logo
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian injured while escaping Israeli ‘assassination' attempt

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian injured while escaping Israeli ‘assassination' attempt

Mint14-07-2025
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly injured in an Israeli air strike that targetted a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council in Tehran on June 15, Al Jazeera reported, citing a senior Iranian official statement.
Pezeshkian sustained minor leg injuries and was forced to escape through an emergency exit, the report added.
The senior official told the media outlet that the assassination attempt targeted the heads of the three branches of government in an effort to overthrow it.
"This attempt will not pass without Israel paying a price," he said.
According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli strike targeted a high-level meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council in western Tehran, where President Masoud Pezeshkian and the heads of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government, along with other senior officials, were in attendance.
The building's entrances and exits were hit by six missiles to block escape routes and cut off air flow.
Electricity was severed following the explosions, but Iranian officials managed to escape through a pre-designated emergency hatch, including the president, who is said to have sustained minor leg injuries while evacuating, as per Al Jazeera.
The news agency said authorities launched an investigation into the possible presence of Israeli spies, given the accuracy of the intelligence the "enemy" possessed.
Meanwhile, in an interview last week with US media figure Tucker Carlson, Pezeshkian said Israel tried to assassinate him. "They did try, yes ... but they failed," he said.
"It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel. I was in a meeting... They tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting."
The comments come less than a month after Israel launched its unprecedented June 13 bombing campaign against Iran, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
According to Iran's Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, at least 1,060 people were killed in Iran during the conflict. The Israeli attacks drew waves of retaliatory drone and missile fire, killing 28 people in Israel, according to authorities.
Iran targeted Israeli military and intelligence headquarters with ballistic missiles and drones before the US brokered a ceasefire.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Russian president Putin shocks everyone with two massive steps in a day, Trump will be both happy and sad because…, Iran will now…
Russian president Putin shocks everyone with two massive steps in a day, Trump will be both happy and sad because…, Iran will now…

India.com

time11 minutes ago

  • India.com

Russian president Putin shocks everyone with two massive steps in a day, Trump will be both happy and sad because…, Iran will now…

Russian president Putin shocks everyone with two massive steps in a day, Trump will be both happy and sad because…, Iran will now… In two massive developments impacting the geopolitical world, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised everyone by taking two steps simultaneously. Media reports have it that the Russian President h By Abhijeet Sen Edited by Abhijeet Sen Advertisement Russian President Putin and Donald Trump In two massive developments impacting the geopolitical world, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised everyone by taking two steps simultaneously. Media reports have it that the Russian President has on one hand, agreed to hold peace talks to end the Ukraine war, and on the other hand, he has held a surprise meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's top nuclear advisor Ali Larijani on Tehran's nuclear program. Here are all the details you need to know about the two significant developments between Iran, Russia and US. On the meeting with Ali Larijani on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was an unannounced meeting in which Larijani shared with the Russian president his 'assessment of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear program.' Advertisement === What was decided in Russia-Iran secret talk? In the recent development, it has been reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the meeting with Ali Larijani that it was an unannounced meeting in which Larijani shared with the Russian president regarding Putin's 'assessment of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear program.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposes fresh talks with Russia In the recent development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Kyiv has proposed to hold a new round of peace talks with Moscow next week. Notably, Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation in the previous two talks in Istanbul, had sent the Russian side the offer to hold the meeting next week, Zelensky said in his recent address to the nation as per a report by IANS news agency. Advertisement === 'The momentum of the negotiations must be stepped up,' Zelensky said. 'Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire.' Russia rejects US President's 50-day ultimatum In response to Trump's statement, Russia rejected US President's 50-day ultimatum to agree to a Ukraine ceasefire, dismissing the threat of 'severe tariffs' as unacceptable. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov emphasised that Moscow favours a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine conflict and is ready to negotiate. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany's Israel policy is changing — Friedrich Merz's support for Palestinians' right to statehood is proof
Germany's Israel policy is changing — Friedrich Merz's support for Palestinians' right to statehood is proof

Indian Express

time41 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Germany's Israel policy is changing — Friedrich Merz's support for Palestinians' right to statehood is proof

