Welcome back to Global Briefing, where we focus on diplomatic efforts to stop it United States-Iran war, a possible means of succession North Koreaand NASArace to moon southern pole.
‘You’ll Be Living In Hell’
US President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his threat to target critical Iranian infrastructure if Iran does not agree to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday at 8 pm EDT. “The whole country could be taken out overnight, and that night could be tomorrow night,” Trump told reporters at a White House press conference.
His remarks followed a Social Truth-laden post on Sunday in which Trump lashed out at Tehran in a frenzy. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all rolled into one, in Iran,” Trump he wrote. “There will be no such thing!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to God.” In contrast post later that day, Trump set a new deadline of Tuesday.
Yet a ceasefire agreement seems unlikely to be implemented anytime soon. Over the weekend, Pakistan proposed a 45-day ceasefire to end the Iran war. That system, known as Islamabad Agreementhe called for an immediate ceasefire and reopening of Hormuz followed by 15 to 20 days of talks on a more comprehensive peace settlement.
However, Iran rejected the system on Monday and issued its 10-point rebuttal. Tehran’s proposals included a permanent end to regional disputes, details on access to the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of all international sanctions against Tehran, and the provision of reconstruction for Iran.
“We only accept the end of the war with the assurance that we will not be attacked again,” Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo, told. The Associated Pressadding that Tehran no longer trusts the White House to abide by the ceasefire agreement, as US forces attacked Iran twice in the previous rounds of negotiations.
On Sunday, Iran too officially rejected the 15-point US peace proposal, calling it “unreal” and stressing that Tehran “firmly rejects any talks conducted under the guise of illegal sanctions, military threats or coercion.”
So is the White House apparently he doesn’t want to to agree to Iran’s terms. Trump called Tehran’s 10-point countermeasures an “important step” but “not good enough” for a ceasefire. He also once again expressed his intention to take what he later referred to as “booty” of war.
“If I had my choice, what would I want to do – take the oil, because it’s there for the taking,” Trump. he told it reporters on Monday during the Easter morning event. “Unfortunately, the American people would like to see us go home.”
Recent public opinion polls show that Americans are largely pessimistic about a war with Iran. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Friday, 86 percent of respondents expressed their concern about the threat of the conflict to the lives of US soldiers – the same day that Iranian forces. shoot down American fighter jet with two crew members. US special forces have since rescued the two men.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to pursue its military goals in Iran. On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy Iran’s infrastructure and hunt down its leadership “one by one.” Israel too he demanded Monday’s role in the killing of the Intelligence Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Majid Khademi, in overnight strikes. Israel also said it was he hit Iran’s two largest petrochemical plants in an effort to eliminate one of Tehran’s main sources of income, including its ability to produce weapons-grade materials.
Today’s Most Read
The World This Week
Tuesday, April 7: Cheng Li-wun, leader of Taiwan’s Kuomintang opposition party, begins a six-day trip to China.
US Vice President JD Vance begins a two-day trip to Hungary.
Wednesday, April 8: Trump is hosting NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Thursday, April 9: French President Emmanuel Macron begins a two-day visit to the Vatican.
Friday, April 10: The US Court of International Trade is hearing two cases challenging Trump’s decision to impose high tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Djibouti holds presidential elections.
Sunday, April 12: Hungary holds parliamentary elections.
Benin holds parliamentary elections.
Peru holds presidential and parliamentary elections.
Monday, April 13: The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund begin a week-long spring meeting in Washington.
Pope Leo XIV begins a 10-day tour of Africa starting in Algeria.
Canada holds by-elections in three constituencies.
What we’re after
Serial conversation. South Korea’s intelligence chief Lee Jong-seok told lawmakers on Monday that there is “credible evidence” to suggest that the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is the dictator. potential successor. While speculation has long swirled about his role, Lee’s statement is the strongest assessment yet of what Pyongyang’s future might hold. He would be the fourth generation Kim to lead North Korea.
Little is known about Kim’s reported successor. Her name is believed to be Kim Ju Ae and she is estimated to be 13 years old. However, she has recently attracted international attention after a public appearance with her father that suggests Kim is grooming her to take over one day. In recent weeks, he has been photographed firing a pistol at the munitions factory, looking at a direct rocket launchand drive a tank during offensive military exercises.
Some South Korean lawmakers have suggested that the position of the daughter could create tension within Kim’s close people, especially with his younger sister. Kim Yo Jong. Seoul has long portrayed Kim Yo Jong as Pyongyang’s second-in-command and a possible replacement for the top seat.
The dark side of the moon. Astronauts aboard the Artemis II space mission he entered the moon’s sphere of influence on Monday, marking a major milestone in their 10-day journey around the moon. Entering the moon’s sphere of influence—which is when the moon’s gravity is stronger than Earth’s—will take the four astronauts farther into space than any human in history. Mission Control expects Artemis II reached a maximum distance of 252,760 miles from Earth.
The purpose of Artemis II (carrying three Americans and one Canadian) is to document the so-called dark side of the moon. Astronauts will not set foot on the surface of the moon. Instead, their research will be used to prepare for a future US mission to land on the south pole of the moon, which is believed to contain a reservoir of water ice that could be used to make the necessary fuel for a trip to Mars.
NASA hopes to complete this by 2028 with the goal of beating China to the desired destination; Beijing plans to reach the south pole by 2030. But the fight for a landlocked land—along with rising geopolitical tensions on Earth—could make the race to the moon a “Wild West” situation. “Space is moving toward a race for profit amid conflicting rules and claims to the world, reflecting the fragmentation of the rule-based order into competing camps and territories,” Robert A. Manning. he argued in Foreign Policy in 2023.
False flag charges. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called an emergency meeting of the defense council on Sunday after the explosions discovered near a pipeline in Serbia that carries Russian gas to Hungary. This was a planned “act of sabotage”, Orban said Facebook. The pro-Moscow leader suggested that the incident was aimed at blowing up the pipeline, and vowed to cooperate with Serbia to strengthen its security.
Although Orban stopped short of directly blaming Kyiv for the incident, he said that “Ukraine has been trying for years to cut off Europe from Russian energy.” Orban and Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic close associates of Moscow. Dependence of their countries Russian energy it has often put them at odds with their European counterparts, who have sought to help Ukraine in its war against Russia as well as reduce their own dependence on Russian gas.
That division is expected to be tested during Hungary’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, particularly following accusations that this weekend’s pipeline incident was Russian false flag operation aimed at influencing the upcoming vote. “Several people have publicly indicated that something will ‘accidentally’ happen in the gas pipeline in Serbia during Easter, a week before the Hungarian elections. And that is what happened,” said Peter Magyar, leader of the Hungarian opposition party Tisza.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhii Tykhyi reiterated the claims, to write on X that “Ukraine has nothing to do with this” while also calling it a “Russian false flag operation.”
Odds and Ends
There is no need to turn off your devices for this functionality. Instead of hunkering down in cafes or libraries, students preparing for upcoming exams last month filled the main hall of Amsterdam’s historic Concertgebouw for an exciting study session. The a frequent occurrence—costing the equivalent of just $2.85 a ticket—gives students a place to focus with reliable Wi-Fi, plenty of seating and classical music to fill the silence. In a recent episode, violinist Hyunjin Cho and cellist Efstratia Chaloulakou played music by composers Johann Pachelbel, George Frideric Handel, and Franz Schubert as well as songs from Studio Ghibli films.
