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Serious damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities: Govt. Spokeswoman

By
IFP Media Wire
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In comments at a press conference on Tuesday, Fatemeh Mohajerani said Iran’s nuclear sites have suffered serious damages in the military attacks by the Israeli regime and the US.

While the Zionist regime waged a war of aggression against Iran on June 13 and struck Iran’s military, nuclear and residential areas for 12 days, the US stepped in and conducted military attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan on June 22.

Asked about the prospect of a new round of negotiations between Iran and the US, Mohajerani stated the Iranian Foreign Ministry has already announced that no decision has been made in this regard so far and has ruled out the possibility of imminence of such negotiations.

She added that the Israeli attacks on Iran caused damages to 3,500 residential buildings, including 332 dwellings in Tehran.

The spokeswoman noted that 935 Iranians have been martyred in the 12-day war, including 140 women and children, while over 5,600 others have been injured.

She also stated that an Israeli attack on the Evin Prison of Tehran resulted in the martyrdom of 79 people on June 23.

American lawmakers push against US-backed Israeli blockade of Gaza aid

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

“We are outraged at the weaponization of humanitarian aid and escalating use of starvation as a weapon of war by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

For over three months, they said Israeli authorities have blocked nearly all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, fueling mass starvation and suffering among over 2 million people.

“Instead of enabling the swift delivery of humanitarian aid, Israel is actively dismantling and weaponizing it.”

“We reject the Israeli government’s new plan—backed by the Trump administration—to militarize food distribution and take full control of humanitarian operations in Gaza,” they continued, adding the plan fails to meet basic international standards and has been rejected by UN officials.

“We cannot be silent,” they wrote.

“This current blockade is starving Palestinian civilians in violation of international law, and the militarization of food will not help. We demand an immediate end to the blockade, an immediate resumption of unfettered humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, the restoration of U.S. funding to UNRWA, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire. Any other path forward is a path toward greater hunger, famine, and death,” they noted.

The letter comes as Israel continues its offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The US said Monday that it would not halt support to a Gaza humanitarian aid initiative despite Israel’s acknowledgment that civilians were harmed in strikes near aid distribution centers.

Responding to questions at a briefing, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce rejected the idea of reconsidering US assistance to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), whose aid distribution sites have been described as “death traps” by critics.

“The IDF (Israeli army) and Israel have announced that they are, of course, investigating certain incidents,” Bruce stated.

Since October 2023, more than 56,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza health authorities.

The US has faced mounting criticism for its continued military support to Israel amid the rising civilian death toll in Gaza.

68 Iranian athletes killed in recent conflict, sports ministry says

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Speaking at a ceremony in Qom on Tuesday, Nazari emphasized the continuous operation of all ministry departments during the war, saying, “Despite the aggression, the Ministry of Sports and Youth remained fully active across all sectors.”

Nazari highlighted a surge in national unity, particularly among younger generations born in the 2000s and 2010s. “This war has deepened solidarity and reaffirmed our values of resistance against oppression,” he stated.

Earlier in the day, the Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, citing figures released by the Ministry of Health, announced that 935 people were killed and 5,646 injured during the conflict, adding among the fatalities were 140 women and children.

US agencies warn Iranian hackers may still target American entities, networks

By
IFP Media Wire
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Cyber attack

Defense companies tied to Israeli research and defense firms face an “increased risk,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, and National Security Agency noted.

“Despite a declared ceasefire and ongoing negotiations towards a permanent solution, Iranian-affiliated cyber actors and hacktivist groups may still conduct malicious cyber activity,” they wrote in a joint bulletin.

The agencies stressed that Iranian hackers often exploit “targets of opportunity,” including the use of unpatched or outdated software and default or common passwords on devices connected to the internet.

They urged operators and owners of critical infrastructure, as well as other U.S. entities, to take steps to strengthen their cybersecurity, such as disconnecting certain systems from the public internet, updating passwords, adding multifactor authentication and applying software patches.

The Department of Homeland Security previously warned about the potential for “low-level” cyberattacks against U.S. networks after President Trump ordered strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites earlier this month.

