Saturday, August 29, 2026

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Duolingo has announced that its English test is not available in Iran or to people using Iranian identity documents. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that TOEFL tests are being canceled, with no new dates announced for holding them in Iran. These developments came days after the United States suspended one of its sanctions exemptions for educational services to Iranians. On 2 Shahrivar, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) suspended indefinitely General License “G,” which had authorized certain academic exchanges and the provision of educational services to Iranians since 2014. Duolingo, the U.S. company behind the language-learning app whose online English test is accepted by many universities, now says on its official support page that the test is unavailable in Iran and to people using Iranian identity documents. At the same time, a number of Iranian users have shared images on social media that they say show messages canceling TOEFL tests and indicate that no test centers or dates are available in the registration system of ETS, the organization that administers the TOEFL. Radio Farda cannot independently verify the authenticity or origin of these images. Some test-takers have also said TOEFL exams were still being held in Iran until very recently, but that after OFAC’s latest decision, cancellation messages were sent to some applicants. As of the publication of this report, the organization that administers the TOEFL has not issued an official notice saying the test has been suspended in Iran. On its website, Iran remains listed among the countries where the TOEFL iBT is offered, and contact information specifically for Iranian applicants is also provided. It therefore remains unclear how far the reported restrictions extend, or whether they are directly linked to OFAC’s decision. General License G, issued by OFAC in March 2014, allowed accredited U.S. universities, among other things, to establish academic exchange programs with Iranian universities and provide certain educational services to Iranian students. @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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According to the latest rates recorded on the open market on Saturday, 6 Shahrivar 1405, the US dollar has reached around 205,880 tomans. The dollar rate in the Herat market was also recorded at around 205,230 tomans. Live market data also shows the dollar rising above 206,000 tomans as trading continues. Meanwhile, the euro is trading at around 238,910 tomans and the British pound at around 279,090 tomans. The Canadian dollar has reached around 148,650 tomans. In the gold market, a gram of 18-karat gold has reached around 21,810,790 tomans, based on a snapshot of the market. The price of each mesghal of melted gold was also reported at around 94,480,000 tomans. @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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Government sources: “Deploying volunteer forces to the Strait of Hormuz in response to Trump’s nonsensical remarks” 📡 @VahidOnline

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🔴 Since the beginning of 2026, the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center has documented 950 executions in Iran. At least 20 women and 30 protesters are among those executed, and so far, 45 executions have been recorded in August. 🔸 In the Islamic Republic’s judicial system, built on unfair proceedings, a lack of transparency, and the influence of political motives, and where fair-trial principles are systematically violated, the use of the death penalty constitutes arbitrary deprivation of life under international law. #NoToExecution @IranRights

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U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States had reached a deal with Venezuela, which he called “the biggest oil deal in the history of the world.” Trump said that under the agreement, and with private-sector participation, the United States would gain control of a majority of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves, at no cost to American taxpayers. He added that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had helped secure the deal in coordination with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez. Trump said the agreement would more than double U.S. oil reserves, significantly increase supply, and help lower gas prices for Americans over the long term. @VahidOOnLine On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, referring to the new oil deal between Washington and Caracas, said it would not only ensure stable reserves and lower gas prices in the United States, but also bring nearly $100 billion in private-sector investment to Venezuela. Rubio wrote on X: “For the people of Venezuela, this agreement will bring nearly $100 billion in private-sector investment, support thousands of high-paying jobs, and drive the rebuilding of Venezuela’s economy.” @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline