Iran claims Israel used Azerbaijan, Iraq routes in strikes; Trump statements seen as deception

An Iranian hardline outlet has suggested that public statements from US President Donald Trump regarding Iran might be part of a tactical deception. Raja News, an outlet associated with Iran's hardline camp, raised the possibility that Trump's reported delay in striking Iranian energy infrastructure could be a move to conceal another military plan. The outlet urged vigilance, stating that public reports about American decision-making may not reflect actual operational planning.

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public reports about American decision-making do not reflect actual operational planning.

Raja News also alleged that some attacks on Tehran and Karaj originated from the direction of the Caspian Sea. It claimed Azerbaijan might have served as a route for Israeli drones, small aircraft, or fighter jets entering Iranian airspace. Additionally, strikes on Tabriz were reportedly launched from northern Iraq, while attacks on Khorramabad and Kermanshah came from Iraqi territory due to their proximity to the border. Azerbaijan has denied allowing its territory or airspace to be used against Iran, according to the same Raja News report. The outlet noted that Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, following the alleged attacks.

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Azerbaijan has denied allowing its territory or airspace to be used against Iran

Iranian media reported explosions in Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, and Isfahan. Mehr News cited an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps statement asserting that targets within Iran had been attacked and that Tehran described its missile response as a defensive reaction to a ceasefire violation. Other Iranian outlets carried the Israeli military's statement, which claimed the Israeli Air Force, guided by military intelligence, had struck targets in Tehran and western Iran. The Raja News reports align with a broader narrative in Iranian hardline media, which suggests that tensions between Washington and Jerusalem should be viewed with suspicion, and that the US and Israel remain coordinated in their approach toward Iran.

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The IDF is alert and ready for continued action on all fronts against those who threaten the State of Israel