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UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stern condemnation of recent U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran during an emergency Security Council session convened Saturday. The UN leader characterized the situation as pushing the world toward catastrophic escalation and demanded immediate diplomatic reengagement to avert broader regional conflict.

Guterres emphasized the critical need to prevent further deterioration of regional stability, warning that alternative outcomes could include severe humanitarian consequences and widespread instability. The Secretary-General simultaneously denounced Iran’s retaliatory measures against multiple Middle Eastern nations, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as violations of sovereign territories.

The emergency meeting, requested by five Security Council members (Bahrain, France, Russia, China, and Colombia), occurred during a significant transitional period—the final day of the United Kingdom’s presidency before the United States assumes rotational leadership for March.

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon preemptively dismissed criticism as hypocritical, asserting that Iran’s proxy operations, nuclear ambitions, and missile programs justified preventive measures against what he described as an imminent threat. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi formally accused the United States and Israel of blatantly violating international law and the UN Charter, maintaining that Iran’s actions constituted legitimate self-defense.

European powers—Britain, France, and Germany—issued a collective statement condemning Iranian regional airstrikes while urging renewed diplomatic efforts regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. These nations, original signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement from which the U.S. withdrew in 2018, emphasized that the Iranian people should ultimately determine their nation’s future trajectory.

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, United States military forces initiated large-scale combat operations against targets inside Iran in coordination with Israeli defense forces. President Donald Trump announced the offensive in a pre-dawn video address from his Mar-a-Lago estate, characterizing the action as necessary to eliminate “imminent threats” posed by the Iranian regime.

The unprecedented strikes, which reportedly targeted compounds associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, occurred amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Social media footage showed skies above the Iranian capital filled with smoke following the initial bombardment.

President Trump justified the military action as preventive measures against nuclear proliferation, stating: “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. This vicious group of very hard, terrible people directly endangers the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.”

The operation drew immediate political division in Washington. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham praised Trump’s decisiveness, noting it represented the first time in 47 years that a U.S. president had “stood with the people of Iran.” Conversely, Democratic lawmakers condemned the unilateral action. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey criticized Trump for repeating “the same dangerous and foolish decision President Bush did a generation ago,” while Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey declared the strikes “illegal and unconstitutional” due to the absence of Congressional authorization.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry vowed forceful retaliation, asserting that while prepared for negotiations, the nation remained “more prepared than ever for defense.” The statement emphasized: “The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to the aggressors with authority.”

The military action raises significant constitutional questions regarding war powers and follows earlier controversial operations ordered by Trump in Venezuela, further complicating an already volatile geopolitical landscape.

In a significant judicial ruling underscoring China’s intensified anti-corruption campaign, Luo Zengbin, the former Communist Party chief of Haikou, has been handed a death sentence with a two-year reprieve for massive bribery offenses. The Chenzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Hainan province delivered the verdict on Saturday, concluding a high-profile case involving illicit gains exceeding 317 million yuan ($46.22 million).

The court determined that Luo systematically exploited his influential positions across Sichuan and Hainan provinces to provide unlawful advantages to various entities and individuals. His corrupt activities spanned business operations, project contracts, procedural facilitation, and fund allocation during his tenure. The court characterized the magnitude of bribes accepted as ‘extremely large’ and the consequent damage to national and public interests as ‘extremely huge,’ warranting the severe penalty.

Despite the gravity of offenses, the judiciary extended sentencing leniency considering Luo’s cooperative stance during investigations. The former official provided substantial information regarding other major cases, voluntarily disclosed previously unknown bribery incidents, demonstrated confessionary compliance, and proactively returned ill-gotten assets. Additionally, the court noted certain bribery attempts that ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Beyond the suspended capital punishment, the sentence includes permanent deprivation of political rights, comprehensive confiscation of personal assets, and mandatory transfer of all illicit gains and associated interests to the state treasury.

Luo’s professional trajectory, which began in 1990, included prominent roles as mayor of Guang’an and Party chief in Mianyang within his native Sichuan province before assuming leadership positions in Hainan in 2022. His downfall commenced with disciplinary investigation in December 2024, followed by expulsion from the Party and public office in May 2025. Formal indictment on bribery charges occurred five months thereafter, culminating in last year’s public trial and Saturday’s sentencing.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi has issued a severe condemnation of the recent joint military operations conducted by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets. In a striking rebuke, the senior diplomat suggested that Washington had been strategically misled by its Israeli allies into initiating conflict at the very moment a comprehensive peace agreement appeared imminent.

Minister Al Busaidi, who played a pivotal mediation role in negotiations between Iran and the Trump administration, expressed his profound disappointment through social media platform X (formerly Twitter). His public statement came mere hours after expressing measured optimism during a televised interview with CBS News, where he confidently announced that a peaceful resolution was nearly finalized.

The Omani foreign policy chief articulated his dismay that “active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined” by military action. He further emphasized that such offensive operations neither serve American national interests nor advance the cause of global stability. In an emotional appeal, Al Busaidi urged the United States to avoid deeper military entanglement in the region, stating unequivocally: “This is not your war.”

During his earlier Face the Nation appearance, the minister had detailed substantial progress in negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program. He highlighted a groundbreaking commitment from Tehran to completely forego stockpiling nuclear materials suitable for weaponization—a significant advancement beyond the parameters of the 2015 Obama-era nuclear agreement.

Al Busaidi explained that this “zero stockpiling” agreement, coupled with comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency verification protocols, would effectively neutralize Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons regardless of enrichment activities. The diplomatic framework reportedly included provisions to convert existing stockpiles into irreversible fuel forms.

The military strikes triggered immediate retaliatory measures from Iran, with explosions reported across multiple Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Tragically, a strike on an educational facility in southern Iran resulted in numerous casualties, with preliminary reports indicating at least 50 schoolgirls aged 7-12 were killed.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense has issued a stern warning against what it characterizes as destabilizing military activities in the South China Sea. During a Saturday press briefing, Defense Spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang articulated China’s firm position regarding recent multilateral naval exercises conducted near Huangyan Island.

Zhang specifically referenced joint patrol operations involving the Philippines, United States, Japan, and Australia, describing these activities as deliberate provocations that generate regional tensions. The spokesperson criticized what he termed ‘external forces’ for traveling great distances to demonstrate military capabilities in waters China considers under its sovereign jurisdiction.

The defense official particularly singled out the Philippines for allegedly instigating maritime conflicts through external alliances and repeated infringements on Chinese territorial claims. ‘The Philippines operates as both a troublemaker and peace disruptor through its consistent pattern of behavior,’ Zhang stated unequivocally.

Rejecting recent joint statements from the Philippines and United States that suggested Chinese activities adversely affect regional stability, Zhang reaffirmed China’s ‘indisputable sovereignty’ over South China Sea islands and adjacent waters. He characterized China’s maritime operations as ‘legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrained’ measures to protect sovereign rights.

The Chinese military remains on high alert status and will implement decisive countermeasures against any perceived infringements or provocations, according to the defense spokesperson. Zhang concluded by emphasizing China’s unwavering commitment to prevent any successful attempts to undermine South China Sea stability, vowing to protect regional peace through determined action.