Iran’s IRGC says building underground sites for weapons production, storage

IRGC says underground military complexes allow missile production to continue even under heavy bombardment.

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Motorbikes drive past Iranian missiles and banners showing portraits of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei [File: Vahid Salemi/AP]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 7 Nov 20267 Nov 2026

Iran is building underground military complexes able to sustain weapons production and storage even under heavy bombardment, according to the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi made a series of announcements on Saturday about the military’s capabilities during a news conference in Tehran, Iranian media reported.

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Among the achievements listed were an “underground missile city” set to be unveiled, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Mohebbi said the IRGC had rapidly transferred its missile and drone production lines from the surface to underground facilities. This allows Iran to continue producing missiles while its adversaries assumed its stockpiles were dwindling, he explained.

The spokesperson also outlined advances in stealth technology. He maintained that such improvements had allowed Iran’s missiles and drones to pierce air defence systems and accurately strike targets during previous rounds of fighting with the United States and Israel.

“Today, every weapon used by the IRGC Aerospace Force is manufactured using homegrown knowledge and expertise. Moreover, our products are not even derived from reverse-engineering captured enemy war material,” Iran’s IRNA news agency quoted Mohebbi as saying.

A recent report by US newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, shows that Iran caused billions of dollars in damage to US bases throughout the Middle East during previous rounds of fighting.

Meanwhile, a separate report by the Reuters news agency found that Iran had successfully targeted Gulf infrastructure on at least 135 occasions during the same period, causing billions of dollars in damage and lost revenues.

Mohebbi also warned on Saturday that restrictions on the range of Iranian missiles had been lifted. The warning follows a statement from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that there would be “no geographical limits” to Iran’s response if it were attacked again by the US and Israel.

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The US-Israeli war on Iran was launched on February 28, prompting Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz and triggering a global energy crisis. Mediation efforts have stepped up recently, as regional countries hope to bring the war to an end.

On Friday, President Donald Trump said the US military launched limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, while also claiming Washington had made “a lot of progress” in talks with Iran.

Tehran has repeatedly warned that it will target Gulf energy infrastructure if the fighting resumes. Such attacks would likely push energy prices even higher.

Meanwhile, Washington has also imposed additional sanctions on Iran as it seeks to force Tehran to concede to its demands. The restrictions have further strained the country’s economy, forcing Iran to adopt new trade routes.

On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it was establishing a new task force that will support ongoing US efforts to prevent Iran from using land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials.

The US has also imposed a naval blockade on Iran to prevent it from exporting oil.

 

Iraq’s FM says external parties using Iraqi soil to attack neighbours

Iraqi foreign minister warns of potential regional war, says Baghdad seeking to resolve disagreements with Saudi Arabia.

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Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein [File:Ahmed Saad/Reuters] (Reuters)

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 7 Nov 20267 Nov 2026

Iraq has evidence that external parties have been using its territory to launch attacks on neighbouring countries, its foreign minister told Al Jazeera in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

Baghdad is investigating attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Gulf states and is seeking to resolve disagreements with Saudi Arabia through dialogue, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said.

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Saudi Arabia has accused Iran-aligned groups operating in Iraq of attacking its oil infrastructure. In September, Baghdad confirmed that drone attacks on the kingdom’s East-West pipeline originated from Iraqi territory.

Hussein told Al Jazeera that Baghdad was negotiating with Iran-aligned armed factions to bring their weapons under state control and the process must be pursued through dialogue rather than force.

He also said Iraq was in contact with Tehran regarding the issue of weapons held by Iraqi factions.

Iraq’s government had initially established a deadline for armed factions to bring their weapons under state control by September 30, when the US-led international coalition to combat ISIL (ISIS) was set to end their mandate and leave the country.

However, it pushed back the deadline to June 2027 after encountering resistance to the policy, despite long-standing pressure from the US to fulfil its disarmament pledge.

On Iraq’s balancing act between Tehran and Washington, Hussein confirmed that the US had formally requested the closure of all but two border crossings with Iran.

He added that while Iraq welcomed friendship and an alliance with Tehran, it rejected interference in its internal affairs.

