Monitoring Desk: Israeli citizens for the last 40 years have been sleeping in peace because they were told that they are protected against any foreign aggression, particularly coming from the skies, as the Israeli Iron Dome is there to save them. No country on earth had ever challenged this claim so far, except Hamas in October 2024 with a primitive kind of missiles, and once Iran with two-decade-old missile technology. Now the situation is altogether different as Israeli citizens are facing barrages of semi-latest hypersonic and cruise missiles.
Shunning the embarrassment, Israel and its allied social media are selling a narrative that Iran could not defeat its Iron Dome, but Russia and China have provided the latest missiles to Iran. Taking advantage of the situation, Indian social media has jumped into the narrative wave, blaming Pakistan for helping Iran.
“After facing the embarrassment of the total failure of the Iron Dome, Israel, as well as Western social media outlets, are dragging China and Russia into a narrative war, suggesting that both countries are shipping missiles to Iran. Meanwhile, India is playing the same but against its adversary that has recently defeated India in the May 2025 battle. Indian keyboard warriors are implying that Pakistan is providing support to Iran”, commented a foreign affairs expert requesting anonymity.
Update: Both Russia and China are rushing to resupply the Iranian military with missiles and other ammunition!! More plane loads in-route!! pic.twitter.com/BVxjtTFMvk
— US Homeland Security News (@defense_civil25) June 14, 2025
The expert was of the view that India as well as Israel always use upside-down pyramid technique for propaganda and narrative building in which first small cone comprising of unknown media outlets and social media release content/material and then same is picked by middle tier news outlets and then the material goes to western mainstream media with comments from security and foreign affairs experts. The dangerous side of the news assembly line is already “available material” in the country’s social media. Since China and Russia are very strict in controlling social media in their countries, the risk stands with Pakistan as its social media (even pro-state) is reckless and narrow-sighted and cannot visualize the impact of words that they could use in favour of the government but would helping enemies to use against the country in future. Moreover, in general, Pakistani media is promoting news of Western news outlets such as AFP, Reuters, AP, CNN, Fox News, and Sky News, so the risk increases in such circumstances.
Despite the fact that Azerbaijan declared the restoration of its independence in 1991, the political crisis caused by the incompetence of the government, activities of internal and external destructive forces aimed at undermining the foundations of the state, the emergence of separatist tendencies in different regions, and severe socioeconomic situation put the country face-to-face with the threat of civil war and the loss of independence. The situation was further exacerbated by Armenia’s aggression and occupation of Azerbaijan’s lands.
And in such a fateful moment, the Azerbaijani people trusted their future to the outstanding statesman Heydar Aliyev. After returning to Baku by popular demand, Heydar Aliyev was elected as chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 15 June 1993 and as President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 3 October of the same year.
It was thanks to Heydar Aliyev’s salvation mission that the processes threatening the state independence of Azerbaijan were thwarted and state-building issues were put in the focus of attention. Thus, 15 June went down in the history of Azerbaijan as the National Salvation Day.
The key priorities of National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s policy included achieving a ceasefire with Armenia, establishing public and political stability, building a democratic system and liberal economy, ensuring national army building and security, implementing a new oil strategy, accelerating Azerbaijan’s integration into the international arena, and achieving a fair settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
1995 marked the launch of drastic reforms in all spheres of public life, a new Constitution was adopted, a multi-party system was built, political pluralism became a norm of society, and freedom of speech and the press were ensured. In parallel, significant steps were taken to build a market economy, the world`s leading companies were involved in exploiting the hydrocarbon resources in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, routes for the transportation of oil to the world market were defined and resources to ensure Azerbaijan’s development were made available in a short period.
Heydar Aliyev pursued a consistent and purposeful policy to transform Azerbaijan into a reliable partner in the system of international relations, raising the world community`s awareness of the material, spiritual and intellectual values of the country, secure the interests of the Azerbaijani state both in the region and in the world by taking into account the key aspects of national security and development.
