The military junta of Myanmar has taken another step towards consolidating its power, with the election of its leader, General Man Aung Hlaing, as the country’s new president. According to foreign media reports, Hlaing secured 293 out of 584 parliamentary votes, marking a significant victory for the ruling military party.
The election, held in January, saw the military-backed party win a landslide victory, securing over 80% of parliamentary seats. This development comes after the 69-year-old general led a coup against the democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, which had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
In a separate development, the Iranian embassy in South Africa has welcomed the US military’s decision to withdraw its troops from the region, tweeting “Regime change has been a success, America has been great.” The post has been accompanied by an image of former US President Donald Trump, who is known for his hawkish stance on Iran.
In a statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, “We will exercise full control over our airspace.” The move comes as the US and Israel have launched a series of airstrikes against Iranian targets, including a recent attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has maintained its relations with China, with US President Donald Trump reportedly preferring Pakistani Field Marshal Qamar Javed Bajwa as a mediator. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, is facing a diplomatic setback.
The US and Israel have given Iran a 10-day deadline to agree to a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, with just 48 hours left on the clock, tensions remain high. In a recent statement, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi denied US claims that its air defense system had been destroyed, calling it a “big lie.”
The Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was targeted by US and Israeli airstrikes, has been evacuated by Russia’s state-owned nuclear company, with over 198 personnel being removed from the site.
In a separate incident, a Jewish community ambulance in London was set on fire, with a suspect arrested. The attack comes as Israel has been accused of striking an Iranian cargo ship in the Red Sea.
Iranian authorities have warned that any ships attempting to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz will have to follow a specific protocol. The Iranian embassy in Beirut has been hit by a rocket attack, with three floors of the building damaged and the CIA station also targeted.
In a statement, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, “Iran is only targeting American military bases and interests in the region, and regional security is in the interests of regional countries.” Israeli officials have confirmed that an Iranian missile struck a building in the central region, injuring several people.
Abbas Araghchi, a senior Iranian official, has compared the situation in the region to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, saying, “Does anyone remember the Western world’s outrage over the Ukrainian nuclear power plant?”
The situation remains volatile, with tensions between Iran and the West showing no signs of easing.
