Iran's President Announces Mediation Efforts as War Intensifies
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Friday that certain nations have initiated mediation attempts to halt the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel. In a statement posted on X, Pezeshkian emphasised, 'Some countries have begun mediation efforts.' He further asserted, 'Let's be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region yet we have no hesitation in defending our nation's dignity and sovereignty.' The President insisted that any mediation must address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict.
Massive Explosions Rock Central Tehran
This announcement coincided with one of the largest explosions of the war striking central Tehran on Friday, following a warning from former US President Donald Trump that the 'big one' is imminent. The attack targeted the Moqaddad base of the Revolutionary Guards, resulting in deafening bangs, multiple plumes of smoke, and fireballs from a huge payload. In video footage, Tehran's iconic Azadi Tower is visible as bombs rained down on the capital.
Debris was scattered across the city centre, with some witnesses claiming to have seen bodies thrown over 100 feet into the air. Iranians filming the bomb blasts could be heard exclaiming at the ferocity of the explosions, hours after Trump urged the Iranian military to 'surrender or die.' Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area, while others reported explosions around Kermanshah, a region housing multiple missile bases.
Regional Escalation and US Threats
Meanwhile, Israel launched a series of airstrikes late on Thursday and into Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas, as fighting with Hezbollah has intensified. Iran had unleashed its 'most intense barrage' yet on Thursday night, targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf, threatening to drag more countries into the Middle East conflict. The Islamic Republic vowed the US would 'bitterly regret' torpedoing one of its warships, as it sent hundreds of drones and missiles at Arab neighbours.
Trump responded with fury, urging members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the military, and police to lay down their arms or face the same fate as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He stated it was 'too late' for Iran to talk and called on its diplomats worldwide to defect. At the White House, Trump said, 'I'm once again calling on all members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the military and the police to lay down their arms.' He offered immunity to those who comply, warning otherwise of 'absolutely guaranteed death.'
Trump also claimed Iran has reached out to 'make a deal' to end the US military operation, but he dismissed it as too late, saying, 'They're calling, they're saying, "How do we make a deal?" I said, "You're being a little bit late", and we want to fight now more than they do.'
US Prepares for Major Strikes Using British Bases
As tensions mount, the US Air Force's heaviest bombers are expected to arrive at British bases within hours, indicating that Trump's mega-attack on Iran, dubbed the 'big one,' is imminent. Trump warned this week, 'We haven't even started hitting them hard. The big wave has not even happened.' America's stealth air fleet, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, is reportedly en route to Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
These strategic bombers, costing up to $2 billion each, can execute long-range missions undetected while carrying devastating missiles. Sources suggest Saturday could be D-day for a new gigantic bombardment, exactly a week after America and Israel first attacked Iran as part of 'Operation Epic Fury.' US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that America will now use British RAF bases to 'dramatically' increase strikes on Iran, after the UK Prime Minister permitted defensive strikes from UK-US bases.
Speaking at a press conference in Tampa on Thursday, Hegseth warned the regime, 'We have only just begun to fight and fight decisively. If you think you've seen something, just wait.' He added, 'Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation. Our munitions are full up and our will is ironclad.' Hegseth emphasised, 'The amount of firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically.'
After a delay where Trump criticised UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as 'unhelpful' and 'no Winston Churchill,' the UK is now allowing the US to use British bases for defensive strikes against missile facilities in Iran. Experts believe some American bombers could deploy the 'Mother of All Bombs,' a 10-tonne explosive that creates 1,000-foot holes, destroying tunnels and bunkers while pulling infrastructure like bridges into giant craters.
Additionally, America's army of Reaper drones carrying laser-guided bombs will increase sorties over Iranian cities, with attacks from aircraft carriers and missiles from US submarines also anticipated.
