TIG Post

Tag: Iran

  • Hamas leader assassinated in Iran

    Hamas leader assassinated in Iran

    Hamas’ top political leader was killed Wednesday by a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital, Iran and the militant group said, blaming Israel for a shock assassination that risked escalating into an all-out regional war.

    Iran’s supreme leader vowed revenge against Israel.

    Israel, which kept silent about the strike, had pledged to kill Ismail Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders over the group’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

    The strike came just after Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran — and hours after Israel targeted a top commander in Iran’s ally Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

    The assassination was potentially explosive amid the region’s volatile, intertwined conflicts because of its target, its timing and the decision to carry it out in Tehran. Most dangerous was the potential to push Iran and Israel into direct confrontation if Iran retaliates. The U.S. and other nations scrambled to prevent a wider, deadlier conflict.

    In a statement on his official website, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said revenge was “our duty” and that Israel had “prepared a harsh punishment for itself” by killing “a dear guest in our home.”

    Bitter regional rivals, Israel and Iran risked plunging into war earlier this year when Israel hit Iran’s embassy in Damascus in April.

    Iran retaliated, and Israel countered in an unprecedented exchange of strikes on each other’s soil, but international efforts succeeded in containing that cycle before it spun out of control.

    Haniyeh’s killing also could prompt Hamas to pull out of negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage release deal in the 10-month-old war in Gaza, which U.S. mediators had said were making progress.

    And it could inflame already rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which international diplomats were trying to contain after a weekend rocket attack that killed 12 young people in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.

    Israel carried out a rare strike Tuesday evening in the Lebanese capital that it said killed a top Hezbollah commander allegedly behind the rocket strike.

    Hezbollah, which denied any role in the Golan strike, said Wednesday it was searching for the body of Fouad Shukur in the rubble of the building that was hit in a Beirut suburb. The strike killed three women and two children, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

    There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Haniyeh’s death. A key question was whether Israel told the U.S., its top ally, ahead of time.

    Asked about Haniyeh’s killing, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “This is something we were not aware of or involved in.” Speaking to Channel News Asia, Blinken said he would not speculate about the impact on cease-fire efforts. “But I can tell you that the imperative of getting a cease-fire, the importance that that has for everyone, remains.”

  • Pezeshkian elected as Iran’s president

    Pezeshkian elected as Iran’s president

    Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist, has been elected as the new president of Iran, overcoming his hardline conservative opponent, Saeed Jalili, in a closely contested election.

    Dr. Pezeshkian won 53.3% of the votes, while Mr. Jalili garnered 44.3%, according to the final results declared by Iran’s interior ministry.

    Over 30 million votes were cast in the runoff election, which was necessitated after no candidate secured a majority in the first round held on June 28, where voter turnout hit a historic low of 40%.

    The election followed the tragic death of Iran’s previous president, Ebrahim Raisi, in a helicopter crash in May, which also claimed the lives of seven others.

    The news of Dr. Pezeshkian’s victory sparked celebrations among his supporters, who took to the streets of Tehran and other cities, waving green flags and dancing as car horns blared in support.

    Dr. Pezeshkian, a 71-year-old heart surgeon and parliament member, has been vocal in his criticism of Iran’s morality police and has pledged to bring “unity and cohesion” and end the country’s “isolation” from the international community.

    He has also advocated for “constructive negotiations” with Western nations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Iran limit its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

    In stark contrast, Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, is known for his hardline stance against the West and his opposition to the nuclear deal, which he claims compromises Iran’s sovereignty.

    Despite strong backing from Iran’s religious communities, Mr. Jalili’s platform failed to resonate with a broader electorate wary of further international isolation and sanctions.

    Voter turnout in the runoff was 50%, an improvement from the first round but still significantly low compared to historical standards.

    The initial low turnout, the lowest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, reflected widespread discontent and frustration among the electorate, many of whom felt that the dominance of hardline candidates offered little hope for real change. This sentiment led millions to boycott the election altogether.

    However, some who abstained from voting in the first round were motivated to participate in the runoff to prevent a Jalili presidency, fearing that his leadership would escalate tensions with the international community and exacerbate Iran’s isolation.

    Both candidates had to pass a rigorous vetting process by the Guardian Council, a powerful body of 12 clerics and jurists, which disqualified 74 other candidates, including several women. The Guardian Council has faced criticism from human rights organizations for barring candidates deemed insufficiently loyal to the regime.

    Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed suggestions that the low voter turnout indicated a rejection of his rule. “There are reasons [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will examine them, but if anyone thinks that those who did not vote are against the establishment, they are plainly wrong,” he asserted.

    In a rare acknowledgment, Khamenei admitted that some Iranians are dissatisfied with the current regime. “We listen to them and we know what they are saying and it is not like they are hidden and not seen,” he added.

  • We will destroy you if you attack Lebanon – Iran threatens Israel

    We will destroy you if you attack Lebanon – Iran threatens Israel

    Iran’s United Nations mission has issued a stark warning to Israel, cautioning against any large-scale military actions in Lebanon, which it claims could escalate into a devastating conflict.

    In a statement posted on X late Friday, the mission stated, “All options, including full engagement of all Resistance Fronts, are being considered,” referring to Iran-aligned groups across the region.

    The statement dismissed Israel’s threats of targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon as “psychological warfare” and “propaganda.”

    Tensions along the Israeli-Lebanese border have escalated with daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah since the start of the current conflict in Gaza on October 7.

    Concerns of a broader conflict heightened after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated preparations for a “highly sensitive operation” on the Lebanese border.

    Israeli military spokespersons confirmed a series of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, including military installations in the Zabqin area and operational infrastructure in Khiam and Odaisseh.

    Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized Israel’s readiness for any potential conflict with Hezbollah while expressing a preference to avoid war.

  • Iran keeps adding to its weapons-grade uranium stockpile – UN

    Iran keeps adding to its weapons-grade uranium stockpile – UN

    Iran has more uranium that is almost strong enough for making weapons. According to the United Nations, this is another way that Iran is trying to put pressure on the world.

    Iran wants the economic sanctions against it to be removed in return for reducing its controversial nuclear program. The program, like everything else in Iran, is controlled by Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and that’s probably not going to change after the helicopter crash that killed Iran’s president and foreign minister last week.

    The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency is happening at the same time as the Israel-Hamas war, which is causing a lot of tension in the Middle East. Israel and Iran attacked each other’s land for the first time last month.

    According to a report seen by The Associated Press, as of May 11th, Iran has 142.1 kilograms (313. 2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent. This is an increase of 20. 6 kilograms (454 pounds) since the last report by the UN watchdog in February. Uranium that is 60% pure is very close to reaching the level needed to make weapons, which is 90% pure.

    According to IAEA, about 42 kilograms (92. 5 pounds) of uranium that is enriched to 60 percent is enough to make one atomic weapon, if it is further enriched to 90 percent.

    As of May 11, the report says Iran has 6,201.3 kilograms of enriched uranium, which is 675.8 kilograms more than before.

    Iran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful reasons, but the head of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has said before that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make “several” nuclear bombs if it decides to. He admitted that the UN agency cannot be sure that Iran’s centrifuges have not been used for secretly enriching nuclear material.

    Iran and the IAEA have been having more problems since 2018. This is because Donald Trump decided on his own to take the United States out of the nuclear deal with Iran. Since then, Iran has stopped following the rules of the deal about its nuclear program and started doing more enrichment.

    In the old nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to make uranium up to 3.67% pure, keep 300 kilograms of it, and use basic machines to do it.

    In 2015, Iran agreed to only enrich uranium to levels needed for making electricity and in return, the economic sanctions against Iran were lifted. At that time, UN inspectors were responsible for watching over the program.

    Monday’s report said that Tehran still has not changed its mind about preventing IAEA inspectors from checking its nuclear program. They expect Iran to reconsider this decision during the discussions with the IAEA.

    The report also said that Tehran still hasn’t changed its mind about not letting IAEA inspectors keep an eye on its nuclear program. It also said that they want Iran to change its decision during talks with the IAEA.

    The report says that Grossi is very sorry that Iran won’t let inspectors in. He thinks it’s really important for them to be allowed in so they can do their job properly.

    The report recognized that the deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have caused a break in the talks between Tehran and the IAEA about working together better.

    Before the helicopter crash on May 19, Iran agreed to have talks with the IAEA on May 20. This was after Grossi visited earlier in the month. But those meetings didn’t happen because of the crash. Iran sent a letter on May 21. They said their nuclear team wants to keep talking in Tehran at a time that works for both sides.

    The report also said that Iran still hasn’t given the IAEA information about where the manmade uranium particles found at two places, Varamin and Turquzabad, came from and where they are now.

    The IAEA asked for something to be fixed. If it’s not fixed, they won’t be able to make sure Iran’s declarations are correct and complete. This is part of an agreement between Iran and the nuclear watchdog.

    The report said that no new monitoring equipment, like cameras, has been put back in place yet since they were taken out in June 2022. Since then, the only information available is from cameras installed by the IAEA at a workshop where centrifuges are made in Isfahan in May 2023. But Iran has not let the IAEA see this information.

    The IAEA checked some cameras in Isfahan on May 21, after a delay in April. They collected data since December 2023 and put it under separate seals from both the Agency and Iran at the locations.

  • Mahama signs book of condolence as he mourns Iran’s Raisi

    Mahama signs book of condolence as he mourns Iran’s Raisi

    Former President John Mahama visited the Iranian Embassy in Accra on Friday, May 24, to sign the book of condolence for the late President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, who tragically died in a helicopter crash.

    During his visit, the former president conveyed his heartfelt condolences and stood in solidarity with the people of Iran during this difficult period of mourning.

    Ghana and Iran share a longstanding and robust relationship, and Mr. Mahama worked diligently to enhance these ties during his presidency. His visit to Iran in 2014 aimed to bolster economic cooperation and trade between the two nations.

    At the embassy, Mahama reiterated Ghana’s commitment to strengthening relations with Iran and expressed optimism for continued cooperation upon his anticipated return to office in 2025.

    Mr. Mahama extended his deepest sympathies to the people of Iran and the late president’s family, offering his support during their time of grief.

  • Iran inters its deceased president in the nation’s holiest Shiite monument after tragic plane crash

    Iran inters its deceased president in the nation’s holiest Shiite monument after tragic plane crash

    Iran buried President Ebrahim Raisi at the country’s most important Shiite shrine on Thursday, after he died in a helicopter crash. This adds to the problems Iran is already facing, including sanctions, unrest within the country, and tensions with other nations.

    Raisi, along with the country’s foreign minister and six others, was buried at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Shiite Islam’s eighth imam is also buried there and it’s a popular place for pilgrims to visit. Many people wearing black clothes gathered around the shrine with its golden dome. They were crying and hitting their chests to show their sadness, which is a tradition in Shiite ceremonies.

    A saying from the Prophet Mohammad says that visiting a certain place will take away your sadness and sins. However, Thursday’s large religious ceremony did not provide much comfort for Iran and its many problems.

    The events for Raisi have not attracted as many people as the gatherings for Revolutionary Guard Gen in 2020. Qassem Soleimani was killed by a US drone in Baghdad.

    In Tehran, around 1 million people came out to the streets to honor Soleimani, which is more than what was seen at the men’s commemorations on Wednesday. But the events have often mentioned the leader and shown his picture, which might create a connection between the people.

    This shows how the public feels about Raisi’s time as president. He was very strict and did not allow people to speak out against the government. This happened after the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not wearing a headscarf.

    The government crackdown and Iran’s economy problems were not talked about on state TV or in newspapers. Raisi’s role in the killing of around 5,000 people at the end of the Iran-Iraq war was never talked about.

    Not much is known about why the old Bell helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous area. The police and soldiers were going to look into the situation soon.

    Authorities have told people not to celebrate Raisi’s death in public, and there is a lot of security in Tehran since the accident.

    Raisi, who is 63 years old, was being talked about as someone who might take over from Iran’s top leader, 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The next time people will choose a new president is on June 28. Right now, no one in Iran’s political leaders is the top choice for the position, especially no one who is a Shiite cleric like Raisi.

    Acting President Mohammad Mokhber, who wasn’t well-known before the crash on Sunday, has started doing his job and went to a meeting between Khamenei and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday.

    Mashhad was a place where Raisi stayed for a long time. In 2016, Khamenei chose Raisi to lead the Imam Reza charity foundation in Iran. The charity manages a lot of businesses and properties, and also looks after the shrine. It is a charitable foundation in Iran that is funded by donations or assets taken after the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    The Imam Reza charity, also known as Astan-e Quds-e Razavi in Farsi, is one of the largest charities in the country. Experts believe that it is worth tens of billions of dollars because it owns almost half of the land in Mashhad, which is Iran’s second-largest city, about 750 kilometers east of the capital, Tehran.

    Raisi is the first important politician in the country to be buried at the shrine, which is a big honor for the religious leader. His wife’s dad leads the city’s Friday prayers.

    Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian died while Iran is supporting militia groups in the Middle East to fight against Israel and the United States. People who were sad sang and spoke out against both countries during the ceremonies.

    The official news showed pictures of a meeting between Iran’s military leaders and the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthi rebels from Yemen.

    On Thursday morning, a lot of people wearing black clothes gathered on a big street in the city of Birjand. Raisi used to work there as a member of the Assembly of Experts in South Khorasan province, which is near the border with Afghanistan. In Mashhad, people gathered on the streets to say goodbye to the person who passed away. They reached out to touch the truck carrying his body and threw scarves and other items at it for good luck.

    Former Foreign Ministers Mohammed Javad Zarif and Ali Akbar Salehi, along with other important people, went to Iran’s Foreign Ministry to pay their respects to Amirabdollahian. His casket was on display there. He was buried in Shahr-e Rey, near Tehran, at the Abdol Azim shrine, which is a place where famous people from Persian history are laid to rest.

    “A religious singer said hello to Soleimani as they laid Amirabdollahian to rest. “








  • Iran president dies with foreign minister, others in helicopter crash – State TV

    Iran president dies with foreign minister, others in helicopter crash – State TV

    Iran State TV reports that smoke was seen coming from President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter.

    Reuters, citing an Iranian official, also reported that the helicopter was “completely burned” in the crash.

    “President Raisi’s helicopter was completely burned in the crash… unfortunately, all passengers are feared dead,” the official said.

    Other senior government officials, including the foreign minister, were on board the ill-fated helicopter.

    In the wake of the tragic crash that claimed the life of President Ebrahim Raisi, Vice President Mohammed Mukhbar is set to be sworn in as the new president.

    His appointment is pending the approval of the Supreme Leader. According to the constitution, a new president must be elected within 50 days following such an event.

  • Iranian president and foreign minister killed in helicopter crash

    Iranian president and foreign minister killed in helicopter crash

    Iran’s state TV has confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and several others lost their lives in Sunday’s helicopter crash in northwestern Iran.

    Among the victims were Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Al-e Hashem, the imam for Friday prayers in Tabriz, and General Malek Rahmati, the governor of East Azerbaijan province. The president’s protection unit commander, Sardar Seyed Mehdi Mousavi, also perished, along with several bodyguards and helicopter crew members who have not yet been named.

    The helicopter was reported to have been “completely burned” in the crash, according to an Iranian official cited by Reuters.

    https://twitter.com/ShaykhSulaiman/status/1792437926443286903
  • Iran detains 260 individuals for promoting “satanism and nudity”

    Iran detains 260 individuals for promoting “satanism and nudity”

    The Iranian police has arrested over 260 individuals, including three Europeans, for allegedly spreading satanism, as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency on Friday.

    The report mentioned that the suspects were caught on Thursday night in Shahryar County, west of Tehran, for promoting satanism and nudity. It did not give any more details.

    It’s not clear how so many people were arrested in one night. We don’t know if the suspects were all together in one place like a party, or something else.

    In Iran, it is against the law to see men and women who are not related together, and it is considered a sin under Islamic law.

    IRNA’s report said that 146 men and 115 women were arrested, along with three people from Europe. It did not say which European countries they were from. IRNA reported that the suspects were caught in a bad and inappropriate situation with satanic symbols on their clothes and bodies.

    Symbols like these are often seen in piercings, earrings, or tattoos, but they are not allowed in Iran. The report said the police took drugs and alcohol from the people they arrested.

    Sometimes, the government in Iran arrests people who go to parties with both men and women and if they are caught drinking alcohol.

    It is against the law for Muslims to drink alcohol, and men and women who are not related cannot mix or dance together in public.

  • Yemen’s Houthi rebels report two attacks in Gulf of Aden as Iran officer threatens nuclear attack

    Yemen’s Houthi rebels report two attacks in Gulf of Aden as Iran officer threatens nuclear attack

    Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they were behind two missile attacks on two ships in the Gulf of Aden. According to the rebels, the ships were not hurt and they were from Panama after a person who gives advice to Iran’s top leader said Iran could make a nuclear bomb if it wants to.

    Yemeni military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree and former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi made comments about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They are supporting Hamas and putting pressure on Israel to stop the war.

    The Houthis say they will keep attacking ships in the important waterway that leads to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea as long as the war continues. At the same time, Iran has attacked Israel with drones and missiles like never before, showing the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

    Saree said that he was responsible for the attacks on the MSC Diego and MSC Gina in a statement that was recorded before. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a group led by the US and other countries in the Middle East, reported that two missile strikes occurred on Tuesday morning.

    No one was hit and all the crew on the ship are safe, the center reported. “The boats were last said to be going to the next port. ”

    The center said that the boats were probably attacked because they were thought to be connected to Israel.

    Both ships were working for a company called Mediterranean Shipping Co., which is based in Geneva. They did not respond right away when asked for a comment.

    Saree did not explain why it took the rebels two days to say they were responsible for the attacks. He said that the Houthis attacked the MSC Vittoria, a different cargo ship, in the Indian Ocean. No one has reported or confirmed an attack on that ship.

    The Houthis are attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to force Israel to stop fighting against Hamas in Gaza. Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza war, according to local health officials. The fighting started when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct 7 and killed 1,200 people. They also took around 250 people as hostages.

    The Houthis have attacked ships more than 50 times, captured one ship, and sunk another since November, according to the US Maritime Administration. Shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has decreased because it is not safe.

    On Thursday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported what Kharrazi said. He was a former foreign minister when Mohammad Khatami was president.

    Kharrazi talked to Al Jazeera about his atomic bomb threat to the channel in 2022 during tensions with the West over Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal. The interview was not aired right away.

    Kharrazi said, according to IRNA, that if Iran is in danger, we might need to rethink our nuclear plans. The military officials said that Israel can attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iran might change its nuclear plans.

    Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency have been arguing since 2018, when President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of Iran’s nuclear agreement. Since then, Iran stopped following the rules of the deal and is making uranium stronger, almost as strong as what is needed for making weapons.

    At the same time, Iran and Israel are in a very tense situation. Tehran used a drone and a missile to attack Israel last month. This was in response to Israel’s attack on an Iranian building in Syria, where two Iranian generals and others were killed.

    Isfahan, a city in Iran, was attacked by Israel recently, even though it is near important nuclear facilities.

  • Canada imposes sanctions on Iran’s Minister of Defence

    Canada imposes sanctions on Iran’s Minister of Defence

    Canada is taking action against Iran’s defense minister by putting new restrictions on them, because Iran attacked Israel and now Canada is responding.

    The penalties impact two organizations and two military leaders. They happen a week after Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Canada would focus on more Iranians.

    Iran’s Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani and top military leaders have been put on sanctions along with the US and the UK.

    The punishments come after Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel on April 13, which was its first direct attack on the country.

    Israel is believed to be responsible for an airstrike on Iran’s embassy in Syria.

    The sanctions prevent certain people and groups from coming to Canada or doing business with Canadians.

    “Iran is causing a lot of worry with its actions, and it could make the situation in the region even more dangerous,” Joly said in a statement.

    Joly’s department says that Iran’s military group called the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind the attack on Israel. The Conservatives have asked Ottawa many times to label the group as a terrorist organization.

    A part of the IRGC is already on the list, and Liberals are thinking about putting the whole organization on the list.

    However, they have always said that if they do this, it will impact a lot of people who have no option but to join the organization, even in non-fighting jobs.

  • North Korean officials pay rare public visit to Iran

    North Korean officials pay rare public visit to Iran

    A group of officials from North Korea, led by the minister for international trade, is visiting Iran. This is a rare public report of a meeting between the two countries, which are thought to have secret military connections.

    Yun Jong Ho, a government official, left North Korea on Tuesday to visit Iran with a group of other officials. He is in charge of economic relations with other countries. It did not provide any other information.

    Many people have thought that North Korea and Iran work together on making missiles, sharing their knowledge and parts to make them.

    Iran gave a lot of missiles to Russia to use in their war with Ukraine, according to Reuters in February.

    North Korea is thought to have given missiles and weapons to Russia, but both countries say it’s not true.

    Yun used to work on the relationship between South Korea and Syria, as shown in the South Korean government’s records.

    Yun recently led a group to visit Moscow as part of the country’s growing relationship with Russia. This was reported by KCNA.

  • Iraq looks into explosion at militia base with ties to Iran

    Iraq looks into explosion at militia base with ties to Iran

    Iraqi officials are looking into a blast that hit a base used by a group of Iranian-backed militias. The explosion killed one person and injured eight others.

    At first, militia officials said the explosion at the Kalsu military base was caused by an airstrike from US forces, but it was actually an accident at the base. The US Central Command said they did not do any air attacks in Iraq.

    The PMF said on Saturday afternoon that there was a blast, but didn’t say who caused it.

    The Iraqi Security Media Cell said that they did not find any drones or fighter planes in the airspace of Babylon before or during the explosion. One member of PMF died and eight people were hurt, including an Iraqi army soldier.

    The PMF is a group of mainly Shiite, Iran-supported armed groups that are part of the Iraqi armed forces.

    Recently, some PMF member groups attacked US forces in Iraq and Syria. They did this because they were upset with the US supporting Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza. The attacks stopped in January after three American soldiers were killed in a strike on a base in Jordan near Syria. This made the US retaliate with strikes in Iraq.

    The explosion at the PMF base happened the day after it was believed that Israel attacked Iran. A group of militias supported by Iran, called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said they used a drone to attack the Israeli town of Eilat. They did this because they believe Israel targeted their camps, which they see as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.

    There haven’t been any reports of an attack on Eilat in Israel, and the Israeli military hasn’t said anything yet.

  • Explosion destroys pro-Iranian militia’s Iraqi military installation

    Explosion destroys pro-Iranian militia’s Iraqi military installation

    An explosion at a military base in Iraq that is home to a pro-Iranian militia has killed one person and injured eight others, according to security officials.

    Iraq’s army said there were no drones or fighter planes in the area before or during the explosion, and the US said it was not responsible.

    At the same time, the militia called the Popular Mobilisation Forces, said they were responsible for the attack. The news comes at a time when Israel and Iran are having more problems with each other.

    The fight between the two enemy countries has entered a new stage. It’s believed that Israel attacked near the Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday morning.

    The attack was a reaction to a big drone and missile attack that Tehran did on Israel six days ago.

    Iran took action because they were upset about an attack on their military leaders in Syria. Many people think Israel was responsible for the attack.

    Although the fighting is not too widespread right now, the Iranian foreign minister said Iran will strongly fight back if Israel attacks its interests.

    The boom at Kalso military base, around 50 km (30 miles) south of Baghdad, happened early on Saturday morning, according to the military.

    The Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) was using it. It is a group of paramilitaries mostly made up of Shia Muslim militias supported by Iran.

    One person from the PMF died in the explosion and eight others were injured.

    The PMF said its top assistant, Abdul Aziz al-Mohammedawi, went to the base to check on what investigators had discovered.

    The Iraq army is checking what caused the blast and fire at the base.

    “The air defence command report used technology and radar to check, and it found that there were no drones or fighter jets in the sky over Babil before or during the explosion,” a statement said.

    The US military’s Central Command said that the reports about US airstrikes in Iraq were not true. They posted this on X, which used to be called Twitter.

  • French police detain man at Iranian Consulate wearing fake explosives vest

    French police detain man at Iranian Consulate wearing fake explosives vest

    A man was arrested by the police outside the Iranian Consulate in Paris on Friday. He was wearing a fake explosives vest and making dangerous threats. The police locked down the area to keep everyone safe. He didn’t have a clear reason.

    The incident happened when things were already tense in the Middle East, and Paris is being extra careful because the Summer Olympics are coming soon.

    The person was found guilty of starting a fire at the gates of the Iranian Embassy as a way to protest against the Iranian government. This information was given by the Paris prosecutor’s office. The consulate and embassy are in the same place in a fancy part of Paris near the Seine River.

    Iranian officials did not say anything in public about what happened.

    The man was seen at about 11 am outside the consulate. A person who saw him told the police that he had a grenade and a vest with explosives. This information was given by a Paris police official. The official did not want to give his name because it was against the police rules.

    Highly trained police and soldiers blocked off the area and stopped traffic to make it safe.

    The man reportedly made threats of violence inside the consulate, but then left the building by himself, according to the prosecutor’s office.

    The police arrested him, but they didn’t find any weapons on him or in his car. The bomb vest was not real, the prosecutor’s office said.

    The suspect has been caught by the police, and the Paris prosecutor’s office is looking into death threats. Investigators are trying to figure out why the person did what they did.

    The police did not give the name of the person they suspect, but they said he was born in Iran in 1963.

    The police knew about him and he got a punishment from the court for setting fire to car tires at the Iranian Embassy in Paris. According to the prosecutor’s office, he said it was a protest against the government of Iran.

    The prosecutor said that the man cannot carry a weapon and is not allowed to go to the 16th arrondissement for two years. The sentence was put on hold because the defendant appealed.

  • Israel issues last-minute warning to US regarding drone attack on Iran

    Israel issues last-minute warning to US regarding drone attack on Iran

    The US has told the Group of Seven countries that it got “last minute” information from Israel about a drone operation in Iran. But it didn’t take part in the attack.

    Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who led the meeting of rich countries’ ministers, said the United States gave the information at a meeting on Friday morning. The information was changed at the last minute to deal with the suspected attack.

    On Friday, Iran shot down flying machines near Isfahan. It was a possible Israeli attack in response to Tehran’s big drone and missile attack on the country last weekend.

    Tajani said the US told the G7 ministers that Israel had told them about the drones at the last minute. “But the US did not tell anyone about the attack. ” It was just some information.

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he didn’t want to talk about the claim, but he made it clear that the US didn’t take part in any attack and wants to reduce the tension in the area.

    “I’m not going to talk about that, but I can say that the United States has not been part of any attacks,” Blinken said.

    Asked about the relationship between the US and Israel, Blinken said that Israel makes its own choices and the US is dedicated to keeping it safe.

    “We promise to support Israel in protecting itself and helping in its defense when needed. We recently helped Israel fend off an attack by Iranian drones and missiles. “

    “Israel has made its decisions, and we promise to protect and support them,” Blinken said.

    Tajani said the G7 partners shared information on Friday about what they knew about the situation in Iran. He said he talked to the Italian embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran on the phone and found out that the Italians in Isfahan were all okay.

    Tajani said that nobody got hurt or died. “Some Italians in the city where the drones landed are all okay. ” They say life is back to normal, and planes are flying in the skies of Iran again.

    “The weather seems nicer today compared to last night,” he said.

    After a three-day meeting, the ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States agreed that they want the parties involved to stop things from getting worse.

    The statement said it supported Israel’s safety and strongly condemned Iran for attacking Israel in April. It also mentioned the seizure of a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

    “We are prepared to use more penalties or do other things to respond to any more attempts to cause unrest,” the document said.

    The group told Iran not to give ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia.

    In the fighting in Gaza, the group asked Hamas to let go of the people they are holding and told Israel to follow the rules of international law and treat people with kindness.

    The G7 countries said they don’t want a big war in Rafah because it would hurt the people who live there. They think more help should be sent to Gaza.

    “The G7 has worked and will continue working to reduce tensions,” Tajani said in a press conference at the end. He said that would mean reducing tensions, stopping fighting, freeing hostages, and helping the Palestinian people.

  • Iran opens fire on alleged Israeli attack drones near nuclear and air base in Isfahan

    Iran opens fire on alleged Israeli attack drones near nuclear and air base in Isfahan

    A drone attack by Israel on Iran’s air base and nuclear site near the city of Isfahan was met with defense from Iranian troops on Friday morning. This was in response to Iran’s earlier drone and missile attack on Israel.

