Iran Accused Of Striking Kurdish Opposition Group In Iraq
Drone strikes in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region wounded three members of an exiled Iranian Kurdish rebel group on April 22, according to the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), which blamed Iran.
The group said four drones targeted its bases in the Khabat district of Irbil province, causing minor injuries.
The reported attack comes during a fragile cease-fire in the US-Israeli war against Iran, which took effect on April 8.
Tehran has repeatedly targeted Iranian Kurdish groups based in Iraqi Kurdistan, which it designates as terrorist organizations and accuses of serving Western or Israeli interests.
Days before the war began on February 28, PAK joined four other exiled groups in a coalition seeking to topple Iran’s Islamic republic and secure Kurdish self-determination.
Kurds are one of Iran’s largest ethnic minorities, accounting for up to 10 percent of the population according to some estimates. They are mostly concentrated in the west of the country along the Iraqi and Turkish borders.
With reporting by AFP
Sunni Cleric Calls For 'Just Agreement' With US
A prominent Iranian Sunni cleric and outspoken critic of the regime has said that Iran’s “skies are under enemy control” and that key infrastructure had been “exposed to destruction.”
In a post on X on April 22, Abdolhamid Esmailzehi also said that the country’s armed forces lacked the necessary tools for air defense and argued that in the current deadlock the only path forward was a “just agreement.”
Abdolhamid sharply criticized hard-liners who he said were blocking such an outcome, asking what answer they would have “before God and this oppressed nation” if their obstinacy resulted in “the ruin of the homeland.”
Esmailzehi's comments appeared to reflect growing public debate inside Iran over the costs of continued confrontation with the US and Israel.
Iran is a Shi'a-majority country, with about 90 percent of the population belonging to that branch of Islam. The Sunni Islam minority is about 5-10 percent, according to recent statistics.
Second Ship Fired Upon In Hormuz Strait, Says Monitor
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) shipping monitor said an outbound cargo ship reported being fired upon in the Strait of Hormuz early on April 22, about eight nautical miles west of Iran.
The vessel was left "stopped in the water," though all crew were safe and no damage was reported, the UKMTO said on X.
The UKMTO post came hours after it reported another incident in which a container ship said it was fired on by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps northeast of Oman, suffering heavy damage to its bridge.
Since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, repeated strikes on shipping have severely disrupted traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which usually accounts for about one-fifth of the global oil trade.
With reporting by dpa
Iran's Digital Blackout Enters 53rd Day, Says Internet Monitor
The NetBlocks Internet connectivity monitor says Iran’s digital blackout has entered its 53rd day, with users disconnected from global networks for 1,248 hours.
The watchdog said authorities are expanding tiered access for selected users and businesses, while the human and economic costs continue to mount.
Separately, Iranian Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi warned that an unstable Internet threatens the livelihoods of about 10 million Iranians, mainly from lower- and middle-income groups who depend on reliable connectivity for their work.
He said prolonged disruption “could have deep social and economic consequences," underscoring the growing domestic pressure over the nationwide shutdown.
Iran Executes Man Over Alleged Links To Mossad
Iran says it has hanged a man after convicting him of alleged espionage and extensive cooperation with the Israeli spy agency Mossad.
The country's judiciary said on April 22 that Mehdi Farid's death sentence was upheld after legal review under the capital charge of “corruption on earth.”
Officials did not disclose when he was arrested or tried.
The judiciary's Mizan website claimed Farid had provided "sensitive information to Mossad."
It added that Farid was accused of "connecting the servers of a sensitive organization to infected files on the orders of a Mossad officer."
Human rights organizations had previously identified Farid as a former employee of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
It was also announced that, in related cases, 19 other sentences have so far been issued in Qom Province for defendants accused of “cooperation with the enemy,” including prison terms and fines.
Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran on February 28, the Islamic republic has intensified the implementation of execution sentences.
In recent days, multiple reports have also emerged of daily executions carried out by Iran’s judiciary.
With reporting by AFP
Trump Says Iran Is ‘Collapsing Financially’
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is “collapsing financially,” losing $500 million a day and urgently seeking to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In his Truth Social post early on April 22, he also alleged that the country was experiencing deepening economic distress and its security forces had not been paid.
Shipping Monitor Says Vessel Fired Upon Near Oman
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security monitoring center that issues alerts to commercial shipping in the Middle East, said on April 22 that it received a report of an incident 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman.
The captain of a container ship said their vessel was approached by an Iranian Revolutionary Guards gunboat which gave no radio warning before opening fire, causing heavy damage to the bridge.
UKMTO said no fire or pollution was reported and all crew were safe.
Washington Says Iran Blockade Will Continue Under 'Maximum Pressure'
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports, predicting storage at Kharg Island would soon fill and oil wells would be forced to shut.
Bessent said the Treasury would continue “maximum pressure” sanctions targeting Tehran’s trade, finance and revenue networks.
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
Britain To Host Military Talks On Potential Hormuz Mission Post-Peace Agreement
Britain on April 22-23 will host military planners from more than 30 countries for talks starting on a potential multinational mission led by the UK and France to protect sea traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The British Defense Ministry said the talks would involve "detailed planning" on reopening the strait when conditions allow.
"The task...to translate diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire," Defense Minister John Healey said in a statement, adding he was confident "real progress can be made."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired international talks on the waterway in Paris last week, with more than 40 countries participating. The US did not attend.
Britain and France stressed that force would only be used in defensive situations and that the mission would start only after a peace agreement is concluded.