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Trump’s Big Iran U-Turn Shocker: US Scraps Tehran Sanctions In 30-Day Hail Mary To Save Economy |War
16 US Aircraft Down And Counting? Iran’s Revenge Shakes American Military Dominance | Trump, Mojtaba
Trump’s ‘Quick Win’ Lie Exposed As Iran Craters US Bases, $800 Million Damage Reported? | War, IRGC
Iran Launches Heavy Missile Barrage Into ‘Defenceless’ Israel, Multiple Alerts Rip Through Tel Aviv
Latest news
Czech political situation
Huge demonstration against the government in the Czech Republic
A large crowd gathered in Prague on Saturday to protest against the government, news agencies report. Organizers estimated the number of participants at more than 200,000.
The demonstrators accuse Prime Minister Andrej Babis' nationalist coalition government of leading the country in a more authoritarian direction and abandoning Ukraine. Babis has opposed the EU on several environmental and migration issues and opposed economic aid and loans to Ukraine.
- We are here to take a clear position against our country going the way of Slovakia and Hungary, says the main organizer Mikulás Minár to the AP.
Election in Hungary
Data: Hungary has reported directly to the Kremlin from EU meetings
For several years, Viktor Orbán's Hungarian government has provided the Kremlin with detailed information about sensitive EU discussions, a number of European security sources told the Washington Post.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó is said to have regularly called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during breaks during meetings to report directly on what was being said and suggest solutions that could benefit Russia, according to the sources.
“All EU meetings have practically had Moscow at the table for years,” says one of them.
Szijjártó has made 16 official visits to Russia since the full-scale invasion began, most recently on March 4 when he met Putin.
“This man has not only betrayed his country, but the whole of Europe,” says Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar – who is leading in the polls ahead of the April 12 election – according to Hungarian Telex.
Trump's USA
The President's Team
Defection of Counterterrorism Chief Worried About Trump's Revenge
Defection of the US Counterterrorism Chief Joe Kent is worried about political revenge from the Trump administration, but does not regret his move. He says this on the conservative media profile Megyn Kelly's podcast.
- Of course I am worried because we have all seen how the FBI and the government hunt down people who dare to raise their voices, he says and adds:
- But I know that I have the facts and the truth on my side.
Kent resigned on Tuesday. In his resignation letter, he wrote that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States and that the country was drawn into the war under pressure from "Israel and its powerful lobby in the United States", which raised accusations of anti-Semitism from Republican politicians.
According to sources to American media, Kent has been investigated by the FBI for leaks since before he stepped down from his role.
Russia Investigation
Politicians Fury Over Trump's Cheers Over Mueller's Death
Democratic
politicians are furious after Donald Trump expressed joy over the death
of former FBI Director and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, reports
Politico.
"Every day this president demonstrates his lack of
decency and his unfitness for public office," writes California Senator
Adam Schiff on X.
The president's rudeness is an end in itself, writes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
"Trump's
goal is to distract you from rising gas prices, ICE abuses, and the
Epstein investigation. Don't give him what he wants."
At least one Republican, Representative Don Bacon, also condemned the post.
"This behavior is wrong and unchristian," he writes in a text message to Politico.
Middle East Crisis Situation in Iran
Sources: Khamenei is alive – but the Revolutionary Guard is in control
The latest US and Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran’s new leader Mojtaba Khamenei is alive, but that the Revolutionary Guard currently holds the real power in the country, sources told the Jerusalem Post.
“The most likely scenario is that the Revolutionary Guard controls him, rather than vice versa. We will probably know more in a few days,” one of them said.
Khamenei is believed to be injured, but at least willing to carry out some tasks. However, he is said to be nowhere near the centralized power that his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had.
Iranian state media has published some written statements from Mojtaba Khamenei during the war, but neither audio nor video.
Analysis: Iran could next target desalination plants
Donald Trump now seems to be looking for a way out of the Iran war – which he has called “a little excursion” – despite the fact that many of his war goals have not been met, writes David E Sanger for the New York Times.
“And there are increasing indications that [...] the consequences of Trump’s ‘excursion’ will be longer-lasting than his interest in it,” he continues, mentioning, among other things, fuel prices and the dispute with allies over the Strait of Hormuz.
