TOP STORIES
Iran Says It Arrested 20 Alleged Israeli Spies, ‘Will Make an Example of Them All’ | Reuters
Iran has arrested 20 people it alleges are operatives of Israel’s Mossad spy agency in recent months, Tehran’s judiciary said on Saturday, warning that they will face no leniency and will be made an example of.
Iran Threatens Planned Trump Corridor Envisaged by Azerbaijan-Armenia Peace Deal | Reuters
Iran threatened on Saturday to block a corridor planned in the Caucasus under a regional deal sponsored by U.S. President Donald Trump, Iranian media reported, raising a new question mark over a peace plan hailed as a strategically important shift.
Shah Mat | Thomas S. Kaplan in La Règle du Jeu (translated from French)
[A]part from a few targeted assassinations and other limited interventions, Iran itself has suffered few physical losses. Even the repercussions of Israel's targeted degradation of its air defenses constitute only a superficial wound. Its main losses are in the realm of prestige—but this implies increased strategic and tactical vulnerability. Iran and Hezbollah have staked their futures on a psychopath—and they have failed spectacularly. Far from announcing the return of the Mahdi, the wounded prince of Tehran now has an iron dagger to his throat. Such leverage must be used quickly . . . and to the fullest. For make no mistake: the wounded prince will seek revenge for his losses against Israel and America.
Kaplan: “If, once again, the Iranians fail to grasp Israel’s unwavering determination not to let the Persian prince recover so that he can survive to fight another day, I would first advocate what I have long advocated: a concerted effort to pressure the regime from within.
[Thomas Kaplan] is one of the leading figures in the United States in the opposition to the ayatollahs’ Iran. He writes about Iran. He talks about Iran. . . . [I]t is no exaggeration to say that the Iranian cause, the fight against the threat that Iran poses to Israel, to the moderate states of the Arab world and, of course, to the West, has become—I am also a witness to this—the cause of his life. . . . And this regime therefore holds a tenacious and probably merciless grudge against Tom: vilified in the local media, threatened with death by the Revolutionary Guards, spied on in his every move, he has become one of their main bêtes noires.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Iran International Journalists Face Escalating Threats from Tehran - Forbes | Iran International
On Thursday, US-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Washington and its European allies to confront Iran’s transnational repression by issuing a credible military threat, a week after they accused Tehran of plotting to kill individuals in Europe and the US.
The Panama Maritime Authority recently initiated the procedure to cancel the registration of 17 ships sanctioned by the United States, as part of its zero-tolerance policy against misuse of its ship registry. Many organisations, such as United Against Nuclear Iran, have criticised Panama while reporting that 17% of ships suspected of shipping Iranian oil presently sail under the flag of Panama.
This action comes amid Panama’s broader crackdown on shadow fleet operations. The Panama Maritime Authority recently initiated proceedings to cancel the registration of 17 vessels placed on the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list, part of Panama’s “zero-tolerance policy against the misuse of the Ship Registry.” Panama has faced criticism from organizations including United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which reported that 17% of vessels suspected of transporting Iranian oil currently sail under Panama’s flag.
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iran Sends Surviving Nuclear Scientists into Hiding | Telegraph
Iran has sent its surviving nuclear scientists into deep hiding after Israel killed more than 30 researchers, The Telegraph can reveal. Most are no longer living in their homes or teaching at universities, and have been moved to secure locations in Tehran or northern coastal cities, where they live in villas with their families, a senior Iranian official said. . . . Israeli experts say a new generation of Iranian nuclear scientists now stand poised to take over the work of those already killed and have described them as “dead men walking,” despite the increased security that includes safe houses and round-the-clock protection.
Iran, US Could Hold Norway-Mediated Talks in August—Tehran Times | Iran International
Iran and the United States could begin Norway-mediated talks in August, Iran’s state-run English-language newspaper Tehran Times reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The paper said the discussions would be indirect, with the mediator acting as a go-between, and would cover both Iran’s nuclear program and Tehran’s demand for compensation over damages from the June war with Israel and the United States.
Iran Rejects Nuclear Inspections Ahead of New Talks With IAEA | Bloomberg
Iran won’t allow nuclear site inspections when a senior International Atomic Energy Agency official visits Tehran on Monday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
“Until we reach a new agreement framework, no cooperation will begin” with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, he said in televised remarks. Araghchi didn’t identify the IAEA deputy director general who he said will be visiting.
IAEA Official to Visit Iran, No Nuclear Sites Inspection Planned, Media Say | Reuters
An official from the International Atomic Energy Agency will fly to Iran for talks on Monday but no visit to nuclear sites is planned, state media quoted Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as saying on Sunday.
Talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be “technical” and “complicated,” the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Ministry said Monday ahead of a visit by the nuclear watchdog for the first time since Tehran cut ties with the organization last month. . . . Esmail Baghaei, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told reporters there could be a meeting with Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, “but it is a bit soon to predict what the talks will result since these are technical talks, complicated talks.”
SANCTIONS, SHIPPING, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
US Sanctions International Drone Procurement Network Working for Iran | Jerusalem Post
The United States has sanctioned multiple entities and an Iran-based individual, stating that the entities had worked as a drone procurement network in support of the Islamic Republic. The sanctions targeted an individual based in Iran and entities based in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Iran’s Crude Builds as Tankers Drift in Limbo | OilPrice.com
Trump’s direct sanctions on Chinese refiners might be finally disrupting Iranian flows to China. According to Kpler data, Iranian crude held in floating storage surged from 9 million barrels in mid-January to 33.4 million barrels in early August, marking the highest level since 2020. The overwhelming majority of these stranded tankers are leisurely floating in the territorial waters of Singapore and Malaysia, primary hubs of Iranian ship-to-ship (STS) activity over the past years. Whilst Iran could easily carry out direct deliveries to China, without any stopovers in the Malacca Strait, its oil traders prefer to keep laden tankers anchored for some time near ports of Linggi and Tanjung Pelepas. The accumulation of Iranian oil in the Malacca Strait coincides with a notable decline in China’s Iranian crude imports in July. . . . Mounting geopolitical pressure and shifting market dynamics appear to be prompting a quiet recalibration in China’s crude sourcing strategy.
Iran Says Invited by Financial Watchdog for Talks to Break FATF Deadlock | Iran International
The Financial Action Task Force has invited Islamic Republic representatives to attend talks in Spain aimed at ending a seven-year impasse over the country’s blacklisting, Iran’s economy minister said.
HOSTAGES
Couple Held in Iran Without Clean Water, Says Son | BBC
The son of a British couple detained in Iran has said they do not have access to clean drinking water. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested by the Iranian authorities in January on spying charges, which their family denies. . . . Mr Bennett said that Mr and Ms Foreman do not have any money, which is needed to buy essentials like bottled water and toilet paper in prison. They have been relying on the generosity of fellow inmates to give them what they need, he said.
PROTESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Expels Over 1 Million Afghans In 100 Days, Says Tehran Governor | Afghanistan International
More than one million Afghans have been expelled from Iran over the past 100 days, including 400,000 from Tehran province alone, Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said Saturday. . . . Deported Afghans have reported that Iranian police have detained and expelled them despite holding valid residency documents, including visas. Some have alleged that deportations were carried out with violence.
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
Oct. 7 Was Culmination of Tehran’s Strategic Plan, Khamenei Website Says | Iran International
The Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel was the result of years of planning by Iran, Mohsen Mahdian, managing editor of the state-run Hamshahri daily, said on Friday in remarks published on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s official website.
Iranian Officials Lash Out at Trump for Mockery of Slain Commander | Iran International
Several Iranian officials have bristled at Donald Trump’s mocking remarks about the slain commander Qasem Soleimani, calling his assassination in a 2020 US drone strike an act of terrorism that should have been avenged by killing American leaders.
Shaheds For What? Russia Drone Deal May Have Given Iran Seller’s Remorse | Forbes
Russia’s Iranian-designed propeller-driven Shahed-136 one-way explosive-laden attack drones have repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s cities for just under three years straight. During that time, Russia has applied substantial modifications, changing the engines, warheads, and even the color of these drones. Today, Iran reportedly regrets aspects of the arrangement under which it provided Russia with its homegrown drones.
US Strikes on Iran Meant to ‘Escalate to De-escalate,’ Rubio Says | Iran International
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June in a way that limited the scope of the conflict and avoided a broader war. . . . "It was actually an effort to escalate in order to de-escalate,” [Rubio said].
The Secret Iran-Hezbollah-Houthi Weapons Corridor | Israel Hayom
Testimonies from crew members of the”"al-Sharwa” vessel, which attempted to smuggle strategic weapons for the Houthis in Yemen, revealed new details in recent hours about the smuggling routes used by the terrorist organization. According to the testimonies, Hezbollah operatives and Iran's Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard operate on these routes. The comprehensive operation, exposed through the crew’s capture during their 12th smuggling mission, demonstrates how Iranian forces systematically circumvented international sanctions by disguising ballistic missile components, drone technology, and anti-aircraft systems as legitimate commercial industrial equipment including generators, transformers, and manufacturing pumps destined for Djibouti in the Horn of Africa before final transfer to Yemen.
Iran Shouldn’t Count on China to Boost Its Air Force | Ahmad Hashemi in the Hill
Iran is in high-level discussions with China to acquire up to 40 Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter jets, along with advanced air defense systems. The J-10C—sometimes called the “Rafale Killer” after its successful engagement against French-made Indian Rafale jets in a 2025 India-Pakistan conflict—could significantly alter the regional balance of power in Iran’s favor to the detriment of Israel and Arab Gulf states. This acquisition would be a major step in modernizing Iran’s air force, bridging the technological gap with its rivals, and potentially deterring future Israeli strikes. Such a deal would also solidify China’s growing influence as a defense supplier in the Middle East and deepen its strategic partnership with Iran. Acquiring the J-10C jets could trigger a regional arms race, with other countries seeking to modernize their air forces to counter Iran’s new capabilities.
CYBERSECURITY MATTERS
The Other Israel-Iran War | Financial Times
In the days after Israel launched its surprise bombing attack on Iran, Israeli officials received a barrage of suspicious text messages containing malicious links. To them, it was clear who was to blame: Tehran, with whom Israel has for years waged a quiet cyber war that flared in intensity in parallel with the physical conflict in June. . . . But while physical fighting ended after 12 days, the digital warfare has not. “It heated up after the start of the war, and it’s still going on,” one Israeli official said of the texts. “I’m still getting them.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
The Limiting Extremist Travel to the United Nations Act would put restrictions on “foreign officials affiliated with certain hostile countries, terrorist organizations, and U.N. organizations when attending official meetings of the U.N. at its headquarters in New York City,” per a press release from Rep. Greg Steube’s office. “No person who chants ‘Death to America’ should be allowed free rein when visiting the United States for U.N. meetings in New York. Not only does their presence pose a serious risk to our national security, but it sends the wrong message to the world,” says Rep. Steube. Iranian officials and those of Foreign Terrorist Organizations would be required to land either at JFK, Newark, or Teterboro airports and take the shortest route to the U.N. building. Their visas would also be limited to when the General Assembly is in session, with one day before and after permitted for travel purposes.
RUSSIA, AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA, & IRAN
IRGC Warns of Severe Consequences over US-Controlled Zangezur Corridor | Iran International
The political deputy of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard criticized the recent US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan agreement on the Zangezur corridor, warning the deal risks destabilizing the strategically vital South Caucasus region.
Iran expressed concern about foreign interference on Saturday, fearing it had been carved out of a declaration brokered by Donald Trump between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The two countries have come closer to ending 35 years of enmity by signing a peace treaty in Washington and agreeing to a US private consortium taking control of a strategic corridor on Iran’s border. . . . The deal is also a further blow to Russia’s diminished influence in the region, as Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, guides his Christian-majority country towards the west, and eventually the EU. . . . [T]here is little Iran can do to block a deal that the US, Armenia and Azerbaijan see as in their mutual interest. . . . The proposal, first discussed during the Biden administration, raises the prospect of a US presence right on the Iranian border. Tehran worries such a development might cut off its access to the Black Sea as well as to Europe via Georgia.
EUROPE & IRAN
Iranian Dissident Protesting for Hostages Attacked in UK | Jerusalem Post
Dissident Iranian journalist Niyak Ghorbani was assaulted during a march calling for the release of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in London on Sunday. The assailant threw the contents of a bottle at him, charged at him, and was seen grabbing Ghorbani around the neck, in a moment captured by photographers. According to Ghorbani, the liquid in the bottle had a "foul smell," he wrote in a post on X/Twitter, confirming the incident.
