The BRICS alliance has issued a strong condemnation of recent military strikes on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, labeling them a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

In a joint statement issued during the latest BRICS summit—which also marked Iran’s official inclusion in the bloc—member states expressed deep concern over the escalating crisis in West Asia. They called for urgent discussions on the issue within the UN Security Council.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the summit earlier that day, with the joint BRICS statement following shortly after—adding diplomatic weight to the group's unified stance.

Two members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed while trying to defuse an unexploded Israeli bomb in Khorramabad. The explosive was reportedly dropped during recent Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites. The 12-day conflict that began on June 13 resulted in over 900 Iranian deaths, including civilians, while Iran claims at least 28 were killed in Israel. A ceasefire was brokered on June 24 by U.S. President Donald Trump, and Iran has since reopened its airspace.

Iran has ordered nearly 4 million Afghan refugees and migrants to leave the country within a specified deadline or risk arrest and deportation. This follows a crackdown that began in 2023 targeting undocumented migrants. Over 700,000 Afghans have already left, and thousands continue to be deported daily. Human rights groups warn that this mass expulsion could exacerbate Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis. Anti-Afghan sentiment is rising in Iran, with allegations of Afghan collaboration with Israeli intelligence adding to tensions.

Following 12 days of intense conflict between Iran and Israel, a ceasefire has been declared. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared in public on the eve of Ashura, ending 26 days of absence that had fueled widespread speculation. He attended a religious gathering in Tehran, drawing enthusiastic support from followers. During the conflict, several Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists were reported killed.

This year in Iran, Ashura was not just a day of mourning but also a mass demonstration of national unity and resistance against perceived Israeli and American aggression. Inspired by the spirit of Karbala, Iranians transformed their grief into defiance, holding processions with images of martyrs and anti-imperialist slogans. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei called for donating blood instead of self-flagellation—a call that was widely heeded. Clerics described Ashura as the fountainhead of Islamic revolution and steadfastness. Despite sorrow, Iranians stood tall, strengthened by Ashura’s spiritual legacy. (By a journalist and analyst based in Iran)

A massive billboard in Shiraz, Iran, portrays ancient Persian Emperor Shapur I on horseback as a victorious ruler, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kneeling before him in surrender. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is also depicted standing beside the horse. The symbolic image reflects Iran's confidence following recent military engagements and mirrors the historical surrender of Roman Emperor Valerian in the Battle of Edessa during the 3rd century.

On July 3, 1988, the US warship USS Vincennes fired missiles at Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 passengers aboard. The US claimed it was a mistaken identity, suspecting a hostile fighter jet, but evidence showed it was a civilian plane on a commercial route. The attack is widely condemned as a calculated war crime during the Iran-Iraq war, leaving a lasting scar in Iranian history and fueling calls for justice and resistance.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, was imprisoned and tortured in Tehran’s infamous Ebrat Prison during the 1960s and 1970s under the Shah’s regime. His revolutionary activities and multiple arrests by SAVAK, the Shah’s secret police, marked his early struggle. Now a powerful Middle Eastern figure, Khamenei’s harsh imprisonment and resistance are commemorated at the Ebrat Museum, which preserves the prison’s brutal history and the stories of many political and religious prisoners.

After a 12-day intense conflict with Israel, Iran has reopened its airspace, including Tehran’s major airports and others across the country. Flights, both domestic and international, will operate from 5 AM to 6 PM except in Isfahan and Tabriz, where flights will resume once infrastructure is ready. The airspace was closed following an Israeli airstrike on June 13, with Iran retaliating by missile attacks on Tel Aviv. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on June 24, leading to the reopening.

Exiled Iranian figure Reza Pahlavi is facing public outrage after expressing support for Israel's military actions and calling on Iranians to rise against their government. Speaking at a press conference in Paris just before a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, Pahlavi's comments drew sharp criticism. Rather than backing his call, many Iranians responded with renewed national unity. His failure to condemn Israeli attacks that killed hundreds of civilians, along with his opulent lifestyle, past associations with dictatorship, and disregard for Islamic sites like Al-Aqsa, have severely damaged his credibility, according to analysts.

An overwhelming majority of Iranians expressed pride in their country’s retaliatory missile strikes, according to an IRIB survey. Approximately 77% view these capabilities as a symbol of national pride, while 80.5% described the military’s performance as robust. Around 69.8% were satisfied with the effectiveness of Iran’s air defense, which reportedly downed several Israeli drones and fighter jets. About 51.8% believe the strikes have strengthened national security, and 76.8% see military capabilities as increasingly reliable. Only 13.7% believe a ceasefire will be successful, reflecting widespread skepticism about peace prospects. A large majority—78%—oppose any Western intervention to halt Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, while 57.4% expressed willingness to participate in future wars. Nearly 61.5% believe U.S. military operations have achieved little success, and 68.2% see digital platforms as tools for Israeli espionage.

An Iranian missile strike on June 15 reportedly "completely destroyed" the Weizmann Institute of Science, a prominent Israeli military-affiliated research facility located south of Tel Aviv. The attack damaged at least 45 laboratories, causing an estimated financial loss of $300–570 million. The targeted strike destroyed valuable research data and samples, affecting the work of over 100 researchers.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s remarks suggesting the JCPOA talks aim to end Iran’s nuclear program. Araghchi argued such statements violate both the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, undermining future negotiations with the EU and UK. He emphasized Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program and criticized calls for one-sided cooperation with the IAEA, while ignoring threats from Israel and the U.S.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed that Tehran dealt a devastating blow to both the aerial and ground forces of Israel during a 12-day conflict. Speaking at a memorial in Tehran on Wednesday, Ghalibaf said Iranian forces began surrounding and dismantling Israel’s military capabilities by the second and third days of the war. He asserted that Iranian ballistic missiles even struck fortified Israeli defense systems—evidence, he said, of Iran’s growing military power. Ghalibaf further claimed that Israel's aggression, backed by the United States, was met with a powerful Iranian response. "Without U.S. support, Israel wouldn’t last a single day," he added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has admitted that US B-2 bombers inflicted significant damage on the Fordow nuclear facility. While the full extent is still unclear, the installations have reportedly been severely compromised. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is assessing the losses. Araghchi insisted that bombs cannot destroy scientific progress or peaceful uranium enrichment. The Washington Post, citing intercepted Iranian communications, reported that Tehran is likely downplaying the scale of the damage.