Iranian-aligned hackers claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, which saw a surge in reports of problems shortly after the U.S. strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Israeli army officers admit shelling hungry Palestinians at Gaza aid points: Haaretz

By
IFP Media Wire
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The admission followed a Friday report by the Israeli daily, which cited testimonies from soldiers and officers saying they were instructed to open fire on starving civilians gathered near aid centers.

Unnamed officials in the Israeli army’s Southern Command acknowledged “that civilians had been killed due to ‘inaccurate and uncalculated’ artillery fire,” according to the report.

They confirmed that “in the most serious incident involving shelling of civilians, between 30 and 40 people were targeted—some killed, others wounded to varying degrees.”

“The shelling was aimed at maintaining order at food distribution sites,” they added.

Despite the repeated deadly attacks on starving civilians, the officials asserted that the army has since shifted to “other methods.”

Since May 27, Israel and the US have implemented a limited aid distribution plan in Gaza, bypassing the oversight of the UN and international agencies.

Israeli forces have been firing on Palestinians waiting in line for food, effectively forcing civilians to choose between starvation and the risk of being shot.

At the same time, Israel has kept Gaza’s border crossings tightly sealed since March 2, allowing only a few dozen trucks to enter, while aid organizations estimate the territory needs at least 500 trucks daily to meet basic needs.

Southern Command officials also told Haaretz there is “no famine” in Gaza and claimed that “the population is generally satisfied with the food distribution process.”

However, they acknowledged that “much of the food brought in via aid convoys has been looted by clans” due to what they described as “Hamas’ lack of control over large parts of the Gaza Strip.”

They added that the Israeli army “does not act against those looting the convoys,” saying: “Its responsibility lies in securing the entry of aid into Gaza, not its delivery to distribution points.”

Israeli soldiers revealed Friday that they have been deliberately firing on unarmed Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza, following direct orders from their commanders, according to Haaretz.

The report cited testimonies from soldiers who said they were instructed to shoot at Palestinian crowds near aid distribution sites, despite the civilians posing no threat.

One unnamed soldier described the situation as “a complete collapse of the Israeli army’s moral standards in Gaza.”

Another soldier told Haaretz: “It’s a killing zone. In the area where I was stationed, between one and five (Palestinians) were killed daily. They were treated as hostile forces.”

He admitted to using heavy weapons such as machine guns, grenade launchers, and mortars against ordinary Palestinians.

“We used live fire in every possible way. Once the center opened, we stopped shooting, and people knew they could approach. Our only means of communication was gunfire.”

The soldier added: “We fired early in the morning if someone tried to line up a few hundred meters away. Sometimes we attacked from close range. There was no threat to the Israeli forces.”

As of Sunday, Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that at least 580 Palestinians had been killed and over 4,216 injured while attempting to access US-Israeli-distributed aid near humanitarian centers since May 27. An additional 39 people have gone missing.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 56,500 Palestinians in a deadly onslaught in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.

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 on the enclave.

Kim pays rare public tribute to North Korean soldiers killed in Russia-Ukraine war

By
IFP Media Wire
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Photographs of the North Korean leader pausing in front of a line of half a dozen coffins draped in the country’s flag were displayed on a screen at a gala performance held to mark the first anniversary of a military treaty between the North and Russia.

The event at East Pyongyang Grand Theatre combined performances by North Korean and visiting Russian artists with images celebrating a mutual defence pact agreed by Kim and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in Pyongyang in June last year.

The scenes showing Kim and the remains of fallen soldiers followed those of troops from both countries waving their national flags. One image purportedly showed pages from a blood-stained notebook, believed to have belonged to a North Korean soldier, that had been retrieved from a battlefield in Russia’s Kursk region.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, the messages in the notebook read: “The decisive moment has finally come,” and “Let us bravely fight this sacred battle with the boundless love and trust bestowed upon us by our beloved Supreme Commander” – a reference to Kim.

It was not immediately clear when the repatriation ceremony took place. Kim and other officials, including his influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, and the foreign minister, Choe Son-hui, are wearing winter clothing, suggesting that the soldiers’ remains may have been returned to the North several months ago.

