Iran says UN Gaza resolution must not weaken Palestinian rights

CNN Arabic and Lebanese news website Naharnet quoted the interview by ASAS Media in which Aoun, 60, the ex-commander of the US-backed Lebanese army who became president this year describes an August meeting with Ali Larijani.

“Larijani… heard very harsh words from me. He seemed extremely tense: 'The Shi'ites of Lebanon are my responsibility, not yours.'" Lebanese outlet ASAS Media quoted Aoun as saying in the interview according to the news reports.

The link to the original article on the ASAS Media website was down, as was a report on the interview that appeared on pan-Arab news outlet Al Arabiya.

Lebanon's presidency and ASAS Media did not immediately respond to Iran International requests for comment.

"Hezbollah, in its military wing, is finished," the withdrawn report quoted Aoun as saying. "(Iran) come to me aware of this reality and this outcome, but they are keen on an honorable end and a decent exit, and this is exactly what we are striving to achieve."

"(My) positions of this caliber and higher made him suppress his tension until his legs shook. He left the palace in a state of shock. Then he returned and asked for an appointment, but I did not receive him."

Aoun has broken with decades of precedent by publicly advocating for the disarmament of Hezbollah, long a policy priority for Israel and Western countries, after it suffered painful blows from Israeli attacks last year.

Founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, Hezbollah has grown into Lebanon’s most powerful military and political force. It has fought multiple wars with Israel and is a key member of Tehran’s “Axis of Resistance” alliance.

The group, which fought a nearly twenty-year insurgency which ultimately ejected Israel from occupied South Lebanon in 2000, is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and several Western countries.

Larijani meeting

According to a statement from the Lebanese presidency posted on X following their meeting in August, Aoun told Larijani that no group in Lebanon is permitted to bear arms or rely on foreign backing after the cabinet approved the goals of a US-backed roadmap to disarm Hezbollah.

Aoun also warned against foreign interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs, saying the country was open to cooperation with Iran but only within the bounds of national sovereignty and mutual respect.

“We reject any interference in our internal affairs,” Aoun said, adding that “it is forbidden for anyone … to bear arms and to use foreign backing as leverage,” Aoun said according to the statement.

“The friendship we seek with Iran must be with all Lebanese, not through one sect or component alone,” Aoun added.

Tehran's take

A report by Revolutionary Guards-affiliated Tasnim News at the time did not indicate any tensions.

Tasnim said that during his meeting with the president, Larijani spoke of deep historical and cultural links between the two countries.

“If one day the people of Lebanon are in distress, we in Iran will also feel that pain. We will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances,” Tasnim quoted Larijani as saying.

Larijani also said he had renewed his invitation for Aoun to visit Tehran and emphasized Iran’s readiness to help Lebanon in the field of reconstruction, according to local Iranian media.

Later on Tuesday, pro-Iran Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen reported, citing unnamed sources in the Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that the reports circulating about the content of the meeting were inaccurate.

Al Mayadeen cited the sources as expressing surprise at what had been published, saying it was entirely unlikely that the “absurd” phrases attributed to the Lebanese president had ever been said by him.

In early August, Washington presented Lebanese officials with a US-supported roadmap that called on Beirut to issue a decree within 15 days committing to Hezbollah’s full disarmament by December 31, 2025.

Lebanon’s cabinet in September discussed the US plan and approved its objectives, while stopping short of setting a timeline.

A ceasefire brokered by France and the United States between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect last November, requiring phased Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army across the area.

Both Hezbollah and Israel continue to accuse their opponent continuous violations of the ceasefire.

"Iran does want to make a deal. I think they very badly want to make a deal. I am totally open to it, and we're talking to them, and we start a process," Trump said.

"It would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran," he added during a joint press conference at the White House with Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince, who promised boost Riyadh's investment in the United States to $1 trillion.

Washington engaged in talks with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program earlier this year with a 60-day ultimatum.

On the 61st day, June 13, Israel launched a surprise military campaign which was capped with US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear sites in Esfahan, Natanz and Fordow.

Trump said on Tuesday his administration could have reached an agreement with Tehran before the June war, "but that didn't work out."

"Something will happen there. But they would very much like, I mean, they may say something else, but they would very much like to have a deal."

Trump also defended the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, calling it "the right thing to do".

