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Iran presidential runoff

The leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution has described Iranians’ participation in Friday’s presidential runoff vote as the backbone of the Islamic Republic and a source of pride. The leader made the remarks in a meeting with a group of academics of Shahid Motahari University in Tehran. Highlighting the importance of the second round of the presidential election, Ayatollah Khamenei said those who love Islam, the Islamic Republic, and the progress of the nation should demonstrate their support by casting their ballots. He said voter turnout in the first round of the election was not what had been anticipated. The Leader, however, asserted that it is wrong to assume that those who did not vote are against the Islamic establishment.

Gaza genocide raging

Over nine months into Israel’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, the regime keeps pounding the devastated Palestinian territory, killing more innocent women and children. At least 23 people were killed in the latest attacks on areas in central and southern Gaza. The victims include nine members of a single family who were targeted in a designated safe zone in Khan Yunis. A strike also hit the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central city of Deir al-Balah, killing five people. Two women were also killed in an Israeli bombing of Nuseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza. According to Palestinian health officials, the Israeli regime committed three massacres in the past day, killing at least 28 civilians and injuring some 125 others. This brings the total death toll since October 7 to nearly 38,000, most of them women and children. Over 87,000 Gazans have also been injured.

SCO summit

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's annual summit is underway in the Kazakh capital, Astana, with World leaders holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 2-day event. Russian president, Vladimir Putin has met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. He said ties between Moscow and Beijing are experiencing the best period in their history. For his part, Xi stressed that the two nations must make tireless efforts to protect their legitimate rights and interests in the face of a complex and fluid international situation. The two leaders also held a series of extensive talks with their counterparts from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Kazakhstan, among others. Iran's acting president Mohammad Mokhber is also scheduled to fly to Astana in hours. The SCO was founded in 2001 by China and Russia. The Eurasian club aims to discuss security concerns in the west Asia region and promote a more “multipolar” world.

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