The foreign minister also said that Iraq had lost about $60bn from the suspension of oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, but that shipments have resumed after understandings were reached with Washington and Tehran.

On the issue of combatting ISIL after the coalition pullout, Hussein said that Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkiye have formed a committee to fight the group’s presence in Syria.

Happy Deepavali my friends and everyone who celebrates Deepavali

 

Najib’s lawyers seek immediate transfer home, say King’s decree must be executed today

Najib’s lawyers seek immediate transfer home, say King’s decree must be executed today



A view of the residence of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta November 6, 2026. — Picture by Choo Choy May


Summary

• Najib Razak's lawyers challenge the Attorney General's temporary suspension of his house arrest, arguing it contradicts the King's decree issued today.
• The legal team insists the King's order should be immediately executed, citing the High Court's decision that payment of a fine discharges liability.
• They assert the royal pardon is the King's prerogative and not subject to legal review, urging Najib's transfer to his residence.

First Published: Saturday, 07 Nov 2026 8:03 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — Lawyers for Datuk Seri Najib Razak are contesting the Attorney General’s Chambers’ (AGC) decision to temporarily suspend his house arrest, demanding the former prime minister be transferred to his home immediately.

In a media statement today, the legal firm Messrs Shafee & Co. argued that the AGC’s “temporary suspension” of the house arrest order contradicts the King’s explicit decree issued this morning.

“His Majesty has now spoken. The AGC can honour that commitment in only one way: by allowing the Titah (decree) to be carried out today,” the statement read.

The legal team argued that the High Court’s “Order of Discharge on Payment of Fine” issued on November 6 cannot be used to extend Najib’s imprisonment, citing the order’s own recital that the fine has been paid.


“In law, payment of a fine discharges the liability to pay that fine. It cannot, by itself, bring a sentence of imprisonment to an end,” the statement said.

They further asserted that the Pardon is an exercise of the King’s prerogative under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution and is not subject to review by any court or the Attorney General.

The statement noted that the AGC issued a subsequent media statement 57 minutes after the King’s decree, which did not reference the royal order.

According to the legal team, Najib remains in Kajang Prison as of the statement’s issuance, with no effect yet given to the King’s decree.


They have requested the Commissioner General of Prisons to transfer Najib to his residence at No. 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur.

“His Majesty’s order must be carried out today,” the statement read.

PERNAMA beer ban raises questions over transparency, religious sensitivities and rights of non-Muslim servicemen

PERNAMA beer ban raises questions over transparency, religious sensitivities and rights of non-Muslim servicemen

By Ronald Benjamin
22 hours ago

IT is puzzling to learn that the armed forces has decided to stop the sale of duty-free beer at outlets operated by its trading arm, Perbadanan Perwira Niaga Malaysia (PERNAMA), ending a practice that has been in place for more than six decades.

According to media reports, a manager at a PERNAMA outlet, speaking on condition of anonymity, said operators had recently received a directive from the office of the armed forces chief instructing them to cease sales once existing stocks were exhausted.

No reason was given for the decision.

The manager said PERNAMA, which operates about 80 outlets nationwide, had also been instructed not to place fresh orders, which are typically made every six months.

Under current regulations, non-Muslim servicemen and veterans may purchase up to two crates of beer monthly from PERNAMA, with each crate containing 48 cans or bottles.

An ex-serviceman, who also requested anonymity, said beer purchased from PERNAMA was typically about 60% cheaper than at regular retail outlets.

PERNAMA is wholly owned by the Armed Forces Fund Board, a statutory body under the Defence Ministry.

While the decision to stop beer sales has been made, one wonders what prompted the move to end a practice that has continued for more than six decades.

Have there been recent problems associated with the sale of beer that led to this decision? Was it influenced by religious considerations or an attempt to appease certain conservative groups?

Was the decision made through consensus, taking into consideration the rights of all Malaysians under the Federal Constitution?

Veterans have publicly called on the Defence Ministry to provide a clear explanation for the abrupt policy shift. A key point of contention is that the directive was reportedly issued without an official explanation, leaving affected individuals feeling sidelined.

