Andrea Fusco

MENA / RT = no endorsement

[Babak Vahdad @BabakVahdad]

Iranian channels report Rear Admiral Ali Azmaei has officially been appointed as the new commander of the IRGC Navy, replacing the late Admiral Alireza Tangsiri.

- Iranian media, including Tasnim, Fars and Sepah News, report that Azmaei previously commanded the IRGC’s 5th Naval Zone, responsible for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

- Interestingly, several anti-Iran outlets had previously claimed that Azmaei had been killed during the recent conflict.

- His appointment is therefore not only a routine command transition, but also a public rebuttal of those reports.

- Operationally, the choice signals continuity: Tehran is elevating a commander with direct experience in the Gulf and Hormuz, suggesting that the IRGC intends to preserve its current maritime posture rather than pursue a doctrinal shift.

#Iran

[Clash Report @clashreport]

WATCH: Iran appears to have paired each foreign delegation at Khamenei's funeral with a politically targeted Quranic verse.

Saudi Arabia received a verse about two armies meeting in battle, one believing, one not.

Türkiye got a verse elevating those who fight over those who "sit."

The Lebanese government heard a verse about people refusing to sacrifice if asked.

Hezbollah was told "do not weaken or grieve — you are superior."

Hamas received the verse honoring men who fulfilled their covenant with God, "some have died, others are waiting."

Yemen's Houthis got a verse praising believers who fought without weakening.

Qatar received a verse about forgiveness and divine favor, read as a nod to its mediating role.

[Levant24 @Levant_24_]

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam signed an agreement to establish a joint high-level Syrian-Lebanese committee between the two governments.

[Clash Report @clashreport]

BREAKING: Explosion hits café near Damascus, Syria courthouse; casualties reported.

[Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio]

Met with Libyan National Army Deputy Commander Saddam Haftar to discuss unifying Libya’s military and building the conditions for lasting peace. The U.S. will continue working with Libyan leaders and international partners to support a more peaceful, unified, and prosperous Libya.

[U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs @StateDept_NEA]

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Libyan Deputy Minister of Defense Abdulsalam al-Zubi today at the Department of State. The Deputy Secretary underscored Libya’s strategic importance to regional security and underscored the importance of close cooperation on mutual areas of concern, such as combatting illegal migration and terrorism.

[Babak Vahdad @BabakVahdad]

JD Vance, as quoted by Iranian media, reportedly said that the UAE-once among the most hawkish and pro-confrontation actors in the GCC -is now holding unprecedented talks with Iran, including with the IRGC, over various economic incentives.
#Iran

[Aimen Jamil @jamil_aimen]

🚨UPDATE

#Qatar's PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says #Gulf states and #Iran are negotiating a new regional security framework one that relies less on Washington and more on direct regional cooperation.

For decades, Gulf security rested on the U.S. umbrella. But after drone attacks, shipping disruptions, and repeated crises, regional powers are increasingly looking for their own arrangements.

The Gulf is moving toward a multipolar security order, including Iran.

Whether this becomes lasting stability or simply a temporary alignment remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the region's security architecture is changing.

[Secretary Marco Rubio @SecRubio]

Met with UAE’s President @MohamedBinZayed in Abu Dhabi, where we discussed President Trump’s MOU with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional stability. I thanked the UAE leadership for their unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed our commitment to Emirati security and to our strong bilateral partnership.

[Board of Peace @BoardOfPeace]

The #ISF welcomes its newest members from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Their arrival strengthens the international effort to support the people of Gaza. #StabilityStartsHere

[Babak Vahdad @BabakVahdad]

IRIB confirms that an Iranian delegation has departed for Switzerland for talks with U.S. officials.

- Notably, the delegation is being led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and includes FM Abbas Araghchi, Deputy SNSC head Ali Bagheri Kani, Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati, Deputy FMs Gharibabadi and Baqaei, and Deputy Oil Minister Hamid Bourd.

- The composition is striking: diplomacy, national security, sanctions relief, banking, and energy are all represented at a senior level. This looks less like a routine negotiating team and more like a delegation prepared to discuss implementation of a broader framework.
#Iran

[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan @RTErdogan]

Şam ve Beyrut, İstanbul’un iki kardeş şehridir.

Türkiye’nin güvenliği sadece Hatay’dan değil; Halep’ten başlar, Şam’dan başlar, Beyrut’tan başlar.