As usual, Trump’s messages are contradictory – he says he is ready to “step down” while sending thousands of troops to the Middle East, writes Sanger.
The Iranian regime’s main weapon is its willingness to escalate the war – and drag neighboring countries into ruin – because they have nothing to lose, writes Patrick Wintour for The Guardian.
Recently, an Iranian government source said that the country still has ace up its sleeve that it intends to bring out at the right time.
“This is probably referring to the Gulf states’ desalination plants, the core of the region’s fragile ecosystem,” Wintour writes.
According to Al Jazeera, the Gulf states’ 400 desalination plants produce around 40 percent of the world’s desalinated drinking water, and the smaller states of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar in particular are completely dependent on it.
Middle East Crisis Iran War
Sources: Trump has six demands for peace with Iran
The Trump administration has begun planning for the next phase of the Iran war and what peace talks with Iran could look like, sources told Axios.
Yesterday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he is considering scaling back the war because the US is “very close” to achieving its goals. An American source told Axios that the US has now “restrained Iran’s growth” and believes the Iranians are willing to come to the negotiating table.
The administration is said to have drawn up six demands on Iran.
The six alleged demands
1. No missile program for five years.
2. No uranium enrichment.
3. Shut down the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow that the US and Israel bombed last year.
4. Strict external controls on centrifuges and other equipment that could be used in a nuclear weapons program.
5. Disarmament agreements with other countries in the region that include a missile limit of 1,000.
6. No funding for proxy groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza.
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A hundred Israelis injured in new attacks
A hundred people in Israel have been injured in attacks carried out by Iran and Hezbollah on Saturday, Israeli media reported.
In
the southern city of Arad, around 60 people were injured, six of them
seriously, after an Iranian ballistic missile hit a building. Several
people were reportedly trapped under rubble.
In Dimona, also
located in southern Israel, around 30 people were injured when an
Iranian missile hit a building. A boy suffered serious shrapnel wounds.
Outside Dimona is a nuclear facility, and Iran says it was revenge for a
US-Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz.
In Kfar Vradim in northern Israel, several people were injured in Hezbollah rocket attacks, the Jerusalem Post reports.
CIA's New Year's Hunt in Tehran: A Mojtaba Mystery
Updated 16.51 | Published 15.51
The CIA and Mossad followed the Persian New Year celebrations closely in the hope of solving the "Mojtaba Mystery".
But the ayatollah remains missing.
- We have no evidence that he is really the one giving the orders, an Israeli source tells Axios.
Tehran residents defied the war and took to the streets to celebrate the Persian New Year, Nowruz.
At the same time, the world's intelligence agencies were watching to see if Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei would follow his father's tradition and give a New Year's speech.
That did not happen.
Instead, the ayatollah published a handwritten note threatening to attack American and Israeli representatives and military personnel abroad.
“Disfigured”
Iran’s new supreme leader has not been seen since he took office and is reported to have been injured in the attack that killed his father Ali Khamenei. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has even claimed that he may be “disfigured.”
The ayatollah’s absence has sparked speculation, with Axios describing the situation as a “Mojtaba mystery.”
The US and Israel have intelligence indicating that he is still alive, including Iranian officials’ schedules showing scheduled personal meetings with him.
But who is in charge in Tehran is not entirely clear.
– It’s incredibly strange. We don't believe the Iranians would have made an effort to elect a dead man as supreme leader, but at the same time we have no evidence that he is taking over, a US official told Axios.
"Are crazy"
The US and Israel have eliminated a number of leaders in the Iranian top echelon, which has reportedly led to a power vacuum. But there is no indication that the regime is about to collapse, according to sources to Axios.
- The Revolutionary Guard is taking over Iran and they are crazy. They are very ideological and ready to die and face Khamenei the elder.
Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi also does not believe that the tactic of eliminating the highest echelons will work.
– Iran is a completely unique structure that does not follow this pyramid concept. To think that you can knock out 20, 30, 40 people and then the whole system collapses? The answer is no, he has previously told Aftonbladet.