    No Iranian leader said Israel was responsible for the attack, and the Israeli military did not reply when asked for a comment. Tensions have been high since the Saturday attack on Israel, as it is fighting against Hamas in Gaza and targeting Iran in Syria.

    Antonio Tajani, the Foreign Minister of Italy, said at the G7 meeting in Capri that the US got new information from Israel about the attack on Isfahan just before it happened.

    US officials did not want to talk about it as of early Friday, but American TV networks said that Israel was responsible for the attack, citing unnamed US officials. The New York Times reported that Israeli officials, who did not give their names, said the attack happened on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 85th birthday. Israeli leaders suggested that their country had launched an attack.

    “Air defence weapons were fired in many areas because drones were seen in the sky, according to state television. ” The leader of the Iranian army, General. Abdolrahim Mousavi said that the crew aimed at many things flying in the air.

    Mousavi said that the explosion in Isfahan’s sky this morning was because the air defense systems shot at a suspicious object, but it didn’t cause any damage. Some people said the drones might be quadcopters – small drones with four rotors that you can buy.

    Officials said that the air defenses shot at a large air base in Isfahan. This base has been where Iran keeps its American-made F-14 Tomcats, which were bought before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    Tasnim shared a video from one of its reporters in Isfahan, showing two anti-aircraft gun positions. The area is near a site in Isfahan where Iran converts uranium, and the details in the video match the features of the site.

    We heard gunshots at 4:45. He said that nothing was happening. “It was the air defense, those guys you’re watching, and also over there. ”

    In Isfahan, there is a place with three small research reactors from China. They also make fuel and do other things for Iran’s civilian nuclear program.

    Isfahan is a place in Iran where important places related to Iran’s nuclear program are located. One of these places is the Natanz enrichment site, which is underground. This site has been attacked multiple times, and it is believed that these attacks were carried out by Israel.

    The government TV said all nuclear sites in the area are “completely safe. ” The United Nations’ nuclear agency also said there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites after the incident.

    The IAEA is asking everyone to be very careful and saying that nuclear facilities should never be attacked in wars.

    Iran is making really strong uranium for weapons because their deal with other countries fell apart when Donald Trump stopped it in 2018.

    Iran says they are using their program for peace, but Western nations and the IAEA claim that Tehran had a secret military weapons program until 2003. The IAEA is telling us that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make many nuclear weapons if they want to. But the U. Sis also worried about this. The intelligence community says that Tehran is not currently trying to make a bomb.

    Two airlines from Dubai, Emirates and FlyDubai, changed their flight paths to avoid flying over western Iran at around 4:30 a. mThe time in the area. They didn’t explain, but warnings to pilots in the area suggested that the airspace may have been closed.

    Iran stopped all commercial flights in Tehran and surrounding western and central regions. Iran started offering regular flight service again, the officials said.

    During the time of the event in Iran, Syria’s state-controlled SANA news agency reported that Israel launched a missile attack on an air defense unit in the southern part of Syria and caused damage. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Britain said that the strike hit a military radar used by the government forces. “We are not sure if anyone was hurt,” the Observatory stated.

    In Iraq, people in Baghdad heard explosions, but they didn’t know where they were coming from. Iran-supported groups have a strong presence in Iraq.

    The event in Iran on Friday made people worried that the conflict in the Middle East could get worse. This is because Iranian-backed rebels from Yemen have been attacking ships in the region.

    The UK’s naval operation center warned ships in the area that there may be more drones flying in the sky.

    “There is no evidence that commercial ships are the planned target,” it said.

    The Houthis have attacked ships at least 53 times, taken one ship, and sunk another since November, according to the US Maritime Administration.

    Houthi attacks have decreased in recent weeks because the rebels are being attacked by the U. Sand other countries in Yemen. Also, fewer ships are traveling through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden because of the danger.

    The supposed attack scared energy markets for a short time, causing the price of Brent crude to briefly go above $90 before dropping again on Friday.

    However, the Iranian government’s media tried to make the situation seem less serious by showing a peaceful morning in Isfahan after the incident. This could be done on purpose, especially because Iranian officials have been warning for days that they would strike back if Israel attacked them first.

    Iran is still saying they didn’t do it and if nothing else happens, both sides can calm down for now. Sanam Vakil, from Chatham House, said this.

  • G7 threatens further penalties against Iran as the world reacts to Israeli drone strike

    G7 threatens further penalties against Iran as the world reacts to Israeli drone strike

    The Group of Seven foreign ministers said they might punish Iran with more sanctions for attacking Israel with drones and missiles. They also want Israel and Iran to keep the conflict from getting worse.

    At the same time, it seems like Israel attacked Iran with drones. Iranian soldiers shot back to protect an air base and a nuclear site near Isfahan. It came almost a week after Tehran’s surprising drone and missile attack on Israel.

    Israel shot a missile at an air defense unit in southern Syria, causing damage. This was reported by the state-run SANA news agency quoting the military statement on Friday.

    Israel had promised to react to Iran’s big attack over the weekend, which made people in the area worried that there might be more fighting after months of conflict in Gaza. Allies have told Israel to not react strongly to the attack.

    Struggles between neighboring areas have gotten worse since the beginning of the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas in October. In 2007, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups supported by Iran, launched an attack across the border that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel attacked Gaza and caused a lot of destruction. More than 33,900 people have been killed, according to local health officials.

    Italy’s foreign minister said that Israel warned us at the last moment.

    The US told the G7 countries that it got new information from Israel about a drone mission in Iran at the last minute.

    Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that the United States gave some information at a meeting, but they had to change it at the last minute to talk about the suspected attack. Tajani said the US told the G7 ministers that Israel informed them about the drones at the last minute. “The US did not share the attack, they just provided information about it. ”

    He said all Italians living in Iran were safe and had no issues.

    The leader of Germany says that everyone needs to make sure that the situation doesn’t get worse.

    German leader Olaf Scholz wants everyone in the Middle East to work together to prevent things from getting worse. But he and his government are not saying much about what happened in Iran last night.

    Scholz said at a gathering on the North Sea island of Norderney Friday that there were reports of more “military activity” during the night.

    He said, “I don’t want to talk more about it. We all need to make sure the war doesn’t get worse in the near future. ”

    Scholz said that Germany will have discussions with “all our friends and allies” about making a situation less tense.

    When asked about reports of an Israeli attack, Scholz’s spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, said in Berlin that he doesn’t have any information to add.

    G7 leaders are talking about imposing more punishment on Iran.

    The foreign ministers of seven countries said they might punish Iran for attacking Israel with drones and missiles. They also asked both countries to not make the conflict worse.

    Antonio Tajani, the leader of the meeting of rich countries’ ministers, said they had to change the agenda on Friday to talk about the newest things happening.

    On Friday, Iran used air defences to protect a big air base and a nuclear site near Isfahan city after seeing drones. They were thought to be involved in an Israeli attack as a response to Tehran’s drone and missile attack on the country last weekend.

    Tajani didn’t talk about the incident right away, but he said that G7 ministers were upset by Iran’s attack on Israel and asked both sides to calm down.

    “The goal of politics is to reduce tensions,” Tajani said during a news conference at the end of the meeting.

  • Israel strikes back at Iran after pleas from global bodies

    Israel strikes back at Iran after pleas from global bodies

    Israel has launched an attack on Iran according to an Iranian state media on Friday, after Iran had attacked Israel with drones.

    One person told the media that the US was not part of the attack but was told about it by Israel before it happened.

    Iran’s Fars news agency said there were three explosions near a military base in the city of Isfahan. An Iranian leader told Reuters that there was no missile attack and the explosions happened because Iran’s defense systems were turned on.

    Iranian TV said that three drones were seen in the sky over Isfahan shortly after midnight. The defense system turned on and shot down the drones in the sky.

    The person who reports news later said that everything was okay in Isfahan and there were no explosions on the ground.

    The Israeli army did not say anything about the reports.

    Israel had promised to fight back after Iran launched a big attack over the weekend with lots of drones and missiles. This was in response to Israel’s suspected attack on Iran’s embassy in Syria. Many of the drones and missiles from Iran were shot down before they could reach Israel.

    Experts are worried that the fighting between Israel and Gaza could spread to other nearby countries.

    The President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, told Israel that if they attacked Iran, Iran would hit back hard.

    Iran told the United Nations Security Council that it wants Israel to stop any more military actions against them. The UN secretary-general said the Middle East is in a very dangerous time.

    Stocks and bond returns from Asian countries went down on Friday, while safe and secure currencies, gold, and oil prices went up. Brent crude oil prices went up by two percent to $88. 86 per barrelThe dollar also went up by one percent, while S&P 500 futures went down by one percent.

    Iran’s TV said that the nuclear sites, where Iran has been working, are safe. Iran says it’s for peaceful purposes, but the West thinks it’s for making a weapon.

    The Natanz nuclear site is the main place where Iran works with uranium. It is located in Isfahan province.

    The airports in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan were closed until 7 am GMT. Flights in the western half of Iran have been cleared, according to the FlightRadar24 website. The closures could be extended.

    According to FlightRadar24, some flights going to Tehran from Turkish Airlines and Emirates were turning back and going back to where they started. A plane from Iran that was flying from Rome to Tehran had to change course and land in Ankara, Turkey.

    FlightRadar24 showed that airlines like Emirates, flydubai, Turkish Air, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Belavia were still flying over the part of Iran’s airspace that was still open on Friday morning.

    Israel started attacking Gaza because Hamas, a group in Palestine, attacked Israel on October 7 and killed 1,200 people, according to Israel’s count. Israel’s attack on Gaza has caused the deaths of more than 33,000 Palestinian people, as reported by the local health ministry.

    “Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq have said they support the Palestinians and have started attacking in their favor. “

  • We will not be a part of this – US to Israel on retaliatory strikes on Iran

    We will not be a part of this – US to Israel on retaliatory strikes on Iran

    Senior administration officials have disclosed that the White House has cautioned Israel against engaging in retaliatory strikes on Iran, asserting that the US will not partake in such actions.

    The warning comes in the wake of Iran’s launch of over 300 drones and missiles at Israel overnight, purportedly in retaliation for an April 1 strike on its consulate in Syria. Despite the onslaught, Israeli, US, and allied forces managed to intercept nearly all incoming weapons before they could reach their intended targets.

    According to reports, President Joe Biden emphasised to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the importance of carefully considering and strategizing their response to this unprecedented attack, marking Iran’s first direct assault on Israel.

    The official added that the Biden administration believes Israel “got the best of it” in the exchange, which began when senior Iranian military commanders were killed at an Iranian consular building in Syria.

    US officials highlight that approximately 99% of the missiles, drones, and cruise missiles launched during Iran’s retaliatory operation were successfully shot down or intercepted, underscoring Israeli military superiority over Iran.

    Throughout the attack, US aircraft and naval vessels played a pivotal role in thwarting Iranian projectiles, with over 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles neutralised by US aircraft, vessels, or air defence forces over Iraq.

    Additionally, US Central Command (Centcom) disclosed that seven drones and a ballistic missile were intercepted as they prepared for launch from Yemen, further illustrating the effectiveness of US defence capabilities in the region.

    A conversation took place between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu at a time “of heightened emotion” just after the attack, which included about 100 ballistic missiles simultaneously flying towards Israel.

    During the call, the two leaders had a discussion “about how to slow things down and think through things”, with Mr Biden emphasising that Israel has “gotten the best of it”.

    The official declined to say, however, whether the White House warned against a significant response, saying only that “it is a calculation the Israelis have to make”.

    Throughout a series of television appearances on US networks earlier in the day, national security spokesman John Kirby reiterated the US’s commitment to avoiding a broader conflict, stressing that this message has been communicated clearly to Israel and Iran through diplomatic channels.

    While affirming continued support for Israel’s defence, both Kirby and senior administration officials emphasised that the US will not participate in any Israeli response.

    This stance has drawn criticism from some US lawmakers and former officials across the political spectrum.

    Ohio Republican Representative Mike Turner, chair of the House intelligence committee, condemned Kirby’s remarks on de-escalation, asserting that they were misguided.

    “It is already escalating, and the administration needs to respond,” he said on NBC.

    And John Bolton, who served as national security adviser under President Donald Trump, said the US should join Israel if it chooses to launch a retaliatory attack on Iran’s nuclear programme.

    “I think it [Israel] can destroy or disable a very substantial part [of the programme], if not totally,” he told NewsNation. “Frankly, if Israel is prepared to go after Iran’s nuclear programme, the United States should proudly join them.”

    In the wake of Iran’s attack on Israel, Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that the body would “try again” to pass military aid for Israel.

    Previous attempts to send more aid to Israel have stalled amid Democratic calls that the aid package should also include assistance for Taiwan and Ukraine.

    Mick Mulroy, a former Deputy Secretary of Defence for the Middle East, told the BBC that aid for Israel should be passed “without delay.”

    “If it wasn’t for US security assistance, we could be facing a major regional war,” he said. “That supplement and the ones for Ukraine and Taiwan are in our national security interest. It is not charity. It’s part of the US national defence.”

  • Iran launches direct attack on Israel, upending decades of covert warfare

    Iran launches direct attack on Israel, upending decades of covert warfare

    Iran attacked Israel directly on the weekend, which is different from their usual way of fighting through other groups. This change could make it harder for them to avoid consequences for their actions. However, because of economic and political problems in the country, the Shiite leaders have decided to make changes in the Islamic Republic.

    That plan was different on Saturday. After being warned for many days, Iran sent 170 drones carrying bombs, more than 30 cruise missiles, and over 120 ballistic missiles towards Israel, as counted by Israel. Iran gave Russia the same drones that carry bombs, which they use in their long-lasting war in Ukraine.

    Iran spent a lot of money to support militia forces in the region. They used these forces to trouble Israel and to try to control the United States. They also used these forces to plant explosive devices that killed American soldiers during the Iraq war. This also happens in poor Yemen. Iran gave weapons to the Houthi rebels, who then took over the capital city and stopped the Saudi-led coalition from winning the war that has been going on for many years.

    Although Israel and the US say they shot down 99 percent of the projectiles, Iran says the attack was successful. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Monday that the attack was meant to stop, punish, and warn Israel. Iran’s leader, Khamenei, also said that Iran should punish Israel.

    The attack happened on April 1 when Israel bombed a building near Iran’s Embassy in Syria, killing at least 12 people, including a top commander of Iran’s Quds Forces.

    For a long time, Iran and Israel have been attacking each other’s interests in the Middle East.

    Israel is thought to have killed Iranian nuclear scientists and damaged atomic sites in Iran. In Syria, Israel has bombed airports to stop Iran from sending weapons and has also killed some Guard officers. Meanwhile, people think Iran has been doing lots of bombings and gun attacks on Jewish people and things related to Israel for many years.

    The Iranian government was really upset by the embassy attack.

    “Khamenei said on April 10 that attacking our consulate is the same as attacking our land. ”

    It also comes at a time when Iran is facing a lot of uncertainty. As Khamenei gets older, he has more and more control over the country.

    Extreme conservatives have all the control in the security and political groups in Iran, and there are no more moderate people who used to help make the nuclear deal with other countries.

    This includes the old President Hassan Rouhani, who was in charge of the effort. Officials stopped Rouhani from trying to be a part of the group of 88 religious leaders who will choose Iran’s next top leader.

    The strict leaders in power have caused fewer people to vote than since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Their strong control also makes them the only group to be responsible as the public is angry about Iran’s failing economy.

    The nuclear deal fell apart after President Trump pulled the US out in 2018. This caused Iran’s currency to drop in value. The value of the rial has dropped close to the lowest it has ever been. On Monday, it was worth 658,000 to the dollar, which is a lot lower than the 32,000 it was worth almost ten years ago.

    In Tehran, prosecutors are investigating the Jahan-e Sanaat newspaper and a journalist for a story about how Iran’s attack on Israel could hurt the economy. The Mizan news agency of the judiciary said the report is upsetting and will make people worried and affect the country’s economy.

    His situation is happening as other journalists and activists say they have been called to meet with the authorities, which suggests that the government is getting tougher on anyone who shows disagreement in the country.

    Authorities seem to be getting ready to enforce the law that requires women to wear headscarves in the country.

    “The head of the Tehran police said that they will enforce the law about wearing the hijab in all provinces. ”

    In Tehran, some women still walk in the streets without covering their hair. They are doing this to protest against the arrest of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for not wearing a hijab that the police liked. This protest started during the demonstrations in 2022. Investigators from the United Nations found that Iran caused Amini’s death and used force to stop mostly peaceful protests. This crackdown lasted for months and resulted in the deaths of over 500 people and the detention of more than 22,000.

    A new effort to make women wear hijab may make people angry again, especially in Tehran. At the same time, there are rumors that the government might increase the low-cost gasoline prices in the country soon. In 2019, when the prices went up, people all over the country protested against the government. More than 300 people were killed and thousands were arrested during the protests.

    The conflicts and the influence of strict leaders, along with Khamenei getting older, show that more changes are coming for the country. Iran said it had finished its attack on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean they won’t attack again.

  • Iran and Israel’s covert conflict exposed

    Iran and Israel’s covert conflict exposed

    Iran did something new and different by directly attacking Israel on Sunday. This is a change from what they usually do, which is to use other groups to fight for them in the Middle East. This change happened after the war between Israel and Hamas started in October. Now everyone is waiting to see if Israel will do more fighting, while the United States wants to use peace talks to make the situation in the region calmer.

    Iran says they attacked in retaliation for an airstrike that they believe Israel did. The airstrike destroyed what Iran claims were consular offices in Syria and killed two generals from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. This happened earlier this month.

    Israel said that their defense system, supported by the US and Britain, was able to shoot down almost all of the 300 drones and missiles launched by Iran last night. A girl in southern Israel got hurt and a missile hit an Israeli airbase, but it didn’t cause much damage.

    However, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said that the mission was a success.

    According to Mona Yacoubian, Iran has been able to find a way to respond to the attack in Damascus without making the situation worse with Israel. This could help prevent a bigger conflict from happening.

    Yacoubian said that both Iran and Israel can say they won and back down from fighting, especially because no Israeli civilians were killed.

    The whole world was still waiting to find out what happened at a meeting of top Israeli leaders on Sunday. Some people in Israel want to act tough, but others think they should be careful and focus on building good relationships with Arab countries.

    “We are going to team up with neighboring countries and make Iran pay for what they’ve done, on our terms and when we decide. ” said Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet.

    Experts believe that Iran has shown it is ready to increase the intensity of its conflict with Israel and might change how it fights.

    “It’s a message to Israel that if they don’t follow the rules, there will be consequences,” said Magnus Ranstorp, who works at the Swedish Defense University.

    Iran’s attack has increased worries about the war in Gaza causing problems in the region.

    Iran says it doesn’t want a big war in the region. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on social media that Iran does not plan to keep defending itself unless it is attacked.

    Iran said it only attacked places in Damascus that were connected to Israel, not regular people or places where money is made.

    When Israel started attacking Hamas in Gaza, groups supported by Iran joined in the fighting, but Iran did not take part directly. Hezbollah, a group from Lebanon, shot rockets into the northern part of Israel. Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked ships from the West on the Red Sea. A group of militia from Iraq, supported by Iran, attacked the U. SSoldier jobs in Iraq and Syria.

    Tehran is now ready to increase its efforts without using other groups, said Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center.

    However, Iran only made a limited effort.

    “They warned us this was going to happen, and I think they knew their drones and missiles would be stopped before they could reach Israel,” Yahya said.

    She also said that the recent increase in pressure on Israel for its actions in Gaza has now changed to trying to reduce tensions in the region.

    Yacoubian believes Washington needs to act to stop things from getting worse.

    Eldad Shavit, who leads the Israel-US alliance, said that Israel’s allies, including the United States, do not support more military action. Study program at an Israeli organization called the Institute for National Security Studies.

    John Kirby, a spokesperson for national security at the White House, told NBC that President Joe Biden does not want the fighting in the region to get worse or for there to be a bigger war with Iran. He is personally working on finding a peaceful solution through diplomacy.

    The G7, which includes countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and France, and the UN Security Council, had important meetings on Sunday.

    All the people at the G7 meeting agreed that they strongly disagree with Iran’s attack. They are prepared to take more action if Iran continues to do things that make the situation worse.

  • Justin Trudeau denounces Iran’s aggression against Israel

    Justin Trudeau denounces Iran’s aggression against Israel

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that Canada strongly condemns Iran’s attacks on Israel, as tensions between the two countries continue to rise, increasing the risk of a broader conflict in the Middle East.

    Trudeau said this after Iran’s government-controlled media said Iran shot big missiles at Israel on Saturday. This was Iran’s first direct military attack on Israel.

    Once again, these attacks show that the Iranian government does not care about peace and stability in the region. “We believe Israel has the right to protect itself and its people from these attacks,” Trudeau said at a dinner for the press at Parliament.

    He said he’s getting regular updates from important people in charge of national security and intelligence.

    Israel said that Iran had shot over 100 drones carrying bombs towards them.

    US officials, who didn’t want to say their names, said they stopped some of the missiles that were on the way.

    Israel stopped all planes from flying on Saturday because they thought Iran might attack. On Sunday morning, loud noises and warning sirens were heard all over the country.

    The Israeli military’s spokesperson, Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, said that Iran launched many drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Most of them were stopped before reaching Israel’s borders. He said that warplanes stopped more than 10 cruise missiles, even outside of Israel’s airspace.

    He said only a few were able to arrive in Israel.

    Tensions between the two countries got worse after an airstrike, thought to be from Israel, destroyed Iran’s consulate in Syria and killed two Iranian generals. Tehran promised to get back at someone.

    Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said on Friday that it’s better for Canadians to not travel to Israel because it’s not safe right now.

    She said Canadians in Israel should go home by regular airplanes.

    Pierre Poilievre, who is against the government, said on Saturday that Canada needs to work with other countries to make Iran take responsibility for their actions.

    “The Canadian government needs to quickly make a law to stop the IRGC, a terrorist group controlled by Tehran. This will keep our people safe and prevent the regime from using our country for fundraising, planning, and organizing,” he wrote in a statement.


    The government has been asked to call the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is part of Iran’s military, a terrorist group.

    NDP politician Heather McPherson, who is her party’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, said Canadians are concerned about the impact of a war in the region.

    “Negotiation is the only way to solve this. ” Canada and other countries need to make the situation better now,” she wrote on X, which used to be called Twitter.

    Many countries are criticizing Iran for their actions, and the United Nations leader is asking for the fighting to stop right away.

    The ambassador from Israel to Canada said thank you to Trudeau and Joly for their kind words of support.

    Israel will keep protecting itself from attacks by Iran and its allies in the area. Iran is trying to cause problems in the area and we are grateful for our friends’ help during these events,” said Iddo Moed in a statement.

    Air Canada said they won’t fly to Tel Aviv on Saturday. The airline flies back and forth between Toronto and Tel Aviv four times a week without any stops. The next one will happen on Monday.

    “We have a new flexible policy for customers who need to change their booking. We will keep an eye on the situation to make sure everything is okay. ” The spokesperson said they will change our schedule to fit the region’s needs.

  • World leaders beg Israel not to attack Iran in retaliation

    World leaders beg Israel not to attack Iran in retaliation

    Leaders from around the world are telling Israel not to fight back after Iran attacked with many drones, missiles, and cruise missiles.

    British Foreign Secretary David Cameron spoke to the BBC on Monday about the United Kingdom. It means that the US doesn’t want to attack back, and France is going to try to stop Israel from making things worse.

    Iran attacked Israel on Saturday, less than two weeks after Israel’s suspected attack in Syria that killed two Iranian generals. This was the first time Iran has directly attacked Israel, even though the two countries have been enemies since 1979.

    According to an Israeli military spokesperson, almost all of the drones and missiles sent by Iran were stopped.

    Israel and Iran have been heading towards a conflict while Israel has been fighting against Hamas in Gaza for six months. The fighting began when two aggressive groups, supported by Iran, attacked across the border. A bomb killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others.

    The attack by Israel in Gaza has caused a lot of damage and resulted in the death of over 33,700 people, as reported by local health officials.

    The leader of Germany has asked Israel to help reduce tension.

    German leader Olaf Scholz wants Israel to help reduce tension in the Middle East after Iran attacked them.

    Scholz said in Shanghai that Iran needs to stop its aggressive behavior.

    He was asked if he will try to stop Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from using military force to respond to the attack on Saturday night. He said many people agree that Israel did a really good job at defending against the attack with help from its allies.

    He said, “This is a success that maybe shouldn’t be wasted. ” So we recommend that people help to calm things down on their own.
    Germany strongly supports and is a close friend of Israel.

    African leaders want Israel and Iran to stop fighting.

    A few African governments are asking Israel and Iran not to make the conflict worse.

    Iran attacked Israel and it’s a big threat to world peace. But Israel should be careful in how they respond, said President William Ruto of Kenya on social media.

    South Africa’s government said on Sunday that the sides fighting in the conflict need to be very careful and not do anything to make the situation worse in a delicate area.

    Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry asked Israel and Iran to think about the universal promise to solve conflicts peacefully.

  • Iran strikes Israel directly for the first time in military history

    Iran strikes Israel directly for the first time in military history

    Iran attacked Israel’s military directly for the first time on Saturday. The Israeli army says Iran sent over 100 drones carrying bombs towards Israel. Several hours later, Iran said they had also fired even more powerful ballistic missiles.

    Iran was saying they would attack Israel because Israel bombed Iran’s consulate in Syria earlier this week. Twelve people, including two important Iranian generals, were killed in the bombing.

    The Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday morning that most of the missiles fired from Iran were stopped before they could reach Israel. Israel considers defending against missiles and drones very important. They have different systems to shoot down any incoming threats.

    Israel and Iran have been heading toward a conflict during Israel’s six-month war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The fighting started when Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two groups supported by Iran, launched a big attack across the border in October. 7 attacks happened in Israel. 1,200 people died and 250 people were taken by force.

    The Israeli attack in Gaza has caused a lot of damage and killed more than 33,000 people, according to local health officials.

    Israel says that they stopped most missiles that were sent from Iran.

    Israel’s army says most of the missiles fired from Iran were stopped before they reached Israel.

    The Israel Defense Forces said that Iran launched many missiles towards Israel, but most of them were stopped by Israel’s defense system and its allies before reaching Israel.

    “A few hits were found, one at an IDF base in southern Israel, where only a little damage was done to the buildings,” the statement said.

    The report said that many enemy airplanes and missiles from Iran were coming towards Israel, but they were stopped.

    Many Israeli fighter jets are working to stop any threats coming from the sky towards Israel.

  • Israel threatens to immediately attack Iran if it launches an attack

    Israel threatens to immediately attack Iran if it launches an attack

    Israel’s foreign minister Yisrael Katz has said that if Iran attacks Israel from its land, Israel will attack Iran back.

    He made these comments when things were very tense between the two countries because some Iranian generals were killed in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria.

    “Iran attacks, Israel will attack back,” said Israel Katz in a post on X in Farsi and Hebrew.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei repeated a pledge to take revenge on Israel for the attack on its consulate in Damascus.

    Tehran blames Israel for the attack that destroyed the building and killed 12 people. Israel has not admitted that it was involved, but it is preparing for a possible attack from Iran in return. This would be a big increase in their ongoing secret conflict.

    The attack ended Gen’s life. Mohammad Reza Zahedi was an important leader in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. He was in charge of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016. 11 people died, including 6 guards, 4 Syrians, and 1 member of Hezbollah.

    Israel has been attacking many places in Syria that are connected to Iran. They are doing this to stop weapons and other joint efforts with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran. The Israeli army doesn’t usually talk about these attacks. For the past six months, there has been almost daily fighting between Israel and Hezbollah along the border between Israel and Lebanon. This started when the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began.

    Hamas leaders in Gaza started the war by attacking southern Israel on Oct 7. They are also supported by Iran. Tehran supports a group of Iraqi militias that are aiming to harm the U. SMilitary bases and locations in Syria and Iraq belonging to The Islamic Resistance of Iraq.

    Khamenei said at a prayer ceremony for the end of Ramadan that the strike on its consular was like an attack on Iran’s land.

    “When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our land,” Khamenei said on Iranian state TV. “The bad government will be punished, and it must be punished. ”

    Katz and the Ayatollah did not explain how they would strike back.

    Khamenei criticized the US and Britain for helping Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

    “They were expected to help Israel in this disaster. ” They didn’tHe said the Western governments did not do their jobs.

    Iran doesn’t accept Israel.

  • Iran’s foreign minister claims US gave Israel “green light” to assault Syria

    Iran’s foreign minister claims US gave Israel “green light” to assault Syria

    Iran’s foreign minister said that the United States allowed Israel to attack Iran’s consulate in Syria, which led to the deaths of seven Iranian military officials, including two generals.

    Hossein Amirabdollahian said that Iran will retaliate to the attack, which many people think Israel did. This shows that Israel is increasing its attacks on Iranian military officials. Iran supports groups that fight against Israel in Gaza and Lebanon.

    Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah repeated on Monday that his group supports Iran’s military action in response to the attack that killed General. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a high-ranking military leader in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force, increased worries about the war spreading to other parts of the Middle East.

    Since the fighting in Gaza started six months ago, there have been more conflicts between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. It was Hamas, the group in charge of Gaza, that attacked Israel in October. 7 is also supported by Iran and a group of fighters from Iraq who want to attack US military bases and locations in Syria and Iraq.

    Israel often attacks Iranian military leaders and supporters, but Zahedi’s death was the biggest loss for Tehran since a US drone killed Gen. Qassim Soleimani was killed in 2020 in Baghdad.

    “I want to say loudly from here in Damascus that America is responsible for what happened and should be held accountable,” Amirabdollahian said to reporters in Damascus when he met with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Mekdad, who also criticized the attack and Israel’s actions in Gaza. Amirabdollahian also talked with President Bashar Assad about Gaza and the situation in the region, according to a statement from Assad’s office.

    The foreign minister of Iran said that the US and two European countries did not criticize the attack on the new consular section, which he had just opened earlier that day.

    He said that not speaking out against the attack shows that the US allowed Israel to do this.

    The Biden government is saying they did not know about the airstrike before it happened. Washington is very important for Israel’s military support.

    Israel usually doesn’t admit when it attacks Iranian targets. They did not say anything about the strike in the Syrian capital. But, a spokesperson for the Pentagon named Sabrina Singh said the US believes Israel was responsible.

    At first, Iranian state media said Zahedi was in charge of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016 after the attacks.

    Then, in a speech to the public on Monday, the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said that Zahedi was an important person for the Lebanese group, and had worked there for three four-year periods.

    Nasrallah, Syria and other important friends of Iran have said they will continue to support Iran.

    Iran has the right to do it because it is natural. “It’s normal for the Islamic Republic to react to the attack on the consulate,” Nasrallah stated.

    Nasrallah said that Zahedi was involved until 2002, when he supervised Israel’s pullout from southern Lebanon and supported Hezbollah’s growth. During Zahedi’s second term, there was a lot of intense fighting in Syria. Iran and Russia supported Assad in the war against the opposing forces. Zahedi started his last job in 2020 and it ended when he was killed.

    Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers have been fighting on the tense border between Lebanon and Israel since October. On the 8th day after the Hamas attack on southern Israel.

    The leader of Hezbollah said that when the fighting started, Zahedi tried to join their fighters on the front line, but he was not allowed to.

    On Monday, Israel bombed southern Lebanon and killed Ali Ahmad Hussein, a top commander of Hezbollah’s secret Radwan Force. Hezbollah said Hussein died, but didn’t say how or what he did for the group, which is how they usually tell people when their members die.

    Hussein was killed, he was a top fighter, before the Iranian foreign minister visited Syria.

    Israel sees Hezbollah as its biggest and most dangerous enemy right now. They think that Hezbollah has about 150,000 rockets and missiles, some of which are very accurate and can be aimed at any part of Israel. The group has many experienced fighters from the 12-year war in Syria, and they also have various military drones.

    In January, Israeli planes attacked and killed a top Hezbollah commander, Wissam al-Tawil, who had been fighting with the group for a long time and took part in some of its major battles.

    Hezbollah says it will stop shooting rockets when the fighting in Gaza stops and the war between Israel and Hamas is over. Israeli leaders want the Radwan Force to leave the border area so that many Israelis who had to leave can come back home.

    Washington and Paris are working hard to find a peaceful solution to stop the fighting between Lebanon and Israel. They want to avoid another big war between Hezbollah and Israel like the one in 2006.

    The chance of war spreading to Lebanon has made the political tension between Hezbollah and their rival, Lebanese Forces party, even worse.

    On Monday, things got worse when the Lebanese military said that a local leader of the Lebanese Forces was killed. He had been kidnapped the day before in northern Lebanon. The Lebanese Army caught three Syrians who are accused of kidnapping and killing Pascale Suleiman while they were trying to steal his car.

    The Lebanese Forces party questioned the army‘s findings and said they thought it was a political murder.

    In his speech, Nasrallah criticized members of the Christian party and other allies who accused Hezbollah of being involved in the kidnapping. Describing it as “unfounded” and harmful language.

  • Iranian diplomat alerts Israel to dangers facing its embassies after attack in Damascus

    Iranian diplomat alerts Israel to dangers facing its embassies after attack in Damascus

    A high-ranking Iranian military leader has said that Israel’s embassies are not safe after a recent attack in Damascus that Iran blames Israel for. The attack killed 12 people, including two important Iranian generals. Troubles between countries in the Middle East might lead to a bigger fight as Israel continues to fight against Hamas for six months.

    Israel has been getting ready for Iran’s response to the attack, but they have not admitted that they were involved. The comments made by General are being evaluated. Rahim Safavi said that if someone attacked a diplomatic mission, they might get the same kind of attack in return.

    “Safavi, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, says that none of the Israeli embassies are safe anymore. ” This was reported by the semi-official Tasnim agency.

    Safavi talked at a gathering in Tehran to honor the Iranian Revolutionary Guard generals who died in the attack that destroyed an Iranian office in Damascus.

    Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is ready for any reaction.

    “He said that if someone hurts us or wants to hurt us, we will hurt them back,” he said at a meeting with his advisors. “We always follow that rule, in everything we do, including lately. ”

    Regional tensions increased after six months of war. The war started when Hamas militants attacked Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing about 250 others. Israel attacked by bombing and sending soldiers to fight on the ground. This has led to the deaths of over 33,000 Palestinians, with most of them being women and children, as reported by local health authorities.

    On Sunday, Israel’s military said it was moving its troops out of the area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The troops were from the 98th paratroopers division. Israel has been focusing on attacking the main area where Hamas has control in recent months.

    This means there are fewer Israeli soldiers in Gaza now, and people are wondering what will happen next in the war, especially for the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

    Israel says that Rafah is the last place where Hamas is strong and the war will not be finished until Hamas is defeated. However, the area is now home to about 1. 4 million people, which is more than half of Gaza’s population. The possibility of Israel starting a war has made many people around the world worried. Even the US, which is a big supporter of Israel, wants to see a good plan for keeping civilians safe.

    It wasn’t clear how intense the war might become. Israel keeps soldiers in the damaged area of northern Gaza and can move them to the southern area when necessary.

    People in Israel are getting more and more frustrated because the government is not doing enough to free about 130 hostages. Some people think that the government is not doing anything to help them. This has led to protests against the government.

    Talks for a truce and the release of hostages were supposed to start again in Cairo on Sunday. There was a lot of pressure to make something happen soon.

    “People in Gaza have been left alone by humanity,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement after six months of war.

    The UN and its partners are saying that more than one million people in Gaza might not have enough food soon. They are asking Israel to make it easier to deliver aid to these people. Right now, the only way to bring in enough aid is by land. Some Palestinians are even looking for weeds to eat because they don’t have enough food.

    Women who have had babies in Gaza since the war started are at a greater risk.

    The Gaza Health Ministry said that 38 people who died from Israel’s attacks were taken to the hospitals in the area in the last day. Hospitals got 71 injured people, it said.

    The government said 33,175 people have died since the war started. The ministry doesn’t separate civilians from fighters, but it says that most of the people who died are children and women. Another 75,886 people have been injured.

    Israel’s soldiers kept dying in battles. In Khan Younis, four soldiers were killed in a fight with militants.

    More than 600 Israeli soldiers have died since October. The Israeli government says that 7 people, including 260 in the Gaza ground operation, have been killed.

  • Iranian man detained in Peru on charges of plotting to attack citizen of Israel

    Iranian man detained in Peru on charges of plotting to attack citizen of Israel

    Peru police arrested an Iranian person who they say is part of a group that planned to kill an Israeli in Peru.

    General Peru’s top police officer, Óscar Arriola, announced in a meeting with reporters that Majid Azizi, who is 56 years old, was taken into custody in Lima on Thursday, along with two people from Peru.

    Arriola said the authorities stopped the attack on the Israeli person. He didn’t say who the target was for safety.

    The police are searching for another person from Peru who they believe was responsible for the murder of the Israeli man.

    Arriola said that Azizi came to Lima on March 3, and they were warned about him by other countries’ intelligence agencies.

    The Associated Press wasn’t able to make sure if Azizi is part of the Quds Force on its own. The officials in Iran have not said anything.

    The Quds Force is a special part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard that manages operations in other countries.

    Peruvian officials have arrested a person they believe is a member of that group for the first time.

    Arriola mentioned that Azizi was caught after taking money from an ATM. Azizi and the two Peruvians who were arrested will stay in jail for at least 15 days for charges related to terrorism.

    The general said the man planned to go back to Iran on the day he was caught.

    Azizi said he is married to a woman from Peru.

  • US drone strike in Baghdad kills militia leader backed by Iran

    US drone strike in Baghdad kills militia leader backed by Iran

    A top leader of a group supported by Iran was killed by a US drone attack in Baghdad.

    A high-ranking member of Kataib Hezbollah and two of his bodyguards were attacked while driving in the eastern part of Baghdad, Iraq. All of them passed away.

    The Pentagon said the leader was in charge of planning attacks on US forces in the area.

    The US believes that the militia was involved in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three US troops last month.

    After the attack, Kataib Hezbollah said it was stopping attacks on American troops to avoid causing trouble for the Iraqi government.

    On Wednesday night, there was a drone attack in the Mashtal neighborhood of Baghdad. It caused many loud explosions.

    A car was hit directly on a busy street and it caught on fire.

    One of the people hurt has been named as Abu Baqir al-Saadi, a leader in Kataib Hezbollah.

    The US Central Command (Centcom) said that at 9:30 pm local time (6:30 pm GMT), they killed the person who planned and took part in attacking US forces in the region.

    “At this time, the Centcom statement says there is no evidence of harm to people or damage to buildings. ”

    When the media team arrived, they saw a lot of people protesting and shouting, “America is the worst. ”

    There were a lot of police and Swat teams from Iraq’s interior ministry.

    The BBC team wanted to get close to the burned car, but the people watching told them to go away because they didn’t want journalists there.

    “You are not from here,” a man yelled, adding “and people like you are causing this problem”.

    The attack happened a few days after the US did 85 strikes in Iraq-Syria border area. This was in response to a drone attack on American soldiers in Jordan on 28th January which resulted in deaths.

    President Joe Biden said the attacks last Friday are just the start of how the US will react.

    The attack by the drone in the capital of Iraq will be seen as a big increase in violence.

    But it was bound to happen that the American plan would focus on attacking not just the buildings and facilities used by the groups, but also their top bosses.

    Soon after the attack on Wednesday, groups in the country wanted to get back at the US.

    Harakat al Nujaba, a group accused of attacking American soldiers, said they will fight back. They also warned that they will punish those responsible for the attacks.

    On January 4th, the US attacked in Baghdad and killed an important leader of Harakat al Nujaba.

    American soldiers have been attacked more than 165 times with rockets and drones since the war between Israel and Gaza started on October 7th.

    According to the Pentagon, there are about 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and 900 in Syria from the US. They are there to fight against the Islamic State terror group.

    The US military has started to attack the Houthi group in Yemen because they attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea.

  • US approves plan to hit Iranian sites in Iraq and Syria – officials

    US approves plan to hit Iranian sites in Iraq and Syria – officials

    The US has given the okay for a bunch of attacks on Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq, according to officials who talked to the media.
    Officials say that the strikes will happen over a few days, and the weather will decide when they will happen.

    A drone attack killed three US soldiers near the Syrian border in Jordan on Sunday.

    The US said that a group backed by Iran was responsible for the attack.

    The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, made up of several armed groups supported by Iran, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

    Iran said they did not hurt 41 US soldiers at the military base.

    US officials have promised to do something about the drone attack, but President Joe Biden and other officials said the country does not want to start a big war with Iran.

    Several groups supported by Iran have been launching more attacks on American and Israeli-related targets since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October.

    The Iran-supported Houthis in Yemen have attacked ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This has led the US and its allies to launch strikes in response.

    According to a US defense official speaking to CBS, a drone was shot down in the Gulf of Aden and an unmanned sea drone was hit and destroyed in the Red Sea overnight.

    The three soldiers who died in the attack will be brought back to the United States and taken to a Air Force base in Delaware on Friday. The White House said that President Biden will go.

  • South Africa refutes allegations Iran financed Israel’s ICJ case

    South Africa refutes allegations Iran financed Israel’s ICJ case

    South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said that the ruling ANC party did not get money from Iran to take Israel to court.

    During a meeting with reporters on Wednesday, the minister said that Israel and its allies are making accusations in response to being accused themselves. This is similar to what President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier, that his country might face consequences for taking legal action against Israel.

    Last week, the ICJ made a decision in the case, stating that Israel has to do everything it can to stop genocidal actions in Gaza.

    The minister said she complained to the International Criminal Court about how slow they were in doing something about South Africa’s request to take action against Israel. This included the delay in issuing an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Ms Pandor also said that all countries must stop giving money and help to Israel’s military in Gaza because it could be supporting genocide.

    The minister recommended that South Africa ask other countries from the southern part of the world to help Palestinians with aid, because they have had less help lately.

  • Kataib Hezbollah: Iran-supported group halt attack on US after drone strike

    Kataib Hezbollah: Iran-supported group halt attack on US after drone strike

    A group from Iraq that is supported by Iran and is suspected of attacking with a drone in Jordan and killing three US soldiers, has stopped fighting against US forces.

    Kataib Hezbollah, a group that is part of a larger organization, said they attacked to stop the Iraqi government from feeling ashamed.

    The US defense department said: “Actions are more important than just saying things. ”

    US President Joe Biden said he has a plan to respond to the attack, but he didn’t explain what it is.

    Iran said it would fight back if anyone attacks what they care about.

    Before, it said it did not do the attack that the US and Britain accused it of doing.

    The US has suggested that they might use force in different stages.

    Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi said on Tuesday that they will stop attacking the occupation forces to avoid causing problems for the Iraqi government. However, they will still support the people in Gaza in different ways.

    Three American soldiers were killed at a base near the border between Jordan and Syria by a type of Shahed drone. The drones were given to Russia by Iran and are designed for one-way attacks. This information was shared by a US official with CBS News, the BBC’s partner in the United States.

    Many soldiers were hurt in the attack on Tower 22 while US forces were sleeping.

    The US says Iran-backed groups are responsible, but they’re not sure if Kataib Hezbollah did it.

    A Pentagon spokeswoman said it showed signs of the group’s involvement.

    “Pat Ryder told reporters that what people do is more important than what they say, after the group put out their statement. ”

    “He said there will be bad results. ”

    At the same time, the US is making Tower 22 more secure. Around 350 US soldiers are there to fight against the Islamic State (IS) group.

    More air defences are being sent to the base, a US official told CBS News on Tuesday. This includes a system made to stop drones.

    What can the US do in response to the attack in Jordan.

    “Iran is responsible for the attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement against ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner told media.

    “He said we need to reply in a way that shows we’re not just going to keep defending. ”

    He said that the US response will make Iran realize that the conflict will affect them directly.

    MrBiden is thinking about different ways to get back at Iran, like attacking militia bases and leaders.

    The US might also attack top leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iraq or Syria.

    The US might also attack inside Iran. This would be the most serious action Mr. Biden could take.

    In New York, the person representing Iran at the UN said that Iran will strongly react if attacked, no matter the reason. Iran’s news agency Irna reported this.

    He also said that there were no messages sent between the US and Iran through other people in the last two days.

    Iran has created a big group of friends who have weapons and help them in different countries in the Middle East. They all don’t like Israel and the US, and they call themselves the “Axis of Resistance”. But it’s not clear how much control Iran has over them.

    The US says the IRGC and its Quds Force control co-ordination. The US calls both of them terrorist groups, also some other regional armed groups like Kataib Hezbollah.

    The groups have increased their attacks on Israel, US forces, and other related targets since the war between Israel and Hamas began in Gaza in October. They say they are doing this to show support for the Palestinian people.

    A lot of drone, rocket, and missile attacks have happened at US bases in Iraq and Syria since October 17. A group of Iran-backed militias called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for many of these attacks.

    The US attacked groups associated with the IRGC, including Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Asaib Ahl al-Haq.

    The attack on Sunday was the first time US troops were killed in the region since the Gaza war started, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for it.

    Last month, the US bombed groups connected to Iran after three US soldiers were hurt in a drone attack on a base in northern Iraq. One soldier was hurt badly.

    In January, a US attack in Baghdad took out a leader of Harakat al-Nujaba who was blamed for attacking US people.

    Last week, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the attacks on three buildings in Iraq owned by Kataib Hezbollah and other groups were a direct response to a series of escalating attacks on US and other international forces in Iraq and Syria.

  • Sudan’s RSF claims to have shot down Iranian-made drone

    Sudan’s RSF claims to have shot down Iranian-made drone

    The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan shot down a drone made in Iran that they say belonged to the Sudanese army. There is fighting between the two groups in the capital city Khartoum and other places.

    The team announced on X.

    Twitter said that it successfully stopped and brought down a flying robot operated by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their extremist supporters.

    “The Iranian Mohajer-6 aircraft was stopped by our brave soldiers, making it the third drone to be neutralized recently. ” “Even though we are doing well, we still have problems to deal with,” it said.

    The army hasn’t said anything about the incident yet.

    The local news says the army is using more drones to attack RSF bases in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.

    The army has started to bomb the RSF more often in the last few weeks as the fighting in the country has been going on for nine months.

  • Iran disputes any role in strike that claimed US military troops

    Iran disputes any role in strike that claimed US military troops

    Iran has refuted claims of carrying out a drone strike on a US base near Jordan’s border with Syria, which resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers.

    The US said that “extreme Iranian-supported militant groups” were responsible for the attack that hurt many people.

    The US President Joe Biden promised to get back at the people who did something bad and said, “We will take action. ”

    This is the first time that US soldiers have been killed in the area since the war in Gaza started because of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th.

    Other US bases in the area have been attacked before, but no one had died until Sunday, as per the US military.

    The group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq says they were responsible for the attack.

    The umbrella group started in late 2023 and is made up of a few Iran-related armed groups working in Iraq. It said it did other attacks on US soldiers recently.

    The group said it attacked three US bases in Syria and Jordan: Shaddadi, Rukban, and Tanf, and an Israeli oil facility in the Mediterranean.

    The Iraqi government has criticized the attack and asked for the violence in the Middle East to stop.

    Bassem al-Awadi, a spokesperson for the government of Iraq, said they are open to working together to make basic rules to stop more problems in the area and lessen fighting.

    Mr Biden said the US will make sure that anyone who is responsible will be held accountable, in a way and time that we decide.

    Iran said it did not support the militant groups accused of the strike, despite what the US and Britain said.

    Nasser Kanaani, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said that Iran doesn’t make the decisions for groups that fight for Palestinians or their own countries.

    The White House told Mr. Biden about the attack on Sunday morning. The news was given by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and other officials.

    MrBiden said that Jill and I are sad with the families and friends of our fallen soldiers and all Americans for the loss of these warriors in a terrible and completely unfair attack.

    Officials are still telling the families of the servicemen who were hurt or killed, so we don’t know their names yet.

    During a trip to South Carolina, Mr. Biden said that things were difficult in the Middle East the previous night. “We lost three brave people. ”

    US officials said that 34 soldiers are being checked for possible brain injuries. Some of them were taken to a hospital for more treatment.

    They also said that the drone hit the place where people live at the base. If this is true, it could explain why so many people were hurt.

    US Central Command and President Biden stated that the attack happened on a base in Rukban, northeastern Jordan, close to the border with Syria. US officials later called it Tower 22.

    In December, people in charge of the United States said that military bases in Iraq and Syria were attacked 97 times since October 17th.

    In the past month, the US did attacks on groups connected to Iran after three US soldiers got hurt, one very badly, in a drone attack on a base in northern Iraq.

    In January, a US attack in Baghdad killed a militia leader who was accused of attacking American soldiers.

    During an interview on ABC News that was shown on Sunday, Gen CQ Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that America’s goal in the region is to prevent the conflict from getting worse.

    “We want to stop them from causing trouble, and we don’t want the situation to become even more serious and lead to a bigger fight in the area. ”

    American and other allied soldiers are now in the Red Sea because the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, have been attacking ships there. The group from Yemen is attacking ships in the area to help Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting against Hamas.

    The US military said that these wrong actions are not related to the fighting in Gaza.

    “The Houthis have shot at the Red Sea without caring who they hit, affecting over 40 countries’ ships,” according to US Central Command.

    Two Navy Seals are believed to have died after they disappeared in January while on a mission near Somalia to take Iranian weapons headed for Houthis in Yemen.

  • US strikes an Iraqi militia supported by Iran

    US strikes an Iraqi militia supported by Iran

    The US has used its military to attack three places in Iraq where an Iran-supported group was operating.

    Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the attacks targeted the Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other groups affiliated with Iran.

    He said the accurate attacks were a direct response to the attacks on US and coalition allies in Iraq and Syria.

    However, a high-ranking Iraqi official said that they were a clear breach of Iraq’s independence.

    Iraq’s top security official, Qassem al-Aaraji, said that the US attacks did not make the situation peaceful.

    He wrote on X, previously known as Twitter, that the US should push for a stop to the Israeli attacks in Gaza instead of bombing the bases of an Iraqi national group.

    He was talking about the group of former fighters supported by Iran called the Popular Mobilisation force, which is now part of the regular military.

    Last week, some US soldiers got hurt in a missile attack on an airbase in western Iraq.

    US officials said they are getting checked for head injuries.

    The US military’s CentCom said that a group supported by Iran attacked the Al Asad airbase, where American troops are stationed, using missiles and rockets.

    A group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it was responsible for the attack.

    The group started in late 2023 and is made up of a few armed groups connected to Iran that are working in Iraq. It has said it did other attacks on US soldiers in the last few weeks.

    In a statement, Mr Austin said he was impressed by the professionalism of the US military in carrying out the recent attacks in Iraq as part of the ongoing effort to weaken ISIS.

    Mr Austin said that he and President Biden will do what is needed to protect America’s interests.

    We don’t want to make the problems in the area worse. We are ready to do whatever it takes to keep our people and buildings safe. “We ask these groups and their Iranian supporters to stop these attacks right away,” he said.

    In another announcement, CentCom said the attacks happened at 00:15 local time (21:15 GMT Tuesday). This was a response to the attack on the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq on 20 January, among other attacks.

    “The strikes hit Kataib Hezbollah’s headquarters, where they keep their rockets, missiles, and drones for attacks,” said CentCom.

    Kataib Hezbollah is a strong group of fighters in Iraq who follow the Shia Islamic religion. They get money and weapons from Iran.

    It is thought to have close connections with Iran’s Quds Force, the branch of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps that operates outside the country.

    Since 2009, the US has said the group is a terrorist organization. They say the group has attacked US and Iraqi forces in Iraq for Iran and has made Iraq less peaceful and stable.

    The US military didn’t say where they attacked Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq.

    The attack on Al Asad airbase happened on Saturday after a US drone strike in Baghdad earlier this month that killed a leader of a pro-Iran militia.

    American soldiers in Iraq and Syria have been attacked many times by groups supported by Iran since the conflict between Israel and Gaza began in October.

    The US military and its friends, like the UK, have stepped in to stop Houthi missile attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

    The governments of Washington and London have bombed the Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen that is supported by Iran.

    On Wednesday, CentCom said the US military attacked two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the southern Red Sea and ready to be launched.

    “American soldiers found missiles in parts of Yemen controlled by the Houthi group. They decided that the missiles were a serious danger to ships that carry goods and to American warships in that area. ” The US military destroyed the missiles to protect themselves.

    The Iranian army launched several missile attacks in the past week in Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan.

    On Saturday, Iran said Israel bombed a place in Syria’s capital city, Damascus. The bombing killed five important members of Iran’s security forces.

  • Diplomatic relations between Iran and Pakistan restored after strikes

    Diplomatic relations between Iran and Pakistan restored after strikes

    Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s office stated that Pakistan and Iran maintain a friendly relationship.

    After the two countries attacked each other’s bases with drones and missiles, this happened.

    Because of the back-and-forth attacks, Iran and Pakistan took back their ambassadors from each other’s capitals.

    Both ambassadors are going back to their jobs after having discussions.

    Iran said that the attacks on Thursday killed nine people in a village near its border, and four of the people who died were children. Pakistan said that on Tuesday an attack from Iran caused the death of two kids.

    Iran has not yet said anything about the talks.

    Earlier today, Pakistan said it is ready to work with Iran on “all topics” after their foreign ministers talked on the phone.

    The Foreign Minister of Pakistan said that they are ready to work with Iran on all issues with trust and cooperation.

    “They also agreed to calm down the situation. ” The ambassadors from both countries going back to their home countries was also talked about.

    The counterattacks happened while there is a lot of tension in the Middle East because of multiple problems happening at the same time.

    Israel is in a fight with the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza and is shooting at Iran-supported Hezbollah in Lebanon.

    At the same time, groups supported by Iran in Iraq and Syria are attacking US forces. The US and UK also attacked the Iran-supported Houthis in Yemen, who have been attacking ships.

    On Thursday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it attacked near the Iranian city of Saravan because they had good information that there were going to be big terrorist activities.

    The ministry said it completely respects Iran’s control over its own land.

    Pakistan’s army used drones, rockets, and long-range missiles to attack and target the Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front.

    Both groups have been fighting for more control over Balochistan, a faraway area in southwest Pakistan, for many years.

  • Seven people reportedly killed as Pakistan fires retaliatory attacks into Iran

    Seven people reportedly killed as Pakistan fires retaliatory attacks into Iran

    Pakistan shot missiles at Iran and reportedly killed nine people because Iran had shot missiles at Pakistan on Tuesday night.

    Pakistan said its attacks targeted places where terrorists were hiding in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan in Iran.

    Iran’s state TV reported that three women, two men, and four children were killed.

    The air strikes are happening because there is a lot of tension in the Middle East with many different problems happening at the same time.

    Israel is in a battle with Hamas in Gaza and is also exchanging gunfire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. In addition, Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria are attacking US forces. The US and UK have also attacked the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have been attacking ships.

    Pakistan and Iran have been blaming each other for supporting terrorist groups that launch attacks from areas near their shared border.

    On Thursday, Pakistan’s government said that it had attacked an area near the city of Saravan in Iran.

    Pakistan said it had taken action because it had received information that big terrorist attacks were going to happen soon. They also said they killed some of the terrorists.

    It said that it respects Iran’s rights as a country but its actions on Thursday show that Pakistan is committed to protecting its national security from any threats.

    Pakistan strongly condemned Iran’s attack on Tuesday. The attack hit an area in Pakistan’s Balochistan province near the Iranian border and Islamabad said it killed two children.

    Iran said it only attacked Jaish al-Adl, a group from Pakistan, and not the people of Pakistan.

    Earlier this week, Iran attacked places in Iraq and Syria. They said they targeted the Islamic State and Israel’s spy agency, Mossad. Iran claimed that these two groups were involved in a bomb attack in the city of Kerman, Iran, which killed 84 people.

    Experts said that Pakistan’s reaction was expected and aligned with Iran’s, as both countries characterized the attack as targeting militants.

    Pakistan’s response increases the chance of things getting worse, but it also gives a chance to pull back and avoid a bigger problem. “In reality, both sides are equal now,” said Michael Kugelman, the director for South Asia at the Wilson Center.

    Islamabad wanted to make sure it could defend itself, especially because Iran was attacking other countries in the area using both direct and indirect methods. Simply put, if Pakistan hadn’t taken action, it would have been at risk of more attacks.

    Some people said that the government in Islamabad felt pressure from people in Pakistan to do something about the situation. The country is having an election next month after Imran Khan, its former leader, was removed nearly two years ago.

