Russia Offers to Broker Talks Between the United States and Iran on Iran’s Nuclear Program and Support for Proxy Forces
A Kremlin spokesperson said Moscow is ready to help Tehran and Washington resolve their differences (Bloomberg)
Trump has imposed new sanctions on Iran and said he is interested in a nuclear deal (Reuters)
Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif Offers Resignation
The move comes after Iran’s legislature impeached and removed Economy and Finance Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati yesterday; lawmakers blamed Hemmati for inflation and depreciation of the national currency (FT)
Zarif, who helped negotiate the 2015 nuclear deal, wrote in a social media post that the judiciary head suggested his resignation to ease pressure on reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian (AFP)
Iran’s Nuclear Stockpiles Have Grown Since 2024
Iran’s stockpile of 60 percent enriched uranium grew by more than half from its last reported volume in November by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); at around 274 kilograms, Iran’s stockpile is enough to produce multiple nuclear weapons (AP)
Trump has ordered new sanctions on Iran but also said he’d like to strike a nuclear deal (AP;CNN)
Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday that the country does not negotiate “under pressure, threat or sanctions” (DW)
United States Imposes New Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Brokers and Vessels
The U.S. Department of Treasury levied the sanctions to target the Iranian economy’s “shadow fleet,” which consists of managers, operators, and transporters for Iranian oil companies across the world (Reuters)
Netanyahu Seeks U.S. Support to “Finish the Job” on Iranian Nuclear Threat
This comes as the Israeli prime minister praised U.S. President Trump’s support and expressed hopes for a unified response to Iran; Israel reportedly seeks to conduct military airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities later this year, though Trump recently stated his hopes to strike a deal before considering military action (Guardian)
Iran Pushes Back Against President Trump’s Rhetoric, Continues Military Development
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that the country will continue to develop its military capabilities despite U.S. President Trump’s aggressive calls for Tehran to halt its nuclear program; this comes after Iran’s representative to the United Nations wrote that Trump’s threats of force against the country were “deeply alarming” (Al Jazeera)
Iran’s Judiciary Pardons Two Journalists Who Reported on 2022 Death of Mahsa Amini
News of Kurdish Iranian woman Amini’s death in state custody sparked mass anti-government protests (France24)
The journalists were temporarily released from prison last year and partially acquitted; now, they are fully cleared of charges (Reuters)
Trump Administration Sanctions Shipping Network That Moves Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Worth of Iranian Oil to China
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday Washington will “aggressively” target Iranian efforts to fund its nuclear activities, though Trump has also signaled openness to dealmaking with Tehran (FT)
Today, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said talks with Washington were “not intelligent, wise, or honorable” but stopped short of issuing an order against them (AP)
Trump Orders U.S. Department of Treasury to Prepare “Maximum Pressure” Economic Sanctions on Iran
President Trump included a caveat, saying, “I hope that [the order]’s not going to have to be used” (Anadolu Agency)
Later, he said “I would love to be able to make a great deal” with Iran to improve bilateral relations; however, Tehran “cannot have a nuclear weapon” (Reuters)
UN Nuclear Chief Says Iran ‘Pressing the Gas Pedal’ on Uranium Enrichment, Calls for Talks
Top UN nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi said that Iran was upping the monthly amount of uranium it enriches to a level near weapons-grade (Reuters)
Grossi urged the Trump administration to enter nuclear talks with Iran to contain its nuclear activities; so too did senior Iranian official Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said Iran had been “looking at our surroundings” and believes “it is the time to move forward” (The Guardian)
France, Germany, and United Kingdom Hold Nuclear Program Talks With Iran
All parties characterized talks about Iran’s nuclear program as “frank and constructive,” and the European countries said in a joint statement they were committed to a “diplomatic solution” to Iran’s nuclear capabilities; it was the second round of such talks in as many months (AFP)
Italy Frees Detained Iranian Wanted by United States
Italy’s justice minister revoked the detention of Iranian businessman Mohammed Abedini, who was jailed in Milan due to U.S. accusations that he illegally supplied Iranian drone makers (FT,WSJ)
Abedini’s release came days after that of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Tehran—also just days after Abedini’s jailing (Reuters)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Sala’s release was the result of coordination with the United States and Iran (NPR)
Italy Frees Detained Iranian Wanted by United States
Italy’s justice minister revoked the detention of Iranian businessman Mohammed Abedini, who was jailed in Tehran due to U.S. accusations that he illegally supplied Iranian drone makers (FT)
