Page 7 - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Mourners begin funerals for Iran's prez, others killed in chopper crash

Mourners in black began gathering Tuesday for days of funerals and processions for Iran's late president, foreign minister and others killed in a helicopter crash, a government-led series of ceremonies aimed at both honouring the dead and projecting strength in an unsettled Middle East. For Iran's Shiite theocracy, mass demonstrations have been crucial since millions thronged the streets of Tehran to welcome Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution. An estimated 1 million turned out in 2020 for processions for the late Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was slain in a US drone strike in Baghdad. Whether President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others draw the same crowd remains in question, particularly as Raisi died in a helicopter crash, won his office in the lowest-turnout election in the country's history and presided over sweeping crackdowns on all dissent. Prosecutors already have warned people over showi

President Ebrahim Raisi declared dead: What's next for Iran's leadership

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others, were confirmed dead on Monday, a day after their helicopter crashed in the mountainous northwest

Ebrahim Raisi's death: Israel denies role; Iran gets interim prez. Updates

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been declared dead in the helicopter crash, which took place on Sunday in the mountainous northwest of Iran. The crash site has been located near Tavil village

'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's Raisi, others

Raisi, an ultraconservative cleric in his 60s who won Iran's presidential election in 2021, has been seen as a favourite to eventually succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Rescuers see helicopter that was carrying Iran Prez Raisi, others: Official

The incident comes as Iran under Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel last month

Iranian Prez Raisi missing after helicopter crash; here's what we know

The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region. Details remained scant in the hours after the incident, and it was unclear if Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the other officials had survived. Here's what we know so far. WHO WAS ON BOARD THE HELICOPTER AND WHERE WERE THEY GOING? The helicopter was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. Raisi was returning from a trip to Iran's border with Azerbaijan earlier Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, the news agency said. WHERE AND HOW DID THE HELICOPTER GO DOWN? The helicopter apparently crashed or made an emergency landing in the Dizmar forest between the cities of Varzaqan and Jolfa in Iran's East Azerbaijan province, near its border wi

Iranian Prez Raisi's helicopter crash could reverberate across Middle East

The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials is likely to reverberate across the Middle East. That's because Iran has spent decades supporting armed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Palestinian territories that allow it to project power and potentially deter attacks from the United States or Israel, the sworn enemies of its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tensions have never been higher than they were last month, when Iran under Raisi and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel in response to an airstrike on an Iranian Consulate in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and five officers. Israel, with the help of the United States, Britain, Jordan and others, intercepted nearly all the projectiles. In response, Israel apparently launched its own strike against an air defense radar system in the Iranian city of Isfahan, causing no ...

North Korea sends delegation to Iran to break its diplomatic isolation

A high-level North Korean economic delegation was on its way to Iran, the North's state media said Wednesday, for what would be the two countries' first known talks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Embracing the idea of a new Cold War, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pushing to build up cooperation with countries confronting the United States, as his intensified weapons tests prompted the US and South Korea to expand their military drills. Pyongyang's delegation led by Yun Jung Ho, North Korea's minister of external economic relations, flew out Tuesday for the trip to Iran, official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday. State media did not immediately provide further details. Pyongyang and Tehran are among the few governments in the world that support Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and both have been accused of providing Russia with military equipment. The last known time North Korea sent senior officials to Iran was in August 2019, when a

Khamenei tacitly acknowledges that Tehran hit little in attack on Israel

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday dismissed any discussion of whether Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel hit anything there, a tacit acknowledgment that despite launching a major assault, few projectiles actually made it through to their targets. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments before senior military leaders didn't touch on the apparent Israeli retaliatory strike on Friday on the central city of Isfahan, even though air defenses opened fire and Iran grounded commercial flights across much of the country. Analysts believe both Iran and Israel, regional archrivals locked in a shadow war for years, are trying to dial back tensions following a series of escalatory attacks between them as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip rages on and inflames the wider region. Khamenei, 85, made the comments in a meeting attended by the top ranks of Iran's regular military, police and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, a powerful force within its Shiite theocracy. Debates by