The 1993-2003 time period, when Heydar Aliyev was in power and was elevated to the status of National Leader for his unparalleled services to the Azerbaijani people and state, marked a historic stage when Azerbaijan emerged as a state, formed and transformed into a full-fledged subject of the international community. These 10 years saw the implementation of the national development strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the people of Azerbaijan benefited from a rare historic opportunity and made their independence everlasting and irreversible at the cost of great suffering.
Since 2003, Azerbaijan has been implementing the policy of Heydar Aliyev, continuing and enriching it under the leadership of H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Thus, the successful foreign policy of Azerbaijan, conducted under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, reflects a commitment to the above-mentioned course of the comprehensive development of mutually beneficial relations with members of the world community. This policy is designed to enhance the prosperity and welfare of the Republic of Azerbaijan while ensuring ongoing development and well-being for its citizens.
In 2020, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan liberated its internationally recognized territories from the almost 30-year occupation by Armenia, implementing UN Security Council four resolutions of 1993. To prevent further large-scale provocations by Armenian forces in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan and to restore the constitutional order, the Azerbaijani Army conducted an anti-terror operation on September 19, 2023, which lasted just 23 hours, forcing the enemy to surrender. This victory fully restored Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, and today, the Azerbaijani flag flies proudly in all territories where Azerbaijani sovereignty is established. Thus, Azerbaijan has officially declared 2025 as the Year of Constitution and Sovereignty.
Over the past years, the Republic of Azerbaijan has successfully chaired several important organizations such as the UN Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Turkic States, and many others.
It should also be highlighted that Azerbaijan`s successful hosting of the COP29 conference, which not only underscored the nation’s growing leadership in global climate action but also provided a vital platform for international cooperation.
All of the points mentioned above reflect Azerbaijan`s robust global diplomacy, the foundations of which were laid by the National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, and its reputable standing as a reliable partner in multilateral negotiations.
Surinder Kaur, the voice of Punjabi mothers departed the mortal world at the age of 77 on June 14, 2006, leaving behind the legacy of singing and music that can still be seen in her fourth generation as her great-granddaughter Rhea is now bearing the flag and marching towards success of her career in singing and music. Born and raised in Lahore, Surinder Kaur could not take Lahore out of her life till her death, and memories of Lahore had always lived with her.
Surinder Kaur, her husband, Prof Joginder Sodhi
Though she died in 2006 but her soul was empty and sorrowful since the death of his lover, mentor, teacher, and husband, Professor Joginder Singh Sodhi, who died in 1976 when the couple was still in their 40s and was raising three young daughters. Sodhi was everything for her, and their 28 year of marriage was a tale of an eternal love affair where Sodhi was present everywhere as her support system. Imagine what could be a disastrous moment when he left her alone with three daughters?
“No Punjabi wedding all over the world is complete without the songs immortalized by Surinder Kaur”
Her remaining 30 years’ life without her husband were sorrowful, and that sorrow could be felt in her singing as well as in her eyes. An ever-smiling, witty, jolly, and full-of-life Surinder Kaur spent the rest of her life with the memories of her husband and the 12,000 books he left behind in a rented house. For months, Surinder did not reconcile with reality and used to tell her daughters that Darji (her husband) would come back soon. What an agony of an over-protected wife who used to leave all responsibilities to her caring husband, when she had been ruling the performing stages globally. Darji used to write lyrics for her, choose the best ideas and content of Punjabi literature, and even create tunes for her songs. Darji used to cook the best of the best food of her choice when she was out for a performance, and she knew that she would go home and Darji would offer her the mouthwatering food she had desired to eat before departing for a performance. This lioness of the stage lost everything with the death of her lion. Life was hard after 1976 for Surinder because she had to face more disasters like the deaths of her eldest sister and first teacher in music, Parkash Kaur, and then another sister who used to sing duets with her died due to cancer.
