Full consensus at ECO: Pezeshkian says all members condemn Israel’s aggression against Iran

from PressTV

President Masoud Pezeshkian says that all the countries present at the ECO summit openly and strongly condemned the aggressions of the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Pezehkian made the remarks on Friday night after returning from the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in the Azerbaijani city of Khankendi.

According to Pezeshkian, the “condemnation raised by Iran was met with firm support from other members.”

ECO 'serious symbol of neighborliness diplomacy'

Also, in a post on his X account on Friday, Pezeshkian thanked “the responsible positions of the countries of the region by protesting the aggression against Iranian territory.”

“For us, ECO is a serious symbol of neighborliness diplomacy and at the forefront of multilateral economic diplomacy,” he added...

read more here 

Iran unites in mourning, honors martyrs in mass funeral

from al Mayadeen English

Tens of thousands of Iranians filled Tehran’s Enghelab (Revolution) Square on Saturday to participate in the funeral procession of 60 martyrs killed during the recent Israeli aggression. Among the mourners were President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as former Iranian Presidential Advisor Mohammad Javad Zarif, in addition to official delegations from Bahrain, Iraq, and other Arab nations, standing in solidarity with the Islamic Republic. 

Ali Shamkhani, the Senior Advisor to Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali, also attended the massive funeral procession in Tehran. The Israeli occupation had claimed it had assassinated Shamkhani at the beginning of the Israeli war on Iran; however, the top advisor sustained injuries in the failed Israeli attempt... 

read more here 

Iran’s top military command vows ‘more forceful’ response if Israel repeats aggression

from PressTV

Iran’s highest operational command unit warns that the Armed Forces will give a “more forceful” response to the Israeli regime if it carries out another act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

“The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are monitoring all actions of enemies with complete vigilance and are fully prepared to counter any aggression. In the event of repeated aggression, they will respond even more forcefully,” the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Military Headquarters said in a statement on Sunday.

The Zionist enemy and the United States have repeatedly proved that they are not committed to any legal, moral, and international regulations and that they are not trustworthy, the statement said.

It noted that historic unity and cohesion of the courageous Iranian people during the 12 days of the Israeli aggression and their subsequent massive presence at the funeral of the martyrs “have once again disrupted the dreams of the Zionist enemy and its criminal master, the US.”...

read more here 

Heart of Darkness: Gen. Kurilla and the Birthpangs of the New Middle East

Gen. Kurilla... Col. Walter E. Kurtz... Gen. Smedley Butler... too much or right on the money? Time will tell.

In New Assessment, C.I.A. Chief Says U.S. Strikes ‘Severely Damaged’ Iranian Program

from the New York Times

Classified intelligence about the damage to Iran’s nuclear program from U.S. strikes was at the center of a political tempest on Wednesday as spy chiefs pushed out new assessments and President Trump continued to defend his assertion that Iran’s key facilities had been “obliterated.”

The C.I.A. director, John Ratcliffe, said the strikes had “severely damaged” Iran’s nuclear program, and the administration suggested that the initial report, by the Defense Intelligence Agency, was based on preliminary assessments and was already outdated.

The damage was also being assessed by other U.S. spy agencies. No information that has become public from those assessments has supported Mr. Trump’s description of the level of destruction from the U.S. attack, though they all confirmed that the damage had been substantial.

The D.I.A. report was based on information from little more than 24 hours after the American attacks on three of Iran’s nuclear sites...

read more here 

Gen. Kurilla and the Birthpangs of the New Middle East

by Scott Creighton

Once again, Gen. Kurilla, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CentCom) is front and center doing Israel's and our 'national interests' bidding on project Return the Shah:

'But the bunker buster bombs did not take out the sites’ centrifuges, which were still “intact,” instead largely damaging aboveground structures, according to the DIA report, which based its findings on a battle damage assessment conducted by U.S. Central Command following the strikes.'  The Hill

'A current U.S. official familiar with the ongoing damage assessment process said that the DIA’s findings—as well as "the partisan hit job published by CNN"—have been "completely debunked" over the past 24 hours, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).' Washington Free Beacon  

'The initial report, which is classified, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency with the help of U.S. Central Command. The findings are expected to evolve with time as the Defense Department and broader intelligence community collect more information on the three nuclear sites, which were hit by massive bunker-buster bombs in what was the largest B-2 strike in U.S. history. Military officials have said there is no doubt the sites sustained significant damage but that a "battle damage assessment" would take time to complete.' ABC News 

'The assessment, which has not been previously reported, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm. It is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by US Central Command in the aftermath of the US strikes, one of the sources said.' CNN 

And then we have this from April of 2025: 

“As with every visit to the IDF, I was thoroughly impressed by the readiness for combat that I saw here. Our military relationship with Israel is solid,” Kurilla stated.  ' ...

