Where is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? New report on ex-Iran President surfaces amid Israel bombing
According to News.Az, attackers tried to tamper with Ahmadinejad's car. However, his security team found out about the plan just in time to prevent a potential assassination.
Meanwhile, several social media users wondered where Ahmadinejad is amid the Iran-Israel conflict.
Read More: '3 years away': Iran was not so close to getting nuclear weapon, says US intel countering Israeli claim
'Where is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? He hasn't even tweeted since April,' one person noted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
'According to unconfirmed reports, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was eliminated,' another person tweeted, without backing their claim with evidence.
This comes as President Donald Trump said he wants a permanent end to Iran's path to getting a nuclear weapon. 'An end. A real end. Not a ceasefire. An end,' Trump told reporters Tuesday aboard Air Force One.
Talking about Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Trump wrote on Truth Social: 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!'
Read More: 'No such commitment': Pakistan on Iran's 'tit-for-tat' claim if Israel launches nuclear attack
Meanwhile, Israel indicated that it intends to intensify its strikes on Tehran.
'Today we will attack very significant targets in Tehran,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said, adding that residents should evacuate. Israeli warplanes targeted drone and missile sites with at least two waves of strikes in western Iran earlier in the day, the military said.
It also said it had killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani in an overnight strike on a "command centre in the heart of Tehran", just four days after his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid, was killed.
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The Wire
20 minutes ago
- The Wire
What Happened to India's Moral Compass on Palestine?
Government For decades, India championed the Palestinian cause, not out of sentimentality, but from a profound understanding of the devastating effects of colonial occupation. The bodies of Palestinians who were killed while attempting to access aid trucks entering northern Gaza through the Zikim crossing with Israel are brought to a clinic in Gaza City on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Photo: AP/PTI For much of its post-independence history, India stood as a principled voice on the global stage, aligning with the oppressed, opposing colonial domination, and championing anti-imperialist solidarity. At the heart of this stance was unwavering support for Palestine. India not only recognised the plight of Palestinians but actively backed their struggle for self-determination. Today, however, as Gaza descends into a humanitarian catastrophe, India's silence is striking. This silence marks not only a moral failure but a historical betrayal of its own legacy. Where solidarity with Palestine was once a cornerstone of Indian foreign policy, the country is now forging increasingly close ties with Israel. From moral clarity to calculated ambiguity India's policy on the Palestinian question has been evolving for decades, but the transformation since 2014 has been particularly pronounced. Historically, India's support for Palestine aligned with Nehruvian internationalism and a broader commitment to anti-imperialism. This framework began to erode in the early 1990s, marked by the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. Citing national interest, defence cooperation, and economic pragmatism, successive Indian governments gradually strengthened ties with Israel. The relationship deepened further after the 1999 Kargil War, when India began acquiring Israeli military equipment to modernise its defence capabilities. Over time, India has become Israel's largest defence customer. Under the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, this strategic partnership has taken on a distinctly ideological character embracing Israel's brand of hardline nationalism and security-first doctrine, while moving away from India's traditional moral posture. The growing alignment with the US-Israel axis reflects not only strategic interests but also a shared political affinity, including a mutual suspicion and hostility toward Muslim populations. The most significant shift has taken place over the past two years, as ethnic cleansing and genocide unfold in Gaza following Hamas's brutal attack on October 7, 2023. While that attack warrants unequivocal condemnation, the Israeli state's response has exceeded every boundary of legality, morality, and human decency. More than 55,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, including thousands of children have been killed in this endless war. Refugee camps have been bombed, hospitals destroyed, and access to food, water, and medicine deliberately severed. Entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble. But there is little significant pressure from either the opposition or public opinion in India demanding a return to a pro-Palestinian policy. As Indian politics has shifted to the right, public perceptions of Israel have also evolved. A recent Pew survey from June 2025 indicates that Indian public opinion remains divided: 34 percent view Israel favourably, while 29 percent hold unfavourable views. Also Read: The Hindu Right Is Unreconciled to History – and Gandhi Globally, however, the picture is far more negative. In 20 out of 24 countries surveyed, a majority view Israel unfavourably. In several Western and Asian nations including Australia, Greece, Japan, and the Netherlands unfavourable sentiment exceeds 75 percent. India's relatively more favourable view of Israel sets it apart from much of global opinion. Yet, hope lies in the growing chorus of voices worldwide who, undeterred by intimidation, continue to speak out in support of Palestine. Meanwhile, India has transitioned from a position grounded in specific concerns regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict to one informed by broader geopolitical considerations. This evolution signals not merely a change in diplomatic priorities but a deeper structural realignment and reorientation. As a result, even amid escalating violence, India has repeatedly abstained from key United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a ceasefire. For instance, in June, while over three-quarters of UN member states voted in favour of a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages by Hamas, and unimpeded humanitarian access, India chose to abstain. India declined to condemn what many view as systematic ethnic cleansing, instead, it cited procedural concerns, such as the resolution's failure to explicitly name Hamas, as justification for its abstention. This position stood in stark contrast to the overwhelming support the resolution received from countries like Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, China, and much of the Global South, and from many countries in Europe. India's shift not only signalled a diplomatic divergence from several of its traditional allies but also marked a striking departure from its historical support for the Palestinian cause. For a nation that once championed anti-colonial movements and aspired to be a moral voice for the Global South, this abstention appears both unacceptable and unconscionable. This reflects not just a diplomatic calculation but a deeper erosion of the moral imagination that once defined India's post-colonial identity. Today, it finds itself aligned with regimes that perpetuate occupation and settler colonialism. Gaza and the collapse of India's moral imagination For decades, India championed the Palestinian cause, not out of sentimentality, but from a profound understanding of the devastating effects of colonial occupation. Rooted in its own post-colonial identity and its aspiration to lead the developing world, India's early support for Palestine was both principled and strategic. Mahatma Gandhi, a staunch advocate of nonviolence, nonetheless rejected the idea of establishing a Jewish state on Palestinian land. Similarly, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru dismissed the 1947 UN Partition Plan as unjust, and India voted against the creation of Israel at the UN General Assembly, one of the few non-Arab nations to do so. In a landmark diplomatic gesture, India became the first non-Arab country in 1974 to officially recognize the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. This was reaffirmed in 1988 when India took the lead in recognising the State of Palestine shortly after its declaration by the PLO. This collapse began with the world's lack of resolve to rein in Israel's war in Gaza. Today, Gaza is more than just a conflict zone – it is the epicentre of a profound human tragedy and widespread destruction. The ongoing devastation cannot be justified or dismissed as merely a disproportionate response to the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7. While those attacks were undeniably brutal, they cannot justify the collective punishment of an entire population such as the bombing of refugee camps or the deliberate withholding of food, water, and medicine from over two million people trapped in Gaza. Also Read: Indian Elections on Trial: Supreme Court, Bihar Voter Rolls and the Fight for the Franchise Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has described the situation as 'worse than hell.' Starvation is being used as a weapon, and hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed while queueing up for urgently needed food or water. The UN estimates that in six weeks about 800 people have been killed in or around food distribution points, most of those deaths in the vicinity of the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). According to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, this crisis is part of a 'long-term, intentional, and systematic state-organised forced displacement and replacement of the Palestinian people.' In the face of such harrowing realities, the lack of official outrage and India's muted response is especially jarring. India's policy shift is not merely political; it is deeply ideological. The BJP has long admired Israel's model of ethno-nationalism, its uncompromising counterterrorism posture, and its blending of religion with state power. These elements align closely with the party's own vision of Hindu majoritarianism in India. However, this realignment comes at a significant cost. It carries disturbing implications at home also. When foreign policy becomes a vehicle for political expression, it inevitably shapes domestic governance. The same logic used to justify the erasure of Palestinian identity abroad is often mirrored in the marginalisation of minorities within India. Reclaiming the moral voice It is not too late for India to return to its principled roots. Calling out the Israeli occupation for what it is – a colonial settler project sustained by violence and systemic racism is not a radical act, but a moral imperative. India must unequivocally support an immediate ceasefire, the unrestricted delivery of humanitarian aid, and the restoration of Palestinian rights as enshrined in UN resolutions. It must condemn genocide and war crimes wherever they occur, regardless of the perpetrator. In particular, India must remember its own anti-colonial legacy – a history of resistance, not complicity. Although Palestine was marked for decolonisation in 1948, that promise remains unfulfilled. Achieving lasting peace in the region requires confronting this unfinished process, making decolonisation a political imperative. At its core lies a demand for justice: the right to live free from occupation and to return to homes lost through forced displacement. These are not merely political demands, they are basic human rights, upheld by international law. Zoya Hasan is Professor Emerita, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Indian Express
20 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump administration releases files on Martin Luther King Jr: Everything you need to know
The Trump administration on Monday (July 21) released a trove of records on the assassination of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, including FBI surveillance files on him. These documents, totalling around 240,000, were sealed since 1977 due to a court order. The records were released despite the opposition from King's family, and the civil rights group that he once led. King was killed on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray was convicted of the assassination after he pleaded guilty. However, Ray later renounced that plea and maintained his innocence until he died in 1998. King's family and others to date believe that Ray did not act alone. Here is a look at what the documents say, and why there was opposition against their release. Soon after US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January this year, he signed an executive order to declassify files related to the assassinations of President John F Kennedy (1963), lawyer Robert F Kennedy (1968), and Martin Luther King Jr. While the JFK records were unsealed in March, some of the RFK files were made public in April. On Monday, after releasing the records regarding King, Attorney General Pam Bondi said, 'The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation's great leaders.' However, critics of Trump have alleged that the move was just a distraction, and not about transparency. That is because King's files have been released amid growing calls for the President to unseal documents concerning the sex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself behind bars while awaiting trial in 2019. Trump last Friday ordered the Justice Department to request the release of grand jury testimony but stopped short of releasing the entire case file. Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist, told the Associated Press, 'It's a desperate attempt to distract people from the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unravelling of his credibility among the MAGA base.' In fact, Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr, tweeted on Monday, 'Now, do the Epstein files.' The documents contain leads the FBI received after King's assassination, and details of the CIA's fixation on King's pivot to international anti-war and anti-poverty movements in the years before he was killed, according to a report by AP. But several experts said that there were no major new revelations about the death of the civil rights leader in the documents. They also noted that the trove did not include FBI wiretap recordings of King and other materials that remain under court seal until 2027, according to a report by The New York Times. David Garrow, the author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning King biography, told The NYT, 'I saw nothing that struck me as new.' King's two living children, Martin III and Bernice, who were given access to the documents before their release, in a statement said that they 'support transparency and historical accountability' but 'object to any attacks on our father's legacy or attempts to weaponise it to spread falsehoods'. It is well known that FBI wiretaps and other surveillance on King were an attempt to find damaging material (like his extramarital affairs) on the Nobel laureate, which the agency hoped to use to derail the civil rights movement in the US. 'The intent … was not only to monitor, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr King's reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement… These actions were not only invasions of privacy, but intentional assaults on the truth — undermining the dignity and freedoms of private citizens who fought for justice, designed to neutralise those who dared to challenge the status quo,' King's children said in their statement.
