US halting some shipments of military aid to Ukraine
Stopping the delivery of munitions and other military aid including air defense systems likely would be a blow to Ukraine as it contends with some of Russia's largest missile and drone attacks of the three-year-old war.
'This decision was made to put America's interests first following a DOD (Department of Defense) review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe,' White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told AFP in an email.
The curtailment of military aid signals a possible shift in the priorities of US President Donald Trump, who has pressed for Russia and Ukraine to speed up stalled peace talks.
The Republican has moved on to playing a greater role in orchestrating a possible ceasefire in Gaza and toning down Iran-Israel tensions after a deadly 12-day conflict between the arch foes.
The Pentagon review determined that stocks had become too low on some previously pledged munitions, and that some pending shipments now would not be sent, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity, according to Politico which first reported the halt of military aid.
'The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,' Kelly said, making a reference to the recent US bombings and missile strikes against the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities.
Politico and other US media reported that missiles for Patriot air defense systems, precision artillery and Hellfire missiles are among the items being held back.
Last week at a NATO summit in the Netherlands, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump and appeared to get a vague response from the US leader on Patriot air defense systems.
'We're going to see if we can make some available,' Trump said of the missiles that Kyiv desperately seeks to shoot down Russian attacks.
'They're very hard to get,' Trump added.
Asked by AFP for comment on the halt of shipments and why it was occurring, the Pentagon did not respond directly.
But its chief spokesman Sean Parnell said 'America's military has never been more ready and more capable thanks to President Trump and Secretary (Pete) Hegseth's leadership.'
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On June 27, 2025, Russian columnist Dmitry Drize wrote in the Russian daily Kommersant an article, titled "The Middle East is Already Changing," in which he assessed that, after the 12-day Israel-Iran war, the main conclusion is "obvious": "Iran is no longer a regional leader, much less a superpower that terrifies its neighbors." "Kommersant FM" columnist, Dmitry Drize (Source: Yuri Martyanov / Kommersant) Below are excerpts of Drize's article:[1] "Iran's Nuclear Program Has Not Been Completely Destroyed, Thus Sooner Or Later Its Opponents Will Have To Repeat The Strikes" "The 12-day war is over; the progressive world community discusses how long the peace will last. There are different conclusions, but it all boils down to the fact that Iran's nuclear program has not been completely destroyed, thus sooner or later its opponents will have to repeat the strikes. The question is in the timing. As is known, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proclaimed a total and unconditional victory not only over the 'Zionist entity,' but even over America, which committed an act of aggression against absolutely peaceful objects of the Islamic Republic... "Be that as it may, Tehran admits that the nuclear program has been damaged, perhaps even critically. The meaning of these statements is clear – they are made so that [Israel and the U.S.] will no longer bomb Iran... "Donald Trump also harshly criticized journalists who question the success of the American bombing operation. The press reports that the White House will soon present a plan for the New Middle East, as a result of which wars will become a thing of the past and peace and absolute idyll will be established. Naturally, this is hard to believe. "There Are Reports That Iran Plans To Buy J-10 Jet Fighters From China" "So, what's next? The sides are now calculating their losses and evaluating their options. There are reports that Iran plans to buy J-10 jet fighters from China, which are believed to have demonstrated a great performance during the three-day war between India and Pakistan. By the way, the vehicles are supposed to be purchased instead of Russian Su-35, primarily because the Chinese models are cheaper and less fastidious in terms of maintenance. "However, it is not certain that the deal will take place. Meetings on this issue have been going on for a long time. Beijing is extremely cautious regarding such a step. America, of course, is a competitor and even an adversary, but on the other hand, it is an important trading partner [for China]. Why provide an unnecessary reason for disagreement? Especially since the future of the current power in Tehran, as mentioned above, does not look cloudless at all." "The Middle East Is Already Changing" "The main conclusion is obvious – Iran is no longer a regional leader, much less a superpower that terrifies its neighbors. So, someone else will claim this high title from now on. There are many candidates, including Turkey and the Gulf monarchies. Israel, for its part, has re-established its position, where it wields the power of the strongest. It may not be a contender for leadership, but it is better not to anger this state or test its strength. "In fact, the Middle East is already changing. It remains to be seen what the outcome of it will be. However, something tells me that the situation will not change for the worse; it is quite possible that it will be better. The process is underway and it is gaining momentum every day. This is the essence of changes in the current world order. It would be good, of course, to do without wars, but there is nothing to be done. Man is still imperfect."
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Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei After Israel-Iran War: 'We Won'; Israel Was 'Almost Completely Crushed Beneath The Missiles Of The Islamic Republic'; Iran 'Dealt A Severe Blow To America's Face'
In a celebratory victory speech from his bunker on June 26, 2025, marking the end of the 12-day Israel-Iran war, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stressed that the Zionist regime had been almost completely crushed by Iran's missiles. He congratulated the Iranian people for three main triumphs: the collapse of Israel's military due to Iran's strikes; the failure of the U.S., that had entered the fray to save Israel but had been defeated and humiliated; and the national unity shown by the Iranian people, who had stood as one alongside Iran's armed forces. According to Khamenei, the U.S. responses – first and foremost President Trump's demand that Iran surrender – revealed that the U.S.'s main intention all along was not negotiations but forcing Iran into complete surrender. Calling this demand unreasonable, he said that it only shows the scope of Washington's fear of an independent Islamic regime, and clarified that Iran will never surrender. In addition, during the days he spent in his secure bunker, Khamenei posted several announcements on his X account about Israel's collapse and about reenacting the seventh-century battles fought by Imam Ali and the Prophet Muhammad against the Jews at Khaybar in the Arabian Peninsula. The following is a translation of Khamenei's speech and X posts: Supreme Leader Khamenei: "The Zionist Regime Was Almost Completely Crushed Beneath The Missiles Of The Islamic Republic" In his June 26 victory speech, from his bunker, Khamenei congratulated the Iranian people on Iran's double victory – against Israel, which he said had been "almost completely crushed" by Iran's missiles, and against the U.S. He stated that all the U.S.'s excuses were aimed at concealing one single demand – that the Iranian people concede its position in the negotiations – but that this would never happen. He concluded his speech with a prayer for continued Iranian victories and for the help of the Hidden Imam, the Mahdi. He said: "Peace and blessings to the dear and noble people of Iran. First of all, I express esteem for the dear martyrs of the recent events – the martyr commanders, the martyr scientists – who were, truly and sincerely, precious and valuable to the Islamic Republic, and who served it. Today, with Allah's help, they are being rewarded for their excellent service before the Creator. "I see fit to congratulate the storied Iranian people [on three main issues]...:" "The Victory Over The Artificial Zionist Regime" "First, [I extend] congratulations for the victory over the artificial Zionist regime. The Zionist regime, with all its commotion and all its pretensions, was trampled and almost completely crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic. The thought that such blows could be dealt to this regime [Israel] by the Islamic Republic had never occurred to them – but it happened." We thank Allah, who helped our armed forces overcome their advanced, multilayered defense system, and to raze to the ground many areas, both civilian and military, with [our] missiles and advanced weapons. "This [victory] is one of the greatest divine blessings. It shows the Zionist regime that it must know that aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran will cost it dearly and cause it great damage. And this happened, with Allah's help. The honor for this belongs to the armed forces and to our dear people, who established these forces from amongst themselves, who educated them, supported them, and strengthened their hand so that they could carry out such a great operation." "The Victory Of Our Dear Iran Over The American Regime" "The second congratulations concerns the victory of our dear Iran over the American regime. The American regime entered into a direct clash [with Iran] because it felt that if it did not intervene, the Zionist regime would have been completely destroyed. It entered the battle to save it, but gained nothing. They attacked our nuclear centers – in itself a matter for independent legal handling in the international courts – but did not succeed in carrying out any significant action. "The U.S. president's description of what happened was extremely exaggerated, and in the end this exaggeration was necessary. Anyone who heard his words realized that beneath the surface was a different truth. They [the Americans] did not manage to do a thing; they did not attain their aims; and they are inflating [what they managed to do] in order to hide and obscure the truth. "Here too, the Islamic Republic triumphed, and dealt a severe blow to America's face. It attacked one of America's main bases in the region, the Al-Udeid base [in Qatar], damaging it. Those who exaggerated the first incident tried to downplay [this Iranian attack] and pretend that nothing had happened, when this was a major event. The fact that the Islamic Republic succeeded in reaching America's important centers in the region, and that it will [now] be able to act against them whenever necessary, is not a small thing – it is important. Such an event could recur in the future, and, in the event of [more] aggression, the price paid by the enemy and the aggressor will certainly be heavy." Khamenei speaks from his bunker (Source: Tasnim, June 26, 2025) "The Unity And Exceptional Consent Of The Iranian People" "The third congratulations is for the unity and the exceptional consent of the Iranian people. With Allah's help, a people who numbers 90 million souls stood as one, with one voice, shoulder to shoulder, side by side, with no difference in the demands and goals that they expressed. They shouted, spoke, and supported the activity of the armed forces, and it will be like this in the future as well. The Iranian people demonstrated its nobility and its prominent and unique character, and showed that in times of need, one voice will be heard from them. With Allah's help, this happened. "A point I would like to make is that the U.S. president said in one of his declarations that 'Iran must surrender.' Surrender! The discussion is no longer about enrichment or about the nuclear industry. We are talking about Iran surrendering. Of course, these words are too big for the American president's mouth. Noble Iran, with its history, with its culture, with its national and steely determination – the mere mention of the word 'surrender' in the context of such a country is ridiculous to anyone who knows the Iranian people. "At the same time, his words revealed an important truth. The Americans have been clashing with Islamic Iran since the beginning of the [1979 Islamic] revolution, and they try to get to it every time under a different pretext. One time it's the name of human rights, sometimes it's in the name of defending democracy, and another time it's the name of women's rights; other times it is in the name of enrichment, the nuclear issue itself, or because of [Iran's] missile development. They come up with different excuses, but the essence is always the same – subjugating Iran. "Previous [presidents] did not say this openly, because no human reason accepts saying 'let's surrender' to an entire people. Thus, they concealed their intention behind other titles. But this man [President Trump] exposed the truth, showing and clarifying that the Americans will settle for nothing less than Iran's surrender, and this is a very important point. The Iranian people must know that this is the reason for the confrontation with America, and that the Americans are carrying on their backs a grave insult to [deliver to] the Iranian people. But such an event will never happen. Never. "The Iranian people is a great people. Iran is a strong and vast country, with an ancient culture. Our cultural and civilizational treasures are several hundred times greater than those of America and its ilk. The expectation that anyone will think that Iran will surrender to another country is one of those baseless nonsensical [statements] that will surely be the butt of jokes by the intelligent and knowledgeable. The Iranian people is and will remain a noble people, and is victorious and will continue to triumph, with the help of divine guidance. We hope that the Almighty God will continue to protect this nation under His grace, that He will elevate heavenward the greatness of our great Imam... "Peace and God's mercy and blessing be upon you."[1] Khamenei On X: "With All Its Commotion And Pretensions, With All Its Statements, The Zionist Regime Was On The Verge Of Collapse, Crushed Under The Blows Of The Islamic Republic" The same day, June 26, Supreme Leader Khamenei posted on his official X account a message from his speech, accompanied by an AI-generated image demonstrating his words. He wrote: "With all its commotion and pretensions, with all its statements, the Zionist regime was on the verge of collapse, crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic." The image showed a giant army boot stomping on the Israeli flag as Iranian missiles rained down on Israeli cities.[2] June 16, 2025. The next day, June 27, Khamenei posted another AI-generated graphic on his X account demonstrating what he described as Israel being crushed. It depicted the Jewish menorah, the symbol of the State of Israel, with its seven arms set on fire by Iranian missiles and crumbling into ash amid the ruins of the city, as Israel's population thronged like vermin to the shore to try to board boats, since Israel's airspace was closed. It stated: "The Zionist regime, with all its commotion and all its pretensions, was trampled and almost completely # crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic. The thought that such blows could be dealt to this regime [Israel] by the Islamic Republic had never occurred to them – but it happened." It concluded in Hebrew, "Israel is crushed."[3] June 27, 2025. Khamenei On X: "[Imam] Ali Returns To Khaybar With [His Double-Bladed Sword] Zulfiqar – Allah Akbar" Earlier, on June 18, Khamenei posted on X a well-known Muslim battle cry for massacring Jews. In 627 CE, Ali (aka Haidar), the first Shi'a imam and the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, participated in the campaign against the Jewish tribe, the Banu Qurayza in the Arabian Peninsula. The Jews were massacred in the Battle of Khaybar, where they lived. To this day, the antisemitic call "Khaybar, Khaybar, oh Jews, the army of Muhammad will return" is chanted as a threat to Jewish communities.[4] Zulfiqar is Ali's double-bladed sword, and it is considered a symbol of Islam. The post was accompanied by an AI-generated image of the Battle of Khaybar. Khamenei wrote in his post: "In the name of the renowned # Haidar [Ali], the battle begins. [Imam] Ali returns to # Khaybar with his Zulfiqar. # Allah Akbar."[5] June 18, 2025.
