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Armenian PM meets Iranian Leader to sympathize over President Raisi, companions’ demise

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ayatollah Khamenei Armenian PM

The Iranian Leader appreciated the sympathy by the Armenian premier and pointed out the historical and geographical commonalities between Iran and Armenia.

Ayatollah Khamenei said, “Our late president was very sensitive to the border issues related to Armenia and the events surrounding this matter, and the sensitivities and care should continue to be taken into account.”

The Leader assured that Iran will continue to expand its relations with neighboring Armenia under Acting President Mohammad Mokhber.

Noting that Tehran and Yerevan enjoy strategic ties, Ayatollah Khamenei also stressed that both sides need to act cautiously as “the relations between Iran and Armenia have opponents.”

For his part, Pashinyan said the news of the death of President Raisi and his seven companions, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a helicopter crash on Sunday was shocking, “but as you said, we are sure that under your guidance and leadership, no disruption will arise in running Iran’s affairs.”

China says to continue enhancing strategic partnership with Iran

By
IFP Media Wire
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Raisi Xi

On Tuesday, Wang took part in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign ministers, on the sidelines of which he had a meeting with Safari.

“Regardless of how the situation changes, China will continue strengthening the China-Iran strategic partnership, protect common interests of both sides and continue working for peace in the region and the world,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Wang as saying on Tuesday.

During the meeting, the Chinese foreign minister expressed condolences over the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

Raisi was martyred alongside his accompanying delegation, including Amirabdollahian, after their helicopter crashed in the Dizmar forest in East Azarbaijan Province on Sunday.

Russia launches tactical nuclear wargames

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Nuclear Weapons

When announcing the drills a week previously, the ministry explained that the exercise is designed to serve as a deterrent amid continued escalation between Russia and the West, by demonstrating Moscow’s ability to respond to any external threats.

It will involve delivery of nuclear weapons to troops from storage sites, arming tactical nuclear missiles, and preparation of missile launches, Moscow announced in a statement on Telegram.

The troops will be using the Iskander-M systems, which can fire 9M723-1 ballistic missiles or 9M728 cruise missiles, both of which can carry tactical nuclear warheads with yields between five and 50 kilotons.

The Southern Military District forces will also practice covert deployment operations using the systems, as part of launch-preparation drills, according to the military.

The exercise will also involve nuclear arming of the air-launched missiles, including the state-of-the-art, hypersonic Kinzhal. The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles and the Kh-32 cruise missiles that are delivered by Russian bombers are capable of carrying warheads similar to those mounted on Iskander projectiles. During the drills, Russian aircraft are to fly on patrol missions armed with these missiles, according to the ministry.

The drills are “aimed at maintaining the combat readiness of the personnel and equipment of the non-strategic nuclear-weapon units”, the ministry’s statement said. It added that Russian forces should be ready to “unconditionally” ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, amid “provocative statements and threats” made by some Western officials.

Moscow announced the drills earlier in May, citing what it called a “new” and “unprecedented” escalation in the Ukraine conflict. The Kremlin pointed to statements by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has repeatedly refused to rule out a NATO deployment in Ukraine.

Similar ideas have been voiced by US House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. Former UK prime minister and current Foreign Secretary David Cameron also stated recently that Kiev has the right to use British weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia. In response, Moscow summoned the British ambassador and warned of a potential response to such attacks.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said later that the drills should be viewed as an attempt to “cool hot heads” in the West amid “belligerent statements” and “destabilizing actions” of the NATO countries.

The Southern Military District where the exercise is taking place covers the southern part of European Russia, mostly lying between the Black and the Caspian Seas, and comprises a total of 19 regions, including Crimea and the four former Ukrainian territories that joined Russia in autumn 2022.

Putin says Russia will continue to boost Iran ties

By
IFP Media Wire
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Raisi and Putin

Putin made the remark during a meeting with chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, in Moscow on Tuesday.

“President Raisi’s death is a great loss, first and foremost for Iran and its people. He was a very reliable partner, a direct, self-confident man, who was motivated by national interests,” Putin said.

