Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Afghan social media outlets on X on Sunday night posted fake news claiming that Pakistani airspace is being used by the US to enter Iranian airspace, according to an official statement by the fact-checking department of Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010696154892337439&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> As per the statement, the outlets claimed that &ldquo;the United States has moved aerial refuelling (KC-135R) and surveillance aircraft to Pakistan.&rdquo; They further claimed that, &ldquo;Pakistan is being used as a base or launch corridor to support US stealth fighters (F-35/F-22) for a possible imminent military strike on Iran.&rdquo;&nbsp;One of the accounts, named &ldquo;Afghanistan Defense,&rdquo; that made these claims has changed its username four times recently, according to publicly available information on its X handle, as seen by Pakistan TV Digital. The account has been tweeting information without giving any source. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010401563039453384&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 945px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The other account mentioned in the statement by the ministry is named &ldquo;Khurasan Media Urdu.&rdquo; &nbsp;The account was created a few months earlier and has changed its username three times, most recently in December 2025, as per X&rsquo;s publicly available account details. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010404704380154030&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 945px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;This account has made the same claims as &ldquo;Afghanistan Defense,&rdquo; with language being the only difference, as it operates in Urdu rather than English.&nbsp;According to the ministry&rsquo;s X post, Pakistan &ldquo;publicly condemned US strikes on Iran&rdquo; while at the same time &ldquo;called them a violation of international law.&rdquo; The statement confirmed that &ldquo;US tanker activity increased, but not from &lsquo;Pakistan&rsquo;,&rdquo; rather from Europe.&nbsp;&ldquo;Reuters reported the US moved a large number of refueling aircraft to Europe as Middle East tensions rose,&rdquo; the statement clarified.&nbsp;The ministry further linked all claims related to the USA to verified sources such as Reuters and The Washington Post.&nbsp;The ministry urged users not to follow fake news accounts for information.&nbsp;&ldquo;For national security and defence matters, rely only on ISPR, MoIB, MoFA, and reputable defence outlets,&rdquo; the statement concluded.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Information ministry debunks false reports on use of Pakistani airspace by US forces

Fact check: No US military use of Pakistan for Iran operations

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that no country would tolerate terrorist violence against its civilians and armed forces, stressing that Tehran is prepared both for conflict and negotiations, provided talks are fair and not imposed, state-run Press TV reported.&nbsp;Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, Araghchi condemned what he described as US- and Israeli-backed terrorist violence that erupted after peaceful economic protests in late December. He stated that the initial demonstrations were legitimate and constitutionally protected, and that government engagement and reforms had helped alleviate tensions.&nbsp;However, from Jan. 8 onwards, he said armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties. Iranian security forces, he added, responded with restraint while seeking to prevent violence.&nbsp;Araghchi accused Washington and Israel of interference, citing what he said was evidence of foreign involvement, including claims of Mossad-linked operatives active inside Iran. He also criticized former US president Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks on possible US intervention, calling them &ldquo;outright interference.&rdquo;&nbsp;The foreign minister said Western governments were wrongly condemning Iranian law enforcement while ignoring what he termed terrorism, accusing them of &ldquo;shedding crocodile tears&rdquo; and applying double standards.&nbsp;More than 70% of Iranians support firm action against violent rioters, he said, adding that while peaceful protest is a right, no state tolerates arson, terrorism, or live fire against civilians and security forces.&nbsp;Referring to recent unrest as a continuation of earlier conflict, Araghchi warned adversaries against miscalculation. &ldquo;Iran does not seek war, but is ready for it,&rdquo; he said, adding that the country&rsquo;s readiness now exceeds levels seen during the June fighting.&nbsp;At the same time, he said Tehran remains open to negotiations &mdash; but only on equal footing and without pressure.&nbsp;Trump threatens Iran, again The statement comes hours after the US President Donald Trump threatened to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-want-to-negotiate-and-meeting-being-set-up" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">intervene militarily</a> if Tehran killed protesters.&nbsp;For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fresh-protests-in-iran-as-internet-blackout-persists" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">protest movement</a> that has swelled despite a crackdown.&nbsp;Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge to the Iranian government.&nbsp;Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of the capital, Tehran, and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;The leaders of Iran called yesterday,&quot; Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that &ldquo;a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.&quot;&nbsp;He added, however, that &quot;we may have to act before a meeting.&quot;

Middle East

Says armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties; Iranian security forces showed restraint.