Addressing the crown prince Trump added, "We put you in a very good position."

Riyadh ready to help

The crown prince told the same press conference he was ready to help Iran and the United States reach a deal that would also benefit the Middle East.

"I will be working closely together on the (Iran) issue, and we will do our best to help to reach a deal between America and Iran," he said.

"We believe it's good for Iran's future to have a good deal that that would satisfy the region and the world. So we will do our best to see that they happen."

The surprise Israeli attacks that started on June 13 were publicly condemned by Iran's Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf which oppose what they see as Iran's bid for hegemony in the region but seek calm to boost domestic growth agendas.

Following the 12-day war, they were quietly relieved that the campaign weakened the Islamic Republic, security experts told Iran International at the time, though Tehran's Arab rivals prefer a defanged Iran to a regime change that would lead to instability.

The campaign saw Israel gain control of Iran's airspace within days as it assassinated top military leaders and degraded Iranian missile capabilities.

However, any prolonged conflict or upheaval inside Iran would be viewed as a potential risk to the regional countries' tourism, trade and foreign investment, a taste of which was offered by the closing of air space across the Persian Gulf and crashing stock markets amid the conflict.

Across Iran’s rice-producing provinces, several main varieties are prized, and priced, above others, including the premium Tarom Hashemi, and the cheaper Fajr and Shiroudi varieties.

Research by Iran International shows that premium Tarom Hashemi rice is now being sold for up to four million rials (about $3.56) per kilogram.

A year ago, it sold for around 1.2 million rials (about $1.07) – a rise of more than 230% in just twelve months.

“Last year I bought this same rice for 1.2 million rials,” said Farhad, 38, from Karaj. “Now it’s 3.5 million, and I am sure it's not as genuine as it once was. Khamenei has spent over four decades chasing war, missiles and chanting ‘death to this or that.’ Now we can’t even afford rice.”

In Tehran, Fereshteh, a mother of two, said prices have soared in recent months. “Five months ago, it was 1.87 million rials (about $1.66). Today in the supermarket, it’s 3.57 million (about $3.17),” she told Iran International.

Rising inflation and a weakening currency have helped drive up costs of living in Iran and economic pain has deepened as Western and European-triggered international sanctions compound the country's international isolation.

A standoff over Iran's disputed nuclear program lingers as negotiations to resolve the impasse appear elusive. Tehran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, rejects US demands to end domestic enrichment and rein in its missile capabilities and support for armed allies in the region.

The latest figures from Tehran’s Municipal Market Organization – where goods are sold below retail – show Tarom Hashemi rice each priced at 3.35 million rials (about $2.97) per kilogram, with other varieties ranging between 2.1 million rials ($1.87) and 2.75 million rials ($2.44).

Yet shoppers say such prices are deceptive as they allege stores mix low-grade grains into premium brands. True top-quality rice, they say, now costs between 3.5 million rials ($3.11) and 4 million rials ($3.56) per kilo.

Mid-range varieties also more pricey

Recent market data show that Shiroudi rice, which sold for 830,000 rials (about $0.74) per kilogram last November, now ranges between 2.1 million rials (about $1.87) and 2.35 million rials (about $2.09). Based on the lowest price, this marks a 153% annual increase.

Fajr rice has followed a similar trajectory: it rose from 900,000 rials (about $0.80) per kilogram last year to 2–2.75 million rials (about $1.78–$2.44) today – an increase of at least 122%.

One kilogram of Iranian rice feeds about five people.

Iran International’s analysis shows that each plate of rice now costs 800,000 to 1 million rials (about 71-89 cents), while even a single spoonful costs at least around 40,000 rials (about 4 cents).

For a family of four, consuming rice once daily – about 15 to 20 kilograms per month – means spending 70 to 100 million rials (about $62–$89), nearly half the average Iranian monthly income, which stands below $200.

Rice, once described as the daily heartbeat of Iranian cuisine, has become a measure of economic despair.

“I grew up in Gilan where rice was sacred,” said Mitra, 51, a retired teacher. “Now I can’t even afford one bag. What kind of country turns its own staple into gold?”

“Iranian rice has a unique aroma, texture, and flavor that perfectly matches our cuisine,” said Banafsheh, 44, from Tehran. “Foreign varieties – Indian, Pakistani, or Thai – can never replace it in Iranian cooking.

