Iran | Pakistan

Iran’s top security body said on Saturday that action by Britain, France and Germany to reimpose United Nations sanctions will “effectively suspend” its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. “Despite the foreign ministry’s cooperation with the [International Atomic Energy] Agency and the presentation of plans to resolve the issue, the actions of European countries will effectively suspend the path of cooperation with the agency,” the Supreme National Security Council said in a televised statement. Britain, France and Germany were among the parties to a 2015 deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that gave Iran relief from UN sanctions in return for UN-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities. The three governments say Iran has reneged on its commitments under the deal which has been effectively moribund since Washington pulled out in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term. The UN Security Council voted on Friday, after European pressure, to reimpose the UN sanctions ...

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that he put forward a “fair and balanced” nuclear proposal to European powers to prevent the return of United Nations sanctions on the Islamic republic. Iran is “introducing a creative, fair, and balanced proposal which addresses genuine concerns and is mutually beneficial,” Araghchi said on X. He added that the proposal was made on Thursday to Britain, France and Germany — known collectively as the E3 — as well as the European Union. “Turning this idea into action can be prompt and resolve the respective bottom lines to avert a crisis,” Araghchi said, arguing that “Iran cannot be the sole responsible actor”. The comments were made as the United Nations Security Council was set to vote on Friday on reimposing biting economic sanctions on Tehran over its contested nuclear programme. Diplomatic sources expect that Iran does not have the nine votes needed to maintain the status quo and prevent the punitive measures from being reimposed by the end of the month...

The United States has issued a fresh round Iran-related sanctions targeting individuals and entities that Washington says finance Tehran’s military, including some in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, the US Treasury Department said on Tuesday. Those targeted have helped coordinate funds transfers, including from the sale of Iranian oil, that benefit Iran’s military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)- Quds Force and its Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), the Treasury said. “Iranian ‘shadow banking’ networks like these — run by trusted illicit financial facilitators — abuse the international financial system, and evade sanctions by laundering money through overseas front companies and cryptocurrency,” it said in a statement. US sanctions generally prohibit American individuals and companies from engaging in any business transactions with those targeted. The US had issued Iran-related sanctions in June this year as well, taking aim at the procurement of machinery for ...

Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan reached Tehran on Sunday for a three-day official visit to boost economic relations between Pakistan and Iran, according to a press release from the commerce ministry. Pakistan and Iran share close ties and have signed multiple agreements across sectors such as energy and trade. According to the press release, Khan is expected to lead the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission and Business Forum during his visit. “He was received at Imam Khomeini International Airport by Mr Amin Tarfa’a, adviser to Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development,” the press release read. “During the visit, [Khan] will lead the 22nd Session of the Pakistan–Iran Joint Economic Commission and co-chair the Pakistan–Iran Joint Business Forum. He is also scheduled to hold meetings with key Iranian ministers and senior officials to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation.” Khan’s visit aims to give fresh momentum to economic and commercial ties between the two nations through th...

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Tehran would respond to a decision by France, Britain and Germany to trigger a mechanism reimposing UN sanctions under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action by the three European countries, in order to protect and guarantee its national rights and interests,” Araghchi told his French, British and German counterparts in a phone call, according to a statement from his ministry. He called on the three countries to “appropriately correct this wrong decision in the coming days”. While Araghchi did not specify what retaliatory measures Iran might take, Tehran has previously warned that such a move could lead to the exclusion of the European powers from any future negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. In a statement, the Iranian foreign ministry said: “This decision by the three European countries will seriously undermine the ongoing process of interaction and coope...

Pakistan and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorism and boosting security cooperation along their common border, following a telephonic conversation between Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi.

COAS, Iran counterpart vow border security

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and his Iranian counterpart, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, affirmed their readiness on Tuesday to eradicate terrorism for securing the borders of both countries. Pakistan and Iran, earlier this month, agreed that peace and prosperity in their border regions hinged on effectively combatting terrorism. The nearly 900-kilometre border between the two countries has long faced security threats from proscribed groups, such as Jaish al-Adl and the Balochistan Liberation Army. Persistent issues, including terrorism, smuggling, and mutual accusations of harbouring militants, have periodically strained ties. A statement issued by the Iranian embassy said Field Marshal Munir and Gen Mousavi, the chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, held a telephonic conversation today. “The two sides are ready to eradicate terrorism to secure common borderlines,” it read. A statement carried by Iranian state news agency IRNA said Gen Mousavi mentioned that Iran was prepared to erad...

