International

The US, Japan and South Korea renew their intention to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific

The leaders of Japan, the United States, Japan and South Korea renew their intention to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific and South Korea renewed this Sunday their determination to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, one year since their meeting in Camp David, near Washington.

Highlighting “the tremendous progress” in the trilateral efforts, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said that cooperation “is indispensable to face the current challenges,” according to a joint statement published today.

“We are determined to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, remain aligned in our shared vision and be ready to face global challenges,” the statement states.

The statement comes after last year, on this same date, the three leaders agreed to strengthen their military cooperation in the face of North Korea’s arms race and China’s military boom in the Pacific.

The thorny issues addressed contrasted with the setting of the summit: the serene presidential residence of Camp David, anchored in the mountains of the state of Maryland and known for having hosted some of the most emblematic agreements of American diplomacy.

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One of the greatest results was the signing of a regional security agreement that includes a clause known as “consultation obligation”, an understanding that establishes that the three nations will consider any security threat against one of them as a threat to all, which would imply a mutual discussion about how to respond.

Another important result of the summit is the annual realization of joint military exercises between the three countries.

In addition, the leaders agreed to create a hotline to communicate more quickly in the face of any type of crisis that may affect the Asia-Pacific region.

Although the three nations agreed to hold a trilateral summit at least once a year, Kishida has announced that he will not run for the race for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (PLD), while Biden has announced his withdrawal from the November U.S. presidential election.

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International

Iran Reports 201 Dead, 747 Injured After U.S. and Israeli Strikes

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported Sunday night (local time) that at least 201 people were killed and 747 injured following attacks carried out by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic.

A spokesperson for the humanitarian organization said more than 220 rescue teams have been deployed across affected areas and that relief operations are continuing without interruption. The official highlighted the difficulty of treating the large number of wounded and the urgent need for additional resources in impacted provinces.

Out of Iran’s 31 provinces, 24 have reported damage, according to a statement carried by the Isna news agency. This marks the first overall casualty toll released by Iranian state-affiliated media since the launch of the offensive.

Among the dead are 85 schoolgirls from a school in the southern city of Minab, according to the country’s judiciary. “The number of martyrs at the Minab girls’ school has risen to 85,” the local prosecutor’s office said, as quoted by the judiciary’s website, Mizan Online.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian described the attack as a “savagery” that “constitutes a new black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors.”

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Meanwhile, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely amid concerns about possible further reprisals and the broader impact on Middle East stability, energy markets, and global security.

AFP noted that it was unable to independently verify the casualty figures or the circumstances surrounding the events.

International

Pope Leo XIV Urges End to ‘Spiral of Violence’ in Middle East

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the “spiral of violence” in the Middle East, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran and subsequent retaliatory bombardments in the region.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I urge the parties involved to assume their moral responsibility and stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” the pontiff told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Speaking during the Angelus prayer, the U.S.-born pope said stability and peace cannot be achieved through threats or weapons. “Stability and peace are not built with reciprocal threats or with arms that sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere and responsible dialogue,” he declared.

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics also called for diplomacy to “regain its role” amid escalating tensions.

In addition, the pope urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to urgently resume dialogue after several days of clashes between the two countries.

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International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.