Spotlight on Iran

Highlights^[1]

• Iran, the Houthis, and other pro-Iranian militias within the Shiite axis strongly condemned the Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar.
• Iran’s Supreme Leader urged Muslim countries to sever their trade and political ties with Israel. The Iranian President declared that if the Islamic community were united, Israel would not be able to violate the rights of Muslims.
• The Iranian foreign minister discussed developments in the Palestinian arena in his meetings with the Emir of Qatar and the Egyptian foreign minister. In addition, before the Israeli attack in Qatar, the minister met with a delegation of senior Hamas officials in Doha.
• Iran had reportedly asked a senior Iraqi official to grant it exceptional concessions at the border crossing between Iraq and Syria to transfer cash shipments for Hezbollah.
• An Iranian news agency strongly criticized the efforts to disarm Hezbollah, claiming that the organization’s weapons not only provide a guarantee for Lebanon’s security but are part of the regional deterrence equation.
• Elizabeth Tsurkov, holding Israeli and Russian citizenship, who was kidnapped in Iraq by the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia, was released from captivity and handed over to the United States.
• The leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, visited Tehran and met with senior Iranian government officials.

Condemnation of the Israeli attack in Qatar

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar and said that Israel had once again carried out a criminal act in the shadow of the international community’s astonishing silence and trampled on international law. He added that an attack on an independent state is a blatant violation of national sovereignty and the UN Charter, and that Israel does not recognize any borders and destroys any diplomatic effort. Pezeshkian called on the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and other international institutions to respond quickly, decisively, and practically to “this blatant aggression.” Following the attack, Pezeshkian spoke with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and said that the “Zionist regime” undermines security and stability in the entire region and does not refrain from committing any crime. He said that Israel’s conduct is made possible by the support of the United States, and that the Islamic countries must take a unified and cohesive position and denounce in words and deeds the aggression and crimes of the “Zionist regime” to prevent it from daring to repeat it in the future (Iranian President’s website, September 9, 2025).
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement issued following the attack in Doha that Iran stands by its Qatari and Palestinian brothers and strongly condemns the Israeli attack. He said that the only way to deal decisively with Israel’s unrestrained behavior is coordinated and united action by the Islamic world (IRNA, September 9, 2025).
• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also strongly condemned the Israeli attack on the Hamas leadership in Qatar. According to him, this is a dangerous action that is a continuation of the “crimes of the Zionist regime,” in violation of all international rules and laws, a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and an attack on Palestinian negotiators. He added that the incident should serve as a warning to the countries of the region and the international community of the dangers of continued indifference in the face of the aggression and violation of the law by the “Zionist regime in occupied Palestine and West Asia” (Iranian Foreign Ministry website, September 9, 2025).
• Mahdi al-Mashat, the chairman of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, condemned the attack and declared that “we stand with Hamas and the other factions.” According to him, the attack constituted a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, and “there can be no peace or stability in the region with the presence of the Zionist enemy,” and they must unite against it. He also said that the attack could not have been carried out without the approval of the United States, and therefore, the United States is also “responsible for what happened and is an accomplice to Israel’s crimes.” He added that the attack would only strengthen the forces opposing Israel (Saba News Agency, September 9, 2025).
• The Houthis’ political bureau also condemned the attack, claimed that it was coordinated with the United States, and called on the Arab regimes to unite “in the face of Zionist aggression” and confront “this Zionist arrogance protected by America” (Telegram channel of the Houthi movement, September 9, 2025).
• According to Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, the attack was a barbaric act backed by the United States, and the lack of practical steps by the Arab and Islamic countries “led to rampage, terrorist acts, and ongoing criminal crimes in Palestine, Yemen, Iran, and Syria” (Mohammad Ali al-Houthi’s X account, September 9, 2025).
• The Kata’ib Hezbollah militia condemned the “criminal attack carried out by the Zionist enemy in Doha against senior Hamas figures” and accused the United States of collaborating with Israel and violating Qatar’s sovereignty, claiming that this forces the Iraqi government to reconsider all the agreements signed with the United States (Kata’ib Hezbollah Telegram channel, September 9, 2025).
• The Nujaba militia also said that the attack was carried out in collaboration between the United States and Israel, and that they support the Palestinian people and their goals, which represent the Islamic nation. The militia called on the Arab countries not to stand idly by (Telegram channel of the Nujaba militia, September 9, 2025).
• The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Possessors of Might (Uli al-Baas, or UAB) condemned the “terrorist crime” against Hamas, calling it proof that the “Zionist project” is directed against the Arab nation and that unity is required to confront it (Telegram channel of the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria, September 9, 2025).