In December 1977, Surinder Kaur bought her house with the amount the University gave her after the death of her professor husband. It was near Model Town, Delhi, where she lived with her daughters until this area came under unplanned construction of the Delhi Metro Rail Project. The original Delhi Master Plan was changed to accommodate this new project, and residential areas that had been legal for decades came under this diversion from the Master The government decided to demolish certain residential areas for laying the track, and Surinder Kaur’s home was marked for demolition. However, through a legal fight, this part of Mall Road was taken out of the demolition plan, but the whole scene made her scared about the fate of her only shelter. Therefore, she decided to sell this house and started living with her eldest daughter, Dolly.
Surinder Kaur’s duet with her elder sister Prakash Kaur (Born on 19 September 1919, died on 2 November 1982) “Mavan te dhiya ral biathya ni maye”, recorded in the All India Radio Lahore Station, is an eternal piece of Punjabi music, singing, and literature. There is no doubt that no Punjabi wedding all over the world is complete without the songs immortalized by late Surinder Kaur and her sister Prakash Kaur, however, Surinder Kaur became the voice of every Punjabi mother because she dedicated her life along with her husband to document oral history of Punjab that was present in remote villages of Punjab in the form of prose and poetry.
“Surinder Kaur reintroduced the Punjabi language to Punjabi youth”
Born in Lahore on November 25, 1929, Surinder was raised with her four sisters and five brothers at Bashan Street Chuburji Lahore. Her father was a chemistry professor at Government College Lahore. Surinder Kaur was an urban Punjabi girl from Lahnda, Punjab (West Punjab) who was raised in a well-educated family in Lahore city but contributed her whole life to documenting and saving classical Punjabi language and collective Punjabi consciousness through her songs. Surinder Kaur wrote some of her memories when she was living abroad with her daughter.
Handwritten diary of Surinder Kaur. Courtesy of her granddaughter Sunaini Sharma, who exclusively shared this page of the diary with DND News Agency
According to these memories, she spent the early years of her education in Victoria School, Lahore, which is now known as Victoria High School. She added that in 1939, she moved to Arya Nagar Girls High School in Lahore. She did her matriculation at Arya Nagar Girls High School, Lahore, which was an English Medium School and was in the vicinity of Choburji Garden. The school was established in the same year (1929) when Surinder Kaur was born. Having a total area of 14 Kanal of land, 10 Kanal was an open area (grounds), and the building was spread over four Kanal in 1929. The school was renamed after the division of the Indo-subcontinent as “Govt Girls High School Choburji Garden Lahore”.
“Her greatest contribution is the documentation of anthropological aspects and oral wisdom of Punjabi culture through her songs.”
After the division of the Indo-subcontinent in 1947, Surinder Kaur and her parents relocated to Ghaziabad, Delhi. She was married to Prof. Joginder Singh Sodhi, who was born and raised in Gujranwala. Spotting her surprising talent, Prof. Joginder Singh Sodhi became her support system, and soon she started a career as a playback singer in the Hindi film industry in Bombay, introduced by music director Ghulam Haider. She got an extraordinary response for her Hindi and Urdu songs in the 1948 film Shaheed, including “Badnam Na Ho Jaye Mohabbat Ka Fasaana”, “Aanaa hai tu aajaao” and “Taqdeer ki aandhi”, and “Hum kahaan aur thum kahaan”. However, her soul was connected with Punjab and Punjabi, and she eventually moved back to Delhi in 1952 and dedicated her life to reviving Punjabi songs. Got fame from singing Hindi and Urdu songs, Surinder Kaur decided to switch to Punjabi when she was the most popular voice of Urdu and Hindi songs. The force behind her decision was to preserve, promote, and document the Punjabi language. She thought that the Punjabi language was losing its social status and classical diction was vanishing from songs and literature. Her contribution to the Punjabi language is yet to be documented properly. Her biggest sacrifice for the Punjabi language was that she left singing Urdu and Hindi songs and dedicated herself to Punjabi songs at a time when she was a shining star of the Urdu and Hindi songs industry. At a very young age, her voice became the most popular while singing with names like Syria, Muhammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, and Talat Mahmood.
Dedicating Life to the Revival of Punjabi songs
As a singer and songwriter who sang over 2,000 Punjabi songs, Surinder Kaur reintroduced the Punjabi language to Punjabi youth living abroad, particularly in North America and the United Kingdom. The generation that was born and brought abroad had social difficulties in learning Punjabi as their first language. The constant music trips of Surinder Kaur and her performances in Canada and the United Kingdom helped Punjabi youth living there to get connected with the Punjabi language. Surinder Kaur dedicated her life to documenting and preserving the Punjabi language and culture, and showed the world that the Punjabi language is so rich that it can survive even out of the genre of “folk singing”. Her commitment and dedication to her language paved the way for future generations to choose the Punjabi language as a medium of expression in music and films. If Surinder Kaur had not sung contemporary music, today’s Punjabi music and film industry would have believed that Punjabi was only for folk art forms.
Surinder Kaur, who was an urban Punjabi girl hailing from an educated family born and raised in Lahore (which was the biggest urban area of the then undivided Punjab), would not be forgotten for the greatest contribution to documenting anthropological aspects and oral wisdom of Punjabi culture through her songs.
Surinder Kaur left the mortal world in 2006, but she would never die because her huge work will keep her alive in the hearts of all Punjabis living in every corner of the world.
Technology has been a phenomenon since Greek times, but at that time, it was more about influencing the mind rather than controlling the mind or trying to control it. The word technology is derived from the Greek word Technikon, which means something belongs to techne; the word techne refers to activities and skills of craftsman and art in fine arts; the word also refers to the sense of knowing or understanding something. Techne means bringing forth things that have not yet been uncovered. So, this means Technology is a way of concealing something concealed. It is to uncover something that is already there.
Historical relation
Technology has been there, adding value to human day-to-day life. Humans have always brought forth things they felt were necessary to solve problems or create ease. We invented weapons to protect ourselves or harm others, to gain power and control over others. Whenever a nation got better throughout history in terms of Technology, it became a dominant power in the world. Here comes the ethical point of using Technology to attain control. Previously, control was mostly in terms of wealth, land, or enslaved people, but with modern Technology, control has shifted to the human mind. In the past, humans used to take control using wizardry or seduction to get possession of anyone physically or mentally. Influencing others by various means was also a great deal, mostly to meet an end to fame or show power over anyone else. Technology in previous times was not merely used to achieve the end of controlling the mind. Rather, it also had other significance. In the true sense, it was being perused without directly influencing human beings in a larger context.
Modern Technology
Modern Technology is linked with the historical scenario of the West and its relationship with its politics. Previously, Technology was used to overtake physical control at the most, and most of its dimensions were not that much linked to controlling the human mind. Rather, human beings were a part of a certain society, and the individuals’ mental capabilities were mostly shaped by it without having any specific end. Capitalism is a free market where everyone competes to get higher profits. Here, we maintain that there will be no more wars or physical harm to anyone. Soon, however, we started affecting each other mentally by exercising control over others to fulfill our desire for power.
It shows that man has always thought emotionally, and his desires guide him. Kant says humans are rational, independent beings and ought to be respected in an absolute moral sense as ends. In a broader sense, even rationality gave rise to logic, science, and mathematics, which became the basis for classical sciences and eventually gave rise to Technology.
Ethical view
Technological, moral, and political developments that go side by side originate from philosophical ethics. They are all interlinked, as Technology has always been justified as a Utility for human beings, and this justification is best aligned with the political interests of any individual or group. Throughout the evolutionary period of Technology, the deontological perspective for Technology has never been prominent as a practical value. On a closer look at the perspective of bringing forth or concealment, there is a commonality in the purpose that an artist and an inventor pose in terms of temperament, which may be teleological or deontological, but after bringing something forth, the thing mostly becomes utility or subject to meet certain ends. It was there in the world, but now, it has come forth in terms of modern Technology, morals, and political methods.
