SYRIA NEWS | ZAMAN ALWSL

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey sign Mecca Joint Defense Agreement

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:46:00 +0300

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on Friday, with the three countries declaring that an attack on one will constitute an attack on all three.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed what is now called the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.”

Apart from collective defense and deterrence, the deal is not an effort to establish a new military axis or sectarian bloc, a senior Saudi diplomat said.

“Nor is it linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race,” Dr. Rayed Krimly, Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy, said in a post on X.

Krimly said the deal will also allow the three countries to develop further and integrate their respective defense capabilities.

He added that the agreement does not come at the expense of Riyadh’s strong ties with any of its Gulf, Arab or international partners.

“It does not constitute a threat to the security of any country in the region, nor does it represent an escalation of tensions between any two states,” Krimly said.

It also does not supersede any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the three countries or between them and other states or international organizations, the Saudi diplomat said.

“Three of the Muslim world’s most influential states are convening at a moment of heightened uncertainty, demonstrating a growing willingness among regional and middle powers to coordinate more closely on security matters,” Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, told Reuters.

Iran rules out regional management of Strait of Hormuz, hitting hopes for breakthrough

Reuters — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:25:00 +0300

Iran has ruled out Oman’s proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official said on Wednesday, hitting hopes of a swift diplomatic breakthrough in the war.

The plan had no chance of success, the official told Reuters. Iran and Oman must manage the Strait of Hormuz between them, based on their respective areas of control, without the involvement of other powers, the official added.

He spoke a day after sources said Gulf states had backed the Omani plan, which suggested voluntary fees could be collected for using the strategic waterway in a bid to end disruption to trade caused by the conflict.

The official said the Strait’s entire inbound route and part of the outbound route would have to be under Iranian control.

He said Iran respected Oman, which it considered a valuable neighbor and mediator, but that a 50/50 arrangement under which the two countries shared equal control would not serve Iran’s interests.

Oman should oversee the section of the Strait corresponding to its control, he said, adding that southern routes through the Strait, which pass through Omani territorial waters, could be dangerous for shipping.

Control of the Strait, the narrow waterway between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean that is the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods, has been a main sticking point in efforts to resolve the US-Iran war.

It has been largely blocked since the start of the war.

On Tuesday, a Gulf source and a Western diplomat told Reuters that Oman had proposed placing the Strait under regional management with voluntary fees to help pay for managing navigation, environmental protection, search and rescue and other services.

The plan is based on similar arrangements for the Strait of Malacca linking the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore together ask for voluntary contributions from shippers to pay for services.

Before the war, shipping passed freely through the Strait, which is in the territorial waters of both Iran and Oman but which is generally regarded as an international waterway.

But as the war has gone on, Iran has asserted what it calls a sovereign right to manage the Strait and to impose fees on shipping, alongside Oman.

Rubio says Iran will pay a ‘high price’ until it comes back to its ‘senses’

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:08:00 +0300

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Iran will continue to pay a high price until it comes back to its “senses,” adding that the Iranians didn’t seem to ready to make a deal again.

His comments come as the United States continues consecutive nights of attacks on Iran, with US President Donald Trump vowing on Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant every time Iran targets a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran is begging us. Both directly and indirectly. Let’s do a deal. Let’s talk. Let’s talk. Iran is begging every day. The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people that are in charge there, they either break it or they want to change it. So it looks like they’re not ready to make a deal,” Rubio said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Manila.

“The price will continue to get higher every single night until they come to their senses.”

He reiterated that the US’ main interest is to have a denuclearized Iran adding that despite the Iranian’s “tough talk” they are suffering tremendously.

Al Arabiya

Trump: Lebanon’s Aoun could be ‘one of the most important leaders’ in Middle East

Al Arabiya — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:37:00 +0300

US President Donald Trump praised Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday as he welcomed him to the White House, making Aoun Lebanon’s first head of state to visit since 2009.

