Starmer says UK will not be drawn into wider war with Iran

Iran's attacks and threats against civilian targets have not stopped, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

The spokesperson said communications were ongoing with different parties to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open so goods can reach Persian Gulf states and energy exports can continue.

Iran needs to stop the attacks so a diplomatic resolution can be found, the spokesperson added.

Iran has not asked for a ceasefire and will continue its resistance in the current conflict, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday.

Araghchi told reporters that Iran had endured "difficult but proud days" and would keep resisting without hesitation.

"We have not sent any message and we have not requested a ceasefire," Araghchi said, adding that the war should end in a way that prevents it from happening again.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday the Strait of Hormuz has not been closed but ship traffic is moving under special conditions as Iranian armed forces control passage through the waterway.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said insecurity created by the US and Israel had led Iran to tighten oversight of vessels passing through the strait.

"No coastal state in such a situation can allow enemy ships and vessels to move normally to strengthen themselves or carry out aggressive actions," Baghaei told a weekly news conference.

He added that countries not involved in military attacks against Iran had been able to pass through the strait in coordination with and with permission from Iran's armed forces.

Iran alleges risk of false flag operations

Baghaei also suggested that statements by US officials that Iranian drones could reach the US West Coast might be laying the groundwork for what he described as possible false flag operations.

He said Iranian drones could not travel the roughly 6,500 miles from the Persian Gulf region to California.

Baghaei added that Iran's armed forces publicly announce the targets they strike and say when they have hit US military bases in the region or when they have not carried out certain attacks.

Germany does not see a role for the NATO defense alliance in addressing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Brussels on Monday.

"I don't see that NATO has made any decision in this direction or could assume responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz. If that were the case, then the NATO bodies would address it accordingly," Wadephul said ahead of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

US President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on European allies to help protect the strait, warning that NATO faces a "very bad" future if members fail to come to Washington's aid.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the aircraft was dismantled in what it described as a “precise strike” carried out overnight. The plane was used by Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as well as other senior officials and Iranian military personnel, the IDF said.

According to the Israeli military, the aircraft was used to facilitate military procurement and coordinate with what it described as Iran’s regional partners through both domestic and international flights.

“The dismantling of the aircraft disrupts the Iranian regime leadership’s coordination capabilities with axis countries, its military force build-up efforts and its ability to rehabilitate its capabilities,” the statement said, adding that the strike had degraded another strategic asset of the Iranian leadership.

The IDF said it would continue operations aimed at degrading what it called the military capabilities of Iran’s armed forces across the country.

Separately, information received by Iran International indicated that Mehrabad Airport was among several sensitive military and government-related sites targeted in a new wave of airstrikes on the Iranian capital overnight.

According to those reports, a large portion of the Revolutionary Guards’ transport fleet was destroyed during the operation, along with a ceremonial aircraft used by senior officials of the Islamic Republic.

Mehrabad Airport, located in western Tehran, is used primarily for domestic flights but also hosts military and government aviation facilities.