Iran is making new efforts to arm its militia allies across the Middle East. Forces allied with Yemen’s government intercepted a large shipment of Iranian weapons sent to the Houthis, including cruise missiles, Qader antiship missiles, Saqr air-defense missiles, warheads, targeting components, and drone engines. The new Syrian government seized several weapons cargos, including Iranian-made air-defense missiles, Grad rockets used in truck-mounted multiple-launch systems, and Russian-made Kornet antitank missiles near its borders with Iraq and Lebanon. In addition, the Lebanese Army seized a shipment of Russian antitank missiles brought across the Syrian border.
News Briefs
July 16, 2025
A Yemeni armed group seized more than 750 tons of arms bound from Iran to the Houthis, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). The seized weapons included cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles, as well as warheads, seekers, drone engines, air defense equipment, radar systems, and communications equipment. The group, the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), is led by a nephew of Yemen's late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and is not part of Yemen's internationally recognized government, although it opposes the Houthis.
-- Reuters
July 15, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, set the end of August as the de facto deadline for reaching a nuclear deal with Iran. If no deal is reached, the European countries plan to trigger the “snapback” of U.N. Security Council sanctions, which were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran might avoid this outcome by allowing the resumption of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring and the removal of roughly 400 kg of 60% enriched uranium. The snapback process is expected to take 30 days and would therefore be concluded before Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the Security Council in October.
-- Axios
July 11, 2025
Iranian national and U.S. permanent resident Bahram Mohammad Ostovari was arrested and charged with illegally exporting electronics used in railway signaling and telecommunications systems from the United States to Iran. From at least May 2018 to July 2025, Ostovari allegedly used a Tehran-based company he owned and two United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based front companies, MH-SYS FZCO and Match Systech FZE, to ship computer processors and other electronics to Iran. Ostovari allegedly mislead suppliers in the United States and other countries into believing that the UAE-based companies were the end users of the goods, which were in fact destined for Iran.
-- U.S. Department of Justice
July 4, 2025
All remaining International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors departed Iran. The inspectors had not been able to monitor Iranian nuclear sites since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran in mid-June. It was unclear when or if IAEA inspectors would be permitted to return.
-- Reuters
June 25, 2025
Ukrainian weapons inspectors found Iranian-made anti-jamming devices in the debris of Russian drones used to attack Ukrainian cities. Markings on the drone indicated that the anti-jamming unit was produced in Iran within the past year. The unit contained antennas similar to ones found on Iranian missiles shipped to the Houthis in Yemen.
-- Associated Press
June 23, 2025
Iran launched a barrage of missiles at al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, where the U.S. militay's Central Command maintains its forward headquarters. The attack produced no casualties. Shortly after the attack, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
-- NPR
June 22, 2025
The United States carried out strikes against nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the strikes involved GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator "bunker-busting" bombs dropped from B-2 bomber aircraft, as well as submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles. U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran not to retaliate and to make peace with Israel.
-- CBS News
June 19, 2025
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raphael Grossi said that Isfahan was the location of the new uranium enrichment site that Iran had announced earlier in June in response to the IAEA Board of Governors' censure resolution. Grossi stated that an IAEA inspection of the site had been planned but had to be postponed due to the commencement of Israeli military strikes against Iran.
-- Reuters
June 18, 2025
Israel carried out airstrikes against Iranian nuclear and military targets beginning on June 12. The Israeli strikes hit missile bases, military headquarters, and nuclear facilities including Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment site. Israel also killed several senior Iranian nuclear scientists and high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) generals, including armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC head Hossein Salami, and IRGC Aerospace Force commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at Israel. Both countries were continuing to exchange fire as of June 18.
-- Associated Press