Iran plans six-day state funeral for Ali Khamenei Iran is preparing the largest state funeral in its history for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on 28 February. The six-day ceremonies will take place across five cities, including in neighbouring Iraq. They will begin on Saturday, when Khamenei’s body will lie in state at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla prayer complex.
Iran puts military on alert for Khamenei funeral Iran’s military has been placed on high alert before the multi-day funeral for Khamenei, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia says. Akraminia said Iranian forces had increased deployments as senior officials, clerics and political figures from several countries prepared to arrive for the ceremonies. “The army’s ground, naval and air forces have expanded their active presence across the country’s borders to help ensure security,” he told the IRNA news agency.
Pro-Palestine immigrant ousts 30-year veteran in Colorado Democratic primary Democratic Socialists in the US netted a landmark win on Tuesday after a 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and political newcomer unseated a member of Congress who has held that job since before she was born. Melat Kiros, a lawyer and PhD student, mounted a stunning upset for establishment Democrats after she was declared the winner of the Democratic primary in Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes the state capital, Denver. Kiros' opponent, Diana DeGette, had not yet acknowledged the results of the race on either of her two X accounts by Wednesday morning, but had received the backing of Colorado's elected Democratic Party leaders in a state that has long been a deep Democratic blue.
Iranian deputy foreign minister says delegation raised US violations of MoU Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state media that the Iranian delegation held two rounds of meetings with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan. The first was a session of the Monitoring and Implementation Working Group, one of four bodies established under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. According to the IRIB broadcaster, Iran's delegation used the meeting to raise what it described as the US's violation of its obligations under Article 1 of the MoU, which calls for an end to war across all fronts.
Lebanese foreign minister defends framework agreement with Israel Lebanon's foreign minister has defended the country's framework agreement with Israel, signed in Washington last week, saying it is the only path to securing Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Youssef Raggi said the negotiations launched by the Lebanese state have "no alternative and no parallel track". "They are the only path to securing a full Israeli withdrawal and reaching a lasting agreement that ensures stability while safeguarding Lebanon's rights, sovereignty, and national interests," he said.
Qatari official says 'positive progress' made on US-Iran MoU Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson says "positive progress" was made on issues related to the memorandum of understanding following a separate meeting between Qatari and Pakistani mediators and the US and Iranian delegations in Doha. "The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader," the official said in a post on X.
Iranian parliament speaker says IAEA barred from bombed nuclear sites Iranian parliament speaker and negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says inspections of nuclear sites that have been bombed and damaged are "not allowed under any circumstances". Speaking to Iran's Student News Network, Ghalibaf said the International Atomic Energy Agency has only been granted access to two sites in Iran, including the Bushehr power plant. "The access is only to this extent and we are committed to it," he said.
CENTCOM leads regional security dialogue with Middle East military officials US Central Command has led a "security dialogue" alongside Bahrain's defence forces with military officials from across the Middle East. Representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen discussed "enhancing defence collaboration across the region", CENTCOM said in a post on X. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the discussions "underscored our shared commitment to regional security and stability".
Iranian deputy foreign minister says channel to be set up for MoU breaches Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says a communication channel will be established to report and discuss breaches of the memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran, according to the official IRNA news agency. Following a meeting with Qatari mediators, Gharibabadi also said that part of the $6bn in frozen Iranian assets would be used to purchase goods needed by Tehran.
Gaza interim administration says talks in Cyprus ‘highly productive’ The Palestinian technocratic body tasked with provisionally administering the occupied Gaza Strip said on Wednesday that it had concluded two days of “highly productive” talks in Cyprus. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (Ncag) said in a statement to X that it conducted “a series of working meetings in Cyprus with experts and advisers of the Board of Peace, the Office of the High Representative for Gaza, and the Tony Blair Institute”, focusing on efforts to “relieve the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza”. “We reviewed plans for reconstruction, security, and governance, and we finalised the institutional arrangements that will ensure the transparency and accountability required by international donors,” the statement added.
Lebanon’s president defends Lebanon-Israel framework agreement Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has pushed back against criticism of the country’s ceasefire framework with Israel signed last week in Washington after Hezbollah supporters took to the streets in protest of the agreement. “Lebanon’s problem is with Israel, and it is a sovereign state that decided to negotiate on its own behalf,” Aoun is reported as saying by Lebanon's National News Agency, adding that “it has not relinquished its legal, political or field principles in the framework agreement, as some are claiming. ” The framework was criticised by Hezbollah for not making the withdrawal of Israel troops from occupying southern Lebanon contingent on the disarmament of Hezbollah.
