Top UN court rejects Iranian bid to free assets frozen by US

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ top court on Thursday rejected Tehran’s legal bid to free up some $2 billion in Iranian central bank assets frozen by U.S. authorities to be paid in compensation to victims of a 1983 bombing in Lebanon and other attacks linked to Iran. ...

US Mideast envoy hopeful Saudi-Iran détente will help region

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — The Biden administration is hopeful that warming ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia will help deescalate conflicts and crises across the Middle East, a senior U.S. diplomat said Thursday. The détente between the two regional heavyweights could help bring...

Top UN court rejects Tehran’s bid to free up some $2 billion in Iranian central bank assets frozen in the United States

Group: Oil tanker tied to US-traded firm receiving Iran oil

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An oil tanker owned by a major U.S.-traded transportation company appears to be taking on Iranian crude oil in a key Asian maritime strait in violation of American sanctions, an advocacy group alleges. The firm allegedly involved, Euronav, said Wednesday it will...

Taliban want control of more Afghan diplomatic missions

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban government is trying to take charge of more Afghan embassies abroad, a spokesman said Saturday, amid their continued international isolation because of restrictions on women and girls. The Taliban initially promised a more moderate rule after their...

Videos show scattered protests during Iran's fire festival

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranians have held scattered anti-government protests during an annual fire festival with ancient roots, according to videos circulating online. The videos appeared to show protesters in different cities chanting against the country's ruling...

Iran says 22,000 arrested in protests pardoned by top leader

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran announced Monday that the country's supreme leader has pardoned more than 22,000 people arrested in the recent anti-government protests that swept the Islamic Republic. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the mass release. The...

US calls Iran's prisoner swap claim a 'cruel lie'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's top diplomat claimed Sunday that a prisoner swap was near with the U.S., though he offered no evidence to support his assertion. The U.S. immediately dismissed his comments as a “cruel lie.” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein...

Teachers protest over suspected Iran schoolgirl poisonings

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian teachers protested Tuesday over suspected poisonings targeting schoolgirls, as a prominent lawmaker and an activist group put the number of those reporting symptoms into the thousands across hundreds of schools. The new figures...

EU hits Taliban, Russian officers over women's rights abuses

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Tuesday imposed sanctions on nine people, including two senior Taliban government members, Russian military officers and police, as well as an Iranian prison facility, accusing them all of links to rights violations and the sexual abuse of women. ...