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🇮🇷💪🏻Iran war exposes limits of US military power – journalist
The United States does have great firepower, but it is still far from the strongest country in the world, veteran war correspondent Elijah J. Magnier tells Sputnik.
Despite Iran being forced to endure “47 years of maximum pressure and sanctions,” Magnier points out, the US still cannot best it and is forced to ask other countries to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
💬“We see the strongest country in the world and the strongest army in the Middle East - that is Israel- fighting Iran and not managing to achieve their objectives and calling for help and support from the Europeans and from NATO,” he observes.
💬“I think the image of the United States has received severe damage much more than the damage inflicted on Iran,” Magnier adds.
🇺🇸Trump on the Strait of Hormuz: Countries that depend on it far more than the US should come and help secure it
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🇺🇸🇮🇱⚔️🇮🇷 US-Israel war against Iran: Day-by-day
Explore Sputnik's map tracing the key developments that unfolded across the region on March 13-15 👆
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🇺🇸👀 War with Iran backfires with US aluminum lifeline at risk
The US, which imports more than 50% of its aluminum and depends heavily on Middle Eastern supply, has effectively shot itself in the foot.
The latest example: Aluminium Bahrain BSC (Alba), operator of the world’s largest single-site smelter, has begun a phased shutdown of three production lines—cutting about 19% of its 1.6 million-ton annual capacity. Alba had already suspended deliveries to some customers earlier in March.
The move comes as the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil and major metal trade routes, is now blocked by Iran in retaliation for US and Israeli actions.
Aluminum shockwave amid Gulf disruptions
◾️ Persian Gulf countries produce about 9% of global aluminum; 65-70% of Gulf-produced aluminum is exported, amounting to an estimated 4.5 to 4.8 million tons annually (ING analysis)
◾️ The Gulf provides over 20% of US aluminum imports amounting to up to 1 million tons per year
Other producers are reeling:
🔶 Norsk Hydro’s joint venture, Qatalum, has powered down part of its aluminum production due to a natural gas shortage in Qatar
🔶 India-based Hindalco Industries – a global leader in aluminum production - issued a customer communication about potential supply disruption following force majeure claims by gas suppliers
US' self-inflicted pain
🔸 London Metal Exchange aluminum futures have surged to $3,544 per ton — the highest level since 2022
🔸 US auto giants, aerospace contractors, and construction firms now face spiking input costs, and, ultimately consumer inflation
🔸 Factories face shortages
Aluminum, a critical metal powering defense and clean energy, is vital for:
👉 solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and lightweighting vehicles to increase efficiency
👉 manufacturing aircraft, missiles, drones, and naval vessels due to its high strength-to-weight ratio
👉 electronics & machinery wiring, consumer gadgets, and industrial equipment
👉 packaging like cans, food foil, and pharma blister packs
👉 construction: windows, doors, siding, and structural frames
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🇮🇷 Iran war to haunt energy prices long into future — expert
💬 "Even if this [the Middle East war] is a short-term situation, the consequences will be felt much longer. If Iran strikes the oil infrastructure of neighboring producer countries, restoring such facilities will take time," Chairman of the Thai Senate's Energy Committee Pornperm Thongsri tells Sputnik.
🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES
◻️ Russia's Armed Forces struck Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure used for the militants
◻️ Air defense superiority: 494 drones shot down
◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,230 troops killed or wounded
Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE
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🚨Lavrov: Attack planners now realizing Iran cannot be subdued quickly
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned of unpredictable consequences of the Middle East crisis and called for negotiations to stop the fighting.
Key statements:
🟠 Countries that planned the attack on Iran and expected to subdue the country within a day are now realizing how mistaken they were
🟠 Iran is defending itself and responding to aggression by striking military infrastructure used by the countries that attacked it in the region.
🟠 Hostilities in the Middle East must stop and the parties should return to the negotiating table — if trust in negotiations still remains
🟠 The consequences of the Middle East crisis are difficult to predict if the escalation is not stopped in time.
