Hamas urges Iran to avoid targeting neighboring countries

Iran’s exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians not to rush into protests, saying civilians should wait until conditions are more favorable to challenge the Islamic Republic.

Pahlavi said a better opportunity to take to the streets could emerge soon following continued US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and possible defections from within the government.

“I think at the end of this campaign, certainly the opportunity will create itself again, and that will be a safer time for people to retake the streets,” Pahlavi said in an interview with New Nation on Friday.

He said the ongoing military campaign had weakened the morale of the Islamic Republic’s security forces and could create the conditions for a broader uprising.

He also pointed to signs of possible dissent inside the system, saying there were indications some officials and personnel were refusing orders or failing to report for duty.

While he did not offer a precise timeline, Pahlavi said the moment for renewed protests could come in the “very near future.”

A missile hit a helipad inside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad early Saturday, two Iraqi security officials said.

Footage from the Associated Press showed a column of smoke rising over the sprawling embassy complex, one of the largest US diplomatic facilities in the world.

The compound has previously been targeted by rockets and drones launched by militias aligned with Iran. The US Embassy in Baghdad did not immediately comment on the incident.

On Friday, the embassy renewed its Level 4 security alert for Iraq, warning that Iran and allied militia groups have carried out attacks against US citizens, interests and infrastructure and could continue to do so.

US President Donald Trump shared a video on Friday on Truth Social showing aerial bombardment in the ongoing US‑Iran military campaign without providing contextual details about the footage.

Earlier Trump announced on same platform of heavy attack on Kharg Island in Iran.

US Senator Lindsey Graham on Friday praised President Donald Trump for ordering strikes on Iran, saying the action came “in the nick of time” to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

"The Iranian regime thought they were dealing with Biden or Obama, believing we’d beg them not to go forward and give them a bunch of money. They made a fatal miscalculation. The enrichment time to go from 60 to 90% - which is weapons grade - is weeks not months. Midnight Hammer saved the world from a nuclear armed ayatollah. That alone would be the greatest legacy for any president," he posted on X.

"Epic Fury is now designed to break the back of this evil empire. You and your team are smartly making our country and the world safer. God bless you. Keep pouring it on," Graham added.

US President Donald Trump shared a cartoon on Truth Social on Friday, mocking the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as Iran nuclear deal.

The post ridiculed the agreement reached under former US President Barack Obama, which aimed to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief but has long been criticized by Trump.