UK carrier strike group enters Red Sea amid Indo-Pacific deployment

Major General Hossein Salami, speaking at a ceremony honoring veterans of the Iran-Iraq war in West Azarbaijan province, said that although Iran faces what he described as a “powerful global coalition” of enemies, it continues to function normally at home.

“We are in a full war, but nothing appears warlike. The arenas of battle are active, but the country is at peace,” Salami said in remarks broadcast by state media.

“You see the enemy’s deployment, hear their rhetoric, and feel their political pressure. But the mystery lies in how this nation stands firm and dignified under such heavy pressure.

“All parts of the system are operating normally, while we are in a full-scale war. There is no anxiety among the people—this is exceptional and unprecedented,” he said.

Also on Sunday, commander of Iran’s Army Ground Forces said Iran’s army is fully prepared to respond to any threat “at any level and scale.”

“Our hands are truly on the trigger, and our eyes are wide open,” said Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari, according to state-affiliated ISNA news agency. “We are monitoring threats carefully and are ready to act on the command of the Supreme Leader.”

The comments come after a CNN report last week quoted US intelligence officials who said Israel was preparing to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if ongoing indirect US-Iran nuclear talks collapse.

Before the talks began, US President Donald Trump had already warned Iran that if a new deal was not reached within a set time, the US would bomb Iran.

Speaking to reporters, Heidari said the armed forces — including the regular army and particularly its ground forces — are positioned to retaliate swiftly and decisively against any hostile action.

“If any threat is carried out, rest assured that its origin will be wiped out in a fraction of a moment,” he said. “The people should have confidence that we will confront any threat, from any source, at any scale.”

Last week, Iran’s top military commander announced a major increase in the country’s air defense capabilities, including a fivefold rise in detection and tracking systems.

Last October, Israel carried out a major strike on Iranian targets, destroying large sections of the country’s air defense infrastructure. The attack followed two massive airstrikes from Tehran on Israel. Reports in Fox News and the Wall Street Journal said all of Iran’s S-300s were taken out of action.

“The country’s air defense readiness—especially in detection, identification, and elimination of aerial threats—has advanced significantly compared to last year,” Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, told the IRGC's Tasnim News Agency.

Brigadier General Ghasem Khamoushi, commander of the Islamic Republic’s Army Aviation (Havanirooz), said Iran has developed precision-guided and long-range missiles domestically and expanded the operational capabilities of its helicopters to include night missions using indigenously developed night-vision systems.

“Missile range has increased more than sevenfold, and targeting systems have become significantly more precise,” he told reporters during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1982 liberation of Khorramshahr during the Iran-Iraq war.

The city, taken by Iraqi forces early in the war, was retaken by Iran during Operation Beitol-Moqaddas in what is considered a turning point in the war.

Khamoushi added that key helicopter parts, previously affected by sanctions, are now produced in Iran using domestic expertise and knowledge-based companies. The advances, he said, will be formally unveiled in the coming weeks.

Khamoushi also said that Iranian helicopters, once limited to daytime operations, are now equipped to conduct missions in complete darkness, thanks to technological upgrades and locally developed equipment.

As Arab states astride the Persian Gulf prosper, Iran remains mired in grievance, repression and decline, according to former Palestinian peace negotiator Ghaith al-Omari on Eye for Iran.

“The Persian Gulf is non-ideological. Their leaders say, ‘My job is how to make life better for my people.’ This is completely incompatible with the ideological mindset—including in Iran,” al-Omari said.

As Saudi Arabia and the UAE surge ahead—reimagining their economies and societies—Iran clings to a narrative rooted in the past.

“What is the narrative coming from the Iranian regime? It’s a narrative of grievance... rooted in the past, in both past grievances and past glory... not a view of prosperity.”

Al-Omari said the Middle East is undergoing a seismic shift, with Persian Gulf countries becoming the “center of gravity” in the region—and Trump recognizing and seizing that opportunity.

Decades of neglect

During his speech at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh on May 13, 2025, President Trump drew a sharp contrast between the trajectories of Saudi Arabia and Iran. The president anccused Iran’s leadership for mismanaging the country and funding terrorism, while praising the transformation of its neighbors.

“Iran's decades of neglect and mismanagement have left the country plagued by rolling blackouts lasting for hours a day. All the time, you hear about it. While your skill has turned dry deserts into fertile farmland, Iran's leaders have managed to turn green farmland into dry deserts, as their corrupt water mafia—it's called the water mafia—causes droughts and empty riverbeds,” said Trump.

His remarks resonated with many Iranians, long critical of Tehran's failures. The speech reinforced a new US posture in the region—one that rewards progress and punishes destabilization.

Trump’s Persian Gulf tour also produced sweeping economic and defense agreements.

A $142 billion arms deal was signed, the largest defense cooperation agreement in US-Saudi history. It includes cutting-edge warfighting technology and signals a shift in US strategic posture.

Saudi Arabia committed to investing $600 billion in the United States across energy, defense, mining, and other sectors.

Taken together, these moves represent a strategic pivot: away from traditional diplomacy, and toward a model focused on mutual economic and security interests.

And one in which Iran—after its unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel last year—is increasingly isolated and weakened.

Even Syria adapts—leaving Tehran more isolated

Even Syria—long seen as a spoiler in regional affairs—is signaling a shift.

"Syria has been a spoiler in the region since the 1970s," said al-Omari. "Now Syria is not a spoiler."

Trump's outreach to Damascus, despite its authoritarian legacy, underscores the extent to which even old adversaries are repositioning themselves in a changing Middle East. As others pivot toward stability and integration, Tehran's confrontational stance risks leaving it behind.

Qatar

Qatar was also a focal point of Trump’s tour.

Qatar Airways agreed to purchase up to 210 planes from Boeing. Trump described it as “the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing.”

He also accepted a Boeing 747-8 aircraft from the Qatari government, valued at roughly $400 million. Trump said it would be “stupid” to turn it down, framing it as a donation to the US Department of Defense, not for personal use. The move sparked backlash, even among Trump’s own supporters.

Al-Omari criticized Qatar’s influence strategy, noting its financial clout and controversial alliances.

“Qatar is a very problematic actor. Qatar has been the supporter of Hamas, the supporter of Muslim Brotherhood, the supporter of disruption throughout the region.”

He added that while Persian Gulf countries all have relations with Iran, “Qatar has partnership with Iran in many ways. That’s different.”

Trump made headlines when, during a state dinner in Doha, he said: “Iran should say a big thank you to the Emir, because he's fighting for them.”

He also reportedly asked the Qatari government to push Iran toward a nuclear deal.

“The Qataris like these problematic relations to be behind the scenes, to be hush-hush," said al-Omari on Eye for Iran, "Trump being Trump, he doesn't like to play this subtle behind the scenes game. He says it as it is."

A new era of American diplomacy

Al-Omari said Trump’s approach marks a sharp departure from previous presidents like Barack Obama.

“Trump sees the region through a transactional lens. Obama focused on moral lectures. Trump prefers investment and deals—but keeps military options on the table, especially when it comes to Iran.”

The administration wants Iran to integrate into this future-oriented regional order—but warns of consequences if it doesn’t.

“There’s an opportunity for Iran if it wants to take it,” said al-Omari. “The region is changing—but not at any price.”

You can watch the full episode of Eye for Iran featuring Ghaith al-Omari on YouTube or listen on any major podcast platform like Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Castbox.

Citing intelligence sources, the report said that among the military preparations the US has observed are the movement of air munitions and the completion of an air exercise.

Additionally, CNN said intelligence had come from intercepted Israeli communications.

A source close to US intelligence told CNN that “the chance of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility has gone up significantly in recent months and the prospect of a Trump-negotiated US-Iran deal that doesn’t remove all of Iran’s uranium makes the chance of a strike more likely.”

