Saturday, December 27, 2025
Home Blog Page 294

Iran’s army chief vows harsh response to US

In a videoconference with senior Army commanders on Monday, Major General Hatami said the US government has been committing crimes against Iran since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

He said the US has received decisive responses every time it has committed crimes against Iran, pledging that a harsh response will be once again given to its most recent attacks on Iran.

The commander noted that the Iranian Armed Forces’ successful operations against the Israeli regime frustrated the enemy and compelled the Zionists to ask for help from the US -the main party responsible for the crimes- and have it directly engaged in the clashes with Iran.

While the Zionist regime waged a war of aggression against Iran on June 13 and has been striking Iran’s military and nuclear sites, the US stepped in and conducted military attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan early Sunday.

The Iranian officials said Tehran reserves the right to resort to its own options for reaction to the US attacks.

Head of Mossad-affiliated cyber network in Iran executed

Mahdavi-Shayesteh was convicted of espionage in favor of the Zionist regime. After undergoing a full criminal trial process and having his sentence upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, he was executed on Monday morning.

According to case documents, he was the ringleader of a Mossad-linked cyber team and knowingly collaborated with the Zionist regime’s intelligence and terrorist service.

This anti-Iranian cyber network was operating within the virtual sphere—utilizing social media platforms and foreign messaging apps—under the supervision of Mossad officers.

Mahdavi-Shayesteh managed this network, relayed commands from Mossad officers, and oversaw both online and on-the-ground operations. The network’s primary mission was to create propaganda and branded content using social media and messaging platforms targeting personnel within Iran’s armed forces.

After his initial contact with his Mossad handler, he traveled to a neighboring country for training and coordination, where he posed as a representative of a migration services company. There, he met multiple times with two Mossad officers. Due to his expertise in digital media and social platforms, he was recruited as a key operative to manage parts of Mossad’s psychological and media operations in Iran.

During his collaboration with Mossad, Mahdavi-Shayesteh also carried out several field missions, including filming sensitive locations, delivering threatening packages to targeted individuals, harassing surveillance subjects, and sending related footage and images back to Mossad officers.

Tehran reserves ‘complete and lawful right’ to respond to US attack: Iran’s envoy

In a fiery speech, Amir Saeid Iravani said today marks yet another “shameful chapter in the political history of the United States,” referring to the early Sunday attacks on three peaceful Iranian nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.

He said US President Donald Trump “personally carried out the most disgraceful part of this wicked scenario,” referring to Trump ordering the aggression and brazenly announcing it on his social media platforms, taking all and sundry by surprise.

Describing the Islamic Republic of Iran as an “independent and peace-seeking nation,” the envoy said the country had repeatedly warned the “warmongering US regime” against any aggressive actions prior to Sunday’s acts of aggression.

“Now, based on international law, Iran retains its complete and lawful right to respond to this blatant act of aggression,” Iravani declared, condemning the “premeditated and unprovoked” assault by Washington and linking it to the Israeli aggression against the people of Iran that started last Friday and has claimed more than 400 innocent lives so far.

“This attack (by the US) follows extensive military aggression by the Israeli regime,” the diplomat noted, branding the US justification as “false, absurd, and legally void.”

He slammed the US Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for their “selective behavior and double standards” on the Israeli and American attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, calling it a “moral, political, and legal disgrace.”

The Iranian envoy also referenced the 2020 assassination of top anti-terror commander General Qassem Soleimani, calling it a “cowardly and gruesome act of terrorism carried out on the direct orders of the US president,” showing long-standing US hostility and impunity.

Iravani accused Israel of fabricating a deceptive narrative for over two decades, despite being a nuclear-armed regime operating outside international legal frameworks.

“Iran’s actions are fully consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the inherent right to self-defense,” he stated.

He urged the Security Council to act immediately under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to address the injustice and flagrant violations stemming from the U.S. and Israeli actions.

In his remarks, Russia’s representative to the United Nations also delivered a sharp condemnation of both American and Israeli aggression against Iran, calling it a blatant insult to international norms and a direct affront to the global community.

“We strongly condemn the US’s irresponsible and provocative actions against Iran,” Vasily Nebenzya asserted. “The attacks carried out by the United States and Israel constitute a complete humiliation of the international community.”

The diplomat criticized certain UN Security Council members for their silence and inaction, accusing them of lacking the courage to denounce Washington’s aggression.

“Some members of this Council do not have the courage to condemn these attacks. The United States has shown time and again that it does not value diplomacy,” he remarked.

He further pointed out the glaring double standards regarding nuclear non-proliferation.

“Israel has yet to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while Iran remains the most heavily inspected country in the world under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” the Russian representative said.

In his speech, the Chinese envoy to the United States also condemned the US military attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities as a grave breach of international law, warning that such actions undermine global peace and stability.

“The actions of the United States constitute a dangerous violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and Iran’s sovereignty,” Fu Cong stated.

He warned that the strikes have inflicted serious damage on the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

“The US attacks have dealt a major blow to the global framework for preventing the spread of nuclear weapons,” he emphasized.

E3 countries call on Iran to “engage in negotiations”

“We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear program. We stand ready to contribute to that goal in coordination with all parties,” the countries said in a joint statement released Sunday.

They also reiterated their stance against Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon, saying it was their continued aim to “prevent Iran” from doing so.

“We urge Iran not to take any further action that could destabilize the region,” the statement added.

The US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan has escalated concerns that there could be regional consequences in this conflict.

The E3 countries stated they are committed “to peace and stability” in the region and expressed their support for Israel’s security.

“We will continue our joint diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions and ensure the conflict does not intensify and spread further,” the statement read.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi has declared that the United States had decided to “blow up” diplomacy, after Washington strikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites.

Iran’s foreign minister issued a new statement on social media, commenting on European officials urging Iran to “return” to negotiations following the US aerial attacks on the country’s nuclear facilities.

“Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,” Araqchi wrote on X

“What conclusion would you draw? To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must ‘return’ to the table,” he said.

“But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?” the ranking diplomat added.

IAEA head gives update on Iranian nuclear sites after US attack

IAEA

Fordow:

“Craters are visible at the Fordow site — Iran’s main location for enriching uranium at 60%, indicating the use by the United States of America of ground-penetrating munitions. This is consistent with statements from the United States,” Grossi said, adding at this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position “to assess the underground damage at Fordow.”

Isfahan:

“Additional buildings were hit overnight, with the US confirming their use of cruise missiles. Affected buildings include some related to uranium conversion process,” Grossi said.

“Entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit,” he added.

Natanz:

Grossi stated that “the fuel enrichment plant has been hit again with the US confirming that it used ground-penetrating munitions”.

Iran has informed the IAEA that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels at the three sites, he said. Grossi added he has convened a special session on the board of governors of the IAEA on Monday in Vienna.

US attack on Iran “marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling”: UN chief

“Two days ago, in this very chamber, I made a direct appeal: give peace a chance. That call was not heeded,” he said at a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting on Sunday.

“Instead, the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.”

Guterres noted he has “repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,” adding that “the people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rat hole of retaliation after retaliation.”

“Diplomacy must prevail. Civilians must be protected. Safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed,” the UN chief continued, calling for a halt to fighting and a return to “serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear program.”

Guterres also asked Iran to trust the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“We face a stark choice. One path leads to wider war, deeper human suffering and serious damage to the international order; the other leads to de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue. We know which path is right. And I urge this council and all member states to act with reason, restraint and urgency. We cannot and must not give up on peace,” he concluded.

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that United States forces attacked three Iranian nuclear sites in a “very successful attack”, though a full impact assessment is ongoing.

Iran has strongly condemned the US onslaught against the nuclear facilities, vowing to respond in ways beyond the calculations of Washington.

Iran goals don’t include war or regime change: US officials

US Attack Iran

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News: “We are not declaring war on Iran. We’re not looking for war in Iran, but if they attack us, then I think we have capabilities they haven’t even seen yet.”

He added: “I don’t like the regime, but we’re not into the regime change business here. We’re into the safety and security the United States business.”

Later, Rubio told CBS’s Face the Nation: “There are no planned military operations right now against Iran – unless they mess around.”

Earlier Sunday, Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. would pursue diplomacy.

“We do not want to protract this or build this out any more than it’s already been built out,” he added.

And Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stressed in a Sunday morning briefing that the meeting was not “open-ended.”

