Latest news with #AlJazeera
Al Jazeera
27 minutes ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
A simple visual guide to Iran and its people
Iran has re-emerged at the centre of international attention, following Israeli attacks on the Middle East's second-largest country on June 13. Stretching from the Caspian Sea in the north to the Gulf of Oman in the south, Iran's landscape is as varied as its history, with key access to critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows. Iran's history spans millennia, making it one of the world's most ancient and culturally rich nations, continuously inhabited and influential throughout history. In this visual explainer, Al Jazeera provides a snapshot of Iran's geography, key cities, population makeup, and ethnic diversity. With a population of 92 million, Iran is the 17th-largest country in the world by population and land area. Iran's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) is $418bn, ranking it 36th in terms of the economy size. It has an unemployment rate of about 7.2 percent. The country's adult literacy rate is 89 percent, with youth literacy nearing 99 percent, though these rates vary between rural and urban areas. The country is rich in oil and gas, ranking as the world's ninth-largest oil producer and third-largest natural gas in Western Asia, Iran is the second-largest country in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia and the 17th-largest in the world, covering approximately 1.65 million square kilometres (636,000 square miles). Iran shares land borders with seven countries, the longest being Iraq, followed by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye and Armenia. Iran covers about one-sixth the equivalent land area of the United States, nearly as large as the state of Alaska. It is about one-sixth the size of Europe, about one-fifth the size of Australia, roughly half the size of India and about 80 times larger than of Iran's 92 million people live in the western half of the country, where the terrain features rugged mountains alongside fertile valleys and river basins that sustain much of the population. With 9.6 million inhabitants, Tehran has been the capital since 1795 and is the country's largest city. Situated beneath the Alborz Mountains, Tehran's history dates back more than 6,000 years. Mashhad, in the northeast, is Iran's second-largest city with 3.4 million people and a history spanning more than 1,200 years. It is a major religious and cultural centre and is home to the Imam Reza Shrine, which brings in millions of pilgrims from around the world. Isfahan, the third-largest city, is home to some 2.3 million people. More than 2,500 years old, the city was once the capital of the Safavid Empire, which lasted from 1501 to 1722. Isfahan hosts major educational institutions and is a centre for textiles, steel and manufacturing, along with nuclear and aerospace industries. Other populous cities across Iran include: Shiraz (1.7 million), Tabriz (1.7 million), Karaj (1.6 million), Qom (1.4 million) and Ahvaz (1.3 million).Nearly 60 percent of Iran's population is below the age of 39, according to figures from the United Nations Statistics Division. The country's median age is 33-34 years, and about 77 percent of Iranians live in urban areas. The largest age groups in Iran are those aged 30-34 and 35-39, meaning most of the population was born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi Shah regime. However, there has been a significant emigration of Iranian professionals in recent years, largely driven by economic is a highly diverse country, both ethnically and culturally. Persians make up approximately 61 percent of the population, while significant minority groups include Azerbaijanis (16 percent), Kurds (10 percent) and others, such as Lurs (6 percent), Arabs (2 percent), Baloch (2 percent) and Turkic groups (2 percent). Iran is predominantly Shia Muslim, making up about 90 percent of the population, while Sunni Muslims and other Muslim sects account for roughly 9 percent. The remaining 1 percent includes roughly 300,000 Baha'i, 300,000 Christians, 35,000 Zoroastrians, 20,000 Jews, and 10,000 Sabean Mandeans according to the Minority Rights Group. In border regions such as Kurdistan, Khuzestan and Sistan-Baluchestan, ethnic groups play a key role in shaping the country's ethnic and religious diversity as well as its regional politics. While Persian (Farsi) is the official national language, many regions across the country speak a variety of other languages.