Iran ready for war and talks, but rejects diktats, says FM Araghchi

ISLAMABAD: Iranians from all walks of life have begun nationwide rallies to denounce recent foreign-backed riots, demonstrating their support for the Islamic Republic, state-run Press TV reported on Monday. The rallies in most provinces, including Tehran, will begin on Monday at 2 p.m. local time. However, some other provinces have started the rallies at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. &lsquo;Proof of unity &lsquo;Several officials described the nationwide demonstrations as &ldquo;proof of unity&rdquo;, which secures the nation&rsquo;s resilience. While stating that some shopkeepers last week staged limited street protests in several Iranian cities over economic instability, the state media report said that the demonstrations were steered toward violence after public statements by US and Israeli figures, amplified by Israeli-linked Persian-language outlets, encouraged vandalism and disorder. The report said that the authorities have acknowledged the legitimacy of peaceful economic grievances and vowed to address them. &lsquo;Will not back down against vandals&rsquo;The report blamed &ldquo;foreign-backed elements&rdquo; for exploiting concerns over rising living costs and the depreciation of the national currency, which it said is directly linked to unilateral US sanctions targeting Iran&rsquo;s central bank and oil exports. The Iranian authorities have declared that perpetrators of the latest unrest are &ldquo;backed by the United States and the Israeli regime&rdquo;. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced support for protesters and warned&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-want-to-negotiate-and-meeting-being-set-up" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Washington could attack Iran</a>&nbsp;if what he called &ldquo;peaceful protesters&rdquo; were harmed, while former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued statements alluding to Mossad involvement and separatist plots, Press TV reported. The rallies came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Friday that the state &ldquo;will not back down against vandals,&rdquo; urging unity and reiterating that a united nation can overcome any enemy.&nbsp; &lsquo;Legitimate targets&rsquo;Tehran Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian insisted in televised comments that &ldquo;the number of protests is decreasing&rdquo;, AFP reported. The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for &ldquo;martyrs&rdquo; including members of the security forces killed. President Masoud Pezeshkian also urged Iranians to join a &ldquo;national resistance march&rdquo; Monday to denounce the violence. In response to Trump&#39;s repeated threats to intervene, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would hit back, calling US military and shipping &ldquo;legitimate targets&rdquo; in comments broadcast by state TV.

While stating that some shopkeepers last week staged limited street protests in several Iranian cities over economic instability, a state media report says the demonstrations were steered toward violence after public statements by US and Israeli figures.

Iranians begin nationwide rallies to condemn ‘foreign-backed riots': State media

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran&#39;s leadership had called him seeking &ldquo;to negotiate&rdquo; after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters. For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fresh-protests-in-iran-as-internet-blackout-persists" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">protest movement</a> that has swelled despite a crackdown. Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge to the Iranian government. Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of the capital, Tehran, and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations. &quot;The leaders of Iran called&quot; yesterday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that &ldquo;a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.&quot; He added, however, that &quot;we may have to act before a meeting&quot;. &#39;Channel of communication with US open&#39; Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Monday that a channel of communication is open between Iran and US President Donald Trump&#39;s special envoy for the Middle East despite the lack of diplomatic relations.&nbsp;&quot;This channel of communication between our foreign minister (Abbas Araghchi) and the special envoy of the president of the United States is open,&quot; ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in comments broadcast by state television, in apparent reference to Steve Witkoff.&nbsp;&quot;Messages are exchanged whenever necessary,&quot; he said, noting that while the US has no diplomatic presence in Iran, its interests are represented by the Swiss embassy. &#39;Strong options&#39;&nbsp;US President Trump said he was considering potential military action against Iran, amid mounting reports of deadly crackdowns against the country&#39;s mass anti-government protests. &quot;They&#39;re starting to, it looks like,&quot; Trump said, when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One if Iran had crossed his previously stated red line of protesters being killed. &quot;We&#39;re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we&#39;re looking at some very strong options. We&#39;ll make a determination,&quot; he said. Meanwhile, a video circulating on Sunday showed dozens of bodies accumulating outside a morgue south of Tehran. The footage, geolocated by AFP to Kahrizak, showed bodies wrapped in black bags, with what appeared to be grieving relatives searching for loved ones.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">Near paralysis&nbsp;</h2>In Tehran, an AFP journalist described a city in a state of near paralysis. The price of meat has nearly doubled since the start of the protests, and many shops are closed.&nbsp; Those that do open must close at around 4:00 or 5:00 pm, when security forces deploy en masse. There were fewer videos showing protests on social media Sunday, but it was not clear to what extent that was due to the internet shutdown. One widely shared video showed protesters again gathering in the Pounak district of Tehran, shouting slogans in favor of the ousted monarchy. The protests have become one of the biggest challenges to the rule of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, coming in the wake of Israel&#39;s 12-day war against the Islamic republic in June, which was backed by the United States. State TV has aired images of burning buildings, including a mosque, as well as funeral processions for security personnel. But after three days of mass actions, state outlets were at pains to present a picture of calm returning, broadcasting images of smooth-flowing traffic on Sunday.&nbsp; &lsquo;Legitimate targets&rsquo;Tehran Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian insisted in televised comments that &ldquo;the number of protests is decreasing&rdquo;. The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for &quot;martyrs,&quot; including members of the security forces killed. President Masoud Pezeshkian also urged Iranians to join a &quot;national resistance march&quot; on &nbsp;Monday to denounce the violence. In response to Trump&#39;s repeated threats to intervene, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-to-target-us-military-shipping-if-attacked-parliament-speaker" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iran would hit back</a>, calling US military and shipping &ldquo;legitimate targets&rdquo; in comments broadcast by state TV. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Stand with the people&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran&rsquo;s ousted Shah, who has emerged as an anti-government figurehead, said he was prepared to return to the country and lead a democratic transition.&ldquo;I&#39;m already planning on that,&rdquo; he told Fox News on Sunday. He later urged Iran&#39;s security forces and government workers to join the demonstrators. &ldquo;Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people,&rdquo; he said in a social media post. He also urged protesters to replace the flags outside of Iranian embassies. &ldquo;The time has come for them to be adorned with Iran&#39;s national flag,&rdquo; he said. The ceremonial, pre-revolution flag has become an emblem of the global rallies that have mushroomed in support of Iran&rsquo;s demonstrators. In London, protesters managed over the weekend to swap out the Iranian embassy flag, hoisting in its place the tri-colored banner used under the last Shah.

Iran foreign ministry says communications channel is open between Iran and US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, despite the lack of diplomatic relations.

‘Meeting being set up’ with Iran, but we may act first, says Trump

PARIS: Iran would strike US military and shipping targets in the event of a new attack by the United States during an ongoing wave of protests, the parliament speaker said on Sunday. &quot;In the event of a military attack by the United States, both the occupied territory and centers of the US military and shipping will be our legitimate targets,&quot; Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told parliament in comments broadcast by state TV, apparently also referring to Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognize and considers occupied Palestinian territory. &#39;Significant&#39; arrestsMeanwhile, Iran has made significant arrests of key figures in the protest movement that has swept the Islamic Republic over the last two weeks, the national police chief said Sunday. &quot;Last night (Saturday evening), significant arrests were made of the main elements in the riots, who, God willing, will be punished after going through legal procedures,&quot; Ahmad-Reza Radan told state TV, without giving details on the number or identities of those arrested. Iran&#39;s president to address nationMeanwhile, IRIB, Iran&#39;s state TV, said&nbsp;President Masoud Pezeshkian will address economic plans and &quot;people&#39;s demands&quot; in an interview on Sunday. It comes after two weeks of protests sparked by anger over the rising cost of living. &quot;In a conversation with the national media, the president laid out the status of the government&#39;s major economic plan to reform the subsidy system, and also discussed recent events and the government&#39;s approach to responding to the people&#39;s demands,&quot; IRIB state TV said, noting the interview would be broadcast later Sunday.

