www.u.af | International News Desk
The armed conflict between Iran and Israel has now entered its ninth day, with both sides continuing reciprocal attacks. Iran today announced its 18th wave of drone strikes aimed at Israeli military sites.
Reports from Iranian media also confirm that the country’s air defense successfully intercepted and shot down an Israeli drone over Kashan, located in central Iran, on Saturday.
In retaliation, Israeli forces launched heavy airstrikes targeting a military base in Shiraz, along with missile production facilities and nuclear-related sites in Qom and Isfahan.
According to Akbar Salehi, Deputy Governor of Isfahan:
“Early Saturday, the Zionist regime struck several locations in Lenjan, Mobarakeh, Shahreza, and Isfahan, causing significant damage. Two of the attacks targeted the Isfahan nuclear site.”
Meanwhile, at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi ruled out any possibility of negotiations with the United States under the current conditions.
“For diplomacy to resume, the aggression must stop. It is not realistic to enter talks while our people are under bombardment with U.S. backing,” Araghchi stated.
From Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that Iran may be open to dialogue, although halting hostilities remains a challenge.
“It’s hard to make that request right now. If one side feels it is winning, it’s even harder. But we’re ready, willing, and able — we’ll see what happens,” President Trump commented.
Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that Iran holds enough nuclear material for several warheads, though no evidence points to active production of nuclear weapons.
“Iran possesses sufficient material for multiple warheads, but this should not be mistaken for having nuclear weapons,” Grossi clarified.
Russia continues to push for a political resolution to avoid escalation toward a nuclear confrontation.
“Given Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities containing radioactive material, Russia’s priority is to bring this conflict back to political and diplomatic channels,” said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.
According to the latest official data, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 639 individuals in Iran and 24 in Israel since fighting began.
