Iranian regime has ‘never faced a president’ like Trump, Rubio says

Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that Iran remains a major threat to the United States and global stability, arguing the regime’s ideology extends far beyond the Middle East.

“The Iranian regime is for decades a strategic threat to world stability, not only to Israel, not only to the Middle East,” Herzog said. “They take their people’s food and money and spend it on terror all over the world.”

Herzog argued Tehran’s ideology fuels its missile program, support for proxy groups and pursuit of nuclear capabilities, while also pointing to its treatment of its own citizens.

“So many American citizens were killed by this regime,” Herzog said. “So it’s a major threat to American national security interests.”

The comments come as the White House said Friday that Iran “will continue to pay” until it returns to negotiations in what President Donald Trump considers “a meaningful way.”

Reuters on Saturday published new discussion surrounding its recent exclusive interview with exiled Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, with the news organization’s reporters offering additional insight into his push to position himself as a leader if Iran’s Islamic Republic falls.

The discussion follows the outlet's recent special report, which examined Pahlavi’s campaign to rally support for a democratic transition while detailing the political and organizational challenges facing Iran’s fractured opposition movement. Reuters reported that Pahlavi remains the country’s most recognizable opposition figure but faces questions about his ability to unite competing factions.

In his interview with Reuters, Pahlavi said he does not view himself as Iran’s future ruler, instead describing himself as “a bridge to the destination” whose role would be to help guide a transition before allowing Iranians to determine their country’s future through a democratic process.

The report also noted that the Trump administration has publicly distanced itself from backing any specific successor to Iran’s current government.

Pahlavi told Reuters his campaign “has never been about me” but about “the Iranian people and their right to self-determination."

He also argued the Islamic Republic is “very close” to collapse and said his goal is to help guide a transition that would ultimately allow Iranians to decide their country’s future through a democratic process.

A BBC investigation published Saturday details how European authorities say a Swedish organized crime network with alleged ties to Iran has recruited teenagers to carry out contract killings and attacks across Europe.

Citing Europol, Swedish police and investigative journalist Diamant Salihu of Swedish broadcaster SVT, the report says the "Foxtrot Network" recruited minors through social media before directing them via encrypted messaging apps in what authorities describe as a “violence-as-a-service” model.

The BBC reported that Swedish authorities believe Foxtrot leader Rawa Majid is now based in Tehran, where investigators allege some attacks have been carried out on behalf of Iran’s regime against Israeli interests, Iranian dissidents and journalists.

The report also highlighted the conviction of Norwegian teenager Johannes Natland in the U.K. over a murder conspiracy and said Europol’s task force investigating the network has made more than 280 arrests while authorities continue pursuing key Foxtrot figures.

Reza Pahlavi communications director Tina Ghazimorad said Saturday that Iranian authorities executed 20-year-old protester Arvin Kheirkhah following his detention during what she described as Iran’s “Lion and Sun National Uprising.”

In a post on X, Ghazimorad said Kheirkhah’s final conversation with his family included a plea to preserve the memory of those protesting the regime.

“Don’t let them forget me,” she quoted him as saying. “We stood up for the liberation of our homeland. Don’t let the path we chose be silenced.”

Ghazimorad described Kheirkhah as “a courageous young protester” and said he was executed Saturday by the Iranian regime. She did not provide additional details surrounding his detention or execution.

The post comes as Iranian authorities continue to face criticism from opposition groups and human rights advocates over the treatment of anti-government protesters and detainees.

Michael Doran, a former senior National Security Council official in the George W. Bush administration and current senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, on Saturday pointed to an Israeli media report suggesting President Donald Trump is nearing a decision on whether to launch a large-scale military strike against Iran.

In a post on X, Doran wrote that Trump is “close to making a decision about launching a large-scale attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran,” citing an unnamed Israeli official quoted by Israel’s Kan 12 television channel.“The U.S. military is at the highest level of readiness,” Doran wrote, adding that the Israeli official emphasized “a final decision has not yet been made in Washington.”

Doran previously served as senior director for Near East and North African affairs on the National Security Council and has frequently commented on U.S. policy toward Iran and the broader Middle East.

