Iran
What the region's press reported about Iran, who holds its top offices, and MEF's latest analysis.
As of October 17, 2026, 8:38 a.m. ET. Readout items through the capture of October 17, 2026. Officeholders from the Government Graph file of October 16, 2026. MEF articles through October 13, 2026.
In the Region's Press
The "Revolutionary Guard" announces an explosion of a tanker after it struck a mine in the Strait of Hormuz
Asharq Al-Awsat reported the "Revolutionary Guard" said a tanker exploded after striking a naval mine while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Countries: Iran
CENTCOM: Iran's crude oil exports worth at least $25 billion were prevented
Anadolu reported that U.S. Central Command said it prevented at least $25 billion of Iran's crude oil exports and helped freeze about $350 million in crypto assets.
Countries: Iran, United States
Terrifying statement from Trump: We may use the MOAB bomb.. "Known as the 'mother of all bombs'"
Hurriyet reported that U.S. President Donald Trump said the GBU-43/B "MOAB" might be deployed against Iran's nuclear sites.
Countries: Iran, United States
Nirooye Daryae Artesh: Another offending tanker in the prohibited area caught fire / This tanker had also switched off its tracking systems
Entekhab reported Niru-ye Daryayi-ye Artesh surveillance teams identified a violating tanker on fire east of the Strait of Hormuz that had switched off its tracking systems.
Countries: Iran
Russian foreign minister will travel to Tehran
Mizan reported the Russian Foreign Ministry announced its foreign minister will travel to Tehran to meet with Iran's foreign minister.
Countries: Iran
Araghchi: We have concerns and sensitivity about America's presence in the region / Armenia will not take any action against Iran's security
Donya-e-Eqtesad quoted Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi as saying: "We have concerns and sensitivity about any presence of America in our peripheral region."
Countries: Iran
Sokhangoo-ye Artesh: A significant portion of air-defense equipment that had been damaged during the war have been repaired and re-entered the fighting organization / We have higher air-defense capability than during the Ramadan War / By implementing new operational plans in the coming days, we will force American ships to retreat further and distance themselves from the area
Entekhab reported that the Artesh said repaired air-defense systems and new operational plans will push U.S. ships farther than 500 km from Iran's coasts.
Countries: Iran, United States
CBS claim: The White House and the Pentagon have prepared plans to use the bomb known as 'Mother of All Bombs' against Iran
Ham-Mihan reported that CBS News sources said the White House and Pentagon drew up options to use the MOAB against Iranian military targets if President Donald Trump ordered it.
Countries: Iran, United States
Trump: Netanyahu? "I don't trust anyone"
Ynet reported President Trump told Newsmax he "doesn't trust anyone" in politics and said he does not see ground troops in Iran happening.
Countries: Iran, Israel, United States
Khatibzadeh: Doubts about the usefulness of negotiations
Al-Akhbar quoted Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh expressing doubts about the usefulness of the ongoing negotiations in Beirut.
New US sanctions targeting Iran
Haberturk reported that the US Treasury Department placed 16 individuals and 10 entities on its sanctions list as part of measures to limit Iran's access to the international financial system.
Countries: Iran, United States
Preparing for an attack? The military moves identified in Iran, and the talks between Israel and the Americans | First publication
N12 reported Israel held a security discussion after identifying Iranian military movements and briefed on possible targets including infrastructure and energy.
Countries: Iran, Israel, United States
US Treasury issues new sanctions linked to Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat reported the US Treasury issued new sanctions related to Iran, targeting 16 individuals and 10 entities.
Countries: Iran, United States
Houthis shared footage of the moments they targeted a Saudi Arabian warplane
Hurriyet reported that Iran-backed Houthis shared footage claiming they targeted a Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon over Saada, while Saudi authorities made no statement.
Countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Deputy Foreign Minister: an-pi-ti is alive on artificial respiration
Shargh quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Khatibzadeh saying the NPT has 'severely deteriorated' and is 'alive on artificial respiration'.
Countries: Iran
Report: Iran ordered Hezbollah to prepare for imminent war
Israel Hayom reported Lebanese security sources told Erem News Tehran ordered Hezbollah to raise readiness and prepare for imminent regional fighting.
Iran's representative left during Herzog's speech, Emir of Qatar stayed: the unusual summit - and the aerial sting maneuver toward Turkey
Ynet reported that President Herzog spoke at the CICA summit in Baku, Iran's deputy foreign minister left during his speech and an Azerbaijani flight crossed Turkish airspace.
Ma'ariv, citing informed sources: Trump and Netanyahu have spoken several times over the past two weeks about the possibility of resuming attacks on Iran / The Israeli prime minister believes that starting a war against Iran in the two weeks remaining until the election could harm Likud's chances of staying in power
Entekhab reported Ma'ariv, citing informed sources, said Trump and Netanyahu spoke several times recently and discussed the possibility of resuming attacks on Iran.
Countries: Iran, Israel, United States
The Strait of Hormuz is closed; passage must be coordinated
Mehr reported the army's coordinating deputy said the Strait of Hormuz is closed and any passage must be coordinated or face consequences.
Countries: Iran
CNN: America is considering using the "Mother of All Bombs" against the Jomhuri-ye Eslami
Iran International reported CNN, quoting US officials, said US plans include possible use of the 'Mother of All Bombs' against Iran's energy and nuclear sites.
