The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that any new aggression against Iran will be met with an immediate, decisive, and severe response. In a statement issued on Wednesday marking its anniversary, the IRGC said it is prepared to achieve 'unimaginable success' on the battlefield and to deploy new capabilities against its enemies. The force also threatened to strike remaining enemy installations in the region in ways that adversaries 'cannot even imagine.'

The statement described the IRGC as a powerful popular force and said the Iranian nation takes pride in its strategic military capabilities alongside other branches of the armed forces. It claimed that Israeli and U.S. forces have come under pressure and weakened due to Iranian missile and drone attacks. The IRGC emphasized the need for vigilance and close monitoring of enemy behavior during ongoing talks and ceasefire discussions.

According to the statement, major military infrastructures of Israeli and U.S. forces in the region have been severely damaged by operations led by Iran’s armed forces, particularly the IRGC.

Iran has executed a senior civilian defense official found guilty of spying for Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. According to a report by Iran’s Mizan News Agency, the official, identified as Mehdi Farid, was hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.

The report stated that Farid admitted to attempting to pass sensitive information to Israeli intelligence, including organizational details, facility designs, and personnel documents. The execution marks another instance of Iran’s strict enforcement of espionage laws amid ongoing tensions with Israel.

The case, reported by Mizan and cited by Middle East Eye, underscores Iran’s continued focus on countering alleged foreign infiltration within its defense and intelligence sectors.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Tehran is ready to resume discussions with the United States once Washington lifts its sanctions. He emphasized that before any new round of talks can begin, the United States must also stop violating ceasefire agreements. According to Iravani, the next phase of discussions would take place in Islamabad once sanctions are removed.

Iravani further said that Iran is prepared for any scenario, whether it involves pursuing a political solution or facing conflict. His remarks, reported by Middle East Eye, come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, with both sides maintaining firm positions on sanctions and regional security issues.

The statement underscores Iran’s conditional approach to diplomacy with the United States, linking any future negotiations directly to the lifting of economic restrictions and adherence to ceasefire commitments.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s recent remarks have alarmed Gulf nations, as he suggested that reopening the Strait of Hormuz could become the central issue in Iran-US negotiations to end the ongoing conflict. His warning reinforced fears among Gulf states that such talks might only achieve limited de-escalation, leaving Tehran’s influence intact. Experts noted that the next round of discussions, possibly in Islamabad, is unlikely to prioritize Iran’s missile program or its regional proxies, focusing instead on uranium enrichment limits and Iran’s control over Hormuz.

Gulf officials cautioned that this approach could entrench rather than reduce Iran’s power, effectively managing rather than dismantling its dominance over a key global energy route. They expressed concern that global economic stability was being prioritized over the security of nations most exposed to energy and defense risks. Sources indicated that Washington and Tehran’s diplomacy now emphasizes uranium enrichment levels while tacitly accepting Tehran’s sway over the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Negotiations remain stalled as Iran rejects both a “zero enrichment” proposal and demands to export its uranium stockpile abroad, deepening regional unease over shifting priorities.

Iran has called on the United Nations to strongly condemn the United States for seizing an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran described the incident as an act of piracy and a violation of the ceasefire agreement between the two countries. According to AFP, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US Navy had taken control of the Iranian-flagged vessel named ‘Tuska,’ which is under American sanctions.

Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, wrote to the UN Security Council and the Secretary-General, calling the seizure a dangerous provocation that threatens maritime security and stability. He said the move clearly breaches the ceasefire signed on April 8 and constitutes aggression under the UN Charter. Iravani urged the UN to condemn the action and demand the immediate release of the ship.

Trump later stated on his Truth Social platform that he was extending the ceasefire to continue talks with Iran but that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place.

Iran fired on a container ship near the coast of Oman, causing extensive damage, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The organization reported that a vessel linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached the ship about 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman before the attack.

Tasnim News Agency stated that the Iranian military issued multiple warnings to the ship, which were ignored, prompting Iran to enforce what it described as 'maritime law.' The incident occurred as U.S. President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran.

An adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed Trump’s decision as meaningless, asserting that Washington cannot impose conditions on Tehran. The event underscores ongoing maritime and political tensions between Iran and the United States in the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is facing a financial collapse. In a post on his social media platform X, Trump stated that Iran is 'crying for cash' and losing about 500 million dollars every day. He further alleged that Iran’s military and police are complaining about not receiving their salaries.

Trump also said that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route. According to him, Iran wants to reopen the strait to earn 500 million dollars daily, but has kept it closed to 'save face.' The statements were reported by Al Jazeera and published by the Bangladeshi outlet Amar Desh.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with recent reports of ship seizures and escalating regional conflict in the Middle East.

An adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran as meaningless. The adviser said Washington cannot impose any conditions on Tehran, asserting that the United States has been defeated in the conflict. He added that a defeated side cannot dictate terms during ongoing tensions.

The remarks came amid continued disputes over the US naval blockade and stalled negotiations. Iranian officials have warned that sustained pressure could further escalate the situation. The comments reflect Tehran’s firm stance against US actions in the region.

Earlier, Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire with Iran in a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. He also ordered the US military to maintain the naval blockade against Iran, citing requests from Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to delay attacks until Tehran presents a unified proposal.

Iran has warned that oil production in Gulf countries could be targeted if their territories are used for attacks against Iran. The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force issued the threat, according to a report by the state-backed Fars News Agency. The warning comes as several Persian Gulf nations have previously allowed Iran’s adversaries to operate from their soil.

The report added that Iran’s list of potential targets has expanded beyond military installations to include major oil fields and refineries across the Middle East. The commander specifically mentioned locations in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. Many of these countries are U.S. allies and host American military bases.

The statement underscores rising regional tensions and signals that Iran may consider economic infrastructure a strategic target if hostilities escalate further.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran wants to reopen it to earn about 500 million dollars daily. According to Trump, Iran has kept the vital waterway closed only to save face, as reported by Al Jazeera. He made the remarks in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump added that Iran’s real intention is to reopen the strait because keeping it closed causes financial losses. He claimed that Iran maintains the closure only because the United States has already imposed a full blockade. Trump further mentioned that four days earlier, people informed him that Iran wanted to reopen the strait immediately, but doing so could prevent any future agreement with Iran unless its leadership were destroyed.

The report highlights continuing tensions between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, with both sides asserting conflicting positions on its status.

Iran’s Education Minister Alireza Khazemi announced that around 1,300 schools across the country were damaged in recent US-Israeli attacks, with repair work on 775 of them already completed. The information was reported by Iran’s state news agency IRNA on April 22, 2026.

According to the minister, the attacks, which began on February 28, left at least 20 schools completely destroyed. The most severe damage occurred in the provinces of Tehran, Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Hormozgan. Khazemi expressed optimism that reconstruction of the remaining damaged schools would be finished by October.

The report highlights the scale of infrastructure damage to Iran’s education sector following the attacks and outlines the government’s ongoing efforts to restore normal schooling conditions across affected regions.

Iran’s drone development, first noticed in Hezbollah operations near the Israel-Lebanon border, gained global attention when Iranian-made drones appeared in the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. Despite decades of sanctions since 1979, Iran built a domestic drone industry that evolved from simple reconnaissance devices to long-range strike systems capable of reaching Israel by 2026.

The program began during the Iran-Iraq war when sanctions and the departure of U.S. engineers left Iran’s air force crippled. Facing technological isolation, Iranian engineers and students at Isfahan University developed early drones for surveillance, later adapted for combat under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. By the late 1980s, Iran became one of the first nations to deploy armed unmanned aerial vehicles in warfare.

Iran’s strategy emphasized low-cost mass deployment over precision, allowing swarms of inexpensive drones to overwhelm expensive missile defenses. This cost asymmetry was demonstrated in the 2019 Aramco oil facility attack, which caused billions in damage at minimal expense. The evolution of Iran’s drone program has altered modern warfare economics and challenged traditional military power hierarchies.

Mahdi Mohammadi, adviser to the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, has criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire, calling it a meaningless move intended to buy time for a sudden attack. His remarks were made in a social media post late Tuesday night, where he accused Trump of using the ceasefire extension as a deceptive strategy.

Mohammadi stated that a defeated side cannot impose conditions and argued that maintaining blockades is no different from bombings, which must be met with a military response. He further claimed that Iran should now take countermeasures, suggesting that the ceasefire extension signals preparation for an imminent strike.

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, with reports of ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz and growing regional instability. The statement underscores Iran’s suspicion of U.S. intentions and signals potential escalation if diplomatic efforts fail.

Iran has declined to participate in talks scheduled in Pakistan regarding a ceasefire and agreement with the United States, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The agency cited one of its representatives, saying the decision was made because Washington had not withdrawn what Tehran described as its 'unreasonable demands.' Tasnim reported that Iran announced it would not attend the meeting, calling participation a waste of time under current conditions.

The report added that Iran has formally informed Pakistan of its decision and notified mediators that it will not be present at the discussions planned for the following day. The talks were expected to focus on potential steps toward easing tensions between the two countries. However, the authenticity of the report could not be independently verified, according to Al Jazeera.

The development underscores ongoing friction between Iran and the United States, with Pakistan positioned as a potential facilitator in the dialogue process.

Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become uncertain after its sports and youth minister, Ahmad Donyamali, stated that the team will only compete if full security for Iranian players is guaranteed. He said the final decision will be made by the Iranian government and the Supreme National Security Council. The minister made the remarks to Tasnim News Agency, emphasizing that the safety of the national team in the United States is the key condition for participation.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with all of Iran’s group-stage matches scheduled to take place in the US. Following the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States on February 28, concerns over the safety of Iranian players have intensified. Iran had earlier requested FIFA to move its matches from the US to Mexico, but the request was rejected due to logistical reasons.

With tensions between the two countries still high, the global football community is now waiting for Tehran’s final decision on whether Team Melli will take part in the tournament.