Iran

Pope Leo stresses need for US-Iran deal to enhance security, stability across Middle East

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Pope Leo XIV greets migrants during a visit to the Las Raices reception centre in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain on June 12, 2026. [Andres Gutierrez – Anadolu Agency]

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday stressed the need for the recently announced agreement between the US and Iran to enforce security and stability across the Middle East, Anadolu reports.

“I hope that this agreement will contribute to strengthening mutual trust, security, and stability in the Middle East, and promote paths of dialogue and cooperation among the peoples,” the pontiff said through US social media platform X.

He also welcomed, “with satisfaction,” the agreement as an “encouraging outcome of patient work in dialogue and negotiation.”

“I express my gratitude to the countries that have strived to foster the encounter between the parties and make such an understanding possible,” the pope added.

Washington and Tehran reached a temporary truce this April through Pakistani mediation before announcing a framework agreement this Monday to end the conflict. The accord is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday.

READ: Pope Leo says US-Israeli war against Iran not ‘just war’

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Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingPope Leo stresses need for US-Iran deal to enhance security, stability across Middle East

Trump says US will have to give Iran’s money back

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US President Donald Trump gives a speech at the White House in Washington, DC on May 22, 2026. [Kyle Mazza – Anadolu Agency]

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the US has taken “a lot of” Iranian money and will have to give it back, Anadolu reports.

“We have taken a lot of their money, and we have their money,” Trump said at a news conference in France as the G7 summit ended.

“It’s not our money, it’s their money, and we froze it at a certain point in time. I guess we’re going to have to give it back, you know, if we didn’t give it back, nobody would ever invest in the dollar again,” he added.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the US and Iran electronically on Sunday, which includes an end to the military operations on all fronts and reopening the Strait of Hormuz while setting the stage for talks on Iran’s nuclear program linked to sanctions relief. The signing ceremony is scheduled for Friday in Switzerland.

READ: Trump turns on Israel over Lebanon war, says Syria could fight Hezbollah better

The US undertakes with regional partners to develop a “definitive, mutually agreed plan” with at least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran, according to the deal.

“We’re not putting up money. Only if they’re doing things right. If they’re doing things right, if people want to invest, they can invest … They have this $300 billion fund … It’s only if they’re doing things right,” Trump said.

“Remember this also, when you talk about ‘billions of dollars,’ they’ve had much more than a trillion dollars worth of damage done,” he added.

About possible sanctions relief for Iran, Trump said that “something will happen as soon as they behave.”

The 14-point MOU released by the US said Washington undertakes to terminate “all types of sanctions” against Iran, including the UN Security Council resolutions, IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed upon schedule as part of the final deal.

WATCH: Is Israel Losing Its American Shield? | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingTrump says US will have to give Iran’s money back

Iran, Oman reaffirm commitment to ‘safe, free’ navigation through Hormuz after US deal

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Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Hamad Al Busaidi meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ahead of the US-Iran talks, in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on February 06, 2026. [Oman Foreign Ministry – Anadolu Agency]

Iran and Oman reaffirmed their commitment on Tuesday to ensuring safe and free maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, Anadolu reports.

During a phone call, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi reviewed bilateral ties and underscored their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation across various fields based on principles of good neighborliness and longstanding historical and cultural links, according to Oman’s state news agency ONA.

In light of the recent US-Iran understanding, the two ministers renewed their commitment to international law regarding “the safe and free passage of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,” the agency said.

They also expressed hope that all parties would undertake “serious efforts to foster a sustainable environment supportive of a constructive political and diplomatic process aimed at preserving regional security and stability,” it added.

READ: Switzerland confirms US-Iran memorandum signing set for Friday at Burgenstock

The call came days after Washington and Tehran announced that they had reached a memorandum of understanding intended to pave the way for ending the conflict that began with US and Israeli military operations against Iran on Feb. 28.

US President Donald Trump has said the understanding has already been signed and that the Strait of Hormuz would be “fully reopened by Friday.” Iranian officials, however, have said the memorandum is expected to be signed by the heads of the two negotiating delegations during a meeting in Switzerland on June 19.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, linking the Gulf to international waters through the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

READ: Iranian ships cross US naval blockade area without obstruction for 1st time after deal: Report

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.

Continue ReadingIran, Oman reaffirm commitment to ‘safe, free’ navigation through Hormuz after US deal

Iran threatens to halt US negotiations if Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon

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A view of streets as daily life continues amid fragile ceasefire in Tehran, Iran on May 12, 2026, as geopolitical tensions rise following recent statements from the United States. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned on Sunday that negotiations for a peace deal with the US could be halted if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue, Anadolu reports.

In a post on US social media company X, Qalibaf explained that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon reflect the US’ inability to fulfill its commitments.

“The Zionist attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut once again demonstrate the United States’ lack of will or ability to fulfill its commitments,” he added.

The Israeli attacks on Lebanon “will not go unanswered,” Gen. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy inspector brigadier general at Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, said in a statement, according to Fars News Agency.

Asadi added that the Israeli attacks targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut “will not go unanswered.”

