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Iran says coastal attack will lead to full Gulf closure and mine-laying

An attack on Iran's southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, the country's Defence Council said on Monday, according to state media. The US is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios. "Any attempt to attack Iran's coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf (...) to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast," the statement read. "In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time (...) One should not forget the failure of more than 100 minesweepers in the 1980s in removing a few sea mines." The Defence Council recalled that non-belligerent states can only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating passage with Iran...
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Zelensky accuses Russia of violating 'Easter truce'

Despite a temporary ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Easter weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claims Russian forces continued their assaults, undermining hopes for a meaningful pause in the war. The 30-hour “Easter truce” began at 18:00 Moscow time on Saturday, with both Russia and Ukraine agreeing to halt hostilities until midnight Sunday. However, Zelensky reported 387 shellings, 19 assaults, and 290 drone uses by Russian forces in the first six hours of the truce. No casualties have been reported. While frontline areas experienced a noticeable drop in activity, air-raid sirens were heard in Kyiv shortly after the truce began. Ukrainian forces accused Russia of continuing strikes, especially in contested regions like Kharkiv and Donetsk. Moscow, meanwhile, reported explosions in Russian-controlled Donetsk and deployed a missile-equipped ship to the Black Sea. Zelensky criticized Russia’s actions, saying they created only a “general impression” of a ceasefire, and reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to extend the truce if Moscow genuinely commits to peace. Kyiv continues to support a US.-backed proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, previously rejected by the Kremlin. The ceasefire announcement followed weeks of pressure from US President Donald Trump, who warned of withdrawing diplomatic efforts if no progress was made. In a rare positive development, Russia and Ukraine conducted a large-scale prisoner exchange, each releasing 246 captives, including wounded soldiers, in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates. The ceasefire attempt is the latest in a series of failed truces since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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