“He’s handsome also,” Trump quipped to reporters during comments from the Oval Office. “And I think he could become one of the most important leaders in the Middle East, actually,” the US president said.

Trump went to say that Lebanon had been “very mistreated” for a long period of time. “We’re going to help it a lot.”

Trump highlight Iran-backed Hezbollah as a “problem,” adding that he would speak with Aoun about some “very concrete plans already in store” for dealing with the group.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tells Donald Trump he has been looking forward to meeting him, drawing a playful response from the US president: “See? He knows how to get to me.” pic.twitter.com/1q3bYhS0eD
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 21, 2026

On Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, which has been a key ask from the Lebanese president, Trump said Israeli forces were “in the process of doing that.”

For his part, Aoun said it was an honor to meet a “great president like yourself,” before Trump joked: “He knows how to get me... now he can have anything.”

Aoun later said he needed political support from Trump and the backing of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). “All we’re asking is, keep supporting the LAF,” he said in response to a question.

Iran says diplomatic exchanges with US ongoing via mediators

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:56:08 +0300

Iran said on Monday that diplomatic exchanges with the United States via mediators were ongoing despite US military strikes on the country.

“We have been informed by mediators, we have received messages -- without going into details -- but the main point is that the diplomatic apparatus has been active in recent days and ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei at a press conference in Tehran attended by AFP.

According to Al Arabiya sources, Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni will arrive in Pakistan today carrying a message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Momeni will meet with Pakistan’s prime minister and army chief, the sources said adding that Pezeshkian’s message is related to the negotiations with the US.

AFP

Two Palestinians killed in West Bank as Israeli forces, settlers step up raids

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:43:00 +0300

Occupied Jerusalem, July 20 (SANA) Two Palestinians were killed and three others wounded after Israeli forces and settlers attacked the town of Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, as Israeli troops carried out fresh arrest raids across the West Bank.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing the Health Ministry, said the two Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire during a settler attack on the town overnight.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said Israeli forces also opened fire on an ambulance transporting one of the wounded to hospital.

Settler attacks have intensified in towns and villages across the Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate, involving shootings, physical assaults, arson attacks and damage to agricultural land under the protection of Israeli forces, according to Palestinian authorities.

Separately, Israeli forces raided the city of Qalqilya, where military vehicles entered through the eastern entrance, searched several homes in the al-Naqqar neighborhood and arrested five Palestinians.

Israeli troops also conducted raids in Bethlehem, Beit Jala and the towns of Doha, al-Ubeidiya, Za’atara, Dar Salah and al-Khader, as well as several neighborhoods, villages and refugee camps across the governorate. No arrests were reported in those operations.

Israel has continued attacks across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, alongside frequent raids and settler attacks that Palestinian officials say have resulted in killings, arrests, displacement and widespread damage to property.

Iran’s leader Mojtaba Khamenei says US breaches show Trump’s signature is ‘worthless’

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 21:10:27 +0300

Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement on Saturday that repeated US breaches of a memorandum of understanding signed by the presidents of Iran and the United States had shown that President Donald Trump’s signature was “utterly worthless and devoid of credibility.”

Washington and Tehran have exchanged strikes after a ceasefire agreement fell apart last week, raising fears of a return to all-out war.

Khamenei said the United States should know that the Iranian nation and the “resistance front” had “unforgettable lessons” for it.

Two US service members in Jordan killed in Iranian attack, US says

Reuters — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 20:57:44 +0300

Two US military personnel in Jordan were killed on Friday as they defended against an attack by Iranian missiles and drones, the US Central Command said in a statement on Saturday.

CENTCOM Statement on Recently Fallen, Missing U.S. Service Members

TAMPA, Fla. — On July 17, two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally,…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 18, 2026

Five blasts heard around bandar abbas, near Hormuz strait: State TV

Agencies — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:26:28 +0300

Iranian state television on Tuesday reported that five explosions were heard around the port city of Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz, which has been at the center of renewed Iran-US fighting.

“A few minutes ago, five explosions were heard west of Bandar Abbas,” the state broadcaster said, without providing further details.

