Tehran threatened to resort to “preemptive” strikes in the face of any potential military threat, at a time when Washington and European powers are preparing to escalate pressure, through an effort to refer the Iranian nuclear file to the Security Council and tighten financial sanctions.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said that military doctrine is gradually moving toward preemptive operations, and that Iranian forces may resort to it “wherever they feel there is a threat.”
Two Iranian air defense commanders said that the forces were prepared for “all types of confrontation,” and that “the threat has not ended,” speaking about the development and deployment of new defense systems and future moves that they said would surprise adversaries.
Regarding the nuclear file, diplomats reported that the United States, Britain, France and Germany are pushing for a decision in the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, next week, to refer Iran to the Security Council on the grounds of violating its obligations related to non-proliferation.
This move comes as the agency continues to be unable to verify the location or condition of an essential part of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.
Yesterday, the US Treasury Department imposed Iran-related sanctions on three entities based in Türkiye, including Golden Global Investment Bank, as well as two portfolio management and asset leasing companies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Besent said the European Union had joined “Operation Economic Pariah” aimed at tightening Tehran’s financial isolation.
Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez said today (Friday) that the issue of upgrading the Central American country's office in the city of Jerusalem to an embassy has not yet been decided, and that the matter is still under study, according to Reuters.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo announced yesterday (Thursday) that it will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, joining countries, including the United States, that have taken this symbolic step in support of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed city.
Following a visit by President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi, the two sides announced in a statement that they would take steps to “transfer the embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” according to Agence France-Presse.
An Istanbul court accepted an indictment against Turkish comedian Deniz Goktas, demanding that he be imprisoned for a period of up to 9 years and 8 months because of jokes he made during a widely circulated comedy show, the official Anatolia Agency reported on Friday.
The indictment, prepared by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Istanbul, accuses Goktas of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, inciting hatred and hostility among members of society, and glorifying crime and criminals, due to statements he made in his special show published on YouTube on June 24.
Prosecutors said the comments about Erdogan at the show “went beyond the limits of criticism” and “damaged the president’s honor and dignity” in the eyes of the public.
Goktas said in his presentation: “I have never loved Recep Tayyip Erdogan, even for a minute in my life,” according to the German News Agency.
Goktas, who has been detained pending trial since July 3, also faces charges over jokes about women swimming in the sea wearing modest swimwear. In a separate charge, the indictment said Goktas used statements that glorified a criminal group. The Turkish comedian denied all the charges against him.
The court ordered Goktas (32 years old) to remain in detention and set September 28 as the date for the first session.
His special presentation on YouTube received 14 million views.
The show, which also included jokes about religion and other social and political issues, sparked sharp criticism from pro-government figures. His case sparked protests from human rights groups that condemned what they considered a targeting of freedom of expression and the use of the case to suppress dissent.
