Grossi says IAEA access to Iranian nuclear sites depends on Tehran

Iran's navy fired warning missiles and drones at US warships in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, accusing the US Navy of harassing maritime traffic and seizing commercial vessels and oil tankers, Iranian state media reported.

The report came after the US Indo-Pacific Command said American forces had intercepted the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T DAVINA in the Indian Ocean overnight.

"We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate," the command said in a post on X.

A drone strike on the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant last month seriously compromised nuclear safety and highlighted the dangers of attacks on civilian nuclear facilities, IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Friday.

In an opening statement of the agency's Board of Governors, Grossi said he had inspected damage from the May 17 strike, which hit an electrical generator outside the plant's inner security perimeter and temporarily forced Unit 3 to rely on emergency power.

No injuries or radiation release were reported. UAE authorities said drones launched from Iraq targeted the facility. Grossi warned that a direct hit on an operating reactor could cause a major radioactive release affecting areas hundreds of kilometers away.

Tehran's Friday prayer leader said Iran has reached a stage where official military statements can have an impact comparable to precision-guided missiles.

“Previously, when the enemy frowned or moved a warship, the value of our national currency would fall,” Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari said on Friday.

“Today, we have a new equation. There is no longer any need to press the missile launch button. Even when our fighters take up their pens and Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters issues a statement, it sends a tremor through our enemies.”

Iran’s nuclear technology and uranium enrichment are part of the country’s national identity and cannot be negotiated away, Mohammad-Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, the Friday prayer leader of Karaj said.

“Nuclear technology and enrichment are part of our national identity, just like our territorial integrity, and are not subject to negotiation,” Hosseini Hamedani said on Friday. He also added that any Israeli action would carry consequences for the United States.

"Arab countries should know that if they make a mistake or show negligence, Iran will have no friendships or considerations when it comes to protecting its national interests and its people," he said.

Daily power outages have resumed across parts of Iran, with neighborhoods losing electricity for around two hours a day, citizens told Iran International, adding that blackouts are often imposed between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., when markets are at their busiest.

“The power cuts have started again. Our neighborhood loses electricity for two hours a day, and they often shut it off between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., right when shops are busiest,” one resident told Iran International.

“Business is already suffering from inflation and weak purchasing power. Now the outages are driving customers away and making the situation even worse,” the citizen added.