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China offers $200,000 emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran after school attack.
Iran says death toll of US-Israeli strikes reaches 1,230.
Iran's IRGC official says will burn any ship trying to pass through Strait of Horm.
WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday morning that Iran's " whole civilization will die tonight," the deadline he set for Iran to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, marking a possible sharp escalation in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
TEHRAN -- Several explosions were heard in Iran's Kharg Island on Tuesday, following multiple attacks by the United States and Israel, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.
Israeli military says it completed wide wave of attacks across Iran -- media.
China reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and a return to the negotiation table as the United States-Israel war against Iran intensified on Tuesday, with a broad wave of strikes pummeling infrastructure sites in Tehran, Kharg Island and other parts of Iran ahead of a US deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing a news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China hopes that all parties can "demonstrate sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened in the first place".
Mao noted that the root cause of the conflict is the launch of military attacks against Iran by the US and Israel in violation of international law. The use of force cannot bring peace, and political settlement is the right way forward, she said, adding that the "top priority is to immediately end military operations and return to dialogue and negotiations, in order to fundamentally resolve the issue and restore peace and stability in the Gulf region".
Mao said the situation in the Middle East is continuously worsening, with hostilities escalating and weighing on the global economy and energy security, which have caused deep concerns in the international community.
Since the conflict started, China has maintained "an objective, just and balanced position" and worked consistently to promote a ceasefire and bring an end to the fighting, she said.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held 26 phone calls with parties including Iran, Israel, Russia and Gulf countries, while the Chinese government's special envoy on the Middle East issue has engaged in shuttle diplomacy in the region, she said.
Mao added that China and Pakistan recently put forward a five-point initiative, which embodies the international consensus for a ceasefire and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, said in a social media post on Tuesday that Islamabad's "positive and productive endeavors in goodwill and good office to stop the war was approaching a critical, sensitive stage".
The United Nations has said it is alarmed by the US' threat to target Iran's energy and civilian infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all vessels by Tuesday. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said at a news briefing on Monday that the UN "has been very clear on issues regarding international law", as he urged all parties "to abide by their obligations regarding the conduct of these hostilities".
On Monday, Tehran rejected a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, drafted by Middle East negotiators including Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye, saying that it wants a permanent end to attacks against Iran and financial reparation for the damages the country has suffered until now.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a permanent peace deal should also allow Iran to demand fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which would vary depending on the type of vessel, its cargo and prevailing conditions.
US President Donald Trump once again ?exhorted Iran to make a deal by his ?Tuesday deadline, saying on social media that a "whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back ?again" if an agreement is ?not reached.
Amid the looming threat, global stocks wavered on Tuesday, while oil prices edged above $110 per barrel.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on social media that "more than 14 million Iranian people have declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives" to defend their country. "I too have been, am, and will remain ready to give my life for Iran," he added.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, US-Israeli strikes hit 17 civilian areas across Iran on Tuesday, in addition to military targets. There is no justification for attacking civilians, it said, reiterating that international law states that attacking defenseless civilians is a war crime.
Meanwhile, Gulf countries spent another day repelling attacks in their respective territories. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting at least 18 drones, while authorities in the United Arab Emirates said a telecommunications building was struck by an Iranian ballistic missile, injuring two people, both Pakistani nationals.
Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com
TEHRAN -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday it has targeted an Israeli-owned container ship trying to transfer military equipment to Israel using a port in the United Arab Emirates without passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.
ISTANBUL -- One attacker was killed and four others, including two police officers and two attackers, were wounded Tuesday during a shootout near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul's Besiktas district, a local official said.
Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told reporters on the scene that the attackers targeted police officers who were taking security measures in the area. He said the police officers were slightly wounded during the shootout.
Meanwhile, Turkish Interior Mustafa Ciftci said on social media platform X that the attackers came to Istanbul from Izmit in a rented vehicle. "One of the individuals was found to have links to an organization that exploits religion; and one of the two terrorists, who are brothers, has a drug-related record," Ciftci said.
Earlier, local broadcaster NTV said the attackers, reportedly wearing camouflage and carrying backpacks, attacked police officers stationed nearby, triggering an exchange of gunfire that ended with security forces "neutralizing" two suspects and critically wounding a third.
Footage aired by NTV showed a large-scale emergency response, with police units and ambulances sealing off the scene in the Levent neighborhood, one of the city's busiest business hubs.