Having denied for months that North Korean soldiers had been sent to fight alongside Russian forces, the regime is now attempting to put a positive spin on its involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

“North Korea probably wanted to frame the fallen soldiers not just as sacrifices but as part of a victory narrative,” Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told Yonhap.

“The footage appears to have been released after the two countries acknowledged the troop deployment” and declared their joint operation to reclaim the Kursk region in western Russia a success, Hong added.

Footage of the gala broadcast by North Korea’s state KRT television showed Kim, who appeared emotional at times, sitting alongside his guest, the Russian culture minister, Olga Lyubimova, and his daughter, Kim Ju-ae. People in the audience were shown wiping away tears.

The Korea Herald said the event was the first time state media had shown footage and photos of soldiers sent to Russia that can be seen by North Korean citizens.

The state-run KCNA news agency reported the event had inspired confidence in the “ties of friendship and the genuine internationalist obligation between the peoples and armies of the two countries that were forged at the cost of blood”.

In April, Putin and Kim confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops had been deployed, with both leaders describing them as “heroes”.

Kim stated at the time that a monument would be built in Pyongyang to honour his soldiers, and that flowers would be laid before the tombstones of those who had died – seen as the first public confirmation by North Korea that its troops had been killed in combat.

The North has sent an estimated 15,000 troops to fight in the war since last autumn. It has suffered about 4,700 casualties, including 600 deaths, South Korean lawmakers said in April, while Seoul’s intelligence agency recently claimed that additional deployments could come in July or August.

North Korea has also provided Russia with large quantities of ammunition, artillery shells, ballistic missiles and other weapons, reportedly in return for weapons and satellite technology, and economic and other assistance from the Kremlin.

935 killed, over 5,600 injured in 12-day US-Israeli conflict, Iranian gov’t says

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, Mohajerani condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure, stating, “We witnessed assaults on national television headquarters, university housing, Evin prison, hospitals, and aid units. Who could carry out such acts? Those were dark days, but our nation remains resilient.”

Mohajerani highlighted that the government responded immediately after the attacks began on June 13. “The Minister of Health was among the first to act, coordinating emergency operations with medical universities across the country,” she said.

She explained an emergency cabinet session was held early Friday, June 13, chaired by Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. Four specialized task forces were formed to address key issues including public security, medical treatment, distribution of essential goods, the repatriation of pilgrims, and economic stability.

“The health system managed an overwhelming number of casualties, even as hospitals faced capacity challenges,” Mohajerani added.

She expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

Saudi Public Investment Fund’s profits plunge 60 percent in 2024

By
IFP Media Wire
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Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has more than $1 trillion dollars in assets and generated just $6.9bn in net profits in 2024, according to results it released on Monday.

PIF’s gross revenue rose 25 percent compared to last year. The jump was added by investments in local Saudi firms maturing, like the Saudi National Bank. But the rise was not enough to offset higher interest rates and what PIF called “impairments” on select projects.

PIF is the main vehicle for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s bid to diversify his country’s economy away from a reliance on energy. PIF has invested in local tech startups, sports, and luxury developments on the Red Sea.

But for now, oil still accounts for roughly 61 percent of Saudi Arabia’s revenue, according to its 2025 budget. PIF also generates money from owning shares in Aramco, the Saudi state oil company.

Saudi Arabia’s spending benefited from higher energy prices after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. But crude has since plunged to around $65 per barrel, despite the war between Israel and Iran.

Saudi Arabia has had to scale back some of its more ambitious mega-projects like Neom. The futuristic development was originally billed as a $1.5 trillion project that would be 33 times the size of New York City and include a 170km straight-line city known as “The Line”.

Instead of 1.5 million people living in the city by 2030, Saudi officials anticipate fewer than 300,000 residents. Meanwhile, only 2.4km of the city will be completed by 2030.

In April, the Financial Times reported that the CEO of the futuristic city had launched a “comprehensive review” of the kingdom’s mega-project, signifying more belt-tightening to come with falling energy prices.

Saudi Arabia has had trouble luring foreign investors to its programme, and PIF has had to carry the weight.

The fund owns US stocks like Uber and Meta and has invested in overseas infrastructure projects with Blackstone.

