'Ready to respond immediately,' Iran warns as U.S. naval buildup reaches region
Iran’s armed forces are prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any U.S. attack, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, as Amer...
Fourteen Western allies have condemn Iranian Intelligence services, accusing it of a surge in alleged assassinations targeting individuals in Europe and North America.
U.S., UK and 12 other allies including France, Germany and Canada have also condemned Iran for alleged kidnapping and harassment plots calling the actions a breach of their sovereignty.
The countries said in a joint statement on Thursday "We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty."
The statement was backed by Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the U.S., who urged Iran to halt the operations, which they said are often carried out in partnership with international criminal networks.
Tehran rejected the allegations. Iran's foreign ministry described them as "blatant fabrications and a diversionary tactic, part of a malicious campaign of Iranophobia aimed at pressuring the Iranian people."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei added, "The U.S. France, and the other signatories of the anti-Iranian statement must be held accountable for their support and hosting of terrorist and violent groups, which constitutes a violation of international law and support for terrorism."
Baghaei was referring to exiled opposition groups such as the Mujahadeen-e-Khalq, formerly designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union, now active in the West.
According to British authorities, more than 20 Iran-linked plots have been disrupted since early 2022, including ones targeting British nationals.
Reuters previously reported in October that Iran was behind a wave of attempted assassinations and abductions across Europe and the U.S.
In March, the UK said it would require Iran to register all political influence activity due to Tehran's increasingly aggressive behaviour.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Residents in Syria’s Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli have stepped up volunteer patrols amid growing pressure from the country’s Islamist-led government, expressing deep mistrust of Damascus despite a fragile U.S.-backed ceasefire.
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase match. Despite the setback, Qarabağ secured a play-off spot, with results elsewhere going in the Azerbaijani champions’ favour on the final matchday.
Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday that he rejects U.S. interference in Iraq's internal affairs, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off support to the country if Maliki was picked as prime minister.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stressed to U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Tuesday the importance of unifying international efforts to prevent the return of "terrorist groups", including Islamic State.
“For some weeks now, we have been seeing with increasing clarity the emergence of a world of great powers,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday (29 January), declaring that Europe had found “self-respect” in standing up for a rules-based global order.
Colombian authorities on Wednesday (28 January) located a missing plane carrying 15 people in the northeast of the country, with no survivors found, an Air Force source and local media said.
Chinese authorities say they've carried out capital punishment against a group of individuals tied to notorious telecommunications fraud syndicates operating across the southern border, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party is likely to increase its number of parliamentary seats and gain a majority in the lower house, a preliminary survey by the Nikkei newspaper showed on Thursday (29 January).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 29th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment