Brief Notes

Law Enforcement Kills 11 ‘Armed Criminals,’ Seizes Four Tons of Narcotics: The Islamic Republic Law Enforcement Command has seized more than four tons of various narcotics, including heroin, methamphetamine, and opium, and killed 11 “heavily armed criminals” in central Iran. The deputy police chief of Isfahan Province, Mohammad Reza Hashemifar, stated that due to the sensitivity and scope of the gang’s “criminal activity,” the provincial law enforcement of Isfahan, South Khorasan, and Yazd provinces carried out a joint operation in which “the gang was dismantled.” Russia Successfully Launches Islamic Republic Satellite: The Islamic Republic’s Nahid-2 communications satellite, developed by the Iranian Space Research Center (ISRC), was successfully launched into orbit this morning aboard a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket. The state-run Iranian Space Agency (ISA) and the ISRC (its research arm) logos were featured on the Soyuz rocket. The Nahid-2 satellite, weighing 240 pounds, is reportedly equipped with a domestically developed propulsion system capable of adjusting its orbit by up to 31 miles and is designed for a 5-year mission. Nahid 2 is the first satellite made in Iran that can use Ku-band (12 to 18 GHz) communications. Since 2022, Russia has launched several satellites for the Islamic Republic.

E3-Tehran Talks Held in Istanbul

Following today’s meetings with the E3 in Istanbul, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that both sides had presented specific ideas on sanctions relief and the nuclear issue during the “serious, frank, and detailed” conversations and that Tehran plans to continue talks with the E3. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the meetings as an opportunity for the European countries to “compensate for their previous unconstructive policies.” Baghaei also said that Tehran would use the talks to protest the E3’s backing of “law-breaking aggression” by the U.S. and Israel during the 12-Day War. On the E3 possibly triggering the JCPOA snapback mechanism, Baghaei said that they have “no legal or moral authority to do so.” He additionally announced that a “senior official of the IAEA” is expected to visit Tehran in the coming weeks to “discuss developing a new modality for bilateral cooperation.” Notably, the delegation will not visit the nuclear facilities that were attacked during the 12-Day War. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that Tehran “has indicated it will be ready to restart some conversations at a technical level,” although there is no exact date set for the IAEA delegation to visit Iran. Islamic Republic Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said following the E3 meetings: “Uranium enrichment must continue inside Iran.”

Supreme Leader Orders Military Expansion

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei today released a written message ordering the expansion and advancement of the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities. He wrote, “Continually equipping the country with the means to protect its national security and independence is the duty of our military commanders.” The 86-year-old Ayatollah again declared victory over the “evil Zionist regime,” and added, “The foolish and short-sighted enemy did not achieve its goal. The future will show that both military and scientific advancements will proceed toward lofty horizons with even greater momentum than before, Allah willing.” Khamenei enumerated “shining achievements” of Tehran during the conflict as the “resilience” of the families of slain military officers, the “steadfastness” of Islamic Republic institutions, and the “perseverance of the Iranian nation.” The message marked the 40-day anniversary of the “martyrdom” of several military commanders. The traditional mourning period in Iranian culture lasts 40 days. Usually, immediate family members wear black during this period, holding a mourning ceremony (memorial service) on the last day. During a mourning ceremony in Qom, a spokesman for the Armed Forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, stated, “This war was, in reality, an imposed international conflict, designed with the aim of overthrowing the Islamic Republic…(with the) full backing of the U.S. and armed with advanced Western weaponry from Germany, the UK, and France, the Zionist regime sought to decapitate Iran's leadership by assassinating senior commanders and targeting national infrastructure.” IRGC Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour and his deputy, Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, were among the top officials attending a separate memorial service commemorating his predecessor, Hossein Salami, who was killed in Israeli strikes.

On the Radar

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, where the two shared their mutual concern over the “catastrophic situation” in Gaza. Araghchi also called for “the use of all available capacities, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other international mechanisms, to break the siege of Gaza.”
During Friday Prayers in Tehran, Friday Prayer Imam Mohammad Hassan Aboutorabifard said that the 12-Day War posed “one of Israel’s most complex strategic challenges.” He claimed the damage inflicted on Israel was “estimated at $30 billion to $35 billion, equivalent to 8% of [Israel’s] annual GDP.” Unlike previous weeks, Radio Tehran did not broadcast the sermons live, saying that they were going to regional sermons on the occasion of the anniversary of the first Tehran Friday prayer by Ayatollah Taleqani after the 1979 revolution.
Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Defense Amir Baram traveled to Delhi and held high-level talks with Indian officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. Baram shared the strategic landscape in the Persian Gulf region following the 12-Day War and showcased the IDF’s technical capabilities that led to the success of Operation Rising Lion. Additionally, the officials discussed how the two countries can broaden their defense partnership by expanding joint research, development, and manufacturing initiatives.
In the last month, more than 700,000 migrants have returned to Afghanistan from Iran via the Islam Qala border crossing, according to the privately-owned Ariana News based in Kabul.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has faced political backlash from across the political spectrum for endorsing and fast-tracking the Islamic Republic’s latest internet censorship bill.

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