Iran says it arrested dozens of alleged ‘monarchist cells’ across country

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in overnight strikes in Tehran, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday.

Khatib, a cleric, had served as Iran’s intelligence minister since 2021 and was seen as a close ally of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

He previously held senior roles in Iran’s intelligence apparatus and judiciary, including positions within the Intelligence Ministry and the powerful Astan Quds Razavi foundation.

Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had authorized the military to kill other senior Iranian officials on the target list without requiring further approval.

China will continue mediation efforts to push for a ceasefire and an end to fighting in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Wang said the war should never have happened and there was no reason for it to continue.

He made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the UAE president’s special envoy to China.

Wang also voiced support for the United Arab Emirates in safeguarding its sovereignty and security, the statement said.

The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed a Wall Street Journal report that Russia is sharing satellite imagery and improved drone technology with Iran, calling it “fake news.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the report was not accurate when asked about the newspaper’s claims.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Russia had expanded intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Iran, including providing satellite imagery and drone technology to help Tehran target US forces in the region, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Kremlin also condemned what it called the “murder” of Iranian leaders in US-Israeli airstrikes, after Iranian media reported the killing of senior adviser Ali Larijani in Tehran.

“We unequivocally condemn any actions aimed at harming the health of, or indeed murdering or eliminating, members of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran,” Peskov said.

NATO will deploy another US Patriot air defense system to southern Turkey, the defense ministry said on Wednesday, as the alliance moves to strengthen defenses amid missile threats linked to the Iran war.

The system will be stationed in Adana province, home to Incirlik Air Base, where US and other allied personnel are based, the ministry said.

“In addition to national-level measures… another Patriot system… is being deployed in Adana, in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system,” the ministry said.

Turkey said last week NATO had also deployed a Patriot system in the southeastern province of Malatya, near a NATO radar base, as part of efforts to boost air defenses.

Ankara, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has relied on allied systems to intercept missiles it says were fired from Iran since the war began.

Incirlik Air Base hosts personnel from the United States and several NATO allies, including Spain and Poland.

Iran, Russia and China are the main external threats to Sweden, the country’s security service said on Wednesday, citing rising espionage, sabotage and influence activity.

The agency said Iran has increased its activity in Sweden, including using criminal networks to carry out violent acts against Israeli interests and perceived opponents.

“Iran, Russia and China are the foremost actors behind security-threatening activity directed at Sweden,” the security service said.

It said Russia remains the most extensive threat, with intelligence efforts aimed at undermining Nato unity, weakening Western support for Ukraine and acquiring technology, while becoming more risk-tolerant in its operations.

China poses a long-term threat through intelligence gathering, economic influence and cyberattacks, including targeting Swedish companies and diaspora communities, the agency said.

The service warned that foreign powers are using a wider range of methods, including proxies and cyber tools, and that the risk of sabotage and other incidents in Sweden remains.