The armed forces comprises people from different ethnic and religious communities, and their diversity should be respected. Decisions affecting them should therefore be made through consultation and consensus.

One of the major weaknesses in addressing alcohol-related issues in the country is the tendency to reduce the discussion to a simplistic divide between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a matter of public concern, with social and cultural implications in a diverse society.

Alcohol consumption among some non-Muslim communities is associated with celebrations, weddings, social gatherings and business activities. These cultural practices should not automatically be dismissed as social ills.

The Muslim community’s position on alcohol consumption is clear, as it is prohibited in Islam. Non-Muslims, meanwhile, have long understood the policies, regulations and laws governing alcohol distribution and consumption in the country.

They are also concerned about the harmful effects of excessive and unregulated alcohol consumption.

Issues of this nature should therefore be handled transparently through dialogue and consensus. This is essential to building a shared understanding of the implications of alcohol abuse in a multiracial and multireligious society.

While approaches to addressing alcohol-related social problems may differ between Muslim and non-Muslim communities, there is a general understanding that issues such as drink-driving and alcohol abuse are harmful and can affect family well-being, public safety and social harmony.

What is needed is dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims on the dangers of alcohol abuse and how its distribution and consumption can be regulated without undermining the rights of non-Muslims to consume alcohol in moderation, including in accordance with their cultural practices.

Such dialogue, particularly in an interfaith setting, would encourage problem-solving instead of polemics. It would also help communities understand one another’s rights and concerns without allowing any group to dominate issues that require a common understanding.

The Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue (ACID) therefore urges the authorities to find common ground on the issue of alcohol and avoid reducing it purely to a religious matter.

The rationale behind decisions affecting established practices should also be clearly explained.

Dialogue and consensus are progressive ways of addressing alcohol consumption and distribution in public spaces without creating unnecessary divisions between Muslims and non-Muslims. ‒ Nov 6, 2026



Ronald Benjamin is a human resources practitioner based in Ipoh. He is currently secretary of the Association for Community and Dialogue.

 

From mud-slinging to ‘Dajjal’: our heartfelt gratitude to Hadi

From mud-slinging to ‘Dajjal’: our heartfelt gratitude to Hadi

13 hours ago

Letter to the Editor

As a vanguard of religious leadership, the PAS supremo has single-handedly elevated local political discourse into an apocalyptic battleground.

From Moaz Nair

We must all extend our heartfelt gratitude to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang. For decades, ordinary Malaysians have blundered through political disagreements using tedious, secular terms like “policy differences”, “economic discrepancies” or “constitutional debates”. How utterly pedestrian.

As a vanguard of religious leadership, the PAS supremo has single-handedly elevated local political discourse into an apocalyptic battleground. While political analysts and opposition figures may fret over his “highly polarising language”, they simply lack the vision to appreciate the sheer artistry of his negative vocabulary. For those trying to understand how a man so deeply versed in Islam chooses to navigate the political arena, here is a handy guide to his masterclass in decorum.

‘Dajjal’ doctrine

Why debate the terms of a standard legislative agreement when you can invoke the literal embodiment of evil? In November, when the government and opposition floated a routine confidence and supply agreement, ordinary leaders might have debated fiscal allocations. Not the maestro. Hadi swiftly diagnosed the cross-party truce as a “Dajjal approach at the end of times”. By equating a political compromise to the false Messiah, he reminded us all that bipartisanship isn’t just bad governance – it is practically the precursor to Armageddon.

Advanced sociology

In 2022, Hadi gracefully simplified the complex, systemic issue of financial crime. While anti-corruption agencies waste millions studying institutional loopholes, Hadi cracked the code by declaring non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras the “roots of corruption” in Malaysia. When civil society groups like Transparency International Malaysia cried foul over xenophobia, they clearly missed the theological nuance: why fix a broken system when you can just blame a demographic?

Grammar lessons

Parliamentary decorum is so last century. In 2025, during a serious parliamentary debate, Hadi decided to give the Dewan Rakyat a live lesson in the finer points of the national language. When referring to a small group of white Westerners, he bypassed standard human pronouns entirely and opted for the animal classifier “ekor” (tails). While lawmakers questioned his basic courtesy, language purists had to admire his commitment to treating geopolitical adversaries like stray livestock.

