EU can no longer rely only on ‘rules-based’ system, von der Leyen says | Iran International
EU can no longer rely only on ‘rules-based’ system, von der Leyen says
The European Union can no longer rely solely on the “rules-based” international system to defend its interests against growing threats, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, as tensions including the Iran conflict weigh on global stability.
“We will always defend and uphold the rules-based system that we helped to build with our allies, but we can no longer rely on it as the only way to defend our interests,” von der Leyen told a conference of EU ambassadors.
She said the bloc must assess whether its institutions and decision-making structures, designed in a more stable postwar era, are keeping pace with current geopolitical challenges and whether they help or hinder the EU’s credibility as a global actor.
Iran’s judiciary said on Monday that Iranians living abroad could face the seizure of their assets if they cooperate with countries Tehran considers hostile, in a warning that appeared aimed at deterring support for the United States and Israel during the war.
The threat was issued in a statement by the Office of the Prosecutor General, which said such cooperation, if deemed harmful to national security, could bring confiscation of all assets and other legal penalties.
The statement cited Article 1 of a law passed in October that increased penalties for espionage and cooperation with Israel and other countries deemed hostile to Iran’s national security and interests.
Under that law, operational or intelligence activities carried out on behalf of Israel, the United States or other “hostile” governments or groups can lead to the confiscation of all assets and the death penalty, the statement said.
The warning came after some members of the Iranian diaspora seeking change in Tehran gathered in cities across Europe and the United States to celebrate the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
At the same time, newly created Telegram channels have published details about prominent Iranians abroad who criticized Iran’s clerical establishment and backed the US-Israeli airstrikes that began on February 28.
Between 5 million and 10 million Iranians are estimated to live abroad, mostly in the United States and Western Europe, according to Iranian official data and domestic media reports.
Iranian security forces have deployed to mosques and other public facilities in several cities, according to eyewitness accounts received by Iran International on Monday.
Witnesses said members of the Revolutionary Guards and Basij were positioned inside mosques in Tehran’s District 10, which were being used as operational hubs.
In Karaj, special police units and officers from the Phase 4 Mehrshahr station were seen at the Mehrshahr morgue facility, the witnesses said.
In Kazerun in southwestern Iran, residents reported that the Chamran and Imam Sajjad brigade barracks were evacuated and forces were redeployed to the Sarab Ardeshir recreational area.
Russia has prepared a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, a source told TASS on Monday.
The draft expresses “deep concern over the current military escalation in the Middle East and beyond” and mourns the loss of life in the region.
It urges all parties to “immediately stop their military activities and refrain from further escalation,” and strongly encourages a return to negotiations without delay, making full use of political and diplomatic means.
The draft also underlines the importance of ensuring the security of all states in the Middle East and beyond, according to the text cited by TASS.
Iran International has launched a new interactive news map on its website aimed at making it easier for audiences to access stories and better understand the geographic spread of events in Iran and around the world.
The feature allows users to explore news not only by time or topic but also by geographic location, offering a visual way to track developments across cities, provinces and countries.
Each news event appears as a marker on the map showing where it occurred. By clicking on a marker, users can open a list of related stories published about that location and read further details.
The tool enables audiences to quickly see what has happened in a particular city, province or region of the world at a glance.
The interactive map is now available from the top-right section of the Iran International website and through a dedicated link, allowing users to follow developments in Iran and globally in an interactive format.
Search news by location
On the Iran International interactive map, news events are marked with icons that correspond to a specific city, province or location worldwide.
Selecting any marker displays a list of news items connected to that geographic location.
This feature is particularly useful for tracking developments concentrated in a specific region, ranging from protests and political developments to major international events.
Filter news by time
The map also includes a time filter that allows users to display stories from a selected period.
With this tool, audiences can review how events have unfolded over time and see what developments occurred across different parts of the world during a specific timeframe.
Available time filters include today, the past seven days, the past 14 days, the past month, the past three months and the past year.
Browse news by topic
In addition to location and time, users can filter news by subject.
The interactive map allows audiences to select from a range of news categories, including liveblog, the Middles East crisis, Iran’s protests, world news, and economy and environment.
The feature helps users quickly navigate large volumes of news and find stories related to their specific interests.
The launch of the interactive map is part of Iran International’s broader effort to provide new digital tools and make access to information easier for its audience.
Iran’s judiciary warned on Monday that the assets of Iranians living abroad who cooperate with what it called enemy states could be confiscated under the Iranian law.
In a statement, the Office of the Prosecutor General said any cooperation with countries considered hostile — including the United States and Israel — that harms national security could lead to the seizure of all assets and other legal penalties.
The statement cited Article 1 of a law passed in October that increases penalties for espionage and cooperation with Israel and hostile countries against Iran’s national security and interests.
Under the law, operational actions or intelligence activity for Israel, the United States, or other "hostile" governments or groups could result in the confiscation of all assets and the death penalty, according to the statement.
