Iran's electoral watchdog on Wednesday defended its decision to disqualify thousands of candidates for a crucial parliamentary election in two days, as a lacklustre campaign neared its end.

Iran defends barring of candidates as campaign ends

Voting in a parliamentary election this week is "a religious duty" for Iranians, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday, days before the vote seen as a referendum on the clerical establishment's popularity.

Khamenei says voting in Iran's election 'a religious duty'

The US military on Monday disclosed a more than 50 per cent jump in cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran's missile attack on a base in Iraq last month, with the number of service members diagnosed climbing to over 100.

More than 100 US troops diagnosed with brain injuries from Iran missile attack

Iran should increase its military might to prevent a war, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a gathering of air force commanders on Saturday, dismissing the US sanctions on the country as "criminal act".

To prevent war, Iran must increase its military might: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

A motion for Iran to quit the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was introduced in parliament on Tuesday, the assembly's news site ICANA reported, in a move that appears to raise the stakes in Tehran's confrontation with the West.

Motion for Iran to quit nuclear proliferation treaty enters parliament

Iran's supreme leader is expected to lead the main weekly Muslim prayers in Tehran on Friday, after a traumatic month in which the United States killed its top general Qasem Soleimani and the country's military accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet.

Iran's supreme leader Khamenei to lead 'prayers' amid uproar over Ukrainian plane crash 

Iran's supreme leader is expected to lead the main weekly Muslim prayers in Tehran on Friday, after a traumatic month in which the country had appeared on the brink of war with the United States and accidentally downed a Ukrainian passenger jet.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to lead Friday 'prayers' in Tehran amid Iranian tumult

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while addressing people in the Friday prayers called US President Trump a "clown" while attacking US presence in the region. Also Read: Iran gave US 'slap on face', calls missile strikes 'day of God', says Khamenei “Resistance must continue until the region is completely freed from the enemy’s tyranny,” Khamenei said reiterating his message earlier.

These American 'clowns' who lie, says Khamenei in Friday sermon referring to Trump

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a Friday sermon that Islamic Republic had divine support and that Iran's missile strikes on US targets in Iraq this month delivered a "slap on the face" to the United States, reported news agency Reuters.

Iran gave US 'slap on face', calls missile strikes 'day of God': Khamenei

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in Friday's sermon that Iran's missile attacks on US bases in Iraq this month hit the US "slap on the face", giving divine support to the Islamic Republic.

Iran's Khamenei delivers Friday sermon, bid to quell public anger

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead the main weekly Muslim prayers in Tehran this week, state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday. Also Read: People are our masters and we are its servants, says Rouhani amid protests in Tehran Khamenei is officially the imam of Tehran but usually delegates the task of leading Friday prayers to others.

Khamenei to lead Friday prayers for first time since 2012

Iran on Sunday hinted de-escalation of tensions with the United States which were triggered nearly two weeks ago when top commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike by Washington in Iraq.

Iran hints at de-escalating tensions with US

How Iran protested after Islamic Republic admitted it downed Ukrainian aircraft

The Twitter page of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been temporarily suspended. Khamenei in his last tweet had hit out at Trump administration and said that killing of Qasem Soleimani had united people of Iran.

Iran's supreme leader Khamenei's Twitter account temporarily suspended

After conducting ballistic strikes on US bases, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Majid Takht Ravanchi, in a letter to the United Nations said his country has full respect for "the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Iraq.

We fully respect Iraq's sovereignty, says Iran's UN ambassador after ballistic missile strike

After President Trump in a televised address to the nation said Iran appeared to be standing down after the missile strikes on US bases, the United States informed the UN that the assassination of Iran general Qasim Soleimani was an act of "self defense".

Iran general Soleimani's killing was self defense: US Ambassador Kelly Craft to UN

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday addressed the nation from White House after Iran fired ballistic missiles on US airbases in Iraq targeting Al-Asad and Irbil.

Trump says no US troops hurt in Iran strikes, announces new sanctions on Iran

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called his country's missile strike on US bases in Iraq a "slap in the face" for America and said that Washington's troops must leave the region.

Missile strike a 'slap in the face' for US, says Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei today declared it had given its enemy America 'a slap in the face' after pounding two Iraqi bases containing US troops with a stream of ballistic missiles.

'We have slapped Americans on the face' Ayatollah Khamenei

Protestors clashed with police in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Sunday, as thousands of demonstrators attempted to march toward the US consulate to protest the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

Pakistan: Thousands march toward US consulate to protest Soleimani's killing

Iran condemned Donald Trump on Sunday as a "terrorist in a suit" after the US president threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or US assets in retaliation for the killing of military commander Qassem Soleimani.

Iran's I&T Minister MJ Azari condemns Preisdent Donald Trump as 'terrorist in a suit' after attack threat

Thousands of mourners dressed in black paid respect to former general Qasem Soleimani after his body reached the Iranian city of Ahvaz on Sunday. Like yesterday, mourners once again chanted "Death to America" at a mass gathering in the country's southwestern city.

Thousands of mourners pay respect as Qasem Soleimani's last remains reach Iran

On Friday, Iran's supreme leader announced that Esmail Qaani would be the leader of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' after the killing of former commander Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Baghdad.

Man who replaces Soleimani: Meet Iran's Quds Force's new chief, Esmail Qaani

Iran's supreme leader appointed assassinated commander Qassem Soleimani's deputy, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, to replace him as head of the country's Quds Forces, Iranian media reported.

After US killed Qassem Soleimani, Iran names deputy commander Esmail Qaani new Quds chief

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