US-Iran War Live News Updates: Iran must be ready to ‘fight courageously’ despite talks, says Ghalibaf

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warning that Iran must be prepared to fight courageously despite talks with Washington

Iran must remain prepared for a possible war even as it negotiates with the United States, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a televised address, warning that a signed agreement with Washington would not guarantee protection against another attack.

“They break their promises,” said Ghalibaf. As a result, Iran must be prepared to fight “against a bullying enemy,” and “we must truly fight courageously on the battlefield.”

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“That is when we will have achieved sustainable deterrence,” he said. “America must be punished. America must change its behavior. It must understand that it has to come to terms with the Iranian people.”

Houthis strike Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran

Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck the headquarters of Saudi state-owned oil company Aramco in Dhahran overnight, damaging the offices of its chief executive and other senior officials, according to two regional officials who reported the attack on Wednesday. The attack damaged the top three floors of the building. No casualties were reported.

Failure to activate Hormuz fertiliser plan could trigger food crisis, says UN official

A failure by the United States and Iran to reach an agreement within weeks on a UN-backed plan to move fertiliser through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a food security crisis in parts of Asia and Africa, an official overseeing the proposal warned on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

“It’s absolutely crucial to get the deal in the next few weeks. Otherwise, we will miss the planting season,” he said in an interview in Bangkok.

The United Nations established the task force in March to facilitate passage of fertilisers through the strait. It has yet to implement the mechanism. UN Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva said that the proposed plan could be activated within 7-10 days of an agreement between the United States and Iran.

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