In a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in mid-March, Trump set a 60-day deadline for the resolution of a new nuclear deal to replace the JCPOA from which Trump left during his first presidency in 2018.

According to a source familiar with the communication, CNN reported that it has now been more than 60 days since that letter was delivered, and about 40 days since the first round of talks began.

Trump warned that there will be “bombing the likes of which they have never seen before” before the talks commenced.

However, after the fourth round of Oman-mediated negotiations, Khamenei on Tuesday said the discussions look likely to fail as the US insists that Iran stops all uranium enrichment.

"Saying things like 'we won’t allow Iran to enrich uranium' is way out of line," he said. "We do not think (the talks) would yield results now."

Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% U-235, a level that causes "serious concern," according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

The IAEA has consistently maintained that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to this level, which is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% fissile material. Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium had increased to 275 kg, enough to theoretically make about half a dozen weapons if Iran further enriches the uranium.

Speaking to CNN, Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence official specializing in the region said that the talks have put Israel “between a rock and a hard place” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now waits for Trump’s next moves.

“At the end of the day, the Israeli decision-making is going to be predicated on US policy determinations and actions, and what agreements President Trump does or does not come to with Iran,” Panikoff said, stressing that even Netanyahu would not be as bold as to act without tacit US approval.

Iran's air defenses were significantly weakened after Israeli bombings in October, though the country's top military commander announced renewed air defense systems this week.

The US intelligence source told CNN: “I think it’s more likely they [Israel] strike to try and get the deal to fall apart if they think Trump is going to settle for a ‘bad deal. The Israelis have not been shy about signaling that to us … both publicly and privately.”

A previous CNN report showed that according to a US intelligence assessment from February, Israel could use either military aircraft or long-range missiles to capitalize on Iran’s degraded air defense capabilities after the October strikes.

In the same month, US intelligence agencies issued warnings that Israel will likely attempt to strike facilities key to Iran’s nuclear program this year.

It has “consistently been the Israeli position that the military option is the only option to stopping Iran’s military nuclear program,” one US official told CNN.

“Iran is the head of the terrorist octopus that promotes terrorist activity directly and through the terrorist organizations it supports against leaders and against all citizens of the state of Israel,” Katz said in a statement Tuesday.

Two Israeli suspects, Roy Mizrahi and Almog Atias, both 25 and childhood friends, were arrested at the end of April accused of intelligence-gathering missions and placing explosives in the community where Katz lives.

Israel Police said in a statement on Tuesday: “The investigation revealed that during 2025, Roy was in contact with Iranian terrorist elements and carried out a large number of different security missions for them, some of them together with his friend Almog, while the two understood that they were acting under Iranian direction and that their actions were intended to harm the security of the state due to financial gain.”

The police statement said that Mizrahi was communicating with his handler through a dedicated application on a new cell phone he had bought for the operation.

“Later, he was asked by his handlers to move a bag buried in the ground from one point to another, which, according to his understanding, contained an explosive device. Roy carried out the transfer of the bag in accordance with his handlers' instructions,” the statement said.

Israel's Mako reported that after carrying out minor tasks such as photographing street signs, the pair’s activities included trying to install cameras at the minister’s home.

“The more serious task, which came after they successfully completed the first tasks, was purchasing a camera with a SIM card that allows for remote control, and installing it outside the defense minister's home,” the report said.

“First, they installed the cameras throughout Haifa and Nesher and gave the Iranians a code with which they could remotely control the cameras. Another time, they arrived at the driveway outside Minister Katz's house to install the camera - then they saw a Shin Bet vehicle and fled the scene," Mako added.

The case is the latest in a string of plots foiled since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, with dozens of Israelis allegedly hired by Iranian operatives to carry out operations targeting the country’s top political and military echelons.

Other targets have included the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of the Shin Bet intelligence agency, Ronen Bar.

In the coming days, the Central District Attorney's Office is expected to file a serious indictment against the two suspects.