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The Islamic Resistance issued a communiqué this afternoon, indicating that in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the Resistance fighters targeted a deployment of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Ma’yan site with Falaq missiles, achieving direct hits.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
On May 19, 2024, the untimely passing of President Ebrahim Raisi- a deeply respected and dedicated public servant- in a tragic helicopter crash precipitated early elections in Iran, marking a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.
Amidst war and turbulence in our region, Iran’s political system demonstrated remarkable stability by conducting elections in a competitive, peaceful, and orderly manner, dispelling insinuations made by some ‘Iran experts’ in certain governments. This stability, and the dignified manner in which the elections were conducted, underscore the discernment of our Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and the dedication of our people to democratic transition of power even in the face of adversity.
I ran for office on a platform of reform, fostering national unity, and constructive engagement with the world, ultimately earning the trust of my compatriots at the ballot box, including those young women and men dissatisfied with the overall state of affairs. I deeply value their trust and am
fully committed to cultivating consensus, both domestically and internationally, to uphold the promises I made during my campaign.
I wish to emphasize that my administration will be guided by the commitment to preserving Iran’s national dignity and international stature under all circumstances. Iran’s foreign policy is founded on the principles of “dignity, wisdom, and prudence”, with the formulation and execution of this state-policy being the responsibility of the president and the government. I intend to leverage all authority granted to my office to pursue this overarching objective.
With this in mind, my administration will pursue an opportunity-driven policy by creating balance in relations with all countries, consistent with our national interests, economic development, and requirements of regional and global peace and security. Accordingly, we will welcome sincere efforts to alleviate tensions and will reciprocate good-faith with good-faith.
Under my administration, we will prioritize strengthening
relations with our neighbors. We will champion the establishment of a “strong region” rather than one where a single country pursues hegemony and dominance over the others. I firmly believe that neighboring and brotherly nations should not waste their valuable resources on erosive competitions, arms races, or the unwarranted containment of each other. Instead, we will aim to create an environment where our resources can be devoted to the progress and development of the region for the benefit of all.
We look forward to cooperating with Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and regional organizations to deepen our economic ties, bolster trade relations, promote joint-venture investment, tackle common challenges, and move towards establishing a regional framework for dialogue, confidence building and development. Our region has been plagued for too long by war, sectarian conflicts, terrorism and extremism, drug trafficking, water scarcity, refugee crises, environme
ntal degradation, and foreign interference. It is time to tackle these common challenges for the benefit of future generations. Cooperation for regional development and prosperity will be the guiding principle of our foreign policy.
As nations endowed with abundant resources and shared traditions rooted in peaceful Islamic teachings, we must unite and rely on the power of logic rather than the logic of power. By leveraging our normative influence, we can play a crucial role in the emerging post-polar global order by promoting peace, creating a calm environment conducive to sustainable development, fostering dialogue, and dispelling Islamophobia. Iran is prepared to play its fair share in this regard.
In 1979, following the Revolution, the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran, motivated by respect for international law and fundamental human rights, severed ties with two apartheid regimes, Israel and South Africa. Israel remains an apartheid regime to this day, now adding “genocide” to a record already
marred by occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, settlement-building, nuclear weapons possession, illegal annexation, and aggression against its neighbors.
As a first measure, my administration will urge our neighboring Arab countries to collaborate and utilize all political and diplomatic leverages to prioritize achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza aiming to stop the massacre and prevent the broadening of the conflict. We must then diligently work to end the prolonged occupation that has devastated the lives of four generations of Palestinians. In this context, I want to emphasize that all states have a binding duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention to take measures to prevent genocide; not to reward it through normalization of relations with the perpetrators.
Today, it seems that many young people in Western countries have recognized the validity of our decades-long stance on the Israeli regime. I would like to take this opportunity to tell this brave generation that we regard the allegations of an
tisemitism against Iran for its principled stance on the Palestinian issue as not only patently false but also as an insult to our culture, beliefs, and core values. Rest assured that these accusations are as absurd as the unjust claims of antisemitism directed at you while you protest on university campuses to defend the Palestinians’ right to life.
China and Russia have consistently stood by us during challenging times. We deeply value this friendship. Our 25-year roadmap with China represents a significant milestone towards establishing a mutually beneficial “comprehensive strategic partnership,” and we look forward to collaborating more extensively with Beijing as we advance towards a new global order. In 2023, China played a pivotal role in facilitating the normalization of our relations with Saudi Arabia, showcasing its constructive vision and forward-thinking approach to international affairs.
Russia is a valued strategic ally and neighbor to Iran and my administration will remain committed to expand
ing and enhancing our cooperation. We strive for peace for the people of Russia and Ukraine, and my government will stand prepared to actively support initiatives aimed at achieving this objective. I will continue to prioritize bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia, particularly within frameworks such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Eurasia Economic Union.
Recognizing that the global landscape has evolved beyond traditional dynamics, my administration is committed to fostering mutually beneficial relations with emerging international players in the Global South, especially with African nations. We will strive to enhance our collaborative efforts and strengthen our partnerships for the mutual benefit of all involved.
Iran’s relations with Latin America are well-established and will be closely maintained and deepened to foster development, dialogue and cooperation in all fields. There is significantly more potential for cooperation between Iran and the countries of Latin Ameri
ca than what is currently being realized, and we look forward to further strengthening our ties.
Iran’s relations with Europe have known its ups and downs. After the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) in May 2018, European countries made eleven commitments to Iran to try to salvage the agreement and mitigate the impact of the United States’ unlawful and unilateral sanctions on our economy. These commitments involved ensuring effective banking transactions, effective protection of companies from U.S. sanctions, and the promotion of investments in Iran. European countries have reneged on all these commitments, yet unreasonably expect Iran to unilaterally fulfill all its obligations under the JCPOA.
Despite these missteps, I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue with European countries to set our relations on the right path, based on principles of mutual respect and equal footing. European countries should realize that Iranians are a proud people whose rig
hts and dignity can no longer be overlooked. There are numerous areas of cooperation that Iran and Europe can explore once European powers come to terms with this reality and set aside self-arrogated moral supremacy coupled with manufactured crises that have plagued our relations for so long. Opportunities for collaboration include economic and technological cooperation, energy security, transit routes, environment, as well as combating terrorism and drug trafficking, refugee crises, and other fields, all of which could be pursued to the benefit of our nations.
The United States also needs to recognize the reality and understand, once and for all, that Iran does not-and will not-respond to pressure. We entered the JCPOA in 2015 in good faith and fully met our obligations. But the United States unlawfully withdrew from the agreement motivated by purely domestic quarrels and vengeance, inflicting hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to our economy, and causing untold suffering, death and destruction on th
e Iranian people-particularly during the Covid pandemic-through the imposition of extraterritorial unilateral sanctions. The U.S. deliberately chose to escalate hostilities by waging not only an economic war against Iran but also engaging in state terrorism by assassinating General Qassem Soleimani, a global anti-terrorism hero known for his success in saving the people of our region from the scourge of ISIS and other ferocious terrorist groups. Today, the world is witnessing the harmful consequences of that choice.
The U.S. and its Western allies, not only missed a historic opportunity to reduce and manage tensions in the region and the world, but also seriously undermined the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by showing that the costs of adhering to the tenets of the non-proliferation regime could outweigh the benefits it may offer. Indeed, the U.S. and its Western allies have abused the non-proliferation regime to fabricate a crisis regarding Iran’s peaceful nuclear program – openly contradicting their own i
ntelligence assessment – and use it to maintain sustained pressure on our people, while they have actively contributed to and continue to support the nuclear weapons of Israel, an apartheid regime, a compulsive aggressor and a non-NPT member and a known possessor of illegal nuclear arsenal.
I wish to emphasize that Iran’s defense doctrine does not include nuclear weapons and urge the United States to learn from past miscalculations and adjust its policy accordingly. Decision-makers in Washington need to recognize that a policy that consists of pitting regional countries against each other has not succeeded and will not succeed in the future. They need to come to terms with this reality and avoid exacerbating current tensions.
The Iranian people have entrusted me with a strong mandate to vigorously pursue constructive engagement on the international stage while insisting on our rights, our dignity and our deserved role in the region and the world. I extend an open invitation to those willing to join us in th
is historic endeavor.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
National News Agency correspondent in Tyre reported today that the occupation forces combed the outskirts of the border town of Rmeish from their positions in the al-Raheb and Harmon sites with machine guns, where a number of homes were damaged.
Israeli bullets hit the residence of Mayor Milad al-Alam, smashing the windows of his house and causing damage.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
National News Agency correspondent in Tyre reported that enemy warplanes were flying at low altitude over the western and central sectors.
A number of enemy drones were also seen circling over the villages of the Tyre district, especially in the skies over the villages of Naqoura, al-Habin and Tayr Harfa.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
Lebanese Forces Party Chief, Samir Geagea, stressed that ‘the situation in Lebanon cannot wait for that of Gaza to be resolved,’ underlining the government’s need “to take decisive and immediate measures regarding the southern front, in terms of implementing Resolution 1701,” reiterating that opening the southern front is a “major sin” and not a “mistake.’
His words came during a ceremony for handing over cards to a new batch of LF members in the northern Bekaa region, held at the party’s general headquarters in Maarab.
Touching on the presidential file, Geagea voiced his complete rejection of rumored news that the next president will be elected through the Parliament Council of 2026, stressing that ‘the Lebanese Forces are working with all their might to ensure that the battle to elect the president does not carry over to the next parliamentary elections.’
He called herein on the “centrist representatives” to “assume their responsibilities and contribute to the immediate election of a president of the rep
ublic,” considering that “this step is the only way out of the current crisis.”
Geagea also touched on the role of “Hezbollah” inside Lebanon, saying: “No state can have an armed party outside the framework of the state.” He asserted that “to ensure the stability of Lebanon and the safety of the Lebanese, the government must immediately implement Resolution 1701 unilaterally, and deploy the Lebanese Army in the south instead of Hezbollah, to achieve national sovereignty and protect the borders.’
Regarding international efforts to resolve the Lebanese crisis, Geagea pointed out that ‘the solution must be local par excellence,’ emphasizing that ‘the international community can help, but the final solution lies in the hands of the local forces, especially the centrist representatives who can break the existing stalemate and move towards electing a new president.’
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
The Islamic Resistance issued a communique this afternoon, indicating that in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the Resistance fighters targeted at 12:30 p.m today a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Mitat barracks, directly hitting them with missile weapons.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
The Israeli Premiership announced that Benjamin Netanyahu will hold security consultations during the day with all security bodies and the National Security Council to discuss developments and next steps, according to “Russia Today”.
The Israeli Premiership said that Netanyahu gave the green light from the beginning of the war to assassinate Hamas leaders.
This comes after Israeli Army Radio reported today that Israeli forces targeted Muhammad al-Deif, commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, with an air strike in the Khan Yunis area in the southern Gaza Strip.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that Muhammad al-Deif was injured in the bombing, according to Israeli army estimates.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
Ramallah – Ma’an – Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Hussein al-Sheikh said that Israel must be forced to stop its open destructive war on all fronts against our Palestinian people.
The Sheikh added in a post on the “X” platform, after the horrific crime (Mawasi Khan Yunis), which claimed the lives of dozens of innocent people in the Gaza Strip, and which constitutes a continuation of the aggression and the shedding of Palestinian blood in full view of the world, this international silence is no longer acceptable.
Source: Maan News Agency
National News Agency correspondent reported that enemy artillery targeted this afternoon the outskirts of the town of Houla, Wadi al-Dalafa, the vicinity of al-Amana station and the town of Makrab.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
Caretaker Minister of Culture, Judge Muhammad Wissam Al-Murtada, wrote today on his platform ‘X’ account: “The Minister of Defense and the Army Commander are implementing the agreement reached regarding the results of the enlistment processing at the Military Academy, and they have exercised the highest levels of elevation and cooperation in the interest of the military establishment.” He hailed herein their refined and responsible response and the vigilance of House Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and their prompt follow-up that allowed a solution to see the light.
He concluded: “I sensed during my deliberations that the military institution is well-preserved and in safe hands, and I hope that this cooperation will prevail in other outstanding files that are of no less importance and not more complex.”
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon
Ramallah – Ma’an – The official spokesman for the presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that the new occupation massacre in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, which led to the martyrdom and injury of more than 350 citizens, including children and women, is a continuation of the war of genocide that our people have been subjected to since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on our land and people.
He added that this heinous massacre, which claimed the lives of hundreds of our children, women and elderly, is the responsibility of the American administration, which insists on violating all international legitimacy resolutions by continuing to provide financial and weapons support to this occupation, which commits bloody massacres against our people on a daily basis.
Abu Rudeina pointed out that the Israeli occupation continues to flout international and humanitarian laws, by committing war crimes of genocide against the people of Gaza, by directly targeting the tents of the d
isplaced in Al-Mawasi, which shelter tens of thousands of civilian citizens.
The official spokesman for the presidency said that if it were not for the blind and biased American support, this occupation would not have been able to continue its bloody crimes against our people, and to challenge international legitimacy and the decisions of international courts that called for stopping the aggression and providing protection for our Palestinian people.
He added: We call on the UN Security Council and the international community to intervene immediately to stop these bloody massacres, and to oblige the occupation authorities to immediately stop all these actions, which violate all international legitimacy resolutions, and to end their aggression.
Source: Maan News Agency
Ramallah – Ma’an – The official spokesman for the presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that the new occupation massacre in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, which led to the martyrdom and injury of more than 350 citizens, including children and women, is a continuation of the war of genocide that our people have been subjected to since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on our land and people.
He added that this heinous massacre, which claimed the lives of hundreds of our children, women and elderly, is the responsibility of the American administration, which insists on violating all international legitimacy resolutions by continuing to provide financial and weapons support to this occupation, which commits bloody massacres against our people on a daily basis.
Abu Rudeina pointed out that the Israeli occupation continues to flout international and humanitarian laws, by committing war crimes of genocide against the people of Gaza, by directly targeting the tents of the d
isplaced in Al-Mawasi, which shelter tens of thousands of civilian citizens.
The official spokesman for the presidency said that if it were not for the blind and biased American support, this occupation would not have been able to continue its bloody crimes against our people, and to challenge international legitimacy and the decisions of international courts that called for stopping the aggression and providing protection for our Palestinian people.
He added: We call on the UN Security Council and the international community to intervene immediately to stop these bloody massacres, and to oblige the occupation authorities to immediately stop all these actions, which violate all international legitimacy resolutions, and to end their aggression.
Source: Maan News Agency