Iran and the Palestinian arena

• On the sidelines of his speech at a meeting with government ministers, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that Islamic countries must completely sever their commercial and political ties with Israel and isolate it. He noted that although the “crimes of the accursed Zionists” are being carried out with the support of the United States, the way to deal with this situation is not blocked. He added that the “Zionist regime” is the most isolated and hated regime in the world, and that one of the main lines of Iranian diplomacy should be to encourage governments to sever their ties with “this criminal regime” (Iranian Supreme Leader’s website, September 7, 2025).
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Islamic Unity Conference that “the blood-shedding Zionist regime is committing cruel genocide against Muslims, starving them and blocking their access to water, food, and life.” He noted that the Iranians are the brothers of the Palestinians, Iraqis, Egyptians, Qataris, Emiratis, and all Muslims in the world, and that if the Islamic community were united, the United States, Israel, and any other country would not be able to harm Muslim rights (Iranian President’s website, September 8, 2025).

• On September 4, 2025, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met in Doha with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. According to a statement by the Iranian embassy in Qatar, the two sides discussed relations between the countries and developments in the regional and international arenas, especially “the continuation of the genocide and crimes of the Zionist regime in occupied Palestine” and the need for serious action by the countries of the region and the international community to stop the “genocide,” to prosecute the “criminals,” and to combat the aggression and striving for control by the “Zionist regime” (Tasnim, September 4, 2025). During his visit to Doha, Araghchi also met with a delegation of senior Hamas figures, including Khalil al-Haya and Musa Abu Marzouq (Mehr, September 4, 2025).

• On September 7, 2025, Foreign Minister Araghchi spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty. According to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the two sides discussed regional and international developments, especially the continuation of the “genocide” in Gaza and the “expansionist efforts of the Zionist regime,” including the massacre and forcible transfer of Gazans. They stressed the need for serious action by the countries of the region and the international community to stop the “genocide” and bring the perpetrators to justice. Araghchi also discussed developments in the Palestinian arena during his meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister in Cairo on September 9, 2025, as well as in a telephone conversation with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi (Iranian Foreign Ministry website, September 7, 2025).
• On September 9, 2025, the official website of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reported his ruling allowing part of the khums religious tax in Shia Islam (20% of annual income) to be allocated for the benefit of Gaza Strip residents. In response to a question on whether it is permissible to use part of the khums for Gaza, Khamenei stated that believers may allocate one quarter of the total tax to support Gaza residents.
• The meeting of the Supreme Council of the World Forum for Islamic Awakening was held on September 9, 2025, in Tehran under the title: “Palestine: The Axis of Unity of the Islamic Nation.” Ali-Akbar Velayati, Iranian Supreme Leader’s senior advisor for international affairs, who also serves as the forum’s secretary-general, said in a statement issued during the conference that immediate and practical steps are needed in light of the “crimes of the Zionist regime” in the Gaza Strip, including exerting international pressure to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip; the establishment of a special international tribunal to prosecute “war criminals;” imposing economic, political, and military sanctions on Israel; the suspension of all cooperation by Islamic governments and the international community with Israel; and full support for the “resistance” of the Palestinian people. Velayati called for the continuation of the “resistance” until the complete liberation of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea (Tasnim, September 9, 2025).