The post comes as the White House has continued to emphasize that Trump retains all options while pursuing what officials describe as a “meaningful” diplomatic resolution with Tehran.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Saturday that a tanker was struck and a separate explosion was reported near another commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman.

According to UKMTO, an unknown projectile struck a vessel Friday about 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman, damaging the ship’s engine room. The agency said there were no reported casualties or environmental damage.

In a separate incident, UKMTO said it received a report Saturday from the master of a tanker about 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, after a “large splash and explosion” occurred in close proximity to the vessel. No damage was reported, authorities are investigating, and UKMTO advised ships transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

The incidents come as tensions remain elevated in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

The U.S. Army on Saturday released a new recruitment video highlighting military service, American values and the Army’s mission to build “the most lethal fighting force on the planet.”

The 60-second spot, titled “We Stand on the Shoulders of Giants,” opens with archival video of American service members before transitioning to modern military imagery featuring Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump.

“America, a people bound by faith, freedom, and opportunity,” the narrator says. “Its prosperity owed to a long line of warriors and an ethos that remains unwavering.”

The video says America’s warfighters “stand on the shoulders of giants who have taught us to fight and win,” adding that the Army “continues to build the most lethal fighting force on the planet.”

“Because peace demands strength,” the narrator says. “Now is the time to earn a place in the fight for the American cause. And the shoulders the next generation stand on will be yours.”

The Army posted the video on X Saturday with the caption, “We Stand on the Shoulders of Giants.”

Retired Gen. Jack Keane said Saturday the Trump administration has ample evidence that Iran is neither willing nor able to reach a meaningful agreement, arguing the regime has already failed to honor previous commitments.

Speaking on “Journal Editorial Report,” the Fox News senior strategic analyst pointed to the memorandum of understanding reached after the April ceasefire, saying negotiations have failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or produce progress on Iran’s nuclear program.

“The facts pretty much speak for themselves,” Keane said. “I think it’s obvious that the Iranians are not going to make a deal that would satisfy the administration.”

Keane added that even if Tehran were to sign another agreement, “they will not comply with it,” citing what he described as Iran’s failure to uphold the previous memorandum of understanding.

The White House shared a video Saturday of President Donald Trump greeting U.S. service members in New Jersey, where he thanked troops and briefly spoke about the conflict with Iran.

During the exchange, Trump was heard telling the service members, “I’m not worried about missiles or drones,” as troops responded, “Yes, sir.”

The White House captioned the video, “God bless our troops.”

This comes as the Trump administration weighs additional military action against Iran while U.S. forces remain on heightened alert across the Middle East.

Former Clinton adviser and Democrat pollster Mark Penn argued Saturday that Iran repeatedly rejected opportunities for peace, saying the regime instead escalated attacks after multiple diplomatic openings.

In a post on X, Penn said Iran failed to abide by the memorandum of understanding with the United States, attacked commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and later launched missiles at Jordan and U.S. troops rather than pursue negotiations.

Penn also argued the Iranian regime’s history of violently suppressing its own people and attacking neighboring countries demonstrates why it cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons.

“Sometimes there is no choice if we are to have a better world than to use force and see it through in a responsible way,” Penn wrote. “Despite having given the Iran IRGC every opportunity to drop their regional, proxy and global designs, they have chosen another path.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned Saturday that countries allowing the United States or Israel to use their territory or military facilities for attacks on Iran could face retaliation.

According to Iran International, which cited a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Tehran said it would target locations from which any future attacks are launched.

The ministry also said Iran’s “defensive strikes” would continue despite what it described as a U.S. naval blockade, military attacks, economic pressure and “unlawful threats.”

The statement added that the Islamic Republic, under Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, would continue defending Iran’s independence and national security against what it called the “U.S.-Israeli coalition.”

President Donald Trump shared a chart on Truth Social on Saturday claiming his administration’s pressure campaign is fueling the collapse of Iran’s currency.

The graphic compares the Iranian rial’s exchange rate against the U.S. dollar from early 2025 through July 2026, showing the currency weakening from roughly 900,000 rials per dollar to nearly 1.9 million rials per dollar while stating Iran is experiencing “massive inflation.”

