May 25: Iran vows --- not to yield
to US pressure in negotiations
to end imposed war
May 25th, 10:04pm
(Press TV Website Staff)
Iran on Monday, reaffirmed its unwavering position in the
ongoing negotiations to end the third imposed war, with
senior officials vowing the Islamic Republic ---- will not
yield to US pressure or maximalist demands.
Top Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, held talks with Qatari
officials in Doha on Tuesday....... as diplomatic
efforts moved forward.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)
reported steady and secure ship traffic.. through the
Strait of Hormuz, with over 30 ships transiting in
24 hours.
The day also saw continued regional fallout, including new
Israeli strikes in Lebanon and fresh disclosures about the
human & economic costs - of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Key developments on day 87 of the war,
the forty-seventh day of the ceasefire:
The US carried out a deliberate and barbaric missile strike on
a civilian sports hall in the city of Lamerd in Fars Province
during the 40-day war against Iran, martyring 24 innocent
Iranians and injuring over 130 others...... Iran’s Foreign
Ministry Spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, revealed ---
in harrowing details.
President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran will not
surrender to US pressures and maximalist demands,
saying the country’s negotiators - will ensure the
full restoration of the nation’s rights through
the diplomatic process.
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the secretary of Iran's Supreme
National Security Council, in his first message since
assuming office, stated that the Islamic Republic
“will not retreat” ---- in any agreement.
The Iranian Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf,
and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with top
Qatari officials in Doha, amid diplomatic efforts to end
the unprovoked US-Israeli war against Iran.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said indirect talks with
the US are centred on ending aggression on all fronts
and that the nuclear issue or the management of
the Strait of Hormuz .....are not part of
the negotiations.
Iran’s IRGC Navy said 32 more ships passed through the Strait
of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after obtaining permission
from the Iranian forces following improved security in
the strategic waterway.
Mohammad Mokhber --- senior advisor to the Leader of the
Islamic Revolution, said the country is repeating history
by gaining strength through steadfastness.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, senior advisor to
the IRGC commander-in-chief, said that the US and Israel -
unleashed over 2,100 projectiles and nearly 300 surface
-to-surface missiles against Iran's strategic Abu Musa
island .....during the recent war of aggression.
Iran’s National Olympic Committee announced that it has
named the contingent of Iranian athletes scheduled to
participate... in the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial
Arts Games - after the "Martyred Leader."
An Iranian civil aviation official said 20 airports across
the country have successfully resumed operations
following the recent US-Israeli aggression.
Wafiq Safa, head of Hezbollah's Liaison and Coordination
Unit, said the Lebanese resistance movement will never
engage in a confrontation with the Lebanese army, and
that the resistance group remains the most effective
force against the Israeli occupation forces.
At least six people were killed in the latest round of Israeli
airstrikes against multiple locations in southern Lebanon,
as the Israeli army issued fresh evacuation orders amid
its ongoing military aggression.
Gold prices rose 1.4 percent to $4,570.88 per ounce on
Monday, while oil prices fell as benchmark London
Brent crude fell 4 percent below $100 a barrel.
The price increased amid a weaker dollar - as
capital investors weigh the US-Iran peace
deal prospects.
The US-Israeli aggression against Iran could cost US taxpayers
billions of dollars, as investor fears over rising inflation - add to
the US government’s debt burden, the Financial Times reports.
US President Donald Trump ---- ''told'' several Arab and Muslim
leaders that he expects them to establish formal relations
with Israel in exchange for a ceasefire deal with Iran
to end the war, according to US officials.
__________________________________________
IOF acknowledge Hezbollah capability
---------- to penetrate northern airspace
May 25th, 8:51pm
(/Al Mayadeen English)
Israeli media reports - growing concern within the military
establishment over Hezbollah’s ability to target sensitive
military locations using explosive drones capable of
bypassing defensive measures.
Israeli military officials acknowledge that Hezbollah possesses
the capability to launch drone attacks targeting virtually any
location across northern "Israel", according to Channel 13
News, reporting on Monday.
Military officials reportedly admitted that “there is no difficulty
for Hezbollah in launching an explosive-laden drone and
sending it through the window of the mayor of Haifa,”
highlighting growing concerns over the group’s
aerial capabilities, according to Channel
13 News.
The channel further stated that Hezbollah could also “send
a drone through the window of the commander of the
submarine fleet at the naval base in Haifa,”
emphasizing fears.. within the Israeli
security establishment - regarding
the vulnerability of sensitive
military sites.
Hezbollah's FPVs have turned into
a strategic threat: Israeli media
Hezbollah's explosive drones have effectively become
a form of precision missile system ---- the Maariv
correspondent, Avi Ashkenazi, stated earlier
today.... after the Israeli daily reported
hours of nonstop drone attacks
- against the occupied north.
