Cleric says US would face heavier losses in renewed war
Ahmad Alamolhoda, firebrand Friday prayer leader of the religious city of Mashhad, said the United States would suffer greater losses if fighting resumes, adding that Iran’s forces were better prepared than at the start of the war.
“If America wants to continue the war, it will certainly suffer a greater defeat,” Alamolhoda said.
“We were somewhat caught off guard at the start of the war, but now our fighters are more prepared.”
Alamolhoda also said US air defense systems failed to intercept Iranian missiles and argued the conflict had damaged Washington’s standing as a global power.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he told Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that Tehran would continue its “historical duty” in securing the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
“In fruitful engagement with my host Dr. S. Jaishankar, discussed regional developments and clarified that Iran will always carry out historical duty as protector of security in Hormuz,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Araghchi added that “Iran is a reliable partner of all friendly nations, who can rely on safety of commerce.”
A support vessel owned by Malaysian firm Vantris Energy passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, shipping data showed, becoming the fourth Malaysian-linked ship to transit the waterway since the outbreak of the US-Iran war.
The Sapura 1200 was among seven vessels Kuala Lumpur sought Iranian permission to move through the strait, which has been largely restricted since fighting erupted in late February, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The vessel hugged Iran’s coastline before entering Oman’s Muscat port, according to LSEG shipping data.
Competition for jobs in major Iranian cities has intensified since the ceasefire, with the number of job seekers rising faster than available positions, Nournews reported citing data from recruitment platform Job Vision.
Shiraz recorded the sharpest increase among surveyed cities, with competition for jobs rising 4.8-fold, followed by Mashhad at 3.5 times and Qom and Isfahan at 3.4 times, according to the outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Tehran registered a 2.7-fold increase in competition among job seekers, as pressure on Iran’s labor market deepened after the truce.
A trial date has been set for three defendants charged over an alleged arson incident near Iran International’s studios in northwest London, with the case scheduled to begin on January 25, 2027, at the Central Criminal Court.
At a preliminary hearing on Friday that lasted about 30 minutes, Oisin McGuinness, 21, and Nathan Dunn, 19, appeared by video link before Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb at the Central Criminal Court.
A third defendant, who is under 16 and cannot be named for legal reasons, is also charged in the case.
No pleas were entered at Friday’s hearing. A Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing has been set for August 28, 2026, when pleas are expected to be heard. The trial is listed for three weeks.
McGuinness, Dunn and the third defendant are charged with arson with intent to endanger life, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1977.
The charges relate to an alleged incident on April 15, 2026, when an ignited container was thrown into a car park near the network’s studios in northwest London.
There were no reports of injuries or damage following the attempted attack. Officers pursued a black SUV which later crashed on Ballards Lane in Finchley.
McGuinness also faces a charge of dangerous driving, contrary to the Road Traffic Act 1988, in relation to alleged driving on Ballards Lane and Woodberry Way.
McGuinness and Dunn were remanded in custody. The third defendant is on remand under local authority supervision.
All charges are alleged and have not been proven.
In a statement, Iran International said the attack highlights increasing pressure on its journalists and their families, particularly following the recent war involving Iran.
The broadcaster said its staff and their relatives have faced threats and harassment, describing the situation as an effort to silence independent reporting.
