As Rumsfeld said: “It’s not our fault that God put America’s Oil under other people’s countries”…

"We may have to deal a blow to China in order to defeat Russia." Estonian PM.

🇮🇷 | By approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Imam Khamenei: Posthumous conferment of the rank of Lieutenant General upon Martyr Mohammad Bagheri to his family: In recognition of his outstanding merits, effective role in critical missions, and tireless struggle in safeguarding national security, and by the approval of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Imam Khamenei, the rank of Lieutenant General was posthumously conferred upon the esteemed martyr Mohammad Bagheri. On behalf of the Commander-in-Chief, the rank was presented to the martyr’s family by Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

🇺🇲🇻🇪 Maduro sends navy escorts to protect ships leaving its ports after Trump announces that is going to seize every oil tanker - NYT After Trump threatened a total and complete blockade on Venezuelan tankers, Venezuela sent navy escorts to protect ships leaving its ports. The U.S. knows about the escorts and is weighing options, but hasn’t said what comes next. Maduro says exports will continue at all cost.

🇮🇱🇺🇸🇮🇷| The WP quoting Israeli & US officials confirm that US-Iran talks were a ruse to strike Iran US & Israeli officials encouraged media reports to make it look like Israel & US were having a “rift” in order to trick public opinion that a war was not going to happen. Yet reformists inside Iran still insist on diplomacy. Everybody knew that this was a ruse obviously, but it’s mind boggling that even after admission, some still persist on diplomacy…

MADURO: "The truth has now been revealed. They aim to impose a puppet government that wouldn't last even 47 hours, that would hand over the Constitution, sovereignty and all the wealth, and turn Venezuela into a colony. Simply put, that is never, EVER, going to happen."

🇺🇸🇹🇷Bloomberg: "Turkey is seeking to return the Russian S-400 air defense system, and in return be allowed to rejoin the US F-35 fighter jet program."

🇨🇳 CHINESE RESEARCHERS COMPLETED A WORKING EUV PROTOTYPE IN EARLY 2025, SOURCES SAY THE MACHINE HAS NOT YET PRODUCED WORKING CHIPS, UNDERGOING TESTING-SOURCES SAY GOVERNMENT IS TARGETING 2028 FOR WORKING CHIPS, SOURCES SAY

Julian Assange: Sweden broke own laws with Nobel Prize to Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado The Wikileaks founder and former political prisoner has filed an explosive legal brief against the Nobel Committee for its award to a pro-war coup plotter https://thegrayzone.com/2025/12/17/julian-assange-sweden-nobel-venezuelas-machado/