Written by Ashutosh Nagda In a move that could surprise many observers of German foreign policy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has openly criticised Israel's military strategy in Gaza. Speaking at his annual summer press conference on Friday, Merz said Israel's approach to the war in Gaza was 'no longer acceptable', marking the second time in a single week that he has publicly questioned the conduct of Israel's war. Days earlier, in an interview with a German media outlet, Merz reaffirmed the Palestinians' right to statehood and expressed concern over Israel's actions in Gaza. While the remarks stop short of a fundamental policy reversal, they reflect a shift in tonality. Germany has long been one of Israel's staunchest allies, with its support rooted not just in strategic alignment but in the moral reckoning of its history. Germany's post-Holocaust relationship with Israel has always been layered with moral weight and historical obligation. Since the end of World War II, successive German governments across the political spectrum have enshrined a doctrine of 'Staatsräson' (reason of state), wherein the security of Israel is seen as part of Germany's national responsibility. Against this backdrop, Merz's remarks are noteworthy. The shift is not in Germany's foundational support for Israel's right to exist or defend itself; Merz and his government have continued to reiterate that support. What might seem to be changing, however, is Germany's willingness to draw public lines around how Israel exercises that right, particularly when civilian suffering in Gaza is mounting and prospects for peace seem increasingly remote. It is worth noting that the previous government has also attempted to persuade Israel to adopt a different approach to the war in Gaza. As chancellor, Merz might be attempting to address several audiences simultaneously: The German public, the Israeli government and his EU allies. Domestically, the comments allow him to extend a mild rapprochement, if any, to the pro-Palestinian Germans who have found themselves on the wrong end of the baton since October 7. They also act as an overall response to increasing criticism that Germany has disregarded humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Internationally, they align Germany more closely with the emerging consensus for recognising Palestinian statehood and conditioning future ties with Israel on meaningful progress toward a two-state solution. This move also furthered a broader European frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline policies. EU leaders have time and again grown wary of Netanyahu's rejection of a Palestinian state, his expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and the absence of a long-term political vision beyond military operations. Just a day before Merz's statement, Giorgia Meloni of Italy called the Israeli attack on the church in Gaza 'unacceptable', furthering her call from May urging Israel to respect international law in its military operation in Gaza. With this context, Merz's statement seems like an attempt to restore moral and diplomatic balance to Germany's Israel policy, one that still upholds Israeli security but not at the cost of Palestinian rights or EU credibility. Merz's remarks also draw attention to a deeper tension in Germany's foreign policy of upholding a consistent, values-based stance across different global crises. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Berlin has presented itself as a moral actor championing territorial sovereignty, international law, and civilian protection. Former Chancellor Olaf Scholz had, in 2022, written in an op-ed that Germany would be 'doing everything it can' to foster an international order based on democracy, security, and prosperity. Berlin's leadership within the EU on sanctions against Russia, military aid to Ukraine, and the defence of democratic values has reinforced this image. Yet, Germany's relatively muted criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza has exposed accusations of double standards. Why is Russia condemned as a violator of international norms for targeting civilians in Ukraine, while Israel is shielded from similar scrutiny despite comparable devastation in Gaza? The perceived inconsistency in the German 'values' has undermined their credibility in the Global South and has fuelled the call for Western hypocrisy. Merz's recent intervention can then be seen as an effort to close that values gap and demonstrate his and Germany's commitment to humanitarian principles that apply universally. While Merz's comment is important and rare, caution should prevail. The immediate impact of this on German-Israeli relations is likely to be limited. Israel remains one of Germany's closest allies outside of Europe, and both countries share deep economic, cultural, and security ties. Thus, a shift in political and strategic mood is a distant thought, but what is potentially shifting is the rhetorical mood. As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza persists and intensifies, Germany can be expected to make stronger statements. But will that lead to any actions, such as backing UN resolutions, supporting aid initiatives over Israeli objections, or even pausing certain arms exports? Unlikely. Within the European Union, Merz's statement could act as a bridge between the more pro-Israel northern European bloc (Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic) and southern states more vocal about Palestinian rights (Spain, Ireland, Portugal). Germany has often played a mediating role in EU foreign policy, and Merz may now be positioning Germany and, by extension, himself as a voice for restraint, humanitarianism, and diplomacy. What Merz's remarks ultimately reflect is a growing realisation that unwavering support for Israel's security cannot be a blank cheque. If Germany wants to remain a credible voice in global affairs, particularly in the Middle East, and strengthen its global south outreach, it must grapple with the contradictions of supporting a military campaign that many view as disproportionate, while also championing human rights and international law. The writer is a political analyst and German Chancellor Fellow (2023–24), based between New Delhi and Berlin. He writes on foreign policy, electoral trends, and domestic politics

