Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, stated that his country does not carry out attacks on civilian objects or residential areas.
According to him, the drone LUCAS, developed in the USA and resembling the Iranian Shahed, is used for strikes against Arab states.
Araghchi also noted that Israel may be behind the attacks on civilian infrastructures in Middle Eastern countries to undermine their relations with Tehran.
He added that Iran has not approached the USA with a request for a ceasefire and is ready to defend itself for as long as necessary.
Other important statements:
- Iran does not consider it necessary to negotiate with the USA and has not requested such negotiations;
- Tehran is discussing with several countries the safe passage of their vessels through the Strait of Hormuz;
- During negotiations with the USA, Iran was ready to make concessions confirming its lack of intention to develop nuclear weapons;
- Americans in Iranian prisons will remain safe if the USA and Israel do not attack the prisons;
- The enriched uranium in the country's possession is currently "under rubble," but it can be extracted.
The drone strike occurred near Dubai International Airport.
After the attack, a fire broke out, and emergency services are working at the scene. City authorities have not yet reported any casualties.
According to Bloomberg, the Pentagon expects that the war with Iran could last up to six weeks.
Kevin Hassett, a senior advisor to the US President and head of the National Economic Council, outlined the approximate timelines but emphasized that the final decision on ending the conflict will be made by Trump.
On Saturday, the Pentagon believed that the military mission would take four to six weeks, and we are ahead of schedule, Hassett noted on CBS. "The global economy, in our expectations, will receive a significant positive boost when this is over."
Energy Secretary Chris Wright also noted that the war could continue for several more weeks.
"I am confident that this conflict will likely end in the coming weeks—possibly even sooner—after which we will see a restoration of supplies and a decrease in prices," he added on ABC.
Trump previously called on other countries to send military ships to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, expressing hope for the participation of China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Wright stated that he discussed possible cooperation with the mentioned countries. "We are confident that we will receive support from other states to achieve this goal," he said in an interview with NBC.
The average price of gasoline in the USA has reached $3.70 per gallon—NYT.
Since the beginning of the war in the Middle East, fuel prices have increased by more than 25%.
Wright noted that price reductions will not occur for several weeks. "Americans are already feeling this impact. And it will continue for several weeks," he added on NBC News. "But ultimately, we will eliminate the main threat to global energy supplies."
When asked about the possibility of gasoline prices dropping below $3 per gallon by summer, Wright replied, "The likelihood of that is quite high." However, he stated, "In times of war, there are no guarantees, and timelines remain uncertain."
According to The Wall Street Journal, the USA plans to announce the creation of a coalition to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz within a week.
Germany does not intend to participate in the international mission to protect commercial vessels in this region, said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
The destruction of military infrastructure on the island of Khark will open the way for the USA to capture it, as 90% of Iran's oil exports pass through it, media reports say.
Control over the island will give Washington significant leverage over Iran.
In response, Tehran promised to launch massive strikes against the UAE—from where the attack on Khark was carried out—and called for the evacuation of local citizens.
So far, US military actions against Iran have cost approximately $12 billion, Kevin Hassett reported.
According to Mike Waltz, the US representative to the UN, the military operation against Iran will not escalate into a large-scale intervention like it did in Iraq in 2003.
However, he did not rule out the possibility of conducting targeted ground operations if necessary.
Democrats intend to promote a resolution to limit Trump's military powers, said Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic minority leader in the House of Representatives.
A similar resolution was previously not supported: 212 legislators voted for it, while 219 voted against.
According to Jeffries, some congressmen have changed their positions.
According to Alireza Tangsiri, head of the IRGC Navy, the only path to peace in the Middle East is the "expulsion" of the USA from military bases in the Persian Gulf.
Other statements:
- Iran has repeatedly warned the countries of the Persian Gulf that the USA may sacrifice them for its interests;
- Ali Khamenei approved a plan for military action in the event of an attack by the USA and Israel before his death;
- The USA was mistaken in believing that the operation against Iran would be short-term and would not affect other countries in the Middle East.
Iran has for the first time used super-heavy solid-fuel missiles Sejjil, as reported by Iranian state television.
Additionally, Iran used super-heavy missiles Khorramshahr, Kheibarshekan, Emad, and Qadr, targeting US military facilities and command centers.
A representative of the Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah, Abed al-Saour, stated that they could block the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in support of Iran.
This could complicate the passage of commercial vessels and military ships, including aircraft carriers, heading to the USA.
The post Head of Iran's Foreign Ministry: The USA strikes Arab countries with the LUCAS drone, similar to Shahed. What else is happening? first appeared on K-News.