He also described the late Iranian president as “a man of his word”, adding that “if we agreed on something with him, we could always be sure that those agreements would be fulfilled”.

Putin further noted that Russia is ready to continue cooperation with Iran just like under Raisi’s administration, pledging to do his best to ensure the continuation and development of Russian-Iranian relations in the same manner.

Putin announced Russia’s readiness to help Iran investigate the causes of the copter crash that killed President Raisi and his accompanying delegation.

The Russian president further asked Volodin, who will travel to Tehran to attend the president’s funeral ceremony on Wednesday, to convey his heartfelt condolences to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

In an earlier message of condolence, Putin had called Raisi a true friend who made serious efforts to develop the level of strategic cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

Raisi was martyred alongside his accompanying delegation, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, after their helicopter crashed in the Dizmar forest in East Azarbaijan Province on Sunday.

Rescuers found the wreckage of the helicopter early on Monday after hours of extensive search which involved more than 70 teams.

President Raisi was returning from a location on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, where he inaugurated a dam with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.

Following the tragic loss, world leaders sent condolence messages to the people of Iran.

Many countries, the neighboring states in particular, are observing days of mourning to honor the late president and those accompanying him.

In Iran, millions of mourners are gathering to honor the martyrs in towns and cities nationwide.

President Raisi will be buried in his birthplace, the holy city of Mashhad, on Thursday.

US lawmakers urge Biden admin. to allow Ukraine to use American weapons inside Russia

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

“We write in our capacity as members of the US House of Representatives to convey our strong support of several urgent requests on behalf of our Ukrainian colleagues: Authorizing the Use of US-Provided Weapons to Strike Strategic Targets within Russian Territory Under Certain Circumstances,” US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Turner and other lawmakers said in the letter.

The Joe Biden administration has repeatedly said since the start of Russia’s special military operation that it discourages Ukraine from carrying out strikes on Russian territory and restricts Kiev from using US-supplied weapons for such strikes.

However, the US lawmakers claim in the letter that this policy from the Biden administration is holding back Ukraine’s ability to use US-supplied weapons to push back Russian forces making advances near the city of Kharkiv.

The lawmakers also urged the Defense Department to train more Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16 fighter jets.

The West has recently been increasingly discussing direct intervention in the Ukrainian conflict. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the French military might be sent to Ukraine, while British Foreign Minister David Cameron said that it was acceptable for the Ukrainian army to strike Russian territory with British missiles.

The Kremlin called what is happening an unprecedented round of escalation of tension that requires special attention and measures. According to presidential spokesman Dmitriy Peskov, the Europeans see that the situation is changing rapidly and is fraught with a complete collapse for Ukraine, so they deliberately escalate the situation.

Egyptian foreign minister due in Tehran Wednesday

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Sameh Shoukry

Ahmed Abu Zeid, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that that Shoukry will represent Egypt in the mourning ceremony of the Iranian president and foreign minister and six other people who died in a helicopter crash.

This is the first time an Egyptian foreign minister is travelling to Tehran since the two sides severed ties after the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Efforts peaked during the late Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahin’s tenure to restore diplomatic ties.

Acting President Mohammad Mokhber and caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri will host delegations from over 50 countries in the memorial ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.

The Iranian president and his accompanying delegation died in the copter crash in northwestern Iran on Sunday and their burned bodies were recovered on Monday.

Over 50 high-ranking foreign delegations in Iran to take part in President Raisi’s commemoration ceremony

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Funeral Procession Iran's President

Among the foreign participants, there will be more than 10 delegations at the level of heads of state, about 20 delegations at the ministerial level and the rest of the delegations will be at the level of parliamentarians and special envoys.

The ceremony is to be held on Wednesday afternoon with the acting President Mohammad Mokhber and caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri attending the event.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani have already arrived in Iran.

A funeral ceremony is underway in the capital Tehran where millions of grieving people have taken part to say farewell to the president and his companions, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who passed away in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

The president will be laid to rest in his hometown Mashhad, at the shrine of Imam Reza.