Separately, Reuters reported citing Fars news agency that explosions were heard by residents in Iran’s Bushehr and Choghadak.

IRNA news agency reproted citing a provincial official that four areas of Iran’s Bushehr city were hit by US projectiles.

Oil prices jump nine percent on worsening US-Iran conflict

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:37:00 +0300

Oil prices shot up around nine percent Monday as President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports while the two sides traded attacks.

Near 1820 GMT, Brent oil futures jumped 9.1 percent to $82.90 a barrel while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate also climbed by 9.1 percent, to $77.87 a barrel. The surge came as the two countries clashed over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for petroleum shipments.

Trump says US reinstating Iran naval blockade after new clashes

President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States was reinstating its blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf and would ensure the Strait of Hormuz stays open after the two sides exchanged more missile and drone attacks.

The latest hostilities followed an announcement by Iran over the weekend that it was closing the strait, and cast further doubt on the viability of an interim deal to halt the war in the Middle East and drove oil prices higher.

“The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE,” Trump said on Truth Social.

“The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT’, but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20 percent on all cargo shipped.”

Iran’s top joint military command said the US had no role in determining the future of the vital shipping route and said in a statement on Monday it would not be allowed to intervene in the management of the strait.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Monday it had targeted US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, destroyed radar systems in Oman and hit fuel tanks and ammunition depots at Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan in response to US strikes.

The US military said it had struck Iranian air defense systems, coastal radar sites, missile and drone capabilities and small boats on Sunday, using aircraft, naval vessels and drones.

On Monday, the US attacked military sites in southern parts of Iran, including Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Abadan, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said, citing a local official.

Bahrain said its air defense systems had intercepted several Iranian missile and drone attacks early on Monday.

The latest exchanges mark an escalation in both the pace and geographic reach of attacks over the past week, throwing into question an interim US-Iranian agreement signed last month to reopen the strait and halt hostilities while the sides pursued a further 60 days of negotiations.

Trump has said he considers the ceasefire over, while leaving the door open to further talks.

“We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people, and so we’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said in a phone interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” program on Monday.

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, struck a similarly defiant tone, posting on X on Sunday: “The era of one-sided deals is OVER. We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.”

The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28 has destabilized the Gulf and spread across the region, with Iran attacking US bases in multiple countries.

Control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil supplies, has become one of the main battlegrounds of the conflict. Iran’s effective blockade of the strait has pushed up energy prices and increased concerns about inflation globally.

Brent crude jumped by more than 4 percent on Monday on Trumps’s latest comments and on fears of disruption to one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, although prices remained below the peaks reached earlier in the conflict.

Higher energy prices, particularly gasoline costs, are politically sensitive for Trump before congressional elections in November.

After announcing the strait’s closure on Saturday following what it described as an unauthorized transit, Tehran said on Monday it continued to control the channel.

Thousands of people have been killed during the war, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. On Monday, Iranian state media confirmed the deaths of two people in Abadan in southwestern Iran.

Iran’s IRGC said in a statement on Monday that the only way to restore regular shipping traffic through the strait was to end US military interventions in the waterway, and warned that “continued interference could lead to greater incidents in the global oil and gas sector.”

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was seeking to establish a joint mechanism with Oman to manage traffic through the strait, adding that US pressure on Oman had hindered discussions.

Iran has sought to establish a permanent fee and permit system for vessels using the strait, which before the war carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

The US, which revoked a license waiving sanctions on Iranian crude sales last week after earlier attacks on shipping, said its forces were positioned to safeguard freedom of navigation.

“Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing,” it said.

US officials said around 20 vessels had been escorted through the strait in the previous 24 hours, though ship-tracking data showed little traffic moving. MarineTraffic said on Monday that vessel activity through the strait declined by about 52 percent over July 10 to 12 compared to the previous week.