Two human traffickers were arrested in Balochistan’s Gwadar for attempting to send citizens to Iran via illegal sea routes, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said in a statement on Tuesday. Human smuggling from Pakistan to Iran has been a persistent issue, with many migrants attempting to cross through perilous land and sea routes in search of better economic opportunities or to reach onward destinations in the Middle East and Europe, according to a report by the National Initiative against Organised Crime. Gwadar and other parts of Balochistan are frequently used as key transit points, where traffickers exploit vulnerable citizens by charging hefty sums for the dangerous journeys. Per the FIA’s statement, “major operations” were carried out by the agency’s Composite Circle Gwadar, through which the suspects were arrested from different areas of the district. “The arrested suspects are involved in sending citizens from Pakistan to Iran through illegal sea routes,” it said. “The suspect extorted Rs10,000 ...

The Trump administration on Thursday issued more Iran-related sanctions, targeting 13 entities based in Hong Kong, China, the United Arab Emirates and the Marshall Islands, as well as eight vessels, the U.S. Treasury Department said. The measures cover Greek national Antonios Margaritis and his network of companies and vessels that Treasury said was involved in […]

Iran “cannot completely cut cooperation” with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog but the return of its inspectors is up to the country’s security chiefs, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday. The remarks come nearly two months after Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following its 12-day war with Israel in June. Iran has cited the IAEA’s failure to condemn Israeli and American strikes on its nuclear facilities as the reason for its decision, which saw the watchdog’s inspectors leave the country following the passing of new legislation by parliament. “We cannot completely cut cooperation with the agency,” Araghchi said, noting that new fuel rods need to be installed at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant in the coming weeks, which will require the presence of IAEA inspectors. “Under the law passed by parliament, the return of inspectors will be possible through a decision of the Supreme National Security Council,” he told the official IRNA news agency in...

ISLAMABAD - Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye and Kuwait on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over loss of lives caused by devastating floods in Pakistan.

Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations they are ready to reimpose UN-mandated sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme if no diplomatic solution is found by the end of August, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP. The letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council says the three European powers are “committed to use all diplomatic tools at our disposal to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon” unless Tehran meets the deadline. The foreign ministers from the so-called E3 group threaten to use a “snapback mechanism” that was part of a 2015 international deal with Iran that eased UN Security Council sanctions. Under the deal, which terminates in October, any party to the accord can restore the sanctions. All three have stepped up warnings to Iran about its suspension of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. That came after Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran in June, partly seeking to destroy its nucl...

In a significant move to boost regional connectivity, Iran Air has launched its first-ever flight service linking Quetta, Zahedan, and Mashhad.

Extremists killed one policeman in Iran’s restive southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, Iranian media reported on Sunday, adding that three assailants also died. “A policeman from Saravan was killed while terrorists were trying to enter the police station” in that area of Sistan-Baluchistan, the Tasnim news agency said. The attackers were members of the militant group Jaish al-Adl ( “Army of Justice” in Arabic) active in Iran’s southeast, the agency said. “Three terrorists were killed and two were arrested,” Tasnim said. Sistan-Baluchistan, which shares a long border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been the site of frequent clashes between security forces and insurgents or smugglers, including militants who say they are fighting for greater rights and autonomy. On July 26, gunmen stormed a courthouse in the province’s capital Zahedan, killing at least six people, in an attack that was later claimed by Jaish al-Adl. In one of the deadliest attacks in the province, 10 police officers were killed in Oc...

QUETTA: Iranian Consul General in Quetta Ali Reza Rajaei and President of the Zahidan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Hakim Regi have invited Balochistan’s industrialists and business community to launch joint ventures with Iranian investors in Mirjaveh Free Zone. They said that the Iranian government will extend all facilities and incentives for starting joint ventures with Iranian entrepreneurs and investors. They extended the offer during a meeting with business leaders and representatives of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Small Chamber of Commerce and Small Industries and the Pak-Iran Chamber of Commerce in Quetta on Saturday. The Iranian officials emphasised that achieving the $10 billion bilateral trade target between Pakistan and Iran depends on cooperation. They also congratulated Balochistan’s business community on the resumption of Quetta-Zahedan flight services via Mashhad. The Iranian envoy and members of the delegation expressed satisfaction over recent agreements signed ...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday announced that the federal government has directed the Balochistan government to operate direct flights from Quetta to Iran and Iraq to facilitate Arbaeen pilgrims.

The maritime affairs ministry on Monday approved its first-ever ferry service licence to an international ferry operator, authorising the company to operate routes connecting Pakistan with Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Last month, the ministry announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipp­ing lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pak­istan with GCC countries. The approval followed a high-level meeting of the licensing committee, comprising officials from maritime affairs, defence, foreign affairs, and interior ministries, along with representatives from the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation as well as port and shipping authorities. According to a statement issued by the ministry, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry hailed the move as a historic step aligned with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision and Pakistan’s National Maritime Policy. “This licence creates the opportunity for boosting re...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed on Silk road,Gawadar to Chabahar Projects for enhancing the regional economic and trade integration.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to further broaden bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.