Iran's domestically made satellite ''successfully'' launched on Sunday failed to reach orbit, a defence ministry official said. "It was launched with success and .

Iran's domestically made satellite ''successfully'' launched on Sunday failed to reach orbit, a defence ministry official said. "It was launched with success and ... we have reached most of our aims ... but the Zafar (victory in Farsi) satellite did not reach orbit as planned," the official told state television. Washington has raised concerns over Tehran's satellite programme, saying the launch helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile technology. However, Iran maintained it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons and says its aerospace activities are peaceful and comply with a UN Security Council resolution. The United States and Iran came close to an all-out confrontation twice in the past seven months. Long-standing hostility between Tehran and Washington worsened in 2018 when US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from a deal that froze Iran's nuclear programme, before issuing new demands that Tehran curtails its development of ballistic missiles. However, Iran refused to come to the negotiating table unless the US withdraws punitive economic sanctions. (With inputs from agencies)

'Successfully' launched satellite failed to reach orbit, says Iran Defence Ministry official

The assassination of Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani by the US and Iran’s retaliation by missile attacks on the US bases in Iraq early January brought the US and Iran on the brink of war. The subsequent decisions of the two countries to show restraint and step back has helped de-escalation, and thereby, defused the situation for the time being. The core issues which form the cause of the US-Iran conflict, however, remain on the table and are far from resolved. &nbsp;

From the US and Europe’s perspective, Iran must give up its plans to develop nuclear weapons and also its interference through proxy wars in Iraq, Yemen, Syria etc. Iran on its part is determined to drive the USA out of the region.&nbsp;

As far as the nuclear issue is concerned, Iran, it may be recalled, had it agreed to put a cap on its nuclear ambitions by signing the Iran Nuclear deal, officially described as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 with US, Russia, China, France, UK, Germany and EU. President Donald Trump’s decision to walk out of the deal (May 2018) and re-impose severe and crippling sanctions on Iran did not meet the approval of the other countries which are party to the deal, and they remained interested in salvaging the deal somehow. In the wake of the recent crisis triggered by the USA, The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran was reported to have declared that from now on, “Iran’s nuclear program no longer faces any operating restrictions,” but also added that “If the sanctions are lifted and Iran benefits from its interests, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to return to its obligations”. The announcement came after Tehran’s alleged gradual escalation of its nuclear programme in recent months.&nbsp;

France, UK and Germany –three European countries which are also party to the deal- have decided not to respond to the US call for walking out of the deal but have instead invoked the dispute settlement mechanism of the JCPOA to put pressure on Iran and save the deal. While Russia says “we see no reason for this action”, Iran has warned that any misuse of the mechanism would be met with a “serious and strong response”.&nbsp;

It remains to be seen how the situation pans out in the near future. Will the Europeans be able to persuade Iran to return to full compliance of the obligations under the nuclear deal? How will they be able to do so without minimising the impact of the US sanctions? Or will Iran adopt a hard line and stop cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency( IAEA) which is entrusted with the task of monitoring the implementation of the (JCPOA), and even go to the extent of walking out of the deal as well as NPT? Needless to add that any hard-line approach by Iran would have implications not only for Iran’s economy but also the global economy including India. &nbsp;

India has multiple interests in the region which can be hit severely in the event of instability. For instance, India sources significant quantities of oil and gas from the Middle East and armed conflict in the region is bound to adversely impact on oil prices as well supplies due to disruptions in the supply routes; this, in turn, would impact on Indian economy which has registered drop in growth in the recent past. Further, India has invested considerably in the development of Chabahar Port in Iran and any impact on its operations would disrupt India’s connectivity with Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond, bypassing Pakistan. India may also have to incur significant expenditure on the evacuation of Indians living and working in the Middle East – a region which is a source of substantial revenue from palpable inward remittances into India.&nbsp;

The situation poses a challenge for the foreign policy of India which on the one hand has a strategic partnership with the US and long civilisational links with Iran on the other hand. Iran is also a source of predictable and affordable energy supplies.&nbsp;

Though the Indian side gave no details, the possibility of PM Narendra Modi having discussed the issue during his tele-conversation with President Trump cannot be ruled out as a White House statement said the two leaders also reviewed the “regional security matters”. The External Affairs Minister in his Tweet was more forthcoming to share that he had “highlighted India’s stakes and concerns" during his telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike &nbsp;Pompeo.&nbsp;

The Indian leadership also reiterated India’s “Strong interest in peace, security and stability in the region” during the Iranian Foreign Minister’s meetings in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister, besides having earlier urged all concerned parties-to-the-conflict to exercise restraint. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Neither of the two core issues is likely to be resolved in the foreseeable future, and therefore, a simmering conflict would continue to prevail, threatening the peace and stability in the region with worldwide implications.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The assassination of Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani by the US and Iran’s retaliation by missile attacks on the US bases in Iraq early January brought the US and Iran on the brink of war.

The assassination of Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani by the US and Iran’s retaliation by missile attacks on the US bases in Iraq early January brought the US and Iran on the brink of war. The subsequent decisions of the two countries to show restraint and step back has helped de-escalation, and thereby, defused the situation for the time being. The core issues which form the cause of the US-Iran conflict, however, remain on the table and are far from resolved. From the US and Europe’s perspective, Iran must give up its plans to develop nuclear weapons and also its interference through proxy wars in Iraq, Yemen, Syria etc. Iran on its part is determined to drive the USA out of the region. As far as the nuclear issue is concerned, Iran, it may be recalled, had it agreed to put a cap on its nuclear ambitions by signing the Iran Nuclear deal, officially described as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 with US, Russia, China, France, UK, Germany and EU. President Donald Trump’s decision to walk out of the deal (May 2018) and re-impose severe and crippling sanctions on Iran did not meet the approval of the other countries which are party to the deal, and they remained interested in salvaging the deal somehow. In the wake of the recent crisis triggered by the USA, The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran was reported to have declared that from now on, “Iran’s nuclear program no longer faces any operating restrictions,” but also added that “If the sanctions are lifted and Iran benefits from its interests, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to return to its obligations”. The announcement came after Tehran’s alleged gradual escalation of its nuclear programme in recent months. France, UK and Germany –three European countries which are also party to the deal- have decided not to respond to the US call for walking out of the deal but have instead invoked the dispute settlement mechanism of the JCPOA to put pressure on Iran and save the deal. While Russia says “we see no reason for this action”, Iran has warned that any misuse of the mechanism would be met with a “serious and strong response”. It remains to be seen how the situation pans out in the near future. Will the Europeans be able to persuade Iran to return to full compliance of the obligations under the nuclear deal? How will they be able to do so without minimising the impact of the US sanctions? Or will Iran adopt a hard line and stop cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency( IAEA) which is entrusted with the task of monitoring the implementation of the (JCPOA), and even go to the extent of walking out of the deal as well as NPT? Needless to add that any hard-line approach by Iran would have implications not only for Iran’s economy but also the global economy including India. India has multiple interests in the region which can be hit severely in the event of instability. For instance, India sources significant quantities of oil and gas from the Middle East and armed conflict in the region is bound to adversely impact on oil prices as well supplies due to disruptions in the supply routes; this, in turn, would impact on Indian economy which has registered drop in growth in the recent past. Further, India has invested considerably in the development of Chabahar Port in Iran and any impact on its operations would disrupt India’s connectivity with Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond, bypassing Pakistan. India may also have to incur significant expenditure on the evacuation of Indians living and working in the Middle East – a region which is a source of substantial revenue from palpable inward remittances into India. The situation poses a challenge for the foreign policy of India which on the one hand has a strategic partnership with the US and long civilisational links with Iran on the other hand. Iran is also a source of predictable and affordable energy supplies. Though the Indian side gave no details, the possibility of PM Narendra Modi having discussed the issue during his tele-conversation with President Trump cannot be ruled out as a White House statement said the two leaders also reviewed the “regional security matters”. The External Affairs Minister in his Tweet was more forthcoming to share that he had “highlighted India’s stakes and concerns" during his telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Indian leadership also reiterated India’s “Strong interest in peace, security and stability in the region” during the Iranian Foreign Minister’s meetings in New Delhi with External Affairs Minister and Prime Minister, besides having earlier urged all concerned parties-to-the-conflict to exercise restraint. Neither of the two core issues is likely to be resolved in the foreseeable future, and therefore, a simmering conflict would continue to prevail, threatening the peace and stability in the region with worldwide implications. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Iran-US conflict: Worst is over, but core issues remain unresolved

Iraqi youth angry at their government's glacial pace of reform ramped up their protests on Sunday, sealing streets with burning tyres and threatening further escalation unless their demands are met.

