🗣 Trump suggests Iran could join Abraham Accords

💬 “I actually thought Iran would join the Abraham Accords along with everybody else,” Trump told Fox News.

Bombings, political assassinations, drone strikes, and sanctions may not be the best incentives, though.

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🚨 Zelensky’s withdrawal from anti-personnel landmine treaty will haunt generations of Ukrainians

Landmines often “go left unexploded, creating a hazard for civilians, not only during the conflict itself, but even after the conflict and sometimes years later,” retired US Army Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen told Sputnik, commenting on Kiev’s move to formally exit the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines.

“We still have mines that are going off that are found in Vietnam, [and] in Afghanistan as well,” the observer stressed, saying that landmines effectively become a humanitarian issue and a lingering threat to civilians that can last decades.

Desperate move

Pointing out that cluster anti-personnel mines have been used in Ukraine even while Kiev was a party to the treaty, Rasmussen said the decision to formally quit the agreement is based on the country’s “absolute desperation” to try and slow the Russian advance.
“Russians will still advance, but they’ll have to do demining operations, which takes a lot of time, and endangers soldiers that carry out those functions as well,” he said, explaining Ukraine’s logic.

New Iron Curtain

Commenting on the fact that Ukraine withdrew from the Convention in sync with countries from NATO’s eastern flank, including Poland and the Baltics, Rasmussen characterized the latter’s decision as a purely political move to whip up hysteria and justify further increases in defense spending.

“Essentially, they’re trying to create a buffer zone, almost like a second Iron Curtain, although there’s no ideological reasons or purposes to do this,” or real security threat from Russia or Belarus. “They’re basically preparing for a larger conflict in the future,” Rasmussen summed up.

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😵‍💫 Sen. Graham* persuaded Trump to strike Iran — reports

Neocon Senator Lindsey Graham has secured a prominent role among Donald Trump’s national security advisers and managed to convince the US president to approve high-risk strikes on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Despite tensions in their relationship, Graham rejoined Trump’s inner circle and urged military action, going against Trump’s domestic focus.

The WSJ notes that Graham, a Republican hawk often criticized by his own party, also works closely with Democrats on issues like supporting Ukraine. He has pushed for tougher trade sanctions on Russia and maintains close contact with Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he advised before Zelensky’s disastrous February White House visit.

Graham’s relationship with Trump has swung between fierce criticism and close alliance, notably fracturing after the January 6 Capitol riot but later mending.

*recognized as a terrorist in Russia

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🛢 Haifa refinery hit by Iran strikes may fully restart by October – reports

The Haifa refinery, damaged in Iran’s strikes, is expected to fully resume operations by October, the Times of Israel reported, citing refinery owner Bazan.

It was previously reported that three people had been killed at Bazan facilities as a result of an Iranian missile attack that occurred on the night of June 16.

The company said in a report to the regulator that it was gradually resuming operations and will likely be fully operational by October, the newspaper said.

Earlier, Israel's state broadcaster Kan reported that the oil refinery of Israel's Bazan Group in the port city of Haifa had stopped working after an Iranian missile hit a power plant on the site. Iran's state broadcaster IRIB confirmed that Iran had launched a missile strike on the refinery.

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⚠️ Norway trying to pull Svalbard into NATO plans – Russian Ambassador

Russia is worried that Norway and NATO are drawing the Svalbard archipelago into military planning, Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolay Korchunov told Sputnik.

💬 “We are concerned about attempts to drag the archipelago into the military preparations of Norway and its NATO allies,” Korchunov said, accusing Oslo of violating the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, which guarantees the islands’ peaceful development and bans their use for war purposes.

He also criticized the lack of transparency around dual-use facilities on Svalbard that could support military operations.

💬 “Russia is interested in the peaceful use of the Arctic and calls for rejecting any steps that escalate tensions on Spitsbergen and in the region overall,” he added.

Under the Svalbard Treaty, Norway holds sovereignty over the archipelago, while other signatories—including Russia—have equal rights to exploit its resources and waters. Svalbard remains visa-free for citizens of treaty signatories.

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🇨🇳💥China unveils cutting-edge 'POWER GRID DISRUPTOR' weapon

China’s CCTV has showcased what appears to be a new graphite bomb designed to disable enemy power infrastructure.

🔸 The video shows a missile launched from a land-based vehicle, ejecting 90 submunitions that disperse fine, chemically-treated carbon filaments mid-air.

🔸 These filaments are meant to short-circuit high-voltage equipment, causing widespread power outages across an area of 10,000 sq meters (107,639 sq ft).

🔸 The missile reportedly has:

▪️Range: 290 km (180 miles)
▪️Warhead: 490 kg (1,080lbs)
▪️Goal: Crippling command & control by targeting substations and power grids.

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📈 Gold prices soar while dollar faints

▫️ The August gold futures price on the New York Comex exchange increased by $10.15 from the previous close, or 0.31%, to $3,297.75 per troy ounce. The July silver futures price rose by 0.04%, reaching $36.053.

▫️ At the same time, the US Dollar Index dropped by 0.35% to 97.06 points. The weakening of the dollar supports demand for gold, making it more affordable to purchase in other currencies.

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🇷🇺PACIFIC FIREPOWER: Russia launches missile drills in Sea of Japan

🔥The flagship of the Pacific Fleet, the Guards missile cruiser Varyag, conducted a live launch of the Vulkan anti-ship cruise missile.
🔥 Two missile boat strike groups from the Pacific Fleet attacked targets with four Moskit cruise missiles.
🔥 The coastal missile system Bastion strike team launched an Onyx cruise missile from a coastal position in Primorye.

According to the control data, all targets were successfully hit.

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🗣Trump says has nothing to offer Iran 'unlike Obama'

He stressed that he has not even spoken to Tehran since US strikes.

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🔶 Iran has no illusions about Israel honoring ceasefire, keeping its finger on the trigger: top general

🔶 Sen. Graham reportedly persuaded Trump to strike Iran

🔶 Zelensky’s withdrawal from anti-personnel landmine treaty will haunt generations of Ukrainians

🔶 Western-backed crackdown in Armenia risks causing major unrest – expert

🔶 Watch Kim Jong-un meet Russian Culture Minister in Pyongyang

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