live Pentagon official says U.S. war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far - Wednesday, 29 April
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 bi...
Iran launched naval manoeuvre in its southern waters on Thursday as it concluded hosting the joint counter-terrorism drills of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy staged two-day drills in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea waters while its Ground Forces launched the final stage of the Sahand-2025 joint anti-terror exercise in which SCO special units participated
“The naval exercise codenamed ‘Shahid Nazeri’ after martyred commander of the elite units of the IRGC Navy takes place in the maritime theater of the Persian Gulf, the Hormuz Strait, the Sea of Oman, and the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Siri,” IRGC announced in a statement.
It was staged one day after the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council’s joint summit with Italy in the Bahraini capital Manama on Wednesday backed the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) claim over three Iranian islands.
Tehran has categorically rejected Abu Dhabi’s claim on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz in which IRIB Navy is staging the wargame connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and is a key waterway for the transit of oil and natural gas to global markets.
Iran has at times warned that it could restrict the strait’s traffic during heightened tension.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation concluded its five-day Sahand-2025 anti-terrorism drills carried out in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province on Thursday.
“The last day of the joint wargames focused on hostage release tactics as well as cross-border counterterrorism operation,” according to reports by DefaPress website which covers military and defence news.
Commander of the drills Brigadier General Vali Ma’dani said SCO member states Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Kazakhstan, Iran, India and Belarus participated in the drills.
Representatives of neighbouring countries Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq also took part as guest observers, he added.
In 2023, Iran became a full member of The Shanghai Cooperation Organization which is a Eurasian body of 10 member states.
As a regional organisation, it fosters political, economic, international security and counter-terrorism cooperation.
SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) has designated terrorism, separatism and extremism as “Three Evils” of the 10-member Eurasian political, economic and international security bloc.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran that does not deal with its nuclear programme. Washington is insisting that any talks must address Iran’s nuclear activities.
A Pentagon official provided the first official estimate of the cost of the U.S. war in Iran on Wednesday (29 April), telling lawmakers that $25 billion had so far been spent on the conflict, most of it on munitions. Earlier, Donald Trump said that the U.S. had "militarily defeated" Tehran.
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 April), with 84 people injured, after rescuers completed efforts to free passengers trapped in the wreckage, the state rail operator said.
Mexican special forces arrested Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, a senior commander of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), during an operation in the western state of Nayarit, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said on Monday (27 April).
A new Georgian-language broadcaster backed by Poland’s public media has launched with promises of objectivity - but it is already fuelling debate over influence, trust, and politics.
Armenia and Georgia will co-host the 2029 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the sport’s global governing body announced on Wednesday (29 April), bringing the youth tournament to the South Caucasus for the second consecutive edition after the 2027 event.
Former security chief Kamchybek Tashiev has been questioned in connection with an alleged attempt to seize power by force, Kyrgyz lawyer Sherdor Abdykaparov said.
Afghan and Russian officials have discussed expanding political, economic and security cooperation during talks in Kabul, Afghan ministries said.
Kyrgyzstan is preparing a new national programme aimed at increasing employment, reducing poverty and improving the coordination of labour, social protection and migration policies through 2030.
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