Iran's retaliation potential as U.S. postures in region after nuclear site strikes
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JAMnews
an hour ago
- JAMnews
Georgian Dream's foreign ministry expressed solidarity with Iran over 'Israeli regime attack victims"
Georgia's solidarity with Iran Deputy Foreign Minister of the Georgian Dream government Alexander Khvtisiashvili expressed solidarity with Iran at an event held at the Iranian embassy in Tbilisi, dedicated to the opening of a 'Martyrs' Memorial' for those 'killed in attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran's territorial integrity,' according to a statement from the Iranian embassy. The events took place on June 30 and July 1 and were attended by: Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Khvtisiashvili The ambassadors of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to Georgia Iraq's chargé d'affaires China's military attaché Representatives of religious groups, including the head of Georgia's Muslim Department Members of the Iranian diaspora and Georgian Iranologists A representative of the Israeli embassy told Formula TV that Israel was 'deeply disappointed' by Georgian Dream's participation in the solidarity event with Iran. Georgia's opposition also condemned the move. 'This is yet another immoral act by the Ivanishvili regime and does not reflect the views of the Georgian people,' said the opposition coalition 'Coalition for Change.' U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson, a Republican and vocal supporter of Donald Trump, wrote on X: 'The anti-American Georgian Dream regime went to the embassy of the terrorist regime in Tehran for an event dedicated to the 'Memorial of the Martyrs Killed in the Israeli Regime Attack' and expressed solidarity with terrorists. Georgian Dream loves terrorist Iran & the Chinese Communist Party and hates America.' Statement from the Iranian Embassy 'On Monday and Tuesday, June 30 and July 1, 2024, the Embassy of Iran in Tbilisi held a memorial event honoring the martyrs who lost their lives during the armed attack by the Israeli regime on Iran's territorial integrity. The event was attended by Georgia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Khvtisiashvili, along with members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Tbilisi. They signed the book of condolences opened at the embassy, expressing their sympathy and solidarity with Iran. We are deeply grateful to our friends and partners for their support and compassion during this difficult time.' Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Alexander Khvtisiashvili signs the 'Book of Martyrs' at the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi. The photo was published by the embassy Clarification from the Georgian Dream-led Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'On June 13, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia responded to the escalation in the Middle East with an official statement. We are deeply concerned about the growing tensions in the region, which pose a threat to regional security. We particularly emphasize the importance of diplomatic efforts to ensure de-escalation and stability. On June 26, 2025, the Embassy of Iran sent an official note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informing us of the opening of a book of condolences at the Iranian Embassy. In this context, an appropriate entry was made in the book of condolences opened in Tbilisi in connection with the deaths of Iranian citizens.' 'Iran has always supported Georgia and now expects support in return' On June 20, at the height of Israel's military operation in Iran, the Iranian Embassy in Georgia released the following statement in response to a Georgian journalist's question about Tbilisi's position on the Iran–Israel conflict: 'Iran has always respected Georgia's independence and supported the Georgian people in critical moments, including during the 2006 energy crisis. Iran has also consistently supported Georgia's territorial integrity on international platforms. Today, in the face of open aggression and war crimes, we expect the international community — including our friends in Georgia — to take a stand based on the same unwavering principles of international law and humanitarian values. We hope that Georgia will adopt a principled and legally grounded approach on this matter and openly condemn these serious violations of international law, as upholding these principles serves the interests of stability and security for all nations.' The Israeli military launched an operation against Iran's nuclear facilities and weapons depots on June 13. On the night of June 21–22, U.S. military bombers struck Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, prompting Iran to respond with a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar. Israel and the U.S. stated that Iran was close to developing nuclear weapons — something they said could not be allowed. Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes. On June 24, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran had come into effect. Trump declared that Iran's nuclear facilities had been destroyed. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei congratulated the Iranian people on their 'victory' over Israel and the United States. In response, Donald Trump sharply criticized Khamenei for 'lying' and said he had decided not to lift sanctions on Iran. News in Georgia
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Iran feared to be ASSASSINATING 'pro-US' Swiss diplomats after two died and another was wounded - including woman who fell from 17th floor apartment - before shocking discovery during autopsy
Swiss diplomats may have been assassinated in Iran, their intelligence service has said. The bleak warning comes after the mysterious deaths of four Swiss citizens in Iran which were considered as potential repercussions to their ties with the US. Russia, China and North Korea have all heightened their intelligence activity against Switzerland but Iran had particularly increased 'the visibility of Swiss personnel to hostile services', the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) claimed. Switzerland acts as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran and has represented US interests in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The regional conflict would have increased the risk of 'direct pressure' on Swiss personnel in Iran, with diplomats prime targets for surveillance, according to ex-intelligence officials. Sylvie Brunner, the Swiss deputy ambassador to Tehran, was allegedly pushed from the 17th-floor of her balcony in 2021, according to a former officer in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 'They view the Swiss embassy as a point for the Americans. In Iran, they believe some embassy staff are working for the CIA,' he told SRF, who conducted the joint investigation with fellow Swiss broadcaster RTS into the deaths. He claimed that it was 'an espionage mission that went wrong' but Iranian officials have ruled the death a suicide. Many at first believed the stories of mental health issues - even though Iranian emergency workers said there was no clear reason why she would take her own life at the time. But the official who made the comment was dismissed and has since been retracted. Iranian authorities have refused to share the full investigative file with Bern and removed several of her main organs before her body was repatriated. This prevented a comprehensive toxicology test, with the pathologist unable to rule out that the involvement of 'one or two persons', a Swiss-commissioned forensic review said. Two years later, a Swiss defence attaché collapsed in a hotel in Tehran, suffering from severe head and abdominal injuries, and died months later after flying home. SRF reported that the man had been working on a sensitive assignment and may have been exposed while on a mission but Iran have said the death was natural. Not three months later in September 2023 did a Swiss Embassy employee get stabbed and shot while walking to work. This was dismissed as a robbery by Iranian authorities but Swiss analysts cast doubt on this explanation, arguing this would be unlikely in such a heavily policed capital. And then in January 2025, a Swiss tourist in his 60s hanged himself in Semnan prison after he was jailed on spying allegations, Provincial Judge Mohammad Sadeq Akbari told Iranian state media. His body has been returned to Switzerland but the results have not yet been made public. Switzerland's Foreign Ministry are working towards 'full clarity' on the deaths but do not have the investigative authority to do so on Iranian soil, they told SRF. Ms Brunner's brother, Vincent, told SRF that he 'always believed it was murder'. He said that before she died clear boot prints were left in her apartment, meant as a clear warning to Ms Brunner that she was being watched. Swiss officials were allegedly made aware that Ms Brunner felt she was being intimidated and harassed by Iranian operatives but their police were unable to help. The family are considering civil action after the Office of the Attorney-General closed the criminal probe into the diplomat's death over lack of evidence. Some Swiss politicians had called for a 'transparent international investigation' although no inuqry has been scheduled.
