Israeli Strikes In Iran Leave 452 Dead, 646 Injured, Says Rights Group

Among those evacuated are citizens of the United States, China, Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and several other countries. The evacuees crossed the border at Astara, a key crossing point on the Caspian Sea coast, before being transported to Baku Airport, where they boarded international flights to their respective home countries.

Although Azerbaijan has kept its land borders closed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the official said an exception had been made to accommodate urgent evacuation needs.

“In light of the evacuation need, Azerbaijan has temporarily opened its border for those leaving Iran,” the official stated.

In a similar move, Turkmenistan announced that it had allowed the transit of approximately 120 citizens from various Central Asian countries who were evacuated from Iran amid rising regional tensions.

According to citizen reports and messages received by Iran International, access to Bank Sepah’s online services has been completely cut off, with customers unable to access their accounts.

The hacker group Gonjeshke Darande has claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said it had destroyed the bank’s infrastructure, declaring: “We conducted cyberattacks which destroyed the data of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Bank Sepah.”

As a result of the breach, cards issued by Bank Sepah and its affiliated financial institutions, including Ansar and Kosar banks, have reportedly stopped functioning and are currently unusable.

Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), confirmed the cyberattack and acknowledged significant disruptions to the bank’s operations. It also warned that the attack could impact fuel station payment systems, as Bank Sepah plays a key role in processing transactions at petrol stations across the country.

Further details about the extent of the data loss or recovery plans have not yet been released by Iranian officials.

The statement, released as the Israel-Iran conflict entered its fifth day, urged both sides to cease military actions and return to the negotiating table. It also called for all regional states to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Signatories to the statement include Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, and several other Arab and Islamic nations.

The countries underscored the urgent need to establish a Middle East free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. They stressed that diplomatic engagement remains the only viable path toward a sustainable agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.

“Military solutions cannot provide lasting answers to the region’s crises,” the statement read, urging international support for renewed negotiations and regional disarmament efforts.

Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday that regime change “could certainly be the result because the Iran regime is very weak,” referring to recent developments in the region.

In response, a Kremlin spokesperson said Russia had taken note of Netanyahu’s comments but observed no signs of instability within Iran. “We see strong cohesion in Iranian society,” the spokesperson said.

When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could serve as a mediator between Israel and Iran, the Kremlin noted that Moscow maintains communication with both parties and is prepared to intervene diplomatically if needed.

The spokesperson also reiterated that Russia’s earlier proposal to transfer Iran’s uranium stockpile to Russian territory remains open, though acknowledged that ongoing hostilities have complicated the prospects for such a move.

French President Emmanuel Macron voiced scepticism about Moscow’s role as a neutral broker. “I do not believe that Russia, which is now engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has decided not to respect the UN Charter for several years now, can be a mediator,” Macron said on Sunday.

Nonetheless, Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian official, reiterated Moscow’s readiness to help resolve the crisis, stating that Russia could play a key role in mediating between Iran and Israel.

Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump also weighed in, saying he would support Putin taking on a mediation role in the growing confrontation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed at a press conference that the proposed bill is under development and that coordination between the government and the Islamic Consultative Assembly is ongoing.

“The proposed plans are being drafted, and necessary coordination with the parliament is underway,” Baghaei said. “Iran will make an appropriate decision based on developments. We are in close contact with the parliament, and any decisions passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly will be binding for the government.”

Iran ratified the NPT in 1970. The treaty allows signatories to pursue peaceful nuclear energy while obliging them to renounce nuclear weapons development and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities escalated last week after Israel launched airstrikes, alleging that Tehran was close to acquiring a nuclear weapon. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly insisted its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.

However, the IAEA recently reported that Iran has violated its obligations under the NPT framework, further fuelling international concern over its nuclear ambitions.