US to stay out, Israel warns of retaliation after Iran attack: Key points

The US, which helped the Israeli air defence to shoot down Iranian missiles, lauded the 'remarkable Israeli defence' and reiterated America's 'ironclad' security commitments to Israel

Iran attack on Israel risks provoking an uncontrollable escalation, says G7

Unequivocally condemning in the strongest terms Iran's direct and unprecedented attack against Israel, the G-7 leaders on Sunday said the development risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation even as permanent members of the UN Security Council announced to convene an emergency meeting on the issues in New York. With its actions, Iran has further stepped toward the destabilisation of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided. We will continue to work to stabilise the situation and avoid further escalation, G-7 leaders said in a joint statement after a conference call among them initiated by President Joe Biden. The US assisted Israel in shooting down dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran in its first direct military assault on the former. Israeli authorities said 99 per cent of the inbound weapons were shot down without causing any significant damage. In this spirit, we demand that Iran and its proxies cease their .

Destroyed over 80 Iranian ballistic missiles headed towards Israel: US

: The US destroyed more than 80 UAVs and at least six ballistic missiles launched by Iran at Israel, the Pentagon said Sunday. This includes a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch, the US Central Command said. Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, which Tehran said was in response to the April 1 strike on its consulate in Syria. Almost all Iranian drones and missiles were shot down by Israeli, US and allied forces before they reached their targets. On Saturday and Sunday morning, US CENTCOM forces, supported by US European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen, the media note said. Iran's continued unprecedented, malign, and reckless behaviour endangers regional stability and the safety of U.S. and coali

Iran-Israel conflict: US highlights its role in thwarting missiles

The United States on Sunday highlighted its role in helping Israel thwart an unprecedented aerial attack from Iran as President Joe Biden convened leaders of the Group of Seven countries in an effort to prevent a wider regional escalation and coordinate a global rebuke of Tehran. The US assisted Israel in shooting down dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran on Saturday in what was the first time it had launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities said 99 per cent of the inbound weapons were shot down without causing any significant damage. US officials said that despite the high interception rate, Iran's intent was to destroy and cause casualties and that if successful, the strikes would have caused an uncontrollable escalation across the Mideast. US officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an effort to contain tensions, that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran, and the president made very cle

Iran-Israel clash: US sends warships to 'protect' Israeli, American troops

The Pentagon has been actively strengthening air defences for US troops stationed in Iraq and Syria, according to international media reports

'Don't': Amid fears of an imminent attack on Israel, Joe Biden to Iran

The US has been on high alert for a significant Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel in recent days, as fears grow of a wider regional war

As tensions mount, Iran may attack Israel in the next two days, reports WSJ

The heightened tensions follow Tehran's accusation against Israel regarding an airstrike on a diplomatic building in Damascus, Syria on April 2, which killed its top military officials

Iran's supreme leader reiterates promise to retaliate against Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated on Wednesday a promise to retaliate against Israel over the killings of Iranian generals in Syria. Khamenei spoke at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying the airstrike that demolished Iran's consulate in Syria earlier this month was wrongdoing" against a diplomatic post that is considered Iranian territory. When they attack our consulate section it looked like they attack on our territory, Khamenei said. The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished. The strike killed 12 people: seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians and a Hezbollah militia member. Israel has not acknowledged its involvement, though it has been bracing for an Iranian response to the attack that was a significant escalation in their long-running shadow war. State TV broadcast Khamenei's remarks live. He did not elaborate on the way Iran would retaliate. Khamenei also criticised the Wes

Iran's foreign minister warns of 'preemptive measure' against Israel

Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that the United Nations and the international community should find a political solution at an earliest before things reach a "boiling point"

Israeli ambassador urges China to talk with Iran, stop escalation

While Tehran is a known backer of Hamas, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has denied his country was involved in the strike

US considering lifting sanctions on Iran's supreme leader Khamenei

The Biden administration is considering lifting sanctions on Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as part of negotiations aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal