Iran internet blackout enters 39th day, NetBlocks says

Iranian state media said on Tuesday that Khorramabad airport in western Iran was hit in an air attack, with no casualties reported.

IRNA cited a provincial official in Lorestan as saying the Shahid Ashrafi Esfahani Airport in Khorramabad was targeted.

The official said the strike caused no loss of life.

State media said earlier on Tuesday that US and Israeli attacks also damaged communications infrastructure in rural areas of Selseleh and Delfan counties, leading to telecom outages.

China said on Tuesday it hopes parties will seize a chance for peace after a US proposal for a ceasefire involving Iran, and backed Pakistan’s mediation efforts.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing “welcomes all efforts that are conducive to peace” and supports Pakistan’s active role in promoting talks.

China also urged relevant parties to bridge differences through dialogue.

Iran’s judiciary chief said on Tuesday that legal cases against people accused of helping the country’s adversaries should be handled more quickly.

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said verdicts involving execution or confiscation of assets should be issued faster against “enemy agents.”

“The Islamic Iran is exercising its undeniable right to legitimate self-defense, and we will continue this defense in the most powerful manner possible until our national security is guaranteed,” he said.

His remarks came as Iran has intensified arrests since US and Israeli strikes began with the authorities detaining people accused of aiding adversaries.

Iran’s police arrested a person over accusations of selling VPN services to more than 300 people as authorities continue sealing off global internet access.

The police commander in southeast-central province of Kerman said the suspect was running an organized VPN sales network across several Iranian provinces to create "unauthorized access to social media networks across the country and facilitate communication with hostile networks.”

He said the network’s activities had been halted, describing them as illegal and threatening amid the ongoing internet shutdown imposed by the government.

Iranian authorities have repeatedly moved against VPNs as officials seek to tighten control over internet access even further.

The Pentagon is expanding its list of Iranian energy sites that could be targeted to include facilities supplying fuel and electricity to both civilians and the military, Politico reported on Tuesday.

The report, citing two defense officials, said US war planners were revising the target list as American and Israeli warplanes looked for new objectives after five weeks of strikes on military sites.

Politico said the change could provide legal cover if the administration faces accusations of war crimes for hitting basic infrastructure.

The officials said the dual-use nature of the facilities could make them legitimate military targets.