In a new round of muscle show, Iran and US are showing off their military readiness as well as drumming up the hostile rhetoric.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Aerospace Force of Iran unveiled one of its largest underground ballistic missile sites introduced as “Missile City” on Tuesday, and spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran warned of a severe retaliation against to the Western countries attempting to reimpose UNSC sanctions over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
TV footage showed the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh unveiling the new missile site packed with hundreds of projectiles.
The footage of “missile city” was broadcast after unconfirmed reports said US President Donald Trump in his recent letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has threatened Iran with a two-month deadline to start negotiations over rolling back its nuclear program or face a military confrontation.
There are reports of a significant force of US stealth bombers en route to the strategic British-controlled island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and satellite imagery revealing a buildup of support aircraft, including cargo planes and aerial refueling tankers, deployed within the last 48 hours, to boost US ongoing attacks on Yemen.
While Iranian authorities do not reject talks with the US in principle, they maintain Tehran will not enter any negotiations under Trump administration’s bullying tactics which US has dubbed as the Maximum Pressure campaign.
"The unjust use of the trigger mechanism will ensue an appropriate and severe response from Iran," said Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi after threats by Britain, France, and Germany to activate the mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal. He dismissed the threat of snapback of UN sanctions in October as "hollow and empty”.
With nuclear states in its neighborhood, Iran and world powers signed the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) 2015 in Vienna agreeing to limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
However, the US withdrew in 2018 under Trump’s first presidency and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back its commitments under the deal. Talks to revive the deal remain inconclusive since 2021.
"One of the pressure tools that Western countries are talking about these days is the use of the trigger mechanism. It is truly ridiculous that they want to punish Iran for a violation that others committed," Mehr News Agency quoted the spokesman saying.
Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted once more early on Saturday, with ash and lava spewing from the southeastern crater. The eruption, which began late Friday night, continued through midday, local sources reported.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
In a groundbreaking event, China hosted the world’s first humanoid robot race, where robots and humans competed side by side. The competition saw Chinese-made Tien Kung Ultra emerge victorious in the half-marathon, completing the 21-kilometer course in an impressive 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 19th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
he Trump administration has replaced the Covid.gov website, once a central hub for COVID-19 resources, with a new platform focusing on the lab leak theory regarding the virus's origins.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Algeria on April 20-21 for high-level strategic talks, according to diplomatic sources.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with senior Vatican officials on Saturday for talks that the Vatican described as "cordial," following ongoing criticisms of the Trump administration’s policies, particularly regarding immigration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his plan to reclassify approximately 50,000 federal workers under a new category, "Schedule Policy/Career," which would make it easier to fire civil servants who do not align with his administration's policy agenda.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order early Saturday blocking the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Texas under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a phone conversation on Saturday to discuss ongoing efforts to end the Israeli war on Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.
Elon Musk announced on Saturday that he plans to visit India later this year, following a discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about potential collaboration in technology and innovation.
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said of Oman is scheduled to visit Moscow on Monday, just days after the commencement of a new round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks mediated by Muscat.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with senior Vatican officials on Saturday for talks that the Vatican described as "cordial," following ongoing criticisms of the Trump administration’s policies, particularly regarding immigration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Algeria on April 20-21 for high-level strategic talks, according to diplomatic sources.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with senior Vatican officials on Saturday for talks that the Vatican described as "cordial," following ongoing criticisms of the Trump administration’s policies, particularly regarding immigration.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, set to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his plan to reclassify approximately 50,000 federal workers under a new category, "Schedule Policy/Career," which would make it easier to fire civil servants who do not align with his administration's policy agenda.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued an order early Saturday blocking the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members from Texas under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798.
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