New US THAAD defense system arrived in Israel

On Sunday, the daily expressed support for what it described as revenge for the drone strike in Iraq, ordered by Trump during his first time in office, just one day after a piece had warned "a few bullets are going to be fired into that empty skull of his".

"The shot hasn’t even been fired yet, and already a bunch of local lackeys and US bootlickers are totally freaking out,... since their skulls are as empty as Trump’s, they’ve gotten scared," the outlet wrote on Sunday.

Since the assassination, Trump and several of his aides were put on a hit list but the issue of Soleimani's killing had been somewhat dulled down in recent months amid Trump's renewed campaign of 'maximum pressure' and calls to make a fresh nuclear deal.

The column, presented as a fictional conversation, called advocates of nuclear talks with the US “America’s bootlickers”. Iran's Supreme Leader continues to refuse to engage in direct talks, but has warmed to the idea of using mediation in the wake of Trump's warning that if a new nuclear deal is not reached within two months, the US will bomb Iran.

The former head of the Parliament's National Security Committee reacted to the newspaper's piece on Saturday, criticizing it as inflammatory while the situation remains so volatile.

Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh wrote on X, “Iranians hate those who promote war and terrorism. If you had the courage for war, you would’ve gone to Lebanon. If you have an assassination plan, don’t attribute your recklessness to Iran.

“The nation pays the price for the extremists’ warmongering and terroristic bluffs. The government must disavow this destructive movement.”

Tabnak website also criticized the article, warning of its costs to a nation already suffering a social and economic crisis.

"A newspaper, which happens to be state-affiliated, is publicly promoting a slogan whose cost will ultimately be paid by the people. It seems that if these ultra-revolutionary individuals truly have the motivation to sacrifice for the country, there are plenty of real opportunities to demonstrate that sacrifice," it wrote.

The paper said assassinating Trump would be “a good thing and would bring joy to Palestinians” and armed groups.

The US continues to confront Iran's Houthi militia in Yemen in the Red Sea region amid the group's maritime blockade on commercial shipping.

Ordered by the Supreme Leader in 2023 as a means to target Israeli shipping in order to force a ceasefire in Gaza, the blockade has since affected global shipping, with Trump vowing to tackle the group head on.

An extremely heavy American military cargo plane, a C-5M Super Galaxy, landed at Israel's Nevatim airbase in the south of the country on Saturday.

Flight trackers such as MenchOsint reported that the plane, which is capable of carrying the THAAD air defense systems, stayed at Nevatim for around eight hours.

The first THAAD system was given to Israel in October, in the wake of two attacks from Iran as the once long-time shadow war came to the fore.

The existing THAAD system has been used by Israel in recent weeks to defend against ballistic missiles fired at the Jewish state by Iran's Houthis in Yemen.

An Israeli intelligence source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Iran International that the THAAD system had indeed arrived this weekend.

The delivery was first reported in the Saudi Arabian Al-Hadath channel and then across Israeli media, though it has not been publicly confirmed by either the US or Israel. Iran International has approached Israel's military for comment.

Last month, Trump told Iran it must reach a nuclear deal or risk being bombed. While the president said he prefers diplomatic means, he said a military solution will be used if Tehran does not cooperate within two months.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei continues to refuse direct negotiations but he and the president, Masoud Pezeshkian, have said the country is open to mediation.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran is prepared to pursue indirect US negotiations regarding its nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions, based on a logic of building trust in exchange for sanctions relief.

"As a matter of principle, direct negotiations with a party that constantly threatens the use of force – contrary to the UN Charter – and whose officials express contradictory views would be pointless. However, we remain committed to diplomacy and are willing to explore indirect talks."

Araghchi also commented on Tehran's response to a letter from Trump, saying that the Islamic Republic had replied in a manner proportionate to the letter's content and tone, while also preserving the opportunity for diplomacy.

Araghchi made the remarks as he hosted numerous ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Tehran, along with their spouses.

The director general of the UN nuclear watchdog says he will travel to Tehran in the coming weeks in order to prevent a disastrous clash between Iran and the United States over its disputed nuclear program.

"I will be traveling to Tehran in the coming weeks—specifically with the aim of getting Iran to clarify a number of unresolved issues as quickly as possible, in order to reduce the chances of heading toward confrontation, which would be truly catastrophic," Rafael Grossi told Argentina’s La Nacion network.

He said as of today, Iran does not have nuclear weapons. "But Iran does have many of the pieces of the puzzle, let’s put it that way, and it has the amount of nuclear material needed."

Grossi said Iran already has an amount that the IAEA estimates is sufficient for about six or seven weapons.

"This doesn’t mean they have them today. There’s a series of sophisticated mechanisms and systems required, which we are currently discussing with them," he noted.

Nikolay Plotnikov, director of the Center for Scientific and Analytical Information at the Russian Academy of Sciences told Iran's state news agency IRNA, “We are ready to serve as a mediator between Iran and the United States if that helps solve problems through dialogue."

As Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has until now rejected direct talks, the option of mediation is now essential as US President Donald Trump threatens Iran with military action if it does not reach a nuclear deal within two months.

Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin have had better relations than most US presidents with Moscow, though the relationship is still complex, making Moscow an unlikely choice of mediator.

A recent letter from Trump to Iran's Supreme Leader was delivered by the United Arab Emirates.

But the academic, from an institution closely associated with the Putin administration, said diplomacy is the only viable path to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

“There is no evidence Iran is seeking to produce nuclear weapons,” he said, adding that Tehran is under “closer inspection by the IAEA than many other countries.”

In the interview in which he discussed a recently signed strategic partnership agreement between the two governments, he said the two allies remain firm friends in the face of global sanctions.

“With cooperation between Russia and Iran, neither Washington nor Brussels can bring us to our knees,” said the academic known to move among Russia's political and business elite.

Moscow and Tehran have increased their military cooperation in recent years, particularly in Syria, where both backed former President Bashar al-Assad.

Additionally, Russia has deployed Iranian-made drones and and possibly missiles in Ukraine, despite Tehran’s official denials.

The strengthening of ties between Russia and Iran has accelerated in recent years, driven by mutual isolation stemming from Western sanctions – imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and on Iran for its nuclear program, support for regional armed groups, and human rights abuses – as well as a shared strategic interest in countering US influence in the region.

However, some media outlets and commentators in Iran, who are in favor of resolving differences with the West, have warned about Russia's true intentions in recent months.

Both countries are also seeking ways to circumvent the sanctions, with recent discussions exploring the expansion of trade using national currencies and alternative financial mechanisms.

Plotnikov also pushed back against Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear intentions in spite of UN reports saying Iran has enough uranium for six nuclear weapons.

Asked whether Moscow could distance itself from Tehran under Western pressure, Plotnikov said that Russia’s foreign policy doctrine in fact prioritizes its relationship with Iran.

“I recommend that you carefully study doctrinal documents such as the concept of Russia’s foreign policy and its priorities. Iran is one of the countries whose relations with Russia are being developed as a priority,” he said.