The United States has accused Iranian authorities of bringing in fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah and armed groups from Iraq to help suppress ongoing anti-government protests, according to a statement published by the U.S. State Department on social media platform X.
Washington said Iran had spent billions of dollars belonging to its citizens over many years to support proxy forces abroad, adding that the alleged use of such groups against Iranian civilians would constitute a violation of their rights.
The accusation marks a further escalation in U.S. rhetoric as unrest continues in several Iranian cities, with protesters expressing anger over political restrictions, economic hardship and broader demands for change.
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signalled Washington’s support for demonstrators, writing on X: “The United States supports the brave people of Iran.”
Iranian authorities have reported clashes between security forces and protesters, while access to the internet has been disrupted in some areas amid the unrest.
Iranian officials have accused foreign governments of seeking to incite or exploit the protests, allegations that the United States and European leaders have repeatedly denied.
Washington has long criticised Iran’s human rights record and has imposed sanctions on senior Iranian officials over the treatment of protesters.
U.S. officials say they will continue to press Tehran to respect the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from...
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and ...
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), has signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement worth up to $1.4 billion w...
The United States is placing renewed emphasis on regional partnerships that offer predictability, security cooperation and economic continuity as inst...
Armenia and Azerbaijan will interconnect their energy systems, enabling mutual electricity imports and exports as part of a wider regional transit ini...
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
A senior Iranian official says at least 5,000 people have died in the protests rocking the country. Among those killed are said to be some 500 members of the security forces.
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.
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.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
There was a common theme in speeches at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday (20 January). China’s Vice-Premier, He Lifeng, warned that "tariffs and trade wars have no winners," while France's Emmanuel Macron, labelled "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the U.S. "fundamentally unacceptable."
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, closed on Tuesday (20 January) after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rains left waters murky and more likely to attract the animals.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would “work something out” with NATO allies on Tuesday, defending his approach to the alliance while renewing his push for U.S. control of Greenland amid rising tensions with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from tariff threats and ruled out using force to take control of the territory.
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed.
A fire alarm prompted the partial evacuation of the Davos Congress Centre on Wednesday evening while Donald Trump was inside the building attending the World Economic Forum, Swiss authorities said.
Kazakhstan has yet to receive results from two foreign laboratories examining evidence linked to the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft near Aktau, delaying the publication of the final investigation report, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow could pay $1 billion from Russian assets frozen abroad to secure permanent membership in President Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment