logo
Moscow declares 'Catastrophic' fallout if US uses nukes in Iran

Moscow declares 'Catastrophic' fallout if US uses nukes in Iran

Shafaq News5 hours ago

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Kremlin warned that any use of tactical nuclear weapons by the United States against Iran would lead to catastrophic consequences.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS news agency that while recent speculation in the media has been extensive, the idea itself is alarming. 'This would be a catastrophic development,' Peskov said. 'But there are so many speculations that in fact, it's impossible to comment on them.'
American media outlets had earlier reported that US officials are considering the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons to strike Iran's underground uranium enrichment site at Fordow.
Meanwhile, Russian officials issued a separate warning against any military action near Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant, saying it could cause a disaster comparable to Chernobyl. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed concern for the safety of Russian personnel stationed at the site.
The White House has not confirmed any plans for intervention but said President Donald Trump will decide within two weeks whether the US will join the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Russian government, central bank spar over economic downturn
Russian government, central bank spar over economic downturn

Iraqi News

time44 minutes ago

  • Iraqi News

Russian government, central bank spar over economic downturn

Saint Petersburg – Russian officials sparred publicly on Friday over how to boost the economy, as growth slows more than three years into its Ukraine offensive. Moscow had shown unexpected economic resilience in 2023 and 2024, despite the West's sweeping sanctions, with massive state spending on the military powering a robust expansion. But economists have long warned that heavy public investment in the defence industry is no longer enough to keep Russia's economy growing. Businesses and some government figures have urged the central bank to further cut interest rates to stimulate activity. 'The indicators show the need to reduce rates,' Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said at Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg. 'We must move from a controlled cooling to a warming of the economy,' said Novak, who oversees Russia's key energy portfolio in the government. He described the current economic situation facing the country as 'painful'. The call for more cuts to borrowing costs comes a day after Moscow's economy minister warned the country was 'on the verge of a recession'. 'A simple and quick cut in the key rate is unlikely to change anything much at the moment, except for… an increase in the price level,' the central bank's monetary policy department chief Andrey Gangan said. The central bank lowered interest rates from a two-decade-high earlier this month, its first cut since September 2022. The bank, which reduced the rate from 21 percent to 20 percent, said at the time that Russia's rapid inflation was starting to come under control but monetary policy would 'remain tight for a long period'. The central bank has resisted pressure for further cuts, pointing to inflation of around 10 percent, more than double its four-percent target. Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 1.4 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, the lowest quarterly figure in two years. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has typically been content to let his officials argue publicly over some areas of economic policy, is set to speak on Friday afternoon at the plenary session of the economic forum.

Redrawing the map: How Iran–Israel war is reshaping the Middle East
Redrawing the map: How Iran–Israel war is reshaping the Middle East