Perspectives of Philosophers
Albert Borgmann talks about the device paradigm and how the involvement of Technology in our daily lives has changed the way we live, and we are living in the device paradigm. He identified and criticized that in search of easement through Technology, we have left behind focal things that nourished human capacity for a long time, and we have dismissed all those practices daily. We gave up focal things that used to be an essential part of human life for thousands of years. For example, we used to use fire in a certain way, and there was a whole life going around it, but electric heaters have eliminated that specific aspect of human lives to a great extent.
Heidegger accepted the idea that instrumental ways, rather than the essence of Technology, which was different from its utility. Perceiving something as an end never holds any ethical ground besides the fact that it largely serves, but taking it only as a means is never justified. Borgman also denied the instrumental view of Technology with a different approach, as it is not the mere utility of tools but their effect on daily human lives.
Political Aspect
Control over human minds in modern times started with the printing press and newspaper, which means of news and information were shaped to control human minds. Propaganda journalism and ways of shaping the thinking process of human beings were introduced at that time. Previously, the thinking patterns of human beings were shaped by society for the most part, but the advancement of Technology and the invention of radio and television changed how people perceive and think. National Channels in almost every country were planted to spread specific kinds of mental approaches to meet the ends of specific people in power. Fake nationalism was promoted through all means of information, which were supported by political philosophies at that time in the name of a liberal democratic political system and other such ideologies, which were also used to meet certain kinds of ends.
The age of the Internet
At the beginning of the twenty-first century, we got the Internet, which took over the world faster than any other technological advancement in mankind’s history. It connected the world with billions of online pages that anyone can access, and sites where people can interact with one another by just sitting at home. This revolutionized the way we live.
Here come power agents for whom controlling the human mind has become more convenient than ever before. Now, anyone can access the data of internet users with no great difficulty. Stealing someone’s data and using it is one of the main concerns, as it is being used with great engineering, which poses great ethical concerns. The Internet is shaped as such, especially by great monopolists like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, who analyze every single move of individuals on the Internet with great accuracy and then use it to shape their thought patterns by giving specific content to that person. This continues again and again if a person is connected to the Internet. A very famous example is that when Donald Trump first became president, there was an obligation that the mental capacity of American voters was shaped precisely in favor of Trump. Here, humans and Technology are used to meet certain ends. Post-COVID-19 very clearly shows that in every part of the world, the Internet is being used to manipulate or control human minds to meet certain ends.
Social Media
Besides exercising power, the Internet is also used to take financial gains at the cost of affecting human capacities and autonomy. There comes the debate of an online platform, a content creator, and a viewer. The platform is there to have capital gain as an end; the creator on a platform like TikTok wants fame and money as an end to the cost of time and attention of others. These platforms are designed to make people addicted to them. The user experience and user interface are designed so that a person should stay on the platform as long as possible.
At the moment, all technologies related to social media are working as much to increase the screen time of their users, and everyone wants more and more people to stay on their platforms. This is the most advanced form of device paradigm in which not only has the device become a part of human life, but an essential component, and the respect for autonomy and a person is nothing. From the Heideggerian point of view, the essence of Technology seems to blur in certain aspects, as there is uncovering of things through Technology and its instrumental value is converted into a more sort of paradigm.
Artificial Intelligence
Now comes the most advanced form of Technology, artificial intelligence. Human beings make artificial intelligence, but it can comprehend data like humans, and most of its qualities are like those of humans. Right now, the easily accessible form of artificial intelligence is on the Internet in the form of Chat GPT, and other tools called Generative AI, which can create or generate visual, audio, or text content upon giving prompts to it. This is also a paradigm that kills human intellectual and creative paradigms and affects human mental capacities. Robots are more refined machines with greater intelligence and efficiency. They can do human-like activities with great precision. They are assumed to take over humans or start controlling human beings in the future.