ISRAEL & IRAN
A Holocaust survivor who was seriously injured by an Iranian missile during the 12-day war with Iran in June died Saturday at her home in Rehovot. Olga Weissberg, 91, collapsed at her home late on Saturday, and Magen David Adom medics who were called to assist declared her dead at the scene.
HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON, & IRAN
Iranian Security Chief Departs for Lebanon After Beirut Moves to Disarm Hezbollah | Times of Israel
The head of Iran’s top security body, Ali Larijani, will visit Iraq today before heading to Lebanon, where the government has approved a plan to disarm Tehran’s ally Hezbollah, state media says. “Ali Larijani departs today for Iraq and then Lebanon on a three-day visit, his first foreign trip since taking office last week,” state television reports. Larijani will sign a bilateral security agreement in Iraq before heading to Lebanon, where he will meet senior Lebanese officials and figures.
Khamenei Adviser Says Iran Opposes Lebanon’s Decision to Disarm Hezbollah | Agence France-Presse
Iran opposes the Lebanese government’s decision to disarm Tehran-backed terror group Hezbollah, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says, the Tasnim news agency reports. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is certainly opposed to the disarmament of Hezbollah,” International Affairs Adviser Ali Akbar Velayati says. “Iran has always supported the people and the resistance of Lebanon and continues to do so.”
‘Fix Your Own Woes’: Beirut Condemns Iran over Hezbollah Disarming Remarks | Iran International
Lebanon on Saturday strongly condemned the remarks made by a top advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader about Beirut’s decision to disarm Tehran-backed Hezbollah, warning the Islamic Republic against interfering in its internal affairs. Ali-Akbar Velayati, a senior foreign policy advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on Saturday called Hezbollah disarmament “a dream that won't come true,” describing it as a policy dictated by Israel and the United States. . . . Velayati said on Saturday that Tehran “is definitely opposed to disarming Hezbollah; because Iran has always supported the Lebanese people and the resistance, and continues to do so now.”
IRAQ & IRAN
Iran’s top security chief is set to urge Iraqi Shia factions to expedite approval of legislation reforming the Popular Mobilization Forces and fully integrating them into the state security apparatus, a source told Iran International. Iran’s newly appointed Supreme National Security Council secretary, Ali Larijani, is undertaking consultations as part of his first foreign trip since taking office. The talks aim to secure backing from key Shia groups for the PMF law project, which seeks to formalize the status of Iran-backed militias integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus, according to the Baghdad-based source. The source told Iran International that Larijani will meet with Shiite leaders to stress the “necessity” of passing the legislation.
Iraq Divided over Future of Pro-Iran Armed Alliance | Agence France-Presse
A bill in Iraq that would further formalize the role — and perhaps, the autonomy — of a powerful coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitaries has sparked a heated debate, fanned in part by US pressure. . . . Formed in 2014 when Iraqis were urged to take up arms against the jihadists of the Islamic State group, the Hashed [al-Shaabi] is a powerful force with major military and political clout. The bill aims at regulating and restructuring the alliance of a myriad of armed groups, which together have more than 200,000 fighters and employees. Not mincing words, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the proposed legislation “would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Iraq Toughens Stance Against Pro-Iran Faction After Baghdad Clash | Agence France-Presse
The Iraqi government toughened its position towards pro-Iran faction the Hezbollah Brigades on Saturday, announcing some members would be tried over a recent deadly clash and others had been stripped of their commands. The decision follows an attack on a government office in south Baghdad late last month that killed three people, including a policeman, and which the authorities blamed on the group. . . . Saturday's government statement said the suspects were “fighters belonging to Hezbollah Brigades and affiliated to Regiments 45 and 46 of the Hashed Al Shaabi.”
CANADA & IRAN
Canada’s spy agency is warning that threats from Iran’s theocratic regime could increase this year and Tehran will continue to use members of criminal gangs to target its critics in Canada. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service told The Globe this week it is investigating death threats in Canada orchestrated by the republic of Iran.
MISCELLANEOUS
Princeton Parts Ways with Controversial Ex-Iranian Official After 15 Years | Iran International
Former Iranian nuclear negotiator and senior diplomat turned Princeton academic Hossein Mousavian has left the university in what is described by Princeton as retirement, while activists call it a dismissal following sustained campaign pressures.