Revolutionary Guards: Israel’s Skies Are Open to Iran

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
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Revolutionary Guards: Israel’s Skies Are Open to Iran

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Israel’s skies are "open and unprotected" against Iran, with "no obstacles" to launching new operations at the right time.

The statement denied any damage to Iran’s air defenses or missile production following an Israeli strike in late October.

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said joint military drills with the Iranian army would continue, showcasing what he called "a new chapter in Iran’s deterrence power."

The drills include revealing underground missile bases and testing ballistic missiles.

Iran is fully prepared for "major and complex battles of any scale," Naeini said, as tensions with Israel and regional developments grow.

Speaking at a press conference, he referred to recent changes in Syria and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. He accused Iran's enemies of using "cognitive warfare" to falsely portray the country as weakened.

Naeini pointed to Iran’s strikes on Israel in April and October, calling them "just a small part of our limitless power."

"The skies over occupied territories remain open and unprotected for us. We can act with more precision, speed, and destructive force," he added.

He accused Israel of spreading false narratives to weaken Iran’s morale but vowed to "correct the enemy’s distorted perception."

"We are always ready, and when the orders come, we will show our strength again," he warned.

Naeini described the military drills as a display of "strength and deterrence" and said their message "will reach the enemy in the coming days."

Iran’s army and the IRGC have begun three months of annual military drills across land, sea, and air, aimed at addressing new security threats and simulating real battles. The exercises, both defensive and offensive, aim to boost military readiness, counter terrorism and sabotage, and strengthen national morale.

Naeini dismissed Israeli claims that Iran’s defenses were weakened after the October 26 attack, saying missile production remains unaffected and defense systems are fully operational.

On warnings of a possible third Iranian strike on Israel, Naeini said: "There is no obstacle to new operations when the time is right." He promised future actions would be "more powerful and surprising."

He accused Israel of suffering heavy losses, claiming 1,000 Israeli soldiers have died since the start of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation in Gaza. Supporting resistance movements remains central to Iran’s military doctrine, he said.

Naeini emphasized that Iran does not seek war, but the drills are meant to strengthen deterrence and defense.

Iranian media reported that air defense units conducted exercises near sensitive sites, including the Natanz nuclear facility. Special forces were also deployed in western Iran to address security threats.

In early October, Iran launched 200 missiles towards Israel, with Tel Aviv reporting that most were intercepted by its air defenses or those of its allies.

Tehran said the attack was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and an IRGC commander in a strike on southern Beirut in September, along with the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July.

On October 26, Israeli warplanes targeted military sites in Iran, including missile facilities and radar systems, destroying them.



NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
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NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File

Ukraine is still getting essential defense equipment despite the war in the Middle East, which is depleting stockpiles in Europe and the United States, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday.

"The good news is that essential equipment into Ukraine continues to flow," he told reporters. That included American-made Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine desperately needs, he added, AFP reported.

The PURL program, launched last year, allows Ukraine to receive US equipment financed by European countries.

Some 75 percent of the missiles used by Patriot batteries in Ukraine have been supplied through the program, and 90 percent of the munitions used by other air-defense systems, Rutte added.

Rutte called on European countries to increase their own production capacity.

"They need to produce more extra production lines, extra shifts, opening new factories. The money is there," he said.


Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
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Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)

Germany's foreign minister Thursday said it was encouraging if the United States was talking directly to Iran to end the war in the Middle East, but Washington should make its intentions clear.

"I hear that there are signs that the US is speaking directly to Iran. I think that this is encouraging and this is welcome," Johann Wadephul told reporters before heading into the meeting of G7 foreign ministers outside Paris, AFP reported.

With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to join the discussions from Friday, he added: "For the German government it is of great importance to know precisely what our American partners are intending."


US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

The United States has sent Iran a "15-point action list" as a basis for negotiations to end the current conflict, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, adding that there are signs that Tehran was interested in making a deal.

 

Witkoff, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, said that the nascent talks could be successful if the Iranians realize there were no good alternatives - a realization Tehran might be coming to, he argued, Reuters reported.

 

"We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction," Witkoff told reporters.

 

"We have strong signs that this is a possibility."

 

Witkoff said Pakistan had been acting as a mediator, confirming statements from Pakistani officials.