Iran lawmaker says NPT exit bill could pass soon

Islamic Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Monday that naval commander Alireza Tangsiri had been killed, days after Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had been killed in an Israeli strike in Bandar Abbas.

In a statement, the IRGC said Tangsiri was injured while organizing forces and strengthening defenses along Iran’s coasts and islands and later died from the severity of his injuries.

The IRGC praised Tangsiri’s decades of service and said its naval forces would continue operations despite his death.

Katz said on Thursday that the strike was a “message” to Iran’s Guards, adding: “The IDF will hunt you down and eliminate you one by one.”

Majid Ebnolreza, Iran’s acting defense minister, said Iran would continue its response against aggressors, in a phone call with Turkey’s defense minister, state media reported on Monday.

Ebnolreza said Iran would pursue “full punishment” of attackers and work to ensure deterrence and prevent further conflict.

He said Iran had agreed to talks despite distrust of the US, in an effort to ease tensions in the region, but said recent military action by the American and Israeli sides left it with no option but to defend itself.

Turkey’s defense minister said the attack on Iran was a serious violation of international law and offered condolences over the deaths of senior Iranian leaders and military officials, the report said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Monday that an Iranian ambassador remained in Beirut past a deadline set by Lebanon to declare him persona non grata, and said the country was effectively under Iranian control.

In a post on X, Sa’ar said about 5,000 rockets, shells and drones had been fired from Lebanese territory toward Israel since March 2, including from areas south of the Litani River that the Lebanese army had said were under its operational control.

He said ministers from Hezbollah remained in the Lebanese government.

Sa’ar said Lebanon would not regain its freedom unless it confronted the Iranian influence and Hezbollah.

Kuwait’s National Guard said on Monday it had intercepted five drones in areas under its responsibility, according to the state news agency KUNA.

National Guard spokesperson Brigadier General Jadaan Fadhel said the interception was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national security, protect vital strategic sites, and counter potential threats.

He urged the public to follow safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Fadhel said the National Guard was coordinating closely with the Kuwait Army, the interior ministry, and the Kuwait Fire Force, adding that the forces remained at a high level of readiness to confront any threat to the country’s security, sovereignty, or stability.

Iran’s judiciary said on Monday that two men were executed following accusations of carrying out multiple attacks in Tehran.

The judiciary said Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi had conducted several attacks in the capital and explosive launchers were found in safe houses used by them.

The two political prisoners had been sentenced to death in 2024 by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.

Authorities accused the two of having links with the exiled opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK).