TOP STORIES
Iranian Terror Suspect ‘Has Close Links to Regime’ | Telegraph
One of the Iranian men arrested on suspicion of plotting a major terrorist attack in Britain has close connections to the regime in Tehran, The Telegraph understands. The suspect, whose family runs prominent businesses in Iran, was one of five people detained on Saturday in a joint operation involving counter-terrorism police and members of the Special Forces.
In the last days, Tehran has backed an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that slipped through Israel’s missile defenses to strike near Ben-Gurion International Airport. It aired footage of its own ballistic missile test while defense minister called out threats by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth against the Islamic Republic. And an organization linked to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard unveiled a new mural with a map of Israel overlaid by possible missile targets in the shape of a Yemeni jambiyya, an ornamental dagger worn by Yemeni men.
But all the while, Iran maintains it wants to reach a nuclear deal with the U.S. after talks scheduled to take place last weekend in Rome didn’t happen.
Israel Pounds Yemeni Port It Says Was Used for Iranian Arms Transfers | Iran International
The Israeli military on Monday launched airstrikes against the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of Hodeidah in Yemen, saying it was used for the transfer of Iranian weapons used to attack Israel.
Almost twenty Israeli fighter jets engaged in the attack and dozens of targets were pounded, the Israeli military said in a statement on Monday. “The terrorist infrastructure attacked in the Hodeidah seaport serves as a major source of income for the Houthi regime. The seaport in Hodeidah is used to transfer Iranian weapons, equipment for military needs and other terrorist needs,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) added.
UANI IN THE NEWS
The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has said that the objective of negotiations with Iran is to ensure the “complete undoing” of Tehran's nuclear program, but that he would consider allowing Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear energy program. . . . Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, stated that Trump's comments have made it clear that the administration is not interested in a new version of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. "This interview calls that fantasy into question," he wrote on the social network X.
UANI Research Director Daniel Roth Discusses Middle East Tensions | Asharq News
UANI Research Director Daniel Roth joins Asharq News to discuss conflict between Israel and the Houthis.
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iran, US to Hold Next Nuclear Talks in Oman on May 11, Media Say | Bloomberg
Iranian and US officials are set to meet in Oman this weekend for a fourth round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, Iranian media said.
Witkoff Predicts Expansion of Abraham Accords Coming Soon | Jewish Insider
Witkoff only gave a glancing mention of Iran, with which he is the lead U.S. negotiator, in his brief remarks, pledging that Tehran would never obtain a nuclear weapon, but not elaborating on the talks beyond that.
Iran: Uranium Enrichment Has Reached Industrial Stage | Jerusalem Post
Iran claimed on Monday that they have reached a point where their uranium enrichment “has entered the industrial stage.”
Putin Discussed Iran-US Talks with Tehran, Kremlin Says | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed the progress talks between Iran and the United States with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin said. Putin said Russia is ready to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the US to reach a “fair agreement.”
Are Iran-Trump Nuclear Negotiations Imploding or Adjusting? | Jerusalem Post
This past weekend was the first time the momentum toward a US-Iran new nuclear deal was broken after three consecutive weeks of rounds of negotiations. Omani mediators said it was a small technical issue, Iran said new negotiations would soon be announced, and Washington acted as if nothing had been scheduled or canceled without explaining why there needed to be a slowdown after US President Donald Trump had pushed to finish a deal at super speed. All this leaves observers asking whether the negotiations are about to implode or whether this was a hiccup and adjustment on the way to a deal.
Former President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal—officially the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA—failed because it was ill-conceived, incompetently implemented, sold to the American people on a series of lies and bastardized the Constitution. . . . I firmly believe the only solution to the Iranian nuclear issue is a massive military strike. Yet, I want to be proven wrong. When all is said and done, if Trump succeeds in reaching an agreement that achieves these multiple goals, the treaty must be ratified by the Senate with a two-thirds majority. The president must succeed where Obama failed most, by following the Constitution and winning the support of the American people.
Read Trump’s Lips on Iran | Wall Street Journal Editorial
Nuclear negotiations have so far brought relief for Iran while U.S. policy has appeared to waver. That is, until President Trump’s clear policy statement Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Mr. Trump was asked, “Is the goal of these talks limiting Iran’s nuclear program or total dismantlement?” “Total dismantlement,” he replied. “That’s all you’ll accept?” “That’s all I’d accept.” That’s as clear as it gets. In saying so, Mr. Trump has repudiated the views of those in his Administration who want to water down U.S. policy.
SANCTIONS, SHIPPING, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Chinese Plastics Makers Risk Losing Iran Supply on US Crackdown | Bloomberg
Iranian methanol exports to China—which have so far flown under Washington’s radar—may be subject to scrutiny after the US threatened to impose secondary sanctions on buyers of the country’s oil. About 40% of China’s methanol imports, around 5.2 million tons, came from Iran last year, Kpler data show. The chemical compound made from natural gas is used as a feedstock to create olefins, which are in turn used to make plastics. Methanol-to-olefin, or MTO, plants are the biggest buyers of cargoes originating in Iran, according to price-reporting and analytics firm ICIS.
Can Donald Trump Stop Iran’s Oil Exports to China? | Deutsche Welle
The latest spike in US–Iran tensions has cast fresh light on one of the thorniest issues in Washington's efforts to rein in Tehran: Iran’s oil exports to China—a vital economic lifeline— and the mounting difficulties the US faces in halting them.
Turkish Bank Appeals Iran Sanctions Decision to US Supreme Court | Reuters
Turkey's Halkbank (HALKB.IS), opens new tab asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling saying it can be prosecuted for allegedly helping Iran evade American sanctions, a U.S.-based lawyer for the bank said on Monday. The Supreme Court had given Halkbank until Monday to file a petition appealing the October 22, 2024, decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan allowing the prosecution.
To squeeze the Islamic Republic’s oil revenues, U.S. policy must understand that no Chinese company is too big to sanction.
PROTESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Iranian Father Who Killed Daughter Released After Three Months | IranWire
The father of Donya Hosseini, who was fatally stabbed to death in February, has been released from prison after serving just three months, IranWire reports. Her father murdered Hosseini after requesting a divorce. She had three sisters: Shaghayegh, Rezvan, and Zahra. Shaghayegh’s husband, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), had reportedly assaulted both Donya and her 17-year-old sister, Zahra. Zahra remains under welfare supervision due to severe psychological trauma. Family members fear she may be returned to her parents in Kermanshah. . . . Under Article 301 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, fathers are exempt from retributive justice (qisas) for killing their children. Instead, they are only required to pay blood money and face discretionary punishment.
Labor Activist Younes Azadbar Arrested by IRGC in Northern Iran | IranWire
Labor activist and former political prisoner Younes Azadbar was arrested on Monday by intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in northern Rasht. According to human rights sources, he was arrested without a judicial warrant during a raid on his home.
ISRAEL & MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
Police Find Iranian-Made Explosive Device Used by Hamas Terrorists on Gaza Border | Jerusalem Post
Netivot police officers located an Iranian-made explosive device near Kibbutz Alumim, where battles were fought against dozens of terrorists on October 7, 2023, Israel Police announced on Monday. The bomb was left in the area following the October 7 attacks. Police sappers neutralized the bombs.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday issued a statement seemingly aimed at US President Donald Trump, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to drag Washington into “disaster” in the Middle East and “meddling” in US policy. . . . Araghchi, using Trump’s ubiquitous social media style of capitalization and exclamations, appeared to be targeting the president with his statement, making sure to use Trump-esque terms like “Failed Biden Team” and “Netanyahu-First” to appeal to Trump.
The Trump administration is moving a Patriot air defence system from Israel to Ukraine after it is refurbished and serviced, a US official confirmed to Middle East Eye on Monday. The move, first reported by The New York Times on Sunday, was portrayed as a signal of support by the Trump administration to Kyiv after Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky met last month at the Vatican in Rome to reset their rocky ties. Trump has stepped up his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, and the US and Ukraine agreed to a highly anticipated critical minerals deal. However, a current US official and one former official told MEE that the Patriot move may also convey a message to Iran that the Trump administration is prepared to de-escalate tensions in the region as it continues to engage in nuclear talks.
IDF’s 2025 Strategy: A Multi-Front War Focused on Gaza and Iran | Jewish News Syndicate
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) views 2025 as a defined year of war, maintaining an intense operational tempo across multiple arenas, with a heavy focus on Gaza and Iran.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Fire Breaks Out in IRGC Ammunition Depot in Iran—Report | Jerusalem Post
Another fire broke out at a Revolutionary Guards’ ammunition warehouse in Kazerun, southern Iran, Israeli media reported on Monday. The ammunition storage facilities were located in underground tunnels.
Even before Saeed Roustayee’s “Woman and Child” premieres at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, the Iranian director’s new work is sparking heated controversy that reflects deep soul searching within the turbulent country’s filmmaking community. . . . [A] group of filmmakers who oppose the Iranian regime claimed that Cannes is bowing to Iran’s repressive authorities by selecting “Woman and Child,” which they say was produced with government permission and should therefore be considered “a propaganda film,” as the Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (IIFMA) has put it in an Instagram post. . . . Besides labelling “Woman and Child” as “propaganda,” IIFMA, which is headed by Dubai-based producer Kaveh Farnam, also objects to the fact that the female cast of “Woman and Child,” starting with its protagonist, Parinaz Izadyar, appear in the film wearing the country’s mandatory hijab that many women in Iran have now shed in protest.