The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump's record defense budget hits $1 trillion despite DOGE
Although Congress must legislate and approve the full budget, an initial tranche of the fiscal 2026 funding -- $119.3 billion of the $1.01 trillion -- for DoD and the National Nuclear Security Administration will likely arrive via Trump's tax and spending package, which he's dubbed "one, big beautiful bill." The administration staked key portions of the defense budget on Trump's megabill, which includes controversial conservative policy priorities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the budget is needed to "end four years of chronic underinvestment in our military." Former President Joe Biden requested increased levels of defense spending, but congressional Republicans asked for even more. A DoD spokesperson told USA TODAY that Hegseth continues to review programs for cuts or further reallocations. The Pentagon and NNSA spending boost contrasts with major cuts to other programs sought by the administration and the Republican majority in Congress. The reconciliation megabill, which passed the Senate on July 1, must again win House approval before it goes to Trump for his signature. (The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.) Over the next decade, the reconciliation bill would cut $1 trillion from Medicaid, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office; $300 billion from food stamps; and hundreds of billions more from clean energy programs. Foreign aid and education programs are on the chopping block in the main budget, which Congress has not yet started deliberating. House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, said the defense spending boost in the reconciliation bill is "needed to restore American deterrence, revitalize the defense industrial base, and modernize our military." Figures on both sides of the political spectrum, including Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon, have expressed frustration over the defense budget's continued growth. "You can't talk about fraud and waste and abuse in this town unless you're gonna go to the Pentagon," Bannon said in an April 24 podcast. "And you know what's happened since [DOGE] went over there? Crickets ... The system we have is not sustainable." William Hartung, a defense spending expert at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told USA TODAY that the Pentagon's rushed budget rollout omitted key documents detailing "the nuts and bolts" of its funding requests. "It makes it very hard to analyze ... their priorities," Hartung said. "(There's) a lot missing if you're a member of Congress trying to evaluate this." That could leave lawmakers and analysts flying blind during the hurried reconciliation bill push, which Trump ordered congressional GOP leaders to have on his desk by July 4. Hartung argued that spending more on defense doesn't necessarily equate to getting better results because Congress often spends money based on what congressional district or state will receive the work rather than how the proposal aligns with U.S. strategy. Former Democratic Rep. John Tierney, who now heads the Council for a Livable World and Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation nonprofits, said he believes the political climate discourages lawmakers of both parties from questioning defense spending. "There's not a lot of thought about what the strategy is," Tierney added. Nuclear modernization, missile defense garner billions According to the Pentagon, around $85 billion of the proposed defense budget would go toward U.S. nuclear capabilities and Trump's Golden Dome missile defense initiative. Much of the funding will go toward America's triad of nuclear-armed bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and nuclear submarines whose replacements are centerpieces of a broader $1.7 trillion nuclear modernization effort. More: Trump pushes $175 billion 'Golden Dome' missile defense plan Hartung emphasized the Pentagon and NNSA's poor track record of keeping such protects on-time and on-budget. The Government Accountability Office estimated in June that the full cost of developing and deploying the Sentinel ICBM, slated to replace the Minuteman III missiles that have remained on watch since 1970, will balloon to "approximately $170 billion" after the Air Force realized the new missiles could not use legacy Minuteman III silos. "This project is totally out of control," argued Tierney. The administration wants the restructured Sentinel program to receive $4.5 billion in fiscal 2026, according to budget documents. New silos are not included in that figure. The NNSA, which designs, builds and maintains the country's nuclear warheads, is in line to receive a $5.56 billion (or nearly 30%) boost in funding for its Weapons Activities division compared to the previous year. The agency is struggling to hit its timeline and cost goals for reestablishing mass production of nuclear warheads' explosive cores, known as plutonium pits. A May USA TODAY investigation detailed the NNSA's decades-long battle to secure enough federal employees with adequate technical backgrounds to oversee the agency's complex and sprawling projects. Government watchdogs have consistently highlighted staffing problems as an Achilles heel for the agency. More: Nuclear weapons woes: Understaffed nuke agency hit by DOGE and safety worries NNSA's fiscal 2026 budget request does not include significant funding for additional federal employees, despite agency leaders testifying to Congress on May 20 about their scramble to address DOGE-created vacancies amid a near-total hiring freeze. "It's a recipe for wasting money," said Hartung of the NNSA funding boost. Davis Winkie's role covering nuclear threats and national security at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY
