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Iranian Official Defends Retaliatory Strikes, Warns Middle East Conflict Could Escalate
Iranian Official Defends Retaliatory Strikes, Warns Middle East Conflict Could Escalate
By: Michael Mike
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja has defended recent military actions taken by Iran against United States facilities in the Middle East, describing them as acts of self-defence following what he alleged was an assassination of Iran’s supreme leadership by Israel with support from the United States.
Speaking during a press briefing with international journalists, the official said protests by Muslims around the world over the reported killing of Iran’s spiritual leader were expected because of the leader’s influence across both Shia and Sunni communities.
According to him, demonstrations were recorded in several countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as parts of Europe and Africa.
Iran Targets U.S. Military Bases
The official said Iran’s military actions were directed at American military bases in the region and not at civilian infrastructure.
“We attacked United States military bases in the region because those bases were used to support aggression against our country,” he said.
He clarified that reports suggesting civilian airports were targeted may have been mistaken, insisting the intended targets were strictly American military facilities.
Iran had earlier informed neighbouring countries in the Persian Gulf that any retaliatory strikes would focus only on U.S. installations within their territories and not on their cities.
“This is an act of defence. We are not targeting neighbouring countries but the American facilities being used against us,” he said.
Retaliation Against Israel
The official also defended Iran’s attacks against Israel, saying they were justified responses to what he described as Israel’s attempt to assassinate Iran’s leadership.
He accused Israel and the United States of pursuing a broader strategy aimed at destabilising the Middle East.
According to him, conflicts in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq are part of that wider strategy.
Warning of Wider Regional Conflict
He warned that continued escalation could trigger a broader regional conflict with significant consequences for the global economy.
The official noted that the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly 20 percent of global energy supplies pass, could be affected by the crisis.
“This conflict will affect global energy markets. Transportation costs and oil prices will rise because the Persian Gulf may not remain secure,” he said.
Diplomatic Talks Suspended
The Iranian representative also said Tehran was not currently considering diplomatic negotiations, claiming that diplomacy had been undermined by recent attacks.
“We were negotiating, but diplomacy was killed when the attacks happened,” he said.
“For now, our focus is on defending our sovereignty and national security.”
Relations with Nigeria Remain Strong
Addressing questions about Nigerian citizens in Iran, the official assured that they remain safe and secure.
He also described relations between Iran and Nigeria as cordial and longstanding.
“Our relations with Nigeria go back more than 55 years, and they remain strong across sectors such as agriculture, energy, education and trade,” he said.
Criticism of International Institutions
The official criticised the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, for what he described as silence over the crisis.
He argued that global institutions had failed to respond adequately to what he called acts of aggression.
“Iran Does Not Seek War”
Despite the tensions, the official insisted that Iran does not seek war and has not initiated attacks against other countries for more than two centuries.
However, he emphasised that Iran would continue to defend itself if its sovereignty is threatened.
“We are not a country seeking war, but we will defend ourselves in any way necessary,” he said.
Iranian Official Defends Retaliatory Strikes, Warns Middle East Conflict Could Escalate
Zulum Emerges BusinessDay’s Best Performing Governor SCIRA Award of the Year
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has emerged as BusinessDay’s 2025 Governor of the Year on Competitiveness and Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA) under the category of Infrastructure Competitiveness Category Awards.
The award ceremony is scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at NAF Conference Center & Suites, Jabi, Abuja.
Zulum’s nomination was contained in a letter by the Publisher/CEO of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, addressed to the Governor.
“On behalf of BusinessDay Media Limited, Nigeria’s foremost business and economic intelligence platform, we are honoured to inform you that Borno State has been nominated for ‘Best Performing Governor’ under the Infrastructure Competitiveness Category for the 2025 States Competitiveness/Investment Readiness Awards (SCIRA),” Aigbogun said.
According to him, Governor Zulum’s nomination acknowledges his administration’s extraordinary strides in rebuilding infrastructure, reviving moribund industries, and restoring livelihoods as part of Borno’s long-term post-conflict recovery.
“Your Excellency, few states embody the spirit of renewal as Borno does. Against the backdrop of a decade-long insurgency, your government has delivered one of Nigeria’s most ambitious reconstruction and reintegration programmes, with infrastructure as its anchor,” he added.
Highlights of this transformation include:
Revival of Industrial Assets: The Borno Plastic Industry and Borno Meat Processing Company, once abandoned, have been progressively rehabilitated, signaling a return of productive capacity and investor confidence.
