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Iran Leader advisor warns of appropriate response to agents of insecurity in Caucasus

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ali Akbar Velayati

Velayati was speaking during a meeting with Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Gostanyan who is in Tehran for talks over the construction of the  Zangezur corridor in collaboration with the US. Velayati stressed that Iran closely monitors developments near its borders.

He underscored that the fate of the region must be decided solely by regional countries. “The role of extra-regional actors, whose hostility toward us is evident and whose presence only brings tension and instability, is unacceptable.”

Velayati welcomed the expansion of cooperation with Armenia, noting Iran’s consistent call for lasting peace and security among its neighbors.

Armenia’s Deputy foreign minister for his part briefed Velayati on recent regional developments and the outcome of talks held in Washington over the Zangezur corridor. Gostanyan stressed: “We are deeply committed to our friendship with Iran and we value our historical bonds”.

Gostanyan pledged that Yerevan will safeguard its friendship with Tehran in any future planning with other countries.

Israel army says approved plan for new Gaza offensive

By
IFP Media Wire
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Israeli Army

Armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir “approved the main framework for the IDF’s operational plan in the Gaza Strip,” a statement released by the army read.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has not provided a precise timetable for when Israeli troops will enter the territory’s largest city, where thousands have taken refuge after fleeing previous offensives.

Gaza’s civil defence agency announced that Israeli air strikes on Gaza City have intensified in recent days, with the residential neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Sabra hit “with very heavy air strikes targeting civilian homes, possibly including high-rise buildings”.

News of the military’s approval of the plan comes hours after Hamas said a senior delegation had arrived in Cairo for “preliminary talks” with Egyptian officials on a temporary truce.

The Netanyahu government’s plans to expand the Gaza war after more than 22 months of fighting have sparked an international outcry as well as domestic opposition.

UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has drastically curtailed the amount of humanitarian aid it allows in.

Israel’s offensive has killed at least 61,600 Palestinians, according to figures from the health ministry in Gaza which the United Nations considers reliable.

UK MPs urge London to disclose if it holds spy plane footage of Israel’s journalist killings

By
IFP Media Wire
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Starmer Lammy

Anas al-Sharif, Middle East Eye contributor Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, who all worked for Al Jazeera, and freelancers Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed al-Khalidi were the latest among 238 journalists killed by Israel during its genocide in Gaza.

Aircraft from Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) have conducted hundreds of surveillance flights over Gaza in the last two years.

Last week, it emerged that the UK has recently been spending taxpayers’ money to hire American contractors for surveillance flights over Gaza.

Scotland’s The National reported on Wednesday that flight radar data shows a spy plane registered under the code N6147U was active at the RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus two hours before the Israeli strike which killed the journalists on Sunday night.

But there is no visible flight path, indicating the plane’s transponder was turned off when it flew over Gaza, which has been standard practice during British surveillance flights.

Middle East Eye asked the Ministry of Defence (MoD) whether it holds information gathered by a spy plane over Gaza on 10 August, the day the journalists were killed, and if so, whether it would share that information with any international body investigating the killings.

The MoD did not respond.

“We cannot keep dodging questions about the use of spy planes,” Labour MP Kim Johnson told MEE.

“Transparency on such a serious matter is a democratic obligation,” she added.

“If these aircraft are gathering intelligence, the public has a right to know who it is shared with and why. Refusing to answer raises serious concerns about accountability and oversight.”

Independent MP Ayoub Khan told MEE: “Secrecy in the face of the killing of journalists is a disgrace. It is time for the truth.

“The government must be absolutely transparent about any intelligence it gathered before and during the events of 10 August,” he stated.

Khan said that if the UK was sharing intelligence with Israel, “it raises profound legal, moral and political questions”.

He added that the government was “hiding behind the veil of ‘operational confidentiality’ to withhold even basic information about surveillance missions”.

“The government’s silence is not neutral; it actively enables the targeting of civilians and journalists.”

MEE revealed last week that the MoD refused to disclose whether it holds video footage taken by RAF planes of two Israeli attacks in Gaza on British citizens or volunteers working for British charities.

The MoD cited national security and defence exemptions in its response to MEE.

Officials at the ministry had previously confirmed they hold information gathered by spy planes on Israeli attacks.

The MoD has been widely criticised for not disclosing such information.

In April this year, the family of British aid worker James Kirby, who was killed by an Israeli drone strike in April 2024, slammed the government for refusing to release information about the attack gathered by an RAF spy plane.

The MoD told The Times it had footage from a RAF spy plane that was flying over Gaza trying to locate Israeli captives on the day of the strike.

The Kirby family questioned why they were not allowed to be informed about what was filmed.

“I want to know who’s made that decision not to make it public and why they haven’t,” Kirby’s mother Jacqui Kirby said, adding, The MoD has repeatedly insisted surveillance flights over Gaza are in support of “hostage rescue”.

Labour MP Johnson told MEE on Wednesday: “The UK must end all intelligence sharing with Israel while it carries out its genocidal actions that have caused mass civilian deaths and clear breaches of international humanitarian law.

