Tehran, July 25, 2026: Iran on Saturday vowed to continue military operations against its adversaries while regional and international diplomatic efforts intensified to prevent further escalation of the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Iranian military operations would continue until the country’s enemies were “fully defeated” and justice had been served for victims of recent attacks, particularly children killed in Minab and Lamerd.
According to Iranian state media, authorities said the deadliest single attack struck a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab, where 168 people were killed and 95 others injured, most of them children.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was no military solution to the conflict in Yemen or broader regional disputes, calling instead for dialogue and diplomacy.
“We believe there is no military solution to the issue of Yemen, Bab al-Mandab and other regional issues,” Araghchi said in an interview with the state-run Iran Daily.
Iran also criticised the European Union over its human rights stance.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused the bloc of hypocrisy after EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas raised concerns about human rights in Iran.
Baghaei alleged that the EU could not credibly advocate human rights while supporting military actions against Iran, accusing the bloc of failing to condemn attacks that targeted civilians and critical infrastructure.
For the first time in nearly two weeks, Iran reported no overnight US airstrikes, marking an apparent pause after 13 consecutive nights of attacks.
Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour described it as a “peaceful night,” while US Central Command did not announce any new operations.
According to Iranian authorities, the conflict has killed more than 3,400 people in Iran. The fighting has also claimed the lives of 18 US service members, 24 civilians in Israel, and thousands more across the wider region, including Lebanon.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate telephone conversations with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi as part of efforts to ease regional tensions.
According to Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty stressed the need for an immediate halt to military operations, urging all parties to prioritise political dialogue and diplomatic solutions.
He also underscored the importance of protecting freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, warning against actions that could disrupt international trade and global supply chains.
Iranian authorities said they had rescued all 28 Indian crew members aboard the Mozambique-flagged tanker DISHA after the vessel came under attack near Iranian territorial waters.
Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, said coastguard and rescue teams responded immediately after receiving a distress signal.
He also reiterated Tehran’s opposition to the presence of extra-regional military forces in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that such deployments had contributed to regional instability.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of an incident involving a commercial tanker and military forces in the Gulf of Oman.
The agency advised vessels operating in the area to remain vigilant while authorities investigate the circumstances of the incident.
US President Donald Trump announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington next Tuesday for talks as the US-Israel conflict with Iran enters its fifth month.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said his administration remained engaged in diplomatic contacts with Tehran but warned that military options remained available.
“We are talking to them. I think they’re being serious,” Trump said.
He added that Washington could either intensify military operations or pursue a negotiated settlement, saying, “We’re locked and loaded. We’re ready to go.”
Trump also warned Iran against supporting further attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement after the group claimed responsibility for strikes on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
Saudi authorities confirmed one tanker sustained minor damage, while the Saudi-led coalition reported carrying out strikes on Houthi military sites in Yemen.
The conflict continues to disrupt global shipping routes.
Several commercial tankers have rerouted away from the Red Sea following Houthi attacks, while maritime insurers have raised premiums amid growing security risks.
Brent crude prices eased slightly to just above $96 per barrel on Friday after briefly touching $100 per barrel following attacks on Saudi shipping.
According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan is exploring ways to help revive indirect talks between the United States and Iran, following mediation efforts initiated by China.
The discussions reportedly gained momentum during Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni’s recent visit to Islamabad, his second trip to Pakistan within ten days.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the Gulf after Iran claimed to have targeted US military facilities in Kuwait and damaged a surveillance installation used by the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, while Kuwaiti authorities reported intercepting aerial threats.
