October 28

International: Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to the supreme leader, said that Iran was open to cooperation with Western countries that “respect Iran’s sovereignty and treat [Iran] as an equal.” He said that the Islamic Republic will reassess its foreign policy with various countries, including European states.

Iran and Hezbollah condemned Israel for the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Tehran’s most important ally in the Middle East, on Sept. 27, 2024. Hezbollah responded with barrages of rockets in subsequent days. Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem pledged to continue the fight against Israel. “Despite the loss of our leaders and the great sacrifices, we won’t budge an inch from our stances.”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Iran’s most important ally in the Middle East, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27, 2024. Israel’s ability to cripple Hezbollah in a matter of weeks called Iran’s longstanding “forward defense” doctrine into question. For decades, the Islamic Republic has relied on its militia allies across the region to pressure Israel and deter strikes on Iranian soil.

September 23

Nuclear: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran was ready to resume nuclear talks. “If the other parties are ready, we can restart the negotiations during this trip,” he wrote on X. He announced that he would remain in New York for several days after the U.N. General Assembly to meet with foreign counterparts. 

In the final debates of Iran’s snap presidential election, the two front runners engaged in often feisty arguments about the way forward for the Islamic Republic. The two debates were held on July 1 and 2; each lasted more than two hours. The following are excerpts from the two debates, the first on political and cultural issues and the second on the economy. 

June 24

International: Jordanian police discovered and detonated explosives hidden in a commercial warehouse southeast of Amman. Security sources told Reuters that Iran was behind a plot to destabilize the kingdom, a key ally of the United States in the region.