The post comes as the Trump administration has touted sanctions, military operations and a naval blockade as part of its effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently saying the administration intends to continue targeting Iranian financial networks.

Retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, the former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said Saturday that Iran is entering a “last gasp” as U.S. forces intensify strikes on the regime’s drone and missile infrastructure.

Speaking on “Fox News Live,” Harward said the campaign has shifted from targeting launch sites to destroying Iran’s ability to manufacture the weapons.

“We’re at the point where we’re going after all their facilities that produce it, not just where they launch it,” Harward said. “This could be the last gasp of a desperate regime in Iran using everything they have to stay in power.”

Harward also dismissed concerns that the U.S. could deplete its own missile stockpiles, arguing Iran’s military capabilities are eroding much faster than America’s.

“We’ll know when the war is truly over and Iran will capitulate is when they no longer have missiles and drones,” he said. “The goal is to completely eradicate all of them and their ability to present threats.”

He added that Iran’s long history of cyberattacks against U.S. institutions makes recent cyber incidents consistent with the regime’s past behavior.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Saturday that Qatar now poses a greater threat to Israel than Iran, accusing the Gulf nation of bankrolling Hamas, spreading anti-Israel influence and infiltrating Israel’s political system.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 12 as reported by Times of Israel, Bennett argued that while Iran openly declares its hostility toward Israel, Qatar has been able to undermine the country more quietly through its financial and political influence.

Bennett pointed to Qatar’s past funding of Hamas, its backing of Al Jazeera and ongoing allegations involving current and former aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused of accepting Qatari money as part of a public relations campaign.

He said Israel should formally designate Qatar as an enemy state, arguing that failing to do so allows individuals to legally work on the country’s behalf.

“In the next government, we will define Qatar as an enemy,” Bennett said.

The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that it killed several Hezbollah terrorists that encountered its troops in southern Lebanon. 

The IDF said overnight, “soldiers identified several Hezbollah terrorists in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area, in the Security Zone, where IDF soldiers are operating,” and, “Following the identification, the soldiers struck the terrorists and eliminated them in order to remove the threat.” 

“As a result of the encounter, an IDF officer was moderately injured. The officer was evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and his family has been notified,” the IDF added. 

“The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to its soldiers and will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to harm Israeli civilians,” it also said. 

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this post.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian marked the second anniversary of him taking office Saturday with a social media post blasting Israel and affirming the "future of Iran will be shaped by the people of Iran.”

"Two years ago, the start of our work coincided with the assassination of our dear guest by the Zionist regime; two years in which imposed wars, pressure, and relentless hostilities were inflicted upon the people of Iran," he wrote. "In all these hard days, it was the true heroes of the people who stood out. The future of Iran will be shaped by the people of Iran."

The post seems to reference Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was in Tehran as a guest for Pezeshkian's inauguration when he was reportedly killed. Iran blamed Haniyeh's assassination on Israel, but Israel did not immediately claim responsibility.

Pezeshkian's statement comes after Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier this week that Pakistan is doing its “utmost” to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table under the memorandum of understanding reached last month.

“We are doing our utmost to bring all parties back to the Islamabad MOU,” spokesman Tahir Andrabi was quoted by the AFP as telling reporters in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Thursday.

Pakistan has served as a mediator in talks between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending the war.

In a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The United States signed an MOU with Iran and they broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers. President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur. Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.”

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this post.

U.S. Central Command released an image Saturday showing a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter preparing to land at an undisclosed location in the Middle East.

"The Chinook is a tandem-rotor aircraft designed to transport personnel, equipment, and supplies in a variety of environments," CENTCOM said.

CENTCOM has played a leading role in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, which was launched 154 days ago on Feb. 28.

The release of the image comes as U.S. embassies in Jordan and Israel, and the U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates issued advisories Saturday warning Americans to consider leaving the region as the conflict with Iran continues.

Bahrain’s foreign ministry said Saturday that “repeated Iranian attacks on civilian and vital facilities” in Kuwait amount to a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty, security and stability” of the country. 

“The Ministry praised the efficiency and readiness of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, which today confronted and destroyed a number of hostile drones, reiterating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s full solidarity with the sisterly State of Kuwait, and its complete support for the deterrent measures it is taking to preserve its sovereignty, security, stability and territorial integrity, stressing the need for an immediate and comprehensive cessation of the heinous and unjustified attacks carried out by Iran and its proxies against the countries of the region, and an end to its threats to maritime navigation, in order to enhance regional and international security and stability,” it said. 

Kuwait’s army said earlier this morning it destroyed multiple “hostile drones” from Iran that targeted “vital facilities” inside the country. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is spreading hateful and antisemitic rhetoric and endangering the lives of New Yorkers, Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview at his Jerusalem residence.

"Mamdani does not respect my nation's right for self-determination… the Jewish people's inherent right to have a nation of their own. And he's basically spreading blasphemy, hate, antisemitic rhetoric. He should understand that he's risking his own citizens, he’s risking their safety, well-being and life," Herzog said.

In an incident that drew global attention, Mamdani posted a video on social media on July 21 in which he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a war criminal" and "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."

"This cannot be accepted in New York, which is a city which is dear to our heart, dear to the Israelis, and dear to me personally," Herzog said.

On Iran, Herzog said the regime has for decades posed a strategic threat to global stability, and not only to Israel and the Middle East.

"They take their people's food and money and spend it on terror all over the world. It's a given fact," he said. "You ask yourself why a nation of this nature wants to have so much terror activity around the world, and that is because of ideology… The ideology does not accommodate any other religion or moderate Islam, for that matter. That is why it is so dangerous," he added.

The Israel Defense Forces said Saturday that a combat officer "was moderately injured during an operational activity in southern Lebanon,” where troops have been working to suppress threats from the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. 

“The fighter was evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and his family was notified,” the IDF said. 

The development comes after the IDF said it uncovered an underground tunnel network in southern Lebanon. 

“The infrastructure network served as a central command complex, from which the fighting was directed and fire was guided against IDF forces and the citizens of the State of Israel. This is a strategic infrastructure network that was built over two decades, consisting of several levels, and served as a central terror headquarters for [Hezbollah’s] ‘Badir’ unit in southern Lebanon, which was funded and planned by the Iranian terror regime,” according to the IDF.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem echoed a warning Saturday from the U.S. Embassy in Jordan that Americans should "remain vigilant" as the "situation in the Middle East remains fluid" with Iran.

"Download the free Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command application on Android or Apple devices to receive real-time alerts for rockets, missile attacks, and armed UAV intrusions," the embassy advised Americans who are currently in Israel.

It added that Americans should have a "supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items" if trouble arises.

The U.S. Embassy in Jordan also issued a warning Saturday that Americans in the Middle East should “consider departing” as the “Iranian regime is unpredictable.” 

“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions,” the advisory said. “Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation.” 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre is reporting two fresh attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The agency said a tanker traveling 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, reported Friday “seeing a large splash and explosion in close proximity to the vessel.” 

“No damage to the vessel has been reported at this time. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” it said.

The UKMTO added that it received another report from a ship traveling 11 nautical miles northeast off the coast of Lima, Oman, that it was “struck by an unknown projectile which has caused damage to the engine room.”  

“There are no reported casualties or environmental impact,” the UKMTO said. 

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this post. 

Iranian Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi claimed Saturday that “any country that makes itself a defensive shield for the United States... will burn in the fire of war," a report said. 

"Muslim countries must act with foresight, monitor America's actions and reconsider their cooperation and alignment with the United States,” he added, according to Iran International. 

The remarks come as Iran has been launching missile and drone attacks at countries across the Middle East in recent weeks, with Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan among the countries being targeted. 

U.S. Central Command also has launched waves of strikes against Iranian military targets aimed at further diminishing threats "posed by Iran and its proxies to American forces, commercial shipping, and neighboring Gulf countries."

A tanker carrying liquified natural gas from Qatar was struck by a projectile while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, a report said. 

