Tehran calls for diplomacy but is ‘fully prepared’ to defend itself

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says “while ‌‌Iran is firmly committed to seeking a dignified peaceful resolution to the conflict, we ⁠⁠are also fully ⁠⁠prepared to defend ourselves”.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the US cannot expect dialogue with Iran while blockading and threatening it.
Lebanese president urges continued talks to secure Israeli withdrawal
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for continuing negotiations to end Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, according to the country’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

NNA reports Aoun made the comments during a meeting with Greek Orthodox Church Patriarch John X Yazigi, who led a delegation to Beirut earlier today.

“When the south is wounded, all of Lebanon feels the pain,” Aoun said, adding that the primary objective of US-led negotiations was to secure Israel’s withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, as well as the release of prisoners, and the return of displaced residents.

More than 1.2 million people have been displaced as a result of Israel’s attacks and invasion of southern Lebanon in March.

US senator slams Trump, Rubio over Israeli ‘impunity’ in West Bank
US Senator Chris Van Hollen says Israeli authorities must release all activists detained alongside a US congressional candidate who were helping protect Palestinians harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank.

Brad Lander, who is running for the US Congress as a Democrat in midterm elections next month, was released by Israeli authorities, but others in his group, including US rabbis, are still being held.

“Releasing Brad isn’t enough. The Israeli government must release them all,” Van Hollen said in a post on X.

“If this is how they treat Americans, imagine how they treat Palestinians,” he said, adding that President Trump’s and Secretary of State Rubio’s “silence fuels this impunity”.

Israeli fighter jets carried out ‘training exercise’ on Iran border: US media
US-based news outlet Axios is reporting that dozens of Israeli fighter jets flew over Syria and Iraq to reach Iran’s western border on Monday, as part of a “training exercise”.

According to Axios, Tel Aviv informed Trump administration officials that the training exercise was meant to demonstrate strength and deter future Iranian attacks on Israel.

US officials told Axios that they had the impression Israel was hoping Iran would target the Israeli jets, thus providing “justification” to retaliate against Tehran.