Azerbaijan accuses neighbor Iran of a drone attack and vows to retaliate

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Azerbaijan on Thursday accused Iran of a drone attack on its territory that injured four civilians, and it vowed to retaliate in a sign that the war in the Middle East was spreading.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building.

President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of carrying out “a groundless act of terror and aggression,” and said his military has been told to prepare and implement retaliatory measures.

Iran’s general staff of the armed forces denied it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan's territory. Iran has repeatedly denied targeting oil infrastructure and other civilian targets in the war, despite its drone and missile fire hitting those sites.

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دونالد ترامپ: موضوع حضور تیم فوتبال ایران در جام‌جهانی برایم مهم نیست

«یاهو نیوز» در گزارشی از واکنش «دونالد ترامپ» رییس جمهور آمریکا در قبال احتمال عدم حضور تیم فوتبال جمهوری اسلامی در رقابت‌های جام جهانی ۲۰۲۶ خبر داده و نوشته است: «نخستین تیمی که جواز صعود به این دوره جام جهانی را به دست آورد، مشخص نیست که در مسابقات شرکت خواهد داشت یا نه.» یاهو نیوز نوشته که دونالد ترامپ در گفت‌وگوی تلفنی اختصاصی با «پولیتیکو»، در پاسخ به این پرسش که «آیا تیم فوتبال ایران در جام جهانی آمریکا حضور خواهد داشت یا نه» گفته است: «این موضوع برایم مهم نیست.»

Trump says someone within Iran's current regime would be best to lead

Trump, when asked who would be best to take over leadership, said someone within the current regime would be the best candidate to lead after the conflict ends and would be a better choice than Reza Pahlavi. Pahlavi is the son of the country's former ruler Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who gained power during a CIA coup until he was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

“I’ve said that [Pahlavi] looks like a very nice person, but it would seem to me that somebody that’s there that’s currently popular, if there’s such a person — but we have people like that. We have people that were more moderate.”

The president also shared his "worst case scenario" for Iran, saying it would be if a leader like Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took over.

“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right?” said Trump. “That could happen. We don’t want that to happen.”

While it is announced that Mojtaba Khamenei has been elected as leader, His fate for the near future is not clear.

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War casts doubts on Iran's World Cup matches

Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — including a scheduled match in Seattle — is in doubt amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

Why it matters: Iran's potential withdrawal adds new complications to Seattle's yearslongWorld Cup preparations.

• Seattle leaders estimated the matches would generate $929 million in economic activity, draw hundreds of thousands of visitors, and shine a global spotlight on the city — echoing the civic lift of the 1962 World's Fair.

Driving the news: Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran's soccer federation, told Iranian media Saturday it's unlikely the national team will play World Cup matches in the U.S. following the U.S. and Israeli strikes.

• Iran is scheduled to play two matches in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.

What they're saying: "What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope," Taj said, the Associated Press reported.

Catch up quick: Iran is scheduled to play Egypt on June 26 at Lumen Field in one of six matches hosted in Seattle.

• The match had already drawn controversy after the city designated it a "Pride Match" tied to local LGBTQ+ celebrations, an initiative Tehran objected to last year, per ESPN.

The other side: As of Saturday, FIFA — soccer's global governing body — had not confirmed Iran's withdrawal, per Sport Bible.

• FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafström said that officials were monitoring developments around the world but that it was premature to comment.

• The local organizing committee, Seattle FIFA World Cup 26, told the Seattle Times on Saturday it was "monitoring" the situation.

By the numbers: In addition to Egypt vs. Iran, Seattle is slated to host five other World Cup matches and nine fan zones across Washington:

• Three group-stage games: Belgium vs. Egypt (June 15), the U.S. vs. Australia (June 19), and TBD vs. Qatar (June 24).
• Two knockout-round matches on July 1 and July 6, with the July 6 winner advancing to the quarterfinals.

What's next: If Iran does formally withdraw before the tournament starts, FIFA rules allow a replacement team to be nominated — with Iraq or the United Arab Emirates cited by AP as likely replacements.

A look at some of the contenders to be Iran's supreme leader after the killing of Khamenei

Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years before he was killed in the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment

Hassan Khomeini