Direct reports from event eyewitnesses
Media outlets close to the Iranian regime report meetings between military and political officials and Mojtaba Khamenei, who has succeeded his father as the leader, but no visual or audio evidence of him has been released since his appointment.
In the "Cheshm Andaz" program, Mehdi Mahdavi-Azadi discussed remarks by Salar Velayatmadar, a member of the Parliament's National Security Commission, who suggested hiding images of Mojtaba Khamenei to avoid harm from "jinn and occult sciences," indicating the influence of superstition in parts of the Islamic Republic's governance.
An oil slick off the west coast of Kharg Island, Iran's primary crude oil export terminal, is expanding and now covers approximately 70 square kilometers. The cause of the spill remains undetermined, with possibilities including a technical malfunction, an air strike, or other factors.
New Iranian footage released on April 22 shows the container ship MSC Francesca both inside and out; the vessel was seized by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz on the same date.
Video released by an IRGC-linked media outlet shows the shootdown of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9A Reaper drone near the Hormuz Strait last night; the wreckage was found by fishermen near Qeshm Island today. The IRGC has not yet released footage of the April 9, 2026, shootdown of a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone.
Widespread GPS disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues for the third day, disrupting the passage of commercial ships and causing confusion; maritime tracking data shows ships mistakenly appearing on land in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, raising security concerns.
Footage shows a Ukrainian Flamingo heavy cruise missile striking Russia's VNIIR-Progress military electronics plant.
Footage has been released showing the interception of cruise missiles by UAE air defense systems in the skies over the country, with no additional details provided about the specific location or outcome of the interceptions.
At a government rally in Iran, an event host praised a cardboard rocket launcher and stated, "Let's see how many martyrs we give tonight," while another organizer attempted to aim the launcher toward Israel.
A video received by Iran International shows a government supporter in Razavi Khorasan Province scavenging for garbage at an urban landfill while displaying a photo of Supreme Leader Khamenei on his car.
A citizen sent a video to Iran International showing empty store shelves and commented on severe price hikes, addressing the IRGC with sarcasm: "Thank you so much! Either we can't buy anything, or if we do, it's extremely expensive."
The United States has imposed a naval blockade on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, reducing ship traffic from approximately 3,000 ships per month before the conflict to just 154 ships in March, severely disrupting global energy markets and supply chains.
