IRGC official says Israel violated Iran's airspace after ceasefire
A Revolutionary Guards spokesman says Israel has violated Iranian airspace with drones since Tuesday morning and carried out strikes on parts of the country.
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Eleven Iranian nationals, including a suspected former army sniper and an individual with admitted ties to Hezbollah, were arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the weekend.
The arrests, made across multiple states, highlight what officials say is a broader crackdown on individuals with ties to Iran and potential national security risks.
Among those detained is Mehran Makari Saheli, a former member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who was convicted of firearm offenses in Minnesota and admitted to having ties to Hezbollah.
He had been ordered removed in 2022 but remained in the country illegally, according to Homeland Security.
ICE also arrested Ribvar Karimi, an alleged former sniper for the Iranian army found in Alabama with an Iranian military ID, and Yousef Mehridehno, labeled a known or suspected terrorist after US officials revoked his legal residency over alleged visa fraud.
Other arrests spanned Texas, Arizona, Mississippi, Colorado, California, and New York, involving individuals with histories of drug trafficking, firearms offenses, domestic violence, and prior removal orders.
One US citizen, Linet Vartaniann, was also arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot ICE agents while harboring an undocumented Iranian man.
All individuals are now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Homeland Security officials say the operation is part of President Trump’s directive to proactively remove threats before they escalate.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Israel had been dealt a “severe and historic punishment” as it agreed to halt its military campaign, in a message to the nation on Tuesday following a 12-day war.
“Today, the enemy aggressor was forced to stop its warmongering under conditions where it suffered a harsh and historic punishment,” he wrote.
“This war ended through the will and strength of the great Iranian nation,” he added.
Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development said Tuesday that the suspension of all domestic and international flights has been extended and will remain in effect until 2:00 pm local time on Wednesday.
Israel's military said all areas of the country will transition to full operational activity without restrictions starting Tuesday evening.
President Trump’s campaign of maximum pressure on Iran took an unexpected turn on Tuesday when he announced on social media that China can now buy Iranian oil.
“China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the US, also. It was my Great Honor to make this happen!”
In May, Trump had threatened to bar any country that bought Iranian oil from doing business with the United States.
China remains the dominant buyer of Iranian crude, accounting for the bulk of the country’s 1.7 million barrels per day in exports, according to data from Kpler, data and analytics firm that tracks global commodity flows.
Trump’s announcement comes after nearly two weeks of fighting between Iran and Israel, which began with Israeli airstrikes on Tehran on June 13. A ceasefire agreement was reached Monday evening, following US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. The US said its objectives had been met.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iran “is not going to have enrichment and they're not going to have a nuclear weapon,” adding, “They're going to get on to being a great trading nation.”
Oil prices have now tumbled to levels last seen before the Israeli strikes began, as investor fears of a major supply disruption in the Middle East ease.
Initial concerns had surged after the US joined Israel’s campaign, prompting speculation that Iran might retaliate by targeting oil flows from the Persian Gulf.
Traders were particularly watching whether Tehran would attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — through which 20% of the world’s crude flows.
It remains a critical artery for oil exports from Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