Gaza ceasefire a ‘cruel and deadly illusion’ as killing continues, warns UNICEF

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 13:07:02 +0300

The ceasefire declared in Gaza more than eight months ago is a “deadly illusion”, the United Nations Children’s Fund “UNICEF warns, with 265 children killed there since the fighting was supposed to have stopped.

Spokesman James Elder said in a press briefing in Geneva published on the official United Nations website; during a period supposedly defined by restraint and protection, a child has been killed, on average, every single day for more than eight months.

He added “They were killed in their homes. In their schools. Playing football. Fishing. They were shot, bombed, struck by quadcopters,” pointing out that international talk about a “ceasefire” completely loses its credibility in the face of Palestinian families continuing to bury their children daily.

The spokesman pointed out that the continuation of crimes against civilians is due to the complete absence of international accountability and questioning, and the absence of the political will to curb the occupation, stressing that “every day that passes without accountability sends a message that the lives of Palestinian children can be ended without any consequences”.

In a relevant context, the World Health Organization warned of the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip, noting that there is no hospital operating at full capacity, while about one million children face extreme difficulty in accessing clean water.

SANA

Iran president touts ‘historic’ deal with US ending war

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:50:00 +0300

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian welcomed on Thursday what he called a “historic” deal with the United States to end their war and pave the way for negotiations towards a final settlement.

“This is a historic document and a message from a powerful Iran: peace will be achieved in the shadow of mutual respect,” Pezeshkian said, in a social media post showing an image of the document, which carried his signature as well as US President Donald Trump and their mediator, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a sudden development after uncertainty over when the deal agreed earlier this week would be formally signed, Trump put his name to it in thick black ink at a candlelit dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris on Wednesday.

A two-month negotiating period now begins with all eyes on the reopening of Hormuz and if progress can be made in talks over Iran’s nuclear program, which Washington has long suspected of concealing secret bomb-making ambitions.

AFP, Al Arabiya

Saudi Cabinet, chaired by MBS, welcomes US-Iran agreement

Al Arabiya — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:28:36 +0300

Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Tuesday welcomed the agreement reached between the United States and Iran to end military operations and begin negotiations aimed at securing a permanent agreement.

The Cabinet also expressed appreciation for the mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan and Qatar to help facilitate the deal.

The Cabinet reiterated the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to the conditions that existed before February 28, the first day of the war.

It said it hopes peace can be achieved in a way that strengthens security in both the region and the wider world, while taking into account the security interests of regional countries and respecting their internal affairs.

At its meeting in Jeddah, the Cabinet also welcomed the statement issued by International Monetary Fund experts following the conclusion of the IMF’s 2026 Article IV consultations with Saudi Arabia. The statement highlighted the resilience of the Saudi economy and its ability to withstand regional developments, supported by strong economic fundamentals, ample reserves, diversified infrastructure, and the continuation of reforms under Vision 2030.

The Cabinet reviewed the outcomes of discussions and consultations held in recent days between Saudi Arabia and a number of “friendly and sister countries.” According to the Cabinet, these engagements were aimed at strengthening relations and expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation across various fields in a manner that serves shared interests, delivers mutual benefits, and supports regional and international security and stability efforts.

The Cabinet also welcomed the selection of Riyadh as the headquarters of the first office dedicated to cybersecurity at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). It said the move reflects Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the field of cybersecurity and builds on the Kingdom’s efforts and initiatives to enhance the stability of cyberspace while supporting the prosperity of societies and economic growth.

Iran’s Araghchi says talks with US to finalize agreement will start on Friday

Reuters — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:39:05 +0300

Iran and the US will start a new round of negotiations on Friday in Switzerland to reach a final agreement after the official start of an interim agreement, Iran’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Araghchi also warned that any Israeli attack on Lebanon or continued presence on Lebanese territory from now on constituted a violation of the interim agreement with the United States.

“In our view, the two parties to this memorandum are the US and Israel on one side, and Iran and Hezbollah on the other,” he said.

Trump calls Netanyahu after Israel-Iran clashes

AFP — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:37:00 +0300

US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, a White House official told AFP, after the first exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran since an April ceasefire.

