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Iran turmoil erupts: Ultra-hardliner who mocked Trump poised to take over nuclear talks
Further signs of turmoil are emerging in Iran’s U.S. negotiating team as hardliner Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf looks set to be replaced by a veteran conservative known for rejecting nuclear concessions, according to reports.
Iran International reported April 24 that Saeed Jalili, 60 — who already leads what has been described as a “shadow government” — is expected to succeed Ghalibaf following his sudden departure amid internal disputes.
Jalili also heads Iran’s ultra-hardline faction known as the Stability Front (Paydari), which is known to be a “bastion of ultraconservatism in Iran,” according to reports.
Ali Safavi, an official with the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital that Jalili “has evolved from a nuclear negotiator to an influential actor within the regime.”
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Ghalibaf was reportedly forced to step down after attempting to bring the nuclear issue into talks with Washington, a move that triggered backlash within Iran’s political establishment.
President Donald Trump had called off plans for U.S. envoys to travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on April 25.
The rivalry between Jalili and Ghalibaf is said to span more than a decade and intensified during the 2024 elections, when Jalili refused to step aside, contributing to the victory of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Safavi said, “The increased visibility of latent divisions stems from recurring nationwide uprisings, deep economic crises and the pressures of war, all of which have intensified internal feuding.
“Far from signaling transformation, these developments reflect accelerating erosion and mounting pressure, deepening fractures and leaving the regime ever weaker and more vulnerable,” he added.
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Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also seeking a continued leading role in negotiations, highlighting competing centers of influence over Iran’s diplomatic strategy, sources said.
Araghchi is in Islamabad, Pakistan, after returning from a short trip to Muscat, Oman, where he is holding high-level diplomatic talks on the conflict. Reports indicate Araghchi will travel to Moscow.
Jalili’s potential appointment, however, signals a hardening of Iran’s stance, with more emphasis on resistance over compromise.
“Within this regime, there are a number of constants espoused by all factions,” Safavi said before highlighting that these were “repression, the export of terrorism and the pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
“The factions all ultimately move along a common path: the preservation of power. They differ in methods, not in objectives,” Safavi cautioned.
Jalili, meanwhile, served as Iran’s top nuclear negotiator from 2007 to 2013 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and later ran for president three times. He also served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
A former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Jalili lost his right leg at 21 during the Iran-Iraq War, earning him the title of “Living Martyr”.
The Paydari Front, which he is associated with, opposes engagement with the West — particularly the 2015 nuclear deal — and advocates a doctrine of “active resistance.”
During Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, Jalili also established a “shadow government” to counter the administration’s policies, especially the nuclear deal.
On April 7, he wrote on X: “Yes — ‘infrastructure’ is on the verge of collapse; the infrastructure of domination and the American order. And after that, a better foundation will be built.”
A day earlier, he posted: “‘Shut up’ is not the appropriate response to Trump’s ramblings; let him speak more. Nothing is more effective in laying bare the true nature of the United States than Trump’s outbursts.”
“In dealing with this regime,” Safavi said, “we must bear in mind that in the 45 years since the mullahs consolidated their rule in 1981 by crushing all peaceful political life, so-called reformists have governed for nearly half that time — presiding over some of its darkest crimes.”
“These include the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, the assassination of dissidents abroad, the chain murders of intellectuals inside Iran and the relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
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New York woman convicted for throwing dynamite at boyfriend, blowing off his hand as he tried to get rid of it
A New York woman was convicted after authorities said she threw a handmade stick of dynamite at her boyfriend while he was sleeping, causing his hand to be blown off as he attempted to get rid of the explosive.
Keyonna Waddell, 35, of Deer Park on Long Island, was found guilty by a jury on Friday of first-degree assault and first-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the March 2024 incident.
Waddell had threatened the victim with dynamite several times in the months leading up to the incident, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
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“Domestic violence can escalate to deadly levels, and this case is a sobering reminder of that reality,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement.
On March 22, 2024, Waddell and her boyfriend were involved in an argument inside his apartment, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
After the dispute, the man left the apartment and told Waddell to leave. When he arrived back home, Waddell did not appear to be there, and he went to sleep.
He was later woken up by a hissing sound and noticed a flame on the floor of his bedroom. He then realized that a stick of dynamite had been thrown into his bedroom and attempted to toss the explosive device out of the window, but it detonated and blew off most of his hand before he was able to throw it out of harm’s way.
The victim then ran out of his home to the driveway, at which point he saw Waddell running away.
He was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where the remainder of his hand and part of his arm were amputated.
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Waddell was arrested the following day, officials said. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 27, and she could face up to 25 years in prison.
“Thanks to the outstanding work of our prosecutors and the Suffolk County Police Department, a dangerous individual has been held accountable and will face a lengthy prison sentence for this horrific act,” Tierney said in his statement.
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Diego Pavia accepts Ravens rookie minicamp invite after making unfortunate NFL Draft history: reports
Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who was runner-up in Heisman voting last season, has reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted this weekend.
Pavia accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, per multiple reports. He doesn’t have a spot on the roster yet, but it’s a start as he looks to crack into the NFL with Baltimore.
Of course, Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback, is cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, but perhaps Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.
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Pavia was not expecting to be undrafted this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called through the seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
Pavia won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for best upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which single-season school records, to give the Commodores its first-ever 10-win season.
Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.
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Pavia ultimately finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, what ultimately led to Pavia not getting drafted?
While his personality may have factored in, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he was measured at 5-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he were to step foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.
However, those shorter than the average have seen success, including Minnesota Vikings newest member, Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 coming out of Oklahoma. He’s listed at 5-foot-10.
Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.
“Yeah, my size has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is can you win, and I view myself as a winner. I’ve been fortunate with all these great teams that I’ve had — we’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, I hope, for the rest of my career, that’s how it’s going to be.
“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I’ve got — I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for one another, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one that can stop your team.”
Pavia’s personality, viewed by some as more cocky than confident, may have played a factor as well. After finishing runner-up to Mendoza in Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that read, “F— Indiana.” Then, he posted on social media a photo with friends and a caption that read, “F— ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Pavia later apologized for his decision to post that on his socials.
No matter the case, Pavia has a shot now with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter, as he aims to show enough to join the quarterbacks group in training camp. Other than Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.
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Patricia Heaton urges ‘friends on the left’ to tone down extreme rhetoric after WHCD shooting
Patricia Heaton is calling on “her friends on the left” to tone down heated political rhetoric following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump and other top officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton after shots were fired near the ballroom after a gunman exchanged fire with Secret Service agents in the lobby before being subdued and taken into custody.
When shots were fired, hundreds of attendees ducked under tables or took cover inside the ballroom before being evacuated, and the event was subsequently postponed.
On Sunday, Heaton, 68, wrote on X that although she disagreed with past Democratic presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, she believes critics of political leaders should reject extreme language and violence.
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“I wasn’t happy when Clinton, Obama or Biden won, but I didn’t call them fascist/dangerous/threat to democracy. I didn’t hope someone would assassinate them. I went on with my life with gratitude. Friends on the left, please try this. Your life and our country will be better,” the “Everybody Loves Raymond” star said.
On Sunday, senior federal law enforcement sources confirmed to Fox News that the suspect told law enforcement he intended to target Trump administration officials.
Authorities have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of Torrance, Calif., adding that he prepared a manifesto outlining his intent and shared anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric on social media.
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As the WHCA was underway, Allen allegedly rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton while armed with multiple weapons and opened fire, striking a Secret Service officer in his ballistic vest.
Agents returned fire and tackled Allen to the ground. The suspect and the injured officer were transported to a hospital. The Secret Service agent is expected to make a full recovery and was released from the hospital Sunday.
The incident adds to a growing list of threats against President Donald Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.
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The White House said Sunday that Allen’s brother contacted the New London Police Department in Connecticut prior to the shooting, reporting that Allen had sent family members an alleged manifesto outlining his intent to target administration officials.
Officials also said Allen’s social media included anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric.
Allen’s sister, Avriana Allen, told investigators in Rockville, Maryland, that her brother had made increasingly radical statements and often spoke about doing “something” to address issues in the world.
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Heaton has previously spoken out against inflammatory political discourse. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September 2025, Heaton called out what she saw as the moral hypocrisy of people who were celebrating or mocking Kirk’s death online,
“The most violent rhetoric is always from people who have phrases like ‘choose kindness’ in their bios,” she tweeted at the time.
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Following the 2024 presidential election, Heaton slammed political pundits for “fear-mongering” and denigrating voters during the election cycle by telling them Trump posed a threat to their way of life.
“To all these extremists that are allowed television time, who told women that this is what is going to happen to them, shame on you! Shame on you!” she said in a video posted to X in November 2024.
“Apparently, there are some really vulnerable people here who you targeted, and you fear-mongered to and you need to go back on the air and tell them things are going to be okay, tell them that they’re fine.”
“Also, stop saying people who voted differently from you are ‘uneducated’,” she continued. “Learn your f-ing lesson about smearing people who vote differently from you, who have different needs from you, who have legitimate complaints. Quit dismissing them as uneducated. When are you going to learn?”
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