The rallies demanding an overhaul of the ruling system have rocked Shiite-majority parts of Iraq since October but had thinned out in recent weeks amid rising <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/foreign-powers-to-discuss-ways-out-libya-crisis-with-rival-camps-275217">Iran-US tensions</a>.

Protesters had feared Iraq would be caught in the middle of the geopolitical storm and last Monday gave the government one week to make progress on reform pledges.

A day before the deadline expires, hundreds of angry young people descended on the main protest camp in Baghdad's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-iraqis-rally-against-government-iran-and-us-273470">Tahrir Square</a> as well as nearby Tayaran Square.

They burned tyres to block highways and bridges, turning back cars and causing traffic jams across the city.&nbsp;

At least 10 people including police officers were wounded when security forces tried to clear the sit-ins with tear gas and protesters responded by throwing rocks, medical and security sources told reporters.&nbsp;

"This is only the first escalation," one protester with a scarf wrapped around his face as smoke from the tyres turned the sky behind him a charcoal grey.

"We want to send a message to the government: Stop procrastinating! The people know what you're doing," he said, adding ominously: "Tomorrow the deadline ends, and then things could get totally of control."&nbsp;

Protesters are demanding early elections based on a reformed voting law, a new prime minister to replace current caretaker premier <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-iran-tensions-washington-turns-down-iraqi-request-to-remove-troops-273509">Adel Abdel Mahdi</a> and that officials deemed corrupt be held to account.

Abdel Mahdi resigned nearly two months ago, but political parties have thus far failed to agree on a successor and he has continued to run the government as a caretaker.

Demonstrators have publicly rejected the names circulating as possible replacements and are furious that other sweeping reform measures have not been implemented.

"We began to escalate today because the government did not respond to our demands, notably forming an independent government that could save Iraq," said Haydar Kadhim, a demonstrator in the southern protest hotspot of Nasiriyah.&nbsp;

"Last Monday, we gave them a deadline of seven days. That deadline ends tonight," Kadhim told reporters.

A fellow protester, 20-year-old university student Mohammad Kareem, said more escalation could come.&nbsp;

"We gave the government a timeframe to implement our demands, but it looks like it doesn't care one bit," he said.

"We will keep up our movement and keep escalating to confront this government, which continues to procrastinate," Kareem told reporters.

Rallies also swelled in the cities of Kut, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paralysis-in-iraq-as-protesters-harden-position-270033">Diwaniyah</a>, and Amara, where most government offices, schools, and universities have been shuttered for months.

In the holy city of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-mourners-pay-respect-as-qasem-soleimanis-body-reaches-iran-272228">Najaf</a>, youth wrapped in checkered black-and-white scarves and carrying Iraqi flags lit tyres and began a sit-in on a main road leading to the capital.

Further the south in the oil-rich port city of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-security-forces-kill-one-protester-wound-25-sources-275090">Basra</a>, students gathered in an ongoing strike in support of the rallies elsewhere.

The protests are the largest and bloodiest grassroots movement in Iraq in decades, with nearly 460 people dead and over 25,000 wounded since they erupted on October 1.

While the violence at the protests themselves has dropped slightly, activists say they face an escalating campaign of intimidation, kidnapping and assassination attempts.

Young protesters are also apprehensive about a rival protest on January 24 organized by firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr in order to pressure US forces to leave.

Last week, Sadr urged Iraqis to hold "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations".

Iraqi political figures have ramped up their calls for foreign forces&nbsp;including some 5,200 US troops to leave the country following a US drone strike that killed Iran's revered Quds Force chief <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-iran-shot-down-ukranian-passenger-plane-after-us-jets-were-seen-at-its-borders-275045">Qasem Soleimani</a> and top Iraqi military official Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.&nbsp;

Both were key brokers in Iraq's political scene, which has been left reeling by their absence.&nbsp;

Iraq's parliament voted on January 5 in favor of ousting foreign forces but the legal procedure for doing so remains murky.

Bases, where US forces are stationed, have been under a steady stream of rocket attacks for several months that have killed one American contractor and one Iraqi soldier.

Iraqi youth angry at their government's glacial pace of reform ramped up their protests on Sunday, sealing streets with burning tyres and threatening further escalation unless their demands are met.

Iraqi youth angry at their government's glacial pace of reform ramped up their protests on Sunday, sealing streets with burning tyres and threatening further escalation unless their demands are met. The rallies demanding an overhaul of the ruling system have rocked Shiite-majority parts of Iraq since October but had thinned out in recent weeks amid rising Iran-US tensions. Protesters had feared Iraq would be caught in the middle of the geopolitical storm and last Monday gave the government one week to make progress on reform pledges. A day before the deadline expires, hundreds of angry young people descended on the main protest camp in Baghdad's Tahrir Square as well as nearby Tayaran Square. They burned tyres to block highways and bridges, turning back cars and causing traffic jams across the city. At least 10 people including police officers were wounded when security forces tried to clear the sit-ins with tear gas and protesters responded by throwing rocks, medical and security sources told reporters. "This is only the first escalation," one protester with a scarf wrapped around his face as smoke from the tyres turned the sky behind him a charcoal grey. "We want to send a message to the government: Stop procrastinating! The people know what you're doing," he said, adding ominously: "Tomorrow the deadline ends, and then things could get totally of control." Protesters are demanding early elections based on a reformed voting law, a new prime minister to replace current caretaker premier Adel Abdel Mahdi and that officials deemed corrupt be held to account. Abdel Mahdi resigned nearly two months ago, but political parties have thus far failed to agree on a successor and he has continued to run the government as a caretaker. Demonstrators have publicly rejected the names circulating as possible replacements and are furious that other sweeping reform measures have not been implemented. "We began to escalate today because the government did not respond to our demands, notably forming an independent government that could save Iraq," said Haydar Kadhim, a demonstrator in the southern protest hotspot of Nasiriyah. "Last Monday, we gave them a deadline of seven days. That deadline ends tonight," Kadhim told reporters. A fellow protester, 20-year-old university student Mohammad Kareem, said more escalation could come. "We gave the government a timeframe to implement our demands, but it looks like it doesn't care one bit," he said. "We will keep up our movement and keep escalating to confront this government, which continues to procrastinate," Kareem told reporters. Rallies also swelled in the cities of Kut, Diwaniyah, and Amara, where most government offices, schools, and universities have been shuttered for months. In the holy city of Najaf, youth wrapped in checkered black-and-white scarves and carrying Iraqi flags lit tyres and began a sit-in on a main road leading to the capital. Further the south in the oil-rich port city of Basra, students gathered in an ongoing strike in support of the rallies elsewhere. The protests are the largest and bloodiest grassroots movement in Iraq in decades, with nearly 460 people dead and over 25,000 wounded since they erupted on October 1. While the violence at the protests themselves has dropped slightly, activists say they face an escalating campaign of intimidation, kidnapping and assassination attempts. Young protesters are also apprehensive about a rival protest on January 24 organized by firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr in order to pressure US forces to leave. Last week, Sadr urged Iraqis to hold "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations". Iraqi political figures have ramped up their calls for foreign forces including some 5,200 US troops to leave the country following a US drone strike that killed Iran's revered Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani and top Iraqi military official Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Both were key brokers in Iraq's political scene, which has been left reeling by their absence. Iraq's parliament voted on January 5 in favor of ousting foreign forces but the legal procedure for doing so remains murky. Bases, where US forces are stationed, have been under a steady stream of rocket attacks for several months that have killed one American contractor and one Iraqi soldier.

Iraq: Angry youth step up protest at 'slow pace of reforms'

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 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. According to Reuters, the last time Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led Friday prayers at Tehran's Mosalla mosque was in February 2012, on the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic revolution and at a time of crisis over the Iran nuclear issue. The supreme leader's appearance comes after Iran retaliated to the killing of Soleimani by launching missile strikes at US military targets in Iraq with a volley of missiles. × The strike, which caused significant material damage, wounded 11 US troops, according to a statement by US Central Command released Thursday, which contradicted the military's previous assessment of no casualties. The strike was followed by Iran ''accidentally'' downing a Ukrainian passenger jet which caused widespread outrage in Iran and around the world. In Iran, the air disaster sparked public outrage and anti-government demonstrations took place every day from Saturday to Wednesday. Security forces were deployed across the capital in response to the protests. The hostility between Washington and Tehran has increased since Trump withdrew the United States from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed biting sanctions. I

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

Amid heightened tension between Iran and the United States in the aftermath of the assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, Iran`s Ambassador to India Ali Chegeni on Wednesday said that Tehran is "not looking for war".

