Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday that Iran had cancelled more than 800 executions that were scheduled to take place.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has called for support for protesters seeking to overthrow Iran’s government. Speaking at a press conference in Washington on 16 January, Pahlavi outlined plans to return to Iran and called for action against the country’s Revolutionary Guards.
Protests that erupted across Iran in recent weeks have largely subsided following a sweeping security crackdown that residents and human rights groups say killed thousands of people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 16 January, offering Russia’s help to mediate tensions and promote dialogue in the Middle East.
Armenia has reaffirmed that it has no intention of taking any actions directed against Iran, with senior officials stressing that relations with Tehran remain friendly and constructive.
Kazakhstan and Iran have held fresh talks aimed at strengthening economic ties, with senior officials discussing ways to boost cooperation in trade, transport and logistics.
The United States stands by the “brave people of Iran,” and President Donald Trump "has made it clear all options are on the table to stop the slaughter," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told the U.N. Security Council on Thursday.
The White House said Thursday that Iranian authorities have stopped 800 executions that were scheduled amid ongoing protests, as the U.S. continues to monitor events in Tehran closely.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the international situation is worsening and that the world is becoming more dangerous, while avoiding public comment on events in Venezuela and Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has questioned whether Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, would be able to command enough support inside Iran to lead the country if its clerical leadership were to fall.
U.S. citizens in Iran have been advised to leave the country as soon as possible, amid growing instability in the region and concerns that travel routes could close with little warning.
Russia has said it is ready to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States as tensions escalate over protests in Iran and warnings of possible military action.
The foreign ministers of Iran and India have held high-level talks by telephone, discussing bilateral ties as well as a range of regional and international issues, against the backdrop of continuing tensions in the Middle East.
Iran reopened its airspace late on Wednesday after a near five-hour closure that disrupted airline traffic, amid heightened concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States.
The U.S. and UK are reducing personnel at Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base as President Donald Trump weighs possible action against Iran over its violent crackdown on protesters.
Iran’s temporary shutdown of its airspace prompted flight diversions and fresh safety warnings on Wednesday as regional tensions disrupted airline operations across the Middle East.
The British embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, with services now operating remotely, the government announced Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has been informed the killing of anti-government protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned executions would not go ahead, though details remain unclear.
Direct communication between senior U.S. and Iranian officials has broken down as tensions rise over Tehran’s crackdown on protests and fears of U.S. military action.
As tensions between Iran and the U.S. persist, authorities in Tehran are facing another problem—this time at home.
Saudi Arabia has informed Iran that it will not allow its territory or airspace to be used for any military action against Tehran, according to two sources close to the kingdom’s government cited by AFP.
France is considering the possibility of supplying Eutelsat satellite terminals to Iran to help citizens regain internet access after Iranian authorities imposed widespread online blackouts in an attempt to suppress the most severe domestic unrest the country has seen in decades.
Iran’s chief justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei has urged rapid trials for detainees accused of violent acts, warning that delays reduce the impact of judicial action.
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