Iran says will never join Trump's 'treacherous' Israel normalization deals

"Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to someone who justifies the genocide in Gaza and advocates for military aggression against 🇻🇪 is yet another example of the West’s divisive and interventionist mentality toward the developing world," the embassy said in a post on X.

"This choice is nothing but a mockery of the true meaning of 'peace.'"

The Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the Peace Prize to Machado, recognizing her role in "promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

The 58-year-old opposition leader, who remains in hiding, has been barred by Venezuelan authorities from running for office against President Nicolás Maduro.

In a message on X, Machado said her movement was “on the threshold of victory” and counted on “President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world” as allies in the fight for “freedom and democracy.”

"I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!"

'Mountain gave birth to mouse'

Iran's culture minister also slammed the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to award the prestigious prize to Machado.

“Prominent figures such as Albert Schweitzer, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Mandela, and others have previously received the Nobel Peace Prize, but for years now, such names have been absent," Abbas Salehi said in a post on X.

"And this time again, the mountain labored and gave birth to a mouse — a winner who dedicated her prize to Trump!!”

However, Iranian dissident Nobel laureates Shirin Ebadi and Narges Mohammadi praised the Nobel committee for honoring Machado, saying her courage and leadership serve as an inspiration for Iran’s pro-democracy movement.

The two prominent Iranian rights defenders drew parallels between Venezuela’s democratic movement and their own struggle for change in Iran, emphasizing shared aspirations for freedom and resistance to authoritarian rule.

“She is one of the most deserving recipients,” said Ebadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003.

She described Machado as the woman “who succeeded in uniting Venezuela’s opposition,” adding that her political leadership “can offer valuable lessons for Iran’s opposition.”

Ebadi said Machado’s model of unity and courage “should be a role model for the Iranian opposition.”

Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi also commended Machado as "a tireless champion of democracy and dignity in Venezuela, and a beacon of hope to freedom-loving people around the world."

"Iranians stand with the people of Venezuela in their struggle. Soon, both our nations will be free," Pahlavi said on X.

“Keeping war away from the country is one of the government’s key goals, and we are pursuing it through diplomacy,” she said in her weekly briefing. Mohajerani added that while improving living standards remains a major concern, Iran cannot suspend broader progress under international pressure and years of sanctions.

Her comments come amid shifting regional dynamics following a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that ended two years of conflict in Gaza. The agreement, backed by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, includes the release of hostages and prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week he had resisted pressure to halt the war earlier, arguing Israel’s security depended on “eliminating the nuclear and ballistic threat from Iran” and “breaking the Iranian axis, of which Hamas is a central part.”

US President Donald Trump said Iranian authorities had recently expressed support for the Gaza deal and a willingness to “work on peace,” though Washington has maintained sanctions and tensions remain high following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Iran International that Iran and its regional allies remained “the main obstacle to peace,” accusing Tehran of backing groups that threaten the new truce.

Iran, however, has said it supports any agreement that ends what it calls Israel’s “genocidal war” and ensures Palestinian rights, while continuing to urge what it describes as a regional solution based on “mutual respect and diplomacy.”

Kamran Abdoli, deputy head of the Tehran Fire Department for prevention, said schools have lagged far behind hospitals, offices, and newer residential buildings in meeting safety requirements. He blamed chronic underfunding and weak oversight for the failure.

“Compared to other buildings, schools have made little progress in improving safety,” Abdoli told ISNA. “Funding shortages and neglect of safety regulations are the main reasons for this situation.”

He said the city’s fire department had repeatedly inspected schools and issued safety instructions, but only 43 safety files had been formally opened and just three had been approved. “We’ve provided the guidelines and even offered to phase the upgrades to make them affordable, but implementation has been minimal,” he said.

Abdoli warned that the lack of fire alarms, faulty wiring, and unsafe heating equipment were behind most past school fires, adding that small, low-cost measures like staff fire safety training could prevent future tragedies.

The official called for greater cooperation between the Education Ministry, school administrators, and private donors to fund safety upgrades. “With the current structure of schools, safety improvements actually cost less than in other buildings,” he said. “What we need most is determination and follow-through from officials.”

Broader safety crisis in the capital

His warning comes amid wider safety concerns in the capital. Last year, Tehran’s Fire Department identified 18,000 “high-risk” buildings, citing major incidents such as the Plasco Tower collapse in 2017, which killed 20 firefighters, and the 2024 Gandhi Hospital fire.

Officials say thousands of older buildings — including schools, dormitories, and training centers — have been converted from other uses without upgrades to handle larger crowds. Abdoli said this makes evacuation difficult and heightens the risk of mass casualties in the event of a fire.

“The city cannot afford another tragedy,” he said. “Ensuring fire safety in schools must become a national priority.”

Hossein Alaei, the first commander of the Guards’ naval forces, said Israel had prepared its current espionage and military campaign decades ago. “The Zionist regime planned its attack on Iran twenty years ago and has concentrated one of its strongest intelligence networks on our country,” Alaei said in a televised interview, according to local media.

The conflict between Iran and Israel erupted after a surprise Israeli strike on Iranian military and nuclear sites on June 13. Tehran said 1,062 people were killed, including 786 military personnel and 276 civilians. Israel said it killed more than 30 senior Iranian security officials and 11 nuclear scientists. Iran responded with missile strikes that killed 31 civilians and one off-duty Israeli soldier.

“I believe Mossad has set up its most powerful structure anywhere in the world inside Iran,” Alaei said. “They have done all the necessary organization and spent a lot of money on it.”

Since the June war, more than 700 Iranians have been detained on charges of spying for Israel. Executions of those accused of spying for Israel have risen in recent months, with at least 10 people put to death on such charges, according to Iranian authorities.

Alaei said Israel had combined human infiltration with advanced surveillance technology. “They have focused satellites over Iran and set up systems to gather information through all communication networks,” he said. “I think they have established facilities capable of monitoring all Iranian networks, even landlines.”

A recent documentary by Israel’s Channel 13 said one hundred Mossad operatives were deployed inside Iran to install and operate smuggled heavy missile systems. These systems were used to disable Iranian missile launchers and air-defense batteries during the opening phase of June’s 12-day war, the network reported.

The report said the agents’ operations were integral to Israel’s broader campaign against Iran’s military infrastructure.

“Marriage and having children must be considered part of a person’s résumé,” Amirhossein Bankipour, a member of parliament from Isfahan, said on Saturday, according to state media. “A woman who marries should receive more points, and a woman who gives birth should gain even more, because she is helping prevent a population crisis.”

Bankipour’s remarks come amid a government push to raise fertility under the 2021 Youthful Population and Family Support Act, which restricts access to abortions and contraceptives while providing loans, subsidies, and tax breaks for couples. The law aims to lift the fertility rate to 2.5 children per woman, but official data show it remains at about 1.6, far below the target.

Despite the incentives, as Iran’s economy has sharply deteriorated, marriage and raising children have become harder for many families. Inflation has eroded purchasing power, and basic expenses such as food, rent, and education have soared.

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  Beyond the hijab: discrimination against women pervades Iranian law

Health impact of restrictive population laws

While the government has linked population growth to national strength, its policies have also created new social pressures. The Shargh daily reported in September that restrictions on prenatal screening and abortion have doubled the rate of Down syndrome births, from 1.2% to 2.9% since the law took effect. Legal procedures for pregnancy termination now require both medical and judicial approval, even in cases of confirmed fetal abnormalities.

Public health experts have warned that the tightening of reproductive laws, coupled with deepening economic hardship, has fueled a growing underground abortion market and worsened inequality. At the same time, official figures show Iran spends only 2.9 percent of GDP on education, compared to the global average of 4.4 percent, contributing to what commentators describe as a widening social gap between poor and wealthy families.

Lawmaker defends incentives despite limited results

Bankipour said parliament has sought to address the economic dimension by increasing marriage loans and expanding housing programs for young couples. However, years of inflation and declining real wages have limited their impact.

He said the new proposal would help redirect social incentives toward family building. “Until now, degrees and job skills have determined status,” he said. “We need to tell the younger generation that forming a family and raising children are themselves national achievements that deserve recognition.”