However, he believes that it will be difficult for Mojtaba Khamenei to lead Iran from the shadows.
– He may not be able to stay hidden for several years, but a few weeks or months until things calm down. The regime will be very careful about where key people are.
Middle East Crisis Iran War
Attack on Israeli city with nuclear facility – around 30 injured
Around 30 people have been injured in an Iranian rocket attack on the southern Israeli city of Dimona, AFP reports. According to the IDF, a building was hit by a rocket.
– There was extensive damage and chaos at the scene, says an ambulance paramedic.
A twelve-year-old boy suffered severe shrapnel injuries, according to the Times of Israel, and a woman in her 30s suffered moderate injuries. The others were slightly injured.
Just outside Dimona is a nuclear facility. Iranian state media reported that the rocket was revenge for an Israeli-American attack on an Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz.
Storming Special Forces or Soldiers at the Strait – Trump Considering Alternatives
Donald Trump is considering several different options related to ground troops in Iran, five sources told NBC.
One of the options involves opening the passage through the Strait of Hormuz by deploying American soldiers to Iranian ports and islands in the Persian Gulf. Another is to go into Iran with special forces to extract the country's uranium or seize oil facilities.
Regardless of what the president ultimately ends up doing, any operation involving ground troops is "risky and dangerous," says expert Joe Costa at the Atlantic Council.
According to the informants, however, a more extensive military operation like in Iraq and Afghanistan is not being discussed.
CNN and CBS also published similar information today.
"It is the Pentagon's job to make preparations to give the commander in chief maximum freedom of action," writes White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.
However, no decision has been made, she continues.
Iran: US and Israel have attacked nuclear facility
Iran claims that the US and Israel have attacked the nuclear facility in Natanz in the central parts of the country on Saturday. The message is being spread in state-owned media in Iran.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has been informed of the incident.
“No increase in radiation levels outside the facility has been reported. The IAEA is investigating the report,” writes the organization, which once again calls for military restraint at nuclear facilities.
Neither Israel nor the US have commented on the allegations.
Middle East crisis
Voices about
“The crises are happening so fast that we don’t have time to learn”
Economic
crises are coming more and more frequently and the risk is that society
will not have time to learn from them, warns economist Klas Eklund. In
the 2020s, the world has already been hit by several major shocks, from
pandemics to inflation and energy crises.
– It seems as if there is no time to learn from old memories, he says.
The
risk that the Iran war will lead to long-term high inflation, like the
pandemic and the Ukraine war, is unclear. Much will depend on how long
the conflict lasts and what decisions Donald Trump makes. Eklund
emphasizes that the situation is still far from the deep crises seen
historically.
Expert: Iran's missile attack should worry Europeans
Iran
claimed for years that it limited the range of its missiles to 2,000
kilometers. According to the Iranian military, this was a signal to
Europe that the continent is not a military target, writes RFE/RL.
This
weekend, Iran showed that they do not take any such limit into account
when they sent two ballistic missiles towards the British-American
island base of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, almost 400 kilometers
away. At that distance, they could reach Stockholm, for example.
–
The rules of the game have changed. Iran is in a war of survival and is
making short-term decisions, says Israeli independent defense expert
Michael Horowitz.
– If I were a European, I would be worried, he adds.
The
missiles did not reach their target – one broke up in the air and one
was shot down by the United States. Analysts also suspect that at such
distances Iran must modify its missiles to such an extent that their
accuracy may deteriorate significantly.
Gas prices
Crisis appeal from the EU: Do not fill gas storage – but start now
The
European Commission is urging the EU member states not to fill their
gas storages to more than 80 percent, in order to dampen demand and
thereby the price of gas. Bloomberg reports.
In a letter, the
Commission's energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen also encourages the EU's
member states to start filling gas storage facilities now, to avoid
excessive competition as the summer draws to a close.
Latest news
Putin's Russia
Russian civil servants forced to switch to the state app
Russian government employees will soon be required by law to use the new state app Max in their work, Forbes reports. The new law is expected to come into effect this fall.
According to sources for the independent Telegram channel Faridaily, it is not something that civil servants are particularly keen on. Many are said to be buying separate SIM cards or mobile phones to install Max on because it is seen as a surveillance app.