Abedini’s release came days after that of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Tehran—also just days after Abedini’s jailing; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Sala’s release was the result of coordination with the United States and Iran (WSJ)
Italy Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Case of Detained Journalist
For the first time, Iranian authorities publicly linked last month’s arrest of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala in Tehran to the days-earlier detention of Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini in Milan on a U.S. arrest warrant; Italian authorities are seeking immediate release for Sala, who was on a journalist visa (Reuters)
The United States says Abedini supplied drone parts that were used in a 2023 attack on U.S. service members in Jordan; Iran denied a role in the attack (NYT)
U.S. Treasury Department Announces New Sanctions on Thirty-five Entities Helping “Shadow Fleet” Move Iranian Oil to Global Markets
The U.S. Treasury Department said the funding from such sales financed Iran’s nuclear program and regional proxies (Newsweek)
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister to Hold Nuclear Talks With France, Germany, and United Kingdom
They will be the first such detailed direct talks in two years on the lapsed nuclear deal between the countries (The Guardian)
UN Nuclear Agency’s Board Votes to Censure Iran Over Nuclear Activities
The resolution was the second such censure in five months for Iran’s failure to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency; it requires the agency to produce a “comprehensive and updated assessment” of Iran’s nuclear activities, which could eventually trigger a referral to the UN Security Council to consider new sanctions (AP)
UN Nuclear Agency Considers Motion to Censure Iran
The board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is considering a motion from the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (UK) to censure Iran over its nuclear activities at a meeting in Vienna; they point to Tehran’s consistent refusal to answer IAEA inquiries on its nuclear enrichment program (NYT)
Iran said it would launch “advanced centrifuges” in response to the censure (France24)
Israel Hit a ‘Specific Component’ of Iran’s Nuclear Program in October Strike, Netanyahu Said
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli legislature that the collision occurred, but did not give further details; he added that Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon had not been blocked (Reuters, Times of Israel)
UN Nuclear Chief Visits Tehran Ahead of Talks By Parties to Nuclear Deal
Rafael Grossi urged Tehran to take steps regarding outstanding issues with its nuclear work at a press conference following talks (Reuters)
Next week, remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear deal will weigh increasing penalties on Iran for its lack of cooperation; Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran was ready to negotiate with European countries, but it would not talk “under pressure” (France24)
Iranian Court Sentences Four People to Death on Charges of Spying for Israel
According to the semiofficial Fars news agency, three of those sentenced were reportedly accused of facilitating equipment used in the 2020 killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist (Reuters)
U.S. B-52 Bombers Arrive in Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Washington announced the bombers’ arrival Saturday (AFP)
The day before, the U.S. Department of Defense had said it was sending planes and warships to bolster the U.S. presence in the region as an aircraft carrier was preparing to leave (The Hill)
Over the weekend, Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei pledged a “crushing” response to Iran’s enemies, including the United States, for their actions against Iran (Bloomberg)
Iran Vows ‘Appropriate’ Response to Israeli Strikes, Says Does Not Want War
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told a cabinet meeting that Tehran does “not seek war but we will defend the rights of our nation” after Israel’s attack over the weekend (The Guardian)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes had achieved Israel’s objectives, successfully targeting missile manufacturing facilities and air defense systems (BBC)
Israel Strikes Military Targets in Iran
On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces struck military targets in Tehran and western Iran; the strikes, which came in response to Iranian missile attacks against Israel in early October, killed four Iranian soldiers (BBC)
Israel damaged Iranian military bases, air defense systems protecting energy sites, and long-range ballistic missile production capabilities; one civilian was also killed (Times of Israel)
The two countries have been exchanging airstrikes since April; the Iranian foreign ministry accused Israel of inflaming regional tensions while Israel warned Iran against further escalation in the aftermath (NYT)
Israeli officials informed American counterparts of their plans before the attacks, but the United States was not directly involved in the strikes (NBC)
Iran’s Foreign Minister Visits Egypt
The meeting in Cairo is the first such visit by an Iranian official in more than a decade; the two countries, seeking to squash prospects of an even wider regional war, discussed brokering a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry (FT)