The call came amid reports of an increasingly testy relationship between the US leader and Netanyahu, with Trump calling his ally “crazy” during another recent phone call between the two.

Iran fired missiles at Israel overnight and Israel responded by targeting military sites in the Islamic Republic, sparking fears of a new full-scale conflict.

“Israel and Iran must immediately stop ‘shooting’,” Trump wrote earlier Monday on social media.

A White House official confirmed Trump and Netanyahu spoke on Monday without giving further details.

Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon kills six, including children

Thu, 28 May 2026 08:53:00 +0300

Beirut, May 28 (SANA) An Israeli airstrike on a highway in southern Lebanon killed six people, including children, on Thursday, Lebanese state media reported.

Lebanon’s National News Agency said the strike hit a family traveling along the Adloun highway in the Nabi Sari area near Sidon as they attempted to flee villages threatened by ongoing Israeli attacks.

The agency said the strike took place at dawn and resulted in the deaths of all six family members.

The attack came a day after the Lebanese army announced that two soldiers had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.

Israeli warplanes also carried out a series of strikes on towns and villages in southern and eastern Lebanon on Wednesday, while Israeli authorities issued evacuation warnings for residents living south of the Zahrani River.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the death toll from Israeli attacks since March 2 had reached 3,269, with 9,840 others injured.

Death toll from Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip rises to 72,783

SANA — Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:00 +0300

The death toll from the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, since October 7, 2023, has risen to 72,783, and 172,779 injured.

According to Palestinian news agency WAFA, medical sources in Gaza Strip reported on Saturday that hospitals in Gaza received during the past 24 hours 8 dead, including one body recovered from under the rubble, and 29 wounded.

The sources added that the total number of deaths since the ceasefire on October 11 of last year has risen to 890, while the total number of injuries reached 2,677. Meanwhile, 777 bodies have been recovered.

The sources also noted that a number of victims remain trapped under the rubble and on the roads, as ambulance and rescue crews are still unable to reach them.

Iran says peace proposal includes reparations for war damage, US troop withdrawal

Reuters — Tue, 19 May 2026 18:10:06 +0300

Tehran’s latest peace proposal to the United States involves ending hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon, the exit of US forces from areas close to Iran, and reparations for destruction caused by the US-Israeli war, state media reported on Tuesday.

In Tehran’s first comments on the proposal, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran also sought the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen funds and an end to the US marine blockade on the country, according to IRNA news agency.

The terms as described in the Iranian reports appeared little changed from Iran’s previous offer, which US President Donald Trump rejected last week as “garbage.”

Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned resumption of attacks on Iran after Tehran sent a new peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program.

Reuters could not determine whether preparations had been made for strikes that would mark a renewal of the war Trump started in late February.

Under pressure to reach an accord that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz - a key supply route for global supplies of oil and other commodities - Trump has previously expressed hope that a deal was close on ending the conflict, and similarly threatened heavy strikes on Iran if Tehran did not reach a deal.

In a social media post, Trump said the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had requested that he

hold off on the attack because “a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.”

Speaking to reporters later on Monday, he said the United States would be satisfied if it could reach an agreement with Iran that prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out. If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I would be very happy,” Trump told reporters.

A Pakistani source confirmed that Islamabad, which has conveyed messages between the sides since hosting the only round of peace talks last month, had shared the Iranian proposal with Washington.

The sides “keep changing their goalposts,” the Pakistani source said, adding: “We don’t have much time.”

Mixed signals

Although neither side has publicly disclosed any concessions in negotiations that have been stalled for a month, a senior Iranian official suggested on Monday that Washington may be softening some of its demands.

The source said the US had agreed to release a quarter of Iran’s frozen funds - totaling tens of billions of dollars - held in foreign banks. Iran wants all the assets released.

And the source said Washington had shown more flexibility in agreeing to let Iran continue some peaceful nuclear activity under supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The US has not confirmed that it has agreed to anything in the talks.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied a report by Iran’s Tasnim news agency that Washington had agreed to waive oil sanctions on Iran while negotiations were under way.

