French satirical magazine mocks Khamenei in cartoons
French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has published a cartoon showing three Iranian clerics without their turbans, holding a banner that reads "Khamenei, Life, Freedom" — a play on the 2022 protest slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" that became the rallying cry of Iran’s boldest uprising against the Islamic Republic in decades.
The cartoon appeared in the latest issue released Wednesday, under the title: The mullahs remove their veils in Tehran, portraying a reversal of Iran’s compulsory hijab laws.
The magazine also ran a mock obituary, featuring a photo of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with a black ribbon and a fictional death date marked only as a question mark in June 2025.
Below it, the caption read: “The first one to find the date wins a trip to Tehran.”
Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, has confirmed a security breach after a suspected cyberattack that resulted in the theft of tens of millions of dollars, as reports circulated of a $48 million loss.
The attack, which targeted Nobitex’s “hot wallet” infrastructure, was claimed by a hacktivist group Predatory Sparrow (Gonjeshke Darande), allegedly linked to Israel.
Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, has confirmed a security breach after a suspected cyberattack that resulted in the theft of tens of millions of dollars, as reports circulated of a $48 million loss.
The attack, which targeted Nobitex’s “hot wallet” infrastructure, was claimed by a hacktivist group Predatory Sparrow (Gonjeshke Darande), allegedly linked to Israel.
The group accused Nobitex of facilitating sanctions evasion and financing activities linked to the Iranian government, including support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Nobitex said in a statement on Wednesday that its technical team detected unauthorized access earlier that morning and acted swiftly to suspend all access. It stressed that the majority of user assets were held in cold storage and remained secure.
A hot wallet is connected to the internet and used for quick transactions, while a cold wallet is offline and offers higher security for long-term storage.
“The incident only affected a portion of assets held in hot wallets,” the platform said. “Nobitex accepts full responsibility and will compensate all damages through its insurance fund and internal resources.”
The exchange’s website and app have been taken offline temporarily while an internal investigation continues.
Predatory Sparrow threatened to publish Nobitex’s internal source code and user data unless the platform is fully emptied by users.
On Tuesday, the group also claimed responsibility for a separate cyberattack on Iran’s Bank Sepah – affiliated with Iran’s military, alleging they destroyed critical data and disrupted online access.
Nobitex, which dominates Iran’s crypto market, has often been seen as a key channel for accessing global financial networks amid strict US-led sanctions.
Iran’s cybercrime police (FATA) has not yet issued a detailed public statement on the Nobitex breach.
Binance processed billions via Nobitex – Chainalysis Data
Blockchain data cited by Reuters in 2022 showed crypto giant Binance processed nearly $8 billion in Iranian transactions since 2018, largely viaNobitex, according to a review of data from leading US blockchain researcher Chainalysis.
About $7.8 billion flowed between Binance and Nobitex, which has also published guidance on evading sanctions on its website.
Around 75% of those funds were in Tron, a lesser-known cryptocurrency that enables users to obscure their identities. Nobitex previously encouraged clients to use Tron for anonymous trading, calling it a safer option under sanctions.
More than 6,700 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have hit Iran in the past three days amid the war with Israel, according to Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. DDoS attacks overwhelm servers to disrupt online services.
Germany's Foreign Minister said Berlin has made clear to Tehran that "it is never too late" to return to the negotiating table, signaling continued diplomatic outreach despite heightened tensions.
"We are still ready to negotiate a solution. However, Iran must act urgently ... it is never too late to come to the negotiating table if one comes with sincere intentions," Johann Wadephul said at a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart on Wednesday.
Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend a joint press conference, in Berlin, Germany, June 18, 2025.
Iran’s Supreme Leader issued a stern warning to the United States on Wednesday, declaring that any US military intervention would inevitably cause “irreparable damage,” and emphasizing that the Iranian nation will not back down.
In a message carried by state media, he stressed that Iran will stand firm both against imposed war and imposed peace, rejecting submission to any external pressure.
The Supreme Leader directly referenced US President Donald Trump’s earlier call for a “unconditional surrender," labeling his threats as “vulgar” and saying that wise people familiar with Iran’s history would never use such language.
“Iran’s people are not to be surrendered,” he said, “and the Americans must know that any military entry will undoubtedly be met with irreparable damage.”
He also praised the Iranian people for their “calm, courageous, and timely” response to recent Israeli attacks, calling it a sign of the nation’s growth, wisdom, and spirituality.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks in a televised message following the Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2025.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned on Wednesday that direct US military assistance to Israel could sharply destabilize the already tense situation in the Middle East.
Speaking to the Interfax news agency, Ryabkov urged Washington to refrain from supplying or even considering military aid to Israel.
He added that Russia maintains communication channels with both Israel and Iran as the conflict escalates.
