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Iranian education minister confirms death of 20 students in Israeli attacks

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Minister of Education Alireza Kazemi expressed deep sorrow over the loss and emphasized the government’s commitment to education, noting President Massoud Pezeshkian’s direct involvement in education reform efforts.

“On the morning the ceasefire was declared, the president personally contacted me to follow up on educational affairs,” Kazemi stated. He added that the president believes “transformation in the country begins with transformation in education.”

Kazemi said the president’s education agenda includes two major pillars, namely improving educational quality and promoting justice in educational infrastructure.

In a related report, Iran’s academic sector suffered significant losses during the 12-day conflict. According to official figures, 16 university professors and 11 students were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Nine of the deceased were recognized specialists and graduates contributing to Iran’s intellectual community.

Authorities described these individuals as key parts of the nation’s academic and scientific backbone. “Their absence is not just the loss of names—it is the loss of human and intellectual capital,” a university statement read.

The Iranian Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that a total of 627 people were martyred and 4,870 injured in the Israeli regime’s attacks with Tehran and Kermanshah provinces reporting the highest numbers of casualties.

EU warns Europe must be ready to build ‘millions of drones’ to defend itself against possible Russian attacks

By
IFP Media Wire
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Military intelligence has suggested Russian forces could be ready to strike a NATO country within the next five years.

In order to defend themselves, Andrius Kubilius says Europeans will require millions of drones and need to start preparing now.

“Russia can have around five million drones, so we need to have capacities bigger than those in order to prevail,” he told Sky News, warning that if President Putin ordered an attack, the target would face a “battle-tested” Russian army with the ability to use “millions of drones”.

The 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked a revolution in drone warfare.

Facing one of the world’s strongest militaries, the Ukrainians used the cheap, adaptable technology to their advantage.

It estimates its drone units are now responsible for 80% of Russian frontline losses.

Kubilius has visited Ukraine to learn the lessons from the battlefield.

Along the 1,200km (745 mile) front line is an area nicknamed “Death Valley”.

“Nothing can move. Everything is controlled by drones. A traditional tank in that zone survives six minutes,” he explained.

This year, Ukraine’s expected to produce more than four million drones.

Contemplating how many units other countries would need, the commissioner used the example of his home country of Lithuania.

The former Soviet republic shares a border of around 900km (559 miles) with Russia and Belarus.

“If Ukrainians need four million for 1,200km, we need something like three million drones for one year if the war is starting, if ‘Day X’ is coming,” he stated.

To try to stay ahead in the fight, both Russia and Ukraine are constantly updating their drone technology.

For this reason, the commissioner believes that rather than stockpiling drones now, which will go out of date, Europe should instead build up teams of pilots, engineers, and producers ready to scale up production should the time come.

“On the European continent, at the moment, there are only two armies battle-tested with the ability to use millions of drones: one is Russian, which is planning new aggressions; another one is Ukrainian,” Kubilius continued.

“We need to learn a lot from Ukraine… how to organise defences against millions of drones, and also how to make your defence industry innovative,” he added.

It’s a point many in the business agree with.

German start-up STARK has been testing loitering munitions or “attack drones” ready to supply to Kyiv.

“It’s all made for easy handling for soldiers, so you don’t have to use any tools on the front line, and you just plug in the rudders,” said STARK’s senior vice president, Josef Kranawetvogl, as he quickly clicked the unit’s tail together.

He spent 18 years in the German military before making the jump to weapons production.

He stated staying ahead of the enemy requires tactics and technology to be frequently updated.

“Every day you have to adapt. You have such fast development cycles in Ukraine – two or three weeks, then there’s something new upcoming and you have to be prepared for this.”

Since the start of June, Russia has repeatedly used drone swarms to attack Ukraine.

It involves hundreds of drones hammering cities in one night.

I asked Josef whether he believes NATO’s European members are ready to defend against such an attack.

“I see quite a lot of European armies starting right now to develop or to purchase unmanned systems, and it’s a good development, but it’s all about time. How can we speed up?” he replied.

Close to the border with France, another German start-up, Alpine Eagle, is testing defence drone units for Ukraine.

“This is our interceptor drone,” explained the company’s CEO, Jan-Hendrik Boelens, holding up a prototype which looks a bit like a small black plane. The interceptor is carried underneath a large grey drone.

On-board radar means it can be fired at enemy drones up to 5km (3 miles) away.

Jan thinks that could be a game changer in an aerial battle as it means hostile units could be picked off before they get close.

And he believes NATO is unprepared if one of its countries was to be hit by a wave of drones like those in Ukraine.

“We are absolutely not ready in my view,” he noted.

He explained that Ukraine produced around 1.3 million drones a year last year.

“I would be surprised if NATO even bought a thousand drones last year. I think Germany procured, I don’t know, 100, maybe 200. So now you do the math on what that means and how quickly you run out of drones.”

“If Ukraine consumed 1.3 million drones per year, that’s 3,000 a day. So, if you have 100 in your inventory, that would not last an hour,” he added.

A spokesperson from the German Defence Ministry said the numbers stated “do not closely reflect reality”, adding, “Drones are now part of everyday life for soldiers, they are omnipresent and are used extensively in service operations and training.”

Drones are a key part of NATO’s defence plan.

The alliance’s leadership has repeatedly said producing, procuring, and protecting against drones is a priority.

At the NATO summit, members agreed to boost defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.

In addition to increasing training and development, NATO Chief Mark Rutte has said he wants more investment in drone technology as well as boosting air defences fivefold.

“We see Russia’s deadly terror from the skies over Ukraine every day, and we must be able to defend ourselves from such attacks,” he told an audience at the summit.

Lessons from Ukraine have prompted members to embrace unmanned technology in various ways.

Britain is one of the countries pledging to put drones front and centre of its new defence plan.

Earlier this month, the UK government’s Strategic Defence Review outlined a new way forward for British Army warfighting based around a drone-centric 20-40-40 strategy in which uncrewed systems are deployed for first wave attacks, before tanks, attack helicopters and other manned platforms arrive on the battlefield.

In essence, the new weapons mix would be 20% traditional heavy platforms (like tanks), 40% single-use expendable drones and munitions, and the remaining 40% reusable, high-end drones.

It’s been confirmed that an extra £2bn will be spent on army drones this parliament.

Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain’s adversaries were working more in alliance and technology was changing how war was fought.

“Drones now kill more people than traditional artillery in the war in Ukraine and whoever gets new technology into the hands of their armed forces the quickest will win,” he added.

This week, the prime minister announced a deal with Ukraine to co-produce drones.

Germany and Denmark have made similar agreements with the German Ministry of Defence, telling Sky News that drones are a top priority.

In a drone showroom in central Berlin, we meet Sven Weizenegger, head of the German military’s cyber innovation hub.

He said they have noticed a boom in pitches from potential suppliers.

Every day, his department receives up to 20 enquiries from companies asking how their products could be used by the military.

He believes things need to move more quickly so soldiers get weapons faster.

“We are very advanced in the innovation process. That means we have a lot of ideas and many companies that are ready to deliver,” he explained, adding, “Unfortunately, what we are not good at right now, due to our current processes, is getting these things into real operations, into frontline use. We need to fix that.”

Germany has promised to turbo-charge defence spending, with the Chancellor pledging to create the “strongest conventional army in Europe”.

Plans announced this week include boosting unmanned systems and air defences.

Iranian security forces arrest Israel spy in Tehran metro

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Metro Train Iran

The arrest was made swiftly after police officers noticed unusual behavior.

Police spokesperson Brigadier General Saeed Montazer-al-Mahdi stated that upon the arrest, a technical inspection of the suspect’s mobile phone and electronic devices revealed alarming findings. The individual was reportedly using an electronic chip to record the locations of military and sensitive sites. These coordinates were then transmitted to unidentified foreign contacts.

The investigation further revealed that the suspect had been receiving instructions in Hebrew, raising concerns about potential espionage.

“The suspect, along with the discovered equipment, has been handed over to specialized police units and the judiciary for further investigation,” General Montazer-al-Mahdi confirmed.

Authorities have not released the identity or nationality of the suspect. The case remains under investigation, and further details are expected to emerge as the inquiry progresses.

Atatollah Khamenei: Iran will never surrender, Israel crushed under blows of the Islamic Republic

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

Ayatollah Khamenei commemorated the fallen commanders and scientists, calling their sacrifice a source of pride.

The Leader declared Iran’s military response a clear victory, stating that the Zionist regime, caught off guard, was severely weakened under Iran’s missile and drone strikes.

He emphasized that Tel Aviv had never imagined the Islamic Republic capable of such a blow, adding that this attack proved any aggression against Iran comes at a heavy cost.

The Leader also described the United States’ involvement in the conflict as a strategic failure. Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Washington intervened to save Israel but failed to achieve its objectives, and instead suffered a significant strike on its Al-Udeid base.

He further hailed the “extraordinary unity” of the Iranian people, noting that the nation stood shoulder to shoulder in defending national honor.

Criticizing recent remarks by the U.S. President demanding Iran’s “surrender,” he stated that such language reveals Washington’s true aim: the complete submission of Iran.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed, “This will never happen. Iran is great, proud, and undefeatable.”

50 percent say US attacks on Iran make Americans less safe: Poll

By
IFP Media Wire
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The poll, released Wednesday, phrases the question as a hypothetical, asking respondents whether “U.S. military strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program would make Americans safer or less safe.”

Fifty percent say less safe, 42 percent say safer, and 8 percent say they don’t know or skipped the question.