Iran has made significant arrests of key figures in the protest movement that has swept the Islamic Republic over the last two weeks, the national police chief said Sunday.

Iran to target US military, shipping if attacked: Parliament speaker

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would not allow arch-foe Iran to restore its ballistic missile programme, just days after US President Donald Trump issued a similar threat.&nbsp;&quot;We will not allow Iran to restore its ballistic missile industry, and certainly we will not allow it renew the nuclear programme that we significantly damaged,&quot; Netanyahu told lawmakers.&nbsp;&quot;If we are attacked, the consequences for Iran will be very severe,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Netanyahu&#39;s threat comes days after Trump threatened to &quot;eradicate&quot; Iran&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programme, after the two leaders met in Washington last week.&nbsp;Israeli officials and media have expressed concern in recent months that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal after it was adamaged during the 12-day war with Israel in June.&nbsp;Trump said Iran &quot;may be behaving badly&quot; and was looking at new nuclear sites to replace those targeted by US strikes during the same conflict, as well as restoring its missile stockpiles.&nbsp;&quot;I hope they&#39;re not trying to build up again because if they are, we&#39;re going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup,&quot; Trump said, adding that the US response &quot;may be more powerful than the last time.&quot;&nbsp;But Trump said he believed Iran was still interested in a deal with Washington on its nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons.&nbsp;Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the protests in Iran had &quot;expanded greatly&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;It is very possible that we are at a decisive moment -- a moment when the Iranian people will take their destiny into their own hands,&quot; he said in parliament.&nbsp;Protests erupted in Iran on December 28 when shopkeepers in the capital Tehran staged a strike over high prices and economic stagnation.&nbsp;They have since spread to other cities and expanded to include political demands.&nbsp;On Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israel stood in solidarity with the Iranian people during the ongoing demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,&quot; Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu warns Iran against rebuilding ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, citing severe consequences, and voices support for ongoing Iranian protests demanding economic and political reforms.

