New Iranian-American hostage, tanker released—and more
The Iranist for the week of November 21, 2025
NOTE: In observance of Thanksgiving, there will be no newsletter next week 🦃
THE هفت/SEVEN THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK:
۱/1 Nuclear saga takes another turn
THE LATEST ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM Per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran still has a stockpile of 440 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent—a short, technical step away from the 90 percent weapons-grade level. After the 12-day war with Israel in June, Tehran suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. In early September, the IAEA reached an agreement in Cairo to resume inspections. However, that very month, the United Nations Security Council triggered the “snapback” mechanism, re-imposing sanctions on Iran after Tehran failed to make a meaningful proposal to Europe (READ HERE).
On November 16, at the state-organized Tehran Dialogue Forum, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that Iran is no longer enriching uranium at any site due to the US bombing of its facilities during the war (AP/The Guardian). He added, “There is no undeclared nuclear enrichment in Iran. All of our facilities are under the safeguards and monitoring” of the IAEA, and that the country would never relinquish its “inalienable right” to enrichment. He also said that Tehran remains open to negotiations with the United States based on “dignity and respect.” That same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told CNN that Iran’s nuclear program remains “intact,” adding, “we are going to be protecting that.”
Interestingly, The New York Times reports:
“Some experts say they now believe that Iran is continuing to work on a new enrichment site known as Pickax Mountain. It has refused to give international inspectors access to that site or to any other suspected nuclear sites other than those already declared.”
SLAP ON THE WRIST, AGAIN On November 20, the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution urging Tehran to grant inspectors full access to all nuclear facilities and provide information on its enriched uranium “without delay.” (Reuters/Al-Monitor) The measure passed 19 out of 35, with China, Russia, and Niger voting against and 12 countries abstaining. The resolution was introduced by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany—the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal also known as the E3—alongside the United States, citing the lack of verification for more than five months. The four nations said in a statement:
“Our message is clear: Iran must resolve its safeguards issues without delay. It must provide practical cooperation through access, answers, restoration of monitoring, to enable the agency to do its job and help rebuild confidence.” (Reuters)
In response, Araghchi wrote on X:
“Like the diplomacy which was assaulted by Israel and the US in June, the Cairo Agreement has been killed by the US and the E3. The sordid sequence of events that brought us here…”
Iran then sent an official letter to the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stating that the Cairo agreement is no longer valid and considered terminated (Al-Monitor/Washington Post).
LETTERS FOR PEACE On November 17, Iranian President Masoud Pezeskhian sent a letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ahead of his US visit, urging Riyadh to help persuade Washington to revive nuclear talks (Reuters). Sources told Reuters the letter emphasized that Tehran “does not seek confrontation,” wants deeper regional cooperation, and remains “open to resolving the nuclear dispute through diplomacy, provided its rights are guaranteed.” Two days earlier, on November 16, Iran’s foreign minister sent a letter to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani regarding Iran and regional issues (Al Jazeera).
During MBS’ meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House the following day, he said:
“We are close allies and we are working closely together on that issue, and we would do our best to help to reach a deal between America and Iran. And we believe it’s good for Iran’s future to have a good deal that would set the path for the region and the world and America, so we will do our best to see that day happen.” (X)
۲/2 Worries over Iran’s water crisis continue to grow
Meanwhile, authorities began cloud seeding this week, prompting rainfall that triggered floods in western Iran (Reuters).
۳/3 Political prisoner Farzad Khoshboresh dies after alleged torture
۴/4 Iranian-American woman imprisoned in Iran
Her son, Reza Zarrabi, who lives in Germany, says the 70-year-old is being detained for his political activism advocating regime change (RFERL).
۵/5 Marshall Islands-flagged tanker and crew released
۶/6 Poll: Iranian-Americans prioritize regime change, human rights
۷/7 UNESCO-recognized Hyrcanian forests are burning
OTHER اخبار/NEWS THAT MADE HEADLINES:
Human Rights
۰ Seven prisoners executed across Iran over three days (HRANA)
۰ Arman Oskouei sentenced to imprisonment (HRANA)
۰ Kourosh Jalil arrested and transferred to prison to serve his sentence (HRANA)
۰ Three Ahvazi citizens arrested by security forces (HRANA)
۰ Two Piranshahr residents sentenced to six years on political charges (HRANA)
Domestic Issues
۰ Haunted by 2019 protests, Tehran avoids fuel price hike (Iran International)
۰ Judicial chief orders crackdown on women defying hijab law (Al-Monitor)
۰ 16-year-old bride killed by husband days after marriage (IranWire)
۰ Growing number of Iranian women imprisoned over financial debt (IranWire)
۰ Psychiatric drugs widely available to teens in tehran, raising addiction concerns (IranWire)
۰ The commander’s daughter: How a viral photo exposed Iran’s elite hypocrisy (IranWire)
Foreign Policy + Security
۰ An interview with Iran’s foreign minister (The Economist)
۰ Israel backs purported Iranian Army defections, but ‘deepfakes’ raise questions (Amwaj.media)
۰ Iran showcases ambition and advances at military museum after setbacks of Israel war (NBC News)
۰ Iran’s paranoid security services turn on each other over spy fears (Telegraph)
۰ Crossing Hell: Inside the deadly journey of Iranian refugees to Britain (IranWire)
۰ Turkey to navigate enduring Iranian influence in Iraq following elections (Al-Monitor)
۰ Iran backs Maduro to keep Latin America foothold as Trump increases pressure on Venezuela (Fox News)
Iran Deal + Sanctions
۰ Iranian nuclear experts held second covert meeting with Russian weapons institute (Financial Times)
۰ Treasury tightens sanctions on Iran’s oil network supporting its military (Treasury.gov)
۰ Trump says Republicans drafting bill to broaden Russia sanctions to include Iran (Iran International)
Arts + Culture
۰ 2 Iranian documentaries win top prizes at Amsterdam Film Festival (IranWire)
۰ Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe film to bring plight of other hostages held by Iran into focus (The National)
۰ Musician Arash Sobhani brings protest-infused Iranian rock to New York (Al-Monitor)