Iran’s president warned on Sunday that any U.S. strike on the country would trigger a “harsh response” from Tehran, as nationwide unrest continues and tensions with Washington remain high.
The warning came after an Iranian official in the region said at least 5,000 people, including around 500 security personnel, had been killed in protests that erupted across the country late last month.
Against this backdrop, Iran’s state broadcaster was briefly hijacked on Sunday (18 January), airing footage of anti-government protests and a message from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, according to opposition-linked outlets.
The takeover reportedly lasted about 10 minutes and appeared across multiple channels carried on the Badr satellite, Iran International and other opposition sources reported.Tehran has not provided a public explanation, and independent verification is limited amid strict media controls.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) is a core tool for state messaging, and the intrusion demonstrates operational reach while street unrest continues across the country.
Separately, Iranian media reported further violence linked to the unrest, saying the Palestinian Authority ambassador to Tehran, Salam al-Zawawi, was injured when around 200 rioters stormed her residence, damaging property and setting parts of the compound on fire.
Attackers forced their way into the embassy compound while chanting slogans and throwing Molotov cocktails, leaving the ambassador and several staff members suffering from smoke inhalation and other injuries. They were taken to a hospital for treatment.
The ambassador, his family, and embassy staff reportedly hid in the basement until Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (Faraja) arrived and evacuated them to safety. Authorities then confronted and dispersed the attackers according to reports.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday (18 January) that any attack on Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would trigger “an all‑out war” against Iran, according to a message posted on social media platform X.
Pezeshkian also said Iranians faced economic hardship because of what he described as “inhumane” sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.
Nationwide protests erupted in Iran on 28 December over economic hardship and swelled over two weeks into widespread demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule - resulting in the deadliest unrest since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.
At least 5,000 people have been killed in the protests, including about 500 security personnel, an Iranian official in the region said on Sunday, citing verified figures and accusing "terrorists and armed rioters" of killing "innocent Iranians".
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if protesters continued to be killed on the streets or were executed. In a social media post on Friday (16 January), he thanked Tehran's leaders, saying they had called off scheduled executions of 800 people.
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President Trump has issued a warning to the international community, claiming a nuclear-armed Iran would strike Israel "very quickly" before targeting Europe and the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire had "terminated" hostilities against Iran, as he sought to bolster his argument that he does not need lawmakers' permission to continue the conflict.
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.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated after renewed warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that military action against Iran has not been ruled out, alongside claims that Iranian leadership is eager to reach a deal.
Minval Politika has released further footage it says shows former International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo discussing alleged funding behind campaigns linked to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned “foreigners who commit evil” have no place in the Gulf, outlining a “new phase” for the Strait of Hormuz, while a senior adviser said U.S. blockade efforts would fail and could trigger confrontation.
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he was "not satisfied" with Iran's latest peace proposal, which was delivered to Washington via Pakistani mediators on Friday (1 May).
Dubai chef Shaw Lash at Mexican restaurant Lila Molino flies in her avocados and tomatillos, small, tart green fruits native to Central America that are a staple of Mexican cuisine and key for her colourful and spicy dishes.
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Baku will host the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) from 17 to 22 May, bringing together around 25,000 participants from 176 countries to address the global housing crisis and sustainable urban development.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz is set to visit Armenia in early May to take part in the 8th European Political Community Summit, in what will be the highest-level Turkish visit to the country to date. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly expected to miss the forum.
The Milli Majlis Temporary Commission on Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats has issued a statement warning of what it describes as an information campaign by pro-Armenian groups targeting Azerbaijan and the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process.
On 1 May, Azerbaijan summoned the European Union’s ambassador, Marijana Kujundžić, to the country’s foreign ministry in protest over a resolution adopted by the European Parliament a day earlier.
Pakistan has accused Afghan border forces of deliberately targeting civilians during renewed clashes along the border, saying at least nine people have been killed and 15 injured over the past two days.
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