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IRGC spokesperson: Intelligence Operations key to Iran’s victory in 12-day conflict with Israel

IRGC

Speaking at a training session for Basiji university professors, Naeini emphasized that modern warfare success is measured by achieving strategic objectives and imposing national will.

He compared the 12-day conflict to Iran’s eight-year war, noting that while the previous conflict relied heavily on ground forces, the recent confrontation focused on airpower, missile capabilities, and advanced technology.

Iran responded within hours, reflecting a significant leap in defense capabilities.

Naeini highlighted that over 82 percent of Iranians viewed the country as victorious, and more than 120 international entities condemned Israel’s actions.

He noted key factors in Iran’s success included strong leadership, national unity, and an intelligence database maintained by the IRGC, which integrated information from cyber operations, infiltration, and field intelligence.

He also noted the role of counter-terrorism operations within Iran, including dismantling terrorist and weapons-smuggling networks, which prevented attacks during the conflict.

Naeini called for continued involvement of scholars, media, and scientific institutions to preserve and reinforce the narrative of Iran’s victory.

Iranian security forces discover explosives workshop linked to terrorist cell in Iranshahr

Iran Police

Brigadier General Mohammadreza Eshaqi, the provincial police commander, said the discovery was made during a follow-up operation after a major raid on Wednesday that targeted a militant cell.

During the operation, authorities seized 64 homemade electric detonators, 24 remote-control receivers, five hand grenades, two 40-millimeter grenades, five kilograms of homemade explosives, 11 wireless remote devices, 140 meters of explosive fuse, two reflective vests, one ready-to-detonate bomb, and various firearms and ammunition.

Eshaqi said the cell had planned to attack economic infrastructure, carry out explosions in crowded public areas, and destabilize the province by inciting fear and unrest.

The operation followed coordinated actions by the Quds Headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Iranshahr, Khash, and Saravan, where 13 militants were killed in clashes with security forces.

The region has been the scene of fierce fighting between Iranian security forces and militants, mostly based on Pakistan. The terrorist attacks has claimed many civilian lives in recent months.

Statue of legendary Persian archer ‘Arash Kamangir’ unveiled in Kerman

The unveiling ceremony, held on Jomhouri Eslami Boulevard, was attended by Minister of Culture Seyed Abbas Salehi, alongside the governor of Kerman, provincial officials, and city managers.

The event coincided with the Government Week celebrations, which honor public service and national development projects across the country.

Arash Kamangir, a heroic archer in Iranian mythology, is celebrated for his act of self-sacrifice in defining the borders of ancient Iran by shooting an arrow from the Alborz Mountains, a story deeply rooted in Persian literature and cultural heritage.

More in pictures:

Iran sets new solar power generation record as renewable capacity grows

SATBA chief Mohsen Tarztalab, who also serves as Deputy Energy Minister, announced that 150 megawatts of new solar plants were inaugurated across 24 sites in Tehran, Yazd, Alborz, Semnan, Markazi, Qazvin, Sistan-Baluchestan, and Isfahan provinces.

He noted the projects were financed through both private investment and national development funds.

He added that construction of a 200-megawatt solar power plant in Bushehr, backed by Tourism Bank, also began this week.

Iran’s total installed renewable energy capacity has now reached 2,100 megawatts, with plans to expand to 7,000 megawatts by the end of the year, raising renewables’ share of the national energy mix to about 7 percent.

Tarztalab emphasized that the expansion of solar capacity not only reduces reliance on fossil fuels but also creates opportunities for investors. He called for the savings from reduced fuel consumption to be allocated to further support renewable energy developers.

Iranian para-cyclists miss world championships after Belgium denies visas

The championship, which began on Wednesday, August 27, with mandatory medical classification sessions, features two events; the individual time trial and the road race.

According to local reports, Ahmad Hamzehlou and Behrouz Farzad, along with their coach Maziar Farzad, were scheduled to travel to Belgium for classification and competition. However, the visa applications of the Iranian delegation were not approved in time, preventing them from attending the event.

This is not the first setback for Hamzehlou, who also missed the previous Asian Para-Cycling Championships in Thailand due to incomplete medical classification. Both Iranian athletes were expected to undergo international classification on Wednesday before receiving authorization to compete at the world level.