IRGC chief says no letup in attacks on Israel

General Mohammad Pakpour

In a meeting with IRGC commanders on Sunday, Major General Pakpour said, “We are at a critical juncture.”

He stated that the IRGC Aerospace Force units are conducting operations against the Israeli regime uninterruptedly, noting that the attacks have disrupted calm among the Zionists.

The commander also lauded the growing solidarity among the Iranian people following the Israeli aggression.

The Zionist regime waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on June 13. It has carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear, military and residential sites that resulted in the martyrdom of over 400 Iranians, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and ordinary citizens.

The Iranian military forces started counterattacks immediately afterwards. They Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force has carried out 20 waves of retaliatory missile strikes against the Zionist regime as of June 22 as part of Operation True Promise III.

Several killed in Syria church bombing attack

The explosion in Dweil’a on the outskirts of Damascus took place as people were praying during mass inside the Mar Elias Church on Sunday.

No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the Syrian Interior Ministry announced a fighter from the ISIL (ISIS) group entered the church and fired at the people there before detonating himself with an explosives vest, echoing some witness testimonies.

The death toll reported was a preliminary one.

“Rescue teams from the Syria Civil Defence continue to recover bodies from the scene,” a statement on Telegram said on Sunday.

Official state agency SANA said that at least 63 others were wounded. Some local media reported that children were among the casualties.

The attack was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as the fledgling interim government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa is trying to win the support of minorities.

As al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across Syria, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of groups such as ISIL in the country recovering from nearly 14 years of devastating war that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Syria has made significant inroads back into the international fold since al-Sharaa the removal of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, with both the United States and the European Union lifting sanctions.

Photos circulated by the Syria Civil Defence showed the church’s interior area in ruins, with pews covered in debris and blood.

A witness who identified himself as Rawad told The Associated Press that he saw the attacker, who was accompanied by two others who fled as he was driving near the church.

“He was shooting at the church … he then went inside the church and blew himself up,” he added.

Security forces and first responders rushed to the scene.

Panicked survivors wailed, as one woman fell to her knees and burst into tears.

Syrian Information Minister Hamza al-Mostafa condemned the blast, calling it a “terrorist” attack.

“This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together,” he said in a post on X.

“We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship … and we also affirm the state’s pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organisations and to protect society from all attacks threatening its safety,” he added.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen condemned “in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack at St. Elias Church” and expressed “his outrage at this heinous crime.” His statement also noted “that the Syrian interim authorities have attributed this attack to ISIL and (he) calls for a full investigation and action by the authorities.”

A number of countries condemned the attack, including neighbouring Turkiye, which called it “treacherous” and an attempt to disrupt efforts to achieve stability and security in Syria.

Israel recovers bodies of three hostages held in Gaza Strip

Israeli Army

The Israeli military said it recovered the remains of Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano and SSgt Shay Levinson in an operation in Gaza on Saturday, more than 20 months after they were abducted by Hamas militants.

“In a special operation … the bodies of the hostages Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano and SSgt Shay Levinson were recovered from the Gaza Strip yesterday,” the Israel Defense Forces announced in a statement on Sunday.

The hostage families forum said in a statement the return of the bodies “provides some comfort to the families who have waited in agony, uncertainty, and doubt for 625 days”. The group further urged the Israeli government to return the remaining 50 hostages from Gaza, which it noted was the “key to achieving complete victory”.

Some of the families of those abducted fear that Israel’s war with Iran, which started on 13 June, would distract from efforts to return the remaining captives. Hamas-led militants took 251 people hostage during its 7 October 2023 attack in Israel, and killed 1,200 people. Of the remaining hostages, Israel believes approximately 30 are dead.

On Sunday, Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, called for the “urgent release” of the remaining hostages after the US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“This brave step serves the security and safety of the entire free world. I hope it will lead to a better future for the Middle East – and help advance the urgent release of our hostages held in captivity in Gaza,” Herzog wrote on X.

Some families of the hostages protested against the Israeli government’s resumption of the war in Gaza in March and have said a ceasefire is the only way to safely recover those remaining. Fighting resumed after Israel declined to move to a second phase of an agreed-upon ceasefire that could have led to a permanent end to the war.

Israel continues its operations in Gaza, where more than 55,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed over the last 20 months.