Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised his recent meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei, highlighting his "humility, simplicity, and respectful attitude."

He said the meeting created an atmosphere of "trust and openness."

German Foreign Minister Wadephul:

Merz’s statement about the U.S. being humiliated was a misunderstanding.

We are absolutely behind the U.S. in preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear-weaponized power.

Kremlin:

Additional measures are being taken to ensure Putin’s security amid threats from Kyiv to disrupt the parade in Moscow.

Western intelligence officials say Russia has intensified assassination plots across Europe since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, targeting activists, defectors, military figures, and supporters of Ukraine.

Authorities in France, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, and Spain have disrupted or investigated alleged Russian-linked operations involving surveillance, bomb plots, shootings, and killings. Targets included Russian activist Vladimir Osechkin, Bashkortostan independence advocate Ruslan Gabbasov, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Officials say Russia increasingly relies on criminal proxies and recruited locals instead of intelligence officers, especially after many Russian operatives were expelled from Europe following the 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal.

European security officials believe the operations are meant both to eliminate opponents and intimidate critics abroad. Russia denies involvement.

Source: AP

A man accused of carrying out arson attacks linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told police he did not know who Starmer was.

Source: BBC

Pope Leo XIV meets with Marco Rubio.

An NRC investigation says a controversial porn platform featuring videos of sex with seemingly unconscious women is hosted through a Dutch company owned by Israeli businessman Simon Shlomi Elimeleh.

The report says Elimeleh had been connected to the platform for years through his own Israeli company before acquiring the Dutch hosting provider in 2018 via a Bulgarian firm.

Despite repeated complaints about illegal content — including suspected child abuse material and rape-themed videos — his companies allegedly continued providing hosting and technical services.

Dr. H. A. Hellyer | Defense & Security Expert | Royal United Services Institute:
 

Israeli politicians increasingly frame Türkiye as the new Iran - but that framing hasn't gained traction outside Israel.
 
In Washington, concerns about human rights & democracy have been raised - but nothing approaching a shift toward treating Türkiye as an enemy.
 
Türkiye is deeply integrated into NATO - its most powerful member after the US.
 
That structural reality means decades of relationships won't change overnight, regardless of Israeli framing.

FULL INTERVIEW

Dr. H. A. Hellyer | Defense & Security Expert | Royal United Services Institute:
 

Disagreements within NATO on foreign policy are normal - most members don't agree with Trump on Iran, for example.
 
Israel framing Türkiye as a new enemy is largely domestic narrative - designed to maintain the impression that Israel is surrounded by existential threats, justifying continued external support.
 
The contradiction is obvious: if Israel has "conquered the Palestinians, destroyed Hezbollah, and made Syria subservient" - how can it simultaneously claim to be under threat? It needs to show a new enemy & that is Türkiye.
 
But the Americans are unlikely to take it seriously. Such narratives surface occasionally in the right-wing press - but it never gets far.

FULL INTERVIEW

DOJ probes $2.6B in suspicious oil trades tied to Iran war announcements.

Federal investigators are examining at least four trades where investors bet oil prices would fall shortly before major Iran-related announcements by Trump and Iranian officials.

Source: ABC News

UAE quietly moves oil tankers through Hormuz despite Iran threat.

The UAE has secretly resumed limited crude exports through the Strait of Hormuz, using tankers with tracking systems switched off to avoid Iranian attacks.

ADNOC shipped at least 6 million barrels in April aboard four tankers carrying Upper Zakum and Das crude. Cargoes were transferred offshore, stored in Oman, or sent to South Korea and Malaysia.

Source: Reuters

U.S. diplomats were warned not to use confidential government information to profit from online prediction betting, amid concerns over wagers tied to sensitive events such as U.S.-Iran talks.

The warning followed reports of officials allegedly using insider knowledge for financial gain, including a case involving classified information and bets on political events in Venezuela.

Source: WSJ

Trump:

A highly accurate depiction of the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration. Tremendous damage done but, WE’RE BACK!!!

Trump:

This lunatic, Hakeem “Low IQ” Jeffries, should be charged with INCITING VIOLENCE! The Radical Left Democrats actually want to Destroy our Country.

Israeli "settlers" entered the Christian West Bank village of Taybeh, established a new outpost, and threatened residents.

Villagers say the attacks are aimed at driving out Taybeh’s Christian population.

The U.S. and Iran are moving toward a temporary deal to halt fighting, though major disputes remain unresolved. Tehran is reviewing a one-page proposal focused on ending the war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and starting 30 days of broader negotiations.

The draft avoids key U.S. demands on Iran’s nuclear program, missiles, and regional proxies.

Iranian officials remain skeptical, calling the proposal more “an American wish list than a reality.”

Source: Reuters

Trump welcomes Brazilian President Lula to the White House.

Dr. H. A. Hellyer | Defense & Security Expert | Royal United Services Institute:
 

Israelis are operating on a very cynical policy that won't last very long.
 
Both Greece & Cyprus have historically strong public support for Palestinians.
 
That support hasn't disappeared, just taken a back seat at the governmental level.
 
The broader European & global public opinion is firmly anti-Israel right now.
 
This is not due to antisemitism, but due to the visible consequences of Israeli policies in Gaza, the West Bank & the region.

FULL INTERVIEW

BIG: U.S. intelligence believes Iran could withstand Trump’s Hormuz blockade for 3–4 months before facing major economic strain.

A leaked CIA assessment says Iran still has much of its missile and drone arsenal intact and has restored many underground facilities.

The report contrasts with Trump’s claims that Iran’s military and economy are near collapse. Officials say Tehran is adapting by storing oil offshore, reducing production to protect infrastructure, and potentially using land routes to bypass the blockade.

Source: WaPo

Senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran will reject any U.S. plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless it includes compensation for war damage.

He said Iran wants “tangible benefits,” not symbolic concessions.

Iran introduced new rules for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring vessels to submit detailed information to a new Iranian authority before transit.

Tehran says it’s for “safe passage.”

Source: CNN