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Kurdistan drone attack

Iran's foreign minister has strongly condemned a recent drone attack on the office of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s prime minister, Masrour Barzani, warning that it could be a false-flag plot. In a social media post, Abbas Araghchi said nothing justifies the reckless attack on Barzani's office. He added that the Kurdistan region’s officials should be vigilant against false-flag ploys, which are aimed at sowing discord between neighbors. The top diplomat added that Iran protected the Kurdish people against the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, and also during the onslaught of Daesh terrorists on the territory. He thanked Iraqi Kurdistan’s regional government for providing security along the border with Iran. Araghchi also discussed the incident during a phone call with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein. He said Iraqi officials must be vigilant about the possibility of plots that seek to undermine the two countries’ friendly relations. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman had earlier slammed the attack as highly suspicious and a false-flag operation. Some Kurdish officials claimed that the two drones that targeted the office of Barzani and the home of the region's intelligence chief were launched from Iran.

Trump approval falling

The US war of aggression against Iran continues to take a heavy toll on President Donald Trump's approval rating, which a new poll shows has now fallen to the lowest level of his presidency. According to the latest Reuters-Ipsos poll, only 33 percent of respondents approved of Trump's performance, while 64 percent disapproved. His approval rating is now lower than any point in his current term, and is on a par with the lowest level of his prior term in December 2017. Trump's popularity has taken a drastic hit since he ordered the aggression against Iran alongside Israel. The war on Iran has disrupted global oil supplies and pushed up gasoline prices at home. Trump initially said the conflict could last only a few weeks, claiming that military action was necessary to stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. But Iran has remained resilient and has kept its oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now under effective control of its armed forces. The poll also found that 80 percent of Americans believe that US involvement in Iran will continue for an extended period of time.

Russia-UK tensions

Moscow has warned the United Kingdom of "consequences" after reports emerged that British drones were used to strike targets on Russia's mainland for the first time. The warning came after Ukraine used drones made by two British companies to hit Russia’s oil refineries in Volgograd and near Moscow, and the country’s logistics hubs. The Russian embassy in London said Britain will pay a “higher price” if it continues to support Ukraine in its drone strikes. It said reports about Ukraine using British drones to carry out strikes deep within Russian territory confirm that London is deliberately betting on an escalation of the Ukraine crisis, while hypocritically claiming to be striving for peace. The embassy noted that the UK is acting as an accomplice to Ukraine’s attacks, which seek to inflict maximum damage upon Russia using the hands of others. The Russian embassy warned that “London’s actions will inevitably have consequences, for which it will have to answer.” It added that the deeper London’s involvement in the conflict, and the greater its support for Kiev, the higher the price will be.

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