Lebanon must be included in Iran-Israel truce, EU’s Kallas says

Iran’s nuclear chief said on Thursday that demands by adversaries to limit the country’s uranium enrichment program would fail.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said such calls were “wishful thinking” and could not stop Iran’s nuclear activities.

“No law or individual can stop us,” Mohammad Eslami said, adding that past actions by adversaries, including the current war, had failed.

IRGC Quds Force chief Esmail Ghaani said on Thursday that forces had delivered what he described as “regret-inducing lessons” to the enemies during the war with the US and Israel.

In a statement carried out by state media, he praised what he called the “axis of resistance,” saying their actions were courageous and decisive.

The "axis of resistance" is a term coined by slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to describe anti-US and anti-Israeli groups and governments in the Middle East.

He thanked fighters for their efforts and said they remained vigilant and prepared.

Iran’s nationwide internet blackout has entered its 41st day, with disruption exceeding 960 hours, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

"The measure, unprecedented in scale and duration for a connected society, continues to violate Iranians' rights to communicate and stay informed," it said.

Costa Rica designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, in a move that also blacklisted three other Iran-backed groups in the region.

Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and Houthis in Yemen were also designated.

The government made the decision on Monday, according to the ministry, which said the measure was taken in line with Costa Rica’s international commitments to combat terrorism and its financing.

The move will "allow intelligence authorities and judicial bodies to strengthen their prevention, investigation, and prosecution capabilities, acting more decisively against any logistical and financial support networks that may be operating within the country to sustain these organizations,” the foreign ministry said.

It added that the designation would help intelligence and judicial authorities strengthen their ability to prevent, investigate and prosecute logistical and financial support networks linked to the groups.

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The Israeli military said it killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, whom it identified as the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, in a strike in Beirut on Wednesday.

According to the IDF, Harshi was a close associate and adviser to Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office.

The military also said it struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah fighters and commanders moving from north to south of the Litani River to transfer weapons, rockets and launchers.

It added that about 10 weapons storage sites, launchers and command centers used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon were also hit overnight.