Iran ........harbours no hostility toward
neighboring countries: Judiciary chief
July 24th, 11:42am
(PressTV)
Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje'i has stressed
that Iran harbours no hostility toward its neighbouring
countries, noting that thec country's retaliatory
attacks target the launchpads of the US
strikes in the region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran harbours no enmity or hostility toward
its neighbours & regards them as friends. We have always helped
our neighbours, and we will continue to assist them, in times of
hardship and difficulties,” Mohseni Eje'i said at a meeting with
visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Tehran on Friday.
Noting that the US has used its military bases in some of Iran’s
neighbouring countries as launchpads for its attacks and war
crimes against the Iranian nation, Eje'i said “Therefore, it is
only natural that we strike the source of US aggression.”
He called on the Muslim and freedom-seekers across the world to
cooperate in order to confront the aggressors and occupiers....
and establish peace and tranquility in the region and beyond.
“We will extend the utmost cooperation, collaboration, and
concerted action to any country that follows this path of
honour,” he said.
Referring to the US’ decades-long enmity towards Iran and its
hostile policies through propaganda and psychological
warfare as well as economic terrorism and security
and military plots.
“In the last year and a half --- US hostility and aggression toward the
Iranian nation, have reached their peak. Nevertheless, Iran’s nation
and establishment have stood firm with all their might & resilience
against these malicious, treacherous, child-killing aggressors,”
he said.
Under no circumstances -- will Iran
bow to the aggressor, he stressed.
“There is only one path for the United States and its
president regarding the Iranian nation and that is
to give up excessiveness and bullying, and to
never be deluded into thinking that the
Iranian nation will surrender.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, the judiciary chief appreciated
the massive participation of the Iraqi people in the
funeral ceremony of martyred Leader of the
Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed
Ali Khamenei.
“I must express my utmost gratitude to Iraqi government officials
for their participation in the farewell, funeral, and burial
ceremonies of our martyred Imam; I also extend my
appreciation to the great Iraqi nation for their
magnificent and epic participation in
this funeral procession.”
Highlighting the strong ties between Iran and Iraq, he stressed
the importance of enhancing mutual cooperation, especially
judicial cooperation.
________________________________________
US attack on Mount Kolang will be
‘dead, failed operation’; Iran's
response won’t be limited
to military action: Source
July 24th, 12:02pm
(PressTV)
A senior Iranian security official has told Press TV
that US President Donald Trump is seeking to
claim an achievement by targeting Mount
Kolang (Pickaxe), saying that striking
an empty site would only be used
to create false narratives.
“Trump wants to create an achievement for himself by
striking Kuh-e Kolang (Mount Kolang), but everyone
knows that hitting an empty warehouse is only
useful for producing fake claims and has no
effectiveness in creating reality,” the
official said Friday.
The official added that any attack on the site has already
become a “dead and failed operation,” stating that the
facility is too fortified to collapse.
“From now on, an attack on Kuh-e Kolang is a dead and failed
operation because it is so fortified that it will not collapse,
and more importantly, this facility is currently empty,”
he said.
The official further stated that Iran’s response would not be
confined to a heavy military reaction, adding that Tehran
would respond through a different approach. He did not
elaborate on what he meant by a “non-military” or
alternative form of response.
“Of course, Iran will respond to this action in a
different manner and will not limit itself to a
heavy military response,” he said.
_____________________________________
IRGC hits US base in Kuwait, Amazon
data centre in Bahrain, warns people
to avoid US sites
July 24th, 11:08am
(PressTV)
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says it carried out new
attacks against US targets in Kuwait and Bahrain, warning
people in countries hosting US troops to immediately
move at least 500 metres away from locations
where US forces are being accommodated.
In separate statements on Friday, the IRGC said the latest strikes
were carried out during the 27th wave of Operation Nasr 2 in
response to the ongoing US aggression against Iran.
According to the statement, Iranian forces launched advanced
heavy attack drones against the US-run Ali Al Salem Air Base
in Kuwait, destroying a large ammunition depot .......in
successive explosions.
It said six large accommodation hangars used by personnel at the
base were completely destroyed, three others sustained heavy
damage, and numerous US troops were killed or wounded.
The statement also said that Washington has concealed
the true scale of its battlefield losses during the five-
month war, noting that hundreds of US troops have
been killed and many more wounded.