However, PIF governor Yasir al-Rumayyan said in October that the fund would focus more on the domestic Saudi market as it looks to advance the crown prince’s Vision 2030 programme.

Saudi Arabia has also turned to debt to finance its projects, which makes the kingdom’s goals susceptible to rising interest rates. In January, the fund raised $4bn in an international bond sale, and in June rolled out a new special purpose vehicle to issue short-term debt.

Saudi Arabia has seen solid demand for its debt among investors and has shown a willingness to run budget deficits. The kingdom’s 2025 budget expects a fiscal deficit of $27bn or 2.3 percent of GDP.

However, that number could rise.

According to a report published in April by the Arab Gulf States Institute, if oil prices were to average $65 per barrel in 2025, the deficit would likely be around $56bn or 5.2 percent of GDP.

Iranian FM: US must assure no military action before new nuclear talks resume

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Abbas Araghchi

In an interview with CBS News aired early Tuesday, Araghchi stressed Iran’s right to enrich uranium and underscored the resilience of its nuclear program.

“Before we decide to return to the negotiating table, we must be sure that Washington will not resume military strikes during the negotiations,” he said.

He noted that talks would not restart quickly, citing the need for more time and assurance. “Despite all concerns, diplomacy is not off the table. The doors to dialogue remain open,” he added.

Araghchi emphasized that while nuclear facilities can be targeted, the knowledge and technology behind uranium enrichment cannot be eliminated by bombing. He described Iran’s peaceful nuclear program as a source of national pride.

Recalling Iran’s endurance during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the ‘80s, Araghchi said, “Our people will not easily give up enrichment. We have demonstrated our ability to defend ourselves, and if attacked, we will continue to do so.”

US formally orders lifting of Syria sanctions

By
IFP Media Wire
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Trump’s decree on Monday offers sanction relief to “entities critical to Syria’s development, the operation of its government, and the rebuilding of the country’s social fabric”, the US Treasury announced in a statement.

The Syrian government has been under heavy US financial penalties that predate the outbreak of the civil war in the country in 2011.

In a statement posted on X, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani welcomed the decision of Trump, saying it “will open the door of long-awaited reconstruction and development.”

“It will lift the obstacle against economic recovery and open the country to the international community,” he added.

The sprawling sanction programme, which included provisions related to the former government’s human rights abuses, has derailed reconstruction efforts in the country. It has also contributed to driving the Syrian economy under Bashar al-Assad to the verge of collapse.

Trump promised sanctions relief for Syria during his visit to the Middle East in May.

“The United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbours,” the US president said in a statement on Monday.

“A united Syria that does not offer a safe haven for terrorist organisations and ensures the security of its religious and ethnic minorities will support regional security and prosperity.”

The US administration announced that Syria-related sanctions against al-Assad and his associates, ISIL (ISIS) and Iran and its allies will remain in place.

While the US Treasury noted it already removed 518 Syrian individuals and entities from its list of sanctions, some Syria penalties may not be revoked immediately.

For example, Trump directs US agencies to determine whether the conditions are met to remove sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act, which enabled heavy penalties against the Syrian economy for alleged war crimes against civilians.

As part of Trump’s order, the US president ordered Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the designation of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.

Moreover, the US president ordered a review of the status of al-Sharaa’s group, al-Nusra Front – now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – as a designated “foreign terrorist” organisation. Al-Nusra was al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, but al-Sharaa severed ties with the group in 2016.

Al-Nusra later became known as Jabhat Fath al-Sham before merging with other rebel groups as HTS.

Al-Sharaa was the de facto leader of a rebel enclave in Idlib in northwest Syria for years before leading the offensive that overthrew al-Assad in December 2024.

Trump met with al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May and praised the Syrian president as “attractive” and “tough”.

The interim Syrian president – who was previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani – has promised inclusive governance to allay concerns about his past ties to al-Qaeda.

But violence and kidnappings against members of al-Assad’s Alawite sect by former rebel fighters over the past months have raised concerns among some rights advocates.

Al-Sharaa has also pledged that Syria would not pose a threat to its neighbours, including Israel, which has been advancing in Syrian territory beyond the occupied Golan Heights and regularly bombing the country.

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