- Everyone thinks that installing Max is the same as talking directly to the (security service) FSB, says one of the sources.
The Russian state is gradually introducing more extensive restrictions and bans on popular messaging apps such as Telegram and Whatsapp in order to force Russians to switch to Max.
The app, like the Chinese WeChat, is intended as an all-in-one app with functions such as chat, payments, digital identification and access to public services.
Elon Musk's X
Jury: Elon Musk guilty – misled investors
A federal jury in San Francisco finds Elon Musk guilty of misleading investors in connection with the purchase of Twitter, later renamed X, in 2022. Bloomberg reports.
Musk tried to withdraw from the purchase by publicly criticizing the platform and writing that it had too many bot accounts, which drove down the company's stock. In the end, he was forced to cough up the equivalent of over 400 billion kronor and implement it.
The world's richest man, who has previously won several similar court cases, may now have to pay a fine of billions. The exact amount will be determined by the court at a later date.
The future of the Democrats
Frustration in the Democrats – dissatisfaction with Chuck Schumer
Some Democrats in Congress want to poke Chuck Schumer as minority leader in the Senate, reports the Wall Street Journal.
According to the information, Senator Chris Murphy said this during a dinner with left-wing activists in mid-February. When asked directly, Murphy, a 52-year-old left-wing Democrat who is described as a rising star in the party, said that some Democrats have sketched out how many critical votes they can gather to replace him.
Murphy told the WSJ that he does not remember the details of the dinner, that Schumer has internal support and that he himself stands behind him.
But the newspaper has started working on the information and interviewed about 50 Democrats. Many describe widespread dissatisfaction with Schumer's leadership style. Within the party's left wing, there is a feeling that he often rewards more moderate politicians over those who arouse commitment in the ranks.
Schumer himself claims that he has great support "because people feel that I have done a very good job".
Political situation in Cuba
US embassy in Cuba wants to import fuel: “Shameless”
The US embassy in Havana has asked the Cuban government to import American diesel fuel for its generators, reports the Washington Post.
The government promptly denied the request, which they call “shameless” considering that the fuel crisis in Cuba is due to the US oil blockade.
The embassy says they will soon have to reduce their staff to save on fuel during the frequent power outages on the island.
Cuba has not been able to import any oil for three months since the Trump administration imposed a blockade on Venezuela, on whose oil Cuba depends.
Middle East Crisis Oil Market
US opens reserve – weak interest despite price shock
The US is now starting to release oil from the strategic reserve to curb rising fuel prices, reports Bloomberg.
A total of just over 45 million barrels are being lent to companies such as Shell and BP, which are to return the volumes with a premium by 2028.
Interest has been cooler than expected despite high oil prices, pressured by the war in Iran that has stopped transports via the Strait of Hormuz.
Information: Iran releases selected ships in Hormuz
Iran has guided an Indian gas tanker through the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic contact with New Delhi. This is what a crew member told Bloomberg.
– It appears that Iran is allowing selected ships to pass after verification, security analyst Martin Kelly told the news agency.
The development is interpreted as Iran trying to control traffic in the strategically important strait, where concerns about attacks have increased.
Expert on decision to lift sanctions: "Absolutely crazy"
The US decision to temporarily ease oil sanctions against Iran is being met with sharp criticism. Experts warn that the measure could backfire and instead benefit Tehran economically.
- To put it mildly, this is crazy, Blackstone Compliance Services sanctions advisor David Tannenbaum tells the BBC.
According to him, the decision effectively means that Iran is allowed to sell oil that can finance the war. At the same time, analysts question whether the measure will have any major effect on energy prices and point out that it violates the US's previous line of "maximum pressure".
Trump's USA
Border issue
Trump threatens to deploy ICE at airports
Donald Trump is threatening to deploy agents from the federal immigration police ICE at airports if the budget dispute in Congress is not resolved, he writes on Truth Social.
"If the radical left Democrats do not immediately agree to a deal to make our country, especially our airports, free and safe again, I will send our brilliant and patriotic ICE agents to the airports where they will handle security like never before."
