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Scottish Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Iran's president injured in Israeli missile blitz on Tehran security meeting before he's bundled through emergency hatch
IRAN'S President was reportedly injured during an Israeli blitz during the 12-day war last month - before being bundled out of an emergency hatch. Masoud Pezeshkian was wounded in the leg and forced to flee during a high-profile emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council, Iranian state media said. 9 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was injured during an Israeli blitz last month Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 9 Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on the Iran State Radio and Television (IRIB) building on June 16 9 People look over damage to buildings in Nobonyad Square, Iran, following Israeli airstrikes on the first day of the conflict The attack on June 16 targeted the entry points of a secret underground facility in the Iranian capital with six missiles. The devastating attack left the building without power, blocked all its access points and cut off its ventilation system. But all the top officials there, including Pezeshkian, managed to escape death during the blitz which came on the fourth day of the conflict. The claims come after the Iranian President accused Israel of trying to assassinate him during the tense conflict last month. READ MORE WORLD NEWS NUKE FEARS Israel admits some of Iran's underground uranium stockpile SURVIVED Trump blitz The 12-day war kicked off with Operation Rising Lion, which saw Israel attempting to derail Iran's nuclear programme by striking Tehran's enrichment facilities. During Tel Aviv's attack on the high-profile meeting, other top officials alongside Pezeshkian included Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliamentary speaker, and Mohseni Ejei, a judiciary chief. Tehran also claimed the strike had similarities to the one that eliminated long-term Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut. The Iranian President told Tucker Carlson last week that he had personally been the target of an Israeli attack. When asked if he had been the subject of an assassination attempt, he said: 'They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed. "I was in a meeting. We were discussing the ways to move forward, but thanks to the intelligence by the spies that they had, they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting." Trump is nominated for Nobel Peace prize as Netanyahu presents letter to Don at triumphant White House summit But Israel's defence minister Israel Katz denied the allegations - saying that "regime change" had not been a part of the plan during the blistering conflict last month. Iranian state media reported the the attack occurred "before noon on Monday, June 16, while a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council was being held". The meeting included the "heads of the three branches of government and other senior officials". State media added that the meeting was held "in the lower floors of a building in western Tehran". "The attackers targeted the building's entrances and exits by firing six bombs or missiles to block escape routes and cut off air flow," the report detailed. Investigations are now ongoing in Iran in order to find out how such a precise attack was possible. Internal probes will hope to get to the bottom of how Israel came to know the president's exact movements and the location of the top-secret Supreme National Security Council meeting. 9 Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran 9 A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex after the US bombings on June 21 9 Israeli Iron Dome air defence system intercepts missiles over Tel Aviv Tehran has arrested more than 700 people in the wake of the war on charges of collaborating with Israel. It has also attempted to push through a new emergency spy law - which will introduce more severe punishments including the death penalty. The Supreme National Security Council is seen as Tehran's number two decision-maker, just behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Ayatollah went into deep hiding during the teetering conflict while Israel carried out its advanced air and ground attacks. The 12-day war began on June 13 when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion - a sophisticated bombing campaign which targeted Iran's military nuclear sites. The Israelis also orchestrated Operation Red Wedding - which saw 30 top Iranian military chiefs killed in a near-simultaneous blitz as Tel Aviv sought to root out the country's military strength entirely. Iran retaliated by launching daily salvos of ballistic missiles across Israel, but failed to hit any strategic targets. 9 Iran also launched salvos of missiles back at Israel, pictured Credit: Getty 9 Rocket trails above Netanya, Israel amid a barrage of Iranian missiles on June 21 Credit: AFP Less than a fortnight later, Trump joined the Israeli bombing campaign against Iran with Operation Midnight Hammer. The US military's flagship B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped more than a dozen 30,000lb GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs. The bunker-buster bombs were used to hit Iran's Fordow Nuclear Enrichment Plant. Iran, which vowed to hit US military bases across the Middle East, sought its revenge by launching missiles at Al-Udeid Air Base - America's biggest military station in the region. But Tehran seemingly cooked up a fake attack after passing warnings to its Qatari allies, which allowed all US service personnel and aircraft to be moved out of harm's way. Trump dubbed the expected response "weak" before announcing that a ceasefire deal had been reached between the Israelis and Iranians.