Amid heightened tension between Iran and the United States in the aftermath of the assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, Iran`s Ambassador to India Ali Chegeni on Wednesday said that Tehran is "not looking for war". "We are not looking for war. We are living in this region peacefully with our brothers and sisters including India. We don`t want any tension or escalation in this region," Chegeni told media persons in Delhi on Wednesday. Soleimani, the head of Iran`s Revolutionary Guards` elite Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike ordered by President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq last Friday. Soleimani's death resulted in dramatic escalation in tension between the US and Iran. The tension between the two countries has been on the rise since Trump unilaterally decided to withdraw Washington from the 2015 nuclear pact the world powers had struck with Tehran. Iran today fired several missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US troops in retaliation for the American strike. Responding to a question related to today`s airstrike, the ambassador said: "Whatever we have done is a part of our response." "Millions of people who participated in the funeral of General Qasem Soleimani had demanded the government for it. We have done it. We are not looking for war," he said. The envoy further said that India is a part of the region and therefore Tehran will welcome any initiative to curb the escalation of tension by its "good friends."

Iran not looking for war, air strike in Iraq part of our response, says Iran's envoy to India

Iran on Wednesday launched ballistic missile attacks on US bases&nbsp;in Iraq in retaliation to&nbsp;the US drone strike which killed Iranian commander General Qasem Soleimani, which has raised fears of a wider war in the&nbsp;Middle East. 
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Iran launched ballistic missile strikes on the US bases in Iraq. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-slain-general-soleimani-laid-to-rest-in-hometown-kerman-272814">Read More</a></li>
	<li>Donald Trump tweeted, "All is well!" after the Iran missile strikes.</li>
	<li>Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed that they fired the missiles in retaliation to General&nbsp;Qasem Soleimani's killing.</li>
	<li>US Federal Aviation Administration said it would ban US carriers from operating in Iraq&nbsp;airspace including in Iran as&nbsp;several Asian carriers said there were avoiding flying over the region.</li>
	<li>A stampede had broken&nbsp;out at the funeral of&nbsp;General&nbsp;Qasem Soleimani killing&nbsp;56 people and injuring&nbsp;more than 210.</li>
	<li>General Qasem Soleimani's burial which was postponed on Tuesday due to a stampede began on Wednesday at Kerman even as Iran fired missiles at US bases in Iraq.</li>
</ul>

Read More:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-iran-tensions-and-why-india-should-care-271967">US-Iran tensions and why India should care</a>

Read More:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-slain-general-soleimani-laid-to-rest-in-hometown-kerman-272814">Iran's slain general Soleimani laid to rest in hometown Kerman</a>

Watch Video:&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-attacks-two-iraqi-bases-housing-us-troops-272826/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Iran on Wednesday launched ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Iraq in retaliation to the US drone strike which killed Iranian commander General Qasem Soleimani, which has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.

Iran on Wednesday launched ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Iraq in retaliation to the US drone strike which killed Iranian commander General Qasem Soleimani, which has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East. Iran launched ballistic missile strikes on the US bases in Iraq. Read More Donald Trump tweeted, "All is well!" after the Iran missile strikes. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed that they fired the missiles in retaliation to General Qasem Soleimani's killing. US Federal Aviation Administration said it would ban US carriers from operating in Iraq airspace including in Iran as several Asian carriers said there were avoiding flying over the region. A stampede had broken out at the funeral of General Qasem Soleimani killing 56 people and injuring more than 210. General Qasem Soleimani's burial which was postponed on Tuesday due to a stampede began on Wednesday at Kerman even as Iran fired missiles at US bases in Iraq. Read More: US-Iran tensions and why India should care Read More: Iran's slain general Soleimani laid to rest in hometown Kerman Watch Video:

Latest updates on general Soleimani's killing: Iran launches ballistic missile strikes on US bases in Iraq

Post-Soleimani’s death, tensions have been escalating between Iran and the United States&nbsp;even as the funeral procession of slain Iran General Soleimani began in his hometown Kerman today. The Iranian general will be buried later on Tuesday.

<meta charset="utf-8" />

<ul>
	<li>Iran’s Quds Force Commander, Qasem Soleimani will be buried in his hometown, Kerman. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The three-day national funeral procession in Iran and Iraq will end today. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge". 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Mourners shouted ‘revenge’ during the national funeral procession observed in Soleimani’s death. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Addressing the crowd during a funeral procession on Monday, Soleimani’s daughter, Zeinab Soleimani, called&nbsp;US President ‘Crazy Trump and added, "Don’t think everything is over",&nbsp;and promised "dark days"&nbsp;for the US in the days ahead.&nbsp; 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The Tehran government said it will roll back from the international nuclear accord. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Saudi’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal, said,&nbsp;“It is certainly a very dangerous moment." 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>President Donald Trump tweeted, "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!" over Iran’s announcement on Uranium extraction.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1214197038063243266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<ul>
	<li>Amid rising global tensions, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern and called for ‘maximum restraint’.</li>
</ul>

Watch:&nbsp;Soleimani to be buried today in Iranian hometown

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Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-never-have-a-nuclear-weapon-says-trump-as-tehran-mourns-suleimani-272585">Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, says Trump as Tehran mourns Suleimani</a>

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-reaches-out-to-countries-in-west-asia-amid-us-iran-tensions-272367">India reaches out to countries in West Asia amid US-Iran tensions</a>

(With Inputs from AFP)

Post-Soleimani’s death, tensions have been escalating between Iran and the United States even as the funeral procession of slain Iran General Soleimani began in his hometown Kerman today.

Post-Soleimani’s death, tensions have been escalating between Iran and the United States even as the funeral procession of slain Iran General Soleimani began in his hometown Kerman today. The Iranian general will be buried later on Tuesday. Iran’s Quds Force Commander, Qasem Soleimani will be buried in his hometown, Kerman. The three-day national funeral procession in Iran and Iraq will end today. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised "severe revenge". Mourners shouted ‘revenge’ during the national funeral procession observed in Soleimani’s death. Addressing the crowd during a funeral procession on Monday, Soleimani’s daughter, Zeinab Soleimani, called US President ‘Crazy Trump and added, "Don’t think everything is over", and promised "dark days" for the US in the days ahead. The Tehran government said it will roll back from the international nuclear accord. Saudi’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal, said, “It is certainly a very dangerous moment." President Donald Trump tweeted, "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!" over Iran’s announcement on Uranium extraction. IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2020 × Amid rising global tensions, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his concern and called for ‘maximum restraint’. Watch: Soleimani to be buried today in Iranian hometown × Read More: US criticises Russia, China at UN over failure to condemn Baghdad embassy attack Read More: Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, says Trump as Tehran mourns Suleimani Read More: India reaches out to countries in West Asia amid US-Iran tensions (With Inputs from AFP)

Latest updates on Iran general Qasem Soleimani's killing: Funeral procession begins in Kerman

Iran's military commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed in a US drone attack on Friday was brought to Tehran early on Monday morning as mourners packed the streets.

Thousands of people gathered at &nbsp;Tehran University with people holding portraits of the slain Iranian general.&nbsp;Soleimani will be buried at his hometown Kerman on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/should-iran-strike-us-will-quickly-strike-back-says-trump-272374">Also Read: Should Iran strike, US will quickly strike back, says Trump</a>

Iran on Sunday named Esmail Ghaani as the new chief of Iran's Quds force. Ghaani promised to continue on "Soleimani's path". "The only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region," Ghaani told Iran's state radio.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/qasem-soleimani-the-latest-file-terminated-at-cia-headquarters-271942">In Pics: Qasem Soleimani- The latest file terminated at CIA Headquarters</a>

Iran also said it would abandon limitations on enriching uranium, a deal which was put in place by the previous US administration led by former President Barack Obama. Iran said it would continue to enrich Uranium "based on its technical needs".

Watch Video:

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Meanwhile, US President threatened Iran with strikes asserting that should Iran strike any US person or target, the United States will quickly and fully strike back and perhaps in a "disproportionate manner".&nbsp;

Trump also threatened to impose sanctions on Iraq, if<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-parliament-passes-resolution-to-end-foreign-troop-presence-272342"> US troops were forced</a> to withdraw from the country after the Iraqi parliament on Sunday passed a motion calling for the expulsion of US troops.

