it would tighten a "noose" around Taiwan if Taipei pursues a path of formal independence, which Beijing views as separatism.
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