Tag: iran

Trump claims ‘other people’ could lead ground campaign in Iran

US President Donald Trump has refused to rule out a ground campaign in Iran, saying unspecified allied forces could seize key strategic sites like Kharg Island without the involvement of US troops, while threatening to expand the bombing campaign to include power plants and bridges.

In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said he would consider a ground operation “if I thought it was appropriate.”

“Sometimes you need a ground campaign, but we have other people who will do the ground campaign for us… But we have already hit Kharg Island twice, even three times. I said, ‘Hit everything but the oil!’”

Located around 25 km (15 miles) off Iran’s Gulf coast, Kharg Island handles around 90% of the country’s crude exports and serves as the primary outlet for oil revenue.

Ahead of the now-broken April ceasefire, Trump threatened to seize Kharg Island “to take the oil.” Asked whether he still intends to seize the island, Trump replied, “As far as taking it is concerned, if we degrade them far enough and deep enough, I would do that.”

The president also vowed to intensify the air campaign, saying US strikes will continue until he decides “it’s enough.”

“They’ll continue until I say it’s enough. Next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”

Trump warned that Iran “won’t have anybody left” unless it reaches a deal, claiming US officials relayed that message to Tehran “about an hour ago.”

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‘Not How It Works’: Critics Slam Trump Bid To Restart Legal Clock on Illegal Iran War

Critics from both sides of the political aisle on Monday denounced President Donald Trump’s effort to construct a facade of legality for the illegal US-Israeli war of choice on Iran by notifying Congress of renewed military strikes on the Mideast nation.

Trump claimed in a letter to members of Congress that, on July 7, he ordered “defensive strikes against targets within Iran, including missile launch sites, air defenses, military maritime assets, military support infrastructure, and command and control capabilities.”

“These strikes are limited, measured, planned, and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties,” wrote Trump, whose war has killed more than 3,400 people – hundreds of them children – and wounded over 26,500 others since February 28, according to Iran’s Ministry of Health.

“I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution,” the president added.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 – also known as the War Powers Act – requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing troops to military action and limit such action to 60 days, with a 30-day withdrawal period, unless lawmakers declare war or issue an authorization for the use of military force.

Elected Democrats and legal experts have rejected Trump’s argument that the negotiated ceasefire he’s now abandoned resets the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit; absent congressional authorization, the statutory clock generally starts from the first US strike and continues uninterrupted until military action ends.

Asked Monday by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins if this is “just the new normal for the American people,” Trump – who has called himself the “peace president”—replied, “No, well, you know, we were in Vietnam for 19 years; we’re [in Iran] for four months.”

Trump said during the same press conference that “we’re doing another very major attack tonight” in Iran.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Monday that US forces “began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief’s direction.”

“These strikes will continue imposing a heavy cost on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM added.

Responding to the president’s letter, former libertarian Congressman Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said on social media: “This is not how it works. The War Powers Resolution doesn’t give the president a ‘free’ 60 days – and the Constitution certainly doesn’t either. Regardless, we’re talking about a single war. You don’t get to pause it and then pretend it’s a different war.”

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Bahrain Accuses Iran of Targeting Civilians as U.S. Launches More Strikes

The Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) said on Monday that its air defenses “successfully intercepted and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks.”

Contrary to Tehran’s claims that its attacks are limited to American military bases, the BDF said Iran is launching “unlawful missile and drone attacks targeting civilians.”

The BDF denounced Iran’s attacks as “treacherous” and stressed that “deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

Iran launched missiles and drones at Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Oman over the weekend as the United States continued to hammer air defenses, radar sites, missile depots, and attack boats controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a designated terrorist organization.

Iran listed Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait among its targets, and claimed that it destroyed stores of fuel and munitions at the bases, along with America’s Patriot air defense missiles. The respective defense ministries of the four Gulf Arab countries said they intercepted all of Iran’s weapons without any major damage to the bases used by American forces.

Kuwait said on Sunday that an Iranian drone struck one of its offshore oil platforms, injuring one worker, and three Kuwaiti sites near the Iraqi border were damaged. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also reported intercepting Iranian drones and missiles.

