Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

The US and Iran exchanged accusations following renewed attacks, with the US striking over 80 targets in Iran and Iran claiming to have hit 85 US military facilities. The US Treasury revoked a license for Iranian oil sales, and military officials indicated ongoing strikes. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to visit Israel, and bombs near a hotel in Damascus injured 18 people during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit.

Funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei continued in Tehran, with senior officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf attending prayers led by Jafar Sobhani. Khamenei’s coffin was displayed alongside four relatives killed in 28 February strikes by US and Israel, with over 10 million expected to participate in the events.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have escalated with recent strikes, undermining a tenuous ceasefire. Disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and a failed agreement to establish a military coordination 'hotline' have led to renewed attacks, including U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and Iranian drone and missile attacks on U.S. bases.

Bahrain's interior ministry confirmed alarm sirens after an explosion, amid Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming drone and missile attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Oman joined Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE in condemning the reported strike on Bahrain and reaffirming support for its security.

The US has blacklisted Iran's largest crypto exchange, Nobitex, along with three other exchanges for facilitating financial transactions that help Iran skirt sanctions. A Reuters report found Nobitex played a key role in supporting the IRGC and Iranian central bank.

Iran has been conducting an asymmetric war against the U.S. and West since 1979 through proxies, terrorism, and illicit networks. Recent DOJ charges against Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior commander in Iran-backed Kata'ib Hizballah, reveal coordinated attacks on U.S. and Jewish targets using Latin American cartel networks and front groups. Iran's long-term strategy includes embedding infrastructure in Latin America via mosques, charities, and criminal facilitators.

Maritime tracking blackouts near the UAE's Fujairah oil hub coincided with a 1.35 million-barrel oil transfer and U.S.-Iran peace negotiations progress. Iran asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. hinted at potential military actions amid heightened tensions.

An Iraqi Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operative, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, reportedly plotted to assassinate Ivanka Trump to avenge the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani. The NY Post claims al-Saadi, affiliated with Kataeb Hezbollah, was detained in the U.S. and made the assassination pledge.

Sanctioned Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani allegedly moved $850 million for Iran's Islamic Republic via Binance, a crypto exchange used as a financial conduit for the IRGC, despite U.S. sanctions and a Trump pardon of Binance's founder.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, an alleged IRGC terrorist, reportedly vowed to target Ivanka Trump in retaliation for the US killing his mentor. The plot is described as a twisted act of vengeance.

The article argues that the United Kingdom must proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to prevent terrorist attacks and illicit activities on British soil. The author cites evidence of IRGC involvement in money laundering, intelligence operations, and directing local gangs to attack Jewish targets in London, drawing parallels to historical attacks in Argentina in the 1990s.

Lebanon accuses Iran of inserting IRGC terrorists into the country under diplomatic guise, amid talks between Israel and Lebanon to normalize relations. The Lebanese government filed a complaint with the United Nations, citing Iran's abuse of diplomatic immunity. The US facilitated talks between Israel and Lebanon have resumed, aiming for lasting peace.

The FBI is offering a $200,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of Monica Witt, a former US Air Force intelligence agent accused of spying for Iran. Witt was indicted in February 2019 on charges of espionage and has been at large since her defection to Iran in 2013. The FBI believes she may still be supporting Iranian activities.

Sharon Gohari, an Iran-born US citizen, pleaded guilty to running a migrant smuggling operation and stockpiling child abuse material, posing national security risks. The operation brought foreign nationals into the US, including a traveler tied to a US-designated terrorist group. Gohari also exploited and endangered vulnerable individuals for profit.

Iran's political factions are engaged in a visible power struggle, with key figures like Ahmad Vahidi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opposing each other. Speculation about the survival of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, and the regime's opaque governance structure complicate negotiations with the U.S. under Trump.

Iran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and economic stability have been severely degraded. Key leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military figures, are dead or injured, and the regime faces regional isolation and internal collapse.

Bellingcat has identified at least 80 damaged or destroyed police stations and law enforcement infrastructure in Iran during the first three weeks of a 2026 US-Israel military campaign. The strikes target Iran's repressive capacity, with the majority focused on police stations (30 incidents) and command centers (29 incidents). Israel and the US have conducted thousands of strikes against IRGC sites, military infrastructure, and now law enforcement agencies.

Iran's IRGC seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as 'tit-for-tat' retaliation against the U.S., including the MSC Francesca owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a firm tied to billionaire Gianluigi Aponte, whose family has connections to Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.

President Trump extended the Iran ceasefire indefinitely, citing Tehran's fractured government. The move followed canceled U.S.-Iran peace talks and Iranian military actions in the Strait of Hormuz, including seizing ships and threatening Gulf neighbors. The U.S. military's recent operations are praised for professionalism but highlighted as insufficient for a strategic resolution.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) clashed with MS NOW host Katy Tur over the Trump administration's Iran war strategy, accusing her of promoting leftist talking points. Lawler defended the war as a 'just war' to prevent Iran's nuclear weapons, while Tur questioned its justification and effectiveness. The exchange included references to Obama's Libya conflict and criticism of Trump's foreign policy.

President Trump has given Iran 3-5 days to resolve internal divisions among its warring factions to continue peace talks, as Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains unresponsive and IRGC generals clash with civilian negotiators. The U.S. fears no empowered leader in Tehran can finalize a deal, with recent tensions escalating after Iran's failed commitment to reopen talks in Pakistan.

President Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, citing a 'fractured' Iranian government and responding to Pakistani mediators' requests. The decision averts immediate military escalation but risks weakening U.S. leverage, as Iran's leadership remains divided over negotiations.

Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, stranding hundreds of tankers and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and trauma. A distress call captured by TankerTrackers revealed Iranian forces firing on a tanker, while Hapag-Lloyd reported crews stranded and risks from sea mines.

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, praised by Donald Trump, has built strong ties with Iran's military and intelligence establishment, serving as a back channel between Washington and Tehran. Munir's recent visit to Iran and connections with figures like Qassem Soleimani and Hossein Salami highlight his dual influence with both Trump and Iran's leadership.

Iran warns the Strait of Hormuz could close again if the US naval blockade persists, violating a recent ceasefire agreement. The strait, critical for 20% of global oil trade, requires ships to follow Iranian-designated routes and avoid 'hostile countries.' Markets reacted with Bitcoin surging over $78,000 as tensions escalate.

US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad ended in deadlock, likened to the 1986 Reykjavik talks, with Trump ordering a port blockade and threatening strikes on Iran. Israel's attacks on Hezbollah, Iran's proxy, intensified tensions amid criticism of Iran's regime and political reactions in the US.

Iran is expanding its influence in Georgia, a former Soviet republic, to bypass sanctions and support its war efforts. The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned Iranian entities in Georgia linked to the IRGC, including Al-Mustafa University, which spreads Iranian ideology and recruits operatives.

Iran's regime is using civilians, including children, as human shields at energy facilities in response to U.S. threats, despite a recent ceasefire. Experts criticize Tehran's propaganda tactics, comparing them to past actions in Lebanon and Gaza, and warn of potential media manipulation during peace talks in Pakistan.

U.S. special forces successfully rescued the second crew member of an F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran, after the officer evaded capture for over a day. The rescue operation involved CIA-led efforts and military strikes against Iranian forces, with President Trump praising it as a historic operation.

A criminal complaint was unsealed charging two Iranian nationals, Hossein Akbari and Reza Amidi, and Iranian company Rah Roshd with conspiring to procure U.S. technology parts for Iranian attack drones and providing material support to the IRGC, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The charges also include conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the illegal procurement scheme.