Iran used clerics, paramilitary in 2022 protest detention centers, judiciary says

The report in Payam-e Ma said that the decision, approved by President Masoud Pezeshkian, directs the Water Museum in Tehran’s historic Sa’dabad Palace complex to vacate its building so that the National Quran Museum—currently located in central Tehran—can be moved in.

The order came without public notice and was issued after the Iranian New Year holidays in early April, according to the report.

Museum workers were caught off guard as government officials suddenly removed signage and sealed the building.

Shahrokh Karimi, head of the National Water Treasure Institute that manages the museum, told the paper: “We worked hard for 30 years. It is heartbreaking to see it dismantled overnight.”

He warned that the move would erase a rare cultural institution dedicated to Iran’s water engineering and environmental heritage.

The Water Museum, established in 1996 through a government partnership between Iran’s energy ministry and cultural heritage authorities, showcased ancient irrigation techniques, historical engineering documents, and educational displays.

It has been part of a broader effort to preserve the country’s “water memory” amid growing environmental concerns.

Ahmad Mohit-Tabatabai, head of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Iran, criticized the relocation.

“Closing or moving a national museum is among the worst things that can happen in museology,” he said, warning that the Quran Museum’s needs are not compatible with the Water Museum’s small facilities.

In recent years, Iran has been selling off ancient heritage sites amid the country's financial crisis with historians accusing the government of abandoning the country's rich history.

Last year there was public outcry when the government announced the construction of mosques in public parks, as the Islamic Republic's agenda is seen as eroding the country's environmental heritage.

About 40% of China’s methanol imports — some 5.2 million tons in 2024 — came from Iran, data from shipping analytics firm Kpler shows.

Methanol, used to produce plastics, is a key feedstock for China’s methanol-to-olefin (MTO) plants, which are major buyers of Iranian cargoes, according to ICIS, a global market intelligence firm.

"Iranian methanol is almost the only efficient way for coastal MTO units to get enough supply," said Ann Sun, senior analyst at ICIS.

US President Donald Trump last week said countries or firms that buy Iranian oil or petrochemicals could face immediate sanctions. The US has already targeted Iranian energy exports and Chinese refineries allegedly involved in such trade.

Although some Iranian methanol reaches China via third countries like the UAE or Oman, further sanctions could disrupt flows.

The latest move by Trump comes as he is squeezing Iran amid ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran. They have now passed the third stage and are awaiting the fourth round in Oman.

Iran says that lifting sanctions is a priority in the nuclear talks.

Galloway traveled to Iran to attend the third edition of the Sobh International Media Festival, organized by the foreign media division of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the country's state media organization.

Organizers awarded him the "Ismail Haniyeh Prize" in recognition of his outspoken defense of Palestine and alignment with Iran-backed resistance groups.

Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, was assassinated by Israel in a bomb blast targeting his residence in Tehran last year.

"No country on the planet has worked harder than the Islamic Republic of Iran to liberate the people of Palestine from bondage, suffering and endless sacrifice. That is simply a fact," said Galloway in his address to the festival. 

The former MP, now leader of the Workers Party of Britain, is no stranger to Iranian state media. He previously hosted programs on Iran’s English-language broadcaster Press TV, which is overseen by IRIB and has been sanctioned by Western governments for allegedly spreading propaganda.

Galloway has also appeared on Russian state media and was expelled from the UK Labour Party over remarks it deemed antisemitic.

100%

In his speech, Galloway praised Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a key supporter of the Palestinian people and said Yemen was second only to Iran in providing meaningful support for their struggle.

“I thank the revolutionary people of Iran, your leadership, your heroes, and your martyrs for standing firm in support of the Palestinian people," said Galloway.

Galloway also recounted a personal story about his ties to the Palestinian cause, recalling a humanitarian convoy to Gaza. He said the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh once promised to issue him a Palestinian passport. When none were available, Haniyeh instead gave him his own—a gift Galloway described as “one of my most treasured possessions.”

The Sobh International Media Festival is part of the Iranian government’s broader effort to rally international media voices that support its regional narrative and opposition to Israel.

The event drew dozens of foreign participants, many of whom are affiliated with media outlets sympathetic to Iran’s worldview.

Araghchi is currently in Pakistan, where he met with his counterpart Ishaq Dar. He is also scheduled to hold talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Last month, five armed militants attacked tourists in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 civilians, including 25 Indian tourists and one local Muslim pony ride operator.

In the aftermath, India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, an allegation Pakistan denied.

Iran offered to mediate between India and Pakistan, though New Delhi has rejected any third-party mediation, according to The Times of India, citing government sources.

The report said that Araghchi’s visit on Thursday was organized before the attack in Kashmir and is focused on co-chairing the Iran-India Joint Commission meeting alongside Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Discussions are expected to center on trade, energy, and infrastructure cooperation.

“We have announced our commitment to continuing the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We have shown our full readiness by participating in several rounds of negotiations,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran.

“The decision regarding the timing of the negotiations was made based on the proposal of the Omani side and with the coordination of both parties," he said, Oman a key mediator.

"The decision to postpone was logistical,” Baghaei said.

Talks between Iran and the US remain focused on nuclear-related issues and sanctions relief, the spokesman emphasized, pushing back against French calls to expand the negotiations to include non-nuclear matters.

“Such statements are not new, and they are not acceptable to us,” he said. “The scope of the talks is limited and confined to the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions.”

Responding to US President Donald Trump’s recent comments that Iran does not need nuclear energy given its fossil fuel reserves, Baghaei said, “Our peaceful nuclear program is based on rights enshrined in international law and dates back to the 1970s, when Iran’s energy needs were even less than today.”

Addressing recent Israeli military threats, Baghaei warned that Iran would respond decisively to any aggression. “The Iranian armed forces will respond to any act of hostility or adventurism in the strongest possible manner. There should be no doubt about that,” he said.

Baghaei criticized what he called Washington’s mixed signals that include both sanctions and calls for dialogue but reaffirmed Tehran’s willingness to continue diplomacy.

“If the US is sincere in its claim that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons, many issues can be resolved,” he said. “We have already declared clearly, and shown in practice, that we are not seeking to weaponize our nuclear program.”

Baghaei maintained that Iran is not orchestrating military actions through proxies, particularly in Yemen. “Iran needs no proxies in the region,” he said. “Yemen’s decisions are sovereign and independent, and the accusations are baseless.”

The US, which has designated the group a terrorist organization, has repeated warnings to Tehran that a failure to curb the Houthis' military attacks on the US and Israel, in addition to the militant group's blockade on global shipping, will result in military consequences for Iran.