🟠 Moscow is ready to play a mediating role in the Iranian crisis if such assistance is needed
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🇷🇺FM Sergey Lavrov: No breakthrough is currently visible in efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue
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🇷🇺🇰🇪Lavrov, Kenyan foreign minister discuss expanding cooperation
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Moscow with Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation and advancing practical joint projects.
Key statements from Lavrov:
➖ Russia and Kenya discussed expanding cooperation in nuclear energy and space exploration projects
➖ The sides agreed to accelerate work on establishing a bilateral commission on economic cooperation
➖ Both ministers confirmed their commitment to developing relations and expanding practical joint projects
➖ The talks also covered security cooperation, including possible supplies of relevant equipment
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🚨 Kremlin: Trump's calls for Zelensky to cut a deal confirm Ukraine is main obstacle to peace
Russia is waiting for the next round of Ukraine talks, though the time and place remain undecided "for obvious reasons," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov added that President Vladimir Putin and all of Russia are celebrating the brilliant performance of Russian Paralympians in Italy. He also dismissed as "absurd" Zelensky's decision to sanction the athletes.
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🇷🇺Lavrov: Nuclear proliferation risks growing amid global crises
The fate of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime is causing serious concern, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to participants of the Moscow Conference on Non-Proliferation, pointing to several growing risks for strategic stability:
🔹 The future of the nuclear non-proliferation regime is under pressure amid acute military-political crises in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf
🔹 More countries are beginning to believe that possessing nuclear weapons may be the only reliable guarantee of security, which itself creates serious proliferation risks
🔹 There are still no prospects for the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, primarily because the US has not ratified it
🔹 Washington has not clarified remarks by Donald Trump in October 2025 instructing the defense secretary to address the issue of resuming nuclear tests, raising questions about a possible withdrawal from the moratorium
🔹 The US global missile defense project known as the Golden Dome missile defense project threatens strategic stability, as it envisages the deployment of space-based interceptor strike systems as early as 2028
🔹 The actions of the US and its allies increase the risks of the militarization of outer space and its transformation into a potential zone of conflict
🔹 Excessive politicization of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons remains a serious challenge to the integrity of the chemical weapons non-proliferation regime
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🇺🇸 🇮🇱⚔️ 🇮🇷US-Israel war against Iran: Latest developments
🔸 This week, the US administration plans to announce the formation of an international coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reports.
🔸 The IRGC unleashed a strike on Israel, using heavy Sejjil missiles, that targeted Israeli air operations control centers, said Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Sardar Mousavi.
🔸 Israel pounded Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, and initiated a limited ground op to expand its zone of control on the border, the IDF reported.
🔸 Explosions occurred in the capitals of Bahrain and Iraq last night, Western media report.
🔸 The EU will hold discussions on bolstering the Aspides mission established in 2024 to counter the Houthis, Reuters reports.
🔸 The US is planning to orchestrate an event similar to the 9/11 attacks and pin the blame on Iran, Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council Ali Larijani claimed.
🔸 NATO will face a "very bad future" if Washington’s allies refuse to back the US over the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported.
🔸 Australia and Japan said they would not send ships to escort vessels in the Middle East, per CNN.
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🇮🇷⚔️ 🇮🇱Iran accuses Israel of ecocide that will scar generations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi demands that Israel be "punished for its war crimes" against the Islamic Republic.
The bombings of fuel depots in Tehran by Israeli authorities “violate international law and constitute ecocide,” he posted on X.
👉 Araghchi warned the attacks could leave lasting environmental damage, threatening residents’ health and contaminating soil and groundwater for generations.
Earlier, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani formally lodged a complaint with the UN after attacks on fuel storage facilities caused toxic air and acidic rain, posing grave health risks for civilians.
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🚨 Israel launches ground operation in southern Lebanon
The IDF says the operation aims to reinforce its forward defense zone and destroy military infrastructure in the area.