Intellectual plebeians

Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. When four Malay DAP leaders had the audacity to question Hadi’s shifting ideological stances over the years, he didn’t bother wasting precious scripture on them. Instead, he publicly dismissed them as “kurang berpendidikan” (uneducated). It is a flawless debate tactic: if someone points out an inconsistency, simply remind them they lack the spiritual PhD required to comprehend it.

Friendship flexibility

Over the decades, the PAS supremo has treated political alliances like fashion seasons – highly disposable and entirely dependent on the weather. Consider his decades-long dance with DAP. During the golden years of the Barisan Alternatif and Pakatan Rakyat coalitions (1999–2013), Hadi shared the stage with the very same DAP leaders he now rebukes. Back then, political cooperation (tahaluf siyasi) was championed as a noble, strategic pursuit.

Fast forward to the 2015 PAS muktamar, where the party abruptly severed ties with DAP without debate. Overnight, the former allies were retroactively transformed into the ultimate ideological adversaries. Progressive PAS members who dared to question this sudden U-turn were thoroughly purged, eventually leaving to form the splinter party Amanah.

The flexibility didn’t stop there. By 2019, Hadi had signed the Muafakat Nasional pact with Umno – the absolute arch-nemesis his infamous 1981 “Amanat Hadi” had once forcefully condemned. By 2020, he pivoted again to anchor Perikatan Nasional. It is a masterclass in situational theology: an alliance is perfectly holy right up until the exact moment it becomes politically inconvenient, at which point it is scrubbed from historical memory.

Political safari

When he is not channelling the end-times, our grand maestro moonlights as a visionary political safari guide, earning the fond moniker of an “amateur zoologist”. Under his taxonomic eye, a battered Umno was famously diagnosed as a hobbled “itik patah kaki” (lame duck) to justify PAS seizing the steering wheel.

Meanwhile, secular opportunists and those demanding Western-style updates are swiftly demoted to “binatang yang tidak berakal” (senseless animals). Should you dare criticise his shifting paradigms, you are seamlessly categorised into his menagerie as either a hyperactive “kera” (monkey), a relentlessly barking “anjing” (dog) or a “babi” (pig). Naturally, this rich pedagogical blueprint has inspired his disciples – PAS lawmakers recently took flight into the aviary, branding Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim a “burung tiong” (myna bird) to mock him as a mindless echo chamber for external policies.

Linguistic irony

This leads us to the ultimate comedic paradox of modern Malaysian politics: the profound irony of utilising the sacred vocabulary of the heavens to conduct everyday, transactional mud-slinging. Islam possesses a rich linguistic tradition designed to inspire spiritual contemplation and universal grace. Yet, in the hands of the PAS leadership, this vocabulary is weaponised as a highly specialised political toolkit.

When routine legislative agreements are framed through the lens of Islamic eschatology, a standard, secular agreement is artificially inflated into a cosmic battle between divine light and ultimate darkness. By deploying heavy theological concepts to score cheap points in the daily 24-hour news cycle, the sacred is systematically cheapened.

The greatest irony lies in the moral inversion it creates. While the faith heavily emphasises humility, restraint and the avoidance of slander, this brand of political rhetoric uses the language of the faith to justify the exact opposite: alienating minor demographics, dismissing critics as intellectually inferior and reducing foreign visitors to animal classifiers.

Entertaining spectacle

While monitoring bodies like the Centre for Independent Journalism track his vocabulary as a major driver of identity-based division, defenders stand firm, arguing this uncompromising tone is a steadfast defence of faith.

And who can blame them? Nothing screams “peaceful, universal faith” quite like reducing your neighbours to corrupt roots, your parliamentary colleagues to animals and basic governance to the work of the false Messiah.

Ultimately, this strategy yields a highly entertaining spectacle. By insisting that every standard political manoeuvre is either an act of divine necessity or a plot by the Dajjal, the political arena becomes an absurdist theatre – proving that nothing elevates a secular turf war quite like a heavy dusting of fire and brimstone.