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Iranian Opposition Group Reveals Secret Nuclear Site Near Tehran

National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Spokesman Alireza Jafazadeh displaying satellite imaging fora secret new military site near Tehran, NCRI
National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Spokesman Alireza Jafazadeh displaying satellite imaging fora secret new military site near Tehran, NCRI
    Paris, London – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Iranian Opposition Group Reveals Secret Nuclear Site Near Tehran

National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Spokesman Alireza Jafazadeh displaying satellite imaging fora secret new military site near Tehran, NCRI
National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Spokesman Alireza Jafazadeh displaying satellite imaging fora secret new military site near Tehran, NCRI

An exiled Iranian opposition group said it had uncovered a secret new military site which they fear is being used for testing in the Iranian nuclear program.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in a presser held in Washington and broadcast live online on Friday, said that a new site has been built to continue arming the Iranian regime’s nuclear program.

NCRI is the political wing of the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, a group blacklisted as terrorist by Tehran.

The construction project of the new site in the Sorkheh-Hessar region in Tehran, started in 2012 and its construction took several years, NCRI revealed by providing satellite footage to corroborate its claims.

The new site is being run by a shadowy defense ministry research unit known as Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND).

“By being located in a military area, it has found an appropriate cover to keep the identities of the personnel working there a secret,” said NCRI spokesman Alireza Jafazadeh.

The SPND is known to conduct experiments with the aim of building nuclear weapons.

NCRI said that its revelation once again proves that fact that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multinational deal on Iran’s nuclear program agreed in 2015, did not prevent the mullahs’ striving to acquire nuclear weapons and that the regime has even reneged on its commitments stipulated in the JCPOA.

In other news, a member of the Iranian parliament has called for President Hassan Rouhani to be executed.

“Iran's leader should order you [Rouhani] be executed 1,000 times so that the hearts of the Iranian people flourish,” Mojtaba Zolnouri tweeted on Saturday.

The threats made by the cleric were reported by several Iranian media.

Zolnouri is angry about a statement made by Rouhani, which has been interpreted as preparation for negotiations with the US to be able to lead the country out of its current economic crisis.

"If necessary we will wage war, but if necessary also peace," Rouhani said on Wednesday.

For the hardliners, negotiations with the US - considered Iran's arch-enemy - are treason.

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World

ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
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ISIS Group Militants Clash with Police During Raid in Türkiye, Wounding 7 Officers

Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the background as police block a road leading to a site where Turkish police launched an operation on a house believed to contain suspected ISIS militants, and where, according to state media, seven officers were wounded in a clash, in Yalova province, Türkiye, December 29, 2025. (Reuters)

Militants of the ISIS group opened fire on police and wounded seven officers during a raid on the group in northwest Türkiye on Monday, the country's state-run media reported.

The clash broke out in Elmali district in Yalova province, south of Istanbul, as police stormed a house where the militants were hiding, Anadolu Agency said.

Special forces from neighboring Bursa province were dispatched to reinforce the operation.

As the confrontation spread into the streets, five schools in the area were closed for the day, private news channel NTV reported. Authorities also cut off natural gas and electricity supplies as a precaution while civilians and vehicles were barred from entering the neighborhood.

Anadolu said none of the wounded officers were in serious condition.

Last week, police launched scores of simultaneous raids, detaining 115 militants of the extremist group who were allegedly planning attacks targeting Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

Officials said the group had called for action during the celebrations.

World

China Opposes Recognition of Somaliland, Affirms Support for Somalia

A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
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China Opposes Recognition of Somaliland, Affirms Support for Somalia

A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)
A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa on November 7, 2024. (AFP)

China opposes any attempt to split territories ​in Somalia, the foreign ministry said on Monday, affirming Chinese support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial ‌integrity of ‌the East ‌African ⁠country.

"No ​country ‌should encourage or support other countries' internal separatist forces for its own selfish interests," ministry spokesperson ⁠Lin Jian told reporters ‌at a ‍regular ‍press conference, urging authorities ‍in Somaliland to stop "separatist activities and collusion with external forces".

Israel drew international condemnation when it became ​the first country on Friday to formally recognize ⁠the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, seeking immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.

World

China Launches Military Drills Simulating Blockade of Taiwan Ports

A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
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China Launches Military Drills Simulating Blockade of Taiwan Ports

A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)
A Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet takes off at Hsinchu Air Base in Hsinchu on December 29, 2025. (AFP)

China launched live-fire drills around Taiwan on Monday that it said would simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island's key ports, prompting Taipei to condemn Beijing's "military intimidation".

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy.

The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the United States, Taiwan's main security backer.

Beijing warned on Monday that "external forces" arming Taipei would "push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war", but did not mention any countries by name.

Any attempts to stop China's unification with Taiwan were "doomed to fail", foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

China said earlier it was conducting "live-fire training on maritime targets to the north and southwest of Taiwan" in large-scale exercises involving destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones.

A military spokesman said Beijing would send army, navy, air force and rocket force troops for "major military drills" code-named "Justice Mission 2025".

The activities will focus on "sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain", said Senior Colonel Shi Yi of the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command.

Chinese authorities also published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where further live-fire activities would take place from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (0000 to 1000 GMT) on Tuesday.

"For the sake of safety, any irrelevant vessel or aircraft is advised not to enter the afore-mentioned waters and airspace," the statement said.

- 'Rapid response' -

Taiwan condemned China's "disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighboring countries", Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said.

Taipei said Monday it had detected four Chinese coastguard ships sailing off its northern and eastern coasts.

Its coastguard said it "immediately deployed large vessels to pre-position responses in relevant areas" and "sent additional support units".

Taiwan's military said it had established a response center, deployed "appropriate forces" and "carried out a rapid response exercise".

The drills by China's ruling Communist Party "further confirm its nature as an aggressor, making it the greatest destroyer of peace", Taipei's defense ministry said.

- 'Stern warning' -

Shi, the Chinese military spokesman, said the drills were "a stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces, and... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity".

Beijing's military released a poster about the drills showing "arrows of justice" -- one engulfed in flames -- raining down on what appeared to be green worms on a geographical outline of Taiwan.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a core theme of the exercises was a "blockade" of key Taiwanese ports including Keelung in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.

China's military last held large-scale drills involving live firing around Taiwan in April -- surprise maneuvers condemned by Taipei.

China said this month it would take "resolute and forceful measures" to safeguard its territory after Taiwan said the United States had approved a major $11 billion arms sale.

Beijing announced fresh sanctions on 20 American defense companies last week, though they appeared to have little or no business in China.

Last month, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi triggered a backlash from Beijing when she said the use of force against Taiwan could warrant a military response from Tokyo.