Iran sees surge in protests as unrest spreads nationwide
Protests continued into another day in Iran, with crowds returning to the streets despite mounting pressure from the authorities. By scale and spread,...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian officials following a one-day visit to Minsk on Monday 15 December ,where he met with Belarusian counterpart Maxim Ryzhenov.
While in Minsk, Araghchi also met with the President Aleksandr Lukashenko and the Secretary of the State Security Council of Belarus, Alexander Volfovich.
Araghchi and Ryzhenov signed three bilateral cooperation documents namely: strengthening the role of international law in international relations, and strategic principles for countering unilateral coercive actions, as well as cooperation program of the ministry of foreign affairs of Iran and Belarus for 2026-2030.
At the conclusion of his visit, the Iranian foreign minister told reporters in Minsk that the meetings with Belarusian officials were “frank, positive and constructive”.
“It was a very useful visit. The meeting with the president was a very constructive, and there was a frank and direct discussion about the projects to be cooperated. The talks between the two foreign ministers were very positive too.”
“I also had a meeting with the Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus, where we discussed security and regional issues, and I submitted invitation of the Secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Larijani to visit Tehran, he added.
Araghchi said that the Belarusian minister of transport will visit Iran in the near future “to further cooperation in the field of transit and international transportation”.
In Moscow, he is scheduled to meet with high-ranking officials including Chairman of State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin on Tuesday.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Sergei Lavrov will meet Araghchi on Wednesday.
It said in a statement that the two foreign ministers will discuss bilateral issues in the wake of the Comprehensive Strategic Treaty which entered into force in October 2025, international developments and Iran's civilian nuclear program.
On the eve of Araghchi’ visit to Russia, Lavrov said in an exclusive interview with Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that Tehran and Moscow have strategic partnership and Russia will always support legitimate rights of Iran.
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Germany’s foreign intelligence service secretly monitored the telephone communications of former U.S. President Barack Obama for several years, including calls made aboard Air Force One, according to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday (4 January) that the United States could carry out further military action in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, he said Washington now effectively controls the country.
At the end of last year, U.S. President Donald Trump was reported to have raised the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace agenda during a conversation with Israel’s prime minister, warning that if peace were not achieved, Washington could raise tariffs on both countries by 100 percent.
President Ilham Aliyev said 2025 has politically closed the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, as a Trump-era reset in U.S. ties, new transport corridors and a push into AI, renewables and defence production reshape Azerbaijan’s priorities.
Protests continued into another day in Iran, with crowds returning to the streets despite mounting pressure from the authorities. By scale and spread, the unrest has entered its most significant phase so far.
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President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan is not considering participation in any combat or peace enforcement mission in the Gaza Strip, stressing that any discussion of involvement depends on a clearly defined international mandate, the nature of the mission, and the consent of all parties.
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