https://www.rferl.org/z/660 RFE/RL's latest news, features, commentary, and multimedia content on Iran. https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org/z/660 en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:16:50 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL RFE/RL spoke with former US Central Command (CENTCOM) communications director, retired US Army Colonel Joe Buccino, on April 27 to discuss the escalating situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the strategic "staring contest" between Washington and Tehran that is now defining the region. https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-buccino-iran-us-strategic-staring-contest-hormuz/33744184.html https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-buccino-iran-us-strategic-staring-contest-hormuz/33744184.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:45:45 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East As the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL deliver ongoing updates and analysis. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-hormuz-oil-blockade-gulf-israel/33640284.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-hormuz-oil-blockade-gulf-israel/33640284.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Stories Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced strong support for Iran in its conflict with the United States as he greeted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi for talks in St Petersburg on April 27. https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-iran-strategic-relationship-araqchi-russia/33743629.html https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-iran-strategic-relationship-araqchi-russia/33743629.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:31:22 +0200 NewsIranRussiaThe Rundown Stories US President Donald Trump said that Tehran "can call us" if it wants to talk, but he added that it must give up any plans to build a nuclear weapon or "there's no reason to meet." https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-iran-pakistan-russia-putin-araqchi-ceasefire/33742897.html https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-iran-pakistan-russia-putin-araqchi-ceasefire/33742897.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:53 +0200 IranNewsRussiaThe Rundown Stories More than a week after the United States announced a naval blockade on Iranian ports in an effort to put pressure on Tehran to reach a peace deal, analysts say the effects are mixed. Iran's oil exports are being affected but are also still being sold in Asia, one expert says. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-strait-hormuz-blockade-war-persian-gulf-israel-oil-cease-fire-ship-irgc/33742855.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-strait-hormuz-blockade-war-persian-gulf-israel-oil-cease-fire-ship-irgc/33742855.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 18:57:37 +0200 IranVideo ArchiveVideos Iran’s foreign minister held talks with the leader of Oman, a day after the two lead US envoys abruptly pulled out of planned talks aimed at ending the nearly two-month old war in Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-war-peace-talks-/33742716.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-war-peace-talks-/33742716.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:08:43 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Stories By supplying Russia with drones and enabling its long-range strikes in Ukraine, Tehran has become an active participant in a major European war. https://www.rferl.org/a/behnam-ben-taleblu-russia-iran-partnership-ukraine-war/33742291.html https://www.rferl.org/a/behnam-ben-taleblu-russia-iran-partnership-ukraine-war/33742291.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:48:00 +0200 FeaturesIranUkraineThe Rundown Stories US President Donald Trump has canceled a planned trip to Pakistan by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for peace talks with Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-pakistan-peace-talks/33742216.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-pakistan-peace-talks/33742216.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:13:55 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Stories The United States will send a delegation to Pakistan this weekend for a new round of talks with Iranian officials, the White House said, as Washington tests whether a fragile cease-fire can translate into diplomatic progress. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-talks-diplomacy--blockade-nuclear/33741895.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-talks-diplomacy--blockade-nuclear/33741895.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 23:21:06 +0200 NewsIranThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East While officials in Tehran have long emphasized self-reliance, experts say battlefield evidence points to a far more interconnected war effort, reflecting deepening partnerships that have helped Iran replenish its military, improve targeting, and blunt Western operations during the conflict. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-russia-china-war-cooperation-support/33741900.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-russia-china-war-cooperation-support/33741900.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:52:17 +0200 IranFeaturesRussiaThe Rundown HeadlineMiddle EastChina The United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13. Is it working? https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-blockade-hormuz/33740976.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-blockade-hormuz/33740976.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:55:43 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesIranThe Rundown Stories The expiration of a US sanctions waiver on Iranian oil last weekend has brought renewed attention to Washington’s economic strategy, as policymakers seek to limit Tehran’s access to revenue while navigating global energy market pressures. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-sanctions-waiver-us-financial-pressure/33738030.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-sanctions-waiver-us-financial-pressure/33738030.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:29:37 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesNews Analysis In a political climate where bipartisan unity is increasingly unique, a consensus is forming among US lawmakers and foreign policy heavyweights: the relationship between Moscow and Tehran has moved far beyond diplomatic convenience. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-russia-ukraine-partnership/33737935.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-russia-ukraine-partnership/33737935.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:38:33 +0200 News AnalysisIranRussiaUkraineThe Rundown Headline As the clock ticked toward the end of a two-week cease-fire, US President Donald Trump on April 21 announced he was extending the truce to give Iran a chance to make a “unified” peace proposal but said a blockade of Iranian ports that has angered Tehran will remain in place. https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ceasefire-iran-peace-talks-pakistan/33737273.html https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-ceasefire-iran-peace-talks-pakistan/33737273.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:57:48 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Headline With a cease-fire in the US-Israeli war on Iran due to expire on April 22, US actions at sea are drawing renewed attention to a central issue: How deeply Iran’s military establishment is embedded in the country’s economy. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-irgc-ships-economy-entreched-shadow/33736577.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-irgc-ships-economy-entreched-shadow/33736577.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:01:14 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East Speaking with RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Mansoureh Shojaee, an Iranian women’s rights activist based in the Netherlands, says the regime is coercing women into "revenge-driven" militancy amid war with the United States and Israel. https://www.rferl.org/a/why-is-iran-parading-pink-weapons-to-coerce-women-into-militancy-says-rights-expert/33736526.html https://www.rferl.org/a/why-is-iran-parading-pink-weapons-to-coerce-women-into-militancy-says-rights-expert/33736526.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:51:49 +0200 VideosIranVideo ArchiveThe Rundown Stories While diplomatic efforts struggle to stabilize access to the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions between the United States and Iran, Eurasian trade is increasingly being redirected toward overland alternatives, with the Middle Corridor emerging as a key diversification route in Eurasian logistics. https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-caucasus-hormuz-middle-corridor/33736371.html https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-caucasus-hormuz-middle-corridor/33736371.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:43:42 +0200 IranFeaturesKazakhstanKyrgyzstanTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories Iran's Internet shutdown has passed 52 days, the longest since the 2011 blackout in Libya but affecting nearly 15 times the population. Business leaders warn of up to $80 million in daily losses. The government's answer: a paid Internet Pro tier that critics say helps no one. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-internet-shutdown-costs-rights/33736283.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-internet-shutdown-costs-rights/33736283.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:33:10 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown Headline The prospects for a new round of face-to-face peace talks between the United States and Iran remained unclear amid confusion over the US negotiators' plans and uncertainty over whether Tehran would agree to take part. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-cargo-ship-seized-pakistan-ceasefire-negotiations/33735754.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-cargo-ship-seized-pakistan-ceasefire-negotiations/33735754.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:01:14 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East US President Donald Trump said his representatives are traveling to Islamabad, Pakistan, for another round of talks on April 20 with Iran as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Tehran has not yet confirmed it will take part. https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-iran-pakistan-talks-hormuz-closed-ceasefire-deadline/33735675.html https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-iran-pakistan-talks-hormuz-closed-ceasefire-deadline/33735675.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:31:37 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Headline