Due to the budget deadlock, airport workers from the TSA agency are currently going without pay for the second time in six months, which has led, among other things, to their employers starting to collect food, gift cards and donations for them, writes Reuters. Lines at security checkpoints have also grown enormously.
Billionaire Elon Musk has offered to pay TSA employees' salaries until a budget is in place.
Russia investigation
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller dead – aged 81
Former FBI Director Robert Mueller has died, reports MS NOW (formerly MSNBC). He was 81.
Mueller was perhaps best known for the high-profile investigation into Russian election interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
The investigation, which was presented in 2019, concluded that Russia tried to influence the election through disinformation and social media. However, Mueller found no evidence that the Trump campaign collaborated with Russia.
Mueller led the FBI between 2001 and 2013. He suffered from Parkinson's for several years before his death, according to MS NOW's sources.
Trump on the news: "I'm glad he's dead"
Donald Trump is receiving the news of former FBI Director Robert Mueller's death with joy.
"Good, I'm glad he's dead. Now he can no longer hurt innocent people!" he writes on Truth Social shortly after the obituary.
Mueller was behind the investigation into Russian election interference in the 2016 presidential election. He found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians.
TOP NEWS
Middle East crisis Iran war
Iran: US and Israel attack nuclear facility
Iran claims that the US and Israel attacked the Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran on Saturday. The message is being spread in state-owned media in Iran.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has been informed of the incident.
“No increase in radiation levels outside the facility has been reported. The IAEA is investigating the report,” the organization wrote, which once again called for military restraint at nuclear facilities.
Neither Israel nor the US have commented on the allegations.
Russian invasion Negotiations
Ukrainian team in Miami for new talks with Trump duo
A Ukrainian delegation is in Miami to hold private talks with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on Saturday, Ukrainian media reported.
Today's focus areas are reminiscent of previous talks: security guarantees, sanctions, preparations for trilateral meetings and steps to end the war. The issue of a drone agreement between the countries may also be discussed, according to Ukrinform.
Ukraine expects to receive a date for the continuation of peace talks with Russia, as the Iran war has put a damper on the planned talks.
Political situation in France
French far-left party may win its first major city
France's fourth largest city Toulouse may get a mayor from the far-left party Indomitable France in today's mayoral election. In that case, it would be the first time the party has come to power in a major city, reports Politico.
Among the city's businessmen such as Airbus, there is concern about large tax increases. The taxes are to finance far-reaching election promises of free school meals, water subsidies and free public transport for everyone under 26.
The biggest focus ahead of election day has been on the rise of the Indomitable France party, writes the BBC. A success in the election would be a feather in the cap for party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon ahead of next year's presidential election.
Other developments to watch include Paris potentially seeing a shift away from a socialist coalition for the first time in 25 years. And in Nice, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party looks set to take power.
Mojtaba's Revenge Strikes 4,000+ KM: Iran Launches Missiles at Diego Garcia, UK-US Base In Danger
Hindustan Times
Israeli Ports Burn, US Bases In Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia Hit By Iranian Missiles
Hindustan Times
Iran Claims ‘No Missiles Beyond 2000KM’, So How Did They Just Target 4000KM Away at Diego Garcia?
Hindustan Times
Iran Declares War on UAE Soil? Ras Al Khaimah 'Will Be Targeted', 190,000+ Ordered to Evacuate Soon
Hindustan Times
Meloni's Bombshell: Italy's PM Sides with Pro-Russia Nation, Tells Ukraine to Open Druzhba Pipeline
China Issues Stark Warning As US-Israel War Turns Strait Of Hormuz Into A Dangerous Zone | Iran, Xi
Trump Faces European Cold Shoulder As Poland Declares ‘Count Us Out’ On Iran War | NATO, Tusk, Gulf
Iran Declares War on UAE Soil? Ras Al Khaimah 'Will Be Targeted', 190,000+ Ordered to Evacuate Soon
Elections in Hungary
Russia suggests staged assassination attempt against Orbán – to increase his support in the election
In a secret report, Russia's SVR intelligence service suggests a method called "the gamechanger" in Hungary – a staged assassination attempt against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to gather his voter base before the election. This is shown by an internal SVR report that the Washington Post has seen via a European intelligence service.
