
Iran embassy in Berlin rejects accusations of alleged planned attack on Jewish institutions
Earlier, German prosecutors said a Danish national had been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran with the aim of collecting information on Jewish sites and individuals in Berlin.
"These unfounded and dangerous accusations appear to be part of a deliberate campaign to divert public attention," the Iranian embassy said in a statement.

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Arabian Post
an hour ago
- Arabian Post
Iran Escalates Nuclear Secrecy, Cuts IAEA Ties
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A deepening rift between Iran and international nuclear inspectors marks a turning point in Tehran's approach to its atomic programme and signals a complex challenge for global diplomacy. Iran has formally suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, severing communication channels and obstructing inspections, in the wake of U.S. and Israeli military strikes on its nuclear sites. The move was set in motion on 23 June when Iran's parliamentary national security committee approved a framework for halting camera installation, inspections, and reporting to the IAEA unless the 'security of nuclear facilities is guaranteed'. The legislation was ratified by the Guardian Council on 26 June and now awaits signature from President Masoud Pezeshkian. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf justified the step, stating that cooperation should resume only when IAEA activity ceases to endanger facilities. ADVERTISEMENT Iran has since implemented the decision, reportedly blocking emergency channel calls from the IAEA's Vienna headquarters. According to a Bloomberg report, once the Incident and Emergency Centre had been in sustained dialogue since 13 June, communication has now dwindled to silence. The suspension has intensified global worry over what happened at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites that were struck in late June by U.S. and Israeli forces. Satellite imagery indicates significant damage, and the UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi described the destruction as 'enormous', stating that centrifuges at Fordow are no longer operational. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the strikes as theatrics, displaying defiance in his first address since a ceasefire with Israel, while the IAEA has received no formal notification from Tehran about the halt. Inspectors face a dual challenge: assessing bomb damage and reconciling it with actual uranium stockpiles. Reuters reports that uncovering whether enriched uranium was destroyed, buried in debris or clandestinely moved will be 'long and arduous'. IAEA chief Grossi noted Iran informed him on 13 June it had taken measures to protect nuclear materials — raising the possibility that uranium was relocated before the bombings. A senior diplomat cautioned that verifying the fate of enriched stocks will require extended forensic and environmental analysis. Analysts highlight that these uncertainties, coupled with Iran's growing 60 percent enriched uranium stockpile — now surpassed 400 kg — raise proliferation concerns. Iran stands as the only non-nuclear-weapons state to produce such highly enriched material. The crisis threatens to undermine the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Experts warn that Iran's rejection of oversight and potential expansion of enrichment capabilities could erode confidence in international safeguards and spark similar behaviour in other states. Tehran counters that it remains compliant with its obligations, defending the withdrawal as a sovereignty measure and accusing the IAEA of complicity in aggression. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov urged Iran to maintain IAEA cooperation. German officials echoed this sentiment, appealing for de-escalation and finer calibration. U.S. and Israeli intelligence contend the strikes brought Iran's enrichment efforts to a standstill, yet stop short of describing them as complete obliteration. Donald Trump claimed the attacks eliminated any need for a new nuclear deal, yet leaked U.S. intelligence suggests only a short-term delay of a few months. Disruption of IAEA activities follows a pattern of mounting distrust. The agency censure on 12 June marked the first formal finding of non-compliance by Iran in two decades. Tehran subsequently announced expansion of enrichment infrastructure, including a third site and advanced centrifuges. This standoff adds complexity to diplomatic efforts. Indirect U.S.–Iran negotiations held from April to June in Oman and Rome collapsed when Israel struck nuclear facilities on 13 June. Although Washington has signalled readiness to resume dialogue, Iran's decision to suspend IAEA cooperation adds another layer of mistrust. The prospect of tracking uranium movements amid top-secret relocation efforts, inaccessible bombed sites, and blocked communications has created a labyrinthine challenge. Inspectors and intelligence agencies alike face a 'cat-and-mouse' hunt for clarity in rubble and uncertainty. Continued monitoring and a potential return to diplomatic channels will be vital in determining whether the inspection suspension is temporary or signals a more fundamental shift in Iran's nuclear stance.


Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Saudi Arabia's oil exports soar as kingdom tries to claw back market share
Saudi Arabia's oil exports soared in June as the kingdom tries to claw back market share from other members of the energy alliance Opec. Saudi exports jumped by 441,000 barrels a day, or about seven percent, in June, to 6.36 million a day, according to tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The jump underscores how Saudi Arabia is trying to leverage its heft in the energy market by unleashing supply after years of restricting it, in an effort to keep prices higher. The jump also reaffirms the limited impact the conflict between Israel and Iran had on oil exports. Iran and Israel both generally refrained from attacking energy infrastructure geared towards exports. Iranian oil exports also soared despite Israeli attacks. Saudi Arabia is exporting more oil, but prices have also dropped. Brent Crude was trading at roughly $75 per barrel at the start of the year. On Tuesday, Brent was trading $67.07 per barrel. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters For years, Saudi Arabia pushed an energy alliance that includes Russia, dubbed Opec+, to cut production in a bid to lift oil prices. Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman went so far as to warn market speculators that they would be 'ouching like hell' if they doubted his willingness to starve the oil market of supply. One outcome of constricting supply was that Saudi Arabia surrendered market share in India and China to other oil exporters like Iran and Russia. Why Saudi Arabia can spend more money than it makes, even as oil prices drop Read More » The kingdom also did the heavy lifting to support prices. The United Arab Emirates won concessions to lift its production quotas in recent years from Opec+. Energy analysts also said Saudi Arabia's decision to boost output was aimed at Iraq and Kazakhstan, two Opec+ members who were going even further, exceeding their production quotas. Bank of America said last month that Saudi Arabia was gearing up for a prolonged period of lower prices and more supply. 'It's not a price war that is going to be short and steep; rather, it's going to be a price war that is long and shallow,' Francisco Blanch, the bank's head of commodities research, told Bloomberg. According to Oxford Analytica, Saudi Arabia needs an oil price of over $100 per barrel to balance its budget in 2025, when factoring in spending by the kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF) on megaprojects. With prices down, Saudi Arabia has turned to issuing more debt to fund Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 agenda, aimed at diversifying the kingdom's economy. Some analysts say Saudi Arabia is well-placed to endure a slump in prices because it has a relatively low debt-to-GDP ratio and there is strong global demand for its debt. 'Saudi Arabia doesn't need to balance its budget,' Ellen Wald, the founder of the energy consulting firm Transversal Consulting and the author of Saudi Inc., previously told Middle East Eye. 'The idea that Saudi Arabia needs a certain dollar per barrel to balance its budget doesn't really explain the new Saudi mindset when it comes to oil pricing,' Wald said. Saudi Arabia likely had a range of motivations to boost output this year, experts say. In addition to trying to win back some market share, the rise in global supply has helped keep energy prices low. That has been a boost to US President Donald Trump as he tries to tame inflation. The surge in oil supply also helped keep prices from rising during Israel's attack on Iran. Brent jumped more than 10 percent after Israel's attack on Iran, but fell quickly once Iran limited its response to the US strikes on their nuclear facilities.


Gulf Today
9 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Iran decries ‘destructive' conduct of IAEA chief
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Tehran halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog due to what he called the agency chief's 'destructive' behaviour towards the Islamic republic, his office said on Monday. 'The action taken by parliament members... is a natural response to the unjustified, unconstructive, and destructive conduct of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency,' Pezeshkian told Macron in a phone call late Sunday, according to a presidency statement. On Wednesday, Iranian lawmakers voted in favour of a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, citing Israel's June 13 attack on the Islamic republic and later strikes by the United States on nuclear facilities. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel took hold on June 24. Since the start of the war with Israel, Iranian officials have sharply criticised the agency for failing to condemn the strikes. Iran has also criticised the watchdog for passing a resolution on June 12 accusing it of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations. In a Sunday post on X, Macron said he called for 'respect for the ceasefire' and a return to negotiations to address 'ballistic and nuclear issues.' He further called for 'the swift resumption of the IAEA's work in Iran to ensure full transparency.' On Monday, France, Germany, and Britain condemned what they called 'threats' against the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi after Iran rejected its request to visit nuclear facilities bombed during the war. None specified which threats they were referring to, but Iran's ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper recently claimed documents showed Grossi was an Israeli spy and should be executed. Iran has said Grossi's request to visit bombed sites signalled 'malign intent' but insisted that no threats were posed against Grossi or the agency's inspectors. On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the Iranian parliament's decision to halt cooperation with the IAEA reflected the 'concern and anger of the Iranian public opinion.' He further criticised the United States and European powers for maintaining what he described as a 'political approach' toward Iran's nuclear programme during his weekly press conference. Baqaei also questioned how the safety of IAEA inspectors could be ensured while the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities -- targeted by Israel and the United States during the 12-day war -- remains unknown. 'One aspect of this issue is how to ensure the safety and security of the agency's inspectors, in a situation where there is still no accurate assessment of the severity of the damage,' he said. Iran's judiciary said at least 935 people were killed in the country during its 12-day war with Israel, state media reported Monday, nearly a week since a ceasefire took hold. Among the dead were 38 children and 132 women, the spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, said. The death toll was a sharp increase from a previous Iranian health ministry tally of 610 killed in Iran before a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday last week. Jahangir also revised the number of people killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran's Evin Prison to 79, up from 71. Israel launched the air war on June 13, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders as well as civilians in the worst blow to Iran since the 1980s war with Iraq. Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles on Israeli military sites, infrastructure and cities. The United States entered the war on June 22 with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Israel's 'act of aggression had led to many war crimes'. He said Iran would transfer evidence to international organisations which he said should hold Israel to account. 'The Zionist regime's (Israel) action was done without any reason or justification, therefore we do not believe in separating military and civilian (victims),' Baghaei told reporters at a regular press briefing. He said any 'martyr or destroyed building is an example of war crimes.' Agencies