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Dismissing Biden 'illegal threat'

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has condemned US President Joe Biden for what he called illegally threatening the Islamic Republic. In a twitter post, Ali Shamkhani said Biden’s emphasis on using other options with regard to Iran's nuclear program establishes Tehran’s right to reciprocate. The reaction followed a meeting between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the White House. During the meeting, Biden said he was putting diplomacy first on Iran’s nuclear issue but, added, he would be prepared to turn to other options. Biden’s threat of unspecified options came after Israel’s Minister of Military Affairs Benny Gantz accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon. Gantz said military action should be considered as a Plan B to prevent Tehran from accessing a nuclear warhead. Iran has repeatedly dismissed such accusations especially from Israel that itself is in the possession of hundreds of nukes.

Iraq regional summit

Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran welcomes any Iraqi initiative which gets regional countries on board. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the comment before leaving for the Iraqi capital, Baghdad to attend a summit there. The event is part of Iraq’s efforts to restore its role and status in the region. Iraq says the summit is aimed at easing tension in the region, boosting economic cooperation and resolving differences between neighboring countries. Among the dignitaries attending the summit is French President Emmanuel Macron, who arrived in Baghdad earlier today. Upon arrival, Macron held a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. France is the co-organizer of the Baghdad summit.

US Afghanistan airstrike

The US military says it has carried out a drone strike against a Daesh planner in eastern Afghanistan. The military said the strike took place in Nangarhar province. It said initial indications are that the target was killed. The drone strike took place early on Saturday, two days after a bomb attack hit Kabul airport. The attack was claimed by the Daesh terror group. According to US media, it killed at least 180 people including 13 US service members. The attack was the deadliest for American forces in Afghanistan in over a decade. It took place as Afghans and foreign nationals were awaiting evacuation, two weeks after the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

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