The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Iran

  • FG denies abandoning Nigerians in Iran

    FG denies abandoning Nigerians in Iran

    The Federal Government has debunked the news making the rounds that it abandoned its citizens in Iran. 

    Nigerian authorities also described as misleading the report that officials at the embassy in Tehran had departed.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement said there was no truth in the claims.

    The statement, which was signed by the ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the bombing of Tehran only  disrupted normal work schedules and forced staff to work remotely.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been drawn to misleading and unfounded reports circulating on social media and certain news platforms that the Embassy of Nigeria in Tehran, Iran, has abandoned Nigerian nationals and departed the country due to the ongoing crisis with Israel.  

    “The Ministry categorically debunks these allegations and assures the public, particularly Nigerian citizens in Iran, that the Embassy of Nigeria in Tehran remains operational and committed to the welfare and safety of all Nigerian nationals in Iran. The consistent bombing in Tehran has, however, disrupted normal work schedules and forced staff to work remotely.  

    “Given this unfortunate development,  the Embassy is actively engaging with the Government of Armenia to grant access for the evacuation of Nigerians via Yerevan.”

    Read Also: FG suspends two Correctional Service personnel over attempts to procure passport for inmate

    Moreover, Nigerians in Iran requiring assistance are encouraged to contact the Embassy directly through its official  emergency contacts: 

    Mr. Esson Anzaku +989393216872 and Abutalib +989024199018 ‪+989393216872,  and emails: Nigeria.tehran@mfa.gov.ng

     anzakuesson02@gmail.com and lawshed@yahoo.com.

    Nigerians in Iran are also advised to contact the various designated coordinators of the Nigerian Community in these three locations as earlier arranged.

    The Embassy has also advised members of the Nigerian Community to download the Iranian local messaging app, eitaa, and join the Nigerian group for  regular updates  

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains vigilant in monitoring the situation and will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the interests of Nigerians worldwide.

  • Iran-Israel war: ‘A fire no one can control’, UN warns

    Iran-Israel war: ‘A fire no one can control’, UN warns

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the ongoing violent conflict between Iran and Israel is “a fire no one can control” and risks spiralling out of control.

    Guterres also warned that the world stood on the edge of catastrophe as Israel’s military campaign inside Iran intensified and strikes on nuclear facilities threatened to trigger a catastrophe.

    The regional fallout is expanding, with missiles from Yemen’s Houthi forces targeting Israel and occupied Palestinian territory, while armed groups in Iraq are reportedly mobilising.

    In an address to the UN Security Council on Friday, Guterres made an urgent plea for de-escalation, calling the spiralling confrontation a defining moment for the future of global security.

    “We are not drifting toward crisis, we are racing toward it,” he said adding ,“This is a moment that could shape the fate of nations”.

    “The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire no one can control,” he stressed, warning of widespread panic and destruction.

    The Secretary-General’s remarks came amid a mounting civilian toll in both Israel and Iran, and as several nuclear sites in Iran have come under direct military assault.

    Over 100 targets have reportedly been struck across Iran, including military and nuclear infrastructure such as the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities and the Khondab heavy water reactor.

    Iranian officials reported over 224 civilian deaths, with some estimates twice as high and more than 2,500 have been reportedly injured.

    Read Also: China accuses Trump of fuelling Iran-Israel conflict

    Major cities like Tehran have seen mass displacements, fuel shortages and widespread panic.

    Iran has responded with its own barrage of missile strikes on Israel, hitting cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba.

    Critical civilian sites, including the Soroka Medical Center and the Weizmann research institute, have been damaged.

    No fewer than 24 Israelis were confirmed dead, with more than 900 injured.

    Guterres urged both parties to give diplomacy a chance.

    He reiterated the need for full Iranian cooperation with the UN nuclear energy watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

    (NAN)

  • Iran among ‘worst rogue states in the world,’ says German minister

    Iran among ‘worst rogue states in the world,’ says German minister

    Iran is “one of the worst rogue states in the world,” German Education Minister Karin Prien said on Tuesday.

    Tehran “has explicitly and repeatedly threatened Israel’s right to exist for decades and does not recognise Israel,” Prien said in Berlin.

    “And if it really is the case that Iran now has a nuclear weapons capability or is very close to it, then Israel naturally has a right to self-defence.”

    Prien, the deputy chairwoman of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union, is the first openly Jewish female minister in German history.

    She has recently given several interviews on the subject of her family history.

    She said she hoped Iran’s capabilities could be reduced very quickly so that the threat to Israel and the entire world from a “criminal system” would soon come to an end.

    Read Also: China accuses Trump of fuelling Iran-Israel conflict

    Prien made the comments on the sidelines of an event on early childhood education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

    Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe.

    Berlin has voiced support for the Israeli government amid the escalating conflict with Iran.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Iran’s judiciary chief vows swift punishment for Israel collaborators

    Iran’s judiciary chief vows swift punishment for Israel collaborators

    Iran’s Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei has issued a stern warning to anyone cooperating with the country’s arch-enemy Israel, promising swift and harsh punishment.

    “Without leniency and with full determination, they will face the harshest punishment in accordance with the applicable laws and with the utmost urgency,” Mohseni-Ejei said on Monday, according to the Tasnim news agency.

    Cooperation with Israel or foreign intelligence services is often punishable by death in Iran.

    The judiciary chief said that anyone taken into custody for such connections should be brought to trial immediately, with verdicts issued quickly and punishments carried out swiftly and publicly, especially given the current war situation.

    Read Also: ‘Trump vetoed Israel’s plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader’

    The state-affiliated Mizan news agency reported that Iran had executed another man convicted of spying for Israel.

    The man, arrested in 2023, was found guilty under Islamic law of waging war against God and corruption on Earth.

    This marks the third execution linked to espionage charges in recent months.

    Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated sharply since June 13, when Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Iranian targets, triggering retaliatory exchanges between the two countries.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Israel closes diplomatic missions worldwide amid military operations in Iran

    Israel closes diplomatic missions worldwide amid military operations in Iran

    Israel has temporarily closed all of its diplomatic missions worldwide as its military operation in Iran continues, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

    As a result, consular services would not be available to Israeli citizens currently abroad, the ministry said.

    It urged Israelis overseas to complete an online form updating their location and situation and advised those in need of urgent assistance to contact the ministry’s situation room directly.

    The statement also warned Israelis abroad to avoid displaying national symbols in public, refrain from posting identifiable information or travel plans on social media and avoid attending large-scale events linked to Israel.

    Read Also: Israel deports Greta Thunberg after seizing of Gaza-bound ship

    Earlier on Friday, Israel launched a large-scale strike on dozens of military targets in Iran, including nuclear facilities.

    The attacks killed several senior Iranian military commanders, including Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander, Hossein Salami, according to Iranian media.

    Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed retaliation, warning that Israel had prepared a bitter fate for itself.” 

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Iran appoints new military chiefs after Israeli strikes kill top commanders

    Iran appoints new military chiefs after Israeli strikes kill top commanders

    Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday appointed new military commanders following the deaths of key security officials in Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, local media reported.

    The appointments comes after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes early Friday targeting Tehran and other Iranian cities.

    The strikes killed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri, Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami, and Gholam-Ali Rashid, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the report said.

    Khamenei named Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new chief of staff of the armed forces, Mohammad Pakpour as the IRGC’s new commander, and Ali Shadmani to lead the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

    Read Also: Osun 2026: Oluwo receives NIWA boss, prays for  APC aspirant 

    Before their appointments, Mousavi headed the regular army, Pakpour commanded the IRGC’s Ground Force, and Shadmani served as deputy coordinator at Khatam al-Anbiya.

    In addition to the top military leaders, the Israeli strikes also killed six Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, as well as an unspecified number of civilians, the report added.

    In a statement, Khamenei condemned the attacks, warning that Israel would face “severe punishment” for what he called a crime against Iran.

    (Xinhua/NAN)

  • Iran qualify for 2026 World Cup

    Iran qualify for 2026 World Cup

    Iran  have booked their place in the 2026 World Cup following a 2-2 home draw against Uzbekistan at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.

    Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi scored twice in the second half as Iran secured their place in the finals for a fourth consecutive time and seventh in total.

    Uzbekistan took the lead after Khojimat Erkinov scored in the 16th  minute but Taremi levelled in the 52nd  minute.

    A minute later, however, Abbosbek Fayzullaev made it 2-1 for the White Wolves who have never reached a World Cup.

    But Taremi’s second goal, seven minutes from the end, secured the point Iran needed to ensure their place in the 2026 showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

    The Iranian striker expressed his “happiness” with the result but admitted his team had “tactical problems” after conceding twice.

    Read Also: ValueJet, NFF partnership symbolizes fresh era for the Super Eagles

     “We have to thank the fans who filled the stadium today, and thank God they did not leave empty-handed,” captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said post-match.

    Iran are top of Group A in Asia with 20 points, three ahead of Uzbekistan.

    The 58th -ranked Uzbeks will also qualify for the World Cup finals if the United Arab Emirates lose to North Korea later Tuesday.