Shafaq News

timean hour ago

  • Shafaq News

Redrawing the map: How Iran–Israel war is reshaping the Middle East

Shafaq News/ Since the Hamas-led Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, the Middle East has experienced an unrelenting chain of upheavals. What began as a sudden and devastating incursion into Israeli territory evolved into a regional conflagration, drawing in state and non-state actors, shaking the core of long-standing alliances, and dismantling the fragile stability that once defined the post-Arab Spring order. At the center of this transformation stand two arch-rivals: Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The escalation that erupted in June 2025 between Israel and Iran is not an anomaly, but the culmination of years of covert hostilities, diplomatic friction, and strategic miscalculations. The events now unfolding in open warfare—including cross-border missile strikes, drone swarms, and targeted assassinations—are radically reshaping the Middle East's power dynamics and redrawing the region's strategic map. For decades, Iran and Israel conducted their confrontation through proxy wars, espionage operations, and cyberattacks. Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen became arenas of indirect competition. Israel systematically targeted Iranian positions in Syria and covertly sabotaged elements of Tehran's nuclear and military infrastructure, while Iran, through its so-called "Axis of Resistance," leveraged Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi factions to pressure Israeli and American interests. This dynamic persisted until the tectonic rupture of October 2023. Hamas' surprise attack on Israel—aided, according to Israeli and Western intelligence assessments, by Iranian logistical and strategic backing—reignited full-scale war in Gaza and set the stage for broader regional confrontation. Israel's overwhelming military response in Gaza led to tens of thousands of casualties, prompting Iran-aligned actors to escalate operations from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. By early 2024, Israel and Iran had entered a new phase: one of sustained, direct, though still largely deniable attacks. Israeli airstrikes intensified against Iranian commanders in Syria and Iraq, while suspected Mossad operations targeted nuclear scientists and IRGC personnel deep within Iranian territory. Iran, in turn, increased its support to regional players and expanded its drone and missile programs, preparing for a scenario where deterrence might fail. That failure came on June 13, 2025, when Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, striking multiple Iranian nuclear and military sites, including Natanz, Fordow, and Tehran. The operation resulted in the deaths of senior IRGC commanders, nuclear experts, and political figures. Iran's airspace was sealed, and retaliatory planning began immediately. 'This is not a spontaneous conflict,' said Dr. Haitham al-Hiti, professor of political science at the University of Exeter. 'It's part of a broader regional restructuring—starting with Hezbollah assassinations, now moving through Iran's command structure, and possibly reaching Iraq and Lebanon.' Iran's counter-operation, dubbed True Promise 3, marked a turn with Tehran directly fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli territory. Civilian and military targets were hit in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Bat Yam, and the Gush Dan area. Israeli casualties surpassed two dozen, while Iran reported more than 200 fatalities from the initial strikes. Beyond the destruction, what sets this confrontation apart is its regional resonance. Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar launched urgent diplomatic initiatives. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that the conflict could 'drag the entire region into the fire,' and began intensive phone diplomacy with key Arab and Iranian leaders. 'Israel's aggression could ignite a devastating regional war,' Erdogan said, noting the potential for refugee flows, economic collapse, and the collapse of security arrangements in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Saudi Arabia, historically cautious in its dealings with Iran, sought to reclaim its role as a balancing force. A diplomatic source told Shafaq News, 'Riyadh is seeking to reclaim its place as a regional anchor, stepping into a mediation role once held by Qatar and Oman.' Yet these efforts have yielded little. The collapse of traditional deterrence and the erosion of international diplomatic credibility have allowed the military logic to dominate. The Muscat channel between Tehran and Washington was suspended. UN efforts were paralyzed by US veto power and a lack of consensus among major powers. 'The UN doesn't have the freedom to act without US approval,' said Lebanese analyst George Alam. 'That makes any international initiative vulnerable to paralysis.' Meanwhile, Iran has framed its retaliation as part of a broader realignment. 'These focused and retaliatory operations will continue until the Zionist entity is eliminated,' the IRGC declared after confirming the death of Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi, head of its Intelligence Organization. Egyptian expert Mounir Adeeb emphasizes that the conflict has exposed the fragility of the global system, 'Major powers, led by the United States, were direct enablers of the Israeli strike,' he said. 'They turned a blind eye to violations of international law and allowed red lines to be crossed. The result was war.' Internally, Iran now faces the twin challenges of sustaining a long war and containing potential unrest. Kurdish movements in the northwest and Ahvazi activists in the southwest are reportedly organizing demonstrations amid the crisis. Israeli analysts speculate that continued strikes on Iranian infrastructure may be designed to exacerbate internal fractures. 'If Iran collapses internally or fragments,' warned Dr. al-Hiti, 'we could see the emergence of new secessionist waves—Kurdish independence, Ahvazi autonomy, even unrest in Iraq. That's how geopolitical maps change.' And while regional states seek to prevent such an outcome, the war has already forced governments to recalibrate. Iraq has condemned the use of its airspace by Israeli forces. Armed factions aligned with Tehran have threatened to target US bases if Washington intervenes. The Houthis have escalated strikes on Israeli interests in the Red Sea. Hezbollah has declared its full support for Iran. The consequences are not limited to military strategy. Oil prices have surged. International flights have been suspended across several countries. Diplomacy has stalled. Most importantly, a new regional paradigm is taking shape—one defined not by US-led alliances or post-ISIS stability, but by direct state conflict, multipolar competition, and the return of mass-scale confrontation. As the missiles continue to fall, one thing is increasingly clear: the Middle East is undergoing a strategic reordering. Whether this leads to a new balance of power or deeper fragmentation remains uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the rules have changed—and so has the map.

Mass judicial exodus threatens Iraqi elections
Mass judicial exodus threatens Iraqi elections

Shafaq News

timean hour ago

  • Shafaq News

Mass judicial exodus threatens Iraqi elections

Shafaq News/ Iraq is heading toward a constitutional crisis just months before parliamentary elections on November 11, 2025, as the mass resignation of Federal Supreme Court judges threatens to derail the electoral timeline, a top legal expert warned on Friday. Hazem al-Rudaini, Deputy Head of Iraq's Strategic Center for Human Rights (SCHR), cautioned that the resignations jeopardize the legal foundation of the election. 'It is constitutionally impossible to hold parliamentary elections without the Federal Supreme Court,' he said, pointing to Article 93(7) of the 2005 Constitution, which grants the Court sole authority to ratify election results. Nine judges, including six principal members, resigned Thursday in protest over political pressure, reportedly linked to the Court's 2023 ruling that annulled the 2013 Khor Abdullah maritime agreement with Kuwait. A judicial source told Shafaq News that the fallout from that decision triggered their departure. Members of the Parliamentary Legal Committee expressed alarm. MP Mohammed al-Khafaji described the resignations as 'deeply troubling,' while MP Raed al-Maliki accused political factions of hijacking the judiciary. 'The government and certain parties want to turn the Federal Court into a tool, all while claiming to protect national sovereignty,' he asserted. Al-Maliki criticized the broader 'failure' of Iraq's Shiite leadership to insulate institutions from political interference, warning that the situation sets a dangerous precedent and confirming that parliament is holding emergency consultations to safeguard judicial independence. The crisis stems from a September 2023 ruling in which the Court nullified Law No. 42 of 2013, invalidating Iraq's navigation agreement with Kuwait over the Khor Abdullah waterway. The Court ruled the law unconstitutional, claiming it lacked the two-thirds majority required under Article 61(4). In April 2025, Iraq's president and prime minister appealed the ruling, arguing the agreement covered maritime coordination—not border demarcation—and should fall under Iraq's obligations under the 1966 Vienna Convention.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store