Guards-linked outlet rejects CNN report of new Tehran-Washington talks

Iran’s defense ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that Tehran’s enemies must accept a ceasefire and halt hostile actions on all fronts.

Reza Talaeinik said Iran’s armed forces were at the highest level of readiness with backing from the country’s defense industry.

“Any crossing of the Islamic Republic’s red lines by the enemy will face a decisive, regret-inducing and harsh punitive response,” he said.

Home Office minister David Hanson, said the government wanted the bill passed so the Home Secretary could make judgments on state threats and take action that, if approved by both Houses of Parliament, could lead to sentences of up to 14 years for those convicted.

“We are trying to put in place a framework for legislation where we can act on any potential state threat,” Hanson told the House of Lords.

He added: “The Government condemns antisemitism and is very much aware of the Iranian state threat.”

Lord Henry Bellingham welcomed the legislation and said “the use of these proxies, behind which obviously countries like Iran are hiding, are doing untold harm.”

He said the issue was “not just the IRGC,” pointing also to the Iran-linked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which he said had claimed responsibility for recent antisemitic attacks.

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  UK to toughen stance on Iran foreign influence operations

Hanson said any future designation would be for the Home Secretary to assess once the bill becomes law, adding: “We take the threats from Iran extremely seriously and we will continue to monitor that.”

Lord John Cryer said the bill was welcome but overdue, citing the case involving an attack on Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati and saying IRGC proxies and agents had targeted British Jews and Jewish institutions.

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  UK court hears alleged money trail in Iran International journalist stabbing trial

Lord Stuart Polak urged ministers to look beyond the IRGC itself and examine “what’s going on in the charity world here,” saying money was being raised in Britain, including British taxpayers’ money, “towards helping the IRGC.”

Hanson said Britain had already sanctioned more than 550 Iranian individuals and organizations, including the IRGC in its entirety, and had placed Iran under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

“What this power will do will give the Secretary of State, if passed by both Houses, an additional power to take action against any state threat the Secretary of State deems to be a threat to the United Kingdom,” he said.

US forces disabled a Guinea-Bissau-flagged oil tanker in the Sea of Oman on Wednesday after it violated a blockade against Iran by trying to transport Iranian oil, US Central Command said on Thursday.

CENTCOM said a US aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the MT Jalveer after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with US directions.

It said the Jalveer was the third commercial vessel disabled by US forces this week, after the Palau-flagged MT Marivex and MT Settebello.

CENTCOM said US forces had disabled nine non-compliant vessels, redirected 135 ships that complied and allowed 42 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to pass since the blockade began on April 13.

Iran’s parliament research arm warned the country’s power grid could face a 13,640-megawatt summer peak deficit, about 17% of projected demand and roughly a third of the country’s average 2024 electricity load, as war damage deepens chronic power shortages.

The Parliamentary Research Center said in a report on summer electricity supply that the gap between supply and demand at peak consumption is projected to reach 13,640 megawatts under a realistic scenario.

The scale is large even by Iran’s recent blackout standards. The report projects maximum simultaneous supply at about 68,420 megawatts, while peak network demand is expected to exceed 81,000 megawatts. That means the shortfall would amount to nearly one-fifth of available supply at the moment of greatest pressure.

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Iran’s deputy foreign minister said on Thursday that new US strikes on Iran were another act of “clear aggression against sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and national security” of the country.

Kazem Gharibabadi rejected description of the attacks as self-defense, saying it had no legal effect and that military aggression could not be legitimized by wording.

He said Iran’s armed forces would defend the country and that the consequences of what he called illegal and dangerous actions would fall on the United States and any party involved in or assisting them.