North Korea's Kim Sends Condolence Message to Iran

This picture taken on December 27, 2022 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 28, 2022 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un giving a report on the second day of the 6th expanded plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, at the Party Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on December 27, 2022 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 28, 2022 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un giving a report on the second day of the 6th expanded plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, at the Party Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
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North Korea's Kim Sends Condolence Message to Iran

This picture taken on December 27, 2022 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 28, 2022 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un giving a report on the second day of the 6th expanded plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, at the Party Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on December 27, 2022 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 28, 2022 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un giving a report on the second day of the 6th expanded plenary session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, at the Party Central Committee headquarters in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a condolence message to Iran over the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, state media KCNA said on Tuesday.

In the message, Kim said the death of Raisi was a "great loss" to Iran and he hoped the bereaved families would recover as soon as possible.

He was "an outstanding statesman and a close friend" who made a "great contribution to the cause of the Iranian people for safeguarding the sovereignty, development and interests of their country and the gains of the Islamic revolution," Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA, Reuters reported.

North Korea and Iran have close ties and are suspected of having cooperated on ballistic missile programs, possibly exchanging technical expertise.

 

 

 



Gas Station Explodes in Rome, Injuring at Least 9 First Responders

Emergency services personnel work at the scene where a gas station exploded on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, July 4, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco/Handout via REUTERS
Emergency services personnel work at the scene where a gas station exploded on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, July 4, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco/Handout via REUTERS
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Gas Station Explodes in Rome, Injuring at Least 9 First Responders

Emergency services personnel work at the scene where a gas station exploded on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, July 4, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco/Handout via REUTERS
Emergency services personnel work at the scene where a gas station exploded on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, July 4, 2025. Vigili del Fuoco/Handout via REUTERS

A gas station exploded early on Friday in southeastern Rome, injuring at least nine people including eight police officers and a firefighter, police and rescuers said.

The explosion was heard across the Italian capital shortly after 8 a.m., sending up a huge cloud of dark smoke and fire visible from several areas of the city, reported the Associated Press.

Elisabetta Accardo, a spokesperson for the Roman police, said that eight police officers were injured after arriving for rescue operations.

“There were a few chain explosions after the first one,” Accardo told Italian state broadcaster RAI. “All the policemen injured suffered burns, but they are not in danger of life.”

Fire department spokesperson Luca Cari said one firefighter was also injured in the explosion, but “not seriously.” Ten teams were at work on the site, he added.

Police said they were checking the whole surrounding area for people who were injured or trapped in nearby buildings.

There was no immediate indication of the cause of the explosion.