Latest news with #UnitedArabEmirates
Washington Post
11 hours ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Much of the focus on Iran's nuclear program has been on Tehran's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb.
Associated Press
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran's nuclear deal
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Much of the focus on Iran's nuclear program has been on Tehran's enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic's Arak heavy water reactor. That's because the facility, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran, could produce plutonium, which can be used to make an atomic bomb. Israel pointed to just that concern when it launched airstrikes Thursday on the reactor, following its attacks on other Iranian nuclear sites, including the Nantanz enrichment facility, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, and laboratories in Isfahan. Iran acknowledged the strikes, saying at least two projectiles slammed into the compound, without giving any specifics about damage. Never online, the reactor had no uranium fuel and saw no nuclear release from the strike. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has warned repeatedly that such sites — whether in Iran or Ukraine — should not be military targets. Arak grew out of Iran's onetime military nuclear program After Iran's devastating 1980s war with Iraq, it began a secret military program to seek a nuclear weapon and approached four nations to purchase a heavy water-moderated reactor. After getting turned down, Iran decided to build its own. Heavy water is water in which hydrogen is replaced by deuterium and is used as a coolant for heavy water reactors. The reactors can be used for scientific purposes, but plutonium is a byproduct of the process. Before the centrifuge technology that enriches uranium to levels high enough for use in weapons became widespread, many states used heavy water reactors to pursue plutonium-fueled bombs. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, have heavy water reactors, as does Israel, which has never acknowledged having atomic weapons but is widely believed to have them. Though Iran ultimately embraced uranium-enriching centrifuges as the main driver of its program, it built the reactor, which never went online. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also had been enriching uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran was the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level. Arak was part of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers Iran agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to alleviate proliferation concerns. That included pouring concrete into part of it, though the overall work never was completed. The Arak reactor became a point of contention after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, claimed on Iranian state television in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace the portion of the reactor into which officials poured concrete. Due to restrictions Iran has imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. Israeli strike likely heavily damaged the inert reactor On Thursday morning, Israel carried out an airstrike on the reactor. Black-and-white footage of the strike it released showed a bomb dropping on its dome and sending up a massive plume of fire and smoke. The U.N. nuclear watchdog noted that since it was not in operation and contained no nuclear material, there was no danger to the public after the strike from any 'radiological effects.' The IAEA said it had no information on whether the facility nearby where heavy water is produced had been hit. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israelis said. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape:
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
Hackers say they wiped out US$90 million from Iran cryptocurrency exchange
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Hackers with possible links to Israel have drained more than US$90 million from Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, according to blockchain analytics firms. The group that claimed responsibility for the hack on Thursday leaked what it said was the company's full source code. 'ASSETS LEFT IN NOBITEX ARE NOW ENTIRELY OUT IN THE OPEN,' the group wrote on its Telegram account. The stolen funds were transferred to addresses bearing messages that criticized Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic wrote in a blog post. It said the attack likely was not financially motivated as the wallets the hackers had poured the money into 'effectively burned the funds in order to send Nobitex a political message.' The hackers group, Gonjeshke Darande — 'Predatory Sparrow' in Farsi — accused Nobitex of having helped Iran's government to evade Western sanctions over the country's rapidly advancing nuclear program and transfer money to militants, in a post on X claiming the attack. Nobitex appeared to have confirmed the attack. Its app and website were down as it assessed 'unauthorized access' to its systems, it said in a post on X. The theft spanned a range of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and more, said head of national security intelligence at Chainalysis Andrew Fierman. The breach is 'particularly significant given the comparatively modest size of Iran's cryptocurrency market,' he added. The hack appears to be motivated by escalating tensions in the Israel-Iran conflict, which broke out last week when Israel struck Iran's nuclear sites and military officials, drawing Tehran's response with barrages of missiles. It came after the group said it had destroyed data in a cyberattack against Iran's state-controlled Bank Sepah on Tuesday. Elliptic said that relatives of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were linked to the exchange and that sanctioned Revolutionary Guard operatives had used Nobitex. It shared evidence that the exchange had sent and received funds from cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Iranian allies including Yemen's Houthis and Hamas. Gonjeshke Darande has previously claimed responsibility for other high-level cyberattacks against Iran, including a 2021 operation that paralyzed gas stations and a 2022 effort against a steel mill that sparked a large fire. Israeli media have widely reported that Gonjeshke Darande is linked to Israel but the country's government has never officially acknowledged ties to the group. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King last year raised concerns about Iran's use of cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions. Gabe Levin, The Associated Press