Oil prices continued to surge on Monday shooting up over 2 per cent in the aftermath of the US drone strike which killed Soleimani.

Iran's military commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed in a US drone attack on Friday was brought to Tehran early on Monday morning as mourners packed the streets.

Iran's military commander Qasem Soleimani who was killed in a US drone attack on Friday was brought to Tehran early on Monday morning as mourners packed the streets. Thousands of people gathered at Tehran University with people holding portraits of the slain Iranian general. Soleimani will be buried at his hometown Kerman on Tuesday. Also Read: Should Iran strike, US will quickly strike back, says Trump Iran on Sunday named Esmail Ghaani as the new chief of Iran's Quds force. Ghaani promised to continue on "Soleimani's path". "The only compensation for us would be to remove America from the region," Ghaani told Iran's state radio. In Pics: Qasem Soleimani- The latest file terminated at CIA Headquarters Iran also said it would abandon limitations on enriching uranium, a deal which was put in place by the previous US administration led by former President Barack Obama. Iran said it would continue to enrich Uranium "based on its technical needs". Watch Video: Meanwhile, US President threatened Iran with strikes asserting that should Iran strike any US person or target, the United States will quickly and fully strike back and perhaps in a "disproportionate manner". Trump also threatened to impose sanctions on Iraq, if US troops were forced to withdraw from the country after the Iraqi parliament on Sunday passed a motion calling for the expulsion of US troops. Oil prices continued to surge on Monday shooting up over 2 per cent in the aftermath of the US drone strike which killed Soleimani.

Thousands gather to pay homage to slain Iran general Soleimani in Tehran

India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Sunday said that he spoke to Iran foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and added ''India remains deeply concerned about the levels of tension''.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Sunday said that he spoke to Iran foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and added ''India remains deeply concerned about the levels of tension''. ''Just concluded a conversation with FM @JZarif of Iran. Noted that developments have taken a very serious turn. India remains deeply concerned about the levels of tension. We agreed to remain in touch,'' Jaishankar tweeted a short while ago. Had a telephonic discussion with Secretary of State @SecPompeo on the evolving situation in the Gulf region. Highlighted India's stakes and concerns. — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 5, 2020 × The Indian foreign minister also had a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. .@DrSJaishankar and I spoke just now regarding Iran’s continued threats and provocations. The Trump Administration won’t hesitate to act to keep American lives, and those of our friends and allies, safe. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 5, 2020 × ''Had a telephonic discussion with Secretary of State @SecPompeo on the evolving situation in the Gulf region. Highlighted India's stakes and concerns,'' he said in another tweet. Jaishankar also discussed the the situation in Middle East following US-Iran standoff with his UAE and Oman counterparts. The Middle East region is tensed after the United States killed Qasem Suleimani, the 62-year-old head of Iran’s Quds Force, and one of the most powerful men in the Middle East. While Iran vowed retaliation Trump hit back at Iran today and said that United States has identified 52 sites in Iran and would hit them "very fast and very hard" if threats to the US are not stopped.

'Deeply concerned' Jaishankar dials Pompeo, Zarif amid US-Iran tension

Iran condemned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-media-challenges-vice-president-mike-pences-claims-of-soleimani-assisting-911-terrorists-272199">Donald Trump</a> on Sunday as a "terrorist in a suit" after the US&nbsp;president threatened to hit 52 Iranian sites hard if Tehran attacks Americans or US&nbsp;assets in retaliation for the killing of military commander Qassem Soleimani.

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Like ISIS, like Hitler, Like Genghis! 
 
They all hate cultures. Trump is a "terrorist in a suit". He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat "the Great Iranian Nation &amp; Culture".<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HardRevenge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HardRevenge</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QasemSoleimani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QasemSoleimani</a> <a href="https://t.co/N2iQ5AMX7M">https://t.co/N2iQ5AMX7M</a>
— MJ Azari Jahromi (@azarijahromi) <a href="https://twitter.com/azarijahromi/status/1213743924952666114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Like ISIS, Like Hitler, Like Genghis! They all hate cultures. Trump is a terrorist in a suit. He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat 'the Great Iranian Nation &amp; Culture'," Information and Telecommunications Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/foiled-very-big-foreign-cyber-attack-iran-267687">Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi</a> tweeted.

Soleimani, Iran's pre-eminent military commander, was killed on Friday in a US&nbsp;drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport, an attack that has taken long-running hostilities between Washington and Tehran into uncharted territory and raised the spectre of a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Soleimani was the architect of Tehran’s overseas clandestine and military operations as head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force.

Giving no indication of seeking to defuse tensions after the strike he ordered, Trump issued a stern threat to the Islamic Republic.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, he said Iran "is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets" to avenge Soleimani's death.

Trump said the United States has "targeted 52 Iranian sites" and that some were "at a very high level &amp; important to Iran &amp; the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD."

He said the 52 targets represented the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran after being seized at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/it-will-be-a-war-crime-if-us-attacks-irans-cultural-sites-foreign-minister-zarif-272268">US&nbsp;Embassy</a> in 1979 during the country's Islamic Revolution.

Iran's army chief, Major General <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lacks-courage-for-military-confrontation-with-iran-iran-army-chief-272304">Abdolrahim Mousavi</a>, was quoted by state television on Sunday as saying the United States lacked the courage for a military confrontation with Iran.

"In a potential conflict in the future, which I don't think they (Americans) have the courage to carry out, there it will become clear where the numbers five and two will belong," he said.

Trump said on Friday Soleimani had been plotting "imminent and sinister" attacks on US&nbsp;diplomats and military personnel. Democratic critics said the Republican president's action was reckless and risked more bloodshed in a dangerous region.

Thousands of mourners turned out to pay respects to the slain commander on Sunday after Soleimani's body was returned to Iran, the official IRIB news agency reported.

While many Iranians have rallied in to show grief over the death of Soleimani, regarded as the country’s second most powerful figure after Supreme Leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-mourners-pay-respect-as-qasem-soleimanis-body-reaches-iran-272228">Ayatollah Ali Khamenei</a>, others worry that his death might push the country to war with a superpower.

On Friday, Khamenei promised harsh revenge and declared three days of mourning.

Soleimani's body was flown to the city of Ahvaz in southwest Iran. IRIB posted a video clip of a casket wrapped in an Iranian flag being unloaded from a plane as a military band played.

Thousands of mourners dressed in black marched through the streets of Ahvaz beating their chests in live footage aired on state TV.

British foreign minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dominic-raab-calls-for-de-escalation-of-tensions-after-killing-of-menace-soleimani-272295">Dominic Raab</a> said on Sunday he had spoken to Iraq's prime minister and president to urge efforts to relieve tensions in the region following the US&nbsp;strike.

Raab, who described Soleimani as a "regional menace" and said he was sympathetic to the situation the United States found itself in, said he also planned to speak to Iran's foreign minister.

"There is a route through which allows Iran to come in from out of the international cold," he told Sky News. "We need to contain the nefarious actions of Iran but we also need to de-escalate and stabilise the situation."

Friday's US&nbsp;airstrike also killed Iraqi militia leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-target-52-iranian-sites-if-americans-are-attacked-donald-trump-272166">Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis</a>.

Iraq's parliament was set to convene an extraordinary session on Sunday where lawmakers told media that they would push for a vote on a resolution requiring the government to request the withdrawal of US&nbsp;troops from Iraq.

"There is no need for the presence of American forces after defeating Daesh (Islamic State)," said Ammar al-Shibli, a Shi'ite lawmaker and member of parliament's legal committee.

Despite decades of enmity between Iran and the United States, Iran-backed militia and US&nbsp;troops fought side by side during Iraq's 2014-2017 war against Islamic State militants.

Around 5,000 US&nbsp;troops remain in Iraq, most of them in an advisory capacity.

The militia was incorporated into government forces under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilisation Forces which Muhandis led.

Many Iraqis, including opponents of Soleimani, have expressed anger at Washington for killing the two men on Iraqi soil and possibly dragging their country into another conflict.

On Saturday evening, a rocket fell inside Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone near the US&nbsp;embassy, another hit the nearby Jadriya neighbourhood and two more were fired at the Balad air base north of the city. No one was killed, the Iraqi military said.

The US&nbsp;strike followed a spike in US-Iranian hostilities in Iraq since last week when pro-Iranian militias attacked the US&nbsp;embassy in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-ditches-iran-extends-tacit-support-to-us-over-airstrikes-for-resumption-in-military-cooperation-272236">Baghdad</a> after a deadly US&nbsp;air raid on Kataib Hezbollah, a militia founded by Muhandis. Washington accused the group of an attack on an Iraqi military base that killed an American contractor.

