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Tehran will never cede control of Strait of Hormuz, senior Iranian politician tells BBC24 minutes agoLyse DoucetChief international correspondentBBC”Never.” A senior Iranian legislator says that’s the time when they’ll be willing to give up control of the Strait of Hormuz. Ebrahim Azizi is a former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. He told the BBC in Tehran that “it’s our inalienable rights.” “Iran will decide on the right of passage including permissions for ships to pass through Strait. “And he said that’s about become enshrined into law. Azizi, a member of a hardline-dominated parliament, is a key player. He described the strategic strait Iran weaponised during this conflict as one of its assets to face the enemies. Azizi reflects the thinking of some of the top decision-makers in the new order that has emerged from this war. The new order is militarised and dominated by hardliners. Most notably, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mohammad Eslami explains that Iran’s first priority after the war was to restore deterrence. The Strait of Hormuz was one of Iran’s main strategic leverages. “Tehran will discuss how other nations could benefit from Iran’s framework for the Strait of Hormuz, but control is what matters most.” “But this is a future that some of Iran’s neighbors reject, who are already furious over its attacks against their countries during the five-week war. The war has now been put on hold in a fragile interim ceasefire. In a recent interview, Dr Anwar Gargash described it as “an act of hostile piratery”. He warned that if Iran did not relinquish control of these waters, it would set “a dangerous precedent” for other strategic waterways around the world. Azizi retorted, “They are the pirats who sold our area to the Americans”, in reference to US military bases throughout the Middle East, which were targeted by Iran’s missiles and drones, along with other infrastructure. He added that the US was “the largest pirate in the entire world”. Azizi said that “we have always said that we need to work together in order to secure our region”. That vision has been shattered by most Gulf states except for Oman which is one of Iran’s closest friends and controls the southern coast. It was involved in discussions with Tehran this month to ensure smooth and safe passage of vessels. There have also been signs of disagreements – it’s unclear how deep – within Iran’s political and military elite. This was displayed in recent rare and strongly-worded criticism of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who posted a statement to social media on Friday stating that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely opened”. US President Donald Trump responded with a capitalised “THANK YOU” in The state-run Mehr news agency said the foreign minister’s post had “provided the best opportunity for Trump to go beyond reality, declare himself the winner of war and celebrate victory”. Another news agency, Tasnim, described it as a “bad and incomplete tweet that created misleading ambiguity about reopening of Strait”. Araghchi stressed that only ships authorised by IRGC navy were allowed through designated routes which required payment of tolls. Azizi dismissed any impressions regarding rifts within regime. The fate of this strait is decided by the highest levels of government. The Iranian government has not yet confirmed whether its own team led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will return to Pakistan. Local media reports that Iran will not attend as long as the US blockade on Iranian ports is in place. Trump has repeatedly ordered Iran open this maritime route, including in a social media post with expletives on 5 April where he warned Iran it would “live in hell” if they didn’t comply. He’s now accused Tehran trying to “blackmail’ the US. Azizi mocks, “I don’t think I can expect much from someone who lies.” “We are defending our rights against American blackmail. “Like other high-level Iranians he mocks Trump on social media. The ban will be lifted when it is safe, but Azizi, who has a parliamentary portfolio that includes national security, refused to say when. He only said, “When it is safe and secure, we will lift the restriction so that the enemy won’t take advantage”. I also asked him about the recent arrests, and what Amnesty International and other human rights groups claim are dozens death sentences given to protesters arrested during the January nationwide protests. These protests were crushed with deadly force and killed thousands. Recently, several executions have taken place, including those of young people. Azizi reiterated the government’s claim claiming that the US and Israeli spy services (the CIA, and Mossad respectively) were involved in the unrest. He dismissed the growing concern among some Iranians about the tightening of internal security. “In war, there are always rules, even if it’s a ceasefire,” he said. No sign of a deal but mediators are still communicating. Iran claims that the Strait of Hormuz is closed again after ships attacked.

