Russia claimed on Saturday that it launched precision strikes on Ukrainian military energy and transport infrastructure, while Ukraine said it had repelled Russian assaults across multiple front-line regions.
In its daily briefing, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces had launched large-scale strikes on Ukraine's military energy and transportation infrastructure over the past 24 hours. According to the ministry, high-precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, were used, and all intended targets were successfully hit.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced on the same day that, as of 16:00 local time, Russian forces had attempted about 80 assaults in a drive to advance deeper into Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian troops were reported to be actively countering Russian forces both along the front line and in the rear, repelling multiple attacks, particularly in the Lyman and Pokrovsk directions.
Russia, Ukraine renew battle reports
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the country's missile program was "never negotiable" in talks with the United States.
Araghchi made the statement in an interview with Qatar's Al Jazeera.
Commenting on indirect negotiations on Friday between Iran and the United States that focused solely on Iran's nuclear issue, Araghchi said they were a good "start," but there is a long way ahead to build trust.
The United States has, over the past months, been calling on Iran to curb its missile program, a demand Tehran has firmly rejected.
Missile is never negotiable as it is a defense issue, Araghchi said.
The United States and Israel failed to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities even through bombing the country's atomic facilities last June, he said, asserting Iran's "inalienable" right to continue uranium enrichment on its own soil.
Regarding a potential U.S. attack, Araghchi said it would not be possible for Iran to attack U.S. soil, but it could target American bases in West Asia.
Araghchi said he expected a new round of talks with the United States to take place "soon".
Friday negotiations between the U.S. and Iranian delegations, headed by the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Araghchi, marked a renewed diplomatic effort amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington in view of the latter's military buildup in the region.
Iran's missile program non-negotiable: FM