Conclusion
Humans are at their worst in terms of intellect, mental capacity, and every aspect of life. Technology or things related to Technology are not the only reason; human tendencies towards different modes of life have changed over time. The instrumental aspect of Technology is not morally good, but it is generally acceptable, and no one feels or recognizes its tendencies. Everywhere, Technology and humans are being used as mere means to achieve certain ends. The desire to control human minds has evoked the desire to be powerful, which has existed in human psychology, but in recent times, it has become easier. The device paradigm is at its peak during the movement. Humans are trying to create as many gadgets and tools as possible. The idea of having gadgets and games was there in human psychology, but was unconcealed by modern ways. Everything or technological objects are treated for different ends. In this capitalized hybrid world of Technology, we find everything in physical and virtual form as a product being marketed as a utility.
References
Heidegger, Martin. The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays. Translated by William Lovitt. New York: Harper & Row, 1977
Borgmann, Albert. Technology and the Character of Contemporary Life: A Philosophical Inquiry. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984.
Note: Muhammad Amir is a student of the Philosophy department at Government College University Lahore
Monitoring Desk: Iran is under attack by Israel and Pakistan, as a neighbouring state took a firm, loud and clear position in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in favour of Iran.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif delivered a historic speech in the National Assembly supporting Iran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in constant contact with Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.
On Saturday, PM Sharif called him and said that Pakistan stood resolutely in solidarity with the brotherly people and the Government of Iran in the face of Israel’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression. He strongly condemned Israeli attacks against Iran, which violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and were in complete defiance of the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan believes that Iran had the right to self-defence, as provided under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and supported Iran at the UN Security Council’s emergency meeting, held yesterday.
Pakistan denounced Israel’s blatant provocations and adventurism as a grave threat to regional and global peace and stability and condemned Israel’s unabated genocidal campaign against the valiant Palestinians, carried out with complete impunity. Pakistan has demanded international community and the United Nations take urgent and credible steps to put an end to Israel’s aggressive behavior and its illegal actions.
However, television screens in Pakistan are telecasting over 70 percent news being taken by global north media such as Reuters, AFP, AP, CNN, Fox News and Sky News instead of using Iranian media as source from mentioning Iranian version of the war and can also take lead from Aljazeera, TRT and RT televisions. On Saturday evening, a Pakistani television station ran a show that was demanding the resignation of Supreme Commander Ali Khamenei, claiming that Iran had failed to protect itself against the aggression of Israel. This show further said that Iran should lift strict control over Iranian media and should follow freedom of speech. Are these not the same textbooks that Israel and the Global North teach to a global viewership? Interestingly, the same television screen is considered one of the closest media hubs to the sitting government.
Not only this, other televisions are also using over 80 percent content from western sources, which, of course, provide what is approved by their western Zionist media owners. Does Pakistan have any media screening system, and does this system follow what is the stated position of the State of Pakistan?
Monitoring Desk: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has arrested 73 persons, including 13 Indians, for spying for Israel, suggests social media information coming from Iran as well as from India.
According to Iranian media, the IRGC of Iran arrested 73 persons, including 13 of Indian origin, for spying for Israel. These arrests are linked with credible information that attacks on Iranian military leadership were an “inside job” or a serious “security breach”.
Israel released information that the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, which closely works with the Indian intelligence agency RAW, launched drone attacks from within Iran and had a compound inside Iran from where drones were launched. Iranian media suggest that 13 Indian citizens who have visas to work in Iran were directly involved in this operation. More information is expected to arrive.
Iranian media report that Iran’s IRGC has arrested 73 individuals on charges of spying for Israel, most of them are Indian nationals. pic.twitter.com/yvGq06lGit
Monitoring Desk: A Fox News reporter was reporting live that Iran had successfully targeted the Israeli military headquarters in Kiryan, which is considered the equivalent of the US Pentagon.The reporter was then removed from the location and not allowed to report.
HaKirya, also known as Kirya is an area in central Tel Aviv, consisting of an urban military base north of Kaplan Street. It is the major Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base Camp Rabin named for Yitzhak Rabin, also known as Hakirya Base. It was one of the first IDF bases and has served as the IDF’s headquarters since its founding in 1948. The base serves mainly command, administrative, communications, and support functions.
Monitoring Desk: Iran started an attack on Israel. Explosions were heard over TelAviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded on Friday night across Israel following what the country’s military spokesman said was the firing of missiles from Iran.
❗️ US helping Israel ‘DEFEAT Iranian attack’ — Axios
Tasnim News Agency of Iran reported that Iran launched a massive missile attack on the Israeli regime in an operation dubbed “True Promise III”. Israeli bases and the regime’s war ministry and ministry of national security have been hit in the attack, claimed the News Agency.
Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded on Friday night across Israel following what the country’s military spokesman said was the firing of missiles from Iran.
Monitoring Desk: As expected, the NATO member states, except Turkey, have justified Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear sites as well as cities.
The majority of them, in their response, said that the Israeli attack on Iran was justified. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom said that Israel has the right of self-defence and its attack on Iran was part of a self-defence policy, which the Czech Republic called the attack “reasonable reaction” of Israel. Meanwhile, the majority of European Union members suggested that all parties must exercise the utmost restraint and avoid any actions that might escalate tensions or cause further instability without condemning Israel for its attack on Iranian nuclear sites and city centers.
Once again, it has been confirmed that the EU and NATO stand with Israel in all its actions, whether it be a human genocide in Gaza or attacking sensitive nuclear sites.
The African Union, in its statement, suggested that Iran and Israel follow restraint and avoid any actions that might escalate tensions.
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have condemned the attack, while the UAE has demanded that both parties restrain themselves now. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned the attack without taking any action against Israel.
Monitoring Desk: The official TV channel of Iran has confirmed that heads of Iran’s armed forces have been killed, including Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri, overall commander of the Iranian army and the IRGC.
Israel struck bases and nuclear sites across Iran multiple times overnight in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was a pre-emptive strike.
Israel attack on Iran
AP News Agency reported that an Israeli military official said that the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them. The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation.
Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft were involved in the opening strikes on Iran early this morning, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a press conference. He says fighter jets dropped over 330 munitions in the strikes. Defrin also confirms that Israel killed several top Iranian officials in the strikes, including Iran’s military commander Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC chief Hossein Salami, and head of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Gholam Ali Rashid.
The Iranian TV confirmed that at least two nuclear scientists – Fereydoon Abbasi, the former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, the president of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran – have also been killed, Iranian state TV says.
US President Trump confirmed he had prior knowledge of the attack but stated that the US was not involved in the attack; however, he maintained that the US will stand with Israel if Iran retaliates.
It is to be noted that Israel has already dismantled and destroyed the so-called Iranian forged Axis of Resistance through several attacks in the recent past. In the aftermath of the destruction of Iraq by the United States, the Quds force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard under the command of Qasem Soleimani built a network of non-state actors. A shared hatred for the USA bound together the axis, comprised initially of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah of Lebanon, later joined by Hamas and Shia militants of Syria and Iraq. It was a flexible group where each constituent part was self-sufficient and autonomous in decision making, connecting them by the string of a shared enemy— the USA. Yaman’s Houthis joined the axis of resistance much later though but now are an integral part of it. Iran, being the mastermind and the binding force, is the center state of the axis of resistance and voluntarily provides aid to other non-state actors like ammunition, tactical support, and safe sanctuaries. Axis of Resistance was fighting on multiple fronts at the same time; they had highly trained media management operatives, along with access to war machinery and combat training. The current psychological, economic, and tactical rout of Israel is an epitome of the Axis of Resistance’s long, unwavering desire to fight and push back the US’s hegemony.
Iran’s strategic partnership with Russia, as well as with China, could not save it from the wrath of Israeli attacks that had been a new norm for a long time.
Saudi Arabia has condemned the attack, calling UNSC to play its role to stop Israeli aggression.
Riyadh calls the attack on Iran a “blatant aggression” and a breach of sovereignty and international law, warning it threatens regional stability. India has supported the Israeli attack, calling it the right of Israel to protect against possible aggression.