    Many people wanted the government to act, so they did this to show they are strong, according to retired Lt General Asif Yaseen, a former Pakistani defense secretary.

    He felt strongly that the conflict would end and both countries could talk again. Pakistan might be able to start talking with Iran now.

    Some people are saying that Iran attacked Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan this week because of the problems happening in the Middle East.

    Tehran says they don’t want to join in the bigger fight between Israel and Gaza, but the groups they support have been attacking Israel and its allies to support the Palestinians.

    Shashank Joshi, who is an expert on defense at The Economist, says he doesn’t think the attacks are because of the Hamas attacks on Israel in October. Those attacks killed around 1,300 people and led to Israel attacking Hamas in Gaza. The Hamas health ministry says about 24,000 people have been killed in the Israeli retaliation.

    This is a story about Iran showing its strength, maybe because it was very upset about a serious attack on its country in Kerman on 3 Jan, which is the worst terrorist attack in Iran since the revolution of 1979. Iran is hurt and is striking back. “I don’t believe there is a strong reason to say the bombing was caused by or is a result of 7 October,” Mr. Joshi said on the BBC’s Today program.

    He says that there have been border tensions before, but this is the most serious one he can remember.

    China, a good friend of both countries, has asked both sides to calm down and not make the situation worse.

  • Iran demonstrates its missile might with localised attacks

    Iran demonstrates its missile might with localised attacks

    Iran’s military, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), is showing its strength by launching attacks on Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan. This shows that Iran has become a powerful military force in the region.

    The IRGC says its missiles can reach US and Israeli bases in the Middle East.

    In just one day, it showed how powerful it is by firing missiles and drones at three different countries.

    On Tuesday night, the IRGC attacked two places in Pakistan. The strikes destroyed two bases of the militant group Jaish al-Adl. This was in response to the killing of Iranian border guards in the past few weeks.

    Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni group, claims it is fighting for the rights of Baloch people in south-eastern Iran. They said two houses where their members’ families were living were hit.

    Pakistan said the attacks were very bad and caused the deaths of two children. They also warned that there will be bad results because of this.

    Iraq was also against Iran’s actions when they fired 11 missiles at Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan.

    The regional government said four civilians died. The Prime Minister called the attack a “crime against the Kurdish people. ”

    Fars news agency, which supports the IRGC, said that the place where Israel’s Mossad spy agency worked was destroyed in the attacks. The Kurdistan Region Security Council said it strongly disagreed with the false reason, while Israel didn’t say anything.

    Four missiles belonging to the IRGC destroyed the house of the well-known Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee. He died in the attack, along with his 11-month-old daughter.

    A person who gives advice to Mr. Barzani said it was completely ridiculous to say that he was involved in spying or worked for Israel. But the Iranian Foreign Minister said that the IRGC did not make a mistake.

    Dizayee started two companies called Falcon Group and Empire World after the US took over Iraq in 2003. He was good friends with the important Barzani family, which is led by the father of the prime minister and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani.

    The Falcon Group works in different areas like security, building, and oil and gas. The security team helped Western representatives and companies in Iraq.

    The attack in Irbil shows that the IRGC can carry out targeted strikes and hit military bases near Irbil’s airport where US and other foreign forces are.

    The IRGC said they attacked Israeli buildings in Irbil. This was also meant to help Iran’s politics inside the country, after Israel probably attacked Syria and killed an important commander on 25 December.

    On Monday night, the IRGC fired missiles at bases in Syria that it claimed belonged to the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups.

    Idlib is the only place left where the Syrian opposition is strong after fighting against President Bashar al-Assad’s government for 12 years. Assad is still in charge because Russia and Iran support him with their armies. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sharm (HTS) controls Idlib, but IS and al-Qaeda are also there.

    The IRGC said they attacked Idlib in revenge for two IS suicide bombings in Kerman, Iran. The bombings killed 94 people on 3 January. The bombers attacked many people near the tomb of Qasem Soleimani, who was a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. They did this on the fourth anniversary of his death in a US drone attack.

    The IRGC said it used a missile called Kheibar Shekan (Castle Buster) to attack Idlib. This missile can travel up to 1,450km (900 miles).

    It also said the missile was launched from the southern province of Khuzestan, but it could have been launched from the western province of Azerbaijan, which is a lot closer to Syria.

    Iran wants to show the world that they can reach different parts of Israel from where they are launching missiles. This is because Israel is next to Syria.

  • Iran’s’ reckless’ assault on Iraq denounced by US

    Iran’s’ reckless’ assault on Iraq denounced by US

    The US criticized Iran for shooting missiles near Irbil in Iraq, calling it a dangerous and not accurate set of attacks.

    The Revolutionary Guards of Iran said they attacked what they said were places where Israeli spies were working in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

    The Kurdistan Region Security Council said four people died and six were hurt in Monday’s attack.

    Iraq expressed disapproval of the attacks, saying they broke its rules.

    The Israeli government has not said anything about the claims from Iran.

    In another news, Kurdistan officials said they had used guns to bring down three drones with weapons, that were flying over Irbil airport where US and international forces are stationed, Reuters reported. Officials did not tell us about any harm or injuries.

    The Iranian attacks happened when things were already tense in the region because of the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which is supported by Iran. The war started on 7 October in the Gaza Strip.

    The fighting is spreading to include groups that are supported by Iran in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

    “We will keep checking the situation, but it looks like these strikes were reckless and not accurate,” said Adrienne Watson, who speaks for the White House National Security Council.

    “She said the United States is on Iraq’s side and wants them to be free and safe. No US people or buildings were attacked. ”

    The Revolutionary Guards of Iran said that they destroyed a main spying base of Mossad in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq using ballistic missiles.

    A comment was made in reaction to the recent terrible actions of the Zionist government.

    Iran has launched missile attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan, aiming at places where they believe Iranian separatist groups and Israeli agents are located.

    The leader of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, criticized the recent attack on Irbil as a “bad thing for the Kurdish people”.

    A well-known businessman named Peshraw Dizayee was one of four civilians who were killed, according to Mr. Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party.

    The Revolutionary Guards said they attacked Islamic State (IS) group areas in Syria on Monday night.

    Loud blasts were heard in the city of Aleppo and the surrounding area in north-western Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least four missiles came from the Mediterranean Sea and landed there.

    The Revolutionary Guards attacked in Syria because of a suicide bombing that happened this month. It was done in revenge for the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani by the US.

    The attack in Kerman, in southern Iran, killed at least 94 people and hurt many others.

  • Iran needs to order Houthis to stop – Shapps

    Iran needs to order Houthis to stop – Shapps

    The UK’s defense secretary has warned Iran to tell its friends in the Middle East to stop what they’re doing because the world is getting tired of it.

    Grant Shapps has pointed out that the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon are important friends of Iran and they support Hamas.

    The UK and the US worked together to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen on Thursday night.

    The Houthis have been attacking boats in the Red Sea since November.

    The group from Iran who controls a big part of Yemen says they are attacking ships because of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

    On Friday, American and British forces launched air attacks on 16 places in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. They targeted places like supply centers, defense systems, and military storage areas. US officials said they also attacked again on Saturday.

    MrShapps said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that Iran is important for calming down the tensions in the Middle East.

    When asked about what he wants to say to the Iranian government, he said that they need to stop supporting groups like the Houthi rebels, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and others in Iraq and Syria. The world is getting tired of their actions and wants them to stop.

    “We notice you, and we know what you’re up to. ” We are watching what you are doing, especially the Houthi rebels, and it won’t end well.

    MrShapps said that the UK is defending itself because container ships are being threatened and a drone attacked a Royal Navy destroyer recently.

    Hezbollah and Israel are shooting at each other across the border between Lebanon and Israel. This started when the Israeli military responded to Hamas attacks in southern Israel.

    About 1,300 people died and 240 were taken by force in Israel. Israel attacked Gaza and more than 23,000 people have been killed.

    Iranian groups in Syria and Iraq have often been attacking US military bases in the area since the war began.

    Houthi attacks in the Red Sea went up by 500% between November and December last year. The danger is so big that big shipping companies stopped sailing in the area and now insurance costs are 10 times higher than before December.

    The International Chamber of Shipping says that 20% of the world’s container ships are now going around the southern tip of Africa instead of going through the Red Sea.

  • Fire outbreak at Iranian drug rehab centre kills dozens

    Fire outbreak at Iranian drug rehab centre kills dozens

    A fire that engulfed a drug rehabilitation center in northern Iran has resulted in the deaths of at least 32 individuals, according to authorities.

    The blaze erupted early on Friday in Langarud, a city in the Caspian Sea province of Gilan, located north of Tehran. Esmail Sadeghi, a provincial chief justice, reported that an additional 16 individuals were transported to hospitals.

    While Iran imposes the death penalty on repeat drug smugglers and dealers, it also runs several rehabilitation programs for addicts. The cause of the fire remains unclear, but an investigation is reportedly underway.

    Iran has one of the world’s highest per-capita rates of opioid addiction and is situated on a major smuggling route for opium originating from Afghanistan.

    According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, in 2020, Iran accounted for 47% of the global heroin and morphine seizures originating from Afghanistan.

    In June, Amnesty International reported that Iran had executed at least 173 people convicted of drug-related offenses this year after “systematically unfair trials,” nearly three times more than the previous year.

  • Iran seeks relations with military regime in Niger

    Iran seeks relations with military regime in Niger

    Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, said that his country is prepared to work together with Niger in areas that will bring economic benefits.

    President Raisi shared his thoughts on Wednesday after meeting with Bakary Yaou Sangaré, the new foreign affairs minister of Niger who took office after a military takeover in July.

    The Iranian president, Mr Raisi, praised Niger for wanting to be independent and resisting European control. He believes this shows that Africa is truly moving away from being controlled by other countries.

    Iran is trying to get close to Niger, a country in Africa, because it wants to stop being isolated by other countries.

    In September, President Raisi met with Olivia Rouamba, who is the foreign minister of Burkina Faso’s junta. In the meeting, he praised African countries for their strength against being controlled by other countries and for standing up against terrorism.

    In July, he went to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, which was the first time an Iranian president visited Africa in over ten years.

  • Iranian artist defends CR7 on ‘adultery’ claims

    Iranian artist defends CR7 on ‘adultery’ claims

    Iranian artist Fatemeh Hamami was deeply upset by erroneous reports suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo had been sentenced to receive 99 lashes for embracing her.

    The false claim stated that the Portuguese footballer had been found guilty of adultery in Iran due to the embrace he shared with the disabled artist.

    This embrace took place when they met in Tehran before Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League match against Persepolis.

    Nonetheless, the Iranian embassy in Madrid swiftly refuted these reports, clarifying the situation.

    Hamami has also clarified why her family chose not to pursue legal action against Ronaldo in this matter.

    “Cristiano Ronaldo is an extremely professional and ethical character who always gets involved in great charity matters, and he embraced me with love and affection.

    Iranian artist and Ronaldo


    “Unemployed lawyers made accusations against him without my or my family’s permission. In Iran, he has committed a crime for hugging me, while we have never had any complaints. I am very grateful to Ronaldo for his love for me. I hope the best happens to him in life and football.”

    Asked if Ronaldo was aware that he was committing a crime by embracing her, Hamami said: “No one told him anything about the laws of Iran and he didn’t know it either, but Ronaldo’s hug was for his love and brotherhood, and he had no bad intentions.

    Ronaldo hugs Iranian artiste as she gifts him paintings of himself

    “My family and I have no complaints about this issue; we just want to deny these accusations against Cristiano.”

    Hamami, who is 85 percent paralysed, also opened up about fulfilling a life “dream” when presenting the paintings to the Portugal international.

    “It was a dream,” she said. “I spent several years drawing portraits of him and I couldn’t believe that dream had come true, seeing Cristiano in our country, Iran, and giving him the paintings as a gift.

    “I dreamed for a long time about meeting him. When Al-Nassr played Persepolis in Tehran, I travelled with my family from my hometown to meet Cristiano at the hotel where his team was staying.

    “He was very valuable to me. He made me very happy. And he gave me his shirt! I’m going to leave it as a souvenir. It’s very important and valuable to me.”

  • Ronaldo to receive ‘99 lashes’ in Iran following alleged ‘adultery’ reports

    Ronaldo to receive ‘99 lashes’ in Iran following alleged ‘adultery’ reports

    Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly facing a sentence of 99 lashes in Iran on charges of adultery following an incident during his travels with Al-Nassr for an AFC Champions League match against Persepolis.

    While in Iran, Ronaldo met with Iranian painter Fatima Hamami, who is paralysed and a dedicated fan of the football star.

    During their meeting, Ronaldo received a painting from the artist and shared a hug, which has led to a criminal complaint in Iran.

    In the country, physical contact with a woman who is not your spouse is considered adultery.

    According to the report in Mundo Deportivo, several Iranian lawyers filed the complaint, resulting in a swift response from the judicial system, which sentenced the 38-year-old Ronaldo to 99 lashes.

    While the sentence will not affect his current travels, if Al-Nassr progresses to the next round of the competition and faces a club from Iran, Ronaldo may be at risk of arrest and serving his sentence should he set foot in Iranian territory again.

  • US provides Kyiv with 1.1 million rounds of ammo it seized from Iran

    The US military sent about 1. 1 million bullets taken from Iran last year to Ukraine.

    The US Central Command (Centcom), which is responsible for operations in the Middle East, has said that they took possession of the bullets from a ship heading towards Yemen in December.

    Ukraine’s friends from the West recently said that it’s becoming hard for them to make enough bullets for Ukraine because Ukraine is using them up quickly.

    Centcom states that the Iranian rounds were taken to Ukraine on Monday.

    They included bullets that were 7. 62mm size and were used in rifles and light machine-guns from the Soviet era.

    Although the number is important, it only makes up a small portion of the many rounds of ammunition that have been given to Ukraine by its allies.

    The US has given over 200 million bullets and grenades.

    The US navy took control of Iranian weapons from a ship called MARWAN 1 on December 9th.

    The US government got ownership of them in July using a method called civil forfeiture. This method allows the government to take away someone’s property if they suspect the person is involved in illegal activities.

    In this situation, someone made a complaint against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is part of Iran’s military and has the job of protecting their government.

    The US said it is working with allies to stop Iran from sending dangerous weapons to the region, using legal methods.