US signs agreement for construction of permanent embassy in Jerusalem The US signed an agreement on Wednesday to build a new embassy compound in southern Jerusalem. US ambassador Mike Huckabee said during the signing ceremony at Israel’s foreign ministry that Washington “recognizes Jerusalem as the eternal, indigenous, and forever capital of the Jewish people”. “We are going to plant our flag, our American flag, on the soil of Jerusalem for a permanent and a brand new embassy compound that will serve as our mothership of diplomatic activities here in Israel,” he added.
Iranian president insists supreme leader did not bar negotiations Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended the Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei against allegations that he did not sign off on the memorandum of understanding with the US. Pezeshkian was quoted as saying that if Khamanei “had ordered not to negotiate, we would have definitely obeyed” by Iran’s IRNA news agency. This comes after controversy was sparked when the supreme leader said he “held a different view” on the agreement.
Pro-Palestine immigrant ousts 30-year veteran in Colorado Democratic primary Democratic Socialists in the US netted a landmark win on Tuesday after a 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and political newcomer unseated a member of Congress who has held that job since before she was born. Melat Kiros, a lawyer and PhD student, mounted a stunning upset for establishment Democrats after she was declared the winner of the Democratic primary in Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes the state capital, Denver. Kiros' opponent, Diana DeGette, had not yet acknowledged the results of the race on either of her two X accounts by Wednesday morning, but had received the backing of Colorado's elected Democratic Party leaders in a state that has long been a deep Democratic blue.
Iran says talks in Qatar have concluded Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced on Wednesday that talks with Qatari and Pakistani officials in Doha on implementing the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran have concluded. The participants agreed that “a communication channel would be established by tomorrow” to report and record violations of the agreement, the IRNA news agency quoted Gharibabadi as saying. He added that it has been decided that part of the $6b in frozen funds would be used to purchase goods based on Iran’s needs.
Pro-Palestine immigrant ousts 30-year veteran in Colorado Democratic primary Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 07/01/2026 - 16:26 The upset for establishment Democrats follows a similar wave across blue states emboldened by Zohran Mamdani's win in New York City Democratic congressional candidate Melat Kiros addresses supporters at an election-night watch party after winning the Colorado primary on 30 June 2026 in Denver, Colorado (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images via AFP) Off Democratic Socialists in the US netted a landmark win on Tuesday after a 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and political newcomer unseated a member of Congress who has held that job since before she was born. Melat Kiros, a lawyer and PhD student, mounted a stunning upset for establishment Democrats after she was declared the winner of the Democratic primary in Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes the state capital, Denver. Kiros' opponent, Diana DeGette, had not yet acknowledged the results of the race on either of her two X accounts by Wednesday morning, but had received the backing of Colorado's elected Democratic Party leaders in a state that has long been a deep Democratic blue.
Europe to fill gaps left by US in Nato defence plans, Reuters reports Nato will announce that its European members have filled almost all gaps left by the US in the alliance’s defence plans at next week’s Ankara summit, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a Nato source. The main gap Nato is struggling to fill has been its strategic bombers, after the US said it will only provide one aircraft rather than two, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Vance: Iran talks going ‘extremely well’, Trump has ‘options’ to respond to threats US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that negotiations with Iran have gone “extremely well”, but if Iran were to “threaten its neighbours”, Trump has “options” to respond. “If Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear programme, threaten its neighbours and support terrorism, President Trump has options to deal with it,” Vance said in a statement. Vance added that the US delegation is holding indirect talks with Iran in Doha, following reports from Iran that their officials have not met with US counterparts.
Kamala Harris reaches out to Mamdani, pro-Palestine activists, Axios reports Axios has reported that former US Vice President and Democratic party presidential candidate Kamala Harris privately called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani last week and has held several meetings with pro-Palestine progressives and activists. This comes after a slate of progressive candidates endorsed by Mamdani won primaries across New York, replacing establishment Democrats funded by pro-Israel groups.
Iran says it met with Qatar, Pakistan officials in Doha, but not US Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday that Iranian delegations held meetings with their Qatari and Pakistani counterparts, but did not meet US representatives. He added that the conversations with Qatar and Pakistan followed up on the implementation of the provisions included in Iran's memorandum of understanding with the US, especially in matters pertaining to Lebanon and the release of Iran’s frozen assets, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