It said ---- the daily evacuation of injured US personnel by medical
aircraft to a US hospital in Germany reflected those losses, and
called on US media to investigate the actual casualty figures,
military losses and war costs that had been hidden from
the US public.
In a separate statement, the IRGC said it completed an
earlier operation against an Amazon data centre in
Bahrain, describing it as a key intelligence facility
supporting the US military. It said the remaining
building at the site was destroyed during the
latest wave of attacks.
The IRGC had previously targeted the facility with
cruise missiles --- after a US attack on the under-
construction civilian Dar Khoein nuclear facility.
The IRGC further added that its forces targeted three
storage hangars containing ammunition and
equipment at the US-run Camp Udairi in
Kuwait, setting them ablaze and
destroying them.
The forces also simultaneously struck the control tower
of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, inflicting significant
damage on it, added the statement.
The latest developments come as the US military has
conducted air raids across the country for 13
consecutive nights, targeting civilian sites
---- including bridges and water
desalination plants.
These illegal US acts of aggression on Iran...
have killed 55 people and injured 645 others.
The renewed onslaught began after Washington abandoned
its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of
Understanding, which was meant to end hostilities
after the US-Israeli war on Iran began on Feb. 28.
The ceasefire was accepted after 40 days, because of Iran’s
retaliatory operations and control over the Strait of Hormuz.
In a separate statement, the IRGC denounced the escalating US
attacks on Iran which, on Thursday, targeted the Shalamcheh
border crossing with Iraq, leading to the injury & martyrdom
of pilgrims who are leaving Iran.... to attend a mourning
procession for Imam Hussein (AS) in Iraq.
An area near the Shalamcheh border crossing on the
Iran-Iraq border reportedly came under a US attack.
The IRGC highlighted that many US military personnel had
abandoned their bases and were operating from civilian
buildings in countries hosting US forces.
"Since, if such crimes continue, our course of action -- will be
retribution against the criminals, and because many officers
and personnel of the invading US military have abandoned
their bases out of fear of the fire of the Islamic fighters
and are directing their operations from buildings
inside cities, we warn all people in countries
hosting US forces to immediately move at
least 500 metres away from locations
being used ........as the concealed
accommodation of US' military
personnel so that they remain
safe," reads the statement.
It also called on people to report the new locations
to which the occupying US forces have been
relocated, through the official Telegram
account of the IRGC Public Relations
Office at @sepahnewsiradmin, or
via the 'Contact Us' section of
the Sepah News website.
______________________________________
Trump reverses course, ties Saudi
nuclear agreement to recognition
of Israel
July 24th, 10:40am
(PressTV)
US President Donald Trump has reversed course --- on a proposed
long-term civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, restoring
Israeli ''normalization'' as a condition for the agreement .....after
initially advancing the negotiations without linking them to the
so-called Abraham Accords.
Trump's policy reversal emerged on Wednesday after reports earlier
this week indicated that his administration had approved a 30-year
civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, paving
the way for the proposal to be submitted to Congress for review.
His latest position would - once again - tie the agreement to Saudi
recognition of Israel, reinstating a condition that had reportedly
been removed during the negotiations ---- and fundamentally
altering the terms under which Riyadh would gain access
to US nuclear technology.
Trump confirmed the reversal ----- in a post on Truth Social, writing:
“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!)...
pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and
UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally
subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and
successful Abraham Accords.”
The agreement has also renewed scrutiny of Washington's double-
standard approach to nuclear issues in West Asia, particularly as
the US continues to pursue....... closer nuclear cooperation
with Riyadh.
Should enrichment eventually proceed -- US companies would
reportedly build and operate the facilities under a "black box"
system designed to prevent the transfer of sensitive
technology, as Saudi Arabia has stopped short of
committing to the IAEA's Additional Protocol,
which grants the agency broader
inspection powers.
Meanwhile the Israeli regime, another Washington ally
in West Asia, possesses an undeclared nuclear
arsenal - estimated at 90 nuclear warheads.
The occupying entity is not a party to the Nuclear Non-
Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ------ has never officially
acknowledged its nuclear weapons capability,
and similar to Saudi Arabia, does not place
its nuclear facilities under the IAEA
safeguards regime.
Iran, by contrast, has consistently maintained that
its nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful,
remains a party to the NPT, and has
cooperated with the IAEA
for years.
