🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "Media is speculating about an imminent Iran-U.S. deal. Not sure if we are there yet.

Iran is sincere about a diplomatic solution that will serve the interests of all sides. But getting there requires an agreement that will fully terminate all sanctions and uphold Iran's nuclear rights, including enrichment.

Path to a deal goes through the negotiating table and not the media," - Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister.

Araghchi also responds to the latest Fox News article on the Iranian nuclear program, which cited an Austrian intelligence report, saying "As for the latest fake news against Iran-U.S. diplomacy: using Iran to attack American critics is low, even for Israel."

🇨🇳🇯🇵🇹🇼⚡- China has removed all Japanese bouys from the west of Okinawa Islands, effectively erasing the maritime border of Japan in the area. The islands are claimed by China, located at 24.4499087, 122.9318119.

🇨🇳🇹🇼⚡- A Chinese vessel attempt to approach Pratas Island from the northeast, getting in range of 31 miles, for the second day in a row.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- BREAKING: "Trump ordered an end to coordination with Israel on a joint strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities," - Israeli Channel 12.

🇯🇵🇵🇭⚡- Japan and the Philippines begin talks on a potential agreement which will allow the two countries to share sensitive classified information.

🇨🇳⚡- Chinese state media, CCTV, shows a military exercise at a massive military base that's still under construction.

Rerum Novarum have geolocated the site to 40.5244743, 115.0814616, southeast of Zhangjiakou. The level and rate of construction is incredible, just over two years ago, the entire site was open green fields, and now there exists an entire military-city.

🇺🇸🇦🇺🇨🇳⚡️- As tensions with China rise, the US is expanding its military presence in northern Australia by sending more troops, deploying additional equipment, and carrying out joint exercises with Japan and Australia. The focus is on rapid response and deterring conflict, particularly over Taiwan. While Australia supports the buildup, China calls it a threat to regional peace.The number of Marines rotating through northern Australia each year has increased more than tenfold since 2012 to 2,500 Marines, marking the most significant US military presence there since the Second World War.

🇺🇸🇦🇺🇨🇳⚡️- Australia holds major strategic significance because it is close enough to Taiwan to project power and provide support in a regional conflict, yet far enough from China to remain outside the range of DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

🇺🇸🇨🇳🇹🇼⚡- "President Trump plans to boost arms sales to Taiwan beyond the $18.3 billion approved during his first term, already more than double Biden’s total so far.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters the next four years will easily surpass that figure of $18.3 billion to counter China’s military pressure on the island," - Reuters.

🇸🇬⚡- The Shangri-La Dialogue of 2025 has begun. China has refused to participate at a high-level this year.

🇺🇸🇦🇺🇸🇬⚡- US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is currently meeting Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles at the SLD 2025.

🇺🇸🇸🇬⚡- "The United States is committed to working with its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to ensure security and prosperity in the region. The region is a leading priority for US foreign policy.

American commitment and leadership in the region will make America and our allies and partners safer, more secure and more prosperous," - US Embassy in Singapore, at the SLD 2025.

🇮🇳🇵🇰🇸🇬⚡- India and Pakistan are likely to meet face-to-face at the SLD 2025.

🇫🇷🇸🇬⚡- "The recognition of a Palestinian state was not simply a moral duty, but a political requirement," - Emmanuel Macron, President of France, at the SLD 2025.

🇫🇷🇸🇬⚡- "Europeans must harden their collective position against Israel if there is no response that is commensurate with the humanitarian situation that is being provided in the coming hours and days," - Emmanuel Macron, President of France, at the SLD 2025.

🇫🇷🇸🇬⚡- "If Russia confirms that it is not ready to make peace, then Washington must confirm its commitment to sanctioning Moscow," - Emmanuel Macron, President of France, at the SLD 2025.

🇫🇷✍️ - Macron says that the Ukrainian war turned into a "credibility test" for the US.

🇨🇳🇲🇾🇸🇬⚡- As the Shangri-La Dialogue, SLD, of 2025 begins, three Chinese Coast Guard vessels enter well within Malaysia's water spaces, operating just 50km from the major city of Miri.

🇦🇲🇦🇿⚡️- The Armenian Ministry of Defense reports that Azerbaijani forces opened fire with small arms and machine guns in the direction of Khoznavar, southern Armenia, approximately 3,000 feet away from the Azerbaijani border.

A residential door was damaged and some cattle were reportedly killed. The cause for the shooting is unknown.

🇨🇩🇷🇼🇺🇬 - The situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC:

- After a 3 months long counteroffensive by Wazalendo, M23 have restarted offensive operations in almost all directions.
- Wazalendo have refused to hand the territory they had captured over to the DR Congo Armed Forces, FARDC, and have even clashed with them on several occasions. Wazalendo are primarily centered in the Walikale region.
- Uganda's Armed Forces, UPDF, continues to push CODECO away from its border, creating a buffer zone around Fataki.
- Uganda and the DR Congo agreed to fight the Islamic State of the Central African region jointly, however that has not happened. Uganda is clearly pursuing its own goals.
- UPDF had previously entered the central Ituri region, and are directly facing the M23 (allegedly backed by Rwanda) in the Lubero direction. However, both have not yet fought, in fact, the M23 handed over the control the strategic towns around Kagheri to the UPDF. An event that did not go well with Kinshasa.
- The minerals and ceasefire deals signed by both sides with the US seem to be non-existent.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- Russian forces have merged the two fronts of Topoli and Stroivka on the left-bank of Oskol, northern Kharkov region - Kupyansk direction.