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran could be "taken out" in one night and that night "might" be Tuesday evening, the deadline Trump set for Iran to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night," Trump told a press conference at the White House.
Trump said that Iran is an "active, willing participant" in the negotiations over the deal, claiming that the talks via intermediaries are "going well."
"I can't talk about ceasefire, but I can tell you that we have an active, willing participant on the other side. They would like to be able to make a deal. I can't say any more than that," Trump said.
"Essentially they have till 8 pm tomorrow night, Eastern Time, but we are dealing with them. I think it's going well," he said.
Trump also said at the press conference that his administration has a plan to strike and destroy bridges and power plants across Iran by midnight Tuesday.
"I mean complete demolition by 12 o'clock. And it will happen over a period of four hours if we wanted to. We don't want that to happen," Trump claimed.
Earlier on Monday, the president said that the 8 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday deadline he has set for Iran is final.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the press conference that US forces will launch the largest strikes on Iran since the start of the war on Feb. 28.
"Per the president's direction, today will be the largest volume of strikes since Day One of this operation. Tomorrow, even more than today. And then Iran has a choice," Hegseth told reporters.
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said Monday that the US military had used as many as 155 warplanes to rescue the second airman in Iran and was forced to destroy some cargo planes that got stuck.
The pilot was injured "quite badly," Trump said at a press conference at the White House.
"We blew up the old planes," Trump said while focusing on the details of the rescue. He said the planes contained communications equipment and anti-missile technology.
The search-and-rescue mission was then conducted by "faster, lighter planes," Trump said.
"Hundreds of people could have been killed," Trump said. "So we had people that were within the military that said this is not wise, and I understood that. But I decided to do it."
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine told reporters that the US A-10 Warthog downed on Friday was conducting a "sandy" mission -- positioning itself between the rescue force and enemy fire.
The aircraft was hit multiple times by Iranian fire, but the pilot managed to fly it out of Iran before ejecting over friendly territory.
The plane had only one job: "Get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, and put themselves between that survivor on the ground and the enemy," said Caine.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the agency played a key role during the search and rescue efforts by using "human assets and exquisite technologies" to locate the airman and determine he was alone and alive on Saturday morning.
Ratcliffe described the search and rescue as a "daunting challenge" that is "comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert."
"This was also a race against the clock, as it was critical that we locate the downed aviator as quickly as possible, while at the same time keeping our enemies misdirected," he told reporters.
Ratcliffe confirmed that the CIA "executed a deception campaign" against Iran during the rescue so that the missing pilot, when "concealed in a mountain crevice," was "invisible to the enemy, but not to the CIA."
Trump said that an Iranian shoulder-fired missile downed the US Air Force F-15E jet on Friday. But neither the president nor his top officials elaborated on the type of munition and how the fighter jet was shot down.
Iran continued to maintain its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, snubbing United States President Donald Trump's expletive-laced ultimatum to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges unless the key waterway was opened to all vessels by Tuesday.
As the US and Israel carried out a wave of attacks on Iran on Monday, the latter responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and its Gulf neighbors. The combined toll as of press time was more than 40.
In a social media post on Sunday, Trump said: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!" He vowed that Iranians would be "living in Hell" if the Strait of Hormuz wasn't opened by Tuesday.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, responded via social media, calling Trump's threats reckless. "You won't gain anything through war crimes," he wrote.
As Tehran endured heavy bombardment, with strikes hitting its eastern, southern and western districts, Iranian state media reported at least 34 deaths on Monday, including six children. The head of intelligence for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Major General Majid Khademi, is believed to be among the deceased.
Israeli attacks targeted facilities at Iran's South Pars natural gas field, while the most high-profile civilian infrastructure hit was Sharif University of Technology, one of the largest engineering schools in Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian missiles struck a residential building in Haifa, a city in northwestern Israel, killing at least four people. Israel's military has warned the public of another missile barrage coming from Iran.
In the Gulf region, Iranian missiles targeted power, desalination and oil facilities in Kuwait, and an oil installation in Bahrain. In the United Arab Emirates, a drone strike damaged a telecommunications company building in Fujairah, but no injuries were reported. Falling debris from an intercepted attack wounded one person in an industrial area in Abu Dhabi.
Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, rose to $109 in early Monday spot trading, which was about 50 percent higher than prewar levels.
On Sunday, the OPEC+ alliance, which comprises members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other nations including Russia, agreed to a modest output increase of 206,000 barrels per day starting in May.