US intelligence assessments have repeatedly concluded
that Iran is not pursuing an active nuclear weapons
programme, yet Washington continues to invoke
Tehran's nuclear activities to justify its hostile
policies and military aggression against the
Islamic Republic.
_____________________________________
Iran calls for -- decisive BRICS stand
against aggression after US attacks
July 24th, 10:40am
(PressTV)
Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has called on BRICS
member states to take a "clear and decisive" stand against
attacks on sovereign states, civilians and critical
infrastructure, saying a united position by the
bloc in defense of international law would
strengthen global peace and security.
Speaking... at the BRICS Meeting of Ministers Responsible for
Disaster Management in New Delhi on Friday, Momeni linked
his appeal to recent attacks on Iran, stating that violations
of territorial integrity and strikes on civilian infrastructure
contravene the UN Charter and international law.
Referring to the recent US-Israeli aggression against Iran, Momeni
said the destruction of infrastructure, power plants, residential
areas, schools and hospitals, along with civilian casualties,
represents a breach of international legal norms.
He urged BRICS members to adopt a unified position opposing
aggression, violations of national sovereignty, attacks on
civilians and the destruction of vital infrastructure,
stating: that a collective message from the bloc
would reinforce respect for international law
and multilateralism.
Addressing the meeting's main agenda on disaster risk reduction,
Momeni said countries face shared challenges from climate
change, natural disasters, pandemics and vulnerabilities
in critical infrastructure that cannot be addressed by
any nation alone.
He described BRICS as an effective platform for strengthening
resilience, exchanging expertise and expanding practical
cooperation in disaster management.
The minister said Tehran is prepared to share its experience in
responding to earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms and other
natural hazards.
He proposed closer cooperation..... through operational action plans,
specialized training, exchanges of technical and operational teams,
and joint disaster-response exercises among BRICS members,
saying such initiatives would support implementation of the
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction ....and
broader sustainable development goals.
Momeni said Iran is ready to serve as "an active, responsible and
reliable partner" within BRICS, stressing: that investment in
disaster prevention is more effective and less costly
than post-crisis recovery.
He said the grouping has the potential...... to evolve beyond an
economic alliance into a global model for disaster prevention,
the protection of critical infrastructure, and safeguarding
human life.
The BRICS disaster management ministers' meeting in
New Delhi focused on strengthening cooperation in
disaster risk reduction, resilient infrastructure and
emergency responses among member states.
Since expanding its membership in 2024–25, BRICS comprises
Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, with the
bloc seeking greater coordination among emerging
economies on global governance and
multilateral issues.
_____________________________________
Iran urges SCO - to take a firm stance
against US unilateralism, aggression
July 24th, 9:08am
(PressTV)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to take a firm
stand against unilateralism and defend the principles
of international law, saying the bloc should become
a leading voice for multilateralism and respect for
state sovereignty.
Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting
in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, on Friday, said that the bloc
stands at -- “a decisive moment in the evolution of the
international system.”
"The world is facing unprecedented challenges, including the
expansion of unchecked unilateralism, the erosion of the
fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter,
the unlawful use of force, the imposition of unilateral
and excessive sanctions, & the instrumentalization
of economic and financial mechanisms to exert
political pressure,” he said.
Under such circumstances ---- the responsibility of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, as one of the world's most important
transregional institutions encompassing a significant share of
the global population, economy, energy resources & strategic
capabilities, has become more important than ever, he added.
“This organization can and must become a strong voice in defense
of multilateralism, respect for national sovereignty, the equality
of states, and the rule of law in international relations,”
Araghchi said.
The minister said Iran had - once again - become the target of overt
military aggression by the US and Israel. He said the attacks that
began in June 2025 were followed by a renewed wave of
aggression between February and April 2026,
undermining not only Iran's security --- but
also the credibility of the international
legal order.
He said Iran experienced one of the “most bitter” days in its history
on Feb. 28, 2026, when the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Martyr Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was assassinated
along with members of his family during an attack on
his office.
Araghchi - also referred to an attack on a school in the southern city
of Minab that killed 168 students, school staff and family members,
as well as a strike on a stadium in Lamerd, where young female
athletes were killed --- with weapons whose use violated the
principles of international humanitarian law.
He noted that attacks on schools, hospitals, civilian infrastructure
and peaceful nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy
Agency supervision --------- if left unanswered by the international
community, would “leave no country immune from similar acts.”