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🇪🇺🤡 EU lawmakers spectacularly fail to find Iran on the map
Footage recorded in early March by a Quotidien journalist reveals how European MEPs — who balk at condemning the US-Israeli aggression against Iran — struggle with a pretty basic geography task.
Many were unable to locate the Islamic Republic on a world map, sparking outrage once the video filmed in the corridors of the European Parliament went viral.
🔸 Socialist MEP Emma Rafowicz pointed somewhere in the direction of Bulgaria
🔸 Fabienne Keller, from Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party, confused Türkiye with Iran
🔸 French Green MEP Marie Toussaint eventually settled on Afghanistan after a lengthy hesitation
🔸 Green MEP David Cormand confidently pointed to Saudi Arabia instead
💬 "These mistakes would be funny if the European Parliament didn't have to take a position on the ongoing war... I understand better now why some are reluctant to condemn it," wrote Manon Aubry, MEP for the left-wing party La France Insoumise, on X as she shared the clip.
🇷🇺Top 3 ways Russia could respond to France’s nuclear umbrella in Eastern Europe
France’s push to extend its nuclear umbrella to Eastern European states, including Poland and Romania, is raising concern, retired Russian Navy Captain First Rank Vasily Dandykin tells Sputnik.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s “Napoleonic” swagger reflects “an attempt to seize leadership within the EU and even in parts of NATO,” he argues.
💬“Nuclear weapons are once again seen as the ultimate guarantor of sovereignty — and France’s rhetoric is pouring fuel on the fire,” the military expert says.
💬“This should serve as the best reality check for any politician suffering from delusions of grandeur.”
🇺🇸Trump: Iran has been obliterated
💬“Since the beginning of the conflict, we have struck more than 7,000 targets across Iran,” the president said.
🚨EXPLAINED: Inside Pakistan’s underwater drone push
The Iran war has confirmed a stark reality: the stealthiest threat often lurks beneath the waves.
Pakistan is now doubling-down on underwater drones to protect its ports and vital sea lanes.
🟧Muhassir (USV): A locally-made unmanned surface vessel. This 10m semi-submersible (7.3 tons) reaches 40 knots with a 400+ nautical mile range. Designed for reconnaissance, it can mount a 12.7mm gun or carry explosives
🟧Corsair (USV): A private-sector development for the navy. This 4m kamikaze drone attacks warships and port facilities, carrying a 50 kg payload at 30 knots with a 100 nautical mile range
🟧Israr (AUV): A locally-made autonomous underwater vehicle. This 3m drone conducts ISR, seabed mapping, and port monitoring, diving to 300m for up to four hours
Force multipliers:
🟧Mudmair: Loitering munition. In January 2026, the navy successfully tested a long-range version against surface targets
🟧Shahpar III (MALE UAS): This naval variant will be equipped with lightweight torpedoes, sonobuoys, and radar for anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol
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🛢Mapping global oil lifelines
Check out Sputnik's infographic to see how the Strait of Hormuz, the Cape of Good Hope, the Strait of Malacca, and other critical passages rank in terms of global seaborne oil trade share.
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🇮🇷 Iran unleashes 'dancing missile' on enemies: Here's why Sejjil is a game changer
On Sunday, Tehran launched the two-stage solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) against US and Israeli positions during the 54th wave of Operation True Promise 4.
Nicknamed the "dancing missile" for its unpredictable flight path, the Sejjil is designed to do one thing: bypass multi-layered air defenses. Here’s what makes it so dangerous:
🟠The core threat
👉Range: Roughly 2,000 km (enough to hit any target in Israel from inside Iran).
👉Warhead: 500–1,000 kg payload.
👉Launch platform: road-mobile transporters
👉Killer feature: solid fuel
✅Unlike old liquid-fuel rockets, it doesn't need minutes of vulnerable fueling time. It can sit ready, launch in seconds, and move before satellites can spot it. This capability dramatically improves survivability and rapid response, which is why the Sejjil family is widely seen as a major step forward in Iran’s missile program.