Republican bill aims to give Americans serving in Israeli military same benefits as US soldiers

By
IFP Media Wire
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The protections sought by the two lawmakers, Guy Reschenthaler and Max Miller, come in stark contrast to how other countries have been called upon to treat their citizens who have gone to serve in Israel’s military.

“Over 20,000 American citizens are currently defending Israel from Hamas terrorists, risking their lives for the betterment of our ally,” Reschenthaler said in a statement.

“This legislation will ensure we do everything possible to support these heroes who are standing with Israel, fighting for freedom, and combating terrorism in the Middle East,” he added.

By introducing this legislation last Friday, the lawmakers want Americans serving in a foreign military to be treated in the “same manner as service in the uniformed services”.

The bill, if passed, would amend US law and extend certain protections to include American citizens who serve in the Israeli military.

Those protections include being safe against foreclosure and the repossession of rental property, and would also reduce the interest rates of any loans taken out before their service. It would also protect those Americans from default judgements in legal cases, and grant them job rights and the employment benefits that US veterans receive.

Around 23,380 American citizens are currently serving in the Israeli army, according to a February report by The Washington Post. Some 21 Americans in those military units have been killed in Gaza, while another died in cross-border exchanges with Lebanon.

Many Republicans in Congress have been staunch supporters of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, levelled civilian infrastructure, targeted hospitals and schools, and also killed healthcare workers and journalists.

Shortly after the war in Gaza began, Congressman Brian Mast entered the halls of Congress wearing an Israeli military uniform, and went on to boast about his service in the foreign nation’s military.

“As the only member to serve with both the United States Army and the Israel Defense Forces, I will always stand with Israel,” Mast stated.

While these Republicans are seeking to extend economic benefits to Americans serving in Israel, other countries have taken a completely different stance.

South Africa’s foreign minister announced it would prosecute its citizens who have served in Israel’s military once they return to the country.

Haaretz reported in March that the French foreign ministry quietly announced it would investigate French nationals who are implicated in possible war crimes in Gaza during their time serving in the Israeli military.

A UK-based Palestinian legal centre has requested the British government clarify if it plans to prosecute its citizens serving in the Israeli armed forces.

Millions gather in Iranian capital to mourn president, companions’ demise

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Funeral Procession Iran's President

The mourners are holding portraits of President Raisi and his companions, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian near Tehran University in central Tehran on the third day of five days of national mourning announced by the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Ayatollah Khamenei has led the prayers over bodies of President Raisi and his companions.

Foreign dignitaries are scheduled to arrive in Tehran later in the day to take part in the funeral ceremony.

Leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, who has attended the funeral cortege, praised President Raisi for putting the Palestinian issue on top of the priorities for Iran, adding, “We are certain that the Islamic Republic will continue the policy of supporting Palestine until the liberation of Al-Quds.”

President Raisi and his companions were in a helicopter that crashed in northwestern Iran on a fog-shrouded mountainside on the way to the city of Tabriz after the inauguration of a dam project on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The demised Iranian president will be laid to rest in his hometown Mashhad, in Imam Reza’s shrine, on Thursday while Amirabdollahian will be buried in Shah Abdul Azim’s shrine in Shahr-e Rey, south of Tehran.

UN says halted food shipments to Gaza’s Rafah as supplies run out

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

The UN said food distribution was halted due to insecurity and the lack of supplies.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main agency providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza, announced the distribution in the area is suspended.

“Food distributions in Rafah, southern Gaza, are currently suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity,” UNRWA wrote on X.

UNRWA also shared that due to the ongoing Israeli military operation in eastern Rafah, both the agency’s distribution center and the World Food Programme’s (WFP) are “inaccessible”.

The UN added that no aid trucks have entered the area using the newly-built pier that was spearheaded by the US.

At least 900,000 people have been displaced from Rafah in the past two weeks, according to a UN official. The crisis has worsened since Israel launched its military operation into Rafah on May 6. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) captured the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt which has been shut down ever since.

The UN reported that around 1.1 million people in Gaza are on the brink of starvation. The US has warned Israel not to invade Rafah with a developed plan that would ensure the safety of civilians in the area.

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