Sipun, Delhi (2026)

25/04/2026

🇺🇸🇮🇷Hegseth Drops Red Line: More Iranian Mines in Hormuz = Ceasefire Broken.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has warned that any further Iranian attempts to lay additional mines in the Strait of Hormuz would constitute a violation of the ceasefire.

The core challenge for the United States is Iran’s reliance on small, fast attack boats that can easily blend in with civilian and fishing traffic.

Iran possesses hundreds of highly maneuverable, low-profile vessels capable of operating from coastal areas, islands, and concealed bases.

These craft deploy mines using simple onboard equipment such as small cranes, typically under the cover of darkness or in coordinated swarms designed to overwhelm surveillance.

As a result, it is extremely difficult for the U.S. to detect or confirm whether Iran is continuing to lay mines.

There is also significant uncertainty regarding the total number of mines already deployed, to the point that even Iran may lack complete knowledge of their exact locations and quantities.

25/04/2026

🇺🇲🇮🇷 The second phase of Operation “Epic Fury” will focus on restoring the functioning of the Strait of Hormuz. To achieve this objective, the U.S. military has deployed a significant number of combat aircraft to the Middle East.

These include 12 F/A-18C/D fighters from the U.S. Marine Corps’ VMFA-312 squadron, 30 A-10C+ Thunderbolt II attack aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard’s 74th, 75th, 107th, and 190th fighter squadrons, as well as six AC-130J gunships and numerous other assets stationed at Al Dhafra and Prince Sultan Air Bases.

Most of these fighters and drones are intended to provide close air support to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces involved in potential ground operations, including any attempts to seize islands under Iranian control.

25/04/2026

🚨 IMAGINE THIS: India, Russia, China, the US, the EU, and the Global South finally working together — the day the world defeats the globalists' virus for good

India, China, and Russia have absolutely shocked the globalists.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, the globalists popped champagne and screamed: "It’s the end of history!"

Instead, a brand new history began — the Asian Century.

🇮🇳 India surpassed Japan in 2025 to become the world’s 4th largest economy… and will overtake Germany in the next 2-3 years.

🇨🇳 China pulled off the greatest economic miracle in human history.

🇷🇺 Russia rose from the ashes, stronger and sovereign under President Putin.

🇪🇺 Globalists successfully turned the EU into a vassal.

However, they failed completely to prevent Russia from becoming a true sovereign power.

25/04/2026

🇵🇰🇮🇷🇺🇸 Demands delivered by Iran's FM Araghchi in Islamabad:

- lift the naval blockade
- stop U.S. attacks and threats
- reject "maximalist" demands or surrender terms (such as full nuclear dismantlement)

Araghchi used Pakistan as the messenger, passing Iran's demands and objections to U.S. conditions straight to Islamabad for Washington to receive.

He sat down with Army Chief Asim Munir and FM Ishaq Dar, handing over what sources are calling a "complete and comprehensive" response.

Iran is still refusing direct talks with the U.S., calling this trip regional coordination while also planning stops in Oman and Moscow.

U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner are expected to arrive today to receive Iran's response through Pakistan, as talks continue indirectly, with Islamabad acting as the bridge between the two sides.

In a separate meeting, Araghchi also held talks with Pakistani PM Shahbaz Sharif.

25/04/2026

🇺🇸🇨🇳 US lashes out with more sanctions on China ahead of Trump’s visit

The United States imposed sanctions on a major China-based refinery and dozens of shipping firms linked to transporting Iranian oil, American media reported.

💬 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US “will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries and buyers Iran relies on,” signaling a lack of willingness to cooperate with the rest of the world.

The measures target one of China’s largest independent refineries and come as global energy markets face disruption amid the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and the US illegal blockade of the Persian Gulf.

🛫 US sanctions come as Trump plans to visit China next month. The visit has already been delayed due to US aggression against Iran. It is unclear whether the visit will ultimately take place amid US hostile actions toward China.

💬 China has previously denounced such actions, saying sanctions “undermine international trade order and rules” and “infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”

25/04/2026

NEW | Iran Update: Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi and his inner circle have repeatedly blocked attempts by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other “pragmatist” officials to push the regime toward a more flexible negotiating position. Vahidi appears to have prevailed in this internal power struggle and will likely shape the regime’s approach toward negotiations and the war with a maximalist and uncompromising stance. Ghalibaf likely lacks the leverage to alter this trajectory in a meaningful way at this time.

Recent reports that Ghalibaf may resign from being a member of the negotiating team are consistent with ISW-CTP’s assessment that Vahidi has emerged as the winner of the intra-regime rivalry. Sources told Western media that Ghalibaf has grown frustrated with internal divisions and has considered resigning from the negotiating delegation, while some outlets have claimed that Ghalibaf has already resigned from the negotiating team due to disagreements over nuclear concessions.

“Pragmatist” officials may continue to advocate for a more flexible approach, but their efforts are unlikely to meaningfully shape regime decision-making in the near term.

Vahidi’s apparent victory will likely have significant implications for potential future US-Iran negotiations. Vahidi has also shown greater willingness than “pragmatist” officials to accept the risk of renewed conflict with the United States.