NDTV
an hour ago
- General
- NDTV
Video: Bird Rips Israeli Flag Off Pole. Internet Calls It "Sign From God"
New Delhi: A video of a raven pulling out an Israeli flag from what looks like a pipe atop a terrace has gone viral on social media, with people seeing it as a "sign of God" for things to come. The short clip was shared on social media platform X with the caption: "Even the birds have had enough." In the clip, the bird flies to the pole, sits on it and starts pulling out the flag with its beak. At one point, it struggles, takes a mild flight and clutches the flag before dropping it to the floor. NDTV could not independently authenticate the video. "Even the birds have had enough" — Peacemaker (@peacemaket71) June 19, 2025 The short clip was shared widely on X and sparked emotional responses amid what's been an immensely tense time in West Asia. Israeli journalist Nir Hasson jumped in to share her thoughts on the video, saying: 'God is undoubtedly hinting something to us, just not sure exactly what.' אלוהים בלי ספק רומז לנו משהו רק לא בטוח בדיוק מה. — نير حسون Nir Hasson ניר חסון (@nirhasson) April 29, 2023 Another user tweeted: "Even the bird does not recognize what you call Israel. A crow pulls the flag from the mast and throws it to the ground." Even the bird does not recognize what you call Israel ???? A crow pulls the flag from the mast and throws it to the ground.✌️???????? — waed Palestine???????????? (@waedgaza) April 29, 2023 "It is not the first time, nor is it a coincidence, that a crow has brought down the Israeli flag," tweeted another user, sharing multiple other clips of crows attacking an Israeli flag. It is not the first time, nor is it a coincidence, that a crow has brought down the Israeli flag. Israel will fall, and Palestine will be free — ✌️????????✌️ Mohammed Najjar (@hamada_pal2020) May 1, 2023 "That is a sign from God," wrote another. That is a sign from God. — plainjane (@plainjane130632) June 19, 2025 The Israel-Iran conflict has entered its eighth day after Tel Aviv targeted Tehran's military and nuclear facilities and killed several high-ranking officials. Iran retaliated with missile strikes in parts of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in what was a marked escalation between two arch-foes in decades. An Iranian missile hit the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera. Local officials said it was a 'direct hit.' Huge plumes of smoke were seen rising from the site. Fires broke out, and emergency services reported at least five people were injured. This was also confirmed by Israel's Channel 12. The Israeli military said it intercepted three Iranian drones over the Dead Sea Thursday night. On whether or not America would get directly involved in the war, the White House said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump would take a call in the next two weeks. Trump also said that negotiations and talks weren't off-table. Meanwhile, Russia has warned Israel against striking Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant. Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry, said the Kremlin was "particularly concerned about the safety of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which employs Russian specialists." Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, will meet European representatives from three countries for talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, according to state-run news agency IRNA. The meeting will allow "continued engagement with our greatest ally", CNN reported.
NDTV
an hour ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Is Israel's Iron Dome Failing Against Iran? What Ex General Told NDTV
New Delhi: Over the last eight days, Israel's much-acclaimed air defence system, the Iron Dome, has been tested like never before against multiple waves of Israeli missiles. As the conflict stretches into its eighth day, questions mount over its performance and whether it can withstand a long conflict. On Thursday, Iran confirmed a new wave of combined missile and drone attacks on military sites in Haifa and Tel Aviv, escalating tensions and prompting fears that Israel's air defences may be cracking under pressure, reported Al Jazeera. On June 19, the strikes, which reportedly hit four locations - including Soroka Hospital in southern Israel - triggered a counterattack. Airstrikes were aimed at what are believed to be Iranian-linked nuclear facilities in Iraq. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was not ruling out a strike on Ayatollah Khamenei, while Defence Minister Israel Katz directly blamed the Iranian Supreme Leader for the attack on the hospital. As footage surfaces showing some missiles slipping past Israeli air defences, speculation has intensified — is the Iron Dome beginning to falter? Speaking to NDTV, retired Brigadier General Amir Avivi, chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), insisted that while the system was under strain, it remained largely intact. He said it wasn't just the Iron Dome at work. 'Ballistic missiles — especially those fired from long range — are intercepted mostly by Arrow 3,' he said, referring to Israel's space-based missile defence system, which he claimed has 'more than 90% success.' Still, he cautioned that no system is flawless. 'It's hard to reach 100%,' he said, adding that when a missile does break through, Israel's layered defence kicks in. He also advised civilians to use bunkers in such instances. On whether the Iron Dome was still dependable or if Israel must prepare for a post-Iron Dome future, Avivi maintained that the system, along with the broader air defence network, was reliable. He said the situation was not just about a single system but about a multi-layered strategy to counter a range of threats. Watch #NewsNight with @DeeptiSachdeva_ | Last Few Hours For Khamenei's Regime? US Attack Imminent? Chairman of IDSF (Retd) Amir Avivi speaks to NDTV's Deepti Sachdeva, shares his insights on the ongoing Iran-Israel tensions #NDTVExclusive — NDTV (@ndtv) June 19, 2025 'Israel is managing to systematically destroy the ballistic capabilities of Iran,' he said, pointing out that Iran aimed to launch hundreds of ballistic missiles but failed to maintain that momentum. According to him, Israeli strikes have destroyed more than 40% of Iran's launchers, significantly damaging Tehran's ability to sustain attacks. As Israel's defence systems are being tested by Iranian missile attacks, Avivi seems to suggest that the Iron Dome, though under pressure, can hold the line — at least for now. On Thursday, the White House said that President Donald Trump will make a decision on whether or not the US should get directly involved in the Israel-Iran conflict in the next two days. The negotiations or talks weren't off-table, it added.