Kardeşlerimizin ülkelerinde hiçbir emrivakiye müsamaha göstermeyiz, kardeşlerimize yönelik hiçbir saldırıya göz yummayız.

[العربية عاجل @AlArabiya_Brk]

مراسل العربية: السعودية وتركيا توقعان اليوم مذكرة تفاهم للربط بالسكك الحديدية #العربية_عاجل

[Babak Vahdad @BabakVahdad]

What stands out to me is the
remarkable convergence in the messaging coming from Velayati and Qaani.

- Shortly after Ali Akbar Velayati warned that the "Axis of Resistance" could affect both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani went a step further, declaring that "from the Strait of Hormuz to Bab al-Mandab, and from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, there will be a new security belt of the Resistance."

- Taken together, these statements may offer a glimpse into the strategic thinking currently shaping Iranian decision-making under SNSC Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.

- The significance of the statements lies in the geography. Several colleagues have pointed to this trend before, but today’s statements seem to reinforce it. Iranian officials increasingly appear to be describing Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea not as separate theaters but as a single strategic space.

- Notably, I would add that Qaani's remarks came on the same day that missiles were launched from Yemen toward Israel and Ansarallah announced additional measures in the Red Sea. Whether coincidental or not, the timing reinforces the image of an interconnected regional theater rather than a collection of isolated fronts.

- In this reading, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and Iran form parts of an integrated deterrence architecture. Pressure in one arena could generate responses in another.

- Whether this concept can be translated into operational reality remains to be seen as it will require
strong military capabilities
and coordination across multiple theaters. But Tehran seems to be signaling that future confrontations should be viewed through the lens of interconnected maritime choke points rather than isolated fronts.

#Iran #IranWar

[Babak Vahdad @BabakVahdad]

Today’s decision by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to authorize missile strikes against Israel may offer an early indication of what Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr’s appointment as SNSC Secretary means in practice.

- Under Ali Larijani, the SNSC was often associated with strategic caution and political management. Under Zolghadr, a veteran IRGC commander, the emphasis may increasingly shift, as current events show, toward deterrence, coercive signaling, and rapid retaliation.

#Iran #Israel

[ 𝓂𝒶𝓇𝒾𝑜🇱🇧🇬🇧🇦🇪 @MarioLeb79]

Al-Sadr announces the dismantling of his armed Militia Saraya al-Salam

[Hedgeye @Hedgeye]

🇹🇷 Turkey liquidated almost all its U.S. Treasuries in March

[יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog @Isaac_Herzog]

I was delighted to receive the first-ever Ambassador of Somaliland to Israel, Mohamed Hagi, who presented his diplomatic credentials this morning.

Ambassador Hagi was kind enough to praise our orchestra, who played the national anthem of Somaliland for the first time ever in Israel.

This important new partnership
between our nations will bring a shared future of cooperation in a range of fields to the benefit of both our peoples and the entire region.

[مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي @ADMediaOffice]

خالد بن محمد بن زايد يترأس اجتماع اللجنة التنفيذية لمجلس إدارة "أدنوك"، وسموّه يستعرض أداء الشركة ويطّلع على مستجدات مشروع خط أنابيب "غرب–شرق 1" الجديد، الذي من المخطط أن يسهم في مضاعفة السعة التصديرية لشركة "أدنوك" عبر إمارة الفجيرة.

[وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE @modgovae]

The UAE air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAV’s.

The Ministry of Defence announced that on May 4, 2026, the UAE air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAV’s launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate injuries.

Since the beginning of the blatant Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates, the air defences have engaged a total of 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2,260 UAV’s.

This brings the total number of injuries to 227, involving multiple nationalities, including Emirati, Egyptian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian, Turkish, Iraqi, Nepali, Nigerian, Omani, Jordanian, Palestinian, Ghanaian, Indonesian, Swedish, Tunisian, Moroccan, and Russian.

The total number of martyrs has reached 3, including one civilian of Moroccan nationality contracted with the armed forces, while the total number of civilian fatalities stands at 10 from the following nationalities: Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, Indian, and Egyptian.

The Ministry of Defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country, in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability and safeguards its interests and national capabilities.

#وزارة_الدفاع
#وزارة_الدفاع_الإماراتية
#MOD
#UAEMinistryOfDefence