Industrial Hub Redevelopment: Through the Borno State Industrial Park and Enterprise Centre (BIP), over 2,000 SMEs now operate in structured facilities that provide power, workspace, and logistics support.
Infrastructure-led Recovery: Over 10,000 houses have been reconstructed across local government areas, enabling market access and trade linkages among Maiduguri, Biu, Monguno, and Gwoza.
Energy & Industrial Power Supply: The Maiduguri 50MW Gas Plant and collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have significantly enhanced industrial energy reliability.
Mr Aigbogun said these efforts have repositioned Borno as a credible destination for post-conflict
industrial reinvestment that combines human development with economic diversification.
“Borno’s shortlisting was derived from the BusinessDay Research & Intelligence Unit (BRIU) and BudgIT State Competitiveness Model (2025), using a Composite Infrastructure Competitiveness Index (CICI) based on three weighted dimensions,”
“Across these parameters, Borno ranked among the top five northern states, with its infrastructure recovery index improving by over 41% between 2020 and 2024.
“In the education and health sectors, construction of over 100 secondary schools, Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital and Staff quarters, doctors’ quarters, as well as take-off support for Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Federal College Gwoza, School of Nursing and Midwifery in Gwoza and Monguno, and the Orthopedic Hospital Azare, amongst others,” he remarked.
The Publisher acknowledged that Governor Zulum’s administration has rebuilt confidence, reconstruct
and resettled communities, revived industries, education, and healthcare, noting that today Borno stands as a model of post-conflict competitiveness in Africa.
Zulum Emerges BusinessDay’s Best Performing Governor SCIRA Award of the Year
Buni approved the appointment of Yerima as the new emir of Ngazargamu.
By: Yahaya Wakili
Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN of Yobe state has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud as the new Emir of Ngazargamu.
This is contained in a statement signed and issued today, 12th June, 2026, by the acting secretary to the state government, Dr. Mohammed Goje, in Damaturu.
The appointment of the new emir of Ngazargamu followed the demise of the late emir, Alhaji Tijjani Ahmed Ibn-Saleh Geidam, who passed away recently in Cairo, Egypt, after a protracted illness.
Until his appointment, the new Mai Ngazargamu was the Turakin Ngazargamu, an office he held for 16 years. He was also a member of the State House of Assembly.
The new emir of Ngazargamu, Alhaji Yerima Ibn Mahmud, has at different times served as a member of the State Executive Council and the state commissioner for livestock development before the new appointment.
Governor Mai Mala Buni, while congratulating the new emir and the Ngazargamu emirate, urged the new emir to use his wealth of experience to unite the people, promote peace and peaceful coexistence, and foster economic growth of the emirate, Yobe State, and Nigeria as a whole.
Similarly, Governor Buni called on the people to support the new emir to execute the functions of his office diligently, effectively, and efficiently for the benefit of the people, peace, unity, and prosperity of the emirate.
Buni approved the appointment of Yerima as the new emir of Ngazargamu.
Zulum Delivers Relief, Cash Support to 434 Ngoshe Residents Rescued from Boko Haram
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Government has distributed relief materials to 434 indigenes of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area who were recently rescued by security agencies after spending three months in Boko Haram captivity.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum visited the victims in Pulka on Monday and directed the immediate distribution of food and non-food items to support their recovery and reintegration.
In compliance with the Governor’s directive, the Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Ali Abdullahi Isa, promptly supervised the distribution exercise.
Each rescued person received a bag of rice, a bag of maize grits, a mattress, a wrapper, and a shadda, while children received two pairs of clothing.
In addition, 208 heads of households received N50,000 each, fulfilling Governor Zulum’s earlier pledge of financial assistance.
Speaking during the distribution, the SEMA Director General said the intervention was part of the government’s immediate response to ease the hardship faced by the rescued victims.
“I am here at the instance of His Excellency, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, who was here some few days ago, and to deliver the items he directed that it should be given to you as emergency relief,” Ali stated.
The rescued individuals are currently receiving medical care and psychosocial support at a government facility. Upon completion of the rehabilitation process, they will be reintegrated into their respective communities.
The exercise was carried out alongside the Chairman of Gwoza local government, representatives of the Ngoshe community, and other officials.
Zulum Delivers Relief, Cash Support to 434 Ngoshe Residents Rescued from Boko Haram
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