Middle East crisis live: Iran sounds warning on Israeli ‘aggression’ in Lebanon

29 June 2024 at 05:10

Islamic republic’s UN mission says an ‘obliterating war will ensue’ if Israel launches ‘full-scale military aggression’ in Lebanon

At least 37,834 Palestinians have been killed and 86,858 wounded in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

In case you missed it, an intervention by the UK government at the international criminal court is expected to delay a decision over whether an arrest warrant can be issued against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

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Iran goes to polls to elect new president after Raisi killed in helicopter crash

The Guardian

Patrick Wintour， diplomatic editor

28 June 2024 at 01:46

The election comes at a time of high regional tensions between Iran and Israel and the United States

More than 61.5 million Iranians aged over 18 have been given a chance to vote for a new president and send a message to the regime about the state of the economy. However, millions are expected to boycott the election on Friday, the outcome of which they believe will be manipulated by the regime to ensure a loyalist victory.

Iran’s leaders want to renew their legitimacy after a steady decline in turnout reached crisis point last year with fewer than 41% voting in parliamentary elections, and fewer than 10% in the capital, Tehran.

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US imposes fresh sanctions on Iran over apparent nuclear escalations

The Guardian

Robert Tait in Washington

27 June 2024 at 18:39

Blinken says Tehran has expanded uranium enrichment project ‘in ways that have no credible peaceful purpose’

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has announced fresh sanctions against Iran’s petroleum sector in response to what he described as an expansion of the country’s nuclear programme which has provoked renewed fears that it is preparing to build an atomic bomb.

The embargoes – on three unnamed entities involved in the transport of Iranian petroleum or petrochemical products – were announced amid a chorus of warnings of a renewed conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah, the powerful Shia group that dominates Lebanon.

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