US House Speaker Mike Johnson:

We're going to win this election whether we resolve the Iran situation before the election or not.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson:

The first quarter the economy was beginning to take off like a rocket, and then we got into this skirmish with Iran.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo:

There are those within my party, the Republican Party, who think President Trump made a mistake... They would describe this as a war of choice.

That's just a false, straw man argument, right? This was no war of choice.

We've been at war with Iranians for decades.

It was time to make sure that they didn't have the capacity to become like North Korea—impenetrable, unattackable.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo:

At least Chairman Kim—and I spent way too much time with that son of a gun—hasn't conducted massive terror operations and killed thousands of Americans over the last decade.

The Iranians would have behaved very differently had they possessed the kind of nuclear program that Chairman Kim has.

The world would be a fundamentally different place.

Q: Do you still believe that some kind of regime change is possible in Iran?

Mike Pompeo: 100%.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has banned exports of copper and cobalt concentrates to encourage domestic processing and keep more value from its mineral resources.

The government also introduced a new tax on valuable mining by-products as part of its effort to increase mining revenue.

Source: Reuters

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

Israel's attacks targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity are one of the most serious threats to the country's stability.

The international community must demonstrate a stronger response in the face of Israel's occupying mentality.

It must apply the necessary pressure to ensure compliance with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and respect for Syria's sovereignty.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

The Israeli government aims to sabotage peace efforts and separate the Palestinians from Gaza, and this objective has not changed.

If possible, it seeks to turn Gaza into a place without Palestinians, a place where they cannot live.

However, Netanyahu will not succeed in this policy; the people of Gaza will continue to live in Gaza and build their future there.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani:

Clearing our shared borders of terrorism and protecting them jointly is very important here. Bringing this process to success will serve our common interests.

Outside of [the state], there should be no armed authority [operating independently]; such elements must not exist.

Weapons should be solely under the national umbrella and under [state] authority.

This is very important for the stability of this region and the region [as a whole].

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

When Damascus, Aleppo, and Hama are wealthier and safer, we immediately feel it in Gaziantep, Mersin, and Istanbul.

Likewise, destabilizing activities occurring in any part of Syria constitute a threat inside Türkiye.

With this understanding, [our efforts in] counterterrorism, defense and security will deepen further.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on U.S-Iran negotiations:

God willing, the negotiations between Iran and America will conclude today with good news.

Frankly, the issue of the [Strait/Hormuz] involves some complication. Its technical details, of course—Oman also has a role it needs to play regarding the map.

By what mechanism and method, and for what duration, this [passage] will be kept open? This is being worked on, of course.

It is important that agreement is reached on a transition period. Oil needs to keep flowing so that world oil prices and energy prices don't rise; and secondly, so that this creates a process allowing for a lasting agreement.

So a 60-day period is being discussed. If it is worked out within that 60-day period, a permanent agreement between the parties can be reached.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on U.S-Iran negotiations:

On other matters beyond the Strait, we know that in principle—especially on the nuclear issue—there are certain agreements in principle that they have reached.

Therefore, if both sides put forward sincere will on this matter, a permanent agreement can be reached.

But first, this problem regarding the Strait needs to be resolved.

NEW: Iran's Ministry of Intelligence says it arrested 21 alleged Mossad-linked suspects in Kerman for reportedly gathering intelligence on sensitive military and air defense sites.

It also announced the arrest of four armed gang members and five suspects allegedly tied to the coup plot, seizing multiple military-grade weapons and referring the detainees to the judiciary.

WATCH: Ukrainian FPV interceptor drone downing Russian fiber-optic quadcopter using a net launcher.

Trump privately told Republican donors he wants JD Vance to win in 2028, using language like "We need to elect JD."

Advisers stress he hasn't fully settled on a successor and is still keeping some competition alive between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

One source summarized it as "JD is earning it, and Trump sees it," noting Trump stopped routinely asking "JD or Marco?"

Source: WaPo

Bernie Sanders:

When I was a kid, the struggle was against the Vietnam War, which killed 59,000 Americans in the war, and more when they came back home sleeping out on the streets of this country.

That war was based on a lie.

The war in Iraq, which I voted against when I was in Congress, was based on a lie.

The war in Iran—"Oh, Iran is going to have a nuclear weapon tomorrow and they're going to attack the United States"—based on a lie.

Bernie Sanders:

We've got to stop endless wars.

We have to stop excessive military spending.

We have to stop funding the extremist government of Israel, which has committed genocidal actions against the Palestinian people.

We've got to stop that. We're going to start investing in our people—in housing, education, and healthcare.

German authorities arrested a 33-year-old Ukrainian man in Thuringia on suspicion of spying for a foreign intelligence service.

Prosecutors say he photographed a Bavarian defense company's premises in preparation for possible sabotage and sent the images to his handler.

Source: DIE ZEIT

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. fired more than 1,300 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles during the opening weeks of the Iran conflict.

According to unnamed U.S. officials cited by the newspaper, the heavy use has left the ATACMS stockpile "basically" exhausted, with virtually none remaining.

The CIA has created a secret Cuba task force to intensify intelligence and covert efforts aimed at pressuring Cuba's government and exploiting divisions within its leadership.

The move aligns with the Trump administration's renewed focus on Cuba, including increased intelligence collection and elevating Cuba to a top U.S. intelligence priority.

Source: NYT

Russia's Medvedev:

What a disgrace that, in recalling the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki recently, not once did Japan’s Prime Minister or any other Japanese official bother to mention who did it.

Japan is a vassal of the United States, and at some point, it will become a ronin.