In a move aimed at countering foreign criticism, Iran summoned ambassadors from the UK, France, Italy, and Germany, showing them videos of the recent protests featuring armed rioters. The Iranian Foreign Ministry asked the ambassadors to pressure their respective governments to withdraw support for the Iranian protesters. According to IRNA, the Iranian news agency, the ambassadors were also shown a video of the shooting of an American immigration officer in Minnesota and a statement by US President Donald Trump in support of the officer. The video was reportedly shown as a demonstration of how the US government handles similar situations.
The Chinese government weighed in on the matter, stating that pressure and coercion will not resolve the issue and that the US should reconsider its stance. Meanwhile, reports suggest that a senior Taliban official, Mullah Nur Ahmad Nur, recently visited Delhi for talks with Indian officials. The US State Department announced that over 100,000 visas have been revoked since Donald Trump returned to office, as part of his hardline immigration policy. The US Embassy in Iran warned American citizens to leave the country by land through Armenia or Turkey, if possible.
The Gaza Strip has seen significant damage, with many buildings destroyed in the conflict. A senior official in the Israeli army stated that most of the buildings were located within the “yellow line,” which is under Israeli control. In a separate development, US Vice President Mike Pence’s team urged Trump to give diplomacy a chance before launching a military attack on Iran.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised the government’s handling of the protests, stating that the Iranian people are strong, powerful, and informed. Hamas has instructed the Palestinian Interior Ministry to take control of Gaza. The Indian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Commander Purnendu Tiwari, a former Indian Navy officer, was arrested in Qatar for the second time.
The government of Somalia announced that it has revoked all agreements with the United Arab Emirates. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that there is ongoing communication between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Viktorov, with Switzerland acting as a traditional mediator. The US Embassy in Iran urged American citizens to leave the country by land through Armenia or Turkey, if possible.
In other news, the Pakistani envoy to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, stated that a permanent peace can only be achieved through dialogue and compromise in the Ukraine conflict.