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Israel's Terrorist Attack On Iran: For What?
For 20 months, Israel's government and occupation forces have pursued a campaign of genocide in Gaza, interspersed with destruction and land grabs in the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. Now Israel has indulged its long-held desire to attack Iran, a nation of 92 million people. Israel claims that this was a pre-emptive attack, a necessary act of self-defence to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. US State Department intelligence findings flatly contradict that claim. While it calls Iran a nuclear threat, Israel is the only Middle Eastern state with nuclear weapons – undeclared, uninspected, and therefore all the more dangerous. We, Jewish groups in 19 countries, believe that Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu acted to divert attention from Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza and its daily attacks and land seizures in the West Bank, and to extend Israel's imperial domination over more of the Middle East. He further seeks to extend his own rule (and evade jail). Netanyahu has long wanted to lure the US directly into war against Iran. Ultimately, he seeks to bring down the Iranian government, in denial of the right of the Iranian people to chart their own way forward. Shortly before it attacked Iran, the IDF virtually cut Gaza's last communications and imposed a complete siege on the West Bank. Hourly, it pursues genocide in darkness. On June 20, Al Jazeera counted over 170 Palestinians killed in Gaza this week, while they were trying to obtain the food that they have a right to obtain. It is too easy to condemn only Netanyahu, who is already on trial domestically and wanted internationally for crimes of genocide. The problem is wider. This regional war-crime spree is inherent in the logic of Zionism. Since 1947, the Zionist project has systematically expelled and murdered Palestinians. It has pursued territorial expansion and regional domination inspired by Western imperialism, while claiming victimhood as a persecuted Jewish collective. Israel's role remains dependent on the full support – diplomatic, military and economic – of Western powers. Donald Trump, ever ready to claim destruction as his own, openly refers to Israel's attack as an action 'we' undertook. The German Chancellor says that Israel is 'doing dirty work for all of us.' Global Jews for Palestine rejects Israel's atrocities and its racist narrative. This widening suffering and chaos will continue until all countries make it end. Governments must cease arming and justifying Israel's crimes, and instead they must impose effective sanctions on Israel. As the world's highest court has advised, we call on our governments to stop normalising and start bringing this disaster to its only credible end: ceasefire, accountability, and justice which realises the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. We, Jews from around the world urge all governments to abandon the racist, reckless project of Zionism and start the urgent work of justice. We pledge to continue and intensify our efforts to end occupation, genocide and the wider military adventures which threaten to engulf us all. MORE ABOUT GLOBAL JEWS FOR PALESTINE We are Jews from many countries, who are members of local, national and international networks and organizations. We are multi-ethnic and multigenerational and our members embrace a broad range of viewpoints on Jewish religious and ethical traditions. We are connected by our involvement in the struggle for Palestinian rights, and by our determination to work for justice. We oppose Zionism and all forms of racism and colonialism. We believe that it is our particular responsibility to challenge Jewish organizations whose alliances and actions undermine Palestinian human and national rights, promote Jewish exceptionalism, and overturn Jewish social justice traditions. At the heart of our work is the fight for Palestinian liberation and the struggle for a world free of racial and ethnic hierarchy, colonial domination, and unbridled militarism.
Al Jazeera
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Take: MAGA is split over Israel and Iran. Which way will Trump go?
How did MAGA become Trump's biggest opponent of a US strike on Iran? The Republican base is split over Trump's rhetoric about getting involved in another foreign war. Conservative stalwarts like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon are pushing back. Could a US strike on Iran be a blow against Trump at home? In this episode: Episode credits: This episode was produced by Ashish Malhotra, Sonia Bhagat and Amy Walters with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Mariana Navarette, Khaled Soltan, Remas AlHawari, Kisaa Zehra, and our host, Manuel Rapalo. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editor is Hisham Abu Salah. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube
