This is a thread specifically for the war, not a general megathread (use the pinned /c/genzedong thread for that).
Please keep related news in this thread rather than making separate posts. Remember to include sources and avoid spreading rumours.
— 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: In response to Trump’s claim that America controls the Strait of Hormuz, hundreds of Iranian citizens and paramilitary volunteers (Basij) went out and sailed through the Strait
Some of the boats were threatened multiple times by the U.S. Navy, but ignored warnings and continued to sail.
@Middle_East_Spectator
Best 19 seconds of my day.
—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, officially announced the start of ‘Operation Economic Outcast’ against Iran
According to the White House, it marks the beginning of an economic isolation campaign that includes sanctions, secondary sanctions, and cutting off all economic lifelines to Iran.
Any country doing business with Iran, facilitating trade, or providing credit, will be hit with secondary sanctions.
@Middle_East_Spectator
Video: https://t.me/Middle_East_Spectator/36037
— 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: The U.S. Treasury Department announces it has not implemented any new sanctions against Iran yet, saying that today served as a ‘final warning’
When asked why secondary sanctions haven’t been imposed on countries like China, Bessent answered: ‘We don’t want to mess up the world economy’.
@Middle_East_Spectator
They are so pathetic. lol. I can’t even think of any other word or description. Just pathetic. The fact that there are people that read this and don’t immediately think of how pathetic the US is is flabbergasting… And…pathetic. they are all pathetic. Half this dogshit country has the mentality of children that continue to lie after being caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
“Uhh, uhh, more sanctions on Iran we will cut them off from the world…”
“So you are going to do sanctions against China when they just keep trading with Iran like normal?” “Uhhhhh, no, I mean, that would be bad…for the world. Yes! We are actually doing good for the world by not going after China. I mean, we would be fine of course but they world? Pssshhhh, the world is losers. They NEED China.”
lol
It’s just pathetic. Their inability to admit fault or make reparations. Continuing to beat their chests while IMMEDIATELY back down and rolling over when pressed. They are pathetic.
China Accelerates Efforts to Cut Reliance on US Technology
China is moving to accelerate the replacement of Windows with Linux in some government bodies, bringing forward plans to reduce reliance on US technology as Beijing pushes for greater digital sovereignty.
According to a recent Bloomberg report, several Chinese government agencies have been ordered to replace Windows 10 China Government Edition with Chinese-made Linux distributions ahead of the previously planned transition.
The decision to bypass Windows 11 underscores China’s broader effort to reduce dependence on US companies and foreign technology, particularly in sensitive government systems.
China has increasingly sought locally developed alternatives across software, hardware and other technology sectors as officials raise concerns over digital security and dependence on foreign products and services.
Microsoft told Bloomberg it was not aware of any security incident affecting Windows 10 China Government Edition and said the system continued to receive regular security updates.
The China-specific version of Windows 10 had already been scheduled for retirement in February 2027, but the latest shift is expected to bring that transition forward to late 2026.
The China Government Edition was not developed directly by Microsoft.
C&M Information Technologies (CMIT) developed the customized version through a 2016 joint venture between Microsoft and the state-owned China Electronics Technology Group.
The system was designed to meet Chinese government requirements, including localized activation and update measures, while removing certain customer services and adding support for Chinese cryptographic standards.
The move is also likely to benefit China’s domestic Linux industry.
Shares of Kylin Software and Tongxin Software Technology (UnionTech) rose after news emerged that Windows would be replaced in some government systems.
Kylin Software’s KylinOS offers desktop, server and specialized editions, while openKylin provides a free, open-source version.
UnionTech OS (UOS), meanwhile, is based on Deepin and Debian Linux.
Both companies have focused heavily on government and enterprise customers, making their platforms established candidates for institutional deployment.
Huawei’s HarmonyOS 2, which was originally an Android variant and has since become a proprietary operating system, is also being adapted for PC use.
However, the development process means KylinOS and UOS are currently the more established environments for large-scale institutional deployment.
The transition will nevertheless present significant technical and operational challenges.
Government agencies will have to address application compatibility, driver and device support, file-format compatibility and staff training, while some software designed specifically for Windows may need to be replaced or adapted.
There have been no reports detailing how the Linux migration will be carried out, but the accelerated timetable indicates that Chinese authorities are moving to address those challenges.