Countries: Iran, United States
Report: US considering use of "mother of all bombs" against Iran
N12 reported that CNN said the US military has strike plans targeting Iran's energy and nuclear infrastructure and is considering the GBU-43 'Mother of All Bombs'.
Countries: Iran, United States
The Houthis develop the Iranian "Khaibar Shekan" missile, targeting an Aramco company headquarters. and the militias threaten new operations in the coming days
Al-Ahram reported that a UK arms-tracking group says the Houthis are developing an Iranian "Khaibar Shekan" ballistic missile variant and warned of more attacks.
Countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
US President Trump: Those who leaked the Iran strike should be shot
Hurriyet quoted US President Donald Trump saying the timing leak forced him to call off an attack on Iran and that leakers "should be shot."
Countries: Iran, United States
Houthis in Yemen claimed they targeted a Saudi Arabia-owned warplane
Anadolu reported that Yemen's "Iran-backed" Houthi group said it struck an aircraft owned by Saudi Arabia using a surface to air missile over Sada governorate.
Countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Iran fortifies its nuclear facilities: the fiercest attacks in "Hormuz" since the start of the war
Al-Akhbar reported that Iran has intensified attacks on ships around the Strait of Hormuz and is fortifying nuclear facilities amid stalled US talks.
Countries: Iran, United States
Military escalation in the Gulf of Oman: Washington destroys an Iranian ship and Tehran vows an offensive strategy
Al-Quds reported that Washington destroyed an Iranian monitoring ship in the Gulf of Oman, and Tehran signalled plans for an offensive strategy.
Countries: Iran, Oman, United States
Iran's judiciary says it executed Ali-Sina Mostafavi "for committing armed action in support of Israel"
BBC Persian reported Iran's judiciary said it executed Ali-Sina Mostafavi for alleged 'armed operations in support of Reza Pahlavi and the Zionist regime'.
In Israel they believe: there will be no attack on Iran before the elections
Ynet reported Israeli officials assess there is no intelligence basis to authorize a military strike on Iran before the elections and they raised election security alerts.
Netanyahu: Now and on the eve of the elections is not the right time for a preemptive attack on Iran
Shargh quoted Benjamin Netanyahu saying he opposes a preemptive attack on Iran now and on the eve of elections, it is not the right time.
A Basij women commander and a police officer killed in separate attacks in Sistan and Baluchestan
Iran International reported that a female Basij commander and a police officer were killed in separate incidents in Mehrestan County while three other security personnel were wounded.
Countries: Iran
Spokesman of the IRGC: Iran is ready to respond to any renewed aggression with greater force than before / The consequences of a possible attack will be "more painful" for the United States
Entekhab reported that the IRGC spokesman said Iran would retaliate against any renewed "aggression" with stronger force and that consequences for the United States would be "more painful".
Countries: Iran, United States
Katz: We eliminated Nasrallah, we will also eliminate Naeem Qassem
Srugim quoted Defense Minister Israel Katz as warning that if Hezbollah joins Iran in an attack it will be struck severely and lose additional territory.
Netanyahu on IDF Radio: Over the next two years we will eliminate Hamas once and for all, we will eliminate Hezbollah once and for all, we will topple Iran
Arutz 7 quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying, "Over the next two years we will eliminate Hamas, eliminate Hezbollah, and topple Iran"
Countries: Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Authority and Gaza
Report: Quds Force commander appointed new commander to Iran's secret assassination unit
N12 reported that the Quds Force installed new command in the unit that conducts operations abroad after the previous commander died in an IDF operation.
Oman's foreign minister: Finalization of an agreement with Iran about the Strait of Hormuz depends on the results of Tehran and Washington talks
Entekhab reported that Oman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi said an accord with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz hinges on U.S. Iran talks.
Countries: Iran, Oman, United States
Report: Iran changes its methods of targeting ships ahead of the U.S. elections
Asharq Al-Awsat reported Iranian officials say Tehran is using new methods to target ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz ahead of U.S. elections.
Countries: Iran, United States
They went on alert against Iran: Trump's 'get ready' instruction to Netanyahu
Yeni Safak reported claims that U.S. President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "make preparations" for a possible attack on Iran ahead of elections.
Countries: Iran, Israel, United States
Iran summoned the United Kingdom's Ambassador to the Foreign Ministry over accusations related to the Fairford base incident
Anadolu reported that Iran summoned the United Kingdom's ambassador to Tehran over allegations linking Tehran to a suspected attack on RAF Fairford Air Base.
Countries: Iran
Iran is organizing and preparing for a renewed war: rebuilding nuclear sites and threats to invade neighboring countries
N12 reported that satellite images show fortification and rebuilding at Iranian nuclear and security sites amid threats to attack neighboring states and oil facilities.
Countries: Iran
Attacks on the Kingdom continue; Saudi Arabia pledges a strong response to the Houthis' threats. and Iran offers mediation
Al-Ahram reported that Iran offered to mediate as Saudi Arabia pledged a strong response to Houthi drone and missile attacks on the kingdom.
Countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
From MEF
Time to End the Long Iran-Nicaragua Relationship
It’s Time for Oman to Close the Door on the Houthis
Saudi Arabia’s Worst-Case Iran Scenario Hasn’t Even Begun
The U.S. and Israel Should Close Aviation Sanctions Loopholes on Russia and Iran
A World of Hurt: The Middle East Three Years After October 7
The United States Should Crack Down on Alleged Iranian Front Companies in Iraqi Kurdistan