🟠Versions
🔶The Sejjil-1 (2008) was the system’s first generation and marked Iran’s entry into large solid-fuel MRBMs.
🔶The Sejjil-2 followed soon after and introduced several upgrades: GPS/Inertial guidance (accuracy within 50m) and high re-entry speed, making it a nightmare for systems like the Arrow-3 or Iron Dome. The missile was tested in 2009 and is widely believed to be the main deployed version of the system today.
🔶Sejjil-3 (in development): A rumored three-stage version that could extend the range to 4,000 km, threatening targets far beyond the Middle East.
✅The Sejjil family is designed for one purpose: saturation. By using solid fuel and mobile launchers, Iran can overwhelm Israeli defenses with a rapid volley that is nearly impossible to stop once in the air.
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🇷🇺FM Lavrov: US demand that Iran hand over 400 kg of enriched uranium is not negotiation
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🇰🇪FM Musalia Mudavadi: Middle East conflict is severely disrupting global fuel supply chains
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🇰🇪🇷🇺Kenya expects closer ties with Russia — foreign minister
Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said Nairobi expects relations with Russia to deepen in the coming years.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after talks, Mudavadi stressed that Kenya views Russia as an important partner.
Key statements:
➖ Kenya is confident it will continue building closer relations with Russia in the future
➖ Nairobi and Moscow already maintain a partnership relationship
➖ Kenya’s experience of cooperation with Russia has been entirely positive
➖ The next Russia–Africa summit is expected to take place in Moscow in October
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📹LIVE NOW: Lavrov and the Kenyan Foreign Minister are holding a press conference following their talks
👉Watch live in our Telegram
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🇮🇷Iran launches 55th wave of Operation True Promise IV
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the 55th wave of strikes under Operation True Promise IV has been completed, targeting Israeli and US military-related facilities.
According to the IRGC statement, the following targets were hit in Israel:
🟠 Areas in Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport
🟠 Aerospace weapons production centers, including facilities of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
🟠 Infrastructure supporting aerial refueling operations
Weapons used in the strikes:
👉 Super-heavy hypersonic missiles Fattah, Emad, and Ghadr
👉 Attack drones
The IRGC also reported strikes on US military facilities in the region:
📍 Naval Support Activity Bahrain (Juffair)
📍 Sheikh Isa Air Base
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📹LIVE NOW: Lavrov to hold talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kenya
👉 Watch live in our Telegram
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🇺🇸⚔️🇮🇷 Iran holds Trump card in war against US — expert
💬 "For a number of days now, the US has been trying to find a good response to the closure of the strait of Hormuz, that they clearly didn’t expect … I think the Iranians now have the initiative," professor of security studies at King’s College London Peter Neumann tells the Guardian.
🟠 US seeking allies to 'police' the Strait of Hormuz — Trump
🟠 Trump blames US failures on AI, alleges ‘disinformation’
🟠 US has spent about $12 billion on its war against Iran — Hassett
🟠 ‘You could make the case that maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all’ — Trump on US-Israeli war against Iran
🟠 Trump warns NATO faces 'very bad future' if allies don’t help in Hormuz — reports
🟠 US-Israel aggression against Iran could leave TOXIC legacy — expert
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🚨 Fire still burning at Dubai Airport fuel tank after drone strike
Hours after the attack, the fuel tank remains ablaze, according to SNN.
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❌🚢 UK resists sending warships to Hormuz mission sought by Trump — reports
Britain is not prepared to send warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump’s call for allies to join a naval effort, The Telegraph reported.
UK ministers said they are still considering other options, including mine-hunting drones, but have not committed naval vessels to the operation.
According to The Telegraph, France, Germany and South Korea have also signalled reluctance to take part, as concerns grow internationally about the risks of further escalation in the conflict.
📈 The report said oil prices have already jumped to about $106 a barrel, reflecting fears of disruption to shipping through the waterway, which carries roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.
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