Iran and the Lebanese arena

• In August, Iran reportedly asked a senior Iraqi official to grant it exceptional concessions at the Al-Qaim border crossing between Iraq and Syria to transfer cash shipments to Hezbollah through Syrian territory. The Iraqi official stated that he had not accepted the Iranian request due to political and security complications. According to the report, security officials in Syria and Lebanon have been monitoring increasing Iranian attempts to transfer aid to Hezbollah in recent weeks in light of the pressure exerted on the organization to disarm. Senior figures in the Shiite “coordination framework” in Iraq reported that Iran had told the leaders of the factions that they should look for new ways to rebuild Hezbollah’s capabilities (Asharq Al-Awsat, September 5, 2025).
• The radical Iranian news agency SNN strongly criticized efforts to disarm Hezbollah. In a commentary published on September 6, 2025, it argued that the Beirut government’s plan to place all weapons under the control of the Lebanese army while Israel continues its attacks in Lebanon does not strengthen Lebanon’s sovereignty. Instead, the news agency described it as a “forced project” by the United States and its allies to dismantle Hezbollah, weaken the “Axis of Resistance,” and “invite the Israeli monster” to reconquer Lebanon and plunge it into another civil war. The article emphasized that political wisdom and historical experience show that the “resistance” was the only factor that succeeded in liberating southern Lebanon from the Israeli occupation and preventing the realization of the “Greater Israel” project. Therefore, disarming Hezbollah before the country has any real defensive capabilities will open the way for another Israeli invasion. Moreover, Hezbollah’s weapons not only provide a guarantee for Lebanon’s security but are part of the regional deterrence equation. Experience shows that when Hezbollah’s power is weakened, Israel’s boldness to continue its aggression in Syria, Gaza, and Yemen increases. Denying Hezbollah its weapons will abandon the Lebanese public to foreign aggression and, contrary to the government’s claims, will not guarantee the reconstruction of the country but will lead to an exacerbation of immigration, instability, and despair.

Iran and the Iraqi arena

• Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh visited Baghdad in early September 2025 and met with senior Iraqi government officials. On September 4, the deputy minister met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hossein and conveyed to him the invitation of the Iranian foreign minister to visit Tehran. Khatibzadeh stressed the need to support the “resistance” and to fight against the plans of the United States and Israel to change the face of the region (Tasnim, September 4, 2025). He also met with Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement, and discussed relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen them, as well as developments in the region and the political situation in Iraq ahead of the parliamentary elections expected in the country in November 2025. The meeting was also attended by Iran’s ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadeq (Mehr, September 3, 2025; Tasnim, September 4, 2025).

• Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom Movement (NWM), visited Tehran and met with senior Iranian officials, headed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. In his meeting with the Iranian President, the two discussed relations between the two countries and stressed the need to expand cooperation in the political, economic, security, and cultural fields. President Pezeshkian described the relations between the two countries as excellent and strategic, and stressed that Tehran is always ready to support the process of development, stability, and security in Iraq. Al-Hakim thanked Iran for its support for Iraq and for standing up to the “aggression of the Zionist regime.” He stressed the importance of political and security coordination between the two countries to deal with the challenges of the region and strengthen regional stability (Tasnim, September 7, 2025). In addition, al-Hakim met with Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council; with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi; with the Iranian Supreme Leader’s Senior Advisor on International Affairs, Ali-Akbar Velayati; with Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf; with the Head of the Judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei; and with the head of the Strategic Council for Foreign Policy, Kamal Kharazi (Tasnim, September 6-8, 2025).

Iran and the Yemeni arena

The direct confrontation between the Houthis and Israel

• The Houthis’ military spokesman, Yahya Saria, claimed responsibility for five waves of attacks against Israel, some of which included the launch of several drones. According to the announcements, a total of two ballistic missiles and 12 drones were launched. According to Saria, the targets of the attacks included Ben Gurion Airport, Ramon Airport, and various targets around Jaffa (Tel Aviv), Jerusalem, Haifa, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Dimona, Eilat, and the Negev. According to Saria, all the attacks achieved their objectives (Yahya Seria’s Telegram channel, September 3-10, 2025). During the week, the IDF Spokesperson reported the interception or fall of nine drones launched from Yemen. In addition, a missile launched from Yemen had been intercepted (IDF Spokesperson, September 3-10, 2025).
• One of the drones launched into Israel hit Ramon Airport in the Eilat area, causing damage and lightly wounding five people. The IDF Spokesperson said that the drone was identified in the Israeli Air Force’s systems but was not classified as a threat, and therefore, no interception and warning systems were used. It was reported that the terminal at the airport was damaged, but the runways were not damaged, and the airport resumed operations two hours later (IDF Spokesperson and Israeli media, September 7, 2025).

