Few staff returned to Isfahan steel plant after US, Israeli strikes

A law approved last October has accelerated death penalty proceedings in Iran by giving judges broad powers to interpret espionage and treason cases, an Iranian human rights lawyer was quoted as saying by the Financial Times on Thursday.

“Terms in the [new] law, such as ‘any operational acts’, give judges an almost unlimited scope for interpretation, allowing them to issue death sentences without restriction,” Amir Raesian said.

“As a result, verdicts have become much harsher and proceedings much faster, making executions swift and straightforward,” he added.

Former White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow questioned emerging US–Iran diplomatic efforts, arguing that long-term stability would require sustained pressure on Tehran and a shift toward regime change rather than relying on a negotiated agreement.

Speaking on Fox News, Kudlow cited recent reporting on preliminary US–Iran discussions and expressed skepticism that any deal could be trusted or effectively enforced, suggesting that a pressure-based approach would be more effective in addressing Iran-related security concerns.

Author Gordon Chang said President Donald Trump should raise concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping over alleged Chinese military support for Iran, including claims about missile transfers, in remarks aired by One America News.

“The Chinese have actually been supplying weapons to the Iranians. In March when Iran fired 101 cruise missiles at the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, those were China’s CM302s… We need to hear from our president because this is absolutely critical… China, I believe, is the enemy and President Trump can show that with facts," Chang said.

US President Donald Trump shared a chart on Truth Social referencing an “Iran Excursion” and comparing its reported duration with previous US conflicts, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam.

The graphic showed the Iran conflict as lasting six weeks and listed longer durations for earlier wars, alongside the caption: “Wow. Study this Chart!”

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China’s financial regulator advised the country’s largest banks to temporarily suspend new loans to several refineries sanctioned by the United States over their ties to Iranian oil, Reuters reported, citing Bloomberg News.

According to the report, regulators verbally instructed banks to avoid issuing new yuan-denominated loans to five refiners, including Hengli Petrochemical, while reviewing existing business relationships. The move reportedly came before Beijing publicly urged Chinese firms to disregard US sanctions targeting Iranian oil trade.