US lawmaker calls Khamenei’s 'despotism a cancer to the region'

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned that the collapse of the Islamic Republic will have "unpredictable consequences" for the wider Middle East.

Zarif said in an interview published on Friday that Iran's neighbors and other regional actors are mainly concerned with preventing instability or collapse inside Iran.

While regional states prioritize Iran’s stability, the United States and Israel pursue differing strategic objectives, Zarif said, highlighting divisions that he argued could shape diplomacy and regional dynamics.

He said the US is pursuing a strategy focused on weakening Iran, while Israel favors Iran’s collapse.

Zarif said these differing objectives create a space in which Iran could manage external pressures, emphasizing the role of careful foreign policy and diplomatic engagement.

He also highlighted the long-term social and psychological effects of sanctions, arguing that they can erode social cohesion, national confidence, and dignity, even when their economic impact is partially mitigated.

Drawing on Iraq’s experience under years of UN sanctions followed by military intervention, Zarif said that punitive measures often fail to achieve stated political goals while portraying targeted countries as security threats in the eyes of the international community.

He also referenced Iran’s own history, including the negotiations that led to UN Security Council Resolution 598 at the end of the Iran-Iraq War, which he described as an example of coordinated national decision-making and unity allowing Iran to engage diplomatically from a position of cohesion.

Zarif added that lessons from this period remain relevant for managing contemporary regional and international tensions.

An Instagram story posted by Huda Beauty sparked huge backlash among Iranians, leading to a boycott campaign against her cosmetic products.

Many Iranians accused her of ignoring the blood of tens of thousands killed during the recent massacre.

Huda finally issued an apology.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had directly communicated a deadline to Iran for reaching a deal with the United States.

“Only they know about the deadline for sure,” he told reporters.

The June attacks on Iran were carried out shortly after the expiration of Trump’s 60-day deadline to Tehran.

US President Donal Trump said on Friday "we're now sending actually a larger number of ships to Iran. And hopefully we'll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that's good."

"If we don't make a deal, we'll see what happens. But this is going to be exciting."

"We'll see how it all works out. They (US warships) have to float someplace. They might as well float near Iran. But it's a rough situation going in," he said.

"I can say this, they do want to make a deal."

"Like rats on a sinking ship, the regime is frantically wiring funds stolen from Iranian families to banks and financial institutions around the world," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday. "Rest assured, Treasury will act."

"President Trump stands with the people of Iran and has ordered Treasury to sanction members of the regime,"

"Treasury will continue to target Iranian networks and corrupt elites that enrich themselves at the expense of the Iranian people. This includes the regime's attempts to exploit digital assets to evade sanctions and finance cybercriminal operations."

Bessent said "rather than build a prosperous Iran, the regime has chosen to squander what remains of the nation's oil revenues on nuclear weapons development, missiles, and terrorist proxies around the world."