    Iran supports the Houthi rebels in the civil war happening in Yemen. However, the UN Security Council has prohibited the transfer of weapons to the group since 2015.

    The fighting in Yemen started in 2014 when a group called the Houthis captured the main city of Sanaa and kicked out the government.

    The government that was forced out of power is still seen as the official government of Yemen by the international community. It is supported by a group of countries led by Saudi Arabia, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom.

    Since the second half of last year, people have accused Iran multiple times of giving Russia weapons, especially drones, to use in the war in Ukraine.

    The move to send weapons to Ukraine is happening because Western allies are worried about whether they can keep giving weapons to Kyiv.

    Admiral Rob Bauer, who leads NATO’s military committee, mentioned at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday that the situation has become very serious.

    He said that because they hadn’t invested enough money for many years, the Nato countries didn’t have enough ammunition when the war started.

  • Iran hijab bill: Women who dress inappropriately risk ten years in prison

    Iran hijab bill: Women who dress inappropriately risk ten years in prison

    Iran’s government recently approved a new law that makes it possible for women and girls who violate the country’s strict dress code to face longer jail sentences and bigger fines.

    People who dress “inappropriately” might go to jail for up to 10 years with this new law. The law will be tested for three years.

    The law is not approved yet. It needs to be approved by the Guardian Council.

    The decision was made a year after people protested when Mahsa Amini died while in custody of the morality police. She was held because they believed she was wearing her hijab incorrectly.

    During the protests against the religious leaders, women either burned their headscarves or lifted them in the air. These demonstrations happened all across the country and it is said that many people were killed by the security forces.

    More and more women and girls are choosing to not wear a headscarf in public anymore, even though the moral police have come back and there are security cameras now.

    According to Iranian law, which follows the country’s interpretation of Sharia, women and girls who have reached puberty need to wear a hijab to cover their hair and wear loose clothes to hide their bodies.

    Right now, if people don’t follow the rules, they might have to go to jail for 10 days to 2 months or pay a fine of 5,000 to 500,000 rials ($0. 10-$1014 at the black market exchange rate).

    On Wednesday, lawmakers voted to pass the “Hijab and Chastity Bill” with a majority of 152 to 34. This bill states that individuals who are found wearing clothes considered “inappropriate” in public will face a punishment called the “fourth degree. ”

    As per the law, this means a person will be sent to prison for a period of five to ten years and will have to pay a fine ranging from 180 million to 360 million rials ($3,651-$7,302).

    The proposed bill suggests that people who show nudity or mock the hijab on social media or in the media might have to pay fines. It also says that if a woman is not wearing a hijab or fitting clothes in a vehicle, the owner of that vehicle might have to pay a fine.

    If someone purposely breaks the dress code together with foreign or hostile governments, media, groups or organizations, they could go to jail for five to ten years.

    The bill is now going to be sent to the Guardian Council for approval. The Guardian Council is a group of conservative religious leaders and legal experts. They can reject the bill if they think it goes against the constitution and Sharia.

    A few weeks ago, a group of experts from the United Nations said that the bill might be seen as a way of treating genders unequally, with the goal of making women and girls completely submissive.

    “The proposed law would give harsh punishments to women and girls who don’t follow it. This could result in them being violently forced to comply,” the experts explained.

    The bill goes against basic human rights, such as the right to participate in cultural activities, the banning of unfair treatment based on gender, the freedom to express opinions, the right to peacefully protest, and the right to use social, educational, and health services, as well as the freedom to move around.

  • Freed Americans from Iran’s prisoner swap arrive in US

    Freed Americans from Iran’s prisoner swap arrive in US

    A plane with five Americans who were imprisoned in Iran for a long time has arrived in the United States after a prisoner swap that has caused disagreement and controversy.

    They landed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, near Washington DC on Tuesday morning.

    They first flew from Tehran to Doha. In Doha, they got on another plane going to the US.

    On Monday, the final part of the agreement was completed when $6 billion of Iranian money, which was being held in South Korea, was transferred to banks in Doha.

    The prisoners who were let go hold citizenship in both Iran and the United States. Five Iranians who were being held by the US have been set free. Out of these five, three decided not to go back to Iran.

    The airplane with the five Americans arrived at Davison Army Airfield just before 05:30 in the morning (09:30 GMT). They had a very emotional and tearful meeting with their family members on the runway.

    The people’s loved ones and friends waved small American flags as they left the airplane.

    “The bad dream is finally finished,” a family member of Siamak Namazi, one of the released Americans, said. “We haven’t experienced this moment in more than eight years. ” This is amazing.

    “It is the start of a very long journey towards getting better and feeling better,” a spokesperson for the family said.

    Also, there were two family members, Roger Carstens and Abram Paley, on the plane. Roger Carstens is a US presidential representative and Abram Paley is a deputy representative for Iran. Both of them saw the people who were released from detention in Doha.

    During a speech at Fort Belvoir, Mr. Carstens told the former detainees to use the help that the US military is giving them after leaving isolation. He said that he believes they will keep fighting to bring more Americans back home.

    US officials have always said that Iran is holding five people captive just to gain political power

    The Americans include a 51-year-old businessman named Mr. Namazi who has been in Tehran’s Evin prison for almost eight years. There is also a businessman named Emad Shargi, 59, and an environmentalist named Morad Tahbaz, 67, who is also a British citizen.

    The other two prisoners did not want to give their names.

    The five Iranians who were freed as part of the agreement had been mainly jailed in the United States for breaking US sanctions.

    US President Joe Biden expressed his support for the prisoner exchange on Monday. He mentioned that the Americans who were in prison would finally be reunited with their loved ones after facing a lot of pain, doubt, and hardship for many years.

    At the same time, Mr. Biden promised to keep punishing Iran for their harmful actions in the area.

    “And as we greet our fellow citizens returning home, I want to remind all Americans again about the significant dangers of going to Iran,” he said. “Do not go to that place if you have an American passport. ”

    The president said some things at the same time that the US said they will punish the former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Iran’s intelligence ministry.

    One of the prisoners who was let go, Siamak Namazi, thanked everyone for not letting the world forget about him. He acknowledged that he wouldn’t be free today if it wasn’t for their support.

    Thank you very much from my heart. Thank you for speaking up for me when I couldn’t do it myself and for making sure my screams were heard when I had the courage to shout from Evin Prison.

    South Korea owed money to Iran for buying oil before the Trump administration banned these transactions in 2019. The money was released to Iran as part of the deal. The US has stated that the money that has been given can only be used for helping people in need.

    The act of giving back the money has caused arguments and disagreement in the US. Some of Mr. Biden’s political enemies have strongly criticized this action.

    Some important Republicans are worried that Iran will give money to support other groups in the Middle East.

    The US government has minimized or played down these worries. Last week, a person from the State Department named Matthew Miller said that the US treasury department is closely watching the money and that Washington can make sure it is used correctly.

    A top official in the government also informed journalists that the US plans to prevent Iran from using the funds for anything other than helping people in need.

  • ‘The nightmare is over’: Iran releases Americans in exchange for prisoners

    ‘The nightmare is over’: Iran releases Americans in exchange for prisoners

    Five Americans who were held in prison in Iran for a long time, seen as hostages by many, are now returning to the United States.

    The final part of a contentious exchange brokered by Qatar was completed when $6bn (£4. 8bn) of money from Iran that was being held in South Korea arrived at banks in Doha.

    This made it possible for the four American men and one woman in Tehran, who are also Iranian citizens, to get on a flight to Qatar’s capital city.

    Senior officials of the United States will meet with them and then they will be taken to Washington by plane.

    It is said that three people from America are involved in this. One of them is Siamak Namazi, a 51-year-old businessman who has been in prison called Evin in Tehran for almost eight years. Another person is Emad Shargi, a 59-year-old businessman. There is also Morad Tahbaz, a 67-year-old environmentalist who has British citizenship too.

    The US government has stated that its citizens were unjustly imprisoned on false accusations in order to gain political advantages.

    In August, they were moved to a safe place in Tehran after they made an agreement.

    Five Iranians who are currently in American prisons, mostly because they have broken US sanctions, will also be pardoned as part of this deal. Some of them may not go back to Iran.

    Iran has given the names Reza Sarhangpour, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi, Mehrdad Moein Ansari, and Amin Hasanzadeh.

    Who are the people with citizenship in two countries who are currently in prison in Iran.

    The thing that Americans have been very afraid of is finally finished. Professor Mehran Kamrava, who is originally from Iran but now teaches at Georgetown University in Qatar, described how difficult and disruptive solitary confinement can be. It involves not knowing what is happening and losing track of time. It greatly disrupts the normal flow of life.

    The agreement happened after many months of discussions led by Qatar, which started in February of last year.

    Someone who knows about the negotiations says that there were at least nine difficult discussions in Doha. The American and Iranian delegations stayed in different hotels. Senior officials from Qatar traveled back and forth between Tehran and Washington.

    “I believe both sides benefit a little,” said Prof Kamrava to the BBC in Doha. Joe Biden is getting Americans back to their own country, and Iran is letting Iranians out of prison in the United States. But the most important thing is the six billion dollars that they are receiving.

    Who are the people from America that were held in jail?

    Morad Tahbaz was taken into custody in 2018 with eight other Iranian environmentalists. They were using cameras to follow very rare wild Asiatic cheetahs, but they were accused of using their environmental work as an excuse to gather secret information. The person said they didn’t do it, but they got put in jail for 10 years.

    Siamak Namazi, who works in the oil industry and lives in Dubai, was taken into custody by the authorities in 2015. His old father, Baquer, was taken into custody the next year, after Iranian officials gave him permission to see his son. Both of them were sentenced to 10 years in jail because they were accused of working with a foreign enemy country, but they said they didn’t do it. Iran allowed Baquer to leave the country in 2022 to get medical help.

    Emad Shargi was arrested in 2018 when he was working for an investment company in Iran. After being let out of jail temporarily, he was later informed that he was no longer accused of spying. In 2020, a court told him that he was found guilty of a crime even though he was not there and given a 10-year prison sentence. In 2021, a person was set free before their appeal and allegedly taken into custody when attempting to cross Iran’s western border without permission.
    The two additional Americans who were freed have not been identified.

    It is a great relief for some prisoners to be released and come home, but there is also worry that more prisoners could be taken in the future. There are more people with citizenship from two countries who are still in prison in Tehran.

    Sanam Vakil, who works at a think tank in London called Chatham House, says that the Iranian government has started to become a government that takes people hostage. “They have been manipulating people and using them as tools, which gives them an advantage over the West. ”

    Qatar wants this rare moment of cooperation to help make progress on other longstanding disagreements and disputes. One of these is the 2015 nuclear deal, which was almost completely abandoned by former US President Donald Trump five years ago. Some people are doubtful about it.

    A Western official, who knows about the situation, is frustrated because the Iranians say they want to start serious diplomatic discussions, but there is no agreement or proper negotiations happening. “They have made progress, but we have informed them, with the help of the Omanis, about the necessary actions to create favorable conditions for diplomacy. ”

    According to sources, Iran is producing less 60%-enriched uranium for nuclear purposes. This is not as high as the 90% needed to make weapons, but it still exceeds the limits set in the 2015 agreement.

    However, there is growing worry about Iran not being open about its nuclear goals.

    On Sunday, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said he strongly disagrees with Iran’s decision to remove a large number of IAEA inspectors. The decision to move nuclear weapons, although it is allowed by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is being criticized as a move in the wrong direction.

    Last week in Vienna, 63 countries together signed a statement criticizing Iran for not cooperating with the NPT Safeguards Agreement.

    Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says that we should not think this deal will make the relationship between the US and Iran better.

    “He means that as long as Khamenei is in charge of Iran, they will keep being enemies with the United States. ” “It benefits him to have an enemy from outside, and it’s a defining part of the government’s identity. ”

    People have been asking President Biden for a while to bring back the Americans who are abroad.

    Earlier this year, Siamak Namazi, who was in prison, sent a letter asking for help to fulfill the promise made by the previous Obama government to bring him home safely within a few weeks. He said he was the person who was held captive the longest as an Iranian-American.

    He got arrested while on a business trip to Tehran in 2015 and was found guilty of working with an enemy government, which is the United States. His father Baquer was also arrested and found guilty of the same crime when he went to Tehran to try to free him. But he was released last October, supposedly because of his medical condition. The United States said that they both were held in custody unfairly.

    Morad Tahbaz and his family felt angry and abandoned after the British government promised that he and two other British-Iranians, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, would come back to Britain last year. However, this did not happen and they were left feeling upset.

    This exchange happens when Iran is facing more and more challenges because of harmful international restrictions. It also follows a year with protests that were caused by the death of Mahsa Amini while she was held by Iran’s morality police.

  • Nuclear sanctions against Iran upheld by UK, France and Germany

    Nuclear sanctions against Iran upheld by UK, France and Germany

    The UK, France, and Germany have decided to maintain sanctions on Iran in an effort to dissuade Tehran from selling drones and missiles to Russia.

    Iran had agreed to a nuclear deal in 2015, and some sanctions were scheduled to be lifted next month. However, the European nations believe Iran violated the deal by enriching and storing uranium.

    Iran counters that this move is “illegal and provocative” and “clearly violated” the deal’s terms. The European powers, collectively known as E3, aim to incorporate expiring UN sanctions into their own laws.

    These sanctions target nuclear proliferation-related measures, as well as arms and missile embargoes. Despite these sanctions, Russia has utilized many drones produced in Iran in its war against Ukraine.

    In a separate move, the UK has imposed sanctions on officials responsible for Iran’s mandatory hijab legislation ahead of the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death. Her death after being arrested for allegedly breaking hijab rules sparked protests.

    Iran entered into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with several world powers, known as the P5+1, eight years ago.

    Under the 2015 accord, Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities and allow international inspectors in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

    The JCPOA prohibits the purchase, sale, or transfer of drones and missiles to and from Iran. The agreement envisioned a “transition day” when remaining sanctions on Iran related to ballistic missiles and nuclear activities would be lifted.

    Russia and China will no longer be bound by these restrictions if they do not adopt sanctions similar to those of the UK, France, and Germany before October 18.

    The E3 stated that the sanctions would persist until Iran fully complies with the JCPOA. Iran argued that the decision violated the E3’s obligations under the JCPOA and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.