Iran is ‘peace-seeking,’ says intel chief while warning US, Israel

A video showcasing the interactive installation at Tajrish station established by the Tehran municipality and run by the Daughters of the Revolution group aired on state television Tuesday.

The group, known for promoting an Islamic lifestyle and championing the Islamic veil is headed by Bahareh Jangravi, who said the project was a means of spreading the importance of wearing the hijab, in the wake of a national mass rebellion against the Islamic Republic's mandatory dress code.

The video shows women whose attire violates hijab rules weeping in the room. They are then offered headscarves by metro officials and encouraged to comply with the theocracy's strict regulations.

Concerns have also been raised on social media platforms about the authenticity of the video, with some suggesting that the women depicted either paid actors or women acting under duress.

Jangravi explained that her group's name, "Daughters of the Revolution," was chosen in response to the "Girls of Enghelab (Revolution) Street" movement, a wave of symbolic protests against mandatory hijab inspired by activist Vida Movahed's 2017 public act of defiance.

The interactive installation also features images of slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and other figures revered by the Islamic Republic.

They include the slain commander of the IRGC foreign operations arm Qassem Soleimani and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The two figures revered by Iran's military-clerical establishment were killed by the United States and Israel, respectively.

The exhibit is a scaled model of the shrine of Imam Husayn ibn Ali, the third Shia Muslim Imam. Through VR goggles, visitors can explore a lifelike virtual rendering of the actual shrine and its surroundings in Karbala, Iraq.

The initiative has drawn widespread criticism, with many viewing the room as an inappropriate use of public space to enforce the government's ideological agenda.

Critics question the municipality's involvement, arguing it oversteps its mandate and diverts resources from pressing urban issues.

Similar controversies have surrounded previous actions by the municipality, such as the deployment of "hijab guards" in metro stations and the burial of "unknown martyrs" at universities and recreational sites, along with the construction of mosques in parks.

The controversy highlights the ongoing struggle over hijab enforcement in Iran since the nationwide Woman Life Freedom protest movement following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police in September 2022.

A large number of women in Tehran and other major cities continue to defy the mandatory hijab, a trend that began with the 2022 protests.

The widespread non-compliance has strained police enforcement efforts, prompting the government to explore alternative methods, including a controversial new bill that emphasizes fines, deprivation of public services and the so-called cultural initiatives over direct confrontation.

The group said it was a response to government-led demolitions of homes in the region to expand the Makran coast.

The group announced on social media that its members entered the building, evacuated staff and visitors, and then detonated explosives.

Zahedan’s prosecutor, Mehdi Shamsabadi, said a sound bomb exploded at the Coordination Office for Eastern Chabahar Villages, partially destroying the site.

“Security and intelligence forces are investigating those responsible, and the necessary judicial orders have been issued,” he said.

No casualties were reported.

Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, reported that armed individuals stormed the office, forced people out, and then set off explosives.

Jaish al-Adl said the attack was part of its “commitment to holding government offices accountable” for their role in displacing the Baloch population.

The group has carried out multiple attacks on security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan in recent years.

In November, four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in clashes during a military drill in Rask County.

Jaish al-Adl also claimed responsibility for an attack in October that left ten Iranian military personnel dead.

Both Iran and the United States have designated Jaish al-Adl as a terrorist organization.

The group has accused the government of demographic engineering in the Makran coast development project, saying the project undermines the cultural and religious identity of the region’s Baloch residents.

The missile fired at the American warplane did not hit the target, according to the Saturday report by Fox News.

The Houthis also fired a surface-to-air missile at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone that the US military was flying over Yemen on February 19.

The Houthis have earlier shot down several MQ-9 Reaper drones over the past year. Every single one of these drones costs about $32 million, according to a Congressional report.

Last month, US President Donald Trump re-designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization over their attacks on Red Sea shipping and Israel linked to the Gaza war.

Now there is a policy debate at the highest levels of the Trump administration's military about the best way to counter the Houthis, according to Fox News.

Shortly after Trump's inauguration, Iran directed its allied forces across the Middle East including the Houthis to act with restraint, the Telegraph reported, citing a senior Iranian official in Tehran.