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 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. Like ISIS, like Hitler, Like Genghis! They all hate cultures. Trump is a "terrorist in a suit". He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat "the Great Iranian Nation & Culture".#HardRevenge#QasemSoleimani https://t.co/N2iQ5AMX7M — MJ Azari Jahromi (@azarijahromi) January 5, 2020 × "Like ISIS, Like Hitler, Like Genghis! They all hate cultures. Trump is a terrorist in a suit. He will learn history very soon that NOBODY can defeat 'the Great Iranian Nation & Culture'," Information and Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi tweeted. Soleimani, Iran's pre-eminent military commander, was killed on Friday in a US drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport, an attack that has taken long-running hostilities between Washington and Tehran into uncharted territory and raised the spectre of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Soleimani was the architect of Tehran’s overseas clandestine and military operations as head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. Giving no indication of seeking to defuse tensions after the strike he ordered, Trump issued a stern threat to the Islamic Republic. In a series of tweets on Saturday, he said Iran "is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets" to avenge Soleimani's death. Trump said the United States has "targeted 52 Iranian sites" and that some were "at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD." He said the 52 targets represented the 52 Americans held hostage in Iran after being seized at the US Embassy in 1979 during the country's Islamic Revolution. Iran's army chief, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, was quoted by state television on Sunday as saying the United States lacked the courage for a military confrontation with Iran. "In a potential conflict in the future, which I don't think they (Americans) have the courage to carry out, there it will become clear where the numbers five and two will belong," he said. Trump said on Friday Soleimani had been plotting "imminent and sinister" attacks on US diplomats and military personnel. Democratic critics said the Republican president's action was reckless and risked more bloodshed in a dangerous region. Thousands of mourners turned out to pay respects to the slain commander on Sunday after Soleimani's body was returned to Iran, the official IRIB news agency reported. While many Iranians have rallied in to show grief over the death of Soleimani, regarded as the country’s second most powerful figure after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, others worry that his death might push the country to war with a superpower. On Friday, Khamenei promised harsh revenge and declared three days of mourning. Soleimani's body was flown to the city of Ahvaz in southwest Iran. IRIB posted a video clip of a casket wrapped in an Iranian flag being unloaded from a plane as a military band played. Thousands of mourners dressed in black marched through the streets of Ahvaz beating their chests in live footage aired on state TV. British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday he had spoken to Iraq's prime minister and president to urge efforts to relieve tensions in the region following the US strike. Raab, who described Soleimani as a "regional menace" and said he was sympathetic to the situation the United States found itself in, said he also planned to speak to Iran's foreign minister. "There is a route through which allows Iran to come in from out of the international cold," he told Sky News. "We need to contain the nefarious actions of Iran but we also need to de-escalate and stabilise the situation." Friday's US airstrike also killed Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iraq's parliament was set to convene an extraordinary session on Sunday where lawmakers told media that they would push for a vote on a resolution requiring the government to request the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. "There is no need for the presence of American forces after defeating Daesh (Islamic State)," said Ammar al-Shibli, a Shi'ite lawmaker and member of parliament's legal committee. Despite decades of enmity between Iran and the United States, Iran-backed militia and US troops fought side by side during Iraq's 2014-2017 war against Islamic State militants. Around 5,000 US troops remain in Iraq, most of them in an advisory capacity. The militia was incorporated into government forces under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilisation Forces which Muhandis led. Many Iraqis, including opponents of Soleimani, have expressed anger at Washington for killing the two men on Iraqi soil and possibly dragging their country into another conflict. On Saturday evening, a rocket fell inside Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone near the US embassy, another hit the nearby Jadriya neighbourhood and two more were fired at the Balad air base north of the city. No one was killed, the Iraqi military said. The US strike followed a spike in US-Iranian hostilities in Iraq since last week when pro-Iranian militias attacked the US embassy in Baghdad after a deadly US air raid on Kataib Hezbollah, a militia founded by Muhandis. Washington accused the group of an attack on an Iraqi military base that killed an American contractor.

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

President Hassan Rouhani called on Iranians on Wednesday to unite to overcome an "economic war" waged by the United States, while his government said it would use diplomacy to try to solve the standoff even though it distrusted President Donald Trump.

President Hassan Rouhani called on Iranians on Wednesday to unite to overcome an "economic war" waged by the United States, while his government said it would use diplomacy to try to solve the standoff even though it distrusted President Donald Trump. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have heightened since Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions on Iran. "We need to unite to fight against and to win this economic war that America has launched against Iran," Rouhani said in a televised speech. Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabie said on Wednesday: "Taking into account Donald Trump’s personal traits, we don’t trust him; however, Iran has never abandoned diplomacy but we are determined to pursue it as an equal (of the United States)," state TV reported. Iran describes the US sanctions as "economic warfare" and Rouhani said on Tuesday there would be no talks with the United States until all sanctions imposed on Tehran were lifted. Since ditching the deal last year, Trump has pursued a policy of "maximum pressure" to try to force Iran into broader talks to restrict its ballistic missile program and end its support for proxy forces around the Middle East. Iran, which has slowly been breaching the nuclear deal in retaliation for U.S. sanctions, has threatened further violations in early September unless it receives sanctions relief.

Iran President Rouhani calls for unity to overcome US 'economic war'

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad&nbsp;Zarif&nbsp;said on Twitter on Friday that any military presence in the Gulf from outside the region would be a "source of insecurity" for Iran, and Tehran would act to safeguard its security.

Washington is lobbying international partners to join a maritime security coalition at a time of heightened tensions with Iran. Tehran earlier on Friday warned against any presence of its arch-foe Israel in the planned coalition.

"(The) Persian Gulf is a vital lifeline and thus nat'l security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security,"&nbsp;Zarif&nbsp;said in his tweet.

"Mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition (a) source of insecurity ... Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security,"&nbsp;Zarif&nbsp;said.

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Persian Gulf is vital lifeline and thus nat'l security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security. 
 
Mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition source of insecurity - despite propaganda. 
 
Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1159836519047106560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Britain said on Monday it was joining the United States in the maritime security mission in the Gulf to protect vessels after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker.

Traffic in the Strait, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, has become the focus of a standoff between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump quit a 2015 nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Iran says the responsibility of securing these waters lies with Tehran and other countries in the region.

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which support U.S. policy against Iran, have called on the international community to safeguard maritime trade and security of global oil supplies.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter on Friday that any military presence in the Gulf from outside the region would be a "source of insecurity" for Iran, and Tehran would act to safeguard its security.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter on Friday that any military presence in the Gulf from outside the region would be a "source of insecurity" for Iran, and Tehran would act to safeguard its security. Washington is lobbying international partners to join a maritime security coalition at a time of heightened tensions with Iran. Tehran earlier on Friday warned against any presence of its arch-foe Israel in the planned coalition. "(The) Persian Gulf is a vital lifeline and thus nat'l security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security," Zarif said in his tweet. "Mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition (a) source of insecurity ... Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security," Zarif said. Persian Gulf is vital lifeline and thus nat'l security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security. Mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition source of insecurity - despite propaganda. Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 9, 2019 × Britain said on Monday it was joining the United States in the maritime security mission in the Gulf to protect vessels after Iran seized a British-flagged tanker. Traffic in the Strait, through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes, has become the focus of a standoff between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump quit a 2015 nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Iran says the responsibility of securing these waters lies with Tehran and other countries in the region. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which support U.S. policy against Iran, have called on the international community to safeguard maritime trade and security of global oil supplies.

Iran says any external military presence in Gulf 'source of insecurity'

South Korea plans to join a US-led maritime force in the Middle East by sending a naval unit, which includes a destroyer, to help guard oil tankers sailing through the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-european-naval-mission-in-gulf-would-be-provocative-238986">Strait of Hormuz</a>, a South Korean newspaper reported on Monday.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased since Washington pulled out of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-meeting-with-parties-to-nuclear-deal-constructive-239070">Iranian nuclear deal last year </a>and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran in recent months further soured ties, prompting US officials to call for allies to join a planned maritime security mission.

The Maekyung business newspaper, citing an unidentified senior government official, said South Korea had decided to send the anti-piracy Cheonghae unit operating in waters off Somalia, possibly along with helicopters.

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Seoul's defence ministry said the government was exploring measures to protect its ships in the area but no decision had been made.

