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Iran Threatens to Withdraw From Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Boosts Uranium Enrichment After IAEA Censure
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivers a speech during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 18, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Iran has threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), an international accord meant to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, if European powers move to reinstate economic sanctions — a step Tehran condemned as “legally baseless and politically reckless,” warning it would endanger global security.
In a formal letter to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Saeed Iravani, reiterated Tehran’s warning that the country would take “proportionate responses” to what it described as escalating foreign pressure.
Iran’s threats come as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — along with the United States, put forward a resolution condemning Tehran’s nuclear non-compliance at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna this week.
Based on a recent IAEA report, the motion accuses Iran of failing to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog over alleged “undeclared nuclear activities.” Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the vote was delayed until Thursday due to time constraints.
If adopted, the resolution could lead to the reimposition of UN sanctions by October. These sanctions were originally lifted under the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — which temporarily limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
The IAEA’s latest report also reveals that, alongside numerous other violations, Iran has previously conducted multiple implosion tests — a crucial military capability for developing an atomic bomb.
Iranian officials have rejected the IAEA’s findings as “politically motivated,” blaming Israel for providing the intelligence behind the claims, and accusing the agency of serving US interests in an effort to pressure Tehran during its negotiations with Washington to reach a nuclear deal.
“The Board of Governors’ resolution was mischievous,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a press conference on Thursday. “We will continue our path. Enrichment will go on, and we will not back down from the current trend.”
“Even if they bomb our facilities, our capabilities lie in our minds. Whatever they destroy, we will rebuild,” Pezeshkian continued.
After five rounds of talks between the US and Iran, diplomatic efforts have yet to yield results, as the Islamic regime and Washington clash over Tehran’s demand to maintain its domestic uranium enrichment program — a condition that US President Donald Trump has publicly rejected.
Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced that Iran will soon present its own nuclear proposal after rejecting a previous offer from Washington.
Although nuclear negotiations appear on the brink of collapse, a sixth round of talks is tentatively scheduled for Sunday in Oman. At the same time, Trump’s 60-day deadline for reaching a nuclear deal expired on Wednesday.
In response to the IAEA resolution, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), announced the establishment of a third uranium enrichment facility at a secure location, along with a major upgrade to Iran’s centrifuge systems — steps he said would significantly expand the country’s nuclear activities.
“They wrongly believe political pressure can force Iran to retreat from its rightful positions,” Kamalvandi said. “We had already warned that we would adjust our actions accordingly.”
Meanwhile, Major General Hossein Salami, chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — a US-designated terrorist organization — declared that Tehran is fully prepared to confront any act of aggression amid growing threats of military action against the country.
“The enemy sometimes threatens us with military action. We have always said, and we say today, that we stand fully ready for any scenarios, situations, and circumstances,” Salami said.
Iran’s latest threats come as media reports reveal that the US has heightened security at its embassies and military bases across West Asia amid fears of a possible Israeli strike on Tehran.
Trump said on Thursday that an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites “could very well happen,” but he would not call it imminent and said he prefers to avoid conflict with Iran and reach a peaceful solution over its nuclear program.
“I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at a White House event, stressing that Iran could not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
“I’d love to avoid the conflict,” he said. “Iran’s going to have to negotiate a little bit tougher, meaning they’re going to have to give us something they’re not willing to give us right now.”
Israel views Iran’s nuclear program, which many Western governments believe is ultimately meant to build nuclear weapons, as an existential threat.
Iranian leaders regularly declare their intention to destroy Israel. However, Tehran has claimed its nuclear activities are for peaceful, civilian purposes.
The post Iran Threatens to Withdraw From Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Boosts Uranium Enrichment After IAEA Censure first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece
Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot
Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.
The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.
Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.
According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”
As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.
Ένταση στο λιμάνι της Ροδου με την άφιξη Ισραηλινών τουριστών, πολλες προσαγωγές.
Συνελήφθη υποψήφια βουλευτής της Πλεύσης ελευθερίας. pic.twitter.com/gAPnUnxu1A
— Ακροκεντρώος (@akrokentrwos_2) July 28, 2025
However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.
Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.
Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.
In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
The post Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
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