“Forces and allies in the region have been instructed to act with caution as [the regime] feels an existential threat with Trump’s return,” the Iranian official said.

“In Iraq and Yemen, forces have been told not to target any American assets, and if they do, they are explicitly warned against using Iranian weapons,” the official added at the time.

“They have been told to keep defensive positions for a while and to avoid any actions that might provoke the Americans.”

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced on X that Mahdi Kiasati, who was jailed in the Netherlands at the US's request over alleged sanctions violations, will be returning to Iran within hours following the Dutch decision to reject his extradition. No further details were given.

At the same time, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, covering Tehran’s nuclear program and the ongoing territorial dispute over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb islands between Iran and United Arab Emirates.

"Spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi about developments in the Middle East. Also highlighted Iran’s nuclear program and the window of opportunity for a new nuclear deal," Veldkamp wrote on X.

He also said that the Netherlands supports a peaceful resolution of the islands dispute through bilateral engagement based on international law.

The status of the islands has been a longstanding source of tension between Iran and the UAE. The islands have been under Iranian control since 1971, when Tehran took possession following the withdrawal of British forces from the Persian Gulf.

Iran insists the islands have always been an integral part of its territory, while the UAE claims that they were historically under the jurisdiction of the Qasimi sheikhs and that their claim transferred to the UAE upon its formation in 1971.

The conversation also addressed Iran’s nuclear program, with Veldkamp stressing the “window of opportunity” for a new nuclear deal. The Netherlands, alongside other European nations, has supported efforts to revive negotiations after the Trump administration’s 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and its “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions against Iran.

Since the US exit, Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the JCPOA, enriching uranium beyond agreed limits and restricting international inspections.

The call between Veldkamp and Araghchi comes as European nations continue to emphasize diplomacy amid growing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

Earlier this month, a German Foreign Office spokesperson reaffirmed that Germany, France, and the UK had held preliminary talks with Iran on its nuclear activities and regional issues. While Washington escalates its "maximum pressure" campaign, European allies remain committed to diplomatic engagement—keeping communication channels open despite Tehran’s hardened stance against negotiations with the US.

The prominent newspaper Jomhuri Eslami on Saturday called for reconsidering Ali Khamenei ban, without directly naming him. In an editorial titled “Reconsideration is beneficial bravery,” the newspaper said, “Moves by several Arab countries to encourage the Islamic Republic of Iran to negotiate with the US, and the changes in the tone of statements from US officials, including Trump himself, indicate that the ground is ready for a new perspective from Iranian officials.”

Since Trump reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy earlier this month and indirectly warned Tehran of a possible Israeli attack if it refused to negotiate, Iranian officials have insisted that the US president adopt a different tone if he seeks negotiations with the Islamic Republic.

However, Khamenei’s ban on talks with the US has raised concerns among officials and citizens as Iran’s economic situation continues to worsen. The national currency has lost over 50% of its value in the past six months, leading many to warn that without diplomatic efforts to lift US sanctions, there is little hope of reversing the decline.

Jomhuri Eslami daily, known for advocating a more conciliatory approach to negotiations, argued that Tehran had previously resolved major conflicts through diplomacy. It cited the negotiations with Saddam Hussein that ended the bloody Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s as a clear example.

Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, former chairman of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, expressed skepticism about the possibility of rapprochement between Tehran and Washington. Speaking to a local news website, he argued that the rift has become deeply ideological during Trump’s presidency, making it difficult to bridge differences. He also noted that regional countries attempting to mediate are primarily motivated by the need to prevent a regional conflict that could threaten their own security.

Gholamreza Kashi, a professor of political science in Tehran, openly advocated for a major review of Iran’s foreign policy, arguing that past policies have imposed a heavy burden on the country and the people.

“We have placed a heavy burden on ourselves, the people, and the country. The governing system must make a brave decision, and this is the only condition for reviving the true spirit of the revolution,” Kashi said.

He argued that ideological systems increasingly entrench themselves in their dogma, losing flexibility in governance. “These regimes view reality as a seven-headed dragon that constantly threatens their position. Ideological systems try to conceal the gap between situational logic and their ideals through propaganda, lies, or repression. The gap between what was intended and what actually took shape eventually becomes the greatest threat to the very existence of the system itself.”