Bloomberg, citing security consultancies Vanguard Tech and Marisks, identified the ship on Saturday as the Gaslog Shanghai. 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said late Friday that it received a report from a ship traveling off the coast of Oman that it was “struck by an unknown projectile which has caused damage to the engine room.”  

“There are no reported casualties or environmental impact,” the UKMTO added. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was reportedly denied the opportunity to speak Friday during the funeral of Army Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad in Queens, one of three U.S. service members killed in Jordan during an Iranian attack on July 17.

Mamdani attended the service at a church in Ozone Park but did not deliver remarks honoring Rampersad.

According to the New York Post, Mamdani appeared to review prepared remarks on an iPad as other dignitaries spoke, but his name was never called.

A source familiar with the funeral told the New York Post that Rampersad's family chose not to have Mamdani speak in an effort to avoid any "political distractions."

The mayor's office later released his prepared remarks.

"It is often said that our fallen 'gave their tomorrows for our today,'" Mamdani planned to say. "Sergeant Rampersad had tomorrows waiting for her: birthdays, ordinary mornings, evenings spent with her loved ones. But she gave every one of them up so that we could have ours — so that we could stand here today, safe and protected."

The U.S. Embassy in Jordan issued a warning Saturday that Americans in the Middle East should “consider departing” as the “Iranian regime is unpredictable.” 

“Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions,” the advisory said. “Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation.” 

“U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted. Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions,” it continued. 

“The situation in the Middle East remains fluid.  The Iranian regime is unpredictable, as seen by its recent decisions to attack areas in the region without warning or provocations as well as to expand attacks to areas not previously targeted (such as Egypt),” the embassy added. “Americans should remain vigilant, as merely because U.S. interests or businesses have not been attacked in a country in the past does not ensure their safety.” 

The embassy concluded the advisory by saying that all Americans should “avoid travel” to military bases in Jordan, which recently have come under attack by Iran. 

Kuwait’s army announced Saturday it has destroyed multiple “hostile drones” from Iran that targeted “vital facilities” inside the country. 

“The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that the armed forces have detected, since dawn today, hostile drones within Kuwaiti airspace, and they have been dealt with and destroyed,” Kuwait’s army posted on X. 

“He added that the heinous Iranian aggression targeted a number of vital facilities, including a government facility in the north of the country, as well as civilian vehicles belonging to one of the civil companies on Bubiyan Island, resulting in material damage due to falling shrapnel, with no human injuries recorded, praise be to God,” a statement added. 

Explosions were reported earlier in Kuwait as its air defense systems intercepted the drones. 

Iran is threatening to retaliate against U.S. or Israeli strikes by targeting critical energy infrastructure, according to comments published Friday by Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim News Agency.

A senior security official told Tasnim that reports in U.S. media about possible American and Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure amounted to “a kind of madness,” warning Tehran has prepared “extensive response plans.”

According to Tasnim, the official said those plans include strikes targeting Israeli critical infrastructure and U.S. energy infrastructure across the region, adding Iran’s armed forces have both “the capability and the will” to carry them out.

The threat comes hours after the White House told Fox News Digital that President Donald Trump “is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur” and that “Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way.”

The White House statement came in response to reports of a possible expansion of U.S. military operations against Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is confronting a different kind of U.S. president under President Donald Trump, arguing Tehran can no longer rely on negotiations without consequences.

In an interview airing this weekend on “My View with Lara Trump,” Rubio said the Iranian regime has “never faced a president like President Trump.”

“I don’t think the Iranian regime has ever faced a president like President Trump, which is someone that actually takes action,” Rubio said. “They got used to, for 20 or 30 years, not just the U.S., but the broader world, allowing them to get away with things like lying, breaking deals, tricking people into agreements.”

The comments come as the White House says Iran “will continue to pay” until it returns to negotiations in what President Trump considers “a meaningful way,” following Tehran’s alleged attacks on commercial shipping and U.S. forces after signing a memorandum of understanding with the United States.

During Fox News’ “Special Report,” panelists said the administration appears increasingly skeptical that Iran will negotiate in good faith as the president weighs further military action.

Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog has additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.