At least three people were killed and 15 others injured when the Israeli army launched airstrikes on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Sunday despite an ongoing ceasefire, state news agency NNA reported.

READ: 3 killed as Israeli army launches airstrikes in Lebanese capital in new ceasefire violation

The Israeli army has continued a bombing campaign on Lebanon since March 2 and occupied several towns in the country’s south.

The attacks have killed over 3,700 people, wounded nearly 11,500, and displaced over 1.5 million since March 2, according to Lebanese officials.

While US President Donald Trump said the deal with Iran that will open the Strait of Hormuz will be signed on Sunday, Iran has disputed the timeline, and said a final decision is under consideration. After the Israeli strike in Beirut on Sunday, Trump said the attack “should not have happened … when we are so close” to the deal. He urged both Israel and Hezbollah to “stand down,” and hoped for a “long and beautiful peace.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been mediating between the US and Iran, also said on Saturday that the deal could be finalized in the next 24 hours.

While Iran has called for ending the war on all fronts including Lebanon, release of its frozen assets and end of US blockade of its ports; the US is demanding that Tehran halt its nuclear program and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

READ: Israeli ministers call for bombing Beirut despite ceasefire

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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Continue ReadingIran threatens to halt US negotiations if Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon

‘War Crimes’: Analysis Suggests US Bombed Water Facilities Used by 20,000 Iranians in Precision Strike

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Article by Julia Conley republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

A water facility is seen in Bemani, Iran after an attack that a New York Times analysis showed was likely a US precision strike on June 10, 2026. Deliberately attacking civilian infrastructure is a war crime under international law. (Photo by Rokna News Agency)

“Destroying a drinking water facility is not an attack on a target of war, but a mafia-style operation designed to harm the Iranian people,” said one academic.

As temperatures in the village of Bemani, Iran, near the Strait of Hormuz, reached above 100°F this week, two water facilities were struck by bombs, cutting off the drinking water supply for 20,000 people in the area.

An analysis by The New York Times late Wednesday indicated that the attack on the drinking-water storage facilities appeared to be a precision strike by the US, raising questions about whether the Trump administration intentionally attacked civilian infrastructure, which would constitute a war crime under international law.

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As the provincial water authority in the area reported that two storage tanks had been destroyed in an attack early Wednesday, US Central Command said on social media that the US Air Force and Navy had used “precision munitions” to strike “Iranian air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.”

Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted a video of damage to one of the facilities, whose light blue pipes were consistent with water infrastructure.

“As part of its aggression against Iran, the US military has deliberately struck vital civilian water infrastructure in Sirik, Hormozgan, destroying two reservoirs with a combined capacity of 2,500 cubic meters,” said Baqaei. “These facilities supplied drinking water to more than 20,000 residents across ten villages. This is not collateral damage—it is a calculated war crime and a flagrant violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. The US must be held accountable for committing such systematic brutal attacks on civilian life-sustaining infrastructure.”

The analysis of the strikes came as the US waged more attacks Wednesday night and early Thursday, including on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman and against Iranian radars and air defenses.

In its analysis, the Times said commercial satellite imagery showed two water facilities in Bemani whose descriptions matched those given by Abdolhamid Hamzehpour, the chief executive of the province’s water authority, on Wednesday, when he reported the structures had been damaged by missiles.

Hamzehpour said in a statement that the high temperatures in the area were “unbearable” for residents without drinking water, and said that mobile water tanks had been deployed to nearby villages.

The roof of one of the facilities collapsed, according to videos released by Iranian state media, and the center of the roof of the other structure appeared to have been struck by a bomb.

The Times noted that both buildings were remotely located, with no other infrastructure located in the immediate vicinity, suggesting a likely precision strike.

Tasnim, a semiofficial news agency in Iran, released photos of bomb fragments that it said were recovered from the site. Researchers with the Open Source Munitions Portal identified the fragments as parts of a GBU-39 bomb, which is used by the US Air Force.

The precision-guided bomb was “consistent with the damage shown in the footage of the damaged building: a clean hole punched through the building’s roof and limited blast damage around it,” reported the Times.

Alleged U.S. airstrikes overnight hit two water storage reservoirs in Iran's Sirik County, Hormozgan Province, reportedly leaving many without water.Images of remnants posted by Iranian media show the remains of a U.S.-made GBU-39 air-delivered bomb.osmp.ngo/osmp2336/

— Open Source Munitions Portal (@munitionsportal.bsky.social) 2026-06-10T19:29:40.834Z

The bombing came as President Donald Trump complained that Tehran was taking too long to finalize a peace deal. The US and Iran have each carried out attacks this week, raising doubts about a ceasefire deal that was reached in April following Trump’s threats to wipe out Iran’s civilization.

“Trump is so angry that Iran will not give him a deal that he is telling the US military to commit war crimes,” said Phillips P. O’Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews. “Destroying a drinking water facility is not an attack on a target of war, but a mafia-style operation designed to harm the Iranian people.”

Article by Julia Conley republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). 

Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ... unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
War criminal Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock the War Criminal Up
Continue Reading‘War Crimes’: Analysis Suggests US Bombed Water Facilities Used by 20,000 Iranians in Precision Strike