International News
US keeps forces ready as Iran truce holds
Washington, April 9: The United States will maintain full military readiness in the Middle East despite a two-week ceasefire with Iran, the White House said, signalling that Washington is prepared for a rapid escalation if negotiations falter.
Officials said no immediate drawdown of US forces is planned, even as diplomatic efforts begin following weeks of intense military operations.
Asked what to expect from US troops during the ceasefire window, a reporter queried: “What we should expect from U.S. troops in theatre for the next two weeks and beyond?”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is taking a cautious approach.
“We’re not going to move anything immediately… in the meantime, we’re going to ensure that our military is always at the ready of the commander in chief,” she said.
She referred operational specifics to the Pentagon but made clear that US forces will remain in place as negotiations proceed.
The posture reflects concerns within the administration that the ceasefire could break down, particularly given ongoing regional tensions and uncertainty over Iran’s internal command structures.
“This is a fragile truce. Ceasefires are fragile by nature,” Leavitt said, warning that implementation could face disruptions in the coming days.
The ceasefire, announced after 38 days of US military operations against Iran, has opened a two-week diplomatic window aimed at securing a longer-term agreement.
However, Washington has emphasised that military preparedness remains central to its strategy, both as a deterrent and as leverage in negotiations.
The White House has argued that sustained military pressure forced Iran to accept the ceasefire in the first place.
“The President’s maximum pressure and the leverage created by the success of Operation Epic Fury led to the Iranian regime asking for and ultimately agreeing to a ceasefire proposal,” Leavitt said.
At the same time, officials acknowledged that the operational impact of US strikes on Iran could complicate the ceasefire’s early stages.
One reporter raised concerns about reports of renewed activity inside Iran, asking about explosions and air defence activation in multiple cities.
Leavitt said she had not yet verified those reports but pointed to a broader issue.
“One of the results of Operation Epic Fury was that we completely dismantled Iran’s command and control center, which makes it difficult for them to pass messages up and down the chain,” she said.
The disruption, she suggested, could affect Iran’s ability to coordinate compliance with the ceasefire, at least in the short term.
The administration has also said that many of Iran’s remaining leaders are operating under constraints following the strikes, further complicating internal coordination.
In addition to military effects, questions were raised about the political consequences inside Iran, particularly whether the conflict had led to greater freedoms for its population.
Asked directly whether “regime change has led to more freedoms for the Iranian people,” Leavitt said it was too early to draw conclusions.
“I think that’s a question that’s being asked a little bit too early… ” It’s something that has yet to be seen,” she said.
International News
Saudi Arabia says three people injured in attacks on two airports

Riyadh, Oct 6: As many as three people were injured, and property was damaged after attacks targeted two airports in Saudi Arabia on Monday evening, according to the country’s civil aviation authority.
In a statement shared on X, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Jazan and Najran International Airport were targeted on Monday evening. It said that emergency response teams and relevant authorities responded immediately under established emergency plans.
The three injured people were taken to hospital for medical treatment. GACA said it was working with the relevant authorities to assess the damage, verify the safety of the airport facilities and take measures to ensure the safety of passengers and maintain the safety and security of Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation system.
On Monday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks targeting sites in southern Saudi Arabia, including military facilities and airports, Gulf News reported.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Houthis ‘ targeting of civilians and civilian and economic facilities in the country and Saudi vessels in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strongest condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist Houthi militia’s continued targeting of civilians and civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom; its blatant and repeated attacks against the holiest sites on earth-Makkah and Madinah— the capital Riyadh, and the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, Najran, Taif, and Yanbu; and its targeting of Saudi vessels in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait,” the ministry posted on X.
“The Kingdom affirms that, since the terrorist Houthi militia’s coup against Yemen’s legitimate government in 2014, the Kingdom has made sustained and tireless efforts to support a comprehensive and lasting political solution in Yemen. However, consistent with its rejection of peace, the terrorist Houthi militia has instead chosen continued military escalation, dragging Yemen and the brotherly Yemeni people into further humanitarian and economic suffering to serve and advance external agendas,” it added.
Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its right to defend its territory, resources, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents, and to take all necessary measures to protect its security in accordance with international law. It also renewed its political and military support for the Presidential Leadership Council, the Yemeni government, and the brotherly Yemeni people to end the coup and restore the state and its institutions from the control of the Houthi militia.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its call on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the Security Council, to fulfil its responsibilities, implement the relevant Security Council resolutions, and provide full support to Yemen’s legitimate government in confronting the Houthi militia and ending the threat it poses to Yemen, the region, and the world.
International News
Iran’s president, FM vow defence of national interests

Tehran, Oct 6: Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi met with visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran seperately, each stressing Iran’s resolve to defend its national interests and security.
“Negotiation is meaningless with an enemy that resorts to acts of assassination, sanctions, pressure, and threats on a daily basis, and breaks its promises,” Pezeshkian said in his meeting with Mirzoyan on Monday, according to a statement published on the website of his office.
“So far, they (the United States) have attacked us three times following talks, which demonstrates that they are not seeking dialogue, but rather aiming to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran’s establishment,” Pezeshkian said.
Pezeshkian noted that Washington offers no answer to the killing of 168 innocent children at a school in Iran’s southern city of Minab on February 28, Xinhua news agency reported.
“None of their actions and behaviors towards Iran complies with international law,” he added.
Araghchi said Iran will “decisively” defend its national interests and security, but has never hesitated to use diplomacy to prevent escalation of tensions, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
He said the “precarious” consequences of the US-Israeli military “aggression” against Iran are the main cause of the insecurity imposed on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mirzoyan, for his part, emphasised the “strategic nature” of relations between Armenia and Iran, and Yerevan’s continued commitment to expanding cooperation with Tehran, the statement said.
In his meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Mirzoyan stressed that his country will not allow its territory to be used for any action against Iran, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
International News
Iran reviewing US views on 7-day plan to cease hostilities: Senior diplomat

Tehran, Oct 5: A senior Iranian diplomat has said that Iran is currently reviewing US views on Tehran’s recent proposal to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi made the remarks in Tehran on Sunday (local time), saying that the United States has submitted its views on Iran’s proposal through mediators.
He stressed that Iran’s proposal is the “seven-day plan” that was presented to the other side by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in New York late last month.
Gharibabadi said, “The US views are currently being reviewed inside the country through the appropriate channels,” adding that whenever Iran’s final views are ready, the necessary action will be taken through “appropriate channels.”
He added that Iran is simultaneously making the necessary preparations for any other scenario as well, reports Xinhua news agency.
Iran conveyed a proposed seven-day plan to the United States on September 22 to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through mediators on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts.
Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on August 17, to reach a final agreement. However, the two sides failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal as tensions continued to escalate.
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