India Today
20 minutes ago
- India Today
Apache power: US-made chopper is Indian Army's big move to control aviation assets
On the rainy July 22 morning, a Soviet-era Antonov cargo aircraft touched down at the Hindon airbase close to Delhi, delivering the first batch of American AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the Indian Army. These helicopters—nicknamed 'Flying Tank' for their heavy firepower and battlefield resilience—are set to be deployed along the western front with Pakistan, significantly boosting India's armoured warfare induction marks a major step in the army's longstanding efforts at direct control over its combat aviation assets. The three helicopters delivered are part of a Rs 5,691 crore deal signed in February 2020 for six Apaches, specifically for the Indian Army. The choppers will be based at the newly raised 451 Army Aviation Squadron in Jodhpur, Rajasthan—strategically located for operations in the desert terrain bordering the Indian Air Force (IAF), which uses its 22 Apaches for air defence and deep-strike roles targeting enemy radar installations and command posts, the Indian Army intends to use its fleet for close air support, tank-busting missions and battlefield dominance during armoured delivery also rekindles a long-running turf war between the Indian Army and the IAF over control of attack helicopters. Since Independence, the IAF has retained command over all offensive air assets, including attack and heavy-lift helicopters. The army, however, has argued that helicopter gunships meant to support ground forces should be under the Army Aviation Corps' operational command in order to ensure better coordination and effectiveness in battlefield scenarios. Official sources claim that the arrival of the Apache helicopters is not just a boost in firepower—it represents a symbolic shift in the army's growing ambitions to carve out greater control over integrated air-land warfare. The delivery of all six helicopters is expected soon, after which they will be formally inducted and operationalised for July 22 delivery is more than just acquisition of cutting-edge hardware—it signals a strategic evolution of India's approach to modern aerial warfare. Built in Mesa, Arizona, the AH-64E is widely regarded as the most advanced multi-role combat helicopter in service globally. It forms the backbone of the US army's attack helicopter fleet and is also part of arsenals of several allied nations, including AH-64E incorporates 26 new technologies to enhance battlefield performance. These include advanced digital connectivity, the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System, more powerful T700-GE-701D engines with enhanced transmissions, improved rotor blades made of composite materials, and the ability to control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) mid-flight—allowing manned-unmanned teaming in real time. Globally, over 400 AH-64Es have been delivered, and the US army fleet alone has clocked more than 4.5 million flight as the Apaches strengthen India's capabilities against Pakistan in the western theatre, a parallel and significant development is unfolding on the eastern front. This March, the defence ministry signed a Rs 62,700 crore (approximately $7.3 billion) contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 156 'Prachand' light combat helicopters, underscoring the increasing role of rotorcraft in India's war-fighting doctrine. These helicopters—66 for the IAF and 90 for the Indian Army—will be delivered over the next five years, with deliveries starting in the third for high-altitude warfare, the Prachand is tailored to Indian needs, especially for deployment along the contested Himalayan border with China. With modern stealth features, armour protection and potent night-attack capabilities, the helicopter is optimised for precision strikes in extreme terrain. This makes it a vital counter to Chinese advancements in attack helicopter People's Liberation Army (PLA) has made significant strides with its Z-10 attack helicopter, also known as the Zhishengji-10 or the 'Fierce Thunderbolt'. Also dubbed the 'Chinese Apache' due to its design resemblance and battlefield role, the Z-10 represents China's growing ambitions to rival the US and western rotorcraft the arrival of the US-made Apaches and scaling up of India's homegrown Prachand fleet reflect a broader shift in India's aerial doctrine—one that emphasises on layered, terrain-specific attack helicopter capabilities across two distinct fronts. As the global strategic environment evolves, India's twin investments in American and indigenous platforms ensure it retains a credible edge in both desert and mountain to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
