Russia is ready to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran to help end the war and will not sacrifice its relations with Tehran. This was stated by the vice-president of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev to the Iranian media, underlining that relations between Moscow and Tehran have reached "an unprecedented level" and that in the last year bilateral trade exchanges have increased by 20%.
The American president reiterated that "the war against Iran will end after the midterms". Speaking at a rally in Alabama, the tycoon repeated that Tehran "will never have a nuclear weapon".
Overnight, Saudi warplanes targeted the city of Abs, in Hajjah province, Yemen. A few hours earlier, several Arab sources reported explosions in Buqayq, Saudi Arabia, following a ballistic missile attack by Yemeni forces. Sources in the region also reported strong explosions near Riyadh airport.
The tycoon repeated that Tehran "will never have a nuclear weapon".
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The Portuguese prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the legitimacy of the authorization granted by the Lisbon government to the United States to use the Lajes air base, in the Azores, during the war with Iran. This was announced by the Portuguese Attorney General's Office, specifying that the investigation was launched following a complaint presented by members of the left-wing Bloco de Esquerda party. The center-right government had authorized several US transit flights through the base in March, drawing criticism from left-wing opposition parties. Portugal and the United States have a long-standing agreement that allows Washington to use the Lajes base without prior authorization in peacetime, while Lisbon's approval becomes necessary in the event of hostilities. Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel explained that the green light was given only after receiving assurances from the United States that any operation would be "defensive, necessary and proportionate" and limited to military objectives.
"Our blockade is ironclad." This was stated by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, assuring that the United States maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz and warning Tehran of the possible consequences if it continues to "play" with the strategic maritime passage. "Iran wants to play with things like the Strait of Hormuz. They don't control it, we control it. They have literally failed to push anything through," Hegseth said, calling on Tehran to "make the right choice." "If he doesn't, the president will have all the options he needs on the table. But he won't let this situation drag on unnecessarily. He knows what the mission is, and when we are asked, we are capable of carrying it out," he added.
Hegseth also reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons represents "a vital national interest of the United States of America." "The message is very simple: Iran will never, ever, ever have a nuclear weapon. President Trump is absolutely determined to make sure that doesn't happen: they won't have it," the Pentagon chief said.
Iranian authorities have arrested 31 people accused of belonging to four networks supported by the United States and Israel and involved in plans to foment unrest and carry out acts of sabotage in the southern province of Kerman. This was announced by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, quoted by Press TV. According to Tehran, the suspects were operating in the county of Sirjan and would have tried to "entire teenagers and young people", also preparing "large quantities of Molotov cocktails" to be used to damage urban surveillance cameras in view of "street disturbances and acts of sabotage". The Intelligence Ministry also accused the groups of being involved in incidents of "violence and destruction" during anti-government protests last January.
Russia is ready to play a mediating role between the United States and Iran to help end the war and will not sacrifice its relations with Tehran. This was stated by the vice-president of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev to the Iranian media, underlining that relations between Moscow and Tehran have reached "an unprecedented level" and that in the last year bilateral trade exchanges have increased by 20%. Russia and Iran, he added, are subjected to "large-scale sanctions" and must therefore develop alternative financial cooperation mechanisms, recalling that around 90% of trade between the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization now takes place in their respective national currencies.
