A week into the escalating war, a steady stream of families, young couples, and solo travellers continue to arrive in Agarak. Most are Iranian citizens with residency abroad, many returning to countries like Austria, Australia, and Germany after what was meant to be summer holidays

A strike near the Gulf coast in Bushehr — home to Iran’s only operational nuclear reactor — briefly triggered widespread alarm on Thursday when Israel claimed to have hit the site, before later retracting the statement, calling it a “mistake”

The target of the proposed strike is said to be Fordo, an underground uranium enrichment facility located deep beneath the mountains near Qom. This site has long been a focal point of international concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions

While international journalists remain restricted by the Iranian government, BBC Persian and other outlets have received a flood of personal testimonies via interviews and social media. Many residents, fearful of repercussions, spoke anonymously

Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, were arrested on May 3 as part of a counter-terrorism operation led by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command

Speaking Thursday in Doha, Qatar, during the second leg of his Gulf tour, Trump expressed cautious optimism over the recent round of diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran, which concluded on Sunday

The latest sanctions target three Iranian individuals and an Iranian entity allegedly linked to the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), an institution widely believed to be at the heart of Iran’s nuclear research and weapons development infrastructure

The blast, which occurred on Saturday morning, has sent shockwaves across the country, sparking widespread mourning and anger. The explosion was so powerful that it caused fires to blaze throughout the port area, with thick black clouds of toxic chemicals lingering over the surrounding region

According to Dr. Mazalian Levi, the situation is particularly dire in several major provinces, including Tehran, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, and Yazd. Iran’s Energy Ministry declared last week that these regions are now in a state of severe water emergency

"If the Americans attack the sanctity of Iran, the entire region will blow up like a spark in an ammunition dump," Qalibaf declared in a televised speech during the annual Al-Quds Day rally, a pro-Palestinian event held on the last Friday of Ramadan

The letter, reportedly delivered by an official from the United Arab Emirates, suggested discussions on a potential deal aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and reducing the risk of military confrontation

"He had a physical problem, but I wouldn't say it was 100% a big problem, but we preferred him not to be in the game," Pioli stated, downplaying the severity of the issue. However, sources suggest that the decision was influenced by a combination of fitness concerns and off-field factors