The US-Israeli bombing killed thousands of people in Iran before it was suspended in a ceasefire in early April. Israel has killed thousands more and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in Lebanon, which it invaded in pursuit of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Iranian strikes on Israel and neighboring Gulf states have killed dozens of people.

The Iran ceasefire has mostly held, although drones have lately been launched from Iraq towards Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, apparently by Iran and its allies.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they launched the war to curb Iran’s support for regional militias, dismantle its nuclear program, destroy its missile capabilities, and create conditions for Iranians to topple their rulers.

But the war has yet to deprive Iran of its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium or its ability to threaten neighbors with missiles, drones and proxy militias.

The Islamic Republic’s clerical leadership, which had faced a mass uprising at the start of the year, withstood the superpower onslaught with no sign of organized opposition.

EU calls for accountability over killings of journalists in Gaza, Lebanon

Sat, 02 May 2026 14:39:00 +0300

Brussels, May 2 (SANA) The European Union on Saturday reaffirmed its commitment to press freedom and media independence, calling for accountability for the killing of journalists in Gaza and Lebanon.

In a statement on Saturday, marking World Press Freedom Day 2026, the EU said access to information and freedom of expression are not “luxuries” but essential to democratic governance, stressing that international law requires the protection of journalists at all times.

It described the global situation as “shocking,” noting that 2025 was the deadliest year on record for journalists, with rising cases of killings, injuries, arbitrary detention, and forced displacement.

The EU said crimes against journalists in conflicts, particularly in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, and parts of Africa, must be independently investigated, emphasizing the need to hold perpetrators accountable and end impunity.

It also warned of growing threats to access to information, including intimidation, repression, self-censorship, and abusive legal actions used to silence critical voices, adding that such practices fuel disinformation.

The bloc reaffirmed support for independent media and for UN and UNESCO efforts to protect journalists, stressing continued cooperation to strengthen media pluralism.

World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on May 3, following its designation by the UN General Assembly in 1993 upon UNESCO’s recommendation, commemorating the Windhoek Declaration and honoring journalists killed in the line of duty.

Israeli attacks kill at least four Palestinians in Gaza, medics say

Reuters — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:07:00 +0300

Israeli military attacks killed at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, health officials in the enclave said.

Medics said an airstrike carried out by Israel’s forces killed one person near the central village of Al-Mughraqa, while Israeli gunfire and tank shelling killed two others near Gaza City.

In another incident, Israeli forces shot and killed a 40-year-old woman in Khan Younis, in the south of the territory, health officials said. The Israeli military said it was unaware of any attack by its troops in that area at the time of the reported incident on Sunday.

The Israeli military said it was looking into the other reported strikes. Separately, it said it had struck and killed several Hamas militants in Gaza since Friday.

Violence in Gaza has persisted despite an October 2025 ceasefire, with Israel conducting almost daily attacks on Palestinians.

At least 800 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire deal took effect, according to local medics, while Israel says militants have killed four of its soldiers over the same period.

Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for ceasefire violations.

More than 72,500 Palestinians have been killed since the Gaza war started in October 2023, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

Three killed, including children, in wave of settler attacks

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:02:00 +0300

Three Palestinians, including two children, were killed and several others injured over the past 24 hours in a wave of attacks by Israeli settlers across the West Bank, according to Palestinian sources.

In al-Mughayyir village northeast of Ramallah, settlers opened fire on a secondary school while students were in classrooms, causing casualties and panic. Witnesses said the shooting targeted children attempting to flee.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said a 14-year-old boy and a 32-year-old man were killed and four others wounded by live fire during the attack. Israeli forces were deployed in the area and fired tear gas.

In a separate incident in Hebron, a 16-year-old boy was killed after being run over by a settler driving a vehicle linked to a security convoy of an Israeli government official.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attacks as war crimes and called for immediate international action.

