Iran says its missile attacks forced Israel into ceasefire
Iran’s missile response to US and Israeli strikes led directly to the current ceasefire, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview published Wednesday by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
“They thought US involvement would lead to Iran’s surrender,” Araghchi said. “But our strong missile response using Kheibar Shekan missiles forced them to back down and propose a ceasefire through diplomatic channels.”
Iran presents ceasefire as moral victory
The ceasefire ended 12 days of fighting between Iran and Israel and remains in place. Araghchi said Iran accepted the deal to maintain moral high ground and to build the foundation for a new regional policy based on Islamic and regional values.
“We must see whether the aggressor is truly able to uphold the ceasefire, or if—as before—it is simply using it to manage domestic challenges,” he said.
Araghchi also defended Iran’s missile strike on the US Al Udeid base in Qatar, calling it a lawful act of self-defense in response to attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He stressed that the strike was not a threat to Qatar’s sovereignty.
According to Araghchi, the US sent messages before and after the attack to avoid escalation. Iran responded by telling intermediaries, including European officials, that talks with Washington would not resume while aggression continued.
Tehran vows to continue nuclear work despite attacks
Despite attacks on nuclear sites, Araghchi said Iran would not abandon its program, which he described as transparent and under IAEA oversight.
“Diplomacy during war is still diplomacy,” Araghchi added, citing Geneva talks and coordination with regional partners as key in isolating Israel and building broader support for Iran’s position.
The arrests targeted individuals with criminal records, suspected terrorism ties, and past deportation orders, Homeland Security said. One US citizen was also taken into custody after allegedly threatening to shoot federal officers while shielding an illegal Iranian national.
In Alabama, agents arrested Ribvar Karimi, a former sniper for the Iranian army from 2018 to 2021. Karimi was found with an Iranian military ID card and had entered the country in October 2024 on a K-1 fiancé visa under the Biden administration, Homeland Security said. He never adjusted his immigration status and is now in federal custody pending removal.
Mehran Makari Saheli, a 56-year-old Iranian citizen and ex-member of the IRGC, was arrested on June 22 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the department said. Saheli, who also admitted ties to Hezbollah, had previously been convicted as a felon in possession of a firearm. He was ordered removed in 2022 but remained in the US illegally, officials said.
Other arrests included individuals in Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Mississippi, and New York. Among them was Behzad Sepehrian Bahary Nejad, detained in Houston while carrying a loaded 9mm pistol and previously arrested for domestic violence. Hamid Reza Bayat, also arrested in Houston, had been ordered removed in 2005 and has multiple drug convictions.
In Mississippi, Yousef Mehridehno—once a lawful permanent resident—was taken into custody after being listed as a known or suspected terrorist earlier this year, DHS said. His residency had been revoked in 2017 for lying on his visa application and suspected marriage fraud.
Several of those arrested had been living in the US for years despite removal orders, some with criminal records that included drug trafficking, firearms violations, and fraud. All are now in ICE custody awaiting removal proceedings, Homeland Security said.