Such an attack would shift the focus to a more "emotional" election where stability would be important, the report says.
The report points to how important it is for Russia to keep its close ally in power in Hungary, the newspaper writes. However, there have been no attacks on Orbán.
The Hungarian government and the SVR do not want to comment, while the Kremlin calls the news "disinformation".
Challenger Peter Magyar, who is also a conservative but who pursues an anti-corruption line, is leading in the polls. The election will be held on April 12.
Trump on Orbán: “Hope he wins big”
US President Donald Trump expresses his support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a video greeting at the CPAC conference in Budapest. This is reported by the Hungarian independent news site Telex.hu.
– I hope he wins. I hope he wins big. And despite all the attacks, you have to understand: He keeps winning – that’s what we all have in common. We want to win, Trump continues.
Viktor Orbán is running for re-election but his 16-year hold on power is being challenged. In several opinion polls, he is behind opposition leader Péter Magyar, despite Orbán being backed by some of the world’s most powerful leaders.
The Hungarian leader responded to the video by showering Trump with his own praise in his speech at the conference.
– The Western world has become a better place since Trump's victory, he says, according to the Hungarian news site 444.
Election in Denmark
Analysis: Everyone else is dancing around Løkke ahead of the election
With three days left until the election in Denmark, it looks like Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen will become the kingmaker in the middle. This is what Bent Winther writes in an analysis in Berlingske.
The path to power lies through the party leader of the Moderates, who is positioning himself between the red and blue blocs. Everyone seems to realize this and other party leaders are “dancing” around him in the final spurt of the election campaign with their statements, Winther writes.
Winther believes that a center-right government will be difficult to achieve and that Løkke himself would navigate his way to the post of prime minister is unlikely. He assesses that the most likely outcome is “a solution that smells a bit like a center-right government”.
At the same time, Social Democratic Party leader Mette Frederiksen is fighting for a third term as prime minister, writes Elisabet Svane in an analysis in Politiken. For the Social Democrats, the election is largely about trust in her leadership. There is a rare hatred for Frederiksen in Denmark, but also an unusually high level of trust.
“She is both the Social Democrats’ strongest and weakest card,” Svane summarizes.
The election in Denmark — it’s all about the matter
- At the end of February, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called a general election for March 24.
- Opinion polls have shown that the left-wing bloc had an advantage, but that the Moderates could become the wave master.
- The issue of wealth tax has become central to the election debate, with the Social Democrats’ proposal to tax wealth over 25 million Danish kroner.
- The Danish security police PET has warned that Russia is likely to carry out influence campaigns ahead of the election. According to an analysis, the USA is also mentioned as a possible influence threat.
- The four mandates from Greenland and the Faroe Islands were considered
to be crucial for the formation of a government after the election.
Trump's USA The War on the Media
Judge blocks Pentagon's restrictions on the press
The US Department of Defense has lost a case over press restrictions against the New York Times after a judge ruled them unconstitutional, the newspaper reports.
In October, the Pentagon introduced a policy to strip journalists of their press credentials and classify them as "security risks" if they are perceived to threaten national security. This could include requesting information that the Pentagon has not decided to release, even if it is not classified.
A number of journalists chose to surrender their press credentials rather than sign on to the new policy. In the end, only a handful of reporters from Trump-friendly media outlets were accredited.
On Friday, Judge Paul L Friedman ruled that the Pentagon had violated the Constitution's First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of the press. He particularly emphasized the importance of diverse reporting during the Iran war.
Pentagon: We disagree and will appeal immediately
The Pentagon is appealing the ruling that found the New York Times right in the press freedom case. On Friday, federal judge Paul Friedman ruled that the Defense Headquarters must change its press rules.
"We disagree with the decision and are moving forward with an immediate appeal," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote on X last night.
Before the turn of the year, the Pentagon forced journalists to sign a form about how journalistic activities would be conducted on their premises. Several reporters returned their accreditations in protest and since then the press corps consists mostly of conservative media that have approved the requirement, according to the AP.
In the ruling, Paul Friedman writes, among other things, that it is unclear which violations can lead to a journalist being kicked out.
"They make it impossible for journalists to know how to do their jobs without losing their accreditation," Friedman writes according to TT.
Middle East Crisis Iran War
Sources: US Island Base 400 Miles from Iran Fired
Iran has fired two ballistic missiles at the island of Diego Garcia, where the US and Britain have a joint military base. This is reported by sources for both the WSJ and CNN.
Neither of the missiles reached its destination. One crashed in mid-air, the other was shot down by US air defenses, but it is unclear whether it was actually shot down.
Diego Garcia is the largest of the Chagos Islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, about 400 miles from Iran. The attack shows that Iran's missiles reach further than the 200 miles to which the country's foreign minister has said they have limited their range.
Oil Market
US lifts oil sanctions on Iran – in the middle of war
The US Treasury Department is temporarily lifting some of its oil sanctions on Iran, at the same time as the countries are at war in the Middle East. Until April 19, purchases of Iranian oil that is already at sea will be allowed, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on X.
According to Bessent, this is about 140 million barrels of oil, equivalent to 10 to 14 days of supplies that would otherwise have gone to China. By lifting the sanctions, “it increases global energy availability and helps alleviate temporary supply pressures,” according to Bessent.
– In effect, we will be using the Iranian oil barrels against the Iranians themselves to keep the price down for the next 10 to 14 days, he claims.
The Washington Post and The Guardian simultaneously write that the move is likely to increase Iran’s revenues in the midst of the war. It is also a departure from the “maximum pressure” tactic that Trump has long used against Iran, writes CBSNews.
Reactions
Ukrainian experts are shocked by the ineffective US air defense: “What are they doing?”
Despite President Trump's words that "the last person we need help from is Zelenskyj," the US Central Command has brought in Ukrainian advisers in the Iran war, The Times reports.
One of them tells the newspaper that he has been shocked by how ineffective and wasteful the US air defense is. The Americans are firing up to eight Patriot anti-aircraft missiles - which cost three million dollars each - at individual targets, including cheap drones, he says.
During four years of war, Ukraine has developed one of the world's most advanced air defenses. On average, they only fire one or two Patriot missiles to destroy Russian ballistic missiles.
Ukraine shares its tactics with all allies that use the US Patriot system, but they still seem to have bypassed the US, according to the adviser.
- I don't understand what they are doing, what direction they have been looking in during the four years we have been at war.
Details: Iran fires missiles at controversial island base
Published 06.46
Now Iran has responded by sending missiles at the island.
Less than a month ago, the country's foreign minister said that such an attack would be impossible.
The island of Diego Garcia is located in the Indian Ocean, about 400 miles from Iran. It is under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and has a joint British-American military base with a runway long enough for the United States' heaviest bomber.
On Friday, Iran fired two medium-range ballistic missiles at the island, according to the Wall Street Journal and CNN. Neither of them hit. According to the WSJ, one crashed in mid-air while the other was shot down by an American SM-3 anti-aircraft missile. According to the newspaper, there is no reliable information that Iran's missile was actually shot down, only that it did not hit its target.
The attack shows that Iran's medium-range missiles reach further than the regime itself claims. At the end of February, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the country had voluntarily limited the range to 200 miles.
The American think tank Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, however, has assessed that Iran has missiles that can reach 400 miles. The Israeli Alma Research and Education Center has in turn stated the maximum range at around 300 miles, but with the reservation that there are reports of development of missiles that can reach even further.
Used in the Iraq War
The US has stationed both bombers and submarines on Diego Garcia. The island also has a harbor deep enough for aircraft carriers. The base has been considered strategically important since World War II and played a significant role in the wars against Iraq in 1991 and 2003, according to the Chatham House think tank..
Even before Israel and the US attacked Iran this year, Trump criticized Britain for ist plans to let Mauritius own the island. The conflict escalated when the British refused to give the US access to their bases on Diego Garcia and in Fairford during the outbreak of the war.