The IRGC released a statement on Monday that described its attacks on neighboring countries as “retaliatory missile and drone strikes” against the United States.

For one of the first times, the IRGC publicly admitted that it has attacked civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz – which triggered the massive U.S. campaign of airstrikes – but insisted it was somehow justified in its piracy.

The IRGC claimed it “stopped two ships because they had switched off their tracking systems and taken an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz, endangering traffic in the strategic waterway.”

In reality, Iran has done much more than “stop two ships,” and one of its illegal attacks left a Qatar liquid natural gas (LNG) tanker crippled off the coast of Oman with an engine room fire.

“In the first phase of their response to the aggression, the valiant fighters of Islam set ablaze several large missile depots and fuel storage facilities at Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base in a missile and drone strike,” the IRGC statement said.

“In the second phase of their retaliatory operation, the IRGC Aerospace Force struck key helicopter maintenance and repair facilities, a hangar housing a P-8 electronic warfare aircraft, and the command-and-control center for the US military’s drone operations at the US base in Sheikh Isa, Bahrain,” the statement continued.

The “third and fourth phases” were Iran’s attacks on Kuwait. The IRGC claimed it “completely destroyed fuel storage tanks and a Patriot air defense system” at the Ali Al Salem airbase, an “FPS strategic radar system” at the Ahmad Al Jaber airbase, and two HIMARS missile launchers plus “ammunition depots stocked with missiles” in an alleged ground forces attack.

“We will not allow a rogue, child-killing army from the other side of the world to continue its illegal interference there,” the IRGC declared.

The Iranian regime and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued conflicting statements on Sunday about whether the Strait of Hormuz is “closed.”

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway,” CENTCOM said.

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US citizen found guilty of helping export tech to Iran in violation of sanctions

A Massachusetts man was found guilty Monday of conspiring to unlawfully export electronic components to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who worked at the global electronics company Analog Devices, was accused of helping an Iranian business associate get around American export control laws. U.S. prosecutors say the business associate’s Tehran-based company makes navigation systems for the military drone program of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Authorities say the scheme included the creation of a front company in Switzerland.

The second defendant, Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, called Abedini in court documents, was not on trial. He is believed to be in Iran after an apparent prisoner exchange for an Italian journalist.

Sadeghi was found guilty on three of the five charges. He showed no visible reaction to the verdict, which came early in the fourth day of jury deliberations. He and his lawyers did not comment as they left court, and he will remain free until sentencing Oct. 13

Sadeghi, a 43-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, chose not to testify. A father of two, he lost his job at Analog Devices due to the charges. Although he was arrested in December 2024, long before the current war with Iran, his trial has unfolded during the conflict.

“At its core, this case is straightforward. You cannot send goods, especially the goods at issue in this case, to Iran. Period. Full stop,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter told the jury. “The defendant knew that, and conspired with Mr. Abedini to do that.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Dolan, in his closing remarks, said documents, text messages and photos proved that the illegal acts were the “fruits of this relationship” between Sadeghi and Abedini.

“The evidence established that he knew what Abedini was doing because he told him in writing,” Dolan said. “He helped him anyway.”

Sadeghi’s attorney, William Fick, told jurors that the scheme laid out by the prosecution “makes no sense” and was full of holes. He said Sadeghi was only offering advice to a longtime friend about how to get business with the semiconductor company, and wasn’t responsible for procuring the parts for Abedini.

Fick said there was no proof the parts ended up in Iran, and he disputed that the Swiss company was a front.

“If you look at the world through dirty glasses, everything looks dirty,” Fick said. “That is fundamentally what the prosecution is asking you to do here.”

Fick also said prosecutors hadn’t shown Sadeghi gained anything from the alleged plan — although the prosecution pointed out that they didn’t need to prove a motive.

“He had nothing to gain and everything to lose,” Fick said. “He has lived in the country for decades. He was a well-regarded, respected employee on his way up in the company.”