Netanyahu says Israel won't let Iran restore ballistic missile programme

PARIS: Iran will offer no leniency to &quot;rioters&quot;, though the public has a right to demonstrate, the head of the country&#39;s judiciary said on Monday, following more than a week of sometimes-deadly protests. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran would &quot;get hit very hard by the United States&quot; if the authorities killed more demonstrators. The protests began on December 28 when shopkeepers in Tehran staged a strike over high prices and economic stagnation, but they have since spread to other places and expanded to include political demands. &quot;I instruct the attorney general and prosecutors across the country to act in accordance with the law and with resolve against the rioters and those who support them... and to show no leniency or indulgence,&quot; Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said, according to the judiciary&#39;s Mizan news agency. He went on to add that Iran &quot;listens to the protesters and their criticism, and distinguishes between them and rioters&quot;. Demonstrations have taken place in 25 of Iran&#39;s 31 provinces and affected, to varying degrees, at least 45 different cities, most of them small or medium-sized and concentrated in the west, according to an AFP tally based on official statements and media reports. At least 12 people have been killed since December 30 in localized clashes, including members of the security forces, according to official announcements. Since the protests began, officials have publicly struck a conciliatory tone when it comes to protesters&#39; economic demands, while vowing to take a hard line against any chaos or destabilization. Iran&#39;s economy has been hit hard by tough international sanctions, with the national currency, the rial, losing more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year and inflation in double digits. On Sunday, the government announced a monthly allowance for every citizen to alleviate economic pressure, equivalent to around 3.5 percent of the average monthly wage. The reformist newspaper Arman Melli said Monday that the authorities had &quot;heard the voices of the protesters&quot;, while the conservative papers Javan and Kayhan accused the United States and Israel of financially supporting rioters. Watching &#39;very closely&#39;&nbsp;Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US was watching the situation &quot;very closely&quot;. &quot;If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they&#39;re going to get hit very hard by the United States,&quot; he said on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country stood &quot;in solidarity with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom&quot;. On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said at a press conference attended by AFP journalists that Israel was trying &quot;to exploit the slightest opportunity to sow division and undermine our national unity&quot;. Iran&#39;s prosecutor general Mohammad Movahedi-Azad last week warned against &quot;externally designed scenarios&quot; to harness the protests, promising a &quot;decisive response&quot;. Israel fought a 12-day war with Iran in June, which the US briefly joined with limited strikes on nuclear facilities. &#39;Movement by movement&#39;The Fars news agency said on Monday that &quot;the trend observed on Sunday night shows a notable decrease in the number of gatherings and their geographic reach compared to previous nights&quot;. Local media&#39;s accounting of the protests is not exhaustive, and state-run outlets have downplayed their coverage of the demonstrations, while videos flooding social media are often impossible to verify. On Monday, most shops in Tehran were open and residents were going about their business after the end of a four-day weekend on Sunday, according to AFP reporters in the capital. However, riot police were deployed at major intersections and officers were stationed in front of some schools. Several universities have resumed classes, but only online. Protests have also taken place among the Iranian diaspora. At a demonstration in Paris on Sunday, 29-year-old French-Iranian translator Sahar Aghakhani told AFP: &quot;With each new protest, Iranian men and women gain ground. Movement by movement, we&#39;re getting closer to the end of the regime.&quot; Iran has experienced several outbreaks of nationwide protests in recent years, most notably in 2022 over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini over the alleged breach of Iran&#39;s Islamic dress laws for women. So far, the current protests have not reached the same scale.

Iran will offer no leniency to "rioters," though the public has a right to demonstrate, the head of the country's judiciary said 

Iran says no leniency for 'rioters' as protests persist

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States is &quot;locked and loaded&quot; to respond if Iran kills protesters, after cost-of-living demonstrations in the country turned deadly. Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six people reported killed in the first deaths since the unrest escalated. Shopkeepers in the capital Tehran went on strike Sunday over high prices and economic stagnation, actions that have since spread to other parts of the country. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that &quot;if Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.&quot; &quot;We are locked and loaded and ready to go,&quot; the Republican leader added. Iran warns of response to any US interventionIran on Friday warned against any US intervention in the country, vowing a response after President Donald Trump said he would come to the aid of protesters in the Islamic Republic. &quot;Any interventionist hand that attacks Iran&#39;s security under any pretext whatsoever will be exposed to a response,&quot; Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the supreme leader, wrote on X. &quot;Iran&#39;s security is a red line.&quot; Iran&#39;s Fars news agency reported Thursday that two people were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in Azna, in neighbouring Lorestan province. State television reported earlier that a member of Iran&#39;s security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht. The demonstrations are smaller than the last major incident in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran&#39;s strict dress code for women. Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members of the security forces.

US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Dec. 22, 2025 (AFP)

Americas

US president threatens action if Tehran violently suppresses cost-of-living protesters, saying America will 'come to their rescue'; Iran says any intervention attacking the country's security will invite a response.