Iran and the United States are both sending delegations to meet with Pakistani mediators in Islamabad this weekend, but it remains unclear whether the delegations will engage in a second round of negotiations at the time of this writing. Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on April 24, and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad on April 25. Sources told Axios that a trilateral meeting between Araghchi, Witkoff, and Kushner could take place following separate bilateral discussions between Witkoff, Kushner, and Pakistani mediators.

Likely Iranian-backed Iraqi militias conducted two fiber-optic drone attacks on Kuwaiti border posts on April 24. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have not claimed these attacks at the time of this writing. Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have demonstrated their ability to use fiber-optic first-person view (FPV) drones during the war, however.

The US naval blockade appears to be constraining Iran’s oil storage capacity. Tanker Trackers reported on April 23 that Iran has recommissioned the retired very large crude carrier (VLCC) Nasha into service, likely to expand Iran’s floating storage capacity near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf as Iran’s onshore storage capacity decreases.

Hezbollah claimed that it targeted an Israeli community in northern Israel for the first time since the ceasefire went into effect on April 16. Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh said that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire will remain in effect until May 17, three weeks past its original expiration date on April 26

25/04/2026

Iran found a sanctions loophole based on thermodynamics. Seven countries are wired to Iran's grid: Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Iran's power plants burn natural gas and heavy fuel oil. Over 90% of the country's electricity comes from hydrocarbons. Crude oil in a tanker is sanctioned, but electrons in a wire are not. The Iraq electricity waiver was renewed repeatedly for seven years, from 2018 to 2024. Trump let it expire on March 8, 2025. In 2024, Iran exported 5.2 TWh. At peak, Iraq took up to 40% of its power from Iran, through both wires and pipelines. Sanctions stopped the tankers. The electrons kept flowing.

25/04/2026

The Trump administration imposed sanctions today on the Hengli Refinery in China as well as on 40 shipping firms and vessels involved in transporting Iranian oil.

Hengli, one of China’s largest independent refineries with a processing capacity of about 400,000 barrels per day, has purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products since at least 2023.

The sanctions target Hengli as one of Iran’s largest customers, along with a network of shadow fleet vessels and companies facilitating the trade.

🇺🇸🇨🇳

25/04/2026

🚨🇮🇳🇨🇳 India, China urge citizens to leave Iran 'as soon as possible'

The Indian Embassy in Tehran advised its nationals “not to travel to Iran, whether by air or land,” citing ongoing airspace restrictions and operational uncertainties due to regional tensions.

It also urged Indian citizens currently in Iran to leave via designated land border routes in coordination with the embassy.

China’s embassy in Tehran similarly warned citizens to avoid travel to Iran, describing the security situation as “complex and volatile,” and advised those in the country to strengthen precautions and leave “as soon as possible.”

🇺🇸 Both advisories come as the US continues its naval blockade of Iran, while US President Donald Trump has decided to extend the ceasefire.

⚠️ Similar notices were issued by foreign missions in late February ahead of the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, raising concerns about a potential repeat scenario.

25/04/2026

🇮🇹🇮🇷 Italy is sending 2 minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz, with up to 2 more vessels for es**rt and logistics.

Over 40 countries joined last week's Paris coordination meeting. Europe is assembling its own Gulf security coalition, separate from the U.S.

When Hormuz sneezes, Europeans pay €2.30/liter at the pump. This deployment is what energy dependency looks like when it stops being abstract.

25/04/2026

NEW: The PRC very likely pressured three African countries to close their airspace to Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te to prevent his planned visit to Eswatini, one of Taiwan’s 12 remaining diplomatic allies. This is an escalation of PRC efforts to disrupt Taiwan’s international engagement and erode its sovereignty. (1/2)

Other Key Takeaways:

PRC espionage operations are exploiting financial instability among Taiwanese military personnel to acquire military secrets and weaken Taiwan’s confidence in its military.

The PLA may be prioritizing metrics of loyalty and ideological orthodoxy over material improvements in its military modernization, amid expansive military purges. Emphasizing political and ideological standards instead of operational competence could impede the PLA’s military readiness and lead to miscalculation.

$🇮🇷 Iran replaced one man with a committee of generals and somehow got more coherent. Trump keeps saying Iran is fractur...$

25/04/2026

🇮🇷 Iran replaced one man with a committee of generals and somehow got more coherent.

Trump keeps saying Iran is fractured. U.S. and Israeli intelligence keep saying the opposite.

Here's what actually happened after Ali Khamenei was killed in February:

Iran didn't collapse. It quietly handed power to the IRGC and kept moving.

3 men now run the country in practice:
▪️Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, who commands the IRGC
▪️General Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who runs the Supreme National Security Council
▪️General Yahya Rahim Safavi, military adviser and institutional memory of Iran's entire war doctrine

No supreme leader. No single throat to choke. A junta.

Intelligence sources put it like this: "differences in emphasis and approach within the Iranian system, but no clear evidence of fractures at the level of core decision-making."

So the U.S. is heading into peace talks expecting to exploit internal chaos that doesn't exist, against a power structure that's harder to read and harder to pressure than the one it replaced.

Iran didn't fracture after losing its supreme leader. It became a military council with nuclear ambitions, and nothing left to lose.

Sipun

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