‘Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop supersonic missiles’

At least 12 civilians have been killed and dozens of people injured in the latest wave of US attacks on Iran, according to a report today by Press TV. Seven people were killed and eight were injured in attacks on three areas near the cities of Ahvaz and Aghajari, in the south-western province of Khuzestan, on the Persian Gulf. Five people were killed and 68 were injured during a wedding ceremony in the southern province of Hormozgan, on the Strait of Hormuz.

Furthermore, four Iranian soldiers were killed in the western province of Kermanshah, on the border with Iraq, whilst attacks on the island of Larak resulted in the deaths of three militiamen, according to an Iranian television channel.

Two sailors were killed in an attack on a Saudi-flagged oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The oil tanker Sidr was struck on Monday by unidentified projectiles approximately 16.6 nautical miles north-east of Khasab, in Oman. Saudi Arabia’s national shipping company, Bahri, stated that two Filipino seafarers were killed in the incident. “The company extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families, loved ones and colleagues at this difficult time, and is providing its full support to the families and colleagues affected by the incident,” Bahri wrote in a post on social media platform X.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked in Thailand following its gruelling mission in the Middle East. With around 5,000 US military personnel on board, the American aircraft carrier – according to the Associated Press – arrived today at the port of Laem Chabang, in Chonburi province. The Lincoln has supported the US war against Iran. Its mission lasted a record 286 days at sea and was marked by worrying reports of a deterioration in the crew’s mental health and shortages of supplies, including food and hygiene products.

Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts continue, as the country has been seeking for months to mediate between the US and Iran and reiterates its “commitment to dialogue” despite the latest escalation, emphasising the memorandum that the two countries signed in mid-June in Islamabad. “Despite the recent escalations, we remain confident and continue to strive for dialogue and diplomacy,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told journalists in Islamabad, as reported by the Anadolu Agency following Monday’s meeting in Bishkek between the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

The Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian Pasdaran, claim that two oil tankers are on fire after striking mines whilst passing through the Strait of Hormuz, off the route indicated by Tehran’s forces. In a statement, the Pasdaran claim that the two ships had asked “the US military to sail along an illegal route” and then “struck the mines”. “They are on fire,” they add.

Two oil tankers were damaged “a few hours ago” and brought to a halt after striking a mine whilst on an “illegal” route through the Strait of Hormuz, and are now on fire: this was announced by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Pasdaran).

The Iranian Navy had previously warned of the dangers involved in sailing through a mined route and imposed additional sanctions on shipping companies which, instead of following the legal route, allowed themselves to be misled by the United States’ ‘lies’ and ‘placed their ships at the enemy’s disposal’.

“Minab School: children massacred. Lamerd Sports Hall: young people slaughtered. Wedding in Kuhestak: children killed along with their families. If a power acts like Satan, chooses targets like Satan and kills like Satan, it is Satan. To protect a lesser Satan who does the same? That is the Great Satan”: this was written by the Iranian chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, on his X profile.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced on Wednesday the deaths of four Pasdaran in a US air strike in the west of the country. “Four fighters from the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Kermanshah province were killed in an attack by the US regime,” reads the statement released by the Iranian news agency Fars.

“With the US stepping up pressure on Iran and tensions and the economic stranglehold on the country intensifying, an (Iranian) attack on Israel is likely, but we are prepared,” said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz in an interview with Ynet.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack on US bases in Erbil, in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. In a statement carried by the IRNA news agency, the paramilitary force claimed to have destroyed a maintenance centre, warehouses and the “guidance system of a US surveillance balloon”. On Wednesday, Iran attacked several US military bases in the Gulf, following the conclusion of a series of US strikes against the country – the second such series in just a few days. Iran claimed to have launched a “decisive retaliatory operation”, targeting “US bases and interests in the region” with missiles and drones, according to the state-run Tasnim news agency. The Revolutionary Guards also claimed responsibility for attacks on US military bases in Jordan, Iraq and Bahrain. The spokesperson for Iran’s Central Military Command, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, promised “more extensive and destructive responses” should US attacks continue, issuing the same warning to “any country that collaborates with the aggressive US military”.

Russia is secretly helping Iran to develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles. This is reported by the Financial Times, citing its own investigation which began in 2023 and continued until the US war against Iran. The secret, multi-year programme, codenamed C430L, has involved some of Russia’s most experienced missile specialists in assisting Iran with the development of a new class of weapons capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and other warships in the Middle East.

“We can continue the dialogue” with Russia and China on US measures to strangle Iran’s economy, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the closing press conference of the G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting, adding that the more the two countries can contribute, the “better it will be for them too”.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced today that they had struck US bases with missiles and drones in Erbil, in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. This was reported by state media in Tehran. The Pasdaran claimed to have “carried out a coordinated attack with missiles and drones against bases in Erbil”, which destroyed a maintenance centre, warehouses and the “guidance system of a US surveillance airship”, according to a statement released by the IRNA news agency.

Iran stated today that the latest US air strikes on its territory had caused the deaths of 11 people, according to state media reports following a further attack in the south-western province of Khuzestan. “The deputy provincial governor said that last night’s US missile strike on three locations left seven people dead and eight injured,” the IRNA news agency reported. The news comes after the Iranian Red Crescent stated yesterday that four people, including a child, were killed and more than 50 injured in a US attack during a wedding in the southern county of Sirik.

“I am not trying to force Iran to the negotiating table, as reported by ABC Fake News. I couldn’t care less if they sign a deal that is of no value to them. I far prefer our current position, with almost total control of the Strait of Hormuz and the total collapse of their economy. They are simply watching the inevitable unfold. When will the Iranian people rise up and fight?” This is what US President Donald Trump wrote overnight (Italian time) on his Truth profile.