Peace proposal
In a concerted effort to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East, Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators have sent Iran and the US a draft proposal that calls for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a possible way to end the war, The Associated Press reported, quoting two Middle East officials.
Under the plan, a ceasefire would take effect immediately to reopen the strait, while a broader settlement would have to be finalized in 15 to 20 days. Tentatively called the "Islamabad Accord", the deal would include a regional framework for the strait, with final talks in Pakistan.
Iran and the US have not formally responded to the proposal, which was sent late on Sunday night to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff. However, a senior Iranian official said the key waterway will not be opened in exchange for a "temporary truce", as Tehran believes Washington is "not ready" for lasting peace.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said on Sunday that any settlement must guarantee unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that a deal failing to curb Iran's nuclear program, missiles and drones would pave the way for "a more dangerous, more volatile Middle East".
On the other hand, Iran has consistently demanded that the conditions for ending the war should include safeguards against future attacks on Iran, the payment of war reparations to the country, and a recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Monday's escalation of violence follows the dramatic rescue of two crew members of an F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran on Friday.
After completing their rescue mission, US forces reportedly destroyed two C-130 cargo planes and at least two MH-6 Little Bird helicopters as the aircraft became stuck. Iran claimed it had shot these aircraft down, with state media broadcasting footage of charred wreckage.
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military said on Monday it killed the chief of the special operations unit of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Quds Force.
Asghar Bagheri, who served as the commander of the undercover unit since 2019, was killed in an airstrike in Tehran on Sunday, the military said in a statement.
"Under his command, the unit advanced operations targeting IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers on the Syrian-Israel border ... and advanced the transfer of weapons from Iran into the State of Israel," it said.
His assassination joins dozens of other senior Iranian commanders and officials killed by Israel since the beginning of its joint attack with the United States late in February, including Iran's previous Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which sparked a regional conflict in the Middle East.
JERUSALEM - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Monday that the country's air force attacked Iran's largest petrochemical facility in Assaluyeh County in the southern Bushehr province.
He said that Israel "has just struck with force the largest petrochemical facility in Iran, located in Assaluyeh," adding that the key site is responsible for about 50 percent of Iran's petrochemical production.
Katz's announcement came in a video statement following reports by Iranian media that energy facilities in the area had been attacked.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said that several explosions were heard due to US and Israeli attacks on petrochemical complexes.
Iranian media revealed that the situation is "under control," and the damage from the attack is still being assessed.
The attack followed similar Israeli strikes in March on the petrochemical facilities, which triggered Iranian attacks on oil and gas infrastructure across the region.
TEHRAN -?Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday it has targeted an Israeli-owned container vessel and a US assault ship.
In a statement on its official news outlet Sepah News, the IRGC elaborated on the 98th wave of its attacks against Israeli and US targets, which was launched earlier in the day.
The IRGC identified the container ship as "SDN7," saying it was hit precisely with cruise missiles and caught fire.
It noted that the US amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), with more than 5,000 forces on board, was forced to retreat to the southern Indian Ocean after being targeted.
The IRGC added that its forces also struck strategic centers in the Israeli city of Haifa as well as petrochemical companies and plants in Be'er Sheva with precision ballistic missiles, adding a gathering place of the Israeli forces was also targeted in Petah Tikva, central Israel.
According to the IRGC, among the other targets hit by missiles and drones were a center for the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles by the United Arab Emirates and Israel as well as a number of aircraft in the Ali Al Salem Air Base in the Arab state.
On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the Middle East, and exercising tight control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Explosions occur in area near Assaluyeh Petrochemical Complex in Iran, media
Iran on Monday rejected an expletive-laced ultimatum from United States President Donald Trump to escalate strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges. The threat comes after the US set a Tuesday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. As tensions escalate, US and Israeli forces launched a wave of attacks that killed more than 34 people in Iran, which responded with missile fire targeting Israel and its Gulf neighbors.
Facing mounting domestic pressure and growing public anxiety, Trump warned Tehran that failure to reach a deal to reopen the strait would set the country "back to the Stone Age".
"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran," Trump threatened in a social media post, adding that if the strait remained closed, "you'll be living in Hell".
Tehran, however, has shown no sign of backing down from its chokehold on shipping through the strait, which was fully open before the US and Israel launched the war on Feb 28.
Following Trump's threat, Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf called the threats of targeting Iran's infrastructure "reckless". "You won't gain anything through war crimes," he wrote on X.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose to $109 in early Monday spot trading, some 50 percent above pre-war levels. On Sunday, OPEC+ — comprising members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia — agreed to a modest output increase of 206,000 barrels per day starting in May.