The Irish Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Iran's president injured in Israeli missile blitz on Tehran security meeting before he's bundled through emergency hatch
IRAN'S President was reportedly injured during an Israeli blitz during the 12-day war last month - before being bundled out of an emergency hatch. Masoud Pezeshkian was wounded in the leg and forced to flee during a 9 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was injured during an Israeli blitz last month Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 9 Smoke rises after an Israeli attack on the Iran State Radio and Television (IRIB) building on June 16 9 People look over damage to buildings in Nobonyad Square, Iran, following Israeli airstrikes on the first day of the conflict The attack on June 16 targeted the entry points of a The But all the The claims come after the Iranian President accused Israel of trying to assassinate him during the READ MORE WORLD NEWS The During The Iranian President told target of an Israeli attack. Most read in The US Sun When asked if he had been the subject of an assassination attempt, he said: 'They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed. "I was in a meeting. We were discussing the ways to move forward, but thanks to the intelligence by the spies that they had, they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting." Trump is nominated for Nobel Peace prize as Netanyahu presents letter to Don at triumphant White House summit But Israel's defence minister Israel Katz denied the allegations - saying that "regime change" had not been a part of the plan during the blistering conflict last month. Iranian state media reported the the attack occurred "before noon on Monday, June 16, while a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council was being held". The meeting included the "heads of the three branches of government and other senior officials". State media added that the meeting was held "in the lower floors of a building in western Tehran". "The attackers targeted the building's entrances and exits by firing six bombs or missiles to block escape routes and cut off air flow," the report detailed. Investigations are now ongoing in Iran in order to find out how such a precise attack was possible. Internal probes will hope to get to the bottom of how Israel came to know the president's exact movements and the location of the top-secret Supreme National Security Council meeting. 9 Smoke rises following an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran 9 A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex after the US bombings on June 21 9 Israeli Iron Dome air defence system intercepts missiles over Tel Aviv Tehran has arrested more than 700 people in the wake of the war on charges of collaborating with Israel. It has also attempted to push through a new emergency spy law - which will introduce more severe punishments including the death penalty. The Supreme National Security Council is seen as Tehran's number two decision-maker, just behind Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Ayatollah went into deep hiding during the teetering conflict while Israel carried out its advanced air and ground attacks. The 12-day war began on June 13 when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion - a sophisticated bombing campaign which targeted Iran's military nuclear sites. The Israelis also orchestrated Operation Red Wedding - which saw 30 top Iranian military chiefs killed in a near-simultaneous blitz as Tel Aviv sought to root out the country's military strength entirely. Iran retaliated by launching daily salvos of ballistic missiles across Israel, but failed to hit any strategic targets. 9 Iran also launched salvos of missiles back at Israel, pictured Credit: Getty 9 Rocket trails above Netanya, Israel amid a barrage of Iranian missiles on June 21 Credit: AFP Less than a fortnight later, Trump joined the Israeli bombing campaign against Iran with Operation Midnight Hammer. The US military's flagship B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped more than a dozen 30,000lb GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs. The bunker-buster bombs were used to hit Iran's Fordow Nuclear Enrichment Plant. Iran, which vowed to hit US military bases across the Middle East, sought its revenge by launching missiles at Al-Udeid Air Base - America's biggest military station in the region. But Tehran seemingly cooked up a fake attack after passing warnings to its Qatari allies, which allowed all US service personnel and aircraft to be moved out of harm's way. Trump dubbed the expected response "weak" before announcing that a ceasefire deal had been reached between the Israelis and Iranians. 9 The moment a GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) hit an Iranian nuclear enrichment bunker
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Iran threatens to assassinate Trump while sunbathing at Mar-a-Lago amid high alert for sleeper cell terrorists in US