Iranian sports officials have not yet commented on the reasons behind the visa refusal, while Belgian authorities have not issued a statement on the matter.

Iran considers revisiting ban on social media amid ongoing debates

Iran Internet Mobile

“The president’s approach is to resolve the issue through dialogue and coordination,” Elyas Hazrati, said, emphasizing that the Supreme Council of Cyberspace is the main decision-making body on filtering policies.

“Some members are completely opposed to unblocking platforms,” he pointed out.

Hazrati noted that partial unblocking has already occurred for some services, including access to YouTube for schools, researchers, and universities, as well as parts of Google.

Regarding WhatsApp, he argued that filtering the platform has not been effective.

“If WhatsApp is truly a tool for espionage, blocking it only doubles or triples the problem,” he said. “People simply use VPNs and even pay for them, which increases the damage.”

He also revealed that the Ministry of Communications has held talks with international platforms to open offices in Iran.

Hazrati stressed the need to strengthen domestic platforms so that users choose them voluntarily rather than through restrictions on foreign services.

Poll finds majority of Americans disapprove of US-Israel military alliance

A Quinnipiac University survey found 60 percent of voters disapprove of the U.S. sending military aid to Israel, while 32 percent support additional aid — the highest level of opposition and lowest level of support for the U.S. military alliance with Israel in a Quinnipiac poll since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks against Israel by Hamas.

The growing disapproval of U.S. support for Israel comes as President Donald Trump continues to seek an end to the conflict and as Democrats look to bridge divides between party members on both sides of the debate over whether to back Israel.

Democrats and independent voters largely oppose Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In the new poll, 75 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of independents said they were against more spending to provide additional military aid for Israel, while 56 percent of Republicans supported additional spending.

Half of the voters surveyed, including 77 percent of Democrats, said they believe Israel is committing genocide. Sixty-four percent of Republicans said they do not believe Israel is committing genocide.

Voters were roughly split when asked whether they sympathized more with Israelis or Palestinians — 37 percent said they sympathized more with Palestinians, while 36 percent said they sympathized more with Israelis. Those figures represent the highest mark for Palestinians and the lowest mark for Israelis in a Quinnipiac poll since 2001.

The waning support for Israel brings a new urgency around the White House’s efforts to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war. The president and top advisers held a meeting on Wednesday to strategize about plans for Gaza after the end of the conflict, even as Israel continues to bombard the region.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,220 registered voters nationwide from August 21-25. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.4 percentage points.

Iranian MP: IAEA not allowed to visit nuclear sites

IAEA Team

Boroujerdi, who sits on Iran’s Parliament’s National Security Commission,
stressed that only the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which requires supervision during refueling, has been conditionally accepted for inspection, which must be solely conducted by Russian inspectors.

Boroujerdi criticized IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi for presenting false reports to the IAEA’s Board of Governors, which he argued were used as pretexts for military threats by the US and the Zionist regime.

The MP added that inspector access is now subject to approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and that negotiations are underway for a new framework of cooperation with the IAEA, rather than allowing inspections as in the past.

Iran prepares to drag aggressors before intl. courts over illegal attacks

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday, Ansari said his team has worked extensively to compile evidence.

He noted that documentation began immediately on the second day of the recent 12-day war, covering territorial aggression, attacks on prohibited sites such as media centers, hospitals, nuclear facilities, and civilian casualties, including women and children.

The Iranian vice president for legal affairs underlined that the next step involves operational lodging of lawsuits abroad.

According to Ansari, the office of the vice president for legal affairs will take necessary action in close cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and under the guidance of the Supreme National Security Council to make Iran’s voice for justice and accountability heard on the global stage.

Spox: IAEA inspectors to oversee fuel replacement at Bushehr power plant

Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant

Speaking to national media, Behrouz Kamalvandi noted that any inspections by the IAEA in Iran will occur only after both sides agree on a cooperation framework and after approval by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in accordance with the parliamentary law of the Islamic Republic.

Kamalvandi also said the supervision ensures the timely implementation of Bushehr’s operational schedule and the uninterrupted supply of electricity to the national grid.