New US attack means ‘destruction’ throughout region – Tehran
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says as a precondition to any negotiation, the United States must first eliminate all economic pressure, threats, and sanctions, adding it “does not trust America”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says both he and President Trump are “committed to completing the elimination of the Iranian regime” and recently “discussed this”.
Iran’s army chief warns of major response to any new attack
Iran’s armed forces chief of staff has warned that any renewed attack on the country will meet a “more forceful response”.
During a visit on Tuesday to a military facility, Major-General Ali Abdollahi hailed Iran’s expansion of its drone production capabilities, Press TV reported.
“What I saw today at one of the many drone production facilities developed through the efforts of my colleagues in the Islamic Republic of Iran Army reflects the readiness, motivation and innovative capabilities” of Iran’s forces, he said.
Abdollahi said equipment developed and upgraded by Iranian specialists is more advanced than earlier models.
Lessons from recent wars with the US and Israel have left Iran “better equipped” to respond to future attacks, and Tehran’s “determination to resist had not weakened”, he added.
Rubio says reaching peace deal with Iran extremely difficult
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told CNBC that reaching an agreement with Iran is extremely difficult and Washington will continue to exert economic pressure until it stops targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio said the transit of ships transporting oil through the strait is above 80 percent compared with pre-war levels, something Iran has repeatedly denied.
The secretary of state expressed concern about Iran’s attacks on the crucial waterway, and said Tehran must put an end to the bombardment.
Qatari emir meets visiting French president
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has met visiting French President Emmanuel Macron at Lusail Palace, according to the Amiri Diwan, the seat of rule of Qatar.
During the talks, Sheikh Tamim hailed the “strength of the strategic partnership” between Qatar and France and expressed aspirations to deepen the relationship, said the Amiri Diwan.
Macron also expressed commitment to advancing the two countries’ relations, as the two leaders discussed economic, security and defence ties, the Amiri Diwan reported.
Trump must ‘choose how to lose’: Iranian lawmaker
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, says Trump is “in a position where he can only choose how to lose”.
“Surrender with sweet words or be destroyed on the battlefield,” said Rezaei in a post on X. “Iran is unyielding.”
The Strait of Hormuz – which once transported 20 percent of global crude – was effectively shut by Iran after the war started. A US naval blockade of Iranian vessels followed, as each country struck ships passing through the waterway that they accused of not complying with their orders.
Oil traffic last month through the strait picked up to pre-war levels as the US Navy shepherded an increasing number of tankers. But a spate of Iranian attacks on vessels early this month has again hit crude exports through Hormuz.
Hegseth confirms Israel trip; declines to detail Netanyahu talks
Pentagon boss Pete Hegseth has confirmed he made a recent visit to Israel and spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I was there visiting our troops [and] had a chance to talk to the prime minister,” Hegseth told reporters.
“Of course, the nature of our conversation is not something I would talk about, but they’ve been good partners, and I appreciate that.”
A Netanyahu spokesperson said earlier the meeting occurred at the Uvda airbase in the southern Negev desert region, and the two discussed “the threats in the region” and the US-Israel partnership in dealing both offensively and defensively with those threats.