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TOP Iranian official and senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened to assassinate Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Former diplomat Javad Larijani told Iranian state TV that Don could face a drone attack while sunbathing at his lavish Florida mansion. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 The Iran State Radio and Television (IRIB) building hit by an Israeli strike Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 An explosion is seen during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel Credit: AP 10 Mohammad-Javad Larijani has threatened Trump could be assassinated Credit: AFP 10 Donald Trump was shot at during an assassination attempt last year Credit: AP Larijani, who has strong ties to the Iranian regime, said: "Trump has done something so that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago. "As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel. It's very simple." Trump laughed off the threat and said: "I guess it's a threat. I'm not sure it's a threat, actually, but perhaps it is." Larijani's comments came after an online platform called "blood pact" began raising funds to "punish those who threaten Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei." A statement on the site said: "We pledge to award the bounty to anyone who can bring the enemies of God and those who threaten the life of Ali Khamenei to justice." It is not clear who operates the site. However, just days ago, a top Iranian cleric issued a fatwa calling for the death of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the Islamic religious decree, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi branded both leaders as "enemies of God". The Shiite cleric issued the fatwa after the 12-Day war between Israel and Iran, which was also briefly joined by the US following American military strikes against Tehran. It effectively states that Trump and Netanyahu "waged war against [Allah] and must be made to regret their words and actions. Inside Op Red Wedding – Israel's fierce wave of assassinations killing 30 Iran generals in first MINUTES of 12-day war "Those who threaten the leadership and integrity of the Islamic Ummah are to be considered [mohareb]," it added. Under the Iranian under Iranian penal code, mohareb - someone who wages war against god - must be punished by "execution or crucifixion' or face 'amputation of the right hand and left foot or exile". The fatwa also forbids any Muslim to cooperate with or support the two leaders - and says that any jihadist who is killed while attacking them will receive a reward from Allah. It reads: "It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes. "[A] Muslim who abides by his Muslim duty and suffers hardship or loss in their campaign, they will be rewarded as a fighter in the way of God, God willing." Last year, an Iranian agent was charged with plotting to kill Donald Trump in an assassination that would have shaken the world. US prosecutors say the rogue state told ex-con Farhad Shakeri — said to be hiding in Tehran — to devise a seven-day plan to spy on and murder him. Prosecutors said an official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard told Shakeri to devise a plan to eliminate the then-president-elect. They claim the planned hit was an attempt to take vengeance for a US drone strike ordered by Trump that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, then said to be the world's No1 terrorist, in 2020. Trump's former security advisor, John Bolton, said the US President is "at the top" of an 'assassination list' from the Middle East nation. He said in an interview: "Iran's terror network is really quite extensive in Europe and in the United States." Critics of the Mullahs' regime have condemned the fatwa, calling it a state-endorsed incitement to global terrorism. Trump said he saved Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from an "ugly death". During the 12-Day War, the Israelis, on multiple occasions, suggested that targeting Ayatollah Khamenei was "not off the table". 10 Trump's lavish Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida Credit: Getty 10 A picture of the fatwa released by the Iranian mullah, thought to be a close aid to Khamenei Credit: Getty 10 Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a horrifying Fatwa Credit: Alamy 10 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance since the start of the 12-day war Credit: Getty But Trump, who said he knew exactly where the supreme leader had been hiding, did not let the US forces or the IDF" assassinate Khamenei. In a Truth Social post, Trump raged: "I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH. "And he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!' "I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life." Trump also blasted the Ayatollah's claims that Iran won the war. He said: "Why would the so-called 'Supreme Leader,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war-torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so. "As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie." Iran's top mullah Khamenei, 86, claimed victory over Israel and America despite his country being hammered for almost two weeks. He ludicrously claimed Iran had almost crushed Israel, and the government in Tel Aviv was on the verge of collapse. That's despite the IDF controlling the skies over Tehran, assassinating dozens of top generals and nuclear scientists, and destroying dozens of valuable missile batteries in just 12 days of fighting. Khamenei also said that Iran had given the US a "severe slap" to its face and that it had "gained nothing" from the attack on Iran's nuke plants. The Ayatollah said: 'The American regime entered a direct war because it felt that if it did not, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. "However, it gained no achievements from this war. 