International
Funeral ceremonies begin in Iran for the death of President Raisí
Iran began on Tuesday the funeral ceremonies by President Ebrahim Raisí and Foreign Minister Hosein Amir Abdolahian, who died on Sunday in a helicopter accident along with seven other people, which will last for several days.
The events began in Tabriz, capital of the northwestern province of Eastern Azerbaijan, the largest city closest to the site of the accident, which occurred in the mountainous area of Varzeqan.
According to Iranian televisions, thousands of people took to the streets of Tabriz to watch the convoy that carries the coffins of eight of the nine who died in the accident pass by, in a procession that left Shohada Square (martyrs) and which was destined for the great Mosala mosque.
The streets of Tabriz were a tide of turbans, the garment worn by the clerics in the Islamic Republic, and photos of Raisí, carried by the attendees at the events.
Shops, schools and government offices in the city are closed, something that has not happened throughout the country, in the second of the five days of mourning decreed by the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.
After the acts of Tabriz, the coffins will be transported this afternoon to the sacred city of Qom, one of the main centers of the predominant Shii Islam in the country, and tomorrow Wednesday it will arrive in Tehran.
In the Iranian capital, foreign authorities are expected to participate in what will be a non-working day throughout the country.
After the capital, an event will be held on Thursday in the city of Birjand, where Raisí was a representative in the Assembly of Experts, the body in charge of electing the supreme leader in case of a vacancy.
Finally, the deceased will be buried on the same day in the sacred city of Mashad (northwest).
The helicopter in which Raisí and his companions were traveling disappeared on Sunday when he was returning from Tabriz along with two other aircraft – which arrived at their destination without problems – in what the official IRNA agency has described as a “technical failure.”
The American ‘Bell 212’ device acquired in the 1970s was found a day later with the lifeless bodies of its occupants.
The governor of East Azerbaijan, Malik Rahmati, the leader of the Friday prayers of the city of Tabriz, Mohammad-Ali Al-Hashem, also died in the accident, in addition to two pilots of the aircraft, a flight attendant, the presidential security chief and a guard.
Khamenei approved on Monday that the first vice president, Mohamad Mojber, be appointed interim president of the country.
Iran will hold presidential elections on June 28.
International
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 4,490 as Rescue Efforts Continue
The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,490, according to the latest official figures released by the government on social media.
Authorities reported that 16,740 people have been injured, while more than 19,500 residents remain in temporary shelters after the twin earthquakes devastated Caracas and the neighboring state of La Guaira.
Rescue teams from Venezuela and several foreign countries continue searching through collapsed buildings in an effort to recover victims who remain trapped beneath the rubble.
Government officials said the earthquakes damaged more than 850 buildings, with 190 structures completely collapsing.
Thousands of families who lost their homes are currently staying with relatives or friends, while more than 19,500 displaced people are living in overcrowded emergency camps set up in parks, stadiums, and public squares across La Guaira and Caracas.
International
Tensions Escalate in Middle East as U.S. Bombs Iran After Maritime Attacks
The United States launched new strikes against Iran on Wednesday, following President Donald Trump’s warning that Washington would “hit hard” against the Islamic Republic. While Trump ordered the retaliation after attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, he also said he hoped the latest wave of bombings would end soon and left the door open for renewed negotiations.
U.S. forces “have begun carrying out additional strikes against Iran to further reduce its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the United States Central Command said in a post on X.
Washington blamed Iran for what it described as “recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping.”
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that explosions were heard in the port cities of Bandar Abbas, Konarak, and Chabahar.
“This is in retaliation for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will be much worse,” Trump wrote on social media alongside an image showing what appeared to be a bombing at an Iranian location.
Before ordering the strikes, the U.S. president said that the ceasefire with Iran had ended. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar called for de-escalation, while the United Nations also urged both sides to reduce tensions.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint in the Middle East conflict, which began in late February after U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran-linked attacks on at least three vessels in recent days triggered a U.S. offensive against Iranian targets on Tuesday. Tehran responded by launching attacks against Gulf countries that are allies of Washington.
International
Deadly Drug Trade Rivalry Suspected After Eight Bodies Discovered in Southern Mexico
Eight bodies were found Wednesday along a highway in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, in an incident authorities believe may be linked to a dispute over local drug sales.
The victims — six men and two women — were found abandoned on a road in a mountainous area of the municipality of El Bosque, according to the state prosecutor’s office in a statement published on Facebook.
Initial investigations indicate that the killings may be connected to “a dispute over retail drug sales between local criminal groups operating in the region,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Local media reports that several criminal incidents have increased in the area since the beginning of the year.
The road where the bodies were discovered is located in a mountainous region largely inhabited by Indigenous communities. Authorities have not released further details about the victims or possible suspects as the investigation continues.
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