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Tehran Police: Missing Woman in high-profile case found dead, suspect arrested

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Crime Scene

Brigadier General Goudarzi, head of Tehran’s Criminal Investigation Department, announced the development in a statement on Friday.

Following the publication of the missing person report, investigators launched a thorough probe into the case. “Based on the evidence collected, it became clear that Ms. Hoseinnezhad had been murdered,” Goudarzi said.

“Thanks to the relentless efforts of our officers, the suspect in her killing was taken into custody,” the police chief added.

Elahe Hosseinnezhad, a resident of Eslamshahr, mysteriously disappeared on May 25, 2025, after leaving her workplace in northern Tehran.

On the day of the incident, she left her workplace alone and, after making a phone call to her family while on her way back to Eslamshahr, no further trace of her was found. Efforts by her family, the media, and the police to locate her expanded widely, supported by well-known figures on social media.

US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire

By
IFP Media Wire
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All 14 other members of the council voted in favor of the resolution, which described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory.

Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea, speaking to the council immediately before the vote, said the resolution would undermine the security of Israel. a close U.S. ally, and diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire “that reflects the realities on the ground.”

But the U.S. veto of the resolution — its fifth since the start of the war — was roundly criticized by other members of the council, who accused the United States of providing Israel with impunity.

The Chinese ambassador to the U.N. said Israel’s actions have “crossed every red line” of international humanitarian law and seriously violated U.N. resolutions.

“Yet, due to the shielding by one country, these violations have not been stopped or held accountable,” Ambassador Fu Cong said.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward, a usual U.S. ally, lashed out at Israel.

“This Israeli government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict aid are unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive, and the U.K. completely opposes them,” she stated.

France’s Ambassador to the UN Jerome Bonnafont stressed the Security Council was prevented from shouldering its responsibility, “despite the fact that most of us seem to be converging on one view”.

Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said Palestinians are now urging governments to take “real measures” to pressure Israel to get out of Gaza before it implements what he called an Israeli plan “to destroy our people.”

And in the coming days, he added, the Palestinians will head to the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, with a similar humanitarian-focused resolution. Unlike in the Security Council, assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they are seen as a barometer of world opinion.

The war began when Hamas-led fighters stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Public figures in Germany call on government to take clear stance against Israel

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

Individuals from academia, culture, and civil society called on the German government to take a clear stance against Israel’s “disproportionate conduct of war” in the open letter addressed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

“We are writing to you with great dismay in light of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and Germany’s role in this armed conflict,” said the letter initiated by Said Etris Hashemi, who survived a racist terror attack in the city of Hanau where nine people were killed by a far-right extremist in 2020.

Voicing their concern over the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, signatories accused Germany of failing to uphold its obligations under international law to prevent war crimes.

“The responsibility for not having acted despite urgent warnings weighs heavily,” the letter added, calling for an immediate review and suspension of arms deliveries to Israel.

Signatories also called for greater commitment to a ceasefire and comprehensive humanitarian support for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.

They urged Berlin to align its foreign policy more closely with the principles of international law and human rights.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.

Iran atomic chief reaffirms commitment to nuclear progress

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Mohammad Eslami

In the statement, Eslami praised the Wednesday speech delivered by Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei at the mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini.

Eslami called the speech “decisive, enlightening, and inspiring” and a source of “hope, pride, and conviction” for the Iranian people and freedom-seekers around the world.

The head of the AEOI underlined that Iran’s significant achievements in nuclear technology, especially in the development of the full nuclear fuel cycle, are the result of divine guidance, Ayatollah Khamenei’s wise leadership, and steadfast national support.

Eslami noted that Iran’s committed and skilled youth have elevated the nuclear industry to a globally competitive level despite intense political pressure, harsh sanctions, and ongoing military and security threats.

Eslami pledged to press ahead with the advancement of the nuclear program with strength and determination.

The head of the AEOI reaffirmed Iran’s resolve to stand firm against the excessive demands of the US and other global powers, and to ensure that the nuclear industry continues to contribute positively to the lives of the Iranian people.

Ayatollah Khamenei firmly rejected a recent US proposal in the Oman-mediated nuclear talks, describing it as “100 percent against the principle of ‘We Can’,” a phrase symbolizing Iran’s self-reliance and resistance.

Iranian security forces foil major Daesh terror plot

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Daesh

The police spokesperson said the terrorist cell had planned to carry out sabotage and bombings during recent public ceremonies.

He added that the operation, led by the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the police, was executed over the past few days across Tehran and the provinces of Isfahan, Qom, and Alborz.
“All 13 members of the cell were arrested, including their leader, coordination and support teams’ members, and suicide bombers,” said Montazer-al-Mahdi.

Authorities also seized a cache of equipment, including suicide vests and explosive-laden backpacks.
Daesh has carried out terror attacks inside Iran in the past, killing a number of people.