'Here, too, the Islamic Republic emerged victorious, and in return, the Islamic Republic delivered a severe slap to America's face. MURDEROUS TERROR PLOT Iran may activate a network of sleeper cells across the West in the face of the Israeli bombing campaign, experts have warned. A weakened Tehran is expected to resort to asymmetric terror warfare in a bid to destabilise its adversaries. Barak Seener, a security and defence expert at Henry Jackson Society and Iran expert, said: "The very fact now that the Iranian regime is volatile, it's targeted, and it's highly vulnerable — that's what actually makes it increasingly dangerous to the West." Iran's murderous Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is thought to run an extensive network of sleeper cells across the world. Mr Seener told The Sun that these sleeper cells could be regular people living regular lives. But when given the signal, they could carry out terrorist activities targeting the West. These terror operations could target public infrastructure and even civilians, with no weapons off the table, experts warn. Iran's terror on UK streets By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter Iran-fuelled hit squads on the streets of the UK have been linked to at least 15 threats to kill or kidnap detected by authorities. They are all part of a campaign of intimidation aimed at those who speak out against the hardline regime. The MI5 has accused Tehran of more than a dozen assassination and kidnap plots in Britain against dissidents and media organisations in the past two years. Officials have previously warned that the threat against Iranian critics living in the UK has ramped up drastically after the horror October 7 attacks. And given the hostile situation in the Middle East, Iran could ramp up its secret terror activities in the UK, Europe and the US, experts fear. In 2022, Major Gen Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC warned: "You've tried us before. Watch out because we're coming for you." Last year, Iranian TV journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in London, sparking an investigation led by counter-terrorism police. The suspects were believed to be proxy agents hired by Tehran. Mr Zeraati works for Iran International, a London-based Persian-speaking channel which has reported on Iran's human rights violations. He said a man approached him and asked for £3 before another man appeared and stabbed him in the leg. The two fled in a car being driven by a third man, leaving Mr Zeraati bleeding in the street. Investigators believed the three culprits were able to flee the country on a flight from Heathrow within hours of the attack. Mr Zeraati, whose organisation has been a vocal critic of Iran, said the attack was a "warning shot" from Tehran. He called on the UK government to declare the IRGC a terrorist group to stop it from spreading its doctrine. He said: "It will also send a clear message to the regime in Iran that enough is enough. "The whole of Western civilisation is in danger because of the threat the IRGC poses." A report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) found almost half of journalists who covered Iran from the UK reported being physically or verbally harassed in the past five years. Individuals have been sent death threats by text and voice notes, with one message noting that the 'water underneath Westminster Bridge was very deep'. One said they were constantly worried about Iran targeting their children, saying: 'I wake up in the middle of the night. I check my son to see if he's there. I won't let him play in the garden on his own. I have to be there. I'm on alert constantly.' Another reporter told the RSF she had a package, which was designed to look like it contained anthrax, hand-delivered to her apartment block. While female TV journalist was approached on a London bus by a man who told her: 'We will kill you. You are a very bad person.' All of them are understood to have voiced their dissent against Tehran. Mr Seener told The Sun: "They live amongst us in regular communities, have regular jobs, and they just are awaiting being activated to conduct malign activities, whether it be through a telephone text or a beeper, and then they already know what they are going to be doing. "If the regime feels threatened and on the verge of being toppled, then they may say, 'you're going to go down with us,' and at that point they may unleash their sleeper cells." Mr Seener said the attacks could range from an attack against a synagogue, an embassy, or blowing up a dirty bomb in Central London. Sir Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned back in October that Iran could turn on UK targets if it felt Britain was too enthusiastic in its support for Israel. He said the attacks could increase if the Middle East conflict intensifies. In August, Matt Jukes, the head of Counter Terror Policing, warned that Britain is facing an increase in plots by hostile states. He said Iranian dissidents and diaspora communities have been 'clearly at risk of kidnapping or assassination'. "These are people who are doing it daily. And when you are projecting soft power, you're creating the cultural milieu in which terrorism can be conducted much more readily. Counterterror police have investigated 15 of these cases alongside MI5. MI5 has responded to 20 plots backed by Iran since 2022, it was reported. 10 Iran's murderous terrorist wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Iran threatens to assassinate Trump while sunbathing at Mar-a-Lago amid high alert for sleeper cell terrorists in US