University targeted
So far, both sides have threatened and struck civilian targets, including oil fields and desalination plants critical to drinking water supplies. Iran's joint military command warned of stepped-up attacks on regional oil and civilian infrastructure if the US and Israel continue to target such Iranian sites, state television reported.
On Monday, Tehran endured another night of heavy bombardment, with strikes hitting the eastern, southern and western districts of the capital. State media reported at least 34 fatalities, including six children. The most high-profile damage occurred at Sharif University of Technology, where campus buildings suffered unprecedented destruction.
Iran also continued its attacks against Israel on Monday, with a missile striking a residential building in Haifa, killing at least two people and wounding four. Across the Gulf, power, desalination and oil facilities were hit in Kuwait, and an oil installation targeted in Bahrain.
In the United Arab Emirates, air defenses engaged incoming missile and drone attacks on Monday morning. A drone strike damaged a du telecommunications building in Fujairah, but no injuries were reported, authorities said. Falling debris from an intercepted attack wounded one person in an industrial area in Abu Dhabi.
The violence came after an intense operation on Friday rescued the missing crew member of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran, involving dozens of aircraft and closing a dramatic and politically perilous chapter in the war.
But before US forces withdrew, they destroyed two C-130 cargo planes and at least two MH-6 Little Bird helicopters after the aircraft became stuck in terrain. Iran claimed it had shot them down, with state media broadcasting footage of the charred wreckage.
Meanwhile, Iran and the US have received a plan to end hostilities that could take effect on Monday and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the proposals told Reuters on Monday. But a senior Iranian official said Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a temporary truce and sees Washington as not ready for a permanent ceasefire.
Under the plan, a ceasefire would take effect immediately to reopen the strait, with 15-20 days to finalize a broader settlement. Tentatively dubbed the "Islamabad Accord", the deal would include a regional framework for the strait, with final in-person talks in Pakistan.
Earlier, Axios reported the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing terms for a potential 45-day truce that could lead to a permanent end to the war.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, warned on Sunday that any settlement must guarantee unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that a deal failing to curb Iran's nuclear program, missiles and drones would pave the way for "a more dangerous, more volatile Middle East".
cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Monday that its intelligence chief Majid Khademi was killed in US-Israeli strikes.
Khademi was "martyred in the criminal terrorist attack by the American-Zionist enemy... at dawn today," the IRGC said in a statement quoted by local media.
WASHINGTON -- The United States, Iran and regional mediators are discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to "a permanent end to the war," Axios reported on Sunday, citing anonymous US, Israeli and regional sources.
The report said the mediators are discussing the terms of a two-phased deal: the first phase would involve a potential 45-day ceasefire, during which the parties would negotiate a permanent end to the war, while the second phase would focus on reaching an agreement to end the war.
The ceasefire could be extended if more time is needed for talks, it said, noting that fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resolving the issue of Iran's highly enriched Uranium could only be the result of a final deal.
United States President Donald Trump has warned that "all hell" will rain down on Iran if no peace deal is reached within 48 hours, as his 10-day deadline for Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz approaches.
Trump's threat came amid intensified strikes in the Middle East over the weekend, just as Christians were commemorating Easter, with energy facilities in the Gulf countries, as well as universities and hospitals in Iran, suffering heavy damage.
Warplanes destroyed a research center which is part of the sprawling Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran. The attack on Friday on the Laser and Plasma Research Institute of the elite higher education facility is part of a growing number of civilian sites targeted by the US and Israel in their war on Iran.
Hossein Simaei Saraf, Iranian minister of science, research and technology, told reporters at the research center on Saturday that parts of at least 30 universities have so far been hit by US and Israeli strikes since the start of the war on Feb 28.
Meanwhile, in the latest developments on Sunday, Trump confirmed on his Truth Social account that the US military pulled off "one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history" after a "highly respected colonel" was now "safe and sound" after his plane was shot down over Iran.
The airman was one of two military personnel aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet that was shot down over Iran on Friday. Another crew member was rescued earlier.
The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of Iran announced on Sunday that Iranian military forces destroyed several US aircraft in southern Isfahan. He said it foiled a desperate attempt by US forces to infiltrate Iran and extract the pilot.
The spokesman said a joint operation successfully intercepted and neutralized the incoming aircraft.
The spokesperson added that the downed aircraft included two Black Hawk helicopters and two C-130 military transport planes, all of which were struck and left burning in southern Isfahan.
Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that several people were killed in Iran's Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province during search operations for the US airman from the downed F-15E jet.
According to Iran's Fars news agency, five people were killed and eight wounded in an attack on the Koh Siah area of Kohgiluyeh County, while four others were killed in the Vazg and Kakan areas of Boyer-Ahmad County.
On Saturday, one person was killed from projectile fragments after the US and Israel strikes targeted a location close to Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that its air force struck more than 120 targets in central and western Iran and that its targets included ballistic missiles, drone production and air defenses, among others.
Raising alarm
"Israel-US have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran," said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post on X on April 4.
He also accused the US media of "misrepresenting" Iran's position and reiterated that what Iran cared about are the terms of a "lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us".
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said on X on Sunday he was joining the IAEA in raising the alarm again over the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran.
"The latest incident involving the Bushehr nuclear power plant is a stark reminder: a strike could trigger a nuclear accident, with health impacts that would devastate generations," said Ghebreyesus.
"With every passing day of this escalating conflict, the stakes and threats are raised higher and higher. We must de-escalate now. Peace is the best medicine," he added.
Meanwhile, former IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei urged the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United Nations to stop "madman" Trump from turning the region into a ball of fire.
Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com
Trump says he believes he can reach a deal with Iran by Monday: Fox News
WASHINGTON - The crew member of the downed US F-15 had been rescued from "deep inside the mountains of Iran" and is "seriously wounded," US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
In another post, he threatened that Tuesday would be "Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one," for Iran, and again urged Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
He also announced that he will hold a news conference with the military at 1 pm ET (1700 GMT) on Monday, three hours after his "48-hour warning" to Iran expires.
United States President Donald Trump has claimed that "all hell" will rain down on Iran if no peace deal is reached within 48 hours, as his 10-day deadline for Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz approached.
Trump's threat came amid intensified strikes in the Middle East over the weekend, just as Christians were commemorating Easter, with hospitals and universities in Iran, as well as energy facilities in the Gulf countries, suffering heavy damage.
On Sunday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that the US military had pulled off "one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history" and that a "highly respected colonel" was now "safe and sound".
"At my direction, the US Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the world, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation," said Trump, and vowed to "never leave an American warfighter behind" as he ended with an Easter greeting.
Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday that Iran's armed forces foiled a US attempt to rescue a downed pilot in a coordinated operation south of Isfahan in central Iran.
The spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of Iran announced that Iranian military forces had destroyed several US aircraft in southern Isfahan and that the incident followed desperate efforts by US forces to infiltrate central Iran and extract the pilot.
The spokesman said a joint operation involving the aerospace and ground forces, volunteer Basij units, and law enforcement successfully intercepted and neutralized the incoming aircraft.
The spokesman also accused Trump of attempting to downplay the incident by claiming in a social media post that a special operation had been carried out to rescue the downed pilot. The spokesperson added that the downed aircraft included two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport plane, all of which were struck and left burning in southern Isfahan.
Al Jazeera reported on Sunday that people were killed in Iran's Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province during the search operations for a US airman from the downed F-15E jet.
According to Iran's Fars news agency, five people were killed and eight wounded in an attack on the Koh Siah area of Kohgiluyeh County, while four others were killed in the Vazg and Kakan areas of Boyer-Ahmad County.
On Saturday, one person was killed from projectile fragments after the US and Israel strikes targeted a location close to Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The Israel Defense Forces said its air forces struck more than 120 targets in central and western Iran and that its targets included ballistic missiles, UAV production and air defenses.
"Remember the Western outrage about hostilities in Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine?" Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X following Saturday's attacks.
"Israel-US have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran. Attacks on our petrochemicals also convey real objectives."
Araghchi also accused the US media of "misrepresenting" Iran's position and reiterated that what Iran cared about are the terms of a "lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us".
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, wrote on X on Sunday he was joining the IAEA in raising the alarm again over the safety of nuclear facilities in Iran.
"The latest incident involving the Bushehr nuclear power plant is a stark reminder: a strike could trigger a nuclear accident, with health impacts that would devastate generations," said Ghebreyesus.
"With every passing day of this escalating conflict, the stakes and threats are raised higher and higher. We must de-escalate now. Peace is the best medicine," he added.
Meanwhile, former IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei urged the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and United Nations to stop "madman" Trump from turning the region into a ball of fire.
On Sunday, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait reported energy facilities being targeted by Iranian drones.
Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com