There is a clear party split, with 76 percent of Democrats and 14 percent of Republicans saying the strikes would make them feel less safe.

Those who say military strikes would make them feel safer include 80 percent of Republicans and 13 percent of Democrats.

Among independents, 58 percent say they feel less safe, while 35 percent say they feel safer.

The survey sees a similar party divide when asking respondents specifically about “the United States joining Israel in military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.”

Fifty-one percent oppose the decision, while 42 percent support it. Seven percent don’t know or skipped the question.

Among Republicans, 81 percent support the decision, while 15 percent oppose it. Among Democrats, 75 percent oppose the decision, while 15 percent support it. And among independents, 60 percent oppose the decision, while 35 percent support it.

When asked specifically about Israel’s strikes against nuclear and military sites inside Iran, overall support increases: 50 percent support, and 40 percent oppose.

The survey was conducted amid a rapidly evolving news cycle. As pollsters were in the field, Iran launched a limited retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in Qatar, and then Trump later announced a ceasefire agreement had been brokered. The ceasefire appeared at first to be on shaky ground, as claims that both sides violated terms of the agreement emerged, but, by the end of Tuesday, the deal appeared to be holding.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted on June 22-24, 2025, and included 979 self-identified registered voters. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points.

Iran’s envoy to UN refutes ‘arbitrary’ US interpretation to justify aggression

By
IFP Media Wire
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Amir Saeed Iravani

In a letter to the UN chief and the rotating president of the Security Council on Wednesday, Amir Saeid Iravani brushed aside acting US envoy to the UN Dorothy Shea’s allegations that the strikes were a lawful act of collective self-defense under the United Nations Charter.

Iravani said the unlawful use of force against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities cannot under any circumstances be considered a right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

He emphasized that the US’s arbitrary and unilateral interpretation of Article 51 is fundamentally incompatible with the UN Charter, international law and the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice.

According to UN General Assembly Resolution 3314, any preemptive use of force in the absence of an actual armed attack constitutes a clear example of an act of aggression, he added.

Based on well-known legal principles, the right of self-defense can only be invoked in response to an armed attack if the conditions of necessity and proportionality are fully met.

On June 13, Israel launched a blatant and unprovoked aggression against Iran, assassinating many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.

More than a week later, the United States also joined Israel and bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

In response, Iranian armed forces targeted sensitive sites across the occupied territories and launched a wave of missiles at al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.

On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations both against the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the Israeli-US aggression.

Iravani said Washington and Tel Aviv attempted to justify their assaults by citing an alleged nuclear threat attributed to Iran, a claim that lacks any valid legal or factual basis.

He also called on Security Council member states to strongly condemn the illegal use of force by the Israeli regime and the US against the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic, including its peaceful nuclear facilities.

The Israeli and US attacks constitute a gross violation of the UN Charter, international law, Security Council resolutions 2231 (2015) and 487 (1981), the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and relevant resolutions of the IAEA’s General Conference, the Iranian envoy noted.

Right groups say Gaza Humanitarian Foundation may be ‘complicit in war crimes’

By
IFP Media Wire
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The GHF, a recently launched and controversial aid distribution mechanism, commenced operations in Gaza on 27 May, following nearly three months of an Israeli blockade on the entry of humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip.

The organisations criticised the GHF for a lack of “transparency, impartiality, and accountability”, citing concerns over its opaque structure and the absence of publicly available operational plans.

According to the letter, the new relief delivery method, which has sought to wrest distribution away from major aid groups led by the United Nations, is a “radical and dangerous shift away from established international humanitarian relief operations”.

It adds that the “privatized, militarized aid distribution” is one that is “dehumanizing, repeatedly deadly and contributes to the forced displacement of the very population it purports to help,” referencing the ongoing killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces near GHF aid points.

The 15 groups urged all organisations and individuals working or assisting GHF, including the private military contractors at the distribution hubs such as Safe Reach Solutions and UG Solutions, to end their operations.

“Failure to do so may expose these organizations and their officers, representatives, and agents to further risk of criminal and civil liability for aiding and abetting or otherwise being complicit in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide in violation of international law, US law and other relevant national laws under the principle of universal jurisdiction,” the letter warned.

“GHF’s militarized model, coupled with its close collaboration with Israeli authorities, undermines the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.”

The organisations also note that forcing starving Palestinians to walk long distances through militarised areas to obtain aid “creates an immediate risk of forced displacement that may violate the prohibition on forcible displacement of civilians”.

Established in February, GHF has come under growing criticism from rights groups and activists, including the United Nations.

The scheme has been accused of dehumanising Palestinians and providing insufficient food, in addition to imperilling their life, as Israeli forces routinely open fire on the starving crowds.

Described as “death traps”, the few GHF-operated aid distribution points have become places where Palestinians expect bloodshed instead of respite from the war.