“Continuing this risks making the UK complicit in war crimes.”

Larijani reaffirms Iran’s support for Lebanon’s unity and resistance

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Speaking to reporters after meeting Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Larijani said Iran views Lebanon as a “dear friend” with a long history of close relations.

Referring to Lebanon’s role in resisting the Zionist regime’s aggression, Larijani praised “the heroism of Lebanese men, including martyr Hassan Nasrallah” and stressed that unity among Lebanon’s people is essential for its future progress.

The Iranian security chief  reiterated that Iran seeks strong and independent regional states, in contrast to foreign powers that “seek to only impose their will”.

While rejecting any notion of imposing conditions, Larijani said, “We have brought no plan for Lebanon…decisions should be made by the Lebanese themselves in consultation with the resistance”.

He criticized US-backed proposals with fixed timelines, warning that external pressures could achieve through diplomacy what the Zionist regime failed to achieve militarily.

On the question of Hezbollah’s disarmament, Larijani made clear that Iran does not interfere in other nations’ internal affairs, adding, “Resistance was not created by order, and it will not disappear by order”.

He underlined that Hezbollah is a national asset for Lebanon and the wider Muslim world.

When asked if Iran would militarily support Lebanon in case of intensified Israeli attacks, he responded, “If the Lebanese government asks for help, we will help”.

Larijani also said Iran is ready to help Lebanon with its reconstruction effort, provided that the government facilitates broader international cooperation.

He further urged Lebanese citizens to “know who your friend is”.

Larijani said Israel is the true aggressor, while Iran and the resistance have defended Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Iran embassy in Iraq condemns US interference in Tehran-Baghdad cooperation

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran and Iraq Flags

The MoU aims to enhance security cooperation and counter terrorism between the two neighboring countries.

In a statement on Wednesday, the embassy called Washington’s remarks “an unacceptable interference” in the independent bilateral relations of Iran and Iraq.

It described the US position as evidence of a destabilizing approach toward the region and an ongoing attempt to sow division among neighboring and Muslim nations.

The embassy emphasized the shared commitment of Iran and Iraq to strengthen ties based on good-neighborliness and mutual respect.
Such cooperation, it stated, is essential for peace, stability, and security along their shared borders and across the region.

Iran’s statement also noted that intrusive interventions violate the principles of the UN Charter and international law regarding cooperation between sovereign states.

The US spokesperson, earlier commenting on the MoU, claimed that “the United States supports the genuine sovereignty of Iraq, not arrangements that turn Iraq into a client state of Iran,” prompting the embassy’s sharp rebuttal.

Iran says detained 21,000 ‘suspects’ during 12-day war with Israel

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iran Police

Following massive Israeli air attacks that began on June 13, which killed top military officials and scientists as well as hundreds of civilians, Iranian security forces began a campaign of widespread arrests accompanied by an intensified street presence based around checkpoints and “public reports”.

Iranian citizens were called upon to report on any individuals they thought were acting suspiciously.

“There was a 41 percent increase in calls by the public, which led to the arrest of 21,000 suspects during the 12-day war,” police spokesperson Saeid Montazerolmahdi stated.

He did not say what those arrested were suspected of, but Tehran has spoken before of people passing on information that may have helped direct the Israeli attacks.

Since the end of June, Iran has executed seven men convicted of spying for Israel.

“Law enforcement rounded up 2,774 illegal migrants and discovered 30 special security cases by examining their phones. [A total] 261 suspects of espionage and 172 people accused of unauthorised filming were also arrested,” the spokesperson added.

Montazerolmahdi did not specify how many of those arrested had since been released.

Israel in talks with South Sudan to forcibly transfer Gazans: AP

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

According to six sources familiar with the matter, Israel has held discussions with South Sudan about the issue, though the progress of these talks remains unclear.

Joe Szlavik, head of a US lobbying firm working with South Sudan, told The Associated Press that he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the negotiations.

An Israeli delegation is expected to visit South Sudan to assess the feasibility of establishing temporary camps for Palestinians, though no date has been confirmed.

Szlavik stated that Israel would likely fund the construction of these camps.

Two Egyptian officials, who have been aware of Israel’s search for a host country for months, revealed that they have actively lobbied South Sudan against accepting Palestinians.

Egypt strongly opposes any forced displacement of Gazans, fearing a potential refugee crisis along its shared border with Gaza.

Israel’s foreign ministry declined to comment and South Sudan’s foreign minister did not respond to questions about the talks, The AP reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed his intent to advance US President Donald Trump’s proposal of forcibly transferring a significant portion of Gaza’s population through what he describes as “voluntary migration.”

In February, US President Donald Trump openly expressed his desire to transform Gaza into what he refers to as the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

The plan would require Gaza’s existing population of about two million to be emptied out. Legal experts warn that forcible displacement on such a scale would amount to ethnic cleansing.

Reports indicate that Israel has also explored resettlement plans with other African countries, including Sudan and Somalia, as part of its broader strategy.

The plans have faced widespread condemnation, with Palestinians, human rights organizations, and numerous world leaders denouncing them as a veiled attempt at mass expulsion that would breach international legal standards.

Even Palestinians seeking temporary refuge would be reluctant to move to South Sudan, considered one of the world’s most unstable nations.

South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that broke out after independence, and which killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine.

UN warns Israel, Russia over reports of sexual abuse by their armed forces

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

The warning on Tuesday resulted from “significant concerns regarding patterns of certain forms of sexual violence that have been consistently documented by the United Nations”, Guterres wrote in a report seen by the Reuters news agency.

In his annual report to the UN Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, Guterres said that Israel and Russia could be listed next year among the parties “credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence”.

In his warning to Israel, Guterres said he was “gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Israeli armed and security forces” against Palestinians in several prisons, a detention centre and a military base.

“Cases documented by the United Nations indicate patterns of sexual violence such as genital violence, prolonged forced nudity and repeated strip searches conducted in an abusive and degrading manner,” Guterres added.

Because Israel has denied access to UN monitors, it has been “challenging to make a definitive determination” about patterns, trends and the systematic use of sexual violence by its forces, he said, urging Israel’s government “to take the necessary measures to ensure immediate cessation of all acts of sexual violence, and make and implement specific time-bound commitments.”

The UN chief said these should include investigations of credible allegations, clear orders and codes of conduct for military and security forces that prohibit sexual violence, and unimpeded access for UN monitors.

In March, UN-backed human rights experts accused Israel of “the systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence”.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel said it documented a range of violations perpetrated against Palestinian women, men, girls and boys, and accused Israeli forces of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.

In the case of Russia, Guterres wrote that he was “gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Russian armed and security forces and affiliated armed groups”, primarily against Ukrainian prisoners of war, in 50 official and 22 unofficial detention facilities in Ukraine and Russia.

“These cases comprised a significant number of documented incidents of genital violence, including electrocution, beatings and burns to the genitals, and forced stripping and prolonged nudity, used to humiliate and elicit confessions or information,” he said.

Guterres added that Russian authorities have not engaged with his special envoy on the matter.

No surrender to pressure; prepared until threats end: Iran nuclear head

By
IFP Media Wire
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Mohammad Eslami

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the remarks at a ceremony held in Tehran on Tuesday to mark the National Journalist Day.

“But the Iranian nation is not one to surrender to bullying,” he said.

The nation would stay resilient, the official noted, despite the West’s and its allies’ efforts at employing double standards aimed at preventing the country from exploring the field of peaceful nuclear energy.

“Such double standards and attempts to block Iran’s entry into advanced scientific fields are [hallmarks of] the very hegemonic system that spends enormous sums of money to deprive our nation of nuclear and other modern technologies,” Eslami added.

He was referring to efforts and resources spent by the country’s adversaries towards either tarnishing its nuclear work or targeting it with sabotage.

This approach, the official added, was a clear reflection of the hegemonic powers’ true nature that was also clearly visible in their crimes against the Palestinians.

“By violating the United Nations Charter, they have proven that the law of the jungle governs the world.”

As a case in point, Eslami cited the Israeli regime’s and the United States ferocious attacks against Iran in June that damaged the country’s nuclear facilities and claimed the lives of a number of its nuclear scientists.

The attacks that took place during a 12-day unprovoked war by the regime came after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued its latest unfounded anti-Iran resolution.

Eslami called the resolution the work of the Zionist entity, saying, “If their claims were true, they should have presented clear evidence,” and noting that no IAEA investigation had ever verified the claims.

“These baseless statements are merely a cover to obstruct the progress of the Iranian nation.”

The official, meanwhile, reminded that the double standards came, while no Western power or their allies would ever find fault with the Zionist entity’s proven military nuclear work, despite Tel Aviv’s not being either a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or the IAEA’s Safeguards Agreement.

Eslami also called on the UN nuclear watchdog to clearly and immediately condemn the regime’s assassination of Iran’s nuclear scientist in the strongest terms.

Also addressing the ceremony, AEOI spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi urged continued vigilance on the part of the nation as long as the country’s nuclear program remained under threat.

“We went through a difficult 12-day period, and until the threat is completely removed, we must remain alert,” he stated.

E3 willing to reinstate sanctions on Iran: FT

By
IFP Media Wire
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Nuclear Talks in Vienna

The foreign ministers of the so-called E3 group wrote to the U.N. on Tuesday to raise the spectre of “snapback” sanctions unless Iran takes action, the report added citing a letter seen by the newspaper.

“We have made it clear that if Iran is not willing to reach a diplomatic solution before the end of August 2025, or does not seize the opportunity of an extension, E3 are prepared to trigger the snapback mechanism,” the ministers said in the letter, according to the report.

The E3’s warning comes after “serious, frank and detailed” talks with Iran in Istanbul last month, the first face-to-face meeting since Israeli and U.S. strikes on the country’s nuclear sites.

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