Iran Foils Drone Attack on Defense Ministry Complex in Isfahan

Iran's national flag waves in Tehran, Iran, March 31, 2020. (AP)
Iran's national flag waves in Tehran, Iran, March 31, 2020. (AP)
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Iran Foils Drone Attack on Defense Ministry Complex in Isfahan

Iran's national flag waves in Tehran, Iran, March 31, 2020. (AP)
Iran's national flag waves in Tehran, Iran, March 31, 2020. (AP)

Iran foiled a drone attack against a Ministry of Defense complex in the central city of Isfahan overnight, Iranian Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday, although Tehran said confirming the report required further investigation.

"The Amir al-Momenin complex in Isfahan was the target of a failed attack by a small drone which was foiled by defense systems," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, adding that the attempt did not cause any damage.

However, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said: "For now, I cannot confirm this as it needs more investigation," when asked by Iranian media about the report during a press conference.

In the past, Tehran has blamed its arch-foe Israel for such attacks, including a drone attack on a military factory near Isfahan in January. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attacks.

The report comes days after Israeli air strikes in Syria hit Iran-linked targets that killed at least two Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) members that served as military advisers in Syria.

In January, a Ministry of Defense industrial center was also targeted by a drone attack, which Iran said was unsuccessful and perpetrated by "mercenaries of the Zionist regime".



EU's Von der Leyen Announces 500 Mln Euro Package to Lure Top Researchers to Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during the "Choose Europe for Science" conference at the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University in Paris, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Gonzalo Fuentes / POOL / AFP)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during the "Choose Europe for Science" conference at the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University in Paris, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Gonzalo Fuentes / POOL / AFP)
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EU's Von der Leyen Announces 500 Mln Euro Package to Lure Top Researchers to Europe

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during the "Choose Europe for Science" conference at the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University in Paris, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Gonzalo Fuentes / POOL / AFP)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during the "Choose Europe for Science" conference at the amphitheater of the Sorbonne University in Paris, on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Gonzalo Fuentes / POOL / AFP)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday a 500 million euros ($566.6 million) incentive package to boost European science research, as Europe hopes to lure top US scientists disgruntled with President Donald Trump.
"Science is an investment – and we need to offer the right incentives. This is why I can announce that we will put forward a new 500 million euros package for 2025-2027 to make Europe a magnet for researchers," she said at a speech in Paris alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.
"We are choosing to put research and innovation, science and technology, at the heart of our economy. We are choosing to be the continent where universities are pillars of our societies and our way of life," she added.
She also said she wanted EU-member states to invest 3% of gross domestic product in research and development by 2030, Reuters reported.
Last month, Macron and Von der Leyen said they would be looking to invite scientists and researchers from the world over to Europe, at a time when Trump's administration is threatening to cut federal funding for Harvard and other US universities.
In April, France also launched the "Choose France for Science" platform, operated by the French National Research Agency (ANR), which enables universities, schools, and research organizations to apply for co-funding from the government to host researchers.