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Under Israeli pressure, US seizes Max Blumenthal’s devices on return from Tehran reporting trip


On July 10, 2026, American journalist Max Blumenthal was traveling back to the United States from Iran, which he had visited to report on the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the largest gathering in human history. While in Iran, Blumenthal interviewed members of Iran’s negotiation team, top political officials, academics and average citizens for a series of video and print reports for this news outlet, which he founded.

He also documented several US and Israeli war crimes from the ground, including the destruction of an entire neighborhood in Eastern Tehran which left at least 40 civilians dead.

Upon reentering the country at Dulles International Airport, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) interrogated Blumenthal about his trip, searched his belongings, and demanded that he provide access to his smart phones. When he refused to open his phones, CBP officers forced him to turn them over for detention. Other journalists and travelers have been threatened with the loss of their passports for a month for failing to hand over their devices.

Blumenthal entered Iran exactly as reporters working for establishment media outlets like CNN and NBC did – on a press visa granted by the Iranian Foreign Ministry. While in Tehran, he participated in official press events alongside those mainstream reporters, who were also in the country to cover the Ayatollah’s funeral. When journalists from CNN, NBC, and other American outlets returned to the US, however, they were not subjected to the same harassment Blumenthal experienced, nor were they required to give the US government their electronic devices.

Blumenthal is a widely recognized journalist in American independent media, with a record of reporting spanning 25 years. He is the author of four books, including a New York Times bestselling volume, and numerous widely viewed documentary films. Having reported from numerous countries and conflict zones around the world, he is the winner of several awards, including the Online Journalism Award and, most recently, the Pierre Sprey Award for Defense Reporting and Analysis.

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Trump Formally Notifies Congress of Resumed Military Action Against Iran as Third Night of Strikes Begins

President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress that the United States has resumed kinetic military operations against Iran, triggering the third consecutive night of U.S. strikes and escalating tensions across the Persian Gulf.

In a two-page letter sent to lawmakers on Friday, the president informed Congress that strikes against Iranian targets restarted on July 7, in accordance with the War Powers Resolution. The notification grants U.S. forces in U.S. Central Command an additional 60 days to conduct operations without further congressional approval.

“United States ground forces are not involved in these strikes,” Trump wrote. “These strikes are limited, measured, planned and executed in a manner designed to minimize civilian casualties.”

Pentagon officials confirmed late Monday that U.S. forces had launched a third round of major strikes on Iranian military sites during overnight hours. Over the weekend, the U.S. reported hitting more than 140 Iranian targets, while Iran launched retaliatory attacks on U.S.-linked facilities across the Gulf region, including sites in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Blockade Reinstated, More Strikes Expected

President Trump previewed intensified operations in remarks Monday, stating the U.S. would “hit Iran hard” on Monday night and Tuesday. He also announced the reimposition of a full naval blockade on Iranian ports, effective Tuesday — coinciding with the 11th anniversary of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal.

The president said a recent memorandum of understanding with Iran was intended as a “test” that Tehran failed to honor. “We had a deal with them two days ago,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran “wanted to negotiate it further” and has a pattern of breaking agreements.

Under the reinstated blockade, the U.S. will reportedly require vessels wishing to transit Iranian waters to pay a 20% fee on cargo value for passage, according to statements from the White House and CENTCOM.

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Deranged St. Louis Radio Host J.C. Corcoran Posts Trump Assassination ‘Joke’ on Facebook… UPDATE: Corcoran Deletes Post

J.C. Corcoran is a longtime radio host and occasional television personality in St. Louis, Missouri.

He has been a fixture in the St. Louis market for over thirty years working at stations including KSHE, KSD-FM, KMOX, KTRS, KLOU, KIHT, and KFNS.

Corcoran is currently host of “JC’s Way-Back Machine” on 101.9 & 94.1 St. Louis. On Saturday nights he hosts NewsTalkSTL from 6-9 PM. And on Sunday he hosts “JC’s Sunday Showgram” from 7-9am.

He’s also a sick and deranged Trump hater.

On Saturday, Corcoran posted a Trump assassination “joke” on his Facebook page.