A recent press release by the non-proft Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor stated that the US-backed organisation was “directly responsible for the escalating Israeli crimes against starved Palestinian civilians”.

“The foundation’s operational model involves luring civilians to specific locations coordinated with the Israeli army, where they are subjected to killing, injury, and cruel and degrading treatment,” it said, adding, “These points have effectively become death traps used as tools in Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian population for over 20 months.”

According to health sources in Gaza, at least 516 people have been killed near the GHF-run hubs, with more than 3,799 others wounded and 39 missing since its operations began a month ago.

Zelensky urges trial for ‘war criminal’ Putin

By
IFP Media Wire
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Zelensky issued the call late on Wednesday after he signed an accord with the Council of Europe to set up a special tribunal to prosecute Russian officials, including Putin, for the invasion of Ukraine.

“We need to show clearly, aggression leads to punishment, and we must make it happen together, all of Europe,” said Zelensky after signing the accord with Council of Europe Secretary-General Alain Berset.

“It will take strong political and legal courage to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice, including Putin,” he added.

Putin is already facing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for the alleged war crime of illegally transporting children out of Ukraine.

The ICC has the jurisdiction to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, but it does not have the jurisdiction to investigate “crimes of aggression” or the use of armed force against another state.

The special tribunal is being established to one day prosecute Russia’s “crime of aggression” for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The tribunal could, in theory, put on trial senior Russian figures, including Putin.

It has not yet been decided where the tribunal would be based, but Zelensky stated The Hague, the home of the ICC, would be “perfect”.

This is the first time such a tribunal has been set up under the aegis of the Council of Europe, the continent’s top rights body.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, previously said the special tribunal would “give Ukraine a path to justice for the top-level decision to invade its territory – a wrong that no other international court or tribunal can currently address”.

The European Council announced the proposed tribunal could potentially be used to prosecute North Korean and Belarusian individuals who assisted Russia in the invasion.

The 46-member Council of Europe is not part of the European Union and members include key non-EU European states such as Turkiye, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Russia was expelled from the body in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine.

Alongside its arrest warrant for Putin, the ICC is also seeking to arrest four of Russia’s top commanders for targeting civilians.

Iran’s government to fund reconstruction efforts after Israeli assault: MP

By
IFP Media Wire
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Mohammad Reza Kouchi said on Wednesday that insurance companies in Iran have no coverage for buildings and facilities destroyed during the Israeli aggression on the country, adding that the government would pay for the reconstruction.

Kouchi told the ILNA news agency that Iran’s transportation ministry was assessing the damage caused by the attacks on people’s houses and other facilities, adding that the rebuilding projects would begin soon after the assessments are finished.

He stated that philanthropists and charitable organizations are expected to contribute to the reconstruction efforts.

“All these services will be offered to people and those who suffered losses without any charge,” added the lawmaker.

Iran’s transportation minister, Farzaneh Sadegh, also said on Wednesday that the government would set up a special committee to expedite reconstruction efforts after the war.

Sadegh stated that experienced developers and engineers would be commissioned for the projects to accelerate the reconstruction process.

She added that the government would also offer extra loans and grants to the people affected by the Israeli aggression.

The Israeli regime launched a 12-day aggression against Iran starting on June 13, inflicting damage on people’s houses and the civilian infrastructure across the country.

Hundreds of people, including women and children, were killed in the assaults.

Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel also inflicted heavy losses on the regime, with one report published earlier this week suggesting that insurance companies have received more than $1.3 billion worth of claims from owners of properties directly hit in Iran’s missile attacks.

World Bank approves $146mn for recovery of Syria’s power sector

By
IFP Media Wire
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World Bank

“The Syria Electricity Emergency Project (SEEP) will rehabilitate damaged transmission lines and transformer substations and provide technical assistance to support the development of the electricity sector and build the capacity of its institutions,” the bank said in a statement.

Due to damage to Syria’s energy infrastructure during years of conflict, many cities can only be supplied with electricity for a few hours at a time.

Jean-Christophe Carret, World Bank Middle East division director, stated: “Among Syria’s urgent reconstruction needs, rehabilitating the electricity sector has emerged as a critical, no-regret investment that can improve the living conditions of the Syrian people, support the return of refugees and the internally displaced, enable resumption of other services such as water services and healthcare for the population and help kickstart economic recovery.”

“This project represents the first step in a planned increase in World Bank support to Syria on its path to recovery and development,” he added.

Yisr Barnieh, Syria’s finance minister, also said electricity is a foundational investment for economic progress, service delivery and livelihoods.

“This is the first World Bank project in Syria in almost four decades. We hope it will lay the ground for a comprehensive and structured support program to help Syria on its path to recovery and long-term development,” he added.

Last month, Syria signed an agreement with an international consortium, including Turkish, US and Qatari firms, for building energy plants in the country.

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