New US sanctions target Iranian defense procurement

Democratic Senator Mark Warner and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal have raised concerns about the possibility of President Donald Trump ordering a military strike on Iran without first consulting Congress.

“Donald Trump is not a king. He's a president. He has an obligation to consult with Congress,” Warner said in a video posted on his X account.

Jayapal added in a post on X, “The idea that the US would potentially deploy a bunker buster bomb in Iran without Congressional approval ... flies in the face of our Constitution.”

Iran's UN envoy Amir-Saeid Iravani accused Israel of “gross violations of international law”, and urged the UN to take action.

“If the council fails to act now, it will send a message that international law and resolutions apply selectively," he told security council Friday.

Israel's UN envoy Danny Dannon accused Iran of deliberately targeting a hospital, saying the country was a wolf posing as sheep.

"We do not apologize for neutralizing a threat," Dannon told security council. "We're acting where international community hesitated."

Addressing Iranian counterpart directly, Dannon said: “Mr Iravani, you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat and we are done pretending otherwise.”

Hezbollah chief said this week that the group will not remain neutral in the Iran-Israel conflict.

May Farhat reports from Beirut on hopes and fears of ordinary Lebanese.

At the United Nations Security Council session in Geneva on Friday, China and Russia called on Israel to immediately halt its military actions against Iran, with Beijing urging a ceasefire to prevent further escalation and Moscow accusing Israel of disregarding diplomatic efforts.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Iran’s nuclear facilities are under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and subject to the most stringent inspections.

“Not a single member of this body is under more stringent oversight,” Nebenzia said.

China’s Ambassador, Fu Cong urged “the parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the conflict from escalating.”

Cong said that Israel’s actions against Iran violate international law and the norms of international relations.

The United Nations Security Council is convening an emergency session to address the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, now entering its second week.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that any expansion of Israel-Iran conflict could ignite a fire "no on can control," calling on all those involved to "give peace a change."

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi issues stark warning against any direct hit at Iran's nuclear plant in Bushehr and Tehran, citing grave radiation risks.