Iran Executed Five Afghan Nationals in July, Says Rights Group

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Momeni said Tehran can no longer accommodate additional population growth. “Even if we solve the electricity and gas issues, the problem of water supply will remain unsolvable,” he said. The order was issued during Sunday’s cabinet meeting.

Momeni stated that the government’s immediate objective is to prevent any new population influx into Tehran and to maintain current levels. He added that the administration is planning initiatives in other provinces to promote reverse migration away from the capital.

The minister also reiterated the government’s stance on undocumented migrants, stating that "two million undocumented migrants" must leave the country. He said one million migrants, mostly Afghans, have already returned to Afghanistan, and the remainder must also return.

In recent months, Iran has carried out mass deportations of Afghan nationals. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 500,000 Afghans were deported over a 16-day period, an operation described as one of the largest forced displacements in the past decade.

Numerous reports have emerged of abuse during the deportations, including cases resulting in death. Afghan migrants have reported that some employers withheld their wages, and landlords refused to return rental deposits.

According to The Express Tribune, the initiative aims to strengthen regional cooperation through enhanced trade and connectivity among like-minded nations. The proposed framework is part of joint efforts by Islamabad and Beijing to establish a new mechanism that could serve as a successor to SAARC.

The report suggests that SAARC members such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Afghanistan are likely to be invited to join the new bloc. While India’s inclusion has been discussed, ongoing political tensions make New Delhi’s participation unlikely.

SAARC has been effectively suspended since 2016, when its annual summit was cancelled following India’s refusal to attend a scheduled meeting in Islamabad, a decision that was supported by Bangladesh.

More recently, India has reportedly ceased issuing special SAARC visas for Pakistani traders, a move seen by observers as another setback for the already dormant organisation.

Speaking at the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump described the ceasefire between Iran and Israel as “going very well” and called it a “major victory for everyone.”

Asked about Iran’s uranium enrichment programme, Trump responded, “We won’t let that happen, militarily.” When questioned about media reports on damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities following US airstrikes, he said, “They really don’t know.”

Trump went on to assert that Iran’s nuclear programme had been “totally obliterated” and pushed back “by decades.” He stated unequivocally that the US strike brought the conflict to a close.

When asked if the US would launch another strike should Iran resume its uranium enrichment activities, Trump replied that it would.

In a separate remark, the president said the attack on Iran would also support efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza.

The bill, which was approved with 221 votes in favour, one abstention and no opposition, mandates a halt to Iran’s collaboration with the UN nuclear watchdog. It bars IAEA inspectors from entering Iran unless the security of the country’s nuclear facilities and peaceful nuclear activities is guaranteed, a condition subject to the approval of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Speaking on Tuesday, Salimi said the new legislation covers both safeguards and non-safeguards agreements and includes penalties for individuals who allow IAEA inspectors access to Iranian sites without authorisation.

The move comes amid growing international concern over Iran’s nuclear activities. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has repeatedly urged Tehran to resume nuclear verification and monitoring efforts, warning that lack of access hampers the agency’s ability to assess Iran’s compliance with non-proliferation commitments.

Following the vote, Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the Islamic Republic would now accelerate its nuclear programme.

In Russia’s first official response to the ceasefire deal announced by former US President Donald Trump, Lavrov urged restraint in drawing conclusions, noting that available information remains incomplete.

“It is very difficult to make any final conclusions now and get a clear picture,” Lavrov said during a press briefing. “It’s reported that the Americans convinced Israel to agree to a ceasefire and to establish an indefinite truce, and that our Qatari friends played a similar role with regard to Tehran.”

Lavrov noted that despite the reported agreement, there were subsequent reports of continued attacks by both sides. “Let us not make any hasty conclusions based on fragmentary information,” he warned.

Russia, which signed a strategic partnership agreement with Iran in January, has condemned recent Israeli and US strikes on Iranian territory, calling them violations of international law. Moscow has repeatedly urged de-escalation and diplomatic dialogue in the region.