A TOP Iranian official and senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened to assassinate Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Former diplomat Javad Larijani told Iranian state TV that Don could face a drone attack while sunbathing at his lavish Florida mansion. 10 The Iran State Radio and Television (IRIB) building hit by an Israeli strike Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 10 An explosion is seen during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel Credit: AP 10 Mohammad-Javad Larijani has threatened Trump could be assassinated Credit: AFP 10 Donald Trump was shot at during an assassination attempt last year Credit: AP Larijani, who has strong ties to the Iranian regime, said: "Trump has done something so that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago. "As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel. It's very simple." Trump laughed off the threat and said: "I guess it's a threat. I'm not sure it's a threat, actually, but perhaps it is." Larijani's comments came after an online platform called "blood pact" began raising funds to "punish those who threaten Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei." more on Iran A statement on the site said: "We pledge to award the bounty to anyone who can bring the enemies of God and those who threaten the life of Ali Khamenei to justice." It is not clear who operates the site. However, just days ago, a top Iranian cleric issued a fatwa calling for the death of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the Islamic religious decree, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi branded both leaders as "enemies of God". Most read in The US Sun The Shiite cleric issued the fatwa after the It effectively states that Trump and Netanyahu "waged war against [Allah] and must be made to regret their words and actions. Inside Op Red Wedding – Israel's fierce wave of assassinations killing 30 Iran generals in first MINUTES of 12-day war "Those who threaten the leadership and integrity of the Islamic Ummah are to be considered [mohareb]," it added. Under the Iranian under Iranian penal code, mohareb - someone who wages war against god - must be punished by "execution or crucifixion' or face 'amputation of the right hand and left foot or exile". The fatwa also forbids any Muslim to cooperate with or support the two leaders - and says that any jihadist who is killed while attacking them will receive a reward from Allah. It reads: "It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes. "[A] Muslim who abides by his Muslim duty and suffers hardship or loss in their campaign, they will be rewarded as a fighter in the way of God, God willing." Last year, an Iranian agent was charged with plotting to kill Donald Trump in an assassination that would have shaken the world. Prosecutors said an official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard told Shakeri to devise a plan to eliminate the then-president-elect. They claim the planned hit was an attempt to take vengeance for a Trump's former security advisor, John Bolton, said the He said in an interview: "Iran's terror network is really quite extensive in Europe and in the United States." Critics of the Mullahs' regime have condemned the fatwa, calling it a state-endorsed incitement to global terrorism. Trump said he . During the 12-Day War, the Israelis, on multiple occasions, suggested that targeting Ayatollah Khamenei was "not off the table". 10 Trump's lavish Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida Credit: Getty 10 A picture of the fatwa released by the Iranian mullah, thought to be a close aid to Khamenei Credit: Getty 10 Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a horrifying Fatwa Credit: Alamy 10 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance since the start of the 12-day war Credit: Getty But Trump, who said he knew exactly where the supreme leader had been hiding, did not let the US forces or the IDF" assassinate Khamenei. In a Truth Social post, "And he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!' "I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life." Trump also blasted the Ayatollah's claims that Iran won the war. He said: "Why would the so-called 'Supreme Leader,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war-torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so. "As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie." Iran's He ludicrously claimed Iran had almost crushed Israel, and the government in Tel Aviv was on the verge of collapse. That's despite the IDF controlling the skies over Tehran, assassinating dozens of top generals and nuclear scientists, and destroying dozens of valuable missile batteries in just 12 days of fighting. Khamenei also said that Iran had given the US a "severe slap" to its face and that it had "gained nothing" from the attack on Iran's nuke plants. The Ayatollah said: 'The American regime entered a direct war because it felt that if it did not, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. "However, it gained no achievements from this war. 'Here, too, the Islamic Republic emerged victorious, and in return, the Islamic Republic delivered a severe slap to America's face. Iran's 'medieval' fatwa could spark homegrown terror attacks EXCLUSIVE by IRAN'S "medieval" regime demanding Donald Trump be crucified could provoke "homegrown terrorist attacks", top politicians warn. Warped Senior cleric Najmuddin Tabasi vowed Trump "must be executed" and said "the same hand that A sickening fundraiser has even been set up by hardline United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Chairman Governor Jeb Bush, CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, and Senior Advisor Rt. Hon. They also warned how high-ranking regime enforcers are in contact with individuals in both the In a statement shared exclusively with The Sun, Bush, Wallace and "The US government and its allies should immediately sanction Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei, Makarem-Shirazi, Hamedani, Tabasi, and Panahian, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. 'None of these men have been sanctioned to date under counterterrorism authorities. "Additionally, the US Justice Department should seek indictments against these men and American law enforcement should partner with its allies to request INTERPOL Red Notices for issuing threats to internationally protected individuals." Read the full story MURDEROUS TERROR PLOT Iran may activate a network of sleeper cells across the West in the face of the Israeli bombing campaign, experts have warned. A weakened Tehran is expected to resort to asymmetric terror warfare in a bid to destabilise its adversaries. Barak Seener, a security and defence expert at Henry Jackson Society and Iran expert, said: "The very fact now that the Iranian regime is volatile, it's targeted, and it's highly vulnerable — that's what actually makes it increasingly dangerous to the West." Iran's murderous Mr Seener told The Sun that these sleeper cells could be regular people living regular lives. But when given the signal, they could carry out terrorist activities targeting the West. These terror operations could target public infrastructure and even civilians, with no weapons off the table, experts warn. Iran's terror on UK streets By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter Iran-fuelled hit squads on the streets of the UK have been linked to at least 15 threats to kill or kidnap detected by authorities. They are all part of a campaign of intimidation aimed at those who speak out against the hardline regime. The MI5 has accused Tehran of more than a dozen assassination and kidnap plots in Britain against dissidents and media organisations in the past two years. Officials have previously warned that the threat against Iranian critics living in the UK has ramped up drastically after the horror October 7 attacks. And given the hostile situation in the Middle East, Iran could ramp up its secret terror activities in the UK, Europe and the US, experts fear. In 2022, Major Gen Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC warned: "You've tried us before. Watch out because we're coming for you." Last year, Iranian TV journalist Pouria Zeraati was The suspects were believed to be proxy agents hired by Tehran. Mr Zeraati works for He said a man approached him and asked for £3 before another man appeared and stabbed him in the leg. The two fled in a car being driven by a third man, leaving Mr Zeraati bleeding in the street. Investigators believed the three culprits were able to flee the country on a flight from Mr Zeraati, whose organisation has been a vocal critic of Iran, said the attack was a "warning shot" from Tehran. He called on the UK government to declare the IRGC a terrorist group to stop it from spreading its doctrine. He said: "It will also send a clear message to the regime in Iran that enough is enough. "The whole of Western civilisation is in danger because of the threat the IRGC poses." A report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) found almost half of journalists who covered Iran from the UK reported being physically or verbally harassed in the past five years. Individuals have been sent death threats by text and voice notes, with one message noting that the 'water underneath Westminster Bridge was very deep'. One said they were constantly worried about Iran targeting their children, saying: 'I wake up in the middle of the night. I check my son to see if he's there. I won't let him play in the garden on his own. I have to be there. I'm on alert constantly.' Another reporter told the RSF she had a package, which was designed to look like it contained anthrax, hand-delivered to her apartment block. While female TV journalist was approached on a London bus by a man who told her: 'We will kill you. You are a very bad person.' All of them are understood to have voiced their dissent against Tehran. Mr Seener told The Sun: "They live amongst us in regular communities, have regular jobs, and they just are awaiting being activated to conduct malign activities, whether it be through a telephone text or a beeper, and then they already know what they are going to be doing. "If the regime feels threatened and on the verge of being toppled, then they may say, 'you're going to go down with us,' and at that point they may unleash their sleeper cells." Mr Seener said the attacks could range from an attack against a synagogue, an embassy, or blowing up a dirty bomb in Central London. Sir Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, warned back in October that Iran could turn on UK targets if it felt Britain was too enthusiastic in its support for Israel. He said the attacks could increase if the Middle East conflict intensifies. In August, Matt Jukes, the head of He said Iranian dissidents and diaspora communities have been 'clearly at risk of kidnapping or assassination'. "These are people who are doing it daily. And when you are projecting soft power, you're creating the cultural milieu in which terrorism can be conducted much more readily. Counterterror police have investigated 15 of these cases alongside MI5 has responded to 20 plots backed by Iran since 2022, it was reported. 10 Iran's murderous terrorist wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps 10
The Irish Sun
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Iran's supreme leader the Ayatollah, 86, breaks cover with first appearance since Trump ordered Israel not to kill him
IRAN'S Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has broken cover for the first time since the 12-day war that saw the US and Israel strike Iran's nuclear sites. The 85-year-old appeared smiling on Saturday at a packed Tehran mosque - after reports he had spent days in a 'secure location'. 7 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public appearance since the start of the 12-day war Credit: Getty 7 The Iran State Radio and Television (IRIB) building hit by an Israeli strike on June 16 7 US President Donald Trump claimed he 'saved' Khamenei 'from a very ugly and ignominious death' by Israel Credit: Getty It was Khamenei's first live appearance since war broke out on June 13, when Israeli forces launched a sudden wave of airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites. The US joined in days later, bombing three major sites on June 22 - including the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Facility. Top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists were reportedly Since the air war began, he has given only prerecorded speeches - sparking rumours about his safety. Read more world news But footage aired by Iranian state media on Saturday showed the leader smiling and waving to a crowd of chanting supporters at a mosque. Dozens of people were seen attending the event to mark Ashura - the holiest day of the Shia Muslim calendar. It comes 11 days after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Khamenei at the time appeared on state TV, boasting that Iran had dealt a 'slap to America's face' with a missile strike on a US airbase in Qatar. Most read in The US Sun He said: 'The American regime entered a direct war because it felt that if it did not, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. "However, it gained no achievements from this war. Iran's Ayatollah breaks silence after WEEKS cowering in bunker during Israel's blitz and 'obliterating' Trump strikes 'Here, too, the Islamic Republic emerged victorious, and in return, the Islamic Republic delivered a severe slap to America's face.' US President Donald Trump took to social media to mock the claim and bragged that he had personally blocked an attempt to kill Khamenei. In a Truth Social post, "And he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!' 7 Satellite image of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Facility in Iran showing damage from the US strikes Credit: Reuters 7 Israeli Iron Dome air defence system intercepts missiles over Tel Aviv 7 Khamenei said Iran had delivered a 'slap to America's face' in his address to the nation after the ceasefire Credit: Reuters 7 Trump hit back saying Khamenei 'got beat to hell' Credit: EPA "I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life." Israeli officials had openly hinted that Khamenei was 'not off the table' as a potential target during the air war. But at the start of the war Trump claimed that while Khamenei was an "easy target", the US was "not going to take him out… at least not for now". The US president also blasted the Iranian leader's claims that Iran won the war. He wrote: "Why would the so-called 'Supreme Leader,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war-torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so. "As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie." It comes as Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi - one of Iran's most hardline clerics - What is a fatwa? By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter A fatwa is a formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law issued by a Marja - a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric. It calls on Muslims, including the Islamic governments and individuals, to ensure its enforcement. In countries where Islamic law forms the basis of the legal system, a fatwa can be binding. A fatwa issued by Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1988 led to the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners - including some reportedly as young as 13 - during a two-month crackdown. The 1988 executions were revealed in the memoirs of Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, one of Ayatollah Khomeini's closest advisors who went on to condemn the act. In his memoirs, he accused prisoners of "waging war against God" and urged Death Commissioners in charge of the mass killings to "show no mercy". Another well-known Fatwa was issued against novelist In 2022, a man allegedly sympathetic to the Iranian regime attempted to attack Rushdie during a public event in New York.