    The 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams, up from 32.Iran join Japan and New Zealand as the teams to have so far qualified along with the hosts.

  • Why Trump ordered air strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen

    Why Trump ordered air strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen

    United States  ordered air strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen Saturday that reportedly killed several of the group’s leaders, according to the White House, adding Iran was “put on notice” to cease support for the rebels.

    This image taken from video provided by the US Navy shows an aircraft launching from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea before airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 15, 2025. © US Navy via AP

    US President Donald Trump says he ordered air strikes against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen, that the White House said reportedly killed several Houthi leaders, and issued a warning to Tehran.

    The Houthi rebels started attacking military and commercial ships on one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors shortly after the war in Gaza began between Hamas and Israel in October 2023.

    The Houthis said they were targeting vessels on the Red Sea with links to Israel or its allies – the United States and the UK – in solidarity with Palestinians, but some vessels had little or no link to the war.

    The Houthis targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, until the current ceasefire in Gaza took effect in mid-January. Other missiles and drones were intercepted or failed to reach their targets, which included Western military ones.

    The attacks paused during the ceasefire, but the Houthis on Wednesday said they would resume against “any Israeli vessel” after Israel cut off all aid supplies to Gaza to pressure Hamas during talks on extending their truce. The rebels said the warning also affects the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Arabian Sea.

    Read Also: Only 3% of Nigerian workers access consumer credit – CREDICORP

    No Houthi attacks have been reported since then.

    “These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many billions of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” Trump said Saturday while announcing the airstrikes in a social media post.

    The earlier Houthi campaign saw US and other Western warships repeatedly targeted, sparking the most serious combat the US Navy had seen since World War II.

    The United States under the Biden administration, as well as Israel and Britain, previously struck Houthi-held areas in Yemen. But a US official said Saturday’s operation was conducted solely by the U.S.

    The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which includes the carrier, three Navy destroyers and one cruiser, are in the Red Sea and were part of Saturday’s mission. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been operating in the region.

    Trump said the strikes were to “protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom”.

    The focus on the Houthis and their attacks have raised their profile as they face economic and other pressures at home amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemated war, which has torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

  • US charges Iranian man in plot to kill Donald Trump, DOJ says

    US charges Iranian man in plot to kill Donald Trump, DOJ says

    The United States charged an Iranian man on Friday in connection with an alleged plot ordered by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, the Department of Justice said.

    Farhad Shakeri informed law enforcement “that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill” Trump, the department said in a statement. It said Shakeri told law enforcement he did not intend to formulate such a plan within the time frame directed by the IRGC.

    Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement carried by Iranian media on Saturday that the claim was a “repulsive” plot by Israel and Iranian opposition outside the country to “complicate matters between America and Iran.”

    The DOJ described Shakeri, 51, as a Revolutionary Guard asset residing in Tehran. It said he immigrated to the U.S. as a child and was deported around 2008 following a robbery conviction. Shakeri is at large and believed to be in Iran, the prosecutors said.

    Read Also: 2024 US elections: Reasons Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris

    Two New York residents whom Shakeri had met in prison, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, were also charged with helping Shakeri plot to kill a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York, described as an outspoken critic of Iran’s government who had previously been targeted for murder.

    Prosecutors did not identify the target, but it matched the description of Masih Alinejad, a journalist and activist who has criticized Iran’s head-covering laws for women. Four Iranians were charged in 2021 in connection with a plot to kidnap her, and in 2022 a man was arrested with a rifle outside her home.

    Rivera and Loadholt were ordered detained pending trial. Their lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

  • Iran’s foreign minister calls European counterparts after attack

    Iran’s foreign minister calls European counterparts after attack

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had a phone discussion with European colleagues immediately after his country’s missile attack on Israel, state media reported Wednesday.

    According to Iranian news agency IRNA, Araghchi spoke with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and colleagues in the UK, France and other countries.

    The missile attack on Israel has now been completed; Araghchi was quoted as saying by IRNA.

    “But if the Zionist regime takes retaliatory action, our response will be even tougher,” the minister said, referring to possible Israeli retaliation.

    He stressed that Iran does not seek an escalation, but does not fear war.

    Read Also: U.S. in talks with Iran over detained Americans

    Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that they fired 200 missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening.

    The attack was in retaliation for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and an Iranian general, the powerful elite branch of the Iranian armed forces said.

    Initial estimates by the Israeli army put the number of missiles fired at around 180.

    Three Israeli air bases and the headquarters of the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad were the targets of the attack, according to Iran.

    (dpa/NAN)