Ghalibaf criticizes US military role in Hormuz, cites debt concerns
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Thursday criticized US defense spending and its military presence in the Persian Gulf, mocking what he described as Washington’s “performance” in the Strait of Hormuz and warning over rising US debt levels.
"So you're funding Hegseth the failed TV host at rates unheard of since 2007, so he can cosplay as Secretary of War in our backyard in Hormuz? You know what's crazier than $39 trillion in debt? Paying a pre-GFC premium to fund a LARP and all you'll get is a brand new GFC," Ghalibaf posted on X.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog canceled a planned trip to New York where he was due to deliver a commencement address and receive an honorary degree, Ynet reported on Thursday.
The Jewish Theological Seminary said Herzog would instead address the ceremony virtually and would be awarded the honorary degree at a later date in Israel.
The cancellation came amid criticism and protests from pro-Palestinian activists over his planned appearance, according to the report. Herzog’s office, however, said the decision was unrelated, citing recent foreign travel and scheduling constraints.
A joint statement by 26 countries on Thursday backed a multinational military mission to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the UK government said in a statement.
“The United Kingdom, France and 24 partners support collective diplomatic, economic and military capabilities to secure the waterway,” the statement published by the UK Ministry of Defense said.
It said defense ministers and representatives from 38 countries met on May 12 in support of an “independent and strictly defensive” mission focused on protecting shipping and mine-clearance operations.
“Freedom of navigation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) must be protected,” the statement added.
Iran's parliament is reviewing a bill that requires the government to pay €50 million to any individual or entity that kills US President Donald Trump in retaliation for the killing of Iran's leader and commanders, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the state TV that lawmakers had prepared several bills since the start of the March war, including one on “countermeasures by military and security forces.”
“We believe the vile president of the United States, the ominous and disgraceful Zionist prime minister, and the CENTCOM commander must be targeted and subjected to reciprocal action,” Azizi said.
“This is our right,” he added. “Just as our Imam was martyred, the president of the United States must be dealt with by any Muslim or free person.”
Iran's parliament is reviewing a bill that requires the government to pay €50 million to any individual or entity that kills US President Donald Trump in retaliation for the killing of Iran's leader and commanders, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the state TV that lawmakers had prepared several bills since the start of the March war, including one on “countermeasures by military and security forces.”
“We believe the vile president of the United States, the ominous and disgraceful Zionist prime minister, and the CENTCOM commander must be targeted and subjected to reciprocal action,” Azizi said.
“This is our right,” he added. “Just as our Imam was martyred, the president of the United States must be dealt with by any Muslim or free person.”
Azizi said the bill stipulates that “if any natural or legal person carries out this religious and ideological mission, the government is obliged to pay €50 million as a reward.”
Earlier in March, a mass text message sent to mobile users in Iran promoted what it described as an “international campaign to reward the assassination of Trump,” according to screenshots of the message shared with Iran International.
The message urged recipients to register their support through a website and to confirm participation by sending a number via SMS.
Tehran-based Didban Iran reported that the campaign has gained around 290,000 supporters, with total pledged amounts reaching $25 million.
In February, an undercover video shown in a Brooklyn courtroom was released capturing an alleged Iran-linked operative describing a 2024 plot to assassinate Trump.
The operative who prosecutors say tried to hire two men to kill Trump for $5,000 upfront demonstrated the plan by placing a vape pen on a napkin to signify his “target,” the hidden camera video released by the New York Post shows.
In November 2024, the US Department of Justice unsealed criminal charges regarding a thwarted plot by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to assassinate Trump prior to the 2024 presidential election.
Trump has been a target for assassination threats since he ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force in Iraq.
Chinese state-controlled companies discussed a possible plan to secretly sell weapons to Iran, NBC News reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The plan involved Chinese companies shipping weapons through third-party countries to conceal their origin, the sources said, according to the report.
The report said it was unclear whether any arms sales had taken place or what weapons may have been shipped to Iran before or after the start of the war.