US warns Britain and France not to recognise Palestinian state

By
IFP Media Wire
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Pro-Palestine Rally

France and Saudi Arabia are set to co-host a major UN conference on the two-state solution beginning on 17 June in New York.

France is reportedly gearing up to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state at the conference. MEE understands that France has been lobbying Britain to do so as well.

French officials believe the British government is onboard with the plan, according to French media.

But Washington privately begun to warn Britain and France against unilaterally recognising Palestine, sources with knowledge of the matter in the British Foreign Office told MEE.

At the same time Arab states are urging them to proceed with the move, sources said.

In late May, UN member states held consultations in preparation for the conference during which the Arab Group urged states to recognise Palestinian statehood.

The Arab Group said they would measure the success of the conference by whether significant states recognise Palestine, Foreign Office sources added.

Approached for comment, the Foreign Office pointed MEE to Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s statement on 20 May in which he reaffirmed UK support for a two-state solution.

Lammy has publicly opposed unilateral recognition, insisting earlier this year that the UK would only recognise a Palestinian state “when we know it’s going to happen and it’s in sight”.

But in late April, Lammy acknowledged for the first time that Britain was in discussion with France and Saudi Arabia on the topic.

Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, told MEE: “There are no legitimate grounds for the US to interfere in a sovereign decision by Britain and France to recognise another state.

“A Franco-British recognition would be to acknowledge the Palestinian right to nationhood and to be equal partners in any future negotiations with Israel.”

Doyle added: “Based on precedent with this British government, US objection to recognition would be more likely to have an impact on Britain than on France.”

But the American president is unpredictable.

“What really counts is what President Trump himself thinks,” Doyle stated, adding, “Opposing unilateral recognition is an existing American position. But if I was in Downing Street, I would be asking what does the president himself believe – and how will he react?”

If France and Britain go ahead with the move, they will become the first G7 nations to recognise a Palestinian state.

Alon Pinkas, who advised four Israeli foreign ministers, told MEE on Monday that French President Emmanuel Macron’s push to recognise Palestinian statehood “is serious and has the backing of most of the European Union and Saudi Arabia”.

The move would cause a political earthquake, since both France and Britain are among Israel’s most important historic allies.

And Israel has signalled it would not take the move lying down.

Last week Ron Dermer, Israel’s strategic affairs minister, threatened Britain and France that Israel may annex parts of the West Bank if they recognise a Palestinian state, according to Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

MEE revealed earlier this month that Britain privately decided in 2014 it would consider recognising a Palestinian state if Israel advanced with the contentious E1 settlement project.

Israel is currently poised to move forward with the settlement plan, which would effectively split the occupied West Bank in two.

Meanwhile, domestic pressure is ramping up in Britain.

“Starmer is facing significant levels of anger throughout the entirety of the Labour party and the British public,” Doyle said, “even in circles that would ordinarily support the Israeli government.”

Several MPs told MEE last month they believe the UK must recognise a Palestinian state immediately.

Labour MP Uma Kumaran, a member of Britain’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, stated: “This government was elected on a manifesto that promised to recognise Palestine as a step towards a just and lasting peace.

“I strongly support the recognition of a Palestinian state, and I have raised this repeatedly in parliament, on the Foreign Affairs Committee and with ministers,” Kumaran added.

Pentagon chief to skip Ukraine meeting at NATO headquarters

By
IFP Media Wire
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Pete Hegseth

The regular meetings of NATO defense ministers and others have coordinated funding for the Ukraine war, and have emerged as a key component for Western aid for Kyiv as it has battled Russian forces. But the Donald Trump administration has distanced itself from the group, handing over leadership to the U.K. and Germany.

Hegseth’s absence appears to signal further softening of the Trump administration’s relationship with Europe, and Ukraine.

The Defense secretary will be in Brussels for Thursday’s meeting of NATO defense ministers but his place at Wednesday’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group will be taken by U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, according to a defense official and two people familiar with their plans, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss internal matters.

The Defense Department cited scheduling issues.

“Secretary Hegseth’s travel schedule precluded attendance at tomorrow’s UDCG meeting,” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement.

“The United States is focused on ending the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible, on terms that establish an enduring peace.”

The U.K. and Germany took over leadership of the group in February after Hegseth said the U.S. would no longer play a role in the monthly meetings established by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022 after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Since that February meeting, U.K. Defense Minister John Healey, and Germany’s defense chief, Boris Pistorius, have run the show, with Hegseth only attending virtually last month. The pair will chair Wednesday’s meeting as well.

The Trump administration is continuing to ship weapons and equipment to Ukraine under a $61 billion aid package established by former President Joe Biden.

The Ukraine gathering of defense ministers comes three weeks before many of them will come together once again for NATO’s annual summit in The Netherlands on June 24-25. Leaders from across the alliance will attend that two-day event, including President DonaldTrump, who will likely command an outsize presence as European leaders wait for the administration’s Europe and Russia policies to come into focus.

Ambassador Whitaker stated last month that the U.S. will begin talks with allies later this year about potential troop withdrawals from Europe, but that nothing has been decided. Hegseth, during his first visit to NATO in February, warned that the American military presence in Europe was “not forever,” a comment that sent ripples of concern throughout the alliance.

During that meeting, Hegseth also admonished European leaders for not spending enough on defense and controversially laid down a series of preconditions for Ukraine to meet before entering into peace talks with Russia, including forgoing an invitation to join NATO and not asking for a return to its pre-invasion borders.

New anti-Russia sanctions ready, need to be approved by Congress, US President: Envoy

By
IFP Media Wire
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Oil

When asked by Fox News whether a new round of anti-Russian sanctions has already been drafted and ready, he replied: “I talked to [Senator] Lindsey Graham this last weekend, and I believe they are ready to go. They are called the Russian Sanctions Act 2025, and I think he’s got them set and ready to drop. And they’re pretty onerous.”

He emphasized that the restrictions are aimed primarily at Russian oil exports.

The above-mentioned draft was unveiled in mid-April by a bipartisan group of US Congress members. The bill, initiated by US Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican of South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat of Connecticut), provides for secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners. The document proposes import tariffs of up to 500% on goods from countries that purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium and other goods.

Axios reported on May 20, citing sources, that after a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump told European leaders and Vladimir Zelensky that he did not intend to impose sanctions against Russia because, in his opinion, Moscow was serious about the Ukrainian settlement.

Ayatollah Khamenei rejects US nuclear proposal, calls it contrary to Iran’s sovereignty

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

The Leader made the remarks on Wednesday during a speech at the 36th anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Emphasizing national independence, resistance to foreign pressure, and technological self-sufficiency, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran would not accept any agreement that undermines its ability to enrich uranium.

“A nuclear power plant without enrichment is useless,” he said. “It’s like owning oil but being banned from building a refinery.”

The Leader added the US is seeking to prevent Iran’s scientific progress and force dependency.

“They want us to need them for fuel and medical isotopes,” he added, referring to past failed negotiations over 20% enriched uranium in the 2000s, which he said “revealed the unreliability of Western commitments.”

The Leader also reiterated that the Islamic Revolution significantly reduced US influence in the region and globally.

“The sharp decline of America’s global standing is caused by Imam Khomeini’s revolution,” he said, adding that Iran’s political system has withstood unprecedented foreign plots.

Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to increasing national power, including defense capabilities. “Resistance means not bowing to the will of global powers,” he said, saying, “We will continue to grow stronger.”

“The Iranian people must be aware of what is at stake,” the Leader concluded, clarifying, “Our answer to American demands is clear; they have no right to dictate what Iran can or cannot do.”

Ayatollah described Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza
as “astonishing atrocities”, asserting that the regime is “collapsing by divine decree.”

The Leader said “Instead of bombs, they are now killing people with bullets. How depraved, petty, and wicked can human beings be?”

He also held the US responsible, saying Washington is complicit in the violence. “America is a partner in these crimes and must be expelled from the region,” he declared.

The Iranian Leader warned Islamic governments against siding with Israel. “Any government in the Islamic world that supports the Zionist regime in any form will bear eternal disgrace,” he said, calling for a decisive and unified stance among Muslim nations.

US says to scale down its military bases in Syria

By
IFP Media Wire
-
US Syria

Thomas Barrack, who President Donald Trump named special envoy last month shortly after he unexpectedly lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria, made the comments in an interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV.

The U.S. military has about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, mostly in the northeast. They are working with local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria but was later pushed back.

Since rebels ousted Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad in December, the United States and other countries are re-engaging with Damascus under new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Barrack, also U.S. ambassador to Turkey, raised the American flag over the ambassador’s residence in Damascus last week for the first time since 2012.

When asked how the Trump administration will shape its Syria policy and whether the U.S. is considering troop withdrawal from Syria, Barrack said: “What I can assure you is that our current Syria policy will not be close to the Syria policy of the last 100 years, because none of these have worked.”

Reducing the number of bases to one from eight was an important part of that shift, he stated, according to an interview transcript.

Two security sources in bases where U.S. troops are deployed told Reuters in April that military equipment and vehicles had already moved out of eastern Deir el-Zor and were being consolidated in the province of Hasakah.

One of the sources said the consolidation plan involved pulling all U.S. troops out of Deir el-Zor province.

A U.S. State Department official said separately that the military presence would be reduced “if and when appropriate” based on conditions, adding troops are routinely calibrated based on operational needs and contingencies.

Barrack said that the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were a U.S. ally and a “very important factor” for the U.S. Congress, and that directing them to integrate into a new Syrian government was also very important.

“Everyone needs to be reasonable in their expectations,” he added.

The SDF is the main ally in a U.S. coalition against Islamic State militants in Syria. It is spearheaded by the YPG militia, which Ankara sees as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The PKK decided to disband last month after a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that the SDF was using “stalling tactics”, despite a deal with the Syrian government to integrate into Syria’s armed forces.

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