Iran hardline paper says Tehran has right to close Strait of Hormuz

Iran is open to talks with the United States if negotiations are "genuine," the speaker of Iran’s parliament said, warning that Tehran would retaliate if it came under attack, according to an interview broadcast by CNN.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told CNN that Iran was ready to negotiate but questioned Washington’s intent. “We are ready for talks, but I do not think that is the kind of talk the president of the United States is after; he just wants to impose his will,” he said.

Speaking amid a buildup of US forces in the Middle East, Ghalibaf warned that Iran would respond to any military action. “Maybe Mr. Trump can start a war, but he doesn’t have control over how it ends,” he said.

Ghalibaf blamed foreign actors for unrest in Iran and said authorities would pursue those responsible for killing security personnel during the protests, while also pointing to US sanctions as a major cause of Iran’s economic problems, CNN reported.

Financial woes helped spark anti-government protests late last which which were crushed with deadly force, in a bloody crackdown in which security forces killed thousands.

The political uncertainty and a threat of attack by the United States has only deepened

Several economic publications, including Donya‑ye Eghtesad, the state‑run ISNA, and Tejarat News, published guidance on Tuesday advising citizens on how to protect their assets from devaluation, how to plan purchases to minimize the impact of price hikes and when to buy essential goods amid market volatility.

Reports indicate that many people are stockpiling non‑perishable items, viewing goods as safer than cash amid relentless inflation.

Those with savings, they noted, have increasingly turn to gold in any form, seeing it as a hedge against currency devaluation and a liquid asset that can be converted into cash at any time.

At the same time, households are keeping only small amounts of cash on hand, enough to cover basic needs in the event of internet outages that could disrupt ATMs and banking services.

The outlets warned that persistent inflation was fuelling panic buying of basic necessities that was distorting normal spending habits.

Economic malaise has festered as the Iranian rial currency again hit a new low this week and the internal crackdown suggests no near resolution to deep US and international sanctions along with persistent corruption and mismanagement.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested Iran would face a harsh attack if it did not accede to demands by Washington over its nuclear program and military posture.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi responded that Tehran was ready with “fingers on the trigger.”

The Shargh newspaper wrote that foreign policy news and not economic it is not economic fundamentals were driving market behavior and fears assets would devalue further.

The Economic dailies predicted that the impact on food and essential goods prices would be sharp and unavoidable.

As Donya‑ye Eghtesad observed, Iran’s economy is effectively in a state of suspended animation, with the key to stability lying in the hands of diplomats.

This prolonged uncertainty, the paper argued, is creating chronic anxiety among the public: a volatile mix of fear, despair, and anger that increasingly blames authorities deemed responsible for managing the crisis.

The European Union is likely to add Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to its list of terrorist organizations, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday, ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Speaking before the foreign affairs council, Kallas said the EU was preparing additional sanctions against Iran and expected the designation of the Revolutionary Guard to follow.

“We are putting new sanctions on Iran and I also expect we will list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist list,” she said.

Israel's public broadcaster Kan (Channel 12) reported on Wednesday that President Trump signaled openness to regime change in Iran amid ongoing protests and military buildup in the region.

This follows stalled nuclear talks, recent US strikes on Iranian sites, and Trump's warnings of further action if repression continues. Israel believes Trump may act "decisively against the regime."

“Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security discussion tomorrow that is supposed to deal with both Gaza and Iran,” the report said.

No assets appear directly in Mojtaba's name, but he has been actively involved in deals dating to at least 2011, according to Western intelligence assessments, insider accounts, real estate records, and confidential documents reviewed by Bloomberg.

The portfolio includes luxury London properties exceeding $138 million (one bought for $46.5 million in 2014), a villa in an elite Dubai district, and upscale hotels in Frankfurt and Mallorca.

Funding, largely from Iranian oil sales, moved through British, Swiss, Liechtenstein, and UAE banks via shell companies such as Ziba Leisure Ltd., Birch Ventures Ltd., and Emirati entities, as tracked by the report.

Iranian banker Ali Ansari, sanctioned by the UK in October, features as owner or director in many transactions. Ansari denies any connection to Mojtaba and plans to challenge the sanctions, the report said.

The sanctions on Ansari were imposed for allegedly financing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards and building a European property portfolio worth about €400 million, according to a Financial Times investigation based on corporate filings.

The Financial Times reported that the assets include luxury properties across several European countries, ranging from a golf resort in Mallorca to a ski hotel in Austria.