Corcoran posted the photo that includes the words, “Dear Iran, He’s on the golf course.”

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Trump Left Orders To Obliterate Iran If Assassinated: ‘Bomb Them At Levels Never Seen Before’

The Iran war saga has seen its fair share of bizarre and wild twists, and Friday has brought yet another – with the NY Post reporting that President Trump said he “left instructions” for a massive bombing campaign against Iran in the event he’s assassinated by Iranian operatives.

“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” he told New York Post. Then he followed with: “The only thing is, I’ve left instructions – if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”

The provocative comment, which has unleashed a flurry of commentary and memes on social media, comes on the heels of Trump stating while at the NATO summit in Turkey this week that the Iranians were seeking to kill him.

He had quipped while in Turkey, “And so far, I guess I’ve been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn’t last very long.”

It seems Israel has been seizing on the opportunity for escalation of the crisis, given its leaders have made no secret of being deeply dissatisfied with the terms of the MoU.

Just as Tehran and Washington stand on the brink of returning once again to full-scale war, The Wall Street Journal reported the following late Thursday:

Israel shared new intelligence with the U.S. that it said indicated a fresh Iranian plan to kill President Trump, people familiar with the matter said, a finding that would mark an escalation in the war between Washington and Iran.

But then in the latest NY Post interview, Trump seemed to downplay if not outright deny the Israeli intelligence. He said instead, “No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no.” He then clarified that these are old and persisting, vague threats: “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know,” he said, before adding, “I hope you’ll miss me.” From the NY Post in fuller context:

Asked about recent reports that Israel this week flagged intel of a plot to take out the US president, Trump indicated there was no fresh plan from Iran — but said Tehran has wanted him dead for years.

“No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no,” he said. “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”

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Top Official in Marxist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Administration Secretly Scheduled Meeting with Iran’s UN Ambassador – Trump State Department Forced to Shut It Down

A senior official in Communist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration tried to hold an official meeting with the Iranian regime’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Commissioner Ana María Archila, head of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, had scheduled the meeting for July 7 at 11 a.m. at 2 United Nations Plaza with Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN.

Two other senior officials from the office were also set to attend, according to calendar invitation screenshots reviewed by City Journal and confirmed by multiple sources, including a State Department official.

The meeting was called off only after the U.S. State Department, which had not been informed in advance, stepped in and met with the Mamdani administration to “clarify acceptable conduct,” according to City Journal.

Archila reportedly did not even tell Mayor Mamdani she had arranged the sit-down. She was later reprimanded and ordered to cancel it.

A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs issued the predictable damage-control statement: “This meeting did not and will not take place.”

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The US Has Been Violating MoU With Iran From Day One

The fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States has been broken once again. The United States has been bombing Iran, claiming that its attacks are in retaliation for Iran attacking three vessels near Straight of Hormuz, which it considers as violation of the Islamabad agreement, officially known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations.

But it is in fact the United States that has been violating the MoU because its interpretation of Article 5 of the MoU is simply false. According to Article 5 of the MoU, Iran is obligated to

“Make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states, in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.”

The statement is unambiguous, and cannot be interpreted in any way other than Iran, in collaboration with Oman, is the party responsible for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. It also clearly distinguishes a temporary arrangement for 60 days, and the long-term traffic regime in the Strait. Therefore, any vessel passing through the Strait must coordinate it with Iran, as well as Oman.

But this is not what the United States has been doing. In an effort to test Iran’s resolve for its control of the Strait, and to weaken it, Arab States of the Persian Gulf and  others, with direct support of the United States, dispatched several commercial vessels to pass through Oman’s territorial water without any coordination with, or even informing, Iran. They had even turned off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to evade Iran. This is in clear violation of Article 5, which Iran will not accept. Indeed, no self-respecting nation will.

This view is fully supported by Article 4 of the MoU:

“Immediately upon the signing this MoU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.”

In other words, it is Iran that should restore the vessel traffic through the Strait to its pre-war level. Thus, once again, no vessel can pass through the Strait, unless it is coordinated with Iran, at least as one of the two parties specified by Article 5.

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