'Kurilla is reportedly leading a faction in Washington that seeks to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to greenlight a joint military strike against the Iranian regime.' ...

'Trump told media representatives that he is currently prioritizing a diplomatic solution over a military strike. 

“I’m not in a rush to do it,” Trump said. “Iran has a chance to have a great country, and to live happily without death, and I’d like to see that. That’s my first option,” the president argued while stressing that he will not permit Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. 

However, the president has also made it clear that he will approve military action against Iran if the diplomatic efforts fail to prevent Tehran’s quest for nuclear bombs' All Israel News

Gen. Kurilla was pushing for direct unprovoked military action, along with Israel, against Iran, since April of this year and they even had plans to do this back in May. It was Trump who reigned them in.

But evidence of his regime change intentions date back to Jan of 2025 at least which is why the rabid Zionists in Israel love him so. 

 “We now have an unprecedented opportunity to advance the vision of a prosperous and integrated Middle East in which U.S. national interests are advanced and Iran’s violent attempts to upend this peaceful order are defeated,” Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, Commander CENTCOM (Jan 2025) 

There is nothing about their assessment on CentCom's own website. That's how proud they are of their work.

Trump official to The Grayzone: CIA’s Ratcliffe acts as ‘Mossad stenographer’ on Iran

 

from The Grayzone (H/T Where's BB?)

A Trump official tells The Grayzone that Israel’s Mossad is using CIA Director John Ratcliffe and US CENTCOM’s Gen. Michael Kurilla to influence Trump with cooked intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program. Inside the White House, dissenters have been isolated, setting the stage for a regime change war that could cost American lives.

An official in the administration of President Donald Trump has told The Grayzone that CIA Director John Ratcliffe and US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla have become vehicles for Israel’s Mossad and military as they seek to manipulate the US into attacking Iran. The Trump official referred to Ratcliffe as “Mossad’s stenographer.”

According to the official, Ratcliffe and Kurilla have pressured Trump to join Israel’s war more directly by regurgitating overblown briefings they received from the Israeli military and Mossad director David Barnea – but without informing the president that the intelligence was derived from a foreign third party...

read more here 

Is Trump Attack on Iran Hinging on Looming Retirement of This Hawkish Pro-Israel US General?

from Common Dreams (H/T Searching for Aunt BB)

Did the Israelis strike Iran when it did because Michael Kurilla is still commander of U.S. Central Command and a “window” for a prospective joint operation with the U.S. might be closing?

Some are speculating that because Kurilla is expected to retire from the military this summer that the Israelis saw their chance. The Army general, 59, has been widely reported to be on one side of a split in the Pentagon over whether the U.S. should support and even be part of Israeli strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.

In April, Israel news outlet Ynet coined him as “The U.S. general Israel doesn’t want to strike Iran without.”

“Israeli defense analysts say the window for a successful attack on Iran’s nuclear program is rapidly closing,” wrote Alon Strimling on April 19. “That window could narrow dramatically once Kurilla steps down, as his successor’s stance remains unclear.”...

read more here 

Is Israel's favorite US general helping to push us into war?

from Responsible Statecraft (H/T the elusive Aunt BB)

Did the Israelis strike Iran when it did because Michael Kurilla is still commander of U.S. Central Command and a “window” for a prospective joint operation with the U.S. might be closing?

Some are speculating that because Kurilla is expected to retire from the military this summer that the Israelis saw their chance. The Army general, 59, has been widely reported to be on one side of a split in the Pentagon over whether the U.S. should support and even be part of Israeli strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.

In April, Israel news outlet Ynet coined him as “The U.S. general Israel doesn’t want to strike Iran without.”

“Israeli defense analysts say the window for a successful attack on Iran’s nuclear program is rapidly closing,” wrote Alon Strimling on April 19. “That window could narrow dramatically once Kurilla steps down, as his successor’s stance remains unclear.”

Kurilla is retiring this summer after a nearly 40-year career that dates back to the first Persian Gulf War. Ynet noted that Kurilla “is seen as one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the American defense establishment,” and his relationship “runs deep” dating back to his time as a young officer in his 20s.

“He’s a hawk of hawks,” noted Curt Mills, executive director of the American Conservative. “(The Israelis) knew they were losing an ally soon. They knew the negotiations (with Iran) were ongoing. The Iranians had signaled that they were close to accepting a deal days before the strike. So all of these things were a factor.

"And then meanwhile, I think there's every piece of evidence that Kurilla would at least start the conflict and pop his cork on it before he leaves.”...

read more here 

Trying to Make Sense of the Latest Iran Attack Narrative Wars: Success or Not? That is the Question (video)

Trying to Make Sense of the Latest Iran Attack Narrative Wars: Success or Not? That is the Question https://nomadiceveryman.blogspot.com/2025/06/trying-to-make-sense-of-latest-iran.html

Trying to Make Sense of the Latest Iran Attack Narrative Wars: Success or Not? That is the Question

 by Scott Creighton 

We are witnessing a narrative war in the Trump administration. Some say the attack on Iran's facilities was successful. Others (DIA and CENTCOM) say it was not and Iran still poses a threat to the region and of course, to Glorious Israel. 

Remember... it was Netanyahu who said he was told by CENTCOM that the Iranians were weeks away from being able to make a nuclear weapon and it was that assessment which prompted him to attack Iran before the agreement with Trump could be signed.

'The head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Michael Kurilla, testified in mid-June that if Iran were to decide to sprint to a nuclear weapon, it would be able to produce enough weapons-grade material for a simple nuclear weapon in one week and could make enough for 10 nuclear weapons in three weeks' CBS

It was CENTCOM that then carried out Trump's illegal attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

'Tampa was at the heart of the secret bombing campaign that hit three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Home to MacDill Air Force base and U.S. Central Command, CentCom, military officials in Tampa directed a precision strike under President Donald Trump’s orders to destroy or degrade Iran’s nuclear program" Tampa Bay Times

And now it's CENTCOM that is at the heart of the story about Iran's nuclear facilities were barely damaged... thus leaving them as a remaining 'existential threat' to Israel.

Iranian armed forces' general staff rejects claims of new missile launches at Zionist entity

from PressTV

Iran has firmly denied reports about any new missile launches from the Islamic Republic toward the occupied territories after the regime ceased its aggression early on Tuesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces denied any missile launches from Iran toward the occupied territories after the regime was forced to halt its aggression against the Islamic Republic after 12 days.

The statement noted that some sources affiliated with the Zionist regime claimed that Iranian missiles had been fired at the regime's territory, but it wasn’t true.

Hours after the regime was forced to halt its aggression against Iran as part of a deal with US President Donald Trump, Israeli war affairs minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the Israeli military to “respond forcefully” to what he claimed to be Iran’s violation of the "truce."

A well-informed source told Press TV that the claim was just a pretext to initiate the breach of the so-called "truce" agreement reached between the Israeli regime and Washington...

read more here 

Trump ‘annoyed’ with Netanyahu for breaking ceasefire

from al Jazeera

Trump is feeling “quite annoyed” at and perhaps “betrayed” by Netanyahu after Israel launched attacks on Iran, violating the ceasefire, says Al Jazeera’s US correspondent Phil Lavelle.

As the US president prepared to fly to Europe for a NATO summit, he told reporters of his frustration that both Israel and Iran had violated the terms of their ceasefire agreement, just hours after it was announced.

Before his departure, Trump also swore while making comments about Israel and Iran.

“He was angry with both Israel and Iran. But you could really tell some of the extra anger there, the extra fury was aimed at Israel,” Lavelle noted.

He added that Trump “obviously feels quite annoyed, and betrayed, perhaps, by Benjamin Netanyahu”.

Trump spoke to Netanyahu on Monday to get his backing for the ceasefire, before enlisting the help of Qatar to get Iranian support for the proposal.

read more here 

Trump warns Israel not to attack Iran, says both sides broke truce

from al Jazeera

US President Donald Trump says Israel and Iran have both violated the ceasefire, but that he was “really unhappy” with Israel. He called on Israel to stop dropping bombs and to “Bring your pilots home, now!”

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says he has ordered “intense strikes” on Tehran, accusing Iran of violating the truce brokered by the US and Qatar.

Iran denies the claim, and its top security body warns its forces stand ready to respond decisively to any Israeli violations.

 

read more here 

Iran confirms ceasefire with Israel

from RT

Iran has agreed to a ceasefire with Israel since Tehran’s military objectives have been achieved, the Iranian Supreme National Security Council has announced.

US President Donald Trump announced earlier that there would be a truce after nearly two weeks of tit-for-tat strikes. Trump claimed that Israel and Iran had approached him “almost simultaneously, and said, ‘PEACE!’, adding that the Middle East and the whole world would be “winners” in a cessation of hostilities.

Iran’s top security body announced “the national decision to impose the cessation of war on the Zionist enemy [Israel] and its vile supporters” in a statement on Tuesday.

The Iranian military “without any trust to the words of the enemy and with their hands on the trigger, are ready to deliver a decisive and deterring response to any violating act by the enemy,” it warned...

read more here 

Israeli war minister orders ‘intense strikes’ on Iran shortly after regime halted aggression

from PressTV

Israel’s minister for military affairs, Israel Katz, says he has ordered “intense strikes” against Iran, immediately after the cessation of aggression after 12 days.

Hours after the regime said it would cease its aggression against Iran as part of a deal it reached with US President Donald Trump, Katz said on Tuesday morning that he had instructed the Israeli military to “respond forcefully” to what he claimed to be Iran’s violation of the ceasefire with strikes against targets in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

The claim that Iran breached the ceasefire has already been debunked by Iranian sources.

It came hours after Iranian armed forces fired almost a dozen missiles towards different targets in the occupied territories as part of retaliatory strikes just before the cessation of Israeli aggression, as announced by Trump...

read more here 

Israeli war minister's claim of fresh Iranian strikes pretext to continue aggression

from PressTV

The reports of fresh Iranian missile strikes towards the occupied Palestinian territories following the cessation of hostilities by the Zionist regime are not true, sources told Press TV.

Hours after the regime said it would cease its aggression against Iran as part of a deal it reached with US President Donald Trump, Katz said on Tuesday morning that he had instructed the Israeli military to “respond forcefully” to what he claimed to be Iran’s violation of the "truce."

A well-informed source told Press TV that the claim is just a pretext to initiate the breach of the so-called "truce" agreement reached between the Israeli regime and Washington.

He said Iran is still in the process of assessing the evolving situation and whether or not the Israeli regime will adhere to the agreement it reached with Trump on halting its aggression.

The source said it was the Israeli regime that approached Trump with an offer to halt its attacks against the Islamic Republic after the American president hinted that the US would stay away from the war following Iranian missile strikes on a US base in Qatar...

read more here 

No justification for attack on Iran – Putin

from RT

Israeli and US hostilities against Iran are groundless and unjustifiable, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The top Iranian diplomat, who landed in Moscow and met with the Russian president on Monday, said earlier that the visit was needed for “closer, more precise, and more serious consultations” with Russia, in the wake of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

During the meeting at the Kremlin, Putin described the attacks on Iran as “an unprovoked aggression,” for which “there can be no justification.”

The actions of Israel and the US are “illegitimate” and violate international norms, he added.

The Russian leader noted that he was glad to see Araghchi in Moscow, saying that his visit would allow Russia and Iran “to discuss these pressing issues and jointly think about a way out of the current situation.”...

read more here 

Moscow blasts US redo of ‘Iraqi weapons of mass destruction’ stunt

from RT

Russia has condemned the United States for its airstrikes and missile attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them “irresponsible, provocative and dangerous,” and warning that they risk pushing the Middle East toward a large-scale war with potentially catastrophic nuclear consequences.

Speaking at an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Sunday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Washington of violating the UN Charter, international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

“The United States has opened a Pandora’s box, and no one knows what consequences may follow,” Nebenzia said, noting that by targeting IAEA-supervised nuclear sites, Washington has “once again demonstrated total disregard for the position of the international community.”...

read more here 

Trump’s Iran Attack Was Impressive, But Airpower Has Its Limits

('Operation Midnight Hammer' (so-named by high ranking edge-lord teenagers of the military) was a failure. I told you days ago these bunker busters are shit. Even the IDF and CFR had to admit it. 14 bunker busters and 14 Tomahawk cruise missiles and they did practically nothing. And of course, the CFR has to admit... if Iran didn't want a nuke before TrumpyBear's Big Beautiful Bombing run... they do now.)

(Just more lies and self promotion from the Trumpster as he fails once again) 

from the Council on Foreign Relations

Operation Midnight Hammer—the Pentagon’s name for the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—was a high-tech advertisement for the precision and reach of American airpower. Time will tell whether it proves decisive, but early indications leave room for doubt... 

... While Trump has insisted that the nuclear facilities targeted by the United States have been “completely obliterated,” Israeli officials told the New York Times that the underground complex in Fordow had been damaged but not destroyed and that the Iranians had moved nuclear material out of the site before the U.S. attack. Moreover, CNN reported that the tunnels beneath the Isfahan complex, where some of Iran’s highly enriched uranium was stored, were not touched by the air strikes. Administration officials have also admitted they are not sure what happened to the 900 pounds of near weapons-grade uranium that Iran had built up before Israel's campaign. 

Whatever the damage to Iran’s existing nuclear program, Iran retains the knowledge necessary to restart operations and may now be tempted to push toward a bomb to deter further attacks...

 read more here