Iran keeps its struggling economy afloat with the help of a "dark fleet" that ferries illegal oil shipments to China. But the clandestine trade comes with huge risks, leaving Tehran vulnerable to wildly fluctuating oil prices, Chinese demand, and ongoing international sanctions.
A bombing attack in Iran claimed by the Islamic State extremist group has killed 91 people, state media said on January 6, raising an earlier toll after two victims died of their wounds.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps vowed on January 6 to reach "the enemy" far and near as tensions soar on key shipping routes where Tehran’s allies have been attacking vessels.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told her Iranian counterpart on January 6 that Iran and its affiliates must stop "destabilizing acts" that could spark a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Iran said it is shutting its vast borders with neighboring Afghanistan and Pakistan to increase security after the twin bombing that killed at least 89 people in the southeastern city of Kerman on January 3.