Iran nuclear programme
Gulf tensions rise as US downs Iranian drone
It was believed to be the first US military engagement with Iran following a series of increasingly serious incidents.
The Islamic republic also threatened to abandon more commitments unless a solution is found with the remaining parties to the landmark 2015 agreement after Washington unilaterally pulled out.
Fears of a conflict in the crude-rich Middle East ratcheted up Thursday when Tehran said it had shot down a US "spy drone" that was violating its airspace, which Washington denied.
The drop in recent years can mainly be attributed to the US and Russia, whose combined arsenals still make up more than 90% of the world's nuclear weapons.
France’s defence minister said she wanted to keep the nuclear deal alive but warned Iran it could face more sanctions if it did not honour its part of the deal.
The IAEA promotes peaceful uses of atomic energy while at the same time overseeing efforts to detect and prevent possible nuclear weapons proliferation.
It is almost a year since President Donald Trump reimposed crippling US sanctions after exiting a landmark nuclear agreement between major powers and Iran.
Washington has decided not to renew exemptions from US sanctions to buyers of Iranian oil, in an effort to cut Iran’s vital oil exports to zero.
The United States said it would start imposing sanctions on countries such as India, China and Turkey that buy Iranian oil.
Iranian Deputy Defense Minister in late November was quoted by Iranian media as saying that Iran was planning to launch three satellites into space soon.
The measures described by Washington as "the toughest sanctions ever" follow US President Donald Trump's controversial decision in May to abandon the multi-nation nuclear deal with Tehran.
Taking effect Monday, the measures are the most concrete result yet of US President Donald Trump's controversial decision in May to abandon the multi-nation nuclear deal with Tehran.
If passed, the resolution would allow "the continuation of discussions between Russia and the US in order to work through the two countries' concerns about the framework of the agreement."
Tensions have increased between Iran and America after President Donald Trump withdrew from a multilateral agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme in May.
Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 38 and Majid Ghorbani, 59, were charged in the indictment with acting on behalf of Iran by conducting the surveillance.
US President Donald Trump withdrew the United States in May from a 2015 accord between Iran and world powers that curbed Tehran’s nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran dismissed a last-minute offer from Washington for talks this week, saying it could not negotiate after the Trump administration reneged on a 2015 deal to lift sanctions in return for curbs on Iran’s own nuclear programme.
Foes for decades, the US and Iran have been increasingly at odds over Iran’s growing political and military influence in the Middle East since Trump took office.
International sanctions were lifted under the pact between world powers and Tehran in return for curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme.