TEHRAN – A court in the Azerbaijan Republic sentenced Elchin Ismayilli, a prominent opposition journalist, to nine years in prison for extortion, in a case that his supporters say is totally fabricated. The court on Monday found Ismayilli guilty of trying to coerce money from a top Culture Ministry official. Ismayilli’s lawyer, Elchin Sadygov, dismissed […]

TEHRAN  – The IAEA’s 61st General Conference Monday approved by acclamation the appointment of Director General Yukiya Amano to a further four-year term of office, which will commence on December 1, 2017. After the General Conference approved the appointment, Conference President Maria Zeneida Angara Collinson, Ambassador of the Philippines, invited Mr. Amano to take the […]

NEW YORK – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed cooperation on the crisis in Syria and the implementation of agreements to bring peace to Ukraine in a meeting held in New York on Sunday, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Zakharova told reporters in a statement following the meeting that the meeting was on […]

TEHRAN  – Iraq’s President Fuad Masum and Leader of the Arab country’s National Alliance Ammar al-Hakim discussed the issue of the semi-autonomus Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum. According to a statement released by the Iraqi government, the two officials on Monday explored ways for reaching an understanding that could enhance Iraq’s unity and stability, the Baghdad […]

With a crackdown on dissenters and a charm offensive to woo the kingdom’s swelling youth population, Saudi Arabia’s king-in-waiting Mohammed bin Salman is cementing his grip on power, analysts say. The 32-year-old crown prince, often known as MBS, is set to be the first millennial to occupy the throne in a country where half the […]

TEHRAN  – A rights group has called for targeted sanctions and an arms embargo against the Myanmar military in response to an offensive that has sent 410,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh to escape what the United Nations has branded ethnic cleansing. The latest spasm of violence in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State began on Aug. […]

TEHRAN  – The Trump administration is considering closing down the recently reopened US Embassy in Havana following a string of unexplained incidents harming the health of American diplomats in Cuba, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday. Tillerson’s comments were the strongest indication to date that the United States might mount a major diplomatic response, […]

TEHRAN  – Turkey sent 80 military vehicles including tanks to its southwestern border with Syria, a report said. Citing a military source, Anadolu news agency said the deployment was part of reinforcements for troops stationed along the border. The vehicles were sent to the Iskenderun district of the southeastern province of Hatay, according to the […]

TOKYO- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may hold a snap general election next month, local media reported, a move that would allow him to seize on opposition disarray and growing support for his handling of the North Korea crisis. Abe appears increasingly inclined to call an election amid a recovery in public support following a […]

TEHRAN – London police say a second man has been arrested in connection with the London subway attack. Police said Sunday that a 21-year-old man was arrested late Saturday night in Hounslow in west London and is being held under the Terrorism Act. He is being questioned at a south London police station but has […]