live U.S. intelligence chief: Iran regime degraded but still a threat - Latest on Middle East crisis
Iranian President Pezeshkian has confirmed the killing of intelligence minister Esmail Khatib calling it a "cowardly assassination", foll...
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has deployed one of its largest ballistic missiles at a newly unveiled underground base on Wednesday (3 February), just two days ahead of mediated nuclear talks with the United States in Muscat, Oman.
The missile, identified as the Khorramshahr-4 (Kheybar), is a medium- to long-range system capable of striking targets up to 2,000 kilometres away and carrying a warhead of 1500 kg of high explosives, according to Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC.
The deployment was part of an exhibition at the underground facility operated by the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, which was inaugurated by senior military officials. The Khorramshahr-4 had previously been fired at Israel during the final days of the 12-day war in June 2025, in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear-related sites.
Iranian officials said the deployment demonstrates Tehran’s readiness to adopt offensive military doctrines, including asymmetric warfare, amid heightened regional tensions and a recent U.S. military buildup in the Middle East.
“Following the [Israel-U.S.] 12-day war [in June 2025], we have shifted our military doctrine from defensive to offensive to carry out blitz and large-scale operations,” said Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Abdolrahim Mousavi.
The base, which is situated at an undisclosed location, was unveiled by the Chief of Staff and the Commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division, Brigadier General Seyed Majid Mousavi.
“We are also ready to fight the enemies … adopting asymmetric warfare and crushing military strategies,” the official Defapress website quoted the Chief of Staff as saying.
Tehran’s ballistic missile capability proved a game-changer in targeting Israel in June and has been one of the points of contention with Washington, which has demanded a reduction in their range.
The deployment of such a missile comes as talks begin with the United States in Muscat on Friday (6 February), mediated by the Sultanate of Oman.
In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi thanked Omani authorities for hosting the negotiations between Iran and the U.S., which had been stalled since the 12-day war last year.
Tehran has reportedly signalled that missile capabilities will remain off the table, focusing the discussions solely on its nuclear programme.
Morocco has been declared winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and Senegal stripped of their title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
One person has died after a cable car cabin at the Titlis ski resort in central Switzerland plunged down a snow-covered mountainside on Wednesday (18 March) amid strong winds.
President Donald Trump said NATO is making a “very foolish mistake” by refusing to help the U.S. as Israel Katz claimed Ali Larijani was killed in Israeli strikes.
Iranian President Pezeshkian has confirmed the killing of intelligence minister Esmail Khatib calling it a "cowardly assassination", following reports that Israel carried out an overnight strike.
Kouri Richins, a U.S. woman who penned a children’s book about bereavement after the death of her husband has been found guilty of killing him.
Festive events across Azerbaijan are bringing the spirit of Novruz to life, with the Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve hosting its annual “Spring Fortress” celebration. Visitors are immersed in a historic setting, surrounded by colourful decorations and live performances.
Pakistani authorities have denied claims by the Afghan government that a hospital was targeted, insisting that its airstrikes were aimed solely at military and terrorist sites in and around Kabul.
Iran’s intelligence chief, Esmail Khatib, has been killed in an Israeli missile strike carried out overnight, according to Iranian state media. He was a longstanding figure within Iran’s tightly controlled leadership.
Georgia is in national mourning following the death of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who has died at the age of 93. His passing marks the end of a nearly 50-year era during which he became one of the most influential spiritual and public figures in the country’s modern history.
As the U.S.–Israel war with Iran enters its third week, disruption is spreading well beyond the battlefield. Analysts say the conflict is already constraining fertiliser supplies, driving up prices and increasing the risk of food shortages, particularly in developing economies.
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