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Eight children killed by Louisiana shooting, police report 2 hours agoGrace GoodwinEight children aged between one and 14 years have been killed during a shooting that occurred in Shreveport in Louisiana. Police are calling it a “domestic disorder”. Officers reported that the incident started around 05:00 local (10:00 GMT). A single gunman fired 10 shots before fleeing the scene in a stolen vehicle. The police chased the suspect and killed him. Shreveport mayor Tom Arceneaux said: “We have hurting people, we have hurting officers, coroners, and families.” “This is a tragedy that affects everyone in the community. We all mourn with these families.” “Police did identify the suspected shooter or the victims but said that some of the children are related to the deceased. The mayor said that this was a tragic event, perhaps the worst tragedy to ever occur in Shreveport. He asked for prayers for both the families and city. Shreveport Police DepartmentPolice reported that there were multiple crime scenes including two homes in the same block of West 79th Street, and a third home in the neighbourhood at Harrison Street. Bordelon stated that “all of the deceased are juveniles” in this case. He said officers determined that the call was of a “domestic nature”, and added one of the victims had fled to another residence. Police said that after the shooting, the suspected gunman stole a car and fled. Bordelon claimed that officers chased the suspect gunman into another neighbourhood and fired at him. The suspected gunman is now dead. Police did not identify either the shooter nor the victims because they wanted to notify the family. Smith said, “I cannot imagine how such a thing could happen.” He added that the investigation was conducted in coordination with Louisiana State Police with assistance from other agencies. “We will work diligently for as long as it takes to find out what happened,” he said.Louisiana governor Jeff Landry said that he and his spouse are “heartbroken” over the “horrible situation”, and they are praying for all those affected. Landry said, “We are deeply grateful to law enforcement officers and first-responders who worked tirelessly on the incident.” House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana’s Fourth District has also commented on this “heartbreaking” tragedy. “We are holding the victims and their loved ones close in our prayers and thoughts during this incredibly hard time,” he said. He also expressed gratitude for the prompt response of the local police. According to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization that tracks US gun violence, the incident is the deadliest US mass shooting since January 2024 when eight victims died in Joliet. GVA defines mass shootings as incidents where four or more victims are shot, excluding the suspect.

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Ukraine police chief resigns following officers’ alleged fleeing of deadly shooting23 minutes agoKathryn ArmstrongReutersThe head of Ukraine’s patrol police, Yevhen Zukov, resigned on Monday after two of his officers were criticized for allegedly running from a deadly mass-shooting in the capital Kyiv. Six people died and fourteen others were injured after a gunman opened fire in the street of Kyiv’s southern Holosiivskyi neighborhood before taking other hostage in He was killed in a shootout with police. Footage has been shared online that appears to show officers running away from the scene and leaving civilians. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Igor Klymenko confirmed the suspension of the officers and said an investigation was underway. “‘Serve and Protect’ is not a slogan. It must be backed up by appropriate professional action. “Especially in critical moments, where people’s lives are at stake,” he wrote on Telegram. However, Klymenko cautioned that it is not correct to generalise about the entire police force based on the actions of just two employees. “Zhukov said at a Sunday news conference that the officers “failed to evaluate the situation properly and put civilians in danger”. He also said that they acted in an “unprofessional and unworthy” manner. Klymenko described the man’s mental state as “clearly unstable”. Eight people remain in hospital, of whom one adult was in an “extremely serious condition” and three were in a serious condition, officials said. Klymenko described the man’s mental state as “clearly unstable”.Eight people remain in hospital, of whom one adult was in an “extremely serious condition” and three were in a serious condition, officials said.ReutersUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an update on Sunday that the two officers had been “at the scene of the crime, but did not stop the murderer, and fled on their own”.He accused them of “inaction” and said a criminal case into the matter – which will also check their previous work – was being handled by Ukraine’s national investigations bureau. Zelensky said that “we are in a war, and unfortunately, every day there are human casualties from Russian strikes.” “It’s especially painful to lose someone like this in a normal city, just walking down the street. “More information is emerging about the victims. Kravchenko revealed that one of the victims was the father. The boy’s aunt was also believed to be among those who died. The shooter was identified as a 58 year-old man originally from Moscow who lived in Holosiivskyi in the days leading up to the shooting. The authorities are now investigating the circumstances in which he obtained documents to renew his license. Kyiv is frequently attacked during the ongoing war against Russia, but shootings of this type are rare. Klymenko said that there would not be mass checks of gun owners after the shooting. “I think people should be able to defend themselves with guns,” he said. “Especially after the experience of when, at first, the full-scale invasion began, civilians were given weapons for national resistance. “Ukrainian Citizens are allowed to own non-automatic weapons provided they meet licence requirements, such as having no criminal record or mental illness.