According to Israeli media, several FPV drones detonated
in the settlement of Misgav Am, while a building in
Shomera was directly struck, marking the
second such incident, as well as
another in Metulla.
Israeli media also accused the Israeli military spokes-
person of distortion and false reports, pointing to
casualties, fires, and damage to homes, in
addition to difficulties in evacuation
operations, after he alleged that
Hezbollah ----- ''prevented'' the
evacuation of the wounded.
For its part, "Israel’s" Channel 12 said that “alongside
thermal surveillance capabilities, Hezbollah ---- has
significantly increased its use of suicide drones.”
The channel added that dozens of drone attacks - were
reported overnight -- many of them targeting border
settlements. Hezbollah has intensified, both the
number of attacks deep inside the occupied
territories ...and the distance covered by
these operations from the border line.
Yedioth Ahronoth: Hezbollah drones
have become ---- a strategic threat
In a separate report, the Israeli newspaper, Yedioth
Ahronoth said the drone threat is no longer merely
tactical, but has evolved into a strategic threat,
as Hezbollah... seeks to “hunt” Israeli forces
operating on the ground - while the Israeli
military attempts to adapt its methods
to confront the growing challenge.
The report added that -- after gathering intelligence
and conducting surveillance, Hezbollah focuses its
efforts: on a single area where Israeli occupation
forces are concentrated, then launches multiple
drones toward the target ---------- sometimes
simultaneously ........and at other times
in successive waves.
Yedioth Ahronoth noted that Hezbollah is steadily
improving the efficiency and precision of its
explosive drones ---- waging a “battle of
attrition” against Israeli forces - via
a “deeply disruptive" threat.
According to the newspaper, “what was once
considered by combat forces to be a tactical
threat has, through the sequence of events
--- and its impact on military operations ---
effectively become a strategic threat.”
It also noted that engineering vehicles have been
withdrawn, due to the drone threat, while
contractors who were instructed to
demolish civilian homes in the
Lebanese South have been
restricted --- to a specific
schedule that operates
---- at night only. "As a
result ---- the pace of
demolitions slows,"
the 'paper said.
The Israeli political leadership, it added, “did not expect
the battle in Lebanon... to evolve in this manner.” The
paper also noted that the current ceasefire reality
on the ground, which has restricted the Israeli
military’s freedom of action, “was not
anticipated either.”
The newspaper further reported: that there are currently
“serious question marks within the Northern Command
regarding the future.”
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon -- continues its military
operations targeting Israeli occupation forces in southern
Lebanon and the occupied territories ---- in response to
Israeli violations of the ceasefire since April 18.
Source: Israeli media
____________________________________________
Official: Hezbollah will not
engage in confrontation
with Lebanese army
May 25th, 5:30pm
(PressTV)
A high-ranking Hezbollah official says the Lebanese resistance
movement will never engage in a confrontation with the army,
and that his group remains the most effective force
against the Israeli occupation forces.
"The Lebanese Army Command.. enjoys the necessary political
and social prudence to serve national interests. Hezbollah will
never engage in a confrontation with the Lebanese military,"
Wafiq Safa, head of Hezbollah's Liaison and Coordination
Unit, said on Monday.
Hezbollah dealt painful blows to Israeli forces stationed
in southern Lebanon - carried out multiple retaliatory
operations & took scores of Israeli troops hostage
in 2000, forcing the occupation troops to fully
withdraw........ from the region, he said.
Safa said the resistance movement takes pride in its martyrs,
their families, veteran fighters, and members being held in
Israeli prisons, as well as its bright history.
"Just as southern Lebanon was liberated ---- through crippling
strikes in 2000, the same strategy works for the time being.
Retaliatory operations ---- will continue unabated," the
senior Hezbollah official said.
He went on to level criticism at the Beirut government,
stating that diplomacy has failed to cease Israeli
acts of aggression against Lebanon.
Safa said the ongoing Israeli atrocities clearly show
that the Tel Aviv regime understands nothing but
the language of force, and that Hezbollah
fighters need to be redeployed
in southern Lebanon.
He also censured direct negotiations between
representatives from Israel and Lebanon,
saying such talks are in favour of
Washington and Tel Aviv.
The senior Hezbollah official said Lebanon's
authorities.. failed to tap the resistance
movement's capabilities ----- due to
pressure from the US & Israel.
"Despite substantial concessions... the
Beirut government could not achieve
a ceasefire."
The Hezbollah official also hailed Iran's
steadfastness and resilience in the
face of US aggression, saying the
Islamic Republic could finally
impose its conditions -------
among them a ceasefire
in Lebanon.
"There will be no agreement (between Tehran and
Washington) unless Lebanon is included in its
terms and conditions. Hezbollah, Pakistani
mediators and the US side have all been
notified of this key issue."