Sectarian Rhetoric, Criticism of US Talks on State Media Raise Hackles | Iran International
Iran’s state-run television is facing sharp criticism from senior clerics and political figures over inflammatory religious commentary and what they call biased coverage of negotiations with the United States. “A fundamentalist group runs state TV behind the scenes,” moderate cleric and former MP Rasoul Montajabnia asserted last week, pointing to a recent broadcast that insulted Sunni Muslims. “(They) deliberately seek to sow discord among Muslims.”
RUSSIA, UKRAINE, & IRAN
Putin Discussed Iran-US Talks with Tehran, Kremlin Says | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed the progress talks between Iran and the United States with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Kremlin said. Putin said Russia is ready to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the US to reach a “fair agreement.” They also discussed bilateral relations, including the development of major energy projects, the Kremlin said.
EUROPE & IRAN
Police Given More Time to Question Iranian Men over Alleged Terror Plot | BBC News
Four men are continuing to be questioned by police over an alleged terror plot in the UK. The men, who are Iranian nationals, are being held over an alleged plan to target “a specific premises,” the Metropolitan Police said. A fifth Iranian man who was also detained has been released on bail, the Met added.
Whitehall is today facing mounting pressure to take action against Iran’s sinister Islamic Revolutionary Guard amid fears it backed a foiled terror attack against Britain.
Iran Terrorist Threat Underlined by Significant UK Arrests | Tom Rogan in the Washington Examiner
In a striking example of Iran’s continuing terrorist threat to the West, United Kingdom authorities arrested eight men in two separate operations on Saturday. . . . Saturday’s events underline that even as it pursues nuclear talks with the Trump administration, Iran has both the ideological intent and the operational capacity to pursue highly aggressive attacks on Western soil. . . . Put simply, dealing with Iran requires both an openness to hardheaded diplomacy on issues such as Iran’s nuclear program and a keen focus on defeating, and better deterring, Iranian malfeasance in the shadows.
UK Maneuvers for Greater Role in Iran Talks amid Security Tensions | Iran International
As Tehran and Washington cautiously inch forward their nuclear negotiations, the United Kingdom is positioning for a stronger hand in shaping any potential agreement amid Iranian-linked security threats and a standoff over detained Britons.
UK's Galloway Receives ‘Ismail Haniyeh Award’ at Tehran Festival | Iran International
An Iranian state media festival on Monday bestowed its Ismail Haniyeh award on former British MP George Galloway in Tehran, where he praised the Islamic Republic for what he called its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
IRAQ & IRAN
Washington Leans on Iraqi Banks to Choke Iran’s Dollar Supply | New Arab
The US is tightening its maximum pressure grip on Iran by focusing on one of the key hubs that allows Tehran access to the international financial system: Iraq. In the latest wave of tightening financial measures, Washington targeted public and private Iraqi lenders facilitating Iranian access to international financial markets. . . . Regional analysts estimate that Iraq facilitates and effectively launders $300 million of Iranian capital a day.
SOUTH ASIA & IRAN
Iran's Foreign Minister Urges Restraint in India, Pakistan Standoff | Reuters
Iran's foreign minister urged India and Pakistan on Monday to exercise restraint as he arrived in Islamabad for a one-day visit, while the nuclear-armed rivals trade accusations over a deadly attack in disputed Kashmir.
Iran Looks to Pakistan with Nuclear Weapon Ambitions | Seth Frantzman in the Jerusalem Post
Tehran will need the help of countries like Pakistan if it wants to keep its nuclear program. . . . Pakistan’s foreign minister has expressed “hope for the success” of Iran’s talks with the US. An additional element here is that Pakistan and India have nuclear weapons. As such, Tehran is likely looking to Pakistan as a model for how a Muslim country can acquire nuclear weapons.-
ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
As dams Run Dry, Iran’s Electricity Grid Risks Summer Collapse | Iran International
Iranian officials are sounding alarms over a deepening water crisis that has already affected nearly four dozen major dams, threatened electricity production, and forced Tehran into rolling blackouts. Somayeh Rafiei, the head of the environment faction in Iran’s Parliament, warned on Tuesday that “the water situation in 44 of the country’s dams is critical,” adding that this has directly impacted hydroelectric power generation, putting spring and summer electricity supply under serious strain.