US House approves $1.15 trillion defense budget package

  TEHRAN/BAGHDAD: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday that Tehran had received messages from neighbouring countries expressing interest in developing new regional security arrangements and expanding economic cooperation. In a statement on X, Ghalibaf argued that US policies had placed the security of its regional allies at serious risk, particularly because of Washington’s support for Israel. He said the situation had prompted countries in the region to reconsider their security arrangements. Ghalibaf said a “homegrown, independent” regional security order would be the most effective way to establish lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. His comments came amid heightened tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel and growing concerns over regional security. Meanwhile, the Iranian army said its military doctrine was gradually shifting from a defensive posture toward a more offensive strategy. Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia told state news agency IRNA that the change had developed during what he described as the recent 12-day and 40-day wars. According to Akraminia, the shift was reflected in Iran’s faster and broader responses to attacks, including pre-emptive military operations. He also said the Iranian army had prepared a reward plan in case US forces launched a ground invasion of Iran. Under the plan, members of the armed forces or civilians legally possessing hunting weapons would receive 5 billion tomans, estimated at around $26,000, for killing or capturing US troops entering Iranian territory. The reward would reportedly rise to 10 billion tomans, or approximately $53,000, if a woman carried out the action. Akraminia further claimed that the weapon used in such an operation would be purchased by the army for twice its value and preserved in a military museum under the owner’s name, with a replacement weapon provided to the individual. He also pointed to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as evidence of what he described as declining US influence in the region, calling it a regional security mechanism established without US participation. In Iraq, President Nizar Amidi said some vessels carrying Iraqi oil had been permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following requests from Baghdad. Speaking at the eighth Baghdad Dialogue conference, he stressed that developments in the strategic waterway had consequences not only for Iraq but for the global economy. Amidi said Iraq faced difficulties transporting its oil because it lacked a national tanker fleet. He added that Baghdad was determined to remain outside the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, despite being among the countries most affected by regional instability. The Iraqi president also said Baghdad would not allow its territory to be used to attack another country and reiterated that weapons should remain under state control. Separately, US President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran was not yet prepared to reach what he considered the “right deal” with Washington. He said the United States was closely monitoring developments in the conflict while maintaining pressure on Tehran. The tensions have also disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, with concerns over the security of the waterway affecting international energy markets. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to announce what Washington has described as its toughest-ever sanctions on Iran, while urging China to cooperate. China remains a major buyer of Iranian oil and has called for diplomacy to resolve the crisis.