Trump vows US 'locked and loaded', Iran says any intervention a 'red line'

TEHRAN: Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six reported killed, the first deaths since the cost-of-living demonstrations broke out. The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation, and have since spread to other parts of the country. On Thursday, Iran&#39;s Fars news agency reported two people killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in Azna, in neighboring Lorestan province. &quot;Some protesters began throwing stones at the city&#39;s administrative buildings, including the provincial governor&#39;s office, the mosque, the Martyrs&#39; Foundation, the town hall, and banks,&quot; Fars said of Lordegan, adding that police responded with tear gas. Fars reported that the buildings were &quot;severely damaged&quot; and that police arrested several people described as &quot;ringleaders.&quot; In Azna, Fars said &quot;rioters took advantage of a protest gathering... to attack a police commissariat.&quot; During previous protest movements, state media has labelled demonstrators &quot;rioters.&quot; Earlier Thursday, state television reported that a member of Iran&#39;s security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht. &quot;A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order,&quot; the channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province. The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological branch of the Islamic republic&#39;s army. Pourali said that &quot;during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured by stone throwing.&rdquo;&nbsp; In the western city of Hamedan, protesters torched a motorbike in what the Tasnim news agency described as an unsuccessful attempt to burn down a mosque. The same agency reported on Thursday that 30 people in a district of Tehran had been arrested the night before for alleged public order offences in a &quot;coordinated operation by the security and intelligence services&quot;. &#39;End up in hell&#39; The demonstrations are smaller than the last major outbreak of unrest in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran&#39;s strict dress code for women. Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members of the security forces. The latest protests began in the capital and spread after students from at least 10 universities joined in on Tuesday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to calm tensions, acknowledging protesters&#39; &quot;legitimate demands,&quot; and he urged the government Thursday to take action to improve the economic situation. &quot;From an Islamic perspective... if we do not resolve the issue of people&#39;s livelihoods, we will end up in Hell,&quot; Pezeshkian said at an event broadcast on state television. Authorities, however, have also promised to take a &quot;firm&quot; stance and have warned against exploiting the situation to sow chaos. Local media coverage of the demonstrations has varied, with some outlets focusing on economic difficulties and others on incidents caused by &quot;troublemakers.&quot; Iran is in the middle of an extended weekend, with the authorities declaring Wednesday a bank holiday at the last minute, citing the need to save energy during the cold weather. They made no official link to the protests. The weekend in Iran begins on Thursday, and Saturday is a long-standing national holiday. Iran&#39;s prosecutor general said on Wednesday that peaceful economic protests were legitimate, but any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a &quot;decisive response.&quot; &quot;Any attempt to turn economic protests into a tool of insecurity, destruction of public property, or implementation of externally designed scenarios will inevitably be met with a legal, proportionate and decisive response.&quot; Viral video Earlier this week, a video showing a person sitting in the middle of a Tehran street facing down motorcycle police went viral on social media, with some seeing it as a &quot;Tiananmen moment&quot; &mdash; a reference to the famous image of a Chinese protester defying a column of tanks during 1989 anti-government protests in Beijing. On Thursday, state television alleged the footage had been staged to &quot;create a symbol&quot; and aired another video purportedly shot from another angle by a police officer&#39;s camera. Sitting cross-legged, the protester remains impassive, head bowed, before covering his head with his jacket as behind him a crowd flees clouds of tear gas. On Wednesday evening, Tasnim reported the arrest of seven people it described as being affiliated with &quot;groups hostile to the Islamic Republic based in the United States and Europe.&quot; It said they had been &quot;tasked with turning the demonstrations into violence.&quot; Tasnim did not say when they were arrested. The national currency, the rial, has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year, while double-digit hyperinflation has been undermining Iranians&#39; purchasing power for years. The inflation rate in December was 52% year-on-year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, an official body.

Asia

The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological branch of the Islamic republic's army; deputy governor of Lorestan Province says "during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured by stone throwing.” 

