New satellite images analyzed by CNN and the Institute for Science and International Security indicate that Iran is rebuilding parts of its suspected nuclear facilities. The images show reconstruction efforts at the Parchin site, which was damaged earlier this year by joint US-Israeli airstrikes. The activity appears to have taken place in June and July, shortly after Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding with the United States pledging not to develop nuclear weapons.

Analysts cited in the report say the reconstruction could violate the terms of the June agreement, which aimed to end hostilities and ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The memorandum also included commitments by Tehran to refrain from nuclear weapons development and to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency on uranium down-blending. Despite the new findings, the report notes that Iran’s main nuclear sites at Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz remain untouched.

The satellite data also show Iran repairing some of its missile storage bases, raising renewed concerns in Washington and among its allies about Tehran’s broader military capabilities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of breaching a key clause of a memorandum of understanding related to Iran’s nuclear program. In a post on social media platform X early Saturday local time, Araghchi said Iran has upheld its commitments, but the U.S. Treasury Secretary violated Article 9 of the memorandum.

According to the memorandum’s ninth article, Iran must maintain its current nuclear program status until a final agreement is reached, while the United States must refrain from imposing new sanctions or deploying additional forces in the region. Earlier in the week, following Iran’s attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Tehran.

Araghchi described the sanctions and military actions as further examples of U.S. noncompliance, urging both sides to adhere equally to the agreement. The United States also carried out airstrikes on Iranian targets and revoked a waiver allowing Iran to sell oil without sanctions. President Donald Trump declared the memorandum void but said talks with Tehran would continue.

Iran has declared that it will never surrender to the United States and is fully prepared to defend itself if Washington withdraws from the memorandum of understanding between the two countries. The warning came from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, who emphasized Tehran’s readiness for complete defense in case of any U.S. breach.

Ghalibaf stated that Iran has never stopped preparing to protect its nation and that ending wars should be a global priority. However, he stressed that the current conflict would not end through Iran’s surrender. His remarks followed a social media post by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Tehran and Washington had agreed to continue talks but that their ceasefire period had expired.

The exchange highlights ongoing tensions between the two nations, with Iran signaling its determination to maintain sovereignty and defensive capability amid uncertainty over the future of the agreement.

A Qatari mediation team has arrived in Tehran to help revive stalled discussions between Iran and the United States. The delegation is holding meetings with Iranian officials aimed at reducing tensions and creating conditions for broader dialogue with Washington. The diplomatic effort comes amid heightened strain following recent military incidents and the collapse of previous agreements.

Iranian officials have expressed deep skepticism about Washington’s intentions, questioning the U.S. commitment to implementing a memorandum of understanding brokered earlier through Pakistan’s mediation. The distrust intensified after U.S. airstrikes in five Iranian provinces damaged military and civilian infrastructure, causing casualties, and after President Donald Trump unilaterally canceled the memorandum.

Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared that Iran would never surrender in the current conflict and is fully prepared for “total war.” Tehran insists that Washington must honor specific clauses of the memorandum, including ceasefire terms across all fronts, Iran’s sovereign rights in managing the Strait of Hormuz, and its right to export oil.

Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, a top commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has vowed to take revenge against the United States and Israel for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking after Khamenei’s burial in his hometown of Mashhad on Thursday, Vahidi declared that the assassination would never be erased from history and that justice must be ensured for the perpetrators.

Vahidi emphasized that those responsible, particularly what he called “child killers,” must face appropriate punishment. He warned that the killing would not weaken the resistance movement or the Islamic Revolution, asserting that the enemies of the revolution must understand that such acts cannot bring down the flag of resistance.

He concluded that avenging the deaths of martyrs and punishing the criminals would remain the IRGC’s ultimate and legitimate demand. The comments were reported by Al Jazeera, reflecting Iran’s strong reaction following the death of its top leader.

More than 43 million people attended the funeral and farewell ceremonies of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, breaking all previous records, according to Iranian authorities. The six-day mourning processions took place across Iran and Iraq, marking what officials described as the largest public gathering and funeral in human history.

Fars News Agency reported that the ceremonies were held in Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that nearly ten million people joined the events in Najaf and Karbala alone. Khamenei was killed along with his family in a U.S. terrorist attack in February, and the formal farewell began last Friday, attended by political leaders from over 45 countries and scholars and representatives from more than 90 nations.

Independent sources verified the attendance figures using travel data and mobile signal analysis, according to Press TV.

Iran has labeled the NATO summit held this week in Ankara, Turkey, as entirely politically motivated. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Tehran strongly criticized the summit’s focus on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that these topics were used for political purposes. The Iranian embassy in Turkey stated that the country’s nuclear activities are completely peaceful and that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.

The embassy further asserted that maintaining the security and stability of the Strait of Hormuz is primarily Iran’s responsibility, while accusing other nations of provoking instability through destructive actions. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also sharply criticized NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, accusing him of supporting what he called an “illegal and imposed war.”

Baghaei added that NATO’s support for U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran reflects a submissive mentality and that flattery cannot conceal the truth or contempt. The statements underscore Iran’s growing frustration with NATO’s stance on regional security and its nuclear policy.

Military analysts say the United States is struggling to counter Iran’s asymmetric warfare tactics in the Persian Gulf, particularly the threat of naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Former US Marine Corps officer Dan Grazier told Al Jazeera that Iran could effectively disrupt global trade with minimal action, as even a few mines could turn clearance operations into a massive undertaking.

Grazier explained that the high value of ships passing through the region means even minor incidents could have a major impact on world commerce. He said the situation highlights the complexity of asymmetric warfare and presents a dilemma for US policymakers, who are unsure how to withdraw without appearing weak. According to Grazier, Iran holds a strategic advantage because it does not need to project power far from its own shores.

He urged Washington to seek a swift end to the conflict, acknowledging that the United States has yet to find a solution. Grazier added that while the current situation is difficult, valuable lessons could be learned once the conflict ends.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in his birthplace Mashhad. The funeral took place at the Imam Reza shrine, where thousands gathered from early morning to attend the final prayers and mourning procession, according to Reuters.

Before the burial, Khamenei’s body was taken through several cities for ceremonies. After a large mourning procession in Qom, his coffin was transported to Iraq’s Najaf, where Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Khamenei’s eldest son Mostafa Hosseini Khamenei, and senior Iraqi officials received it. Another procession was held in Karbala at the shrines of Imam Hussein and Al-Abbas before the body returned to Iran.

The funeral occurred amid escalating tensions following mutual attacks between the United States and Iran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed drone and missile strikes on 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for earlier American attacks. Khamenei was killed on February 28 in a joint US-Israeli airstrike in Iran, according to Reuters and Press TV.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday evening, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry. During the call, Araghchi condemned recent statements from the United States, describing them as clear signs of treaty violations and a continuation of Washington’s war-oriented policy.

He further labeled US attacks in various parts of Iran as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and a breach of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Araghchi warned against any reckless military actions by US forces and emphasized that Iran is fully prepared to defend itself if such attacks continue.

The report noted that Pakistan’s army chief has been acting as a mediator between Iran and the United States amid rising tensions, though no further details of the discussion were disclosed.

An Israeli-based outlet, i24 News, reported that a planned attack on Iran by Kurdish armed groups, allegedly supported by the United States and Israel, was canceled at the last moment due to diplomatic pressure from Turkey. The report, published Wednesday, claimed that for several months US intelligence agencies had overseen preparations involving Kurdish fighters, including meetings, weapons supply, and military training. Weapons were reportedly delivered a week before the scheduled assault.

According to i24 News, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s intervention led Washington to veto the plan, preventing the attack. The report cited Israeli sources saying that while Mossad’s role was not detailed, it was not fully denied. It also alleged that information about the plan reached Turkey through associates of US Vice President JD Vance, prompting Ankara to pressure Washington to stop the operation. None of the involved parties have officially commented.

Other outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, and Reuters, had previously reported on related Kurdish operations and intelligence activities along the Iran-Iraq border, describing them as part of a broader regime-change strategy.

Millions of mourners filled the streets of Mashhad, northeastern Iran, on Thursday to bid a final farewell to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution. The funeral procession and final prayers took place before his burial at the Imam Reza shrine. The bodies of Khamenei and his family members, killed in a February 28 attack by the United States and Israel, arrived at Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport earlier in the day. Due to the massive turnout, the funeral schedule was delayed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.

Before the procession began, all roads leading to the shrine were packed with mourners carrying red flags symbolizing vengeance for the martyrs’ blood. The crowd demanded justice for the slain leader. Officials said the funeral convoy had not yet reached the main procession area due to the overwhelming number of participants.

The Mashhad ceremony followed large-scale farewell events in Tehran, Qom, and Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala, where millions also paid their respects before the final burial in Mashhad.

A major fire reportedly broke out at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force facility in Iran’s Bushehr province following recent US airstrikes. The claim emerged from social media videos and open-source intelligence, though the authenticity of the footage has not been independently verified. Iranian authorities have not released any official information on possible damage or casualties.

Earlier, the US Central Command announced that it had carried out strikes on more than 80 targets across Iran, saying the operation aimed to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and counter threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks were described as a response to recent Iranian actions against maritime traffic in the region.

Iranian state-linked media confirmed reports of explosions in Bushehr and nearby areas but did not specify which facilities were hit or provide casualty figures. Speculation has arisen that missile depots, drone infrastructure, or command sites may have been affected, though neither Washington nor Tehran has released detailed assessments.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that his country will not respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s provocative and offensive comments. He rejected calls from within Iran for a strong verbal reaction, stating that Iran would not learn policies from someone whose hands are stained with children’s blood. His remarks appeared to reference a U.S. attack on an Iranian school that reportedly killed more than a hundred children.

Pezeshkian added that anyone unable to express thoughts without using insulting language reveals the offensive nature of their own ideas. He emphasized Iran’s determination to defend its rights firmly. His comments came after Trump, speaking at a NATO summit in Ankara, declared that the ceasefire with Iran was “over” and described Iranian leaders as “liars,” “filthy,” and “violent and sick people.”

The exchange highlights renewed verbal tensions between Washington and Tehran following Trump’s statements at the NATO meeting.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has claimed that American forces carried out strikes on more than 170 Iranian military targets near Iran’s coastal areas close to the Strait of Hormuz over the past two days. According to a report by The New York Times citing CENTCOM, the targets included Iran’s air defense systems, drone and missile storage facilities, military speedboats, and logistical infrastructure. The report was also referenced by Al Jazeera.

CENTCOM stated that the purpose of these operations was to weaken Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The New York Times further reported that the number of strikes conducted in the last two days was nearly 14 times higher than those carried out during the escalation between the United States and Iran in June.

The report did not mention any Iranian response or independent verification of the claimed strikes.