"Our rice is what we serve at gatherings; it’s a sign of respect for guests," she added. "But now, many of us can’t even fill our own plates with it. We’ve been forced to switch to foreign rice, and even that is becoming unaffordable.”

Profiteering, mismanagement

“While the global price for premium rice is about one dollar per kilogram, Iranian consumers pay the equivalent of over three dollars,” Agricultural economist Amir Aghajanian, a member of the Rice Producers Association, told the state-run Fars news agency.

Production costs for northern farmers, he said, are around 1.45 million rials (about $1.29) per kilogram, but middlemen push retail prices above 3.5 million rials (about $3.11). “Excessive profit-taking and weak market oversight have inflated prices far beyond production costs,” Aghajanian asserted.

Iran’s agriculture minister recently revealed that one importer earned $250 million in illicit profit through price manipulation and hoarding, highlighting deep flaws in import oversight.

Other agricultural experts say the crisis runs deeper: rising input costs, fragmented farmlands and outdated tools all push production expenses higher.

“When farmers use traditional methods on small plots, costs rise naturally,” one rice market analyst in Lahijan told Fars. “But when corrupt traders control imports, consumers suffer twice.”

For centuries, rice has anchored Iranian cuisine – from Chelo Kabab, the classic dish of steamed rice served with grilled meat, to Zereshk Polo, rice cooked with barberries and saffron next to chicken.

But in today’s Iran, families ration it like medicine. “Even foreign rice is slipping out of reach,” Farhad from Karaj added. “Our dinner tables are shrinking while the government talks about resistance and dignity.”

As one grocer told Iran International, “Rice was the food of everyone – rich and poor. Now it’s become the food of memory.”

"The reports of the IAEA Director General speak for themselves, as they highlight Iran’s ongoing violations of its key obligations. This particularly concerns the still-unclarified whereabouts of the stocks of highly enriched uranium," the spokesperson said.

Last week, in a confidential report cited by Reuters, the IAEA said Iran has yet to allow UN inspectors to visit nuclear sites hit by Israeli and US airstrikes in June, adding that the verification of Tehran’s enriched uranium is “long overdue.”

“The Agency’s lack of access to this nuclear material in Iran for five months means that its verification is long overdue,” the IAEA said in the report to member states.

Under its obligations as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran must submit a detailed report on the status of the bombed facilities “without delay,” but has yet to do so, the IAEA added. Only after such a report is received can inspectors return to the damaged sites.

The spokesperson added that the E3 — Germany, France and the United Kingdom — have repeatedly raised their concerns on Iran's violations publicly and they were the reason the troika triggered the so-called snapback of sanctions.

The E3 triggered the snapback mechanism under the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 which led to the restoration of UN sanctions on Iran in late September.

European states are expected to discuss a draft resolution critical of Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting later this week.

According to the spokesperson, no specific agenda item is planned on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, but Berlin said the issue will still be addressed based on reporting from the IAEA director general and the UN resolutions that re-entered into force following the snapback mechanism.

European countries and the United States have called for renewed talks between Washington and Tehran, but Iran says it will not renounce domestic uranium enrichment or discuss its missile program and its support for regional armed groups.

"Germany, together with its E3 partners France and the United Kingdom, continues to advocate for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear program," the spokesperson added.

Earlier this month, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said although the June attacks on Iran's Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear sites “severely damaged” the country's nuclear program, the country retains the knowledge and material “to manufacture a few nuclear weapons."

Before the attacks, inspectors had verified about 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity—enough, if further refined, for roughly 10 nuclear weapons under IAEA criteria.

Iranian officials, including Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, have repeatedly said the enriched uranium is buried "under rubble" left from the June strikes.

Tehran denies seeking a bomb but Western powers and Israel doubt its intentions.

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said it appeared the network helped identify Iranian targets on the ground rather than relying on intelligence gathered from Israel.

“It seems that the Mossad network formed inside Iran leaked information showing our officials were targeted, not that there was a center in Israel obtaining it,” Bakhshayesh said, according to Iranian media.

He said Iran’s counterintelligence services had already detained and executed several people accused of cooperating with Israeli intelligence.

Bakhshayesh added that Israel, the United States, and NATO acted together during the June conflict, but said the attacks failed to weaken Iran.