Palestinian data indicate a sharp rise in settler attacks, with 497 incidents recorded in March alone, resulting in nine deaths, while more than 1,140 Palestinians have been killed and about 11,750 injured since October 2023.

SANA

Iran threatens Gulf ports, saying no port would be safe if its own are threatened

Agencies — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:36:06 +0300

Iran’s military said a US naval blockade set to begin on Monday would be illegal and amount to piracy, warning that no Gulf ports would be safe if its own were threatened.

“The restrictions imposed by criminal America on maritime navigation and transit in international waters are illegal and constitute an example of piracy,” said a statement issued by the Iranian military’s central command center, Khatam Al-Anbiya, that was read on state television.

Iran would decisively implement a “permanent mechanism” to control the Strait of Hormuz following US threats to blockade it, the statement said.

“If the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran's ports in the waters of the [Arabian] Gulf and the Arabian Sea is threatened, no port in the [Arabian] Gulf and the Arabian Sea will be safe,” it added.

The US military said it will begin a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday.

The US Central Command said that the US blockade, starting at 10 a.m. ET on Monday (1400 GMT), would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.”

Vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports will not be impeded, the US military said. Additional information would be provided to commercial mariners through a formal notice prior to the start of the blockade, it said.

Five killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:18:00 +0300

Beirut, April 13 (SANA) Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeted multiple towns in southern Lebanon from Sunday evening until Monday morning, killing five people and causing significant destruction, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

The agency reported that a young man was killed in a morning strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while another person was killed in a midnight raid on Sir al-Gharbiya. Two more were killed in a strike targeting the town of Shukin in the Nabatieh district.

In Bazouriyeh, nine consecutive airstrikes until 5 a.m. killed one person and injured others, as search operations continued for missing individuals. The strikes caused extensive damage to residential buildings, including a public school.

Artillery shelling also targeted the towns of al-Haniyeh, al-Qalila, al-Mansouri, and Bayt al-Sayyad in the Tyre district. The town of Zibqin was hit by artillery and white phosphorus munitions, according to NNA.

Earlier on Sunday, an Israeli strike on the town of Tafahata in the Sidon district killed nine people and injured 13 others, in the context of ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, following attacks attributed to Hezbollah.

Iran says US airman rescue may have been cover to ‘steal enriched uranium’

AFP — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:16:00 +0300

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that a US operation to rescue a downed airman may have been a cover to “steal enriched uranium” from the Islamic Republic.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump said the US recovered a second crew member of an F-15E that went down over Iran on Friday in what he called a “daring” search and rescue operation.

Iran’s military has called it “a deception and escape mission,” insisting it was “completely foiled.”

On Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said there were “many questions and uncertainties” about the operation.

“The area where the American pilot was claimed to be present in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province is a long way from the area where they attempted to land or wanted to land their forces in central Iran,” Baqaei said.

“The possibility that this was a deception operation to steal enriched uranium should not be ignored at all.”

He added that the operation was “a disaster” for the United States.

Iran’s military said several US aircraft had to “make emergency landings” in southern Isfahan province after being hit during the mission, with the US “forced to heavily bombard the downed aircraft” as a result.

Iran has formulated its response to ceasefire proposals: Foreign ministry spokesperson

Reuters — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:12:00 +0300

Iran has formulated its positions and demands in response to recent ceasefire proposals conveyed via intermediaries, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that negotiations were “incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes.”

Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had a set of requirements based on its national interests that had already been conveyed via intermediary channels, adding that earlier US demands such as the 15-point plan were rejected for being “excessive.”

“Iran does not hesitate to clearly express what it considers its legitimate demands and doing so should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions,” Baghaei said in a press conference.

“We have formulated our own responses” and will announce details in due time, he added in response to an Iranian journalist's question regarding ongoing efforts to bring about a ceasefire between Iran and the US.

Intelligence head of Iran’s IRGC killed in strike

Agencies — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:14:00 +0300

The head of the intelligence organization of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed on Monday in a “terrorist attack by the American-Zionist (Israeli) enemy,” Iranian media said, citing a statement by the Guards.

