Iran announces assassination of Revolutionary Guard spokesman

Iranian television announced on Friday that the spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, was killed in an attack that took place at dawn today.

For its part, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in an official statement, mourned Naini, indicating that the assassination of its spokesman would not affect its capabilities.

The Guard continued: “We will not allow our soft power and morale to be weakened after this crime.”

Earlier today, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged the country’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, to fill the security vacuum left by the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an Israeli strike that targeted a sovereign headquarters earlier.

Shafaq.com

Kurdistan’s oil exports to Türkiye stabilize at 250,000 barrels per day

Sources at the North Oil Company reported on Friday that exports from the Kurdistan Region via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline have stabilized at 250,000 barrels per day, with pumping operations resuming after a period of suspension .

Sources within the company told Shafaq News Agency that “export operations are proceeding smoothly according to the specified rates, within the framework of the recent agreement between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government .”

The North Oil Company announced in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that it has begun exporting Iraqi oil from Kirkuk Governorate to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, confirming that the initial production is 250,000 barrels per day .

The company stated that “Kirkuk fields have made a strong return to the forefront of production and export, with the resumption of crude oil pumping operations through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, after a period of stagnation that posed a major challenge to the oil sector .”

She added that “this development is the result of the agreement between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, which contributed to reactivating one of the most prominent strategic export outlets and enhancing the flexibility of the export system .”

She indicated that the operation of the (Saralo) pumping station has begun, signaling the resumption of pumping and exporting Kirkuk oil, with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day .

The company affirmed that the resumption of exports reinforces the pivotal role of the Kirkuk fields in supporting the national economy and stabilizing the oil market .

For its part, the Kurdistan Regional Government had previously announced an agreement with the federal government to export oil from the Kirkuk and regional fields together via the (Kurdistan Region – Ceyhan) pipeline to global markets .

The Ministry of Natural Resources in the region had explained that there were multiple reasons that led to the previous halt in exports, while the Federal Ministry of Oil called for the resumption of exports quickly to reduce financial losses, proposing the export of about 300,000 barrels per day via the pipeline .

This comes at a time when Iraqi oil exports have declined in the recent period, making the reactivation of the northern export lines an important step to enhance stability in the oil market .

Shafaq.com

State of law: Government formation “postponed” until the end of the Zionist-American aggression

Jassim Mohammed Jaafar, a leader in the State of Law Coalition, confirmed that the current regional circumstances, represented by the American-Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the targeting of the Popular Mobilization Forces, necessitate a delay in the formation of the new government.

Jaafar told Al-Maalomah News Agency, “Talking about resolving the government formation issue at this critical juncture is unrealistic. It is not in the interest of the political forces to proceed along this path under the pressure of threats and the Zionist-American aggression targeting the Iranian heartland and the resistance.”

He added, “Attempts by some to push for the formation of a new government ignore the magnitude of the security and political challenges imposed by the targeting of the Popular Mobilization Forces and the ongoing violations.” He explained that “the coordination framework and the rest of the national forces will resume resolving the issue after the situation stabilizes and this round of conflict ends.” He pointed out that “this American-Zionist aggression against Iran will not last much longer; estimates indicate it will not exceed ten days. After that, the atmosphere will be conducive to completing the constitutional requirements, away from the noise of aircraft and treacherous attacks.”

Almaalomah.me

US intelligence confirms Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in an Israeli attack

US intelligence confirmed on Thursday that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was seriously injured in an Israeli military strike.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a press statement that “Mojtaba Khamenei was seriously injured in an Israeli attack.”

Gabbard noted that “Mojtaba Khamenei is more hardline than his late father,” adding that “the decision-making process in Iran is unclear due to Mojtaba Khamenei’s injury.”

For his part, the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, James H. Adams, said that “the objectives set in Iran were fully achieved.”

Last Monday, US President Donald Trump expressed doubt about the survival of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, suggesting he may have been killed in the opening strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei, at the start of the war.

Shafaq.com

The Iranian parliament is considering imposing fees for “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz.

An Iranian member of parliament revealed on Thursday that a draft law is being studied to impose fees and taxes on the passage of ships and energy through the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for what she described as Iran securing the shipping lane.

Somayeh Rafiei told Tasnim News Agency that the MPs are pursuing a bill that would require countries to pay fees if they use the Strait as a safe passage for shipping, energy transit, and food security.

She added that Iran “will firmly establish security in the Strait of Hormuz” after what she described as achieving victory, stressing that this security will be achieved “powerfully” by the Islamic Republic, and that countries must pay what she called a “security tax” in return.

She noted that Iran’s ability to secure the Strait and protect its national interests “must be preserved,” given what she described as the country’s growing power in the region.

Rafiei expressed her confidence in Iran’s victory in the next stage, considering that the passage of what she described as “enemies” through the Strait of Hormuz will remain fraught with challenges.

Iran is exploiting its location in the Strait of Hormuz to exert pressure on the energy market and force countries to negotiate for safe passage, thus raising the cost of conflict for the United States and its allies. Recent attacks have caused unprecedented disruption to shipping and increased risks, with the number of transiting vessels declining sharply.

Asian countries such as India, Turkey and Pakistan began negotiating with Tehran to secure supplies, amid a de facto closure of the strait to “enemy ships”.

In contrast, Washington is finding it difficult to form a maritime coalition, and the resumption of normal navigation could take weeks even in the best-case scenario.

Shafaq.com

Following a strongly worded warning from Washington, Iraqi pressure led to the suspension of attacks on the US embassy.

Informed Iraqi sources revealed on Thursday that the decision by armed factions to stop targeting the US embassy in Baghdad came as a result of intense political, governmental and judicial pressure, as well as strongly worded warning messages from Washington, coinciding with escalating security tensions in the region.

Sources told Shafaq News Agency that the past two days have witnessed extensive moves by political actors aimed at containing the escalation and preventing the country from sliding into wider tension that could negatively affect internal stability, especially in light of the sensitive economic conditions.

The sources explained that government and political leaders exerted direct and indirect pressure on the leaders of the factions, warning of the danger of continuing missile or drone attacks, as they represent a threat to national security and the country’s sovereignty.

She also pointed out that the judicial institution entered the crisis by threatening legal action and prosecutions against those involved, which contributed significantly to pushing the parties towards de-escalation.

The sources revealed that the American side conveyed, through official channels, “firm” messages that included a threat of escalation options if the attacks continued.

She stressed that the current lull comes within the framework of unannounced understandings aimed at reducing tension and preventing Iraq from becoming an arena for international conflicts, which is a top priority for state institutions at the present stage.

This escalation comes at a time when Kataib Hezbollah, on Wednesday, set a number of conditions for suspending attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad for five days.

The security official of the brigades, “Abu Mujahid al-Assaf”, summarized these conditions as follows: that Israel stop the displacement and bombing of the southern suburbs of Beirut, and that the United States commit to not bombing residential areas in Baghdad and the provinces, while withdrawing “CIA elements” from the vicinity of the embassy and keeping them inside it, with the exception of (the Kurdistan Region).

Since the outbreak of the American-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, the American embassy, ​​diplomatic mission headquarters, and vital facilities housing foreigners from other countries in Iraq, including the Kurdistan region, have been subjected to attacks by drones and missiles, causing serious material damage and sometimes human casualties.

Shafaq.com

NATO Secretary General: Allies are considering joint options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Wednesday that the allies are considering joint options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, stating in a press conference: “The allies are considering joint options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.”

US President Donald Trump has previously criticized his allies for their reluctance to participate in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane off the coast of Iran, which Iran has vowed to keep closed. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asserted on Wednesday that Russia believes the resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz can only be achieved through negotiations.

Burathanews.com

Bloomberg: China is close to tapping into its oil reserves

China, the world’s largest importer of crude oil, is on the verge of tapping into its strategic oil reserves as the war in the Middle East continues with no sign of ending.

According to Bloomberg on Wednesday, FGE Nexant, a leading industrial consulting firm, predicted a decline in commercial and operational inventories of up to 1 million barrels per day over the next four weeks, based on its baseline scenario.

She added that processing plants, particularly in southern China, may be allowed to rely on commercial stockpiles to limit the extent of production cuts or prevent shutdowns.

She added that it is a bargaining chip that China can use. After more than a year of intensive stockpiling, Beijing has amassed an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of reserves that could be exploited if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Saadi: Al-Maliki is still the framework candidate to form the government, and the American veto will not affect him.

Former MP Baqir al-Saadi confirmed on Wednesday that Nouri al-Maliki is still the candidate of the coordination framework for forming the government, while he indicated that the American veto will not affect the decision of the political forces.

Al-Saadi told Al-Maalouma that “what is being circulated in some media outlets regarding the intention of the Coordination Framework to change its candidate for the next government is inaccurate, and it is merely speculation that has no basis in fact,” noting that “Al-Maliki is still the Framework’s candidate until now.”

He added that “any American veto will not affect the opinion of the Iraqi political forces in determining the shape of the next government, as it is a sovereign and independent decision,” stressing that “it is unacceptable for Washington or others to determine the course of government formation.”

He indicated that “the formation of the government will be carried out within constitutional and democratic frameworks and with the participation of all political forces,” reiterating that “the ball is now in the court of the Kurdish forces to decide on the identity of the candidate for the presidency, and then move to the final stage of tasking the candidate of the largest bloc with forming the government.”

Almaalomah.me

MP: Voting on Nizar Amidi next week and forming a government is necessary to face the challenges

MP Mansour Hussein revealed on Wednesday that there is a move to hold a parliamentary session next week to vote on the presidential candidate Nizar Amidi, calling for speeding up the completion of constitutional requirements and the formation of the government.

Hussein told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “resolving the presidential issue is a fundamental step towards completing the formation of the government,” explaining that “the continued political deadlock could exacerbate the challenges facing the country.”
He added that “Iraq is directly affected by regional and international tensions, especially the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran,” stressing that “the current stage requires a strong government capable of protecting national interests.”
He emphasized the need to “overcome political differences and expedite the formation of a fully empowered government to ensure stability.”

Almaalomah.me