About: Iran
Washington sees ‘many options short of war’ with Iran after attacks on Saudis
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (18 September) there were many options short of war with Iran after US ally Saudi Arabia displayed remnants of drones and missiles it said were used in a crippling attack on its oil sites that was "unquestionably sponsored" by Tehran.
Saudi attack will jolt oil markets out of ‘complacency’ over Gulf tensions – analysts
The price of oil has seemed relatively immune to heightened tensions in the Gulf, but this weekend’s attack on Saudi oil facilities means markets will now be more skittish.
Trump says US ‘locked and loaded’ for potential response to Saudi oil attack
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday (15 September) that the United States was "locked and loaded" for a potential response to the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities, after a senior official in his administration said Iran was to blame.
Trump fires foreign policy hawk Bolton, citing strong disagreements
US President Donald Trump abruptly fired his national security adviser John Bolton amid disagreements with his hard-line aide over how to handle foreign policy challenges such as North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and Russia.
Iran slams European powers as nuclear deal unravels
Iran's atomic agency chief hit out Sunday (8 September) at European powers, saying their broken promises gave the Islamic republic little choice but to scale back its commitments under a nuclear deal.
US will sanction whoever purchases Iran’s oil, official says
The United States will continue to impose sanctions on whoever purchases Iran's oil or conducts business with Iran's Revolutionary Guards and no oil waivers will be re-issued, a US official said on Sunday (8 September).
Pompeo’s visit to Brussels is an opportunity for a unified Iran strategy
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s two-day visit to Brussels (2 and 3 September) is an excellent opportunity to address several important issues for the cross-Atlantic relations and have a unified strategy in addressing them as Europe is going to have a new leadership, Giulio Terzi writes.
Turkmenistan should promote the Trans-Caspian Pipeline more actively
Iran and Russia are opposing the implementation of the Trans-Caspian project, which is supported by Azerbaijan and is in the EU’s interest, writes Shahnar Hajiev.
Trump ready to meet Iranian president in potential breakthrough
US President Donald Trump said Monday (26 August) at the G7 summit that he is prepared to meet his Iranian counterpart within weeks in what would amount to a stunning change of direction in the two countries' smouldering standoff.
Macron wraps ‘very unifying’ G7 summit with Trump
French President Emmanuel Macron steered a tense G7 summit towards a happy conclusion on Monday (26 August), in what will be remembered as one of the most conciliatory gatherings since Donald Trump took over the US presidency.
G7 weekend sum-up: Trump deepens divisions by pushing for Russia’s readmission
The readmission of Russia in the Group of Seven most industrialised countries became a bone of contention between Donald Trump and his partners during a summit held in Biarritz (France), as the Europeans and Canada insisted on maintaining the group as a “club of liberal democracies”.
Iranian tanker at centre of standoff with West leaves Gibraltar
The Iranian tanker caught in a standoff between Tehran and the West left Gibraltar on Sunday night, shipping data showed, hours after the British territory rejected a US request to detain the vessel further.
Gibraltar decides to free seized Iranian tanker, US threatens sanctions on crew
Britain's Mediterranean territory Gibraltar decided on Thursday (15 August) to free a seized Iranian oil tanker, but did not immediately indicate when or if the ship would set sail after the United States launched a new, last-minute legal bid to hold it.
Trump security adviser to urge tougher UK stance on Iran and China
John Bolton, US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, arrived in London on the weekend for talks at which he is expected to urge Britain to toughen its stance on Iran and Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei.
Trump accuses France’s Macron of sending ‘mixed signals’ to Iran
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (8 August) said no one is authorized to speak to Iran on behalf of the United States, and he accused French President Emmanuel Macron of sending "mixed signals" to Tehran over possible talks.
Germany ‘very sceptical’ about US mission for Strait of Hormuz
Germany's Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday (31 July) he was very sceptical about a request by the United States to join a military mission for the Strait of Hormuz.
At Vienna crisis meeting, Iran links tanker row to ailing nuclear deal
Envoys from Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and Iran gathered for talks in the Austrian capital on Sunday (28 July), a month after a similar meeting failed to achieve a breakthrough to salvage the fragile nuclear accord.
France, Italy, Denmark back European-led naval mission for Hormuz
France, Italy and Denmark gave initial support for a British plan for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, proposed after Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged tanker, three senior EU diplomats said on Tuesday (23 July).
Britain calls for European naval mission to counter Iran’s ‘piracy’
Britain called on Monday (22 July) for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, days after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker in what London described as an act of “state piracy” in the strategic waterway.
How vulnerable is Europe to conflict in the Strait of Hormuz?
NEWS ANALYSIS / The involvement of a British tanker in the latest military incident with Iran in the crucial oil shipment choke point has pulled Europe into the fray.
EU urges Iran’s full compliance with nuclear deal
EU ministers called for Iran to fully comply with its embattled nuclear deal, and reiterated their regret at the US’ withdrawal, at a foreign affairs ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday (15 July). EU ministers discussed how to preserve the...
Mogherini cautions against ‘dangerous adventures’ in the Middle East
The European Union fully backs Iraq's efforts to de-escalate growing tensions between the United States and Iran because conflict will have dire consequences for all sides, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Saturday (13 July).
Iran makes new nuclear threats that would reverse steps in pact
Iran threatened on Monday (8 July) to restart deactivated centrifuges and ramp up its enrichment of uranium to 20% purity as its next potential big moves away from a 2015 nuclear agreement that Washington abandoned last year. The threats, made...