Abbas Araghchi said two commanders died but senior regime officials survived
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Is Alive after the , “as far as I know”. The statement was made by the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, to the North American broadcaster NBC News.
Abbas Araghchi said two commanders diedbut that senior regime officials survived, including the head of the judiciary and the president of parliament.
“All senior officials are alive,” said the minister. “So everyone is now at their posts, we are dealing with the situation and everything is fine.”
During the interview, Abbas Araghchi also said that Iran is willing to dialogue. “There is no communication at this time,” he said. “But if the Americans want to talk to us, they know how to contact me. We’re certainly interested in de-escalation.”
Attacks
The joint operation between the US and Israel began with smoke being seen over Tehran, the Iranian capital, after attacks that Tel-aviv classified as preventive. Shortly thereafter, Trump used his Truth Social platform to post a surprise video statement announcing US combat operations in Iran, with the aim of “eliminating imminent threats.”
Smoke was seen rising over Tehran’s Pasteur district — home of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and there was a huge security detail in the capital. The US and Israel said their operations targeted Iranian military sites. The Israeli army warned Iranians in or near military infrastructure across the country to evacuate, saying the attacks came after months of joint planning between the allies.
In southern Iraq, a bombing targeting a military base housing a pro-Iran group killed at least two people, according to authorities. Explosions were also heard near the US consulate in Erbil, Iraq, according to AFP journalists.
Wave of missiles and drones
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain after a first wave of missile and drone attacks were launched against Israel.
“The first wave of widespread missile and drone attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the occupied territories has begun,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement, referring to Israel.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it was treating a man with explosion injuries in the north of the country. Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared it would respond “decisively” to the attacks, insisting that Tehran had done “everything necessary to prevent war from breaking out.”
Explosions in the Gulf
Explosions were reported across the Gulf region. AFP correspondents in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, heard loud explosions, as well as in the Bahraini capital, Manama, and in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates claimed to have intercepted Iranian missiles and reserved the right to respond to attacks. Residents of Abu Dhabi told AFP they heard loud explosions in the Emirati capital, which hosts a base with US personnel. Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted several missile attacks, while Kuwait also faced incoming attacks.
*with information from AFP
