‘Fight hand in hand’: Iran leader addresses the nationIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has addressed the nation on state television.
“Every fallen martyr will be followed by hundreds who will continue the banner,” he said.
Iran is not “the aggressor”, he said, adding, “all our countrymen should stand together hand in hand” in fending off the attack by Israel.
“We must be united in the face of this belligerence. It’s our people’s right to seek justice. We will hold our ground,” said Pezeshkian.
More from the Iranian Foreign MinistryThe spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry says the Israeli attacks on Iran is not a war against the country but “against humanity”.
“It is a belligerence initiated by a criminal group, defying the international community and international law,” Esmail Baghaei told the news briefing in Tehran.
“All those who believe in the peaceful co-living and all those who believe in the international law are required to take action, to put an end to these brutal, ruthless crimes, to pressure this Zionist entity and bring it to account,” he says, in translated remarks.
Baghaei also called on “friendly countries” to step up their efforts for the passing of a binding resolution against Israel.
“This is the first step to begin with, it must be declared to the whole world, it is a baseless belligerence,” he said, reiterating that Israel’s actions are “an utter violation” of international law.
Israel accustomed to killing children, as in Gaza: Iranian Foreign MinistryThe spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry continues his news briefing by holding up pictures of several civilian victims of Israeli attacks, including children, and sharing their stories.
“It is the Zionist entity that is accustomed to killing innocent children, as they are doing in Gaza,” Esmail Baghaei said.
Predator cannot be put on equal footing with victim: Iranian Foreign MinistryHere are some of Esmail Baghaei’s translated comments.
All the member states of the United Nations must be reminded that if you believe in the UN Charter, in the rule of law, in international law, and in the collective security of the international community, you must act.It is time for the Security Council to take the necessary measures; enough with words, it is time for action.The predator cannot be put on equal footing with the victim. You cannot continue to adopt dual standards.They [Israeli forces] targeted residential areas. They targeted peaceful nuclear facilities in Isfahan and other areas in utter violation of international law, international practices and norms.It is the Zionist enemy that initiated this belligerence, assassinating our scientists and killing innocent civilians in their homes.Smoke billows after multiple explosions in western IranVideos shared online and verified by Al Jazeera, show heavy plumes of smoke rising in the city of Kermanshah.
In one video, thick smoke is seen rising around the Dieselabad area of the western Iranian city after an Israeli strike.
Explosions reported in eastern, western TehranIran’s Fars news agency is reporting that an Israeli attack has targeted a military base in western Tehran.
Iranian media is also reporting explosions in eastern parts of the capital.
This comes after the Israeli army issued a threat for parts of the capital.
Israeli army says ballistic missile launched from YemenA military update says the country’s defence systems are working to intercept the missile.
Hostile aircraft sirens have been activated in several areas of the country.
Israel ‘thought this was going to be easy’ like ‘bombing refugees in tents’Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, says it’s clear Israel’s vaunted missile defence systems are showing cracks as the casualty toll from Iranian attacks continues to rise.
“What appears to have happened is the Iranians have degraded the Israeli air defence systems, and as a result, with a fewer number of missiles, they’re actually getting more missiles through,” Parsi told Al Jazeera.
He said video evidence shows “the inefficiency” of the David’s Sling, Arrow, Iron Dome, and even the US defence systems, THAAD.
“By and large, the Israelis clearly miscalculated. They thought this was going to be easy – the same as bombing refugees in tents [in Gaza] as they’ve done for a year-and-a-half now. Instead, they’re getting a real fight back. And the question is to what extent that’s changed the Israeli government’s calculations?”
Parsi noted the only move Israel has made so far is to ask the US to enter the war, “but we’ve not seen any other indications of them trying to make an exit”.
Iran’s parliament preparing bill to leave NPTForeign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei says the Iranian parliament is working on legislation to abandon the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
He added, however, that Tehran remains opposed to developing weapons of mass destruction.
The 190-member NPT, which was signed in 1968 and came into effect in 1970, bans signatories other than the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France from acquiring nuclear weapons – in return for allowing them to pursue peaceful nuclear programmes for power generation, overseen by the UN.
Iran has gradually stepped back from its obligations under the accord after US President Donald Trump quit the Iranian nuclear deal in 2018, and reimposed crushing sanctions that have severely harmed the Iranian economy.
Iran pledges quick trials for alleged Israeli collaboratorsIran’s Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei has assured swift trials for people arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel as intense fighting rages between the two countries.
“If someone is arrested for having ties to and collaborating with the Zionist regime, their trial and punishment should be carried out and announced very quickly, in accordance with the law and given the war conditions,” Ejei was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying.
Earlier, an undercover agent working for the Israeli spy agency Mossad was executed. Ismail Fikri was hanged for passing classified and sensitive information “to the enemies of” Iran, Mizan Online reported.
On Sunday, Iranian media reported that police in Alborz province, west of Tehran, arrested two people suspected of links to the Mossad.
Israeli attacks intensify on Gaza as fighting with Iran ragesTareq Abu AzzoumReporting from Deir el-Balah, central GazaWe are still witnessing a new round of escalation on the ground today after repeated Israeli attacks.
Much of the fighting has been concentrated in the northern part of Gaza where Israeli ground operations are intensifying in all towns near Israel.