"It is obvious that we have to protect our ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, isn't it? So we're considering various possibilities," deputy ministry spokesman Ro Jae-cheon told a regular news briefing on Monday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week Washington had asked South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Australia and others to take part.

US national security adviser John Bolton visited Seoul last week and discussed the issue with senior officials, including the defence minister, but Ro said there was no official request made during that meeting.

The Cheonghae unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden since 2009, working to tackle piracy in partnership with African countries as well as the United States and the European Union.

The 302-strong unit operates a 4,500-ton destroyer, a Lynx anti-submarine helicopter and three speed boats, according to South Korea's 2018 defence white paper. 
&nbsp;

South Korea plans to join a US-led maritime force in the Middle East by sending a naval unit, which includes a destroyer, to help guard oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, a South Korean newspaper reported on Monday.

South Korea plans to join a US-led maritime force in the Middle East by sending a naval unit, which includes a destroyer, to help guard oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, a South Korean newspaper reported on Monday. Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased since Washington pulled out of the Iranian nuclear deal last year and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran in recent months further soured ties, prompting US officials to call for allies to join a planned maritime security mission. The Maekyung business newspaper, citing an unidentified senior government official, said South Korea had decided to send the anti-piracy Cheonghae unit operating in waters off Somalia, possibly along with helicopters. Watch Video: Seoul's defence ministry said the government was exploring measures to protect its ships in the area but no decision had been made. "It is obvious that we have to protect our ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, isn't it? So we're considering various possibilities," deputy ministry spokesman Ro Jae-cheon told a regular news briefing on Monday. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week Washington had asked South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Australia and others to take part. US national security adviser John Bolton visited Seoul last week and discussed the issue with senior officials, including the defence minister, but Ro said there was no official request made during that meeting. The Cheonghae unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden since 2009, working to tackle piracy in partnership with African countries as well as the United States and the European Union. The 302-strong unit operates a 4,500-ton destroyer, a Lynx anti-submarine helicopter and three speed boats, according to South Korea's 2018 defence white paper.

South Korea navy may join US-led coalition in Strait of Hormuz: Report

Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa's southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama. Iran later claimed it as its own.

The ship carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian crude was seized by British Royal Marines off Gibraltar, raising tensions in the Gulf where Iran detained a UK-flagged ship in retaliation.

Grace 1 remains impounded, not because of its flag but because it was suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions, an allegation that Iran denies.

Yet Panama's move on May 29 to strike it from its register mid-voyage was part of a global squeeze on Iranian shipping.

Nations that register vessels under so-called "flags of convenience" allowing them to sail legally have de-listed dozens of tankers owned by Iran in recent months, tightening the economic noose around it.

In the biggest cull, Panama, the world's most important flag state, removed 59 tankers linked to Iran and Syria earlier this year, a decision welcomed by the United States which wants to cut off Tehran's vital oil exports.

Panama and some other key flag states are looking more closely at the thousands of ships on their registers to ensure they comply with US sanctions that were re-imposed against Iran last year and tightened further since.

A Reuters analysis of shipping registry data shows that Panama has de-listed around 55 Iranian tankers since January, Togo has de-listed at least three and Sierra Leone one.

That represents the majority of its operational fleet of tankers, the lifeblood of the oil-dominated economy, although Iran may have re-registered some ships under new flag states.

When a vessel loses its flag, it typically loses insurance cover if it does not immediately find an alternative, and maybe barred from calling at ports. Flags of convenience also provide a layer of cover for a vessel's ultimate owner.

International registries charge fees to ship owners to use their flags and offer tax incentives to attract business.

Iran said it still had plenty of options.

"There are so many shipping companies that we can use. In spite of US pressure, many friendly countries are happy to help us and have offered to help us regarding this issue," said an Iranian shipping official, when asked about tankers being de-listed.

Some nations have expressed caution, however. The world's third biggest shipping registry, Liberia, said its database automatically identified vessels with Iranian ownership or other connections to the country.

"Thus, any potential request to register a vessel with Iranian connection triggers an alert and gets carefully vetted by the Registry's compliance and management personnel," the registry said.

Liberia said it was working closely with US authorities to prevent what it called "malign activity" in maritime trade.

Iranian flag&nbsp;

In many cases Iran has re-listed ships under its own flag, complicating efforts to move oil and other goods to and from the dwindling number of countries willing to do business with it.

Some shipping specialists said the Iranian flag was problematic because individuals working for the registry in Iran could be designated under US sanctions, and so present a risk for anyone dealing with vessels listed by them.

"Most insurance companies or banks will not be able to deal with the Iranian flag as it is in effect dealing with the Iranian state," said Mike Salthouse, deputy global director with ship insurer the North of England P&amp;I.

Customs officials may also sit up and take notice.

"One of the problems with an Iranian-flagged ship is that there is a 50 per cent chance that a customs officer will undertake a search, which means the cargo will be delayed," said a UN sanctions investigator, who declined to be named. "These all add to the costs."

A former US diplomat said Washington was often in contact with Panama and other flag states to keep vessel registries "clean".

"We are continuing to disrupt the Qods Force's illicit shipments of oil, which benefit terrorist groups like Hezbollah as well as the Assad regime (in Syria)," said a spokesman at the US State Department.

Qods Force refers to an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that is in charge of the Guards' overseas operations, and Hezbollah is an Iran-backed, heavily armed Shi'ite Muslim group that forms part of Lebanon's coalition government.

"Nearly 80 tankers involved in sanctionable activity have been denied the flags they need to sail," the spokesman added.

False flags

De-flagging Iranian ships is just one way the international community can squeeze Iran.

US sanctions on oil exports aim to reduce Iran's sales to zero. Iran has vowed to continue exporting.

In the first three weeks of June Iran exported around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), a fraction of the 2.5 million bpd that Iran shipped before President Donald Trump's exit in May last year from the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.

Egypt could also complicate life for Tehran if it denies passage to tankers heading to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. The alternative route around Africa, taken by Grace 1 before its seizure, is far longer.

Refinitiv shipping data showed the Masal, an Iranian-flagged oil tanker, anchored in the Suez Canal's waiting zone on July 6. It stayed there until July 12, when it began to sail south. It exited the Red Sea on July 17 and docked at Larak Island, Iran on July 23.

Two Egyptian intelligence sources told Reuters that the tanker was halted in the Red Sea in July by authorities "without anyone knowing the reason".

A second senior Iranian government official involved in shipping declined to comment when asked about the Masal.

The Suez Canal Authority's spokesman said Egypt did not bar vessels from crossing the canal except in times of war, in accordance with the Constantinople Convention. He declined to comment further.

Britain tightened the screw when it seized the Grace 1 supertanker on July 4, accusing it of violating sanctions against Syria.

Two Iranian-flagged ships have been stranded for weeks at Brazilian ports due to a lack of fuel, which state-run oil firm Petrobras refuses to sell them due to US sanctions. Two more Iranian ships in Brazil could also be left without enough fuel to sail home.

A recent incident off Pakistan's coast last month points to the lengths Iran has gone to in order to keep trading.

The Iranian cargo carrier Hayan left from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on June 3 and set sail for Karachi on Pakistan's coast, according to ship-tracking data from maritime risk analysts Windward.

On June 7, it changed its name to Mehri II and its flag to that of Samoa, the data showed, as it made its way towards Karachi port.

Six days later, the vessel conducted a ship-to-ship transfer of its unknown cargo further up Pakistan's coast.

The ship then returned home, changing its flag back to Iran and its name back to Hayan.

Imran Ul Haq, spokesman for the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, said they had no information, when asked about the Iranian ship's activity.

Iran has frequently used ship-to-ship transfers to move oil and oil products since US sanctions were reimposed.

Shipping data also show that a separate Iranian-owned cargo ship, the Ya Haydar, has been sailing around the Gulf and reporting its flag as that of Samoa.

Samoa denies allowing Iran to register any ships under its flag.

"The said vessels Hayan or Ya Haydar are not, and have never been listed, nor registered on the Samoa's registry of vessels," said Anastacia Amoa-Stowers of the Maritime department at Samoa's Ministry of Works, Transport &amp; Infrastructure.

"Given there are currently no Iranian ships listed on Samoa's registry, there is no action to de-list a vessel. Additionally, there has never been any Iranian ships listed on Samoa's vessel registry – previously and at present."

Amoa-Stowers said Samoa was a closed registry, meaning that any foreign vessel flying its flag was doing so illegally.

The second senior Iranian government official involved in shipping declined to comment when asked about the two vessels.

A spokeswoman with the International Maritime Organization said the UN's shipping agency had received information from Samoa which has been circulated to member states.

Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa's southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama.

Somewhere on its journey from the waters off Iran, around Africa's southern tip and into the Mediterranean, the Grace 1 oil tanker lost the flag under which it sailed and ceased to be registered to Panama. Iran later claimed it as its own. The ship carrying 2 million barrels of Iranian crude was seized by British Royal Marines off Gibraltar, raising tensions in the Gulf where Iran detained a UK-flagged ship in retaliation. Grace 1 remains impounded, not because of its flag but because it was suspected of taking oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions, an allegation that Iran denies. Yet Panama's move on May 29 to strike it from its register mid-voyage was part of a global squeeze on Iranian shipping. Nations that register vessels under so-called "flags of convenience" allowing them to sail legally have de-listed dozens of tankers owned by Iran in recent months, tightening the economic noose around it. In the biggest cull, Panama, the world's most important flag state, removed 59 tankers linked to Iran and Syria earlier this year, a decision welcomed by the United States which wants to cut off Tehran's vital oil exports. Panama and some other key flag states are looking more closely at the thousands of ships on their registers to ensure they comply with US sanctions that were re-imposed against Iran last year and tightened further since. A Reuters analysis of shipping registry data shows that Panama has de-listed around 55 Iranian tankers since January, Togo has de-listed at least three and Sierra Leone one. That represents the majority of its operational fleet of tankers, the lifeblood of the oil-dominated economy, although Iran may have re-registered some ships under new flag states. When a vessel loses its flag, it typically loses insurance cover if it does not immediately find an alternative, and maybe barred from calling at ports. Flags of convenience also provide a layer of cover for a vessel's ultimate owner. International registries charge fees to ship owners to use their flags and offer tax incentives to attract business. Iran said it still had plenty of options. "There are so many shipping companies that we can use. In spite of US pressure, many friendly countries are happy to help us and have offered to help us regarding this issue," said an Iranian shipping official, when asked about tankers being de-listed. Some nations have expressed caution, however. The world's third biggest shipping registry, Liberia, said its database automatically identified vessels with Iranian ownership or other connections to the country. "Thus, any potential request to register a vessel with Iranian connection triggers an alert and gets carefully vetted by the Registry's compliance and management personnel," the registry said. Liberia said it was working closely with US authorities to prevent what it called "malign activity" in maritime trade. Iranian flag In many cases Iran has re-listed ships under its own flag, complicating efforts to move oil and other goods to and from the dwindling number of countries willing to do business with it. Some shipping specialists said the Iranian flag was problematic because individuals working for the registry in Iran could be designated under US sanctions, and so present a risk for anyone dealing with vessels listed by them. "Most insurance companies or banks will not be able to deal with the Iranian flag as it is in effect dealing with the Iranian state," said Mike Salthouse, deputy global director with ship insurer the North of England P&I. Customs officials may also sit up and take notice. "One of the problems with an Iranian-flagged ship is that there is a 50 per cent chance that a customs officer will undertake a search, which means the cargo will be delayed," said a UN sanctions investigator, who declined to be named. "These all add to the costs." A former US diplomat said Washington was often in contact with Panama and other flag states to keep vessel registries "clean". "We are continuing to disrupt the Qods Force's illicit shipments of oil, which benefit terrorist groups like Hezbollah as well as the Assad regime (in Syria)," said a spokesman at the US State Department. Qods Force refers to an elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that is in charge of the Guards' overseas operations, and Hezbollah is an Iran-backed, heavily armed Shi'ite Muslim group that forms part of Lebanon's coalition government. "Nearly 80 tankers involved in sanctionable activity have been denied the flags they need to sail," the spokesman added. False flags De-flagging Iranian ships is just one way the international community can squeeze Iran. US sanctions on oil exports aim to reduce Iran's sales to zero. Iran has vowed to continue exporting. In the first three weeks of June Iran exported around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), a fraction of the 2.5 million bpd that Iran shipped before President Donald Trump's exit in May last year from the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. Egypt could also complicate life for Tehran if it denies passage to tankers heading to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. The alternative route around Africa, taken by Grace 1 before its seizure, is far longer. Refinitiv shipping data showed the Masal, an Iranian-flagged oil tanker, anchored in the Suez Canal's waiting zone on July 6. It stayed there until July 12, when it began to sail south. It exited the Red Sea on July 17 and docked at Larak Island, Iran on July 23. Two Egyptian intelligence sources told Reuters that the tanker was halted in the Red Sea in July by authorities "without anyone knowing the reason". A second senior Iranian government official involved in shipping declined to comment when asked about the Masal. The Suez Canal Authority's spokesman said Egypt did not bar vessels from crossing the canal except in times of war, in accordance with the Constantinople Convention. He declined to comment further. Britain tightened the screw when it seized the Grace 1 supertanker on July 4, accusing it of violating sanctions against Syria. Two Iranian-flagged ships have been stranded for weeks at Brazilian ports due to a lack of fuel, which state-run oil firm Petrobras refuses to sell them due to US sanctions. Two more Iranian ships in Brazil could also be left without enough fuel to sail home. A recent incident off Pakistan's coast last month points to the lengths Iran has gone to in order to keep trading. The Iranian cargo carrier Hayan left from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on June 3 and set sail for Karachi on Pakistan's coast, according to ship-tracking data from maritime risk analysts Windward. On June 7, it changed its name to Mehri II and its flag to that of Samoa, the data showed, as it made its way towards Karachi port. Six days later, the vessel conducted a ship-to-ship transfer of its unknown cargo further up Pakistan's coast. The ship then returned home, changing its flag back to Iran and its name back to Hayan. Imran Ul Haq, spokesman for the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, said they had no information, when asked about the Iranian ship's activity. Iran has frequently used ship-to-ship transfers to move oil and oil products since US sanctions were reimposed. Shipping data also show that a separate Iranian-owned cargo ship, the Ya Haydar, has been sailing around the Gulf and reporting its flag as that of Samoa. Samoa denies allowing Iran to register any ships under its flag. "The said vessels Hayan or Ya Haydar are not, and have never been listed, nor registered on the Samoa's registry of vessels," said Anastacia Amoa-Stowers of the Maritime department at Samoa's Ministry of Works, Transport & Infrastructure. "Given there are currently no Iranian ships listed on Samoa's registry, there is no action to de-list a vessel. Additionally, there has never been any Iranian ships listed on Samoa's vessel registry – previously and at present." Amoa-Stowers said Samoa was a closed registry, meaning that any foreign vessel flying its flag was doing so illegally. The second senior Iranian government official involved in shipping declined to comment when asked about the two vessels. A spokeswoman with the International Maritime Organization said the UN's shipping agency had received information from Samoa which has been circulated to member states.

Flags of inconvenience - Noose tightens around Iranian shipping

In a move to ease the tensions with Iran, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Saturday said a tanker held by Gibraltar would be released if Tehran guaranteed it was not heading to Syria.

Hunt, one of the two candidates for UK&nbsp;prime minister post, said he had a "constructive call" with his Iranian counterpart <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-foreign-minister-heads-to-new-york-for-un-conference-amid-soaring-tension-with-us-report-235591">Mohammad Javad Zarif</a>, who, he said, assured him that Tehran "is not seeking to escalate" tensions between the countries.

"I reassured him our concern was destination not origin of the oil on Grace One," a tanker seized off the coast of the tiny British territory of Gibraltar on July 4, Hunt tweeted.

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1/2 Just spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif. Constructive call. I reassured him our concern was destination not origin of the oil on Grace One &amp;that UK would facilitate release if we received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria, following due process in Gib courts
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeremy_Hunt/status/1150066851646492672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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US officials believed the tanker was headed for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-nuclear-watchdogs-board-to-meet-on-iran-at-request-of-us-233425">EU and US sanctions</a>.

Hunt said Britain "would facilitate release if we received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria, following due process in Gib (Gibraltar) courts. 
"Was told by FM Zarif that Iran wants to resolve issue and is not seeking to escalate."

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2/2 Was told by FM Zarif that Iran wants to resolve issue and is not seeking to escalate. Also spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/FabianPicardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FabianPicardo</a> who is doing an excellent job co-ordinating issue and shares UK perspective on the way forward.
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeremy_Hunt/status/1150067825668739073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Tehran had reacted angrily to the seizure, and Britain this week said Iranian military vessels had tried to "impede the passage" of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hunt said Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was doing an "excellent job co-ordinating issue and shares UK perspective on the way forward".

