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Trump opposed Israeli plan to kill Iranian supreme leader – US official

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US President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior US official told AFP Sunday.

“We found out that the Israelis had plans to hit Iran’s supreme leader. President Trump was against it and we told the Israelis not to,” said the US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Earlier Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dodged a question about reports that Trump had asked his country not to kill Khamenei.

“I’m not going to get into that,” he told Fox News.

“But I can tell you,… we’ll do what we need to do, and I think the United States knows what is good for the United States,” he said.

The comments came as Israel and Iran exchanged another barrage of missiles Sunday, with residents told to seek shelter as booms were heard over Jerusalem, and aerial defense systems reportedly activated in Tehran.

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war fought through proxies and covert operations, the latest conflict marked the first time the countries have traded fire with such intensity, triggering fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.

It began Friday, when Israel launched an attack that has killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and struck military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.

As Israel struck targets across Iran again on Sunday, Netanyahu vowed to make the country pay a “heavy price” for killing Israeli civilians.

He also strongly suggested to Fox News that Israel had killed Iran’s intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi, saying it had recently “got the chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran” as its jets carried out raids over the capital.

Trump has insisted that Washington, a strong ally of Israel, “had nothing to do” with Israel’s bombing campaign.

But he also threatened to unleash “the full strength and might” of the US military if Iran attacked US interests, later urging the two foes to “make a deal.”

Trump stressed to ABC News Sunday that the United States is “not at this moment” involved in the military action, but said it was “possible we could get involved.”

He also said he would be “open” to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin being a mediator to resolve the conflict.

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Israel ‘crushing’ Iran, Hezbollah — Netanyahu

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday the joint US-Israeli campaign was “crushing” Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and called for Iranians to rise up and overthrow the Islamic republic.

Netanyahu spoke soon after the new Iranian ruler Mojtaba Khamenei’s first statement, in which he vowed to avenge the Iranians killed in the war so far.

“We are crushing Iran and Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said in a televised media briefing.

 

In wide-ranging comments on the war, Netanyahu said he was seeking to use the conflict to oust the clerical leadership in Tehran.

“I have added a third objective, which is to create, for the Iranian people, the conditions to bring down this regime,” Netanyahu said.

The other two goals remained preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying its ballistic missile capabilities, he said.

The Israeli leader used his remarks to demand that Beirut rein in Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has joined Iran in launching missile strikes on Israel.

“I told the Lebanese government a few days ago — you are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate, in violation of your commitment to disarm it,” he said.

“The time has come for you to do so. Now, if you do not do so, it is clear that we will do so,” he continued.

Hezbollah on Thursday said it carried out a number of attacks against Israel, including on an air defence system near the town of Caesarea, home to Netanyahu’s private residence.

Israel has threatened to target Lebanese government infrastructure if the attacks by Hezbollah persist.

Netanyahu had a personal message for Iran’s new leader, saying: “We eliminated the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, can’t show his face in public.”

Khamenei had earlier issued a first statement in his name that was read out by a TV presenter.

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Nigerians In Iran Escorted To Armenia Border For Safe Exit – NIDCOM

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The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) have stated that Nigerians who wish to leave Iran are being safely escorted across the Armenia border by officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the commission said the move was aimed at ensuring a “smooth and secure passage for those wishing to exit the country.”

“No Nigerian in Iran has been affected by the conflict so far, with government officials remaining stationed at the border to receive and assist all evacuees,” the statement said.

NIDCOM added that the federal government remains vigilant and is responding to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad.

The Commission noted that the evacuation process is being coordinated in collaboration with Armenian authorities, with Nigerian officials stationed at the border to assist citizens arriving from Iran.

Meanwhile, at least one Nigerian has been identified among the 122 people injured during the interception of Iranian ballistic missiles in the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE Ministry of Defence did not specify the number of casualties from each nationality.

It remained unclear how many Nigerians are currently in Iran or other Middle Eastern countries affected by the ongoing conflict. However, some Nigerians in Gulf states have called on the Federal Government to prepare repatriation flights for their evacuation.

Earlier, the chairperson of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Nigeria would begin repatriating its citizens stranded in the Middle East once the airspace reopens.

The Commission has also released emergency hotlines for Nigerians in the affected areas to seek assistance.

 

 

 

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Trump rules out US ground invasion of Iran, calls It ‘waste of time’

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President Donald Trump said Thursday it would be a “waste of time” currently to consider sending US ground troops into Iran, NBC News reported, dismissing the Iranian foreign minister’s warning that such a move would spell disaster for invaders.

“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” he told NBC by telephone, adding that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s earlier remark that Iran was ready for a US or Israeli ground invasion was a “wasted comment.”

Trump also indicated he is keen to see Iran’s leadership structure removed and that “we want to go in and clean out everything” quickly.

 

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