The foreign minister of Iran Abbas Araghchi says military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow is ongoing and not new, describing it as part of a longstanding strategic partnership. “We have a strategic partnership with Russia,” he said. “Military cooperation between Iran and Russia is not something new. It’s not a secret. It has been in the past and it is still there, and will continue in the future.”

Asked whether Russia is helping Iran locate US targets, the minister said he did not have detailed military information but reiterated relations between the two countries are strong. “As far as I know we have a very good partnership with Russia. They are helping us in many different directions, but I don’t have any detailed information.”

US Central Command has urged civilians in Iran to stay inside their homes alleging Iranian forces are using heavily populated areas to launch drones and missiles. “This dangerous decision risks the lives of all civilians in Iran since locations used for military purposes lose protected status and could become legitimate military targets under international law,” it said in a statement.

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, added, “Iran’s terrorist regime is blatantly disregarding civilian lives by attacking Gulf partners while compromising the safety of their own people.” The statement is similar to those issued previously by Israel, which accused Hamas fighters of using civilian areas in Gaza to launch rockets.

Lebanon’s foreign minister has condemned Iranian attacks on several Arab countries and said Hezbollah’s military actions do not represent the Lebanese state. In a post on X summarising remarks made during an Arab League meeting, Foreign Minister Youssef Raji said Lebanon “strongly condemns” Iranian strikes on Gulf Arab states as well as Jordan and Iraq. Addressing Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon, he said Hezbollah has disregarded Lebanon’s national interests, accusing the group of acting independently of the state.

The United States-Israeli war on Iran could leave consumers and businesses worldwide facing weeks or months of higher fuel prices even if the conflict, which is now in its eighth day, ends quickly, as suppliers grapple with damaged facilities, disrupted logistics, and elevated risks to shipping.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran’s attacks on US targets in the Middle East are a response to the war “imposed” by the US and Israel. In an interview with NBC, the minister said Iran did not choose the conflict and is acting in self-defence. “This is not the war of our choice. This is imposed on us by the United States and by Israel,” he said, describing the conflict as “unprovoked, unwarranted and illegal”. Iran’s retaliatory military actions are directed at US bases, installations, and assets in the region, even if they are located on the territory of neighbouring countries, said Araghchi.

Iran’s foreign minister has said the selection of a new supreme leader will be decided by the country’s Assembly of Experts, stressing that it is an internal matter for the Iranian people. “A new supreme leader is going to be elected soon by the Assembly of Experts,” he said, adding that the president, cabinet and parliament were all continuing their duties.

He also pushed back against comments by US President Donald Trump, saying Iran would not allow outside interference in its domestic affairs. “This is up to the Iranian people to elect their new leader,” he said. “It is only the business of the Iranian people and nobody else’s business.”

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has said Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi attended virtually an Arab League Council extraordinary session at the ministerial level. “The meeting discussed the Iranian attacks on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of several Arab countries, which constitute a flagrant violation of international laws and charters as well as the principles of good neighborliness,” the ministry said in a statement.
“It also addressed the serious risks these actions pose to the security and stability of Arab states and the region.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the large-scale attack marked a “dangerous new phase” of the conflict and amounted to a war crime. “By targeting fuel depots, the aggressors are releasing hazardous materials and toxic substances into the air – poisoning civilians, devastating the environment, and endangering lives on a massive scale,” Baghaei wrote on X.

The UAE says it’s acting in self-defence after what it describes as a large-scale Iranian attack involving ballistic missiles and drones. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said more than 1,400 missiles and drones were launched towards infrastructure and civilian sites, resulting in an unspecified number of casualties. The ministry described the attack as “brutal and unjustified”, saying it constituted a serious violation of international law and the UN Charter as well as an infringement on the UAE’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The UAE said it doesn’t seek escalation or to be drawn into a wider conflict but retains the right to take “all necessary measures” to protect its sovereignty.

Hezbollah said it carried out several attacks on Israeli military sites and northern cities today, according to statements issued by the group. In one statement, the Lebanese group said it fired a rocket barrage at the Misgav base in northern Israel, which it described as a logistics facility. The group said the attack was in response to what it called Israeli strikes on dozens of Lebanese towns and cities, including Beirut’s southern suburbs. In a separate statement, Hezbollah said its fighters launched “sophisticated missiles” at the Haifa naval base. It comes after it also claimed to attack the same target yesterday. Earlier, the group said it carried out two drone attacks on the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, describing the strikes as part of a previously issued warning to the city.

The ⁠Israeli military says ⁠two of its soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon – the first ‌fatalities among its troops since Israel-Hezbollah clashes resumed last week as Israeli intensified air strikes. The ⁠army did not immediately ⁠provide further details on the circumstances of the incident.

Sun News/ra