Pakistan President’s Spokesman Calls Taliban ‘Brainless Beasts’

In a post on X, Kallas said repression “could not go unanswered” and described the decision by EU foreign ministers as a “decisive action” to place the Revolutionary Guard on the bloc’s terrorist list.

She added: “Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise.”

The move marks a significant escalation in the EU’s response to Tehran’s human rights record and the role of the Revolutionary Guard, a powerful military and security force that has been accused of involvement in domestic repression and regional conflicts.

The designation will allow EU member states to impose tighter sanctions and expand cooperation on counter-terrorism measures, although it could also complicate diplomatic and economic relations with Iran.

Iran’s government has not yet issued an official response to the announcement.

Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said at a news conference that Iran remained confident in its defence capabilities. He described what he called a comprehensive hybrid war against Iran and said threats from Israel and the United States had continued on a near-daily basis in recent months. Regional countries, he added, understand that insecurity is “contagious” and would not be confined to Iran.

Baghaei also addressed the reported deployment of US warships to the region, saying such moves would not weaken Iran’s determination to defend itself.

Earlier, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln had arrived in the Middle East on Sunday evening and was positioned near Iran. The report said a vessel carrying specialised missile defence systems was also heading towards Israel.

In other remarks, Baghaei referred to defence agreements with China and Russia, saying cooperation and contacts with both countries would continue strongly.

The department called the move an important step in countering Iran-backed militancy.

In a post on X, the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said the Quds Force, the IRGC’s external operations arm, has fuelled violence across the Middle East and beyond, while also repressing its own population at home.

The bureau praised the decision by Argentina under President Javier Milei, saying the designation strengthens international efforts to counter terrorism linked to Iran and to support the Iranian people.

Argentina announced the move after Milei signed a decree formally designating the IRGC’s Quds Force and 13 individuals associated with its external operations as terrorists.

Iran has not yet responded publicly to the announcement.

In a speech broadcast on state media, Khamenei said Iran considers the US president a criminal “because of the casualties, damage and accusations he has inflicted upon the Iranian nation.” He claimed the United States aims to “swallow Iran.”

Khamenei described the recent nationwide protests as an American-backed “sedition” and said many of those involved had been arrested. He praised Iran’s security and law enforcement forces, saying they had “performed well” and detained a large number of protesters.

“We do not intend to lead the country towards war,” Khamenei said, adding, however, that Iran would not leave “domestic criminals” or “international criminals” unpunished.

Iran has been gripped by widespread protests in recent weeks, which authorities say are being instigated by foreign powers. Human rights groups and opposition activists, however, say the demonstrations are driven by domestic grievances and have accused security forces of using excessive force against protesters.

In a statement, the global internet access watchdog said overall connectivity remains at about 2 percent, with no signs of a meaningful return of services nationwide.

The assessment comes as Iranian state news agencies have reported the restoration of the so-called “national internet,” a restricted domestic network that limits access to sites hosted outside the country.

Meanwhile, an Iranian Telegram channel reported on Saturday that while some virtual private networks (VPNs) were able to connect, access to Google and other websites hosted outside Iran remained unavailable without a VPN.

The channel added that even with a VPN, many Iranian websites were not accessible, underscoring the continued disruption and fragmentation of online services across the country.