Every morning, Faisal stands along a road on the outskirts of the Iranian capital, Tehran, waiting for a day job. The 27-year-old migrant from neighboring Afghanistan used to find manual work on most days, earning up to 10 million rials ($7. 50), most of which he sent to his wife and five children back home.
Israeli army says three soldiers wounded in Hezbollah drone attack The Israeli military said two officers and one soldier were wounded in a drone strike in southern Lebanon that it blamed on Hezbollah.
France and Italy are among the countries that have criticised a video showing Itamar Ben-Gvir taunting dozens of activists detained at an Israeli port.
The world soccer governing body, FIFA, reportedly plans to again prohibit fans from displaying Iran's pre-revolutionary flag at the 2026 World Cup, renewing a controversy that shadowed the tournament in Qatar four years ago and drawing immediate backlash from the Iranian diaspora and opposition figures.
New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar has said that the private sector in the country is better equipped and more efficiently organised to build a strong drone manufacturing ecosystem. In an interview with ANI, Sanjeev Kumar said India will have to focus on dual-use technology, where civilian factories can quickly shift to defence production during wartime.
Netanyahu: Ben Gvir treatment of flotilla activists 'not in line with Israel's values and norms' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that far-right National Security minister Itamar Ben Gvir's treatment of detained flotilla activists is "not in line with Israel's values and norms", but claimed that Israel has "every right" to intercept Gaza-bound flotillas. He added that he had "instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible". A number of international activists who participated in previous Gaza aid flotillas have reported being subjected to abuse in Israeli detention.
TEHRAN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that 26 vessels, including oil tankers as well as container and commercial ships, passed through the Strait of Hormuz within the past 24 hours in coordination with its forces.
Airstrike at the start of the war was aimed at freeing populist ex-president from house arrest, US newspaper claims Middle East crisis – live updates Fresh questions have been raised over the US and Israeli effort to depose the Iranian regime after it was claimed that Israel wanted to put the populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power. Ahmadinejad’s turbulent presidency from 2005 to 2013 was marked by incendiary attacks on Israel but he recast himself as a critic of the regime and champion of the poor after falling out with the supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Continue reading...
Israel kills over 3,000 in Lebanon since March Israel has killed at least 3,073 people and wounded another 9,362 in Lebanon since 2 March, the country's health ministry has reported.
France, Italy summon Israeli ambassadors over abuse of flotilla activists France and Italy have summoned their respective Israeli envoys over a video showing the abuse of activists from the Gaza-bound flotilla detained by Israeli authorities. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the footage, which shows activists with hands bound forced to kneel while being subjected to abuse and humiliation by Isreli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, is "unacceptable". "It is inadmissible that these demonstrators, including many Italian citizens, are subjected to this treatment that violates human dignity," Meloni wrote on social media.
Iran adapts as Gulf economies and Asia bear cost of Strait of Hormuz blockade Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 13:04 The US blockade was intended to force Tehran into concessions, but instead it is undermining perceptions of American power US Central Command Public Affairs photo showing the US enforcement of a maritime blockade against the Iran-flagged crude oil tanker vessel Herby while the latter was attempting to sail toward Iran, 24 April 2026 (US Navy/AFP) Off At the end of April, US President Donald Trump predicted that Iran was days away from its oil fields and infrastructure "exploding", crediting a US blockade on Iranian port. There is little evidence, however, that Iranian energy infrastructure has exploded, particularly since the country has decades of experience in reducing its oil output. Trump appeared to view the blockade as a silver bullet.
Iran's parliament speaker: US 'seeking a new round of war' Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that the US's "overt and covert movements show that it is seeking a new round of war". In comments carried by Iran's Tasmin news agency, he reassured Iranians that the country's military has "rebuilt its strength" over the course of the ceasefire. "We will make the enemy regret attacking Iran again," Ghalibaf pledged.
Hamas condemns Ben Gvir footage of flotilla activists Hamas has condemned footage of detained flotilla activists being abused after abduction by Israeli authorities. The video, which was published by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir alongside a post saying "Welcome to Israel," showed members of the Global Sumud Flotilla with their hands bound, being humiliated and abused by Israeli security services. The group said in a statement that the conduct of the Israeli leadership during the detention of the activists is "an expression of the moral depravity and sadism that govern the mentality of the leaders of the criminal enemy entity [Israel]".
One year after the arbitrary detention of Ruth López, Amnesty International is reiterating its concern over the human rights violations committed against her and calling on the Salvadoran authorities to fully guarantee her due process rights, end her incommunicado detention, and fully comply with the precautionary measures granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. […] The post El Salvador: After a year in detention and repeated rights violations, authorities must immediately release Ruth López appeared first on Amnesty International .
The comment section under an Iran post can look like a national mood but under a blackout well into its third month, it is often something narrower: a space shaped by whitelisted access, economic privilege, cyber operations and fear.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Parliament speaker warned that the US is once again being dragged into unwinnable wars at the expense of poor and marginalized Americans, saying “another hillbilly” era is approaching as ordinary citizens pay the price for the policies of Washington’s war elites.
Exclusive: Trump postponed US attack in Iran after 'Hajj warning' Submitted by Shafik Mandhai on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 12:23 Sources tell Middle East Eye the US president was told of severe 'reputational damage' if he resumes war during the Muslim pilgrimage, as well as global air travel disruptions Muslim pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in June (AFP) Off US President Donald Trump postponed a planned attack on Iran this week after being warned by Gulf allies and his own officials not to resume the war during the Hajj pilgrimage, Middle East Eye can reveal. According to two senior Gulf officials, Trump was told that attacking Iran during the Hajj piligrimage would lead to a crisis within Gulf states, as it would leave hundreds of thousands of pilgrims stranded. The sources also said that Trump was told that attacking during the holy period, which leads up to the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, would further damage Washington's standing in the Muslim world.
Israeli minister says Turkey should be treated as 'enemy state' Submitted by Mera Aladam on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 11:39 Culture and sports minister threatens Ankara would 'pay a huge price' if it went to war with Israel Pro-Palestinian demonstrators take part in a protest against Israel's interception of aid ships bound for Gaza in international waters, outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, 30 April 2026 (Kemal Aslan/Reuters) Off The Israel i minister of culture and sports has said Turkey should be treated as an “enemy state”, warning it could become Israel’s next major adversary. Speaking to Israeli news outlet Srugim on Monday, Miki Zohar made the remarks during a discussion about the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, which sailed earlier this week from the Turkish port city of Marmaris and was later raided by Israeli forces. “We must begin to treat Turkey as an enemy state,” Zohar said.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps announced that 26 vessels, including oil tankers, have passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours after obtaining authorization from the IRGC Navy.
IRGC: 26 ships crossed Strait of Hormuz in last 24 hours Iran's IRGC says it has permitted 26 ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours. It said that the ships included oil tankers, container ships and other commercial vessels.
