Iranian President Pezeshkian leaves Iraq for Tehran after US strikes
Tehran, July 8
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has departed Iraq and is returning to Tehran, CNN reported, citing Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.
Pezeshkian had travelled to the Iraqi city of Najaf to attend the multi-day funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose body arrived in the city on Tuesday.
Pezeshkian left Najaf in the early hours of Wednesday (local time) after concluding his visit to Iraq, CNN reported, citing the state news agency IRNA.
Pezeshkian's return came as the United States launched a series of military strikes against Iran in response to attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, "U.S. Central Command forces have begun launching a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway."
CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out after Iran allegedly attacked three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, adding that "Iran's demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire."
Meanwhile, several explosions were reported near Sirik and Qeshm in southern Iran, while Iranian state media also reported blasts east and west of Bandar Abbas. Iranian media said multiple explosions occurred at Sirik port after projectiles struck commercial and fishing piers, according to Al Jazeera.
Earlier on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department cancelled a licence issued in June that had temporarily allowed Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and related products through August 21, increasing pressure on Tehran amid ongoing negotiations over a final settlement to the conflict.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Can someone seriously explain why the US still feels the need to police the world? Attacking commercial ships is wrong, no doubt, but launching airstrikes on sovereign Iranian soil is not going to bring peace. It will only drag everyone, including countries like India who rely on stable oil prices, into another endless conflict. We need diplomacy, not more bombs. 😞
As an Indian, my main concern is stability in the Gulf. We have 8.5 million Indians working there, and any war will put their lives at risk. Plus, our trade with Iraq and Iran is also at stake. This sudden US strike feels like a knee-jerk reaction to recent tensions. I wish Tehran would also show restraint—attacking civilian ships is a red line that invites retaliation.
Honestly, this looks like a classic case of power projection. The US talks about ceasefire violations, but who is really violating? Iran's aggression against shipping is condemnable, but the US strikes will only radicalize more people in the region. India should maintain a neutral stance and call for dialogue. We've seen enough wars in our neighborhood—last thing we need is another one. 🙏
Strategic analyst here. The cancellation of the oil license is the real story—it shows the US is trying to squeeze Iran economically. But for India, this is a double-edged sword. We are diversifying our energy sources (more from Russia now), but any disruption in the Persian Gulf will spike global oil prices. Modi ji's government needs to urgently secure our energy supply lines and fast-track talks with Iran on Chabahar port development to bypass such chokeholds.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.