Hunt also said he raised with Zarif the imprisonment of British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and Zarif "said he would continue to seek to find a solution". 
&nbsp;

In a move to ease the tensions with Iran, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Saturday said a tanker held by Gibraltar would be released if Tehran guaranteed it was not heading to Syria.

In a move to ease the tensions with Iran, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Saturday said a tanker held by Gibraltar would be released if Tehran guaranteed it was not heading to Syria. Hunt, one of the two candidates for UK prime minister post, said he had a "constructive call" with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, who, he said, assured him that Tehran "is not seeking to escalate" tensions between the countries. "I reassured him our concern was destination not origin of the oil on Grace One," a tanker seized off the coast of the tiny British territory of Gibraltar on July 4, Hunt tweeted. 1/2 Just spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif. Constructive call. I reassured him our concern was destination not origin of the oil on Grace One &that UK would facilitate release if we received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria, following due process in Gib courts — Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) July 13, 2019 × US officials believed the tanker was headed for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate sets of EU and US sanctions. Hunt said Britain "would facilitate release if we received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria, following due process in Gib (Gibraltar) courts. "Was told by FM Zarif that Iran wants to resolve issue and is not seeking to escalate." 2/2 Was told by FM Zarif that Iran wants to resolve issue and is not seeking to escalate. Also spoke to @FabianPicardo who is doing an excellent job co-ordinating issue and shares UK perspective on the way forward. — Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) July 13, 2019 × Tehran had reacted angrily to the seizure, and Britain this week said Iranian military vessels had tried to "impede the passage" of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Hunt said Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was doing an "excellent job co-ordinating issue and shares UK perspective on the way forward". Hunt also said he raised with Zarif the imprisonment of British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and Zarif "said he would continue to seek to find a solution".

'Concern was destination not origin of oil': UK says Iran tanker will be freed after guarantees on destination

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

Tension is running high between the United States and Iran over Tehran's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-to-announce-more-cuts-to-nuclear-deal-commitments-on-sunday-report-233659"> nuclear programme</a> and Washington has blamed Iranian forces for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region, a charge Tehran denies.

The two nations came close to conflict last month when Iran shot down a US drone, prompting Washington to order retaliatory airstrikes which was called off at the last minute.

Zarif will attend a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York and would then travel to Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, the report added quoting IRNA.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in June that Washington would impose sanctions on top Iranian officials, including Zarif, a step that could have impeded any diplomatic efforts to resolve their disagreements.

But two sources familiar with the matter told on Thursday the United States had decided not to impose sanctions on Zarif for now, in a sign that Washington might be holding a door open for diplomacy.

President Donald Trump withdrew the United States last year from a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/be-careful-iran-threats-will-come-back-to-bite-you-warns-trump-232882">2015 accord</a> between Iran and world powers that had aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.

Washington has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran since then, driving Iranian oil exports sharply lower.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif travelled to New York on Saturday to a United Nations conference, news agency Reuters reported quoting Iran's state news agency IRNA, amid rising tension between Washington and Tehran. Tension is running high between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear programme and Washington has blamed Iranian forces for attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf region, a charge Tehran denies. The two nations came close to conflict last month when Iran shot down a US drone, prompting Washington to order retaliatory airstrikes which was called off at the last minute. Zarif will attend a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York and would then travel to Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, the report added quoting IRNA. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in June that Washington would impose sanctions on top Iranian officials, including Zarif, a step that could have impeded any diplomatic efforts to resolve their disagreements. But two sources familiar with the matter told on Thursday the United States had decided not to impose sanctions on Zarif for now, in a sign that Washington might be holding a door open for diplomacy. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States last year from a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers that had aimed to curb Tehran's nuclear programme. Washington has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran since then, driving Iranian oil exports sharply lower.

Iranian foreign minister heads to New York for UN conference amid soaring tension with US: Report

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of secretly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-vows-new-iran-sanctions-tehran-warns-us-against-attack-229649">enriching uranium </a>for a long time and warned that US sanctions will be increased soon, as the UN nuclear watchdog held an emergency meeting on Tehran's breach of a nuclear deal.

"Iran has long been secretly 'enriching,' in total violation of the terrible 150 Billion Dollar deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration. Remember, that deal was to expire in a short number of years. Sanctions will soon be increased, substantially!" Trump said on Twitter.

The United States used an emergency meeting of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency's board on Wednesday to pressure Iran over breaches of the 2015 international nuclear deal, accusing it of extortion and pledging to continue sanctions while still offering to hold talks.

In the past two weeks Iran has breached two limits central to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-putting-additional-sanctions-on-iran-says-trump-military-action-still-on-table-229601">2015 nuclear deal</a>, which aimed to extended the time Iran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon. President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran’s measures were within the framework of the deal, which Trump pulled the United States out of last year.

Washington, meanwhile, is set on isolating Iran to force it to negotiate over the nuclear pact, its missile program and its actions in the region.

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of secretly enriching uranium for a long time and warned that US sanctions will be increased soon, as the UN nuclear watchdog held an emergency meeting on Tehran's breach of a nuclear deal.

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Wednesday of secretly enriching uranium for a long time and warned that US sanctions will be increased soon, as the UN nuclear watchdog held an emergency meeting on Tehran's breach of a nuclear deal. "Iran has long been secretly 'enriching,' in total violation of the terrible 150 Billion Dollar deal made by John Kerry and the Obama Administration. Remember, that deal was to expire in a short number of years. Sanctions will soon be increased, substantially!" Trump said on Twitter. The United States used an emergency meeting of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency's board on Wednesday to pressure Iran over breaches of the 2015 international nuclear deal, accusing it of extortion and pledging to continue sanctions while still offering to hold talks. In the past two weeks Iran has breached two limits central to the 2015 nuclear deal, which aimed to extended the time Iran would need to obtain enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon. President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran’s measures were within the framework of the deal, which Trump pulled the United States out of last year. Washington, meanwhile, is set on isolating Iran to force it to negotiate over the nuclear pact, its missile program and its actions in the region.

Sanctions on Iran 'will soon be increased, substantially', says US President Trump

Iran's uranium enrichment level passed 4.5 per cent on Monday, exceeding the 2015 nuclear deal cap, Iranian atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said.

"This morning Iran passed the 4.5 per cent level in uranium enrichment," Kamalvandi said according to the semi-official ISNA News Agency.

"This level of purity completely satisfies the power plant fuel requirements of the country," he added in a hint that the Islamic republic might stick to this level of enrichment for the time being.

Iran announced on Sunday it would <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-it-will-enrich-uranium-at-any-level-challenging-us-233760">no longer adhere to the enrichment cap</a> in what it billed as its second step to decrease commitments to the deal in a bid to press other parties into keeping their side of the bargain.

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bullying-by-united-states-is-cause-behind-escalating-iran-nuclear-crisis-china-233996">Donald Trump</a> withdrew from the deal between Iran and six world powers in May 2018 and has since reimposed sanctions on many sectors including the crucial oil and financial industries.

Iran demanded the other parties -- France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia -- take steps to guarantee the economic benefits Iran was promised for the drastic limitations imposed on its nuclear programme.

However after one year of what it called "strategic patience", Tehran has grown increasingly frustrated about a perceived lack of action by the European side to help it economically in the face of crippling US sanctions.

Iran's uranium enrichment level passed 4.5 per cent on Monday, exceeding the 2015 nuclear deal cap, Iranian atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said.

Iran's uranium enrichment level passed 4.5 per cent on Monday, exceeding the 2015 nuclear deal cap, Iranian atomic energy organisation spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said. "This morning Iran passed the 4.5 per cent level in uranium enrichment," Kamalvandi said according to the semi-official ISNA News Agency. "This level of purity completely satisfies the power plant fuel requirements of the country," he added in a hint that the Islamic republic might stick to this level of enrichment for the time being. Iran announced on Sunday it would no longer adhere to the enrichment cap in what it billed as its second step to decrease commitments to the deal in a bid to press other parties into keeping their side of the bargain. US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal between Iran and six world powers in May 2018 and has since reimposed sanctions on many sectors including the crucial oil and financial industries. Iran demanded the other parties -- France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia -- take steps to guarantee the economic benefits Iran was promised for the drastic limitations imposed on its nuclear programme. However after one year of what it called "strategic patience", Tehran has grown increasingly frustrated about a perceived lack of action by the European side to help it economically in the face of crippling US sanctions.

Iran says uranium enrichment passes 4.5%, exceeding deal cap

In the face of new sanctions levied against Iran, Russia has insisted that it will continue to support the country

Russia backs Iran on US sanctions

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