It has become clear that Israel’s strategy in this part of Gaza is aimed at destroying what remains of residential buildings and pushing civilians further towards the western edge of Gaza City.
It is increasingly obvious to everyone these attacks are no longer about the defeat of Hamas, but rather inflicting further destruction on the already-battered Gaza Strip.
According to the latest update shared by the Gaza Government Media Office, more than 60 percent of the territory’s buildings have been destroyed.
Israeli attack damages hospital in western IranWe have been reporting on the attacks in the city of Kermanshah. Now, there is an attack on a hospital in the western Iranian city, IRNA reports.
“At around 9am [05:30 GMT] this morning, the criminal Zionist regime launched a missile attack on the Farabi Hospital and Medical Center and surrounding buildings,” it said.
“Following this attack, Farabi Hospital suffered serious damage in various parts.”
Images showed blood-splattered floors with broken glass and debris strewn around the facility.
Israel says 24 killed in Iranian missile attacks since FridayThe Israeli military’s Home Front Command has updated the death toll from days of Iranian attacks, saying most of those killed were not in bomb shelters.
Iran has fired about 350 missiles at Israel so far, and each barrage consisted of about 30 to 60 projectiles, it said.
Iran, meantime, announced it launched some 100 missiles and pledged further retaliation for Israel’s sweeping attacks on its military and nuclear infrastructure, which have killed more than 220 people since Friday, including dozens of civilians.
‘Huge amount of anger’ against Israel in IranTohid AsadiReporting from Tehran, IranThe footage we’ve seen indicates that the Israelis are not just striking military and nuclear facilities, but also civilian infrastructure.
In the past two days, we’ve seen Israelis hit at least two oil depots, as well as a building related to university professors here in Tehran. And so, this unprecedented escalation is triggering a huge amount of anger among Iranian citizens.
In one case, authorities reported that at least 20 children were killed, and you also had the Health Ministry saying yesterday that the death toll has risen to 224, with a considerable amount of the victims being civilians.
These strikes have also disrupted the lives of ordinary citizens, and that’s what’s making people really angry about what the Israelis are doing in Iran.
Israeli forces again kill starving aid-seekers as they search for foodGaza’s civil defence agency says Israeli troops shot and killed at least 20 hungry Palestinians and wounded hundreds of others while they waited for food at a Israel-US-backed distribution site.
Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said “20 martyrs and more than 200 wounded by occupation gunfire … were transferred to the Red Cross field hospital in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, then to Nasser Hospital” in Gaza’s south.
The desperate people had been waiting to reach the aid centre in Rafah “when the occupation forces opened fire” near the Al-Alam Roundabout.
The Israeli military said it’s checking the reports.
Pakistan closes border crossings with IranPakistan has shut all its border crossings with neighbouring Iran for an indefinite period, according to provincial officials.
“Border facilities in all five districts – Chaghi, Washuk, Panjgur, Kech and Gwadar – have been suspended,” Qadir Bakhsh Pirkani, a senior official in Balochistan province, which borders Iran, told AFP.
Crossing into Iran “has been suspended until further notice”, said Attaul Munim, an official at one of the crossings in Chaghi district.
However, there was “no ban on trade” activities at the border, and Pakistani nationals needing to return to their country from Iran can cross, he added.
“We’re expecting around 200 Pakistani students coming today,” Munim said.
EU dismisses Russia as mediator between Israel and IranThe European Union says Russia has “zero credibility” as a potential mediator between Iran and Israel, after Trump suggested yesterday that Putin could play a role.
“There has been a recent Russia-Iran partnership agreement, which signals deepening cooperation across multiple areas, including foreign policy and defence,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
“In light of such, Russia cannot be an objective mediator.”
Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Trump said he would be open to Putin being a mediator in the conflict. “He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it,” the US president said.
Death toll rises in latest Israeli shootings near Gaza food sitesAt least 34 Palestinians have been gunned down near Israeli-and US-supported food aid distribution centres in southern Gaza, its Health Ministry says.
The toll was the deadliest single-day total yet in the near-daily shootings as thousands of Palestinians move through Israeli military-controlled areas to reach the food centres run by the private contractor, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Gaza’s Health Ministry said most of the dead were trying to reach the GHF centre near the southern city of Rafah although a few were on the roads to a newly opened hub on the outskirts of the nearby city of Khan Younis.
Two Palestinians trying to get food at the Rafah site, Heba Jouda and Mohammed Abed, said Israeli forces fired on crowds at about 4am at the Flag Roundabout – repeatedly the scene of mass shootings.
Palestinian health officials say scores of people have been killed and hundreds wounded since the GHF sites opened last month. Experts warned Israel’s ongoing war and restrictions on the entry of aid have put Gaza’s 2.3 million people at risk of famine.
Iran’s parliament approves new economy ministerAs the fighting between Israel and Iran continues for a fourth day, Iranian MPs have approved Ali Madanizadeh as the sanctions-hit country’s new economy minister to tackle mounting economic troubles, including soaring inflation and a plunging currency.
Madanizadeh, 43, was appointed to the position months after his predecessor, Abdolnaser Hemmati, was removed in a no-confidence vote for failing to address the economic woes.
Iran’s economy has long been under strain due to sweeping US sanctions, which have fuelled persistent double-digit inflation and surging consumer prices. Upon returning to office in January, Trump revived his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign on Iran.
Since Friday, Israel has launched large-scale strikes on Iran, targeting military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.
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