IRANIAN Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has called on Islamic and regional countries, especially Iran and Turkey, to unite and remain strong in opposition to the United States and Israel.
Qalibaf was speaking during a meeting with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Numan Kurtulmus on the sidelines of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva on Tuesday.
The situation in the region, Qalibaf said, is sensitive, and developments at the global and regional levels may lead to new challenges.
‘This issue is rooted in direct American interference,’ he noted, adding that Iran and Turkey have influential bilateral and regional relations that can have an impact on improving the conditions in the region.
Expressing gratitude for Turkey’s stance during the 12-day war, he said that the United States, the Israeli regime, and their supporters imposed the war on Iran.
He also noted that it was the first time the Israelis tasted the bitter taste of a harsh military confrontation.
On June 13, Israel launched a blatant and unprovoked act of aggression against Iran, assassinating many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and killing civilians.
On June 22, the United States also entered the war and bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, in a clear violation of international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Two days later, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the illegal assault.
Qalibaf also said the Zionists are the ‘Nazis of our time’ because they are committing the same atrocities, underlining that the Israeli regime is seeking to create insecurity in the region to expand its territory, while working to fragment regional states, including Syria.
He also addressed the genocide in Gaza, saying that Tel Aviv is weaponising hunger and thirst as tools of war.
Stating that bilateral relations between Iran and Turkey are developing and can have an impact on regional issues, Qalibaf said, ‘Serious measures must be taken in the areas of economic and trade relations, facilitation in the areas of border affairs, and parliamentary cooperation.’
The Turkish parliament speaker, for his part, reiterated that Israel is committing aggression relying on American support, adding that the Turkish Parliament issued a resolution in the very days of the imposed war in support of the Islamic Republic.
He also said that the level of cooperation between the two countries is expanding and that the target of $50 billion in trade volume will be achieved.
‘The Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group held good talks during its recent visit to Turkey, which could be effective in this regard,’ he added.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the recent 12-day war revealed the strength and determination of the Iranian nation, and showed the world the unmatched firmness of the Islamic Republic’s foundation.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on Tuesday during a ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Hussainiya in Tehran to mark the 40th day since the martyrdom of those killed in the war. The event was attended by families of the fallen, government officials, and people from various walks of life.
He said the war served as an occasion for the Islamic Republic to display its will power and capabilities, stressing that the root cause of enmity toward Iran lies in the nation’s ‘faith, knowledge, and unity’.
‘The Global Arrogance, led by America, opposes your religion and your knowledge,’ Ayatollah Khamenei said. ‘They are against this widespread faith of our people, their unity under the banner of Islam and the Qur’an, and they are against your knowledge.
‘These events were not unprecedented for us,’ Ayatollah Khamenei said. ‘The Islamic Republic, in addition to the eight-year imposed war, has faced numerous incidents over the past 46 years, including coup d’état, and different military, political, and security plots.’
The nation has thwarted all previous plots against it, he said.
The Leader’s remarks come in the wake of Israel’s June 13 aggression targeting senior Iranian officials and nuclear scientists in an act of terrorism that killed scores of civilians as well. Days later, the United States escalated the war by bombing three civilian nuclear facilities in Iran.
In a powerful response, Iranian Armed Forces launched retaliatory strikes on strategic Israeli targets across the occupied territories and also hit the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military outpost in West Asia.
Iran’s coordinated operations forced a halt to the aggression by June 24.
Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed Western claims over Iran’s nuclear programme and human rights as mere pretexts, saying the real concern of the enemies is the Islamic Republic’s growing power.
‘Our nation, by divine grace, will never abandon its religion or its knowledge,’ he said. ‘We will take great strides in strengthening our faith and deepening our scientific advancement.’
Much to the enemy’s dismay, we will be able to raise Iran to the pinnacle of advancement and pride.
A senior Iranian official has underscored the Islamic Republic’s determination to follow up on the recent US-Israeli aggression on Iranian soil through legal channels.
