China's Tiangong space station celebrates a notable anniversary on Wednesday, with this date marking exactly five years since the launch of the crucial core module which paved the way for the country's permanent presence in space.
In the years that have followed, China has achieved numerous breakthroughs in space exploration since the Tianhe core module was put into orbit on April 29, 2021.
The assembly and construction of the space station continued with two science lab modules, Wentian and Mengtian, being launched and successfully docked in July and October of the following year.
Upon its completion in late 2022, Tiangong become one of two space stations currently in orbit, with the other being the International Space Station (ISS).
Up to now, a total of ten different astronaut crews, spanning the Shenzhou-12 to the Shenzhou-21 missions, have entered the space station and conducted a total of 26 extravehicular activities, including carrying out the assembly and maintenance of space station equipment, and completing the installation of space debris protection devices.
The space station also serves as a national-level space laboratory, where astronauts have conducted space science experiments and tests covering research areas of space life and human research, microgravity physics, space astronomy and earth science, and new space technologies and applications.
This year, China's manned space program plans to conduct one cargo resupply mission and two manned flight missions.
In the future, the space station will host astronauts from China's Hong Kong and Macao. It has also been confirmed that one Pakistani astronaut will also serve as a payload specialist for a short-term flight mission at a later date, with candidates currently in training.
China's cooperation projects with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs are also steadily advancing.
In the future, China will also send the Xuntian Space Telescope to the space station to set up its flagship space astronomy facility. The country will also upgrade its Long March-5B carrier rocket for the launch of new modules to the space station.
The breakthroughs made in the space station come as part of China's ambitious space goals for the coming years, with the country pressing ahead with plans for a manned moon mission by 2030.
China's space station witnesses momentous five years of transformation
Iran on Tuesday warned it would deliver a stern response to any new aggression, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordering preparations for a prolonged naval blockade of the country.
Trump has instructed his administration to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran as the ceasefire remains in place amid stalled talks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing U.S. officials.
In recent meetings, including a Monday discussion with top security officials in the White House, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran's economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports, said the report.
The president assessed that the blockade, "a high-risk bid" to compel Tehran's nuclear capitulation, carries less risk than other options -- resume bombing or walk away from the conflict, the officials were quoted as saying.
Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated the same day that Tehran has completed "all necessary arrangements" to counter the U.S. naval blockade.
She noted that Iran's primary strategy focuses on maximizing its geographical advantages through effective tactical maneuvers.
Also on Tuesday, Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia declared that the military considers the current situation a state of war.
Akraminia added that Iran has fully updated its target lists and operational equipment, promising a "stern response" to any further aggression.
Mujtaba Ferdosipour, head of Iran's Interests Section in Cairo, told the IRNA news agency on Wednesday that U.S. attempts to force unilateral demands through a naval blockade are ineffective. He stressed that Iran's extensive land borders with neighboring countries provide viable alternatives to bypass the maritime restrictions.
Ferdosipour reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz is closed only to vessels linked to Israel and the United States. He asserted that Iran has the right to manage security in the strait, maintaining that this position does not violate international conventions.
The envoy further stated that Iran does not trust the United States and has no desire for direct negotiations. He emphasized that Tehran can employ all available means to defend itself against attacks.
According to the latest data from the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz have plummeted by 95.3 percent since Feb 27. The disruption has caused global food prices to rise by approximately six percent, while crude oil prices in European markets have surged by nearly 50 percent.
Iran warns of stern response as US plans prolonged blockade
