Iran’s foreign minister meets UN secretary-general in Geneva

"In response to the biased and baseless remarks made by the Polish foreign minister against our country, Marcin Wilczek, Poland’s chief envoy in Tehran, was summoned by Mahmoud Heidari, the assistant foreign minister," the statement read.

While the ministry did not elaborate on the specifics of the comments they rebuffed, semi-official IMNA news agency reported that the summons followed Sikorski’s role in facilitating the transfer of an Iranian-made drone from Ukraine to the US for display at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Speaking about his involvement, Sikorski told The Wall Street Journal last week, “There is an axis of aggression between Iran and Russia. The Islamic Republic is sending death and destruction into all directions, and we need to jointly, directly, face the threat and remove it.”

On taking credit for the trophy drone, Sikorski said, “We have to remember that the first credit needs to go to the Ukrainians, who shot the thing down.”

According to WSJ, Sikorski helped to facilitate the drone’s procurement for the US-based nonprofit organization, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).

Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian, head of Iranian National Tax Administration (INTA), told ILNA: “There is absolutely no discussion regarding the payment of taxes for overseas projects, and it is not the case that people pay taxes and the taxes are spent outside the country.”

He instead pointed to the government’s tax earmarking plan, which he said provides greater transparency in how revenue is allocated.

But leaked reports of Iran’s financial assistance to regional groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon are fueling anger while at home, Iranians are suffering with mass unemployment and poverty.

On Tuesday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei met in Tehran with leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who were seeking further financial aid.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has been expanding its network of interest-free loan funds, using Iranian support to provide financial relief to its followers.

Tehran recently allocated over $10,000 per family to Lebanese households affected by the most recent conflict with Israel, according to sources familiar with the matter. The funds were distributed among Shiite families aligned with Hezbollah.

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s newly appointed secretary-general, described the payments as a “gift from the Islamic Republic.”

Former parliament member Ezzatollah Yousefian said on Friday that “Trump does not want to go to war with Iran because he knows Iran’s missile power can obliterate an entire country.”

Yousefian also reiterated that Iran will not accept to take part in any negotiation in a situation marked by arrogance.

Another former lawmaker, Mohammad Hassan Asafari, told a local conservative website, “Trump has realized that Iran is now speaking with one voice and that no one in Iran will accept negotiations under threats and arrogance.” He added that Trump’s decisions on Iran are influenced by the latest developments in Iran’s domestic political climate.

Despite Asafari’s claim of unity, many political figures in Tehran have been asking for a change in foreign policy and negotiations with the United States.

Asafari also urged Tehran to stand firm against Trump, saying, “Trump is accustomed to using fear and intimidation in negotiations, but Iran is aware of his tactics and will not bow to arrogance or threats.”

Addressing Trump’s statement about allowing Israel to attack Iran if Tehran refuses to negotiate over its nuclear program, Asafari said, “If we stand firm, Trump will back down, but if we show division, he will exploit it.” He also echoed Yousefian’s statement that Iran’s missile power is substantial, adding, “If Israel makes a miscalculation, confronting Iran will not be easy.”

Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles against Israel twice in 2024, causing minimal damage as most were intercepted by Israeli, US and other allied air defenses and warplanes.

Yousefian also noted that “Trump constantly contradicts himself to confuse his opponents, which reflects a businessman’s mentality.” He added, “He is committed to protecting Israel, but no one can predict the tactics he will use to achieve that.”

Trump’s objective goes beyond preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons; he aims to disarm the country entirely, Yousefian argued. He explained that Trump is increasing pressure on Tehran to force it to the negotiating table, adding, “Unlike Biden, Trump is not a patient man and will not spend two years on negotiations. He wants quick results; otherwise, he will exert more pressure.”

In another development, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi emphasized that the Foreign Ministry “will act within the frameworks set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for interaction with America.” He deliberately used the term “interaction” instead of “negotiation,” reflecting Khamenei’s firm opposition to talks with the United States.

During an interview with an Iraqi network on a recent visit to Baghdad, Ravanchi criticized the US for failing to uphold its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. He noted that Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018 after Iran declined to engage in new talks on its nuclear program and regional military ambitions. Ravanchi added that Iran is now focused on pursuing discussions with Europe.

In another development, prominent Iranian lawmaker Ali Keshvari criticized the United States, saying, “The US has a poor track record in its previous negotiations with Iran,” and accused it of “easily undermining its obligations.”

Keshvari also accused the US of “unilateralism when dealing with independent countries,” arguing that “the US seeks only to serve its own interests and secure concessions without offering any in return.” He added, “The US has employed this approach in its negotiations with many other countries,” although he did not specify which ones.

"I witnessed, with my own eyes, the violation of Lebanon's sovereignty by Israeli jets that flew close above our heads, in a pitiful attempt to terrify people who gathered only to mourn," said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who was in Beirut to attend Nasrallah's funeral.

"If that is not an act of terror, then what is?" he asked in a post on his X account, in which he also embedded a video of the Israeli jet fighters flying low over the Lebanese capital.

The Israeli defense minister confirmed his country's aircraft flying over the funeral of Nasrallah, saying that the move "conveyed a clear message: Those who threaten to destroy Israel and attack Israel, it will be their end."

“You will specialize in funerals, and we will in victories,” Israel Katz said in a statement.

As the funeral was under way in Beirut, the Israeli military released videos of the moment it assassinated Nasrallah on September 27, 2024, along with several other commanders of the Iran-backed group, in an attack on their underground headquarters in Beirut.

Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by countries such as the US and UK, is currently in a fragile US-French brokered ceasefire with Israel, while both sides allege continued violations.

Although Israel's military has mostly pulled back from southern Lebanon, its air force continues to target what it claims are Hezbollah positions throughout the country, while its troops still maintain control over five hilltop positions along the border.

The surge, marked by a monthly inflation exceeding 4% for the first time in the past year, has exacerbated the widespread public discontent, especially as food prices skyrocket. Hundreds of Iranian have sent messages to Iran International complaining about soaring prices.

Official data reveals that food costs are the primary driver of inflation, with rural areas experiencing a higher rate (36%) than urban centers (35.2%). Low-income households are bearing the brunt of this economic strain, particularly in provinces like Semnan, West Azarbaijan, and Hormozgan.

"The point-to-point inflation rate, indicating how much household expenses have changed compared to last year, reached 35.3% in the Persian calendar month of Bahman (ended on February 18)," said the Statistical Center. "This marks the highest inflation rate in 12 months."

Vegetables and legumes saw a staggering 16.9% monthly inflation, while fruits and nuts rose by 8.7%. Conversely, education saw the lowest monthly inflation, below 1%.

Annual inflation has risen by around 40 percent, each year in the past five years, and the rial has lost 95% of its value since 2018 when Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed draconian sanctions on the country.

The massive depreciation of the rial and high inflation have drastically increased the cost of living, including expenses for food, housing, and healthcare and driven over 30 percent of the population below the poverty line.

Citizens engaging with Iran International have corroborated these findings, sending videos depicting a sharp rise in essential goods prices.

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