Gaza's children have missed two years of school, truce won't undo damage
Gaza's children have missed two years of school, truce won't undo damage

Business Standard

timean hour ago

  • Business Standard

Gaza's children have missed two years of school, truce won't undo damage

Two years ago, Sarah Qanan was a star high school student preparing for final exams and dreaming of becoming a doctor. Today, the 18-year-old lives in a sweltering tent in the Gaza Strip and says she is just trying to stay alive. She's part of a generation of Palestinians from grade school through university who have had virtually no access to education in the territory since the war began in October 2023. Classes were suspended that month and schools were transformed into crowded shelters as hundreds of thousands fled their homes at the start of Israel's campaign of retaliation after Hamas Oct 7, 2023, attack. The closure of schools has removed a key social outlet for young people as they grapple with war, hunger and displacement. For younger children, it has meant missing out on basic skills like reading and simple arithmetic. For older students, advanced subjects, graduation exams and college applications have all been put on hold. Even if negotiations lead to another ceasefire, it's unclear when anything in Gaza will be rebuilt. Vast areas have been completely destroyed, and the UN children's agency estimates that nearly 90% of schools will need substantial reconstruction before they can function again. Like many in Gaza, Qanan's family has been displaced multiple times and is now living in a tent. When an Israeli airstrike destroyed their home in early 2024, she dug through the rubble in search of her books, but there was nothing left. My sole dream was to study medicine, Qanan said. I stopped thinking about it. All my thoughts now are about how to survive. Hundreds of thousands out of school More than 650,000 students have had no access to education since the start of the war, according to the UN children's agency, Unicef. That includes nearly 40,000 students who were unable to take university entry exams that largely determine their career prospects. It's the first time in decades that the exams were not administered in Gaza. Israel's bombardment and ground operations have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced 90% of Gaza's population. School-age children in crowded shelters and tent camps are often forced to help their families find food, water and firewood. A complete Israeli blockade imposed in early March that was only slightly eased 2 months later has driven the territory to the brink of famine. Local education officials, working with Unicef and other aid groups, set up hundreds of learning spaces to try and provide education during the war. We're trying to salvage what we can of the educational process, so that the next generation doesn't slip through our fingers, said Mohamed al-Asouli, head of the education department in the southern city of Khan Younis. During a six-week ceasefire in January and February, some 600 learning spaces provided lessons for around 173,000 children, according to Unicef. But since March, when Israel ended the truce with a surprise bombardment, nearly half have shut down. The impact goes beyond learning losses, said Rosalia Bollen, a Unicef spokeswoman. Children in Gaza have been trapped in a cycle not just of exposure to unprecedented violence, but also a cycle of fear, of toxic stress, of anxiety. Two years of my life are gone Some have tried to continue their studies through online learning, but it's not easy in Gaza, where there has been no central electricity since the start of the war. Palestinians must use solar panels or hard-to-find generators to charge their phones, and internet is unreliable. The mobile phone is not always charged, and we only have one at home, said Nesma Zouaroub, a mother of four school-age children. She said her youngest son should be in second grade but does not know how to read or write. The children's future is ruined, she said. Ola Shaban tried to continue her civil engineering studies online through her university after the campus was destroyed by Israeli forces in April 2024. She had to walk long distances to get a signal in her hometown near Khan Younis, and she eventually gave up. I couldn't continue because of lack of internet, continuous displacement and the constant sense of fear, she said. Two years of my life are gone. Israel's offensive has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, does not differentiate between combatants and civilians but says over half the dead are women and children. Its figures are used by the UN and other international organisations as the most reliable statistics on war casualties. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in the Oct 7 attack and abducted 251. They are still holding 50 hostages, less than half believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire deals or other agreements. Qanan's father, Ibrahim, a local journalist, said his family did everything it could to support Sarah's ambition to study medicine, only to see it go up in smoke when the war broke out. The war stunned us and turned our life upside down, the father of six said. Our dreams and hopes were buried in the rubble of our home. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store