The move does not amount to a nationwide ban on Windows in China.
Microsoft has already introduced a restricted, factory-locked, Chinese-language-only version of Windows 11, Windows Home China 11, as it seeks to maintain its position in the Chinese market.
For now, the accelerated transition applies only to some government bodies, suggesting that Beijing may be pursuing a phased migration designed to make the shift more manageable.
The move nonetheless sends a clear signal that China is accelerating efforts to reduce dependence on American technology and establish greater control over the software infrastructure used by its government.
China is moving to accelerate the replacement of Windows with Linux in some government bodies
And I plan to do the same at home.
🇮🇷| Important points emphasised by Iran’s Leader, Imam Mojtaba Khamenei:
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Economic pressure needs serious attention: inflation, unemployment, prices, investment, production, and living standards should be central priorities.
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Reduce dependence on dollar.
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New technology & young talent needs to be used more intensively: The gov should adopt innovations proposed by young experts and be willing to abandon outdated routines.
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Government needs to preserve national and social unity. Economic, political, cultural, security, and social fields should be evaluated according to whether they strengthen or damage social cohesion.
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No bad rhetorics. Such as “war or negotiations,” “consensus or extremism,” and “compromise or warmongering”.
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Socially important professions and families should be supported, such as teachers & educators.
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Iran’s development should come primarily from internal capacity, better governance, technology, production, and public participation, not from accepting foreign demands.
@FotrosResistancee
The full speech provided by MES
— 🇮🇷 Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei:
Part 1
‘The first week of Shahrivar (current Iranian month) every year is an occasion to pay attention to the services of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This year, the government is proud that the days of Government Week coincide with the days of the blessed and beneficent birth of Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq, peace be upon them.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank all the active employees and managers of the government branches, especially the honest and compassionate President.
Especially with regard to the worthy measures that, despite the various plots and conspiracies of the American-Zionist enemy and the intensification of sanctions and the naval blockade, they have taken during the Third Imposed War and afterwards, in the direction of providing goods and services needed by the people, repairing important damaged points, and managing energy needs.
It is also appropriate to honor the memory of the martyred Presidents Rajaee and Raisi, the martyred Prime Minister Bahonar, and the martyred employees, managers, and ministers in all different periods of government, and above all, our great martyred Leader who himself also served as the President for nearly two terms, and to ask for the highest rank and divine blessings for them.
The opportunity to serve the people and the goals of the Islamic Republic is a valuable blessing that must be cherished. In the current era and the serious and complex conditions that an increasingly strong Iran faces, one of the essential things to achieve this goal, in addition to round-the-clock efforts and continuous initiative, is to explain and narrate the power and strength of Iran and its beloved nation.
Weakness, shortcomings, and deficiencies do not require narration and highlighting; rather, they require planning and action to resolve and solve the problem. Sometimes, honestly expressing one’s weaknesses when the enemy needs morale is a great help to him and may even cause concern in the hearts of friends and companions, causing them to wander and bewilder.
Yes, if the only listeners to these honest statements are our own people and sympathizers, the problems will be reduced. However, the strength, power and positive aspects, in accordance with the Quranic teaching {And as for the grace of your Lord, then it will be narrated}, need to be narrated and highlighted.’
@Middle_East_Spectator
https://t.me/Middle_East_Spectator/36081
—❗️🇮🇷 Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, gives his thoughts on the economy:
Part 2
‘The dear people of Iran, who have revealed their true caliber in the past six months in various manifestations of jihad with the enemy, their presence in the streets, their solidarity, empathy and companionship, deserve to feel the service of the responsible branches and institutions in the Islamic Republic on the path to achieving the desired level of this sacred system and the high dignity of the nation.
Of course, what I will state now is already at the center of attention of the government, and mentioning it here is merely a reminder:
Among the necessities is the need to pay serious attention to the chain of economic-livelihood challenges such as inflation, unemployment, price management and the market for goods and services, and special attention to some other elements of the economy such as GDP growth, increasing investment and directing it towards useful and essential areas, production boom, gradual abandonment of the dollar, and ultimately, placing the economy at the center of a set of resistance economy policies.
The main key in this regard to solving all these issues is to rely more and more on domestic production.
Of course, establishing a sufficient level of public and specialized goods is a definite necessity, considering which, in cases where domestic production is not sufficient, imports should be used correctly and wisely.
Naturally, encouraging production and at the same time managing imports and prices can lead to a situation where the dark spots that are showing themselves on the country’s economic page gradually become smaller and smaller until they disappear completely. In this scene, although the enemy’s behavior (sanctions etc.) during and after the war is not without an effect, the more intelligent management of the components of this field and seeking help in some cases from individuals and in others from specialists and technologists and realizing new capacities will lead the country towards expansion and prosperity.
The sworn enemy of this nation [United States] tries to suggest that the path to prosperity and progress passes only through obedience to him and his ridiculous demands, while observing what they have brought upon this country and its resources in past periods, even years before the Islamic Revolution, shows the opposite.‘
@Middle_East_Spectator
https://t.me/Middle_East_Spectator/36082
— 🇮🇷 Continuation of the message by Iran’s Supreme Leader:
Part 3
‘And among other important issues and topics is the application of technologies and innovations proposed by our young elite. Sometimes, timely use of this advantage and abandoning the usual routine and customary habits in a matter makes effective leaps in the path of progress and excellence of the country. This is conceivable in various branches of power production, including agriculture and industry, culture and education, communication and social affairs.
Among the other fundamental issues of the country that must always be at the center of attention is observing unity and caring for social cohesion. Every action in each of the cultural, social, political, security, and macro-economic areas must be taken with consideration of the attachment related to social cohesion. Some measures that may appear to have supporters among some segments of the country, if they lack this appendix or if what is formulated as an appendix in that case is neglected as an action, can cause harm to those segments and others.
Undoubtedly, any disappointing speech and weakening of national and public cohesion and any kind of imaginary contradictions such as war or negotiation, consensus or extremism, compromise or war-mongering that has caused direct or indirect damage to our beloved people in the past can have the same effect from now on.
Therefore, I firmly declare that committing anything that is detrimental to social cohesion is prohibited.
And among other important issues, is the trans-strategic attention to the issue of culture, education and upbringing. The term trans-strategic means that the formulation of other strategies must be done with this issue in mind. In this regard, it is of particular importance to pay attention to the groups that are the source of spreading positive and constructive culture, such as teachers in education, universities, and seminaries, as well as nurses and doctors who have dedicated themselves to performing their duties in non-private institutions; just as it is to pay attention to the role of housewives who teach the most delicate elements of the beautiful and desirable culture of the future to each and every child of this land and region in the privacy of their homes.
It is hoped that the implementation of these and other useful materials that can be found, thank God, in the list of government programs will lead our beloved country towards an ever stronger Iran and make those active in this path worthy of the special attention of Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his return.’
@Middle_East_Spectator
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Yemen turns Riyadh’s Red Sea lifeline into a front line
Sanaa’s expanding maritime and cross-border campaign is forcing Riyadh to defend the export routes, proxy formations, and southern buffer zones it once took for granted.
By Mawadda Iskandar
❤️
🇸🇾🇮🇱 — The spiritual leader of the Druze community in Suwayda, Hikmat al-Hijri said :
“We are an integral part of Israel and share the same beliefs with it”
The Levantine Revolutionary Party
I want it to be known, that Druze in Syria, prior to the fall of Asaad, felt little to no attachment to Israel, and sided with the Palestinian cause like the rest of the country.
It was Jolani’s massacres in Suwayda, that made this impression shift rapidly.
In the Golan Heights, occupied by the zionists, the vast majority of the Syrian Druze community famously refused to apply for Israeli citizenship for decades. It was a sign of loyalty to their country against the illegal occupation of their land. After the massacres in Suwayda, they began applying in the thousands.
Jolani killed Syria, what is left is but a corpse with the a name etched onto its tombstone.
deleted by creator
🇺🇸🇮🇷| Duolingo (the app to learn languages) has banned Iranians from learning English on the app, following sanction campaigns by the US.
The US is so petty. They’re trying to isolate Iran from the world because they lost a war against Iran.
The almighty American empire has resorted to petty acts.
@FotrosResistancee
Duolingo is garbage for learning a language, but also a shit company in general. I remember when I found out years back that some of their original language courses were put together by volunteers, at least in part, and then of course they turned around and cashed in on it.
I also (indirectly) blame Duolingo somewhat for how mediocre so many other language apps are. I’ve had more than one time I liked a language app and then they revamped their interface… to look/feel more like Duolingo. But Duolingo’s design looks like Baby’s First App. It’s not a good design to mimic, it just happens to be attached to what is possibly the most well known language learning app there is.
Duolingo, I feel, did to language learning apps what World of Warcraft did to MMORPGs; because of its incredibly outsized popularity/fame, it became the thing other businesses mimic to try to make money. But its ideas, while not all terrible, are extremely overrated and a very narrow window into how things could be done. So the industry becomes very stagnant and narrow instead of trying more interesting ideas.
Anyway, there’s my mini Duolingo rant and fuck US sanction bullshit.
As a former Duolingo user, thank you very much for this cathartic rant, agreed on all counts.
I’d add in their attempt to jam AI into the app which massively reduced quality and also resulted in many people losing their jobs.
Iranians are truly done for. There is no way to recover from this. Strait of Hormuz is officially the Straight of America [sic] now.
China’s imports of Iranian oil ‘largely untouched’ by US siege: Report
Beijing has announced its readiness to retaliate over the declaration of a US economic war against Iran
“China is closely following the relevant developments and will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests.”
Sanctions only “lead to escalation,” the same spokesperson said a day earlier.
This seems interesting…
❗️Iconic Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour passes away at 79
Expand
Sliman Mansour, widely celebrated as a foundational pillar of contemporary Palestinian art, has passed away at the age of 79. His family announced the passing in a statement on social media, writing that the final chapter has been written for a beloved father who provided a profound source of love, strength, and home.
Born in the West Bank town of Birzeit in 1947, only months before the Nakba, Mansour graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem in 1970, launching a career spanning more than five decades that profoundly shaped the visual language of Palestinian national identity.
Throughout his lifetime, his iconic works captured the realities of displacement, deep-rooted connections to the land, and cultural endurance, frequently integrating traditional motifs like embroidery and olive trees.
Beyond his canvas, Mansour dedicated his life to institutionalizing and protecting Palestinian arts, co-founding the Al-Wasiti Art Centre in East Jerusalem in 1994 and later serving on the founding board of the International Academy of Art Palestine in Ramallah.
https://t.me/thecradlemedia/66748
❗️This morning, Israeli settlers blocked the road at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing, preventing trucks carrying aid to Gaza from passing.
According to Hebrew sources, the settlers were protesting plans to allow international forces into the Gaza Strip and reconstruction efforts.
Video: https://t.me/thecradlemedia/66789
I know that they’d probably be shot by the IDF if they tried… but I’m sometimes a little surprised that someone with road rage driving these trucks doesn’t just hit the gas and flatten these vermin after so much stress.
Maybe it was a year or so after Oct. 7, but I recall a video of a truck driver doing exactly that.
I hope that person receives good things. Be it this life and the next.
❗️A senior Hamas source told Ultra Palestine that the Israeli government bears responsibility for the consequences of the latest escalation in Gaza, accusing it of evading its commitments and using flimsy pretexts to justify attacks.
The source warned that Hamas could take steps if the escalation continues amid international silence, adding that the movement had informed mediators and observers of its position, who reportedly rejected Israel’s justifications.
— 🇮🇷/🇪🇺 NEW: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved the Iranian ‘Zandoriah’ medicine against Osteoporosis for use throughout the European Union
This marks the first ever biological medicine produced and developed in the Middle East to be granted EU-approval, and it was made in Iran.
@Middle_East_Spectator
https://t.me/Middle_East_Spectator/36072
🇮🇷🇨🇳🇺🇸| China has reportedly warned the US that it may retaliate for sanctions on Iran
Beijing warned Washington that in the event of them expanding restrictions of trade with Tehran (which affects Chinese companies), it will take all necessary measures — FT
@FotrosResistancee
Iran oil revenues surpass $7bn despite US war, siege
Russia and China have condemned Washington’s illegal sanctions plan and have vowed to help Tehran confront it
Iran vows dollar phase-out, domestic self-sufficiency to overcome US economic siege
The Iranian supreme leader advocates domestic manufacturing as a solution for economic resilience amid Washington’s economic strangulation campaign