Kazem Gharibabadi, who is the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, made the statement in an interview with the official website of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on the sidelines of a ceremony in the capital Tehran that commemorated the 40th day of those martyred in the 12-day war last month.
Gharibabadi stressed that the Islamic Republic’s legal follow-up after the recent aggression is an important part of the work as the US-Israeli crime was completely in contravention of international law, the UN Charter, and human rights.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said two reports concerning legal violations during the aggression by the US and the Zionist regime and the martyrdom of children, women, and families had been prepared, and their documentation work was almost complete.
‘The aggressors received a firm response, but now our job is to legally follow up on it … The documentation work is almost complete. Some comprehensive international reports have been prepared and registered with the Security Council and the United Nations,’ Gharibabadi said.
‘Regretfully, legal work in the international arena is intertwined with political stances and approaches, but this should not culminate in disappointment,’ he added.
‘The first stage is to register and document these crimes, file a lawsuit, and pursue it seriously. If it yields results, that will be excellent, and we must exert all our efforts to achieve that outcome. Even if it fails, we should not abandon the work, and it should remain at the top of the Islamic Republic’s priorities as a primary claim.’
On June 13th, Israel launched an unprovoked war against Iran, assassinating many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.
More than a week later, the United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
In response, the Iranian Armed Forces targeted strategic sites across the occupied territories as well as the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia.
On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the illegal assault as Tel Aviv, overwhelmed by the unceasing counterstrikes, was compelled to seek a ceasefire.
Iran has held a tribute ceremony to honour the families of 30 Iranian athletes who were killed during the 12-day Israeli aggression against the country.
The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Sports and Youth in the capital Tehran on Tuesday, with senior ministry officials, heads of sports federations, and the families of the martyred athletes in attendance.
During the event, a send-off was also given to the ‘Solidarity Caravan’ travelling to the 12th edition of The World Games (TWIG 2025 Chengdu) in Chengdu, China, scheduled to take place from August 7 to 17.
As a symbol of unity and solidarity amid the war, the Iranian delegation heading to the World Games performed a military salute.
The symbolic gesture echoed a similar salute performed by Iran’s under-16 women’s basketball team the previous day before their match against Jordan in the West Asia Championship.
The ceremony was part of a series of events commemorating the war and its victims, including farewell processions for the martyred citizens.
The formal ambiance of the ceremony was enhanced by traditional drumming, creating a solemn atmosphere that paid tribute to the fallen athletes and their heroic legacy.
Ali Rezaei, the Leader’s representative in Iran’s Volunteer Basij Force Organisation, delivered the opening speech at the ceremony.
During his address, he highlighted the significant role of sports martyrs in safeguarding the national and religious identity.
He stressed the weighty responsibility placed on today’s athletes, extending beyond winning medals to encompass the transmission of values like sacrifice, spirituality, and resistance.
Rezaei further emphasised the enduring frontline position of the sports community and how the pursuit of knowledge elevates the honour of the nation.
He also praised heroes and athletes for exemplifying the capabilities of the nation, referring to them as the pride of the Iranian people.
Abdolhossein Khosrowpanah, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for the Cultural Revolution, also acknowledged the outstanding contribution of the athletes during the 12-day war with Israel, stating that they shone even brighter than the general population by demonstrating solidarity and patriotism.
He also said that the real heroes of the country are the martyrs, specifically highlighting the youth who, despite not being armed or holding high military positions, made significant sacrifices for the nation.
Khosrowpanah further underlined the sports community’s remarkable contribution by presenting the nation with the largest number of martyrs, attributing them with bringing honour and dignity to Iranian sports.
The Israeli regime launched its aggression against the Islamic Republic on June 13, which led to the assassination of many high-ranking military commanders, scientists, university professors, athletes, and other ordinary citizens.
In response, Iranian armed forces launched Operation True Promise III, carrying out 21 waves of missile and drone strikes against strategic military intelligence targets in the occupied territories and decimating the regime’s much-hyped air defence systems.
