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08:05
Rubio: US Will Not Allow IRGC-Linked Members In Iran World Cup Delegation
Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington will not allow individuals with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to be included in the country's delegation for the FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11 and is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Iran's national team is scheduled to play matches in the United States but will be based in Mexico during the tournament.
Rubio said the United States had "no problem" admitting the Iranian team and its support staff, despite heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
"What we're not going to allow is for them to embed in their delegation a bunch of people that we know have nothing to do with athletics and have ties to the IRGC or things of that nature, so we are going to watch that very closely," Rubio told lawmakers during a hearing at the US House of Representatives committee on June 2.
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11:30
One Killed In Iranian Air Strikes On Kuwait
Kuwait says Iranian air attacks have left at least one person dead and several others injured, in addition to forcing the closure of Kuwait International Airport and damaging "vital installations," including diplomatic missions.
The country's Foreign Ministry said in astatementon June 3 that it condemned "the brutal and continuous Iranian attacks."
"The minister affirms the State of Kuwait's categorical rejection of Iran's blatant acts of aggression, which escalate tensions, undermine security and stability of the region, and constitute a flagrant violation of international law," it added.
US, Iran Exchange Strikes
Earlier, Kuwait's Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi said "a number of hostile drones targeted the passenger terminal (T1)," describing the attack as "the criminal Iranian aggression, which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries to a number of individuals."
He affirmed that Kuwait's armed forces are monitoring the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Kuwait's General Civil Aviation Authority said flights at Kuwait International Airport have been suspended and diverted to alternative airports until further notice, with the airport activating its emergency response plan.
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07:35
US Forces Intercept Iranian Missiles, Drones
US forces successfully intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones during incidents across the Middle East, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said.
In statements on June 2 and June 3, CENTCOM said that several Iranian missiles launched toward regional neighbors failed to reach their intended targets.
The command reported that three missiles fired at Bahrain were intercepted by US and Bahraini air defense systems, while two missiles aimed at Kuwait fell short or broke apart in flight.
US, Iran Exchange Strikes
CENTCOM also said US forces shot down three Iranian one-way attack drones that were said to be targeting civilian shipping in regional waters. In response, US forces conducted what CENTCOM described as "self-defense strikes" against an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, which is located in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command emphasized that no US personnel were injured andrejectedthe claims from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps that US 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain and a US air base in the region had been successfully hit.
In a later post on X, CENTCOM added that another wave of Iranian drones targeting US forces in Kuwait was intercepted without causing damage or casualties.
The Kuwaiti military separatelyreportedthat its air defense systems were "confronting hostile missile and drone attacks" but provided no further details.
Military authorities alsourgedresidents not to approach or handle any debris, shrapnel, or unidentified objects that could result from the interception of hostile aerial targets.
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23:57
2.6.2026
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
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22:33
2.6.2026
US Treasury Imposes Sanctions On Iranian Crypto Exchange
Amid uncertainty over weeks of negotiations between Washington and Tehran, the US Treasury has made a major new sanctions announcement targeting Irans largest crypto exchange, Nobitex.
In astatementon June 2 it said Nobitex and three other digital exchanges were being hit. It said Nobitex was a conduit for transactions linked to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
While Irans economy is in free fall, the regime has chosen to co-opt digital asset technologies for its own corrupt agenda, including evading sanctions and transferring wealth out of the country, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
A recent Reuters investigation highlighted the role of Nobitex in creating what the news agency called a parallel financial system serving the IRGC and central bank.
Nobitexs chairman, Amir Hossein Rad, and other senior representatives were also personally sanctioned by the US Treasury.
The statement said Nobitex accounted for more than 50 percent of all Iranian asset inflows in 2025.
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21:47
2.6.2026
Rubio Urges China Not To Block UN Resolution On Hormuz
Marco Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on China to help a US-sponsored resolution calling for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to pass through a vote at the United Nations, saying Beijing should have a "vested interest" in the issue.
Rubio was speaking on June 2 at a hearing at the House Appropriations Committee, following an earlier session with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"We would like to see their help at the United Nations," he said, referring to a motion that Washington has co-sponsored with Bahrain that seeks to protect international waterways, commercial shipping, and energy supplies.
"Unfortunately, the Chinese continue to threaten a veto of it. So, if in fact they are against the closure of the straits, they should be endorsing this, at a minimum abstaining, and not using a veto of it," Rubio said.
"The Russians are another matter, of course. They're vehemently opposed to that resolution for a variety of different reasons," he added.
A similar motion tabled by Bahrain in April was vetoed by both China and Russia.