Fresh clashes kill six in Iran cost-of-living protests

ISLAMABAD: In 2025, Israel launched an unprecedented series of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/the-bitter-relationship-between-israel-and-arab-states" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military attacks across six countries in the Middle East</a>, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).&nbsp; The data analysis group&rsquo;s report, &ldquo;Israel recalibrates its military campaigns in a region still on edge,&rdquo; highlights the growing scope and intensity of Israel&rsquo;s actions in the region. ACLED, an independent global conflict monitor, reported that Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year, marking the widest geographic reach of any military worldwide in 2025. &ldquo;In 2025, Israel launched attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen,&rdquo; ACLED states, noting that between January 1 and November 28 alone, Israel &ldquo;undertook more than 12,500 military actions across the Middle East.&rdquo; Deadliest zone: Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank)ACLED identified the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, as the deadliest theater of Israel&rsquo;s military activity in 2025. &ldquo;Gaza remained the deadliest arena; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gaza-civil-defense-says-7-killed-in-israeli-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">IDF killed thousands</a>&nbsp;&mdash; the majority civilians &mdash; in strikes,&rdquo; the report details. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strikes reportedly killed over 16,100 Palestinians in Gaza. The report further stated that Israel broke a ceasefire in January and, by October, had &ldquo;confined Palestinians in Gaza to less than 25% of the enclave and was pushing to establish full control over Gaza City.&rdquo; In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/14-countries-condemn-israels-expansion-of-west-bank-settlements" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">West Bank</a>, ACLED documented intensified Israeli military operations: &ldquo;The IDF conducted its largest operations in decades, displacing tens of thousands from the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur al-Shams camps.&rdquo; Lebanon: ongoing air and artillery strikesDespite a ceasefire, ACLED recorded that Israel continued to carry out air and artillery strikes in Lebanon. &ldquo;The IDF conducted nearly 1,600 air- and artillery strikes, as well as shooting attacks, in Lebanon,&rdquo; the report said. Israeli forces withdrew ground troops in February but continued &ldquo;hundreds of near-daily strikes, mainly in the south but also in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut,&rdquo; killing hundreds of Hezbollah fighters, including nearly 25 commanders. Iran: strategic campaignACLED describes Israel&rsquo;s campaign in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-missile-programme-defensive-nonnegotiable" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&nbsp;as the most strategically consequential foreign operation of 2025. &ldquo;Israel launched a 12-day military campaign consisting of over 350 airstrikes across 27 provinces, including in the capital Tehran,&rdquo; the report notes. Targets included missile sites, military bases, nuclear facilities, and government buildings, with assassinations of senior military leaders and nuclear scientists. Syria: expanded presence and strikesIsrael maintained and expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/three-wounded-in-southern-syria-after-israeli-incursion-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military presence in Syria</a>, according to ACLED. &ldquo;In Syria, the IDF targeted Syrian military assets despite al-Assad&rsquo;s ouster,&rdquo; the report says, noting that Israel &ldquo;established six additional outposts in the demilitarized buffer zone, deploying up to 15 kilometers inside Syria.&rdquo; Yemen: targeted operations against HouthisIn Yemen, Israel escalated its military campaign against Houthi forces. &ldquo;The IDF conducted operations on 16 separate days in 2025, killing over 120 people,&rdquo; ACLED states, highlighting strikes that decimated the Houthi de facto government and killed the military chief of staff. Qatar: Rare but significant targetACLED points out Israel&rsquo;s rare&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/qatar-says-us-claims-of-warnings-prior-to-doha-attack-are-%E2%80%98baseless%E2%80%99" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military action in Qatar</a>, related to its pursuit of Hamas leaders. &ldquo;From Palestine to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and even Qatar, the Israel Defense Forces projected military power across the region in 2025,&rdquo; the report says. The strike in Qatar marked a diplomatic turning point affecting regional relations later in the year. ACLED concludes that Israel&rsquo;s 2025 military posture shifted from a status quo power to a more revisionist one, noting: &ldquo;Israel established or expanded buffer zones and military outposts in three countries.&rdquo; This data underscores the complex and far-reaching nature of Israel&rsquo;s military campaigns in the Middle East throughout 2025, marking one of the most active and geographically expansive years in recent regional history.

ACLED says Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year.

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