Those attacks --- triggered Operation True Promise 4, during which
Iranian armed forces struck US and Israeli military assets across
the region. The defensive operation began immediately after the
February 28 attacks and was followed by Iran’s imposition of
restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz.
“Perhaps the most painful development after the commission of such
crimes - is the attempt to normalize them. Contemporary experience
has shown that crime, if met with silence, ambiguity or indifference
by the international community, will not only fail to stop it, but will
become a model for repetition,” Araghchi said.
“Responsibility for such crimes.. does not rest solely with their direct
perpetrators,” he said, adding, “Any political, military or intelligence
support for the aggressors, and even silence or ambiguous
positions in the face of such blatant violations of
international law, will weaken the rule of law
and encourage the perpetrators to repeat
such unlawful conduct."
Araghchi said the attacks against Iran represented not merely a
threat to one country's national security but a challenge to the
legal principles underpinning the international order.
He said Iran exercised its inherent right to self-defense under
Article 51 of the UN Charter while maintaining that the
country has never initiated a war and remains
committed ------ to dialogue, diplomacy, good-
neighbourliness and regional cooperation.
He said sustainable peace requires replacing aggression,
occupation, threats and double standards, with mutual
respect, impartial implementation of international law
& genuine adherence to international commitments.
Just a few weeks after inking the Islamabad Memorandum to end
the war on June 17, the US “has, once again, demonstrated that
--------- it does not abide by its commitments,” noted the minister.
“The blatant violation of the provisions of this memorandum,
attacks on transportation infrastructure, drinking water
facilities, fishing boats, local commercial vessels,
meteorological centres, and other civilian
infrastructure constitute clear violations
of international law ...and international
humanitarian law and a vivid example
of the continued policy of resorting
to force -------- and disregard for
international obligations,”
he added.
"Worthless & Unreliable"
Tehran has unveiled banners quoting the Leader's remark
--- that the US president's signature is "worthless and
unreliable," following the repeated US violations of
the Islamabad MoU.
Washington violated the Islamabad Memorandum.. soon after it
entered into force. The understanding required Iran to reopen
the Strait of Hormuz after restricting vessels linked to
aggressors and their supporters, but the US later
--- attempted to undermine the arrangement
by establishing an unauthorized maritime
route, prompting a legitimate response.
Acts of aggression by the US military in the past two weeks against
southern Iranian provinces..... have damaged civilian infrastructure,
including bridges and water desalination facilities, and killed more
than 50 people.
Araghchi maintained that --------- “the direct intervention of the United
States -- in implementing the security and maritime arrangements in
the Strait of Hormuz, and the reimposition of a naval blockade once
again endangered the security of one of the world's most important
strategic waterways and disrupted the normal flow of international
commercial shipping.”
The experience of recent months has clearly shown that security in
the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can be guaranteed.... “not
through the presence and intervention of extra-regional forces, but
through cooperation among regional countries, mutual respect....
and shared responsibility,” he added.
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says that the Strait
of Hormuz remains closed, and if any vessel is to pass through
the Strait, it must only do so, via the designated route - and in
accordance with the previously announced arrangements.
Reiterating Iran’s determination to defend its sovereignty, Araghchi
emphasized that “any participation, cooperation or assistance in
committing aggression against Iran ----- will entail international
responsibility for the parties concerned.”
“In accordance with international law, the Islamic Republic of
Iran reserves its right to take all necessary measures within
the framework of legitimate self-defense -- and will regard
the source of any aggression against the Iranian nation
as a legitimate target of defensive measures by its
armed forces,” he said.
Expanding SCO economic cooperation
Turning to the SCO's future, Araghchi praised the organization's
achievements over the past 25 years and called for a broader
economic agenda... alongside its political and security role.
He said the bloc could strengthen independent economic
cooperation, make regional supply chains more resilient,
expand trade .......and facilitate economic connectivity
among member states.
He also urged greater cooperation in banking, finance,
investment, transportation and transit while making
better use .....of its members' energy and
technological capabilities.
Iran, he said, is ready to contribute its strategic geographic
position, transport corridors, energy resources and
regional trade links, to advance those goals.
Araghchi urged SCO members to stand together in defense of
international law and reject the replacement of diplomacy
with force.
He said the organization should be at the forefront of efforts, to
uphold the rule of law, sovereign equality, respect for national
independence and the dignity of nations, arguing that only
through such unity can a more secure, stable and just
international order... be achieved.