A Security Council report on June 1 said it was not clear when the motion would come to a vote.
Rubio told lawmakers on June 2 that the first stage of a deal would be Iran lifting its blockade of the strait in exchange for Washington lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports and waters.
Referring to the UN resolution, he noted that China was an "export-driven economy" and therefore "China in the short to long term should have -- and we've made this point to the Chinese -- a vested interest as well in ensuring that Iran stops its activity."
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17:27
2.6.2026
Rubio Says Sanctions On Iran Won't Be Lifted To Open Hormuz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that no sanctions on Iran will be lifted in exchange for Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a Senate committee hearing on June 2, Rubio said, "That's not been discussed. That's not been offered."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 2.
His comments directly contradict accounts in Iranian state media of the draft agreement being negotiated by Tehran and Washington via Pakistani mediators. These reports have said the deal being discussed includes sanctions relief and the return of Iranian funds that have been frozen abroad.
Rubio told senators that the first phase of any deal would be Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz, and that this would be followed by a second phase dealing with Iran's nuclear program lasting 30-90 days.
He added that talks were being complicated by delays caused by the structure of power within Iran. Iran's negotiators, he said, had to then negotiate with their own leadership council in Tehran -- causing delays of several days each time new messages were passed.
Rubio was also asked if could use his influence within the Trump administration to persuade it to provide lawmakers with the legal rationale for US military strikes on Iran, which it began with Israel on February 28.
"Let me take that back and ask the Office of Legal Counsel. But certainly, they provided the legal rationale for the strike," he said.
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17:04
2.6.2026
Iran's Judiciary Rejects Appeal Of Imprisoned British Couple
The family of a British couple imprisoned in Iran announced on June 3 that Craig and Lindsay Foreman's appeal to overturn their 10-year prison sentence has been rejected.
According to Reuters, the family explained that the Islamic republic's judicial authorities did not allow the couple to attend the court hearing and have provided them with very little information about the proceedings.
A court in Tehran sentenced the Foremans to 10 years in prison last year on charges of "espionage."
Both have denied the spying charges.
A handout photograph released in August 2025 by the family of Craig and Lindsay Foreman shows the couple at Naqsh-e Jahan Square, or Shah Square, with the Shah Mosque in the background, in Isfahan, Iran, at an undated time.
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15:43
2.6.2026
Iran Plans 3-Day Funeral Ceremony For Ali Khamenei
Iranians shout slogans as they march in Tehran the day after the assassination of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike the day before.
Tehran is reportedly planning a "farewell ceremony" and funeral for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to take place in several Iranian cities.
Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike on February 28, has not yet been buried.
The cities of Qom and Mashhad, as well as the capital, will host the event, according to a Tehran official.
According to Iranian media reports, Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, deputy social affairs director for the Tehran region, said on June 2 that officials are expecting up to 20 million people to attend in the capital alone.
He did not specify the exact date of the ceremony but said it would likely be held in late June or early July.
Tavakolizadeh said the "farewell ceremony" will last three days in Qom and Mashhad and 24 hours in Tehran.
He added that Khamenei would be buried at the shrine of the eighth Shi'ite Imam in Mashhad, "according to his will and the wishes of his relatives."
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15:31
2.6.2026
Middle East Flight Disruptions Continue As Some Airlines Resume Flights
An Emirates aircraft takes off from Dubai International Airport on March 8.
While some airlines have begun resuming flights to the Middle East, disruptions caused by the Iran war continue to overshadow regional air routes and Europe-Asia flights.
Regional airlines have increased their flight capacity after severe war-related disruptions, but many airlines outside Middle East are still rerouting flights from Europe to Asia to avoid the region's airspace.
A number of European and Asian carriers have suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Beirut, Erbil, Baghdad, and Tehran until dates in the summer or fall. Air France has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until June 14 and flights between Beirut and Dubai until June 17, while KLM has suspended flights to Dubai until August 2 and routes between Riyadh and Dammam until July 12.
British Airways has also delayed the resumption of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv until August 1 and plans to reduce the number of flights to the Middle East once it returns. The airline has also permanently removed Jeddah from its list of destinations.
Among US carriers, Delta has extended the suspension of its Atlanta-Tel Aviv route until December 18, but plans to resume its New York-Tel Aviv flight on September 6. Air Canada has also canceled its flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until September 7.
In contrast, some airlines are resuming limited flight schedules. Malaysia Airlines has announced that it will resume limited flights to Doha from July 2. Australia's Qantas has also increased flights to Rome and Paris to meet increased demand on European routes.
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