Majid Khademi, who becomes the latest key figure killed in US-Israeli air strikes, took over in 2025 after Israeli air strikes killed his predecessor.

He spent decades in intelligence and counter-espionage roles while rising through Iran’s security apparatus.

Before his appointment, Khademi headed the Guards’ Intelligence Protection Organization, charged with internal surveillance and counter-intelligence, and held senior roles in Iran’s defence ministry.

The IRGC intelligence arm is one of Iran’s most powerful security bodies, with a central role in domestic surveillance to counter foreign influence, and often operating in parallel with the civilian intelligence ministry.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country’s military had been behind the strike, saying that it had been a response to Iran’s attacks on civilian areas in Israel.

Katz called Khademi “one of the direct perpetrators of these war crimes and one of the top three officials in the organization,” and said of Iran’s leaders: “We will continue to hunt them one by one.”

On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel began a large-scale military operation against Iran. The US-Israeli strikes killed a number of Iran’s front-line leaders, most notably Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

US-Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant kills one: Report

Agencies — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:45:00 +0300

A projectile from a US-Israeli attack hit near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on Saturday, killing one person, state media reported.

“Following the US-Zionist criminal attacks, this Saturday morning, around 8:30 am, a projectile hit the area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southwest,” said the official IRNA news agency.

It added that one of the building’s guards was killed but noted that there was no damage to the plant’s facilities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency on Saturday said that it has been informed by Iran about a projectile striking close to the premises of the plant.

The IAEA said in an X post that one of the site’s physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments.

“No increase in radiation levels was reported,” the IAEA said.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency said earlier on Saturday the incident did not damage the main parts of the plant and that production was unaffected.

Pentagon says 13 US soldiers killed in Iran war

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:30:00 +0300

The Pentagon announced that 13 U.S. service members have been killed and 365 others wounded since the start of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.

This came in a statement released by the Pentagon on Friday, which included information on U.S. military personnel killed and wounded in the attacks on Iran up to that evening.

The statement indicated that six of the U.S. service members killed in the war were serving in the Army, while seven were serving in the Air Force.

It stated that among the wounded were 247 Army personnel, 63 Navy personnel, 19 Marines, and 36 Air Force personnel.

Israel prevents Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch from celebrating Palm Sunday mass

AFP — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:55:00 +0300

Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

“This morning, the Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land ... from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as they made their way to celebrate the Palm Sunday Mass,” a statement issued by the Patriarchate said.

“As a result, and for the first time in centuries, the Heads of the Church were prevented from celebrating the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.”

“This incident is a grave precedent and disregards the sensibilities of billions of people around the world, who during this week, look to Jerusalem.”

There was no immediate response from the Israeli police.

Since the Middle East war began on February 28, Israeli authorities have banned large gatherings, including at synagogues, churches and mosques.

Public gatherings are limited to around 50 people.

The Latin Patriarchate had already announced it had cancelled the traditional Palm Sunday procession that normally runs from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem and draws thousands of worshippers each year.

The Patriarchate said Cardinal Pierbattista was stopped “while proceeding privately and without any characteristics of a procession or ceremonial act.”

“The heads of churches have acted with full responsibility and, since the outset of the war, have complied with all imposed restrictions,” the Patriarchate said.

“Preventing the entry of the Cardinal and the Custos, who bear the highest ecclesiastical responsibility for the Catholic Church and the Holy Places, constitutes a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure,” it said.

“This hasty and fundamentally flawed decision, tainted by improper considerations, represents an extreme departure from basic principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo.”

Trump postpones Iran energy strikes for five days after ‘productive’ talks

Reuters — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:37:00 +0300

President Donald Trump said on Monday the US has had good and productive conversations with Iran and he will order the military to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.

Trump’s move followed a threat by Iran to attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying US bases across the Gulf region if the US targets Iran’s power network.

Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social media post.

“I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS,” he wrote.