     
Footage from the scene of the attack at Ramon Airport (Haaretz X account, September 7, 2025)

• Following the attack on Ramon Airport, the deputy head of the Houthis’ information office, Nasreddine Amer, said that “every time they thought Yemen would withdraw or weaken, it dealt a bigger blow.” According to him, Yemen can attack Israel anywhere and will not abandon the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (Nasreddin Amer’s X account, September 7, 2025).
• Hezam al-Asad, a member of the Houthis’ political bureau, also issued a statement, but in Hebrew, which read: “The real revenge has not yet begun… What awaits you will be much harder…” The next day, al-Asad referred to the attack that took place in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem and wrote and published two more messages in Hebrew: “Yemen hits, Jerusalem takes revenge – tomorrow will be worse” and “Ramon and Ramot are burning – your end is near” (Hezam al-Asad’s X account, September 7-8, 2025).

Houthi military activity

• Following the arrest of UN staff by the Houthis (in the wake of the Israeli attack in Yemen on August 28, 2025), an unidentified senior Houthi official told AFP that “UN employees arrested by Houthi gunmen this week are suspected of spying for Israel and the United States.” According to him, “suspects whose charges are confirmed will be brought to trial” (AFP, September 4, 2025).

Additional statements

• On September 4, 2025, Abd al-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi movement, gave a speech marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, which was broadcast in popular demonstrations throughout the country. In his speech, al-Houthi condemned Israeli aggression and oppression of Palestinians, testifying to the deterioration of the Muslim nation, and claimed that Israel wants to change the face of the Middle East (Al-Masirah, September 4, 2025).
• On September 7, 2025, Muaz Abu Shamala, the Hamas representative in Yemen, sent a letter of condolences on behalf of the movement to Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthi Political Council, following the death of senior Houthi officials in a “despicable Zionist attack.” In the letter, Abu Shamala noted that Hamas appreciates the Houthis’ support for the Palestinian people and the centrality of the Palestinian cause, and stressed the danger posed by Israel to regional and global stability (the Houthis’ presidential office X account, September 7, 2025).

The pro-Iranian militias in Iraq

Liberation of Elizabeth Tsurkov^[2]

• On September 9, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced that Israeli Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped by the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia in Iraq, had been released and was in the US embassy in Iraq “after being tortured for many months” (Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, September 9, 2025).
• Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said that the release of the “Russian citizen” Elizabeth Tsurkov was carried out “after the efforts of the security services” and said that his country would not tolerate any violation of the law or violation of the state’s authority (Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s X account, September 9, 2025).
• A source in Kata’ib Hezbollah said that Tsurkov’s release was intended to prevent “conflicts” in Iraq and to bring about the withdrawal of American forces from the country. “She was released under several conditions, and no military operation was carried out for her release,” the source said (AFP, September 9, 2025).
• The Lebanese Al-Mayadeen network reported that Tsurkov’s release was carried out under several conditions, including the promotion of the withdrawal of all American forces from Iraq (Al-Mayadeen, September 10, 2025). The Lebanese Al-Jadeed network reported that her release was made possible after ongoing negotiations in exchange for the release of several Iraqi prisoners held by Israel. It also said that the deal may include the senior Hezbollah naval force officer, Imad Amhaz, “who was kidnapped in an Israeli commando operation in Batroun, northern Lebanon, at the end of 2024, in addition to five other detainees, including Iranians” (Al-Jadeed, September 10, 2025).

^[1] The weekly study includes the activities of Iran, the Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen.
^[2] Elizabeth Tsurkov, holding Israeli and Russian citizenship, lived in the United States as part of her doctoral studies at Princeton University. She was kidnapped in Baghdad on March 26, 2023, by the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia during a visit for her research work.

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