Washington Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Hackers say they wiped out $90 million from Iran cryptocurrency exchange
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Hackers with possible links to Israel have drained more than $90 million from Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, according to blockchain analytics firms. The group that claimed responsibility for the hack leaked on Thursday what it said was the company's full source code. 'ASSETS LEFT IN NOBITEX ARE NOW ENTIRELY OUT IN THE OPEN,' the group wrote on its Telegram account. The stolen funds were transferred to addresses bearing messages that criticized Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic wrote in a blog post. It said the attack likely was not financially motivated as the wallets the hackers had poured the money into 'effectively burned the funds in order to send Nobitex a political message.' The hackers group, Gonjeshke Darande — 'Predatory Sparrow' in Farsi — accused Nobitex of having helped Iran's government to evade Western sanctions over the country's rapidly advancing nuclear program and transfer money to militants, in a post on X claiming the attack. Nobitex appeared to have confirmed the attack. Its app and website were down as it assessed 'unauthorized access' to its systems, it said in a post on X. The theft spanned a range of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and more, said head of national security intelligence at Chainalysis Andrew Fierman. The breach is 'particularly significant given the comparatively modest size of Iran's cryptocurrency market,' he added. The hack appears to be motivated by escalating tensions in the Israel-Iran conflict , which broke out last week when Israel struck Iran's nuclear sites and military officials , drawing Tehran's response with barrages of missiles. It came after the group said it had destroyed data in a cyberattack against Iran's state-controlled Bank Sepah on Tuesday. Elliptic said that relatives of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were linked to the exchange and that sanctioned Revolutionary Guard operatives had used Nobitex. It shared evidence that the exchange had sent and received funds from cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Iranian allies including Yemen's Houthis and Hamas . Gonjeshke Darande has previously claimed responsibility for other high-level cyberattacks against Iran, including a 2021 operation that paralyzed gas stations and a 2022 effort against a steel mill that sparked a large fire. Israeli media have widely reported that Gonjeshke Darande is linked to Israel but the country's government has never officially acknowledged ties to the group. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King last year raised concerns about Iran's use of cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions.
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Property Finder welcomes Owen Wilson, CEO of REA Group, to its Board of Directors in a major industry move
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 19, 2025: Property Finder, MENA's leading property portal (or 'the company'), has announced the appointment of Owen Wilson, CEO of REA Group, to its Board of Directors. Wilson brings decades of executive and operational experience, including nine years at REA Group, where he progressed from Chief Financial Officer to Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure he led REA Group, which operates Australia's #1 property platform, through a period of sustained growth and international expansion. Under his leadership, the business became widely regarded as the most advanced digital real estate company in the world. Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) with a market capitalisation of approximately USD $20 billion, REA Group, a former shareholder in Property Finder, is majority-owned by News Corp, the global media company founded by Rupert Murdoch. Wilson's addition to the Property Finder Board signals the company's ambition to accelerate innovation, underscore governance, and deliver even greater value to home seekers, buyers and partners across the MENA region. Michael Lahyani, Founder and CEO of Property Finder, said: "Owen brings deep industry expertise to our Board. His leadership at REA Group, shaping digital transformation, driving strategic M&A, and championing customer-first innovation sets a strong benchmark for the industry. As we continue our mission to change living for good in the region, Owen's insight will be instrumental in helping us deliver on our purpose and strengthen our position as the regional leader." Owen Wilson, Board Member, Property Finder, adds, 'I'm deeply passionate about creating personalised experiences that redefine how people engage with property. I've long admired Property Finder's bold vision and the transformative role it plays in reshaping real estate across the MENA region. Under Michael's leadership, the team's relentless focus on innovation, customer experience, and data-driven decision-making closely aligns with the values I've championed throughout my career. I'm excited to support Michael and the Board as the company embarks on its next chapter of growth and continues to shape the future of property search.' About Property Finder Property Finder is a pioneering property portal in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, dedicated to shaping an inclusive future for real estate while spearheading the region's growing tech ecosystem. At its core is a clear and powerful purpose: To change living for good in the region. Founded on the value of great ambitions, Property Finder connects millions of property seekers with thousands of real estate professionals every day. The platform offers a seamless and enriching experience, empowering both buyers and renters to make informed decisions. Since its inception in 2007, Property Finder has evolved into a trusted partner for developers, brokers, and home seekers and buyers. As a lighthouse tech company, it continues to create an environment where people can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the transformation of real estate in MENA. For more information, please contact: Gambit PR & Communications propertyfinder@
