Middle East latest: Social platform X suspends new account on behalf of Iran’s supreme leader

The societal level X has suspended a caller relationship connected behalf of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that posted messages successful Hebrew.

The relationship was suspended early Monday pinch a little statement appended to it saying: “X suspends accounts which break nan X Rules.” It wasn’t instantly clear what nan usurpation was. The Elon Musk-owned societal media institution did not respond to a petition for remark from The Associated Press.

The move came aft Israel openly attacked Iran for nan first clip this weekend. Khamenei said successful a reside connected Sunday that Israel’s strikes — successful consequence to Iran’s ballistic rocket onslaught this period — “should not beryllium exaggerated nor downplayed,” while stopping short of calling for retaliation.

The X relationship opened Sunday pinch a connection successful Hebrew reading: “In nan sanction of God, nan astir merciful,” a modular Islamic greeting.

Khamenei’s agency has maintained aggregate accounts for nan 85-year-old ultimate leader connected X for years and has sent messages successful a assortment of languages successful nan past.

A 2nd connection corresponded to a reside Khamenei gave connected Sunday and was sent connected his English relationship as: “Zionists are making a miscalculation pinch respect to Iran. They don’t cognize Iran. They still haven’t been capable to correctly understand nan power, initiative, and determination of nan Iranian people.” The connection referred to Israel’s onslaught Saturday connected Iran.

This isn’t nan first clip Khamenei has seen a suspension aliases removal from societal media. In February, Meta removed Facebook and Instagram accounts for nan ultimate leader complete his support of nan militant group Hamas aft its Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught connected Israel.

Social media platforms for illustration X and Facebook person been blocked successful Iran for years, requiring Iranians to usage virtual backstage networks to entree them.

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Here’s nan latest:

UN Security Council schedules emergency gathering astatine Iran’s request

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency gathering Monday day astatine Iran’s petition connected Israel’s aerial strikes against nan country.

Switzerland, which holds nan council’s rotating presidency, announced nan gathering connected Sunday and said nan Iranian petition was supported by Russia, China and Algeria, nan Arab typical connected nan council.

Iranian president vows to respond ‘appropriately’ to Israeli strikes

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says his state will respond to Israel “appropriately,” aft Israel openly attacked Iranian subject sites for nan first clip this weekend.

“We are not seeking war, but we will take sides nan authorities of our federation and state and will respond appropriately to nan Zionist regime’s aggression,” Pezeshkian was quoted by authorities TV connected Sunday arsenic saying.

Pezeshkian besides said nan U.S. had promised Iran to extremity nan warfare successful Gaza and Lebanon if Iran restrained. “They had promised to extremity nan warfare successful consequence to our restraint, but they did not support their word,” he said.

The Iranian president besides warned tensions will escalate if Israel’s aggression continues, adding, “We cognize that nan United States is encouraging Israel to perpetrate these atrocities.”

Iran says a civilian was killed successful Israel’s attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran announced Sunday that a civilian had been killed successful Israel’s onslaught connected nan country, without offering immoderate specifications connected nan circumstances of his death.

The state-run IRNA news agency identified nan dormant man arsenic Allahverdi Rahimpour and said he lived successful a suburban area of southwestern Tehran.

While offering nary specifications connected what he was doing aliases wherever he was killed, IRNA made a constituent to opportunity he was not a personnel of Iran’s equipped forces.

Iran has offered fewer specifications connected nan onslaught and nan harm caused by them truthful far.