He said Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu
has failed to attain his objectives in Lebanon,
and is faced with a serious crisis in the
occupied territories.
___________________________________________
Pezeshkian: Iran will not surrender to
‘excessive’ US demands ---- seeks
full restoration of its rights
May 25th, 10:46am
(PressTV)
President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran will
not surrender to US pressures and excessive demands,
saying the country’s negotiators will ensure the full
restoration of the nation’s rights through the
diplomatic process.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the Chamber of
Commerce on Monday, Pezeshkian noted that after
failing on the military front, the enemy has now
concentrated its efforts on economic warfare.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not surrender to excessive
pressures and demands under any circumstances,” he said.
On February 28, the US and Israel initiated an unprovoked war
against Iran - with the assassination of Leader of the Islamic
Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei - and several
high-ranking military commanders.
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces carried out 100 waves
of counterattacks over 40 days, targeting US and Israeli
military assets, which resulted in significant damage.
A Pakistani-mediated 2-week ceasefire, was brokered on
April 8, enabling the ongoing negotiations in Islamabad.
The president added that --- despite the enemy’s shift to
economic warfare following its military failures, “the
government and the private sector ------- through
solidarity, cohesion, and joint cooperation,
will successfully navigate this phase,
as well.”
Pezeshkian --- praised the role of the private sector and
economic actors in managing the country’s sensitive
situation, describing them ------ as pioneers of the
economic front in the enemy’s comprehensive
hybrid war.
He said that maintaining market stability, preventing
economic volatility --- and meeting the country’s
needs under wartime conditions, have been
made possible .........through the efforts,
dedication and effective presence of
economic actors and producers.
“During the recent crisis --- no noticeable shortage of
goods or serious market disruption was observed,”
the president added.
________________________________________
Malaysia ready to take Israel to ICJ
over abduction, torture of Gaza
flotilla activists: Official
May 25th, 10:22am
(PressTV)
The Malaysian government - is prepared to take Israel to the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the abduction and
torture of activists from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud
humanitarian aid flotilla.
Amirudin bin Shari, chief minister of the Malaysian state of
Selangor, said on Monday -- that Kuala Lumpur will initiate
proceedings as soon as lawyers complete the collection
of information and supporting evidence.
Over 400 international activists aboard the flotilla, which
aimed to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza.... to
deliver aid --------- were attacked and abducted by
Israeli forces last week in international waters.
“We will not remain silent; we will not stop. While the legal team
gathers all documentation on violations of international law,
they (flotilla participants) were kidnapped more than once,
they were tortured,” Amirudin said while speaking at the
Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 homecoming ceremony.. at
Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
“We will bring this - to the international court, we will continue
diplomatic pressure, and we will also travel across Malaysia,”
he said.
Despite Ben-Gvir taunting activists,
Italy....... refuses to sanction Israel.
Israel simply benefits from the fact that no heads of state
in Europe ........is opposing what it is doing. They are all
subordinated to a system of power --------- that is badly
affecting the economies of all the countries involved.
Bin Shari said the legal action follows acts of brutality,
including abduction, torture, and sexual violence
perpetrated by Israeli forces on the flotilla
activists, and particularly --- on the
Malaysian participants.
He added that the move will be followed by continued
diplomatic pressure by the government ------- to now
demand the "full liberation" of Gaza.
Although the GSF 2.0 mission has concluded, Malaysia
and Selangor’s commitment to the Palestinian cause
will continue, Bin Shari emphasized.
There are plans to bring international conferences
related to Palestine to Malaysia, in the future....
to strengthen advocacy efforts, he explained.
He stated that the Global Sumud 3.0 will continue
the struggle against the Israeli regime: until the
blockade on Gaza is lifted.
Last Monday, the Israeli forces attacked the flotilla
in international waters off the Cypriot coast.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has confirmed that the
activists abducted from Gaza-bound vessels
were subjected to sexual violence,
physical assaults..... and to
degrading treatment.
In a statement, the flotilla said the Israeli forces attacked
the first of its boats "in broad daylight" in international
waters while military vessels intercepted the fleet.
The flotilla demanded "safe passage" for its
humanitarian mission to the blockaded
Palestinian territory, denouncing the
Israeli regime ---- for carrying out
"illegal acts of piracy."
This is not the first time the flotilla's mission to transfer
direly-needed aid to the Gaza Strip has been hampered
by the regime, as the coastal sliver continues to suffer
from the catastrophic aftermath of a war of genocide
by Tel Aviv that began in October 2023.
The genocide has also been characterized by the
weaponization - of foodstuffs and other vital
commodities as a result of the regime's
further tightening of its 2007 - to the
present - siege of Gaza.