Finally, on March 1, Starmer backed down and announced that the US had agreed to “limited defensive use” of the facilities. On Friday, the British government announced that the bases could also be used for specific attacks against Iranian troops attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian Foreign Minister was quick to comment on the new deal. In a post on X, he wrote:
“A vast majority of the British people do not want to participate in Israel and the US’s self-imposed war on Iran. By ignoring his own people, Mr Starmer is risking British lives by allowing British bases to be used for attacks on Iran. Iran will exercise its right to self-defense.”
fredag 20 mars 2026
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Alarms about Saddam tactics: "Answer no"
Published 00.00
Regimes usually fall when the top leaders disappear.
Iran may be the exception, believes Middle East expert Alexander Atarodi.
- Iran is a completely unique structure that does not follow the pyramid concept, he says.
Israel and the US continue to eliminate Iranian religious leaders and commanders at a rapid pace.
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Around 40 of them have been killed since the outbreak of the war. Ali Larijani, Iran's powerful security chief, became the latest in a row after defying the threat and appearing publicly.
But it is not likely to cause the regime to collapse, according to Alexander Atarodi.
- Of course, I believe it is a factor that influences and weakens Iran's leadership. But I think this factor has sometimes been overestimated.
A statue of Saddam Hussein being torn down in Baghdad in April 2003. Photo: Jerome Delay / AP
He believes that Israel and the US assume that the Iranian regime will fall when the leaders are eliminated and draws parallels to how the regimes in Iraq and Syria collapsed when Saddam Hussein and Bashar al-Assad were forced out.
Handskrivna lappar
"A completely unique structure"
Something he doesn't think will work in Iran.
- Iran is a completely unique structure that doesn't follow this pyramid concept. To think that you can knock out 20, 30, 40 people and then the whole system collapses? The answer is no.
In recent years, Israel has used the same tactics to try to put an end to Hamas and Hezbollah without fully succeeding.
– You also saw in a small area like Gaza that even if you eliminate as many leaders as you want, Hamas is still not disarmed. It is true that Hamas does not pose a threat to Israel, but Hamas has not disappeared and there has been no popular revolt against them either. So objectively, we have not seen any results of warfare where you eliminate various leaders.
Handwritten notes
Iran's supreme religious leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was injured early in the war, has barely been seen since he took office. Instead, he has stayed hidden and communicated through handwritten notes published on social media.
But it will be difficult to lead Iran from a bunker for a long time, Atarodi believes.
– At some point he has to come out and I think that is what he is trying to do now ahead of the Persian New Year. He may not be able to stay hidden for years, but a few weeks or months until things calm down. The regime will be very careful about the whereabouts of key figures.
Information: US plans ground invasion Iran
Updated 21.35 | Published 21.13
Donald Trump is considering the next step in the war against Iran.
During secret meetings at the Pentagon, ground troops have been on the table, according to sources to CBS.
At the same time, the military is investigating how Iranian soldiers would be handled in such a case.
Thousands of marines and three warships have been sent to the Middle East this week.
Donald Trump is now considering the next step in the war – and therefore details about ground troops have now been discussed, according to sources to CBS News.
The US president has previously denied information about placing American soldiers on the ground.
– No, I do not plan to deploy troops anywhere. But if I did, I definitely would not tell you, he said during a press conference in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
The military in meetings
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement:
"It is the Pentagon's job to make preparations to give the commander in chief maximum freedom of action. This does not mean that the president has made any decision, and as the president said in the Oval Office yesterday, he is not currently planning to send ground troops anywhere".
According to sources to CBS News, the military has also had meetings about what a ground invasion would mean in practice.
Among other things, preparations are being made on how the detention of Iranian soldiers and paramilitary actors would work in practice.
During a press conference on Friday, Donald Trump stated that a ceasefire is not in the question.
The reason is that the US has knocked out Iran's military capability, he claims.
- I do not want a ceasefire. You do not want that when you are really wiping out the opponent.
Access to British military bases
The information about the preparations for a ground invasion comes just hours after Britain decided to expand US access to British military bases
The US military has previously been allowed to use bases to prevent Iranian missile attacks that could threaten British interests or lives, reports the BBC.
The new decision means that the US is allowed to carry out attacks on Iranian targets linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the channel, Britain will not be involved in any attacks.
“The principles behind Britain’s strategy for the conflict remain the same,” according to a statement from Downing Street.
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