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Afghan Taliban Aims To Help Russia's Labor Crisis
Moscow is increasing its cooperation with rogue states and regimes, against a background of confrontation with the West. In a move marking a significant geopolitical and domestic policy shift, Russia has officially suspended its ban on engaging with the Afghan Taliban, drawing closer to cooperation with Afghan authorities. One motive for this growing cooperation is to offset Russia's labor shortage with Afghan workers. However, this policy of the Kremlin's does not find favor among patriotic and nationalist groups, especially given growing interethnic tensions. On April 17, 2025, Russia's Supreme Court suspended the country's ban on Taliban activities in Russia. The decision came into force on May 26, and was quickly followed by a gathering on June 18-21, when a delegation from the Taliban movement attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025 (SPIEF). The official delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan attends the SPIEF-2025, St, Petersburg. (Source: Kirill Zykov / RIA Novosti via Parlamentskaya Gazeta media).[1] After the conference, the head of the Russian Business Centre in Afghanistan, Rustam Khabibullin, in an interview with Baza media, stated that the Taliban delegation had agreed at the forum to bring 1,000 Afghan workers to regions in Russia.[2] According to Baza, one hundred Afghan citizens were already working at construction sites in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tatarstan. Khabibullin noted that the majority of such workers are "installers, welders, painters, electricians and other highly qualified specialists." It's expected that the new group of Afghan workers will be employed in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Krasnodar Krai. In addition, Khabibullin stated that "a group of construction specialists from Afghanistan" will be deployed in the "liberated Russian territories - DPR and LPR."[3] The Head of the Russian Business Centre asserted that Afghan construction specialists would be tasked with "clearing the territory and restoring infrastructure." "There is a great need for Afghan specialists in Russia," concluded Rustam Khabibullin.[4] Indeed, Russia is experiencing a severe labor shortage, exacerbated by a difficult demographic situation, ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, and growing social tensions towards migrants. By the end of 2024, according to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, the shortage of qualified personnel in Russia had reached 1.5 million people (relying on data from Russia's Labour Ministry). The greatest demand is in construction, transportation, housing, and the communal services sectors.[5] At the same time, Rosstat[6] assessed the general labor shortage indicator at 2.2 million people.[7] With these numbers in mind, several specialists interviewed by Kavkazskii Uzel media assessed the news about the possible arrival of 1,000 Afghan workers as a purely political gesture indicating Moscow's new disposition towards Kabul.[8] For instance, political scientist Denga Khalidov noted that Russia is simply making "a soft diplomatic step towards Afghanistan," demonstrating its readiness for cooperation. "I doubt that a thousand workers from Afghanistan can solve the shortage of construction workers in Russia," concluded the political scientist.[9] Professor of the Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia at Moscow State University Natalia Zubarevich agrees: "This is a drop in the ocean. Here are the numbers: last year 47,000 foreign specialists were attracted to Russia. In total, we have 72 million people employed (in the economic sector) – I'm talking about the skilled labour force." According to the professor, Chechnya and Dagestan alone require a greater number of workers than those arriving from Afghanistan.[10] The official delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at SPIEF-2025, St, Petersburg. (Source Maxim Bogodvid/RIA Novosti, via media).[11] This is happening against a backdrop of growing social tensions towards foreign workers and an unprecedented tightening of immigration laws in Russia. For instance, according to the Levada polling agency report of May 16, 2025, two thirds of respondents (66%) believe that migrants increase the crime rate; more than half stated that migrants take jobs from Russians (56%); every second respondent thinks that migrants "destroy" Russian culture (52%); every other respondent disagreed with a statement that migrants in general contribute to the development of the Russian economy (51%). Most respondents believe that the Russian government should limit the influx of immigrants (70%).[12] Thus, news about the arrival of specialists from Afghanistan caused discontent in patriotic groups. For example, the largest nationalist organization in the country, the "Russian Community," via its Telegram account, wondered how many of these Afghan workers took part in hostilities in their own country and "overthrew the existing legitimate regime there," or were involved in terrorist and sabotage activities. "It's not clear in what way the Afghan laborers are better than the local workers and why such a need vise of the people's friendship continues to squeeze Russia with its steel spikes," concluded the group.[13] The post attracted over 7,000 views. The fascist and monarchist "Sons of Monarchy" Telegram channel managed by Russian nationalist Roman Antonovski, agreed: "Russia needs Afghan migrants even less than Tajik ones. They are even deported from Iran and Pakistan. Perhaps we should consider the negative experience of these countries, which have faced the fact that [streams of] Afghan migrants and refugees are swarmed with criminals, Islamists and saboteurs?" The post gathered more than 12,000 views.[14] In yet another post dedicated to the issue, Antonovski predicted that Afghan migrants would become an even bigger problem for Russia than Tajik ones, dubbing the initiative "suicide, sabotage, and provocation."[15] Another voice came from the neo-Nazi "NSN - Sector Rus," which greatly exaggerated the news, writing about a "massive influx of migrant workers from Afghanistan."[16] In turn, a corresponding post by the xenophobic "Manynational" Telegram channel gathered an absolute majority of negative and indignant reactions, with more than 166,000 views. A screenshot by the xenophobic and nationalist "Manynational" Telegram channel dedicated to the Taliban delegation's visit to the SPIEF-2025. The overwhelming majority of users left mocking, angry or indignant reactions to the news that Afghan workers would be invited to Russia. (Source: Telegram Manynational).[17] Objective measures of the Russian economy indicate that an influx of foreign labor is required. Yet many patriotic groups, amid rising nationalism and worsening interethnic relations, oppose foreign workers on Russian soil. It is safe to assume that antagonism to the state policy in this sphere by nationalist groups will only grow.