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Police in Austria say that rat poison was found in a HiPP baby-food jar. This was reported by a customer. Fortunately, the baby did not consume the food. The jar appeared to have been tampered, according to the police. Police in Austria have confirmed that at least one other poisoned jar has been found. They have also issued guidelines on how to identify tampered jars. But the police statement said the warning had come from German investigators and tampered jars had also been seized in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.On Saturday, HiPP recalled its entire range of jarred purees sold in Spar supermarkets in Austria, saying consuming them may be potentially “life-threatening”.The German-based company said the recall of baby food jars at Spar Austria was “not due to a product or quality defect on our part” – and that jars had left its factory in “perfect condition”. The company said that the recall was related to a criminal incident, which is currently being investigated by authorities. As part of ongoing criminal investigation, isolated cases of tampered HiPP Baby Food jars were seized. This was previously reported in Austria and now in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Slovakia. “The authorities found that these jars contained rat poison after examining them. Spar has also removed baby food from stores in other countries, as a precaution. Austrian authorities warned consumers to be on the lookout for damaged or opened lids, a missing seal, an unusual odour or a white sticker with red circle at the bottom of a glass jar. Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety has warned parents to consult their doctor if they notice signs of bleeding or extreme weakness in their babies after consuming the brand’s products. Customers were also asked to return the HiPP jars they purchased at Eurospar Interspar Maximarkt and not consume them. Spar has more than 1,500 shops in Austria. The recall did not affect baby food sold by other shops. HiPP’s formula was not affected. Retailers in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and elsewhere have preemptively pulled all HiPP baby food from the shelves. In January and February, Nestle, Danone, and other brands of baby formula were forced to recall their products in more than 60 countries including the UK after babies became ill. Specific batches of baby formula were believed to be contaminated with the toxin cereulide which can cause nausea and vomiting. The toxin does not disappear when cooking or making baby milk. In February, the UK’s Health and Security Agency said that at least 36 British infants had been poisoned by contaminated formula. The UKHSA stated that none of the infants’ illnesses were life-threatening.

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French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon8 hours agoSamantha GranvilleBeirutReutersA French peacekeeper has been killed and three others wounded after a UN patrol came under fire in southern Lebanon, in what officials described as a deliberate attack.The soldier was serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which confirmed that one peacekeeper had died and three others were injured, two of them seriously, when their patrol came under small-arms fire.French President Emmanuel Macron blamed the attack on Hezbollah. The The Macron ” The Unifil said the patrol had been clearing explosive ordnance along a road in the village of Ghanduriyah to reconnect isolated positions.Follow the latest updatesWhat we know about the Israel-Lebanon ceasefireCeasefire with Israel brings respite to Lebanon, but obstacles to peace remainThe Lebanese Armed Forces said the incident followed exchanges of fire with armed individuals, adding that it was co-ordinating closely with Unifil during what it described as a sensitive phase in southern Lebanon.Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack and told Macron during a phone call that those responsible would be brought to justice.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has also ordered an investigation.Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday denying it was responsible, describing them as “rushed” and “baseless accusations”.It called for “caution in making judgements and assigning blame regarding the incident, pending the Lebanese army’s investigation to determine the full circumstances”.The group urged both Unifil and the Lebanese army to continue co-ordinating with locals on manouevres “under these delicate circumstances”.In late March, three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate incidents – an explosion that destroyed a Unifil vehicle and a projectile strike a day earlier.Unifil warned that under international law “all actors” were obliged to ensure the “safety and security” of UN personnel, adding that “deliberate attacks” on peacekeepers were “grave violations” of international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes.The peacekeeping force was first established in 1978 by the UN Security Council following Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, with a mandate to confirm Israeli withdrawal, restore peace and assist the Lebanese government in regaining authority in the south.Its role was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, when Security Council Resolution 1701 strengthened its responsibilities in monitoring the ceasefire along the Blue Line – the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel – in co-ordination with the Lebanese army.More than 330 peacekeepers have been killed since the mission was established.Peacekeepers killed by roadside explosion in Lebanon, initial report findsMiddle EastHezbollahLebanonIran war