Tehran (AFP): Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead Friday prayers and deliver a public sermon that could shed light on the Islamic Republic’s plans after a massive missile attack on enemy Israel.

Khamenei’s rare Friday sermon – a first in almost five years – comes three days before the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, triggered by the Iran-backed Palestinian group’s October 7 attack.

The supreme leader, who wields the highest authority in Iran, will lead Muslims in prayer at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, his official website said.

The prayer will follow “a commemoration ceremony” at 10:30 am (0700 GMT) for Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of the Tehran-backed Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who answer to Khamenei, said Tuesday’s barrages of some 200 missiles were in retaliation for Israel’s killing of Nasrallah alongside Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in a late September strike on Beirut, and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

Khamenei last led Friday prayers in January 2020 after Iran fired missiles at a US army base in Iraq, in response to a strike that killed revered Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.

In Tehran on Thursday, crowds waving Hezbollah and Iran flags gathered outside the former US embassy building in Tehran to denounce Israeli “crimes” in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon, Iranian media reported.

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Khamenei had declared public mourning in Iran for Nasrallah and on Wednesday said that the Hezbollah chief’s death was “not a small matter”.

Hamas, Hezbollah and other armed groups in the Middle East are part of the Iran-aligned “axis of resistance” opposed to Israel and its ally the United States.

Analysts said Iran’s missile attack – its second-ever directly targeting Israel – was meant to counter a string of setbacks suffered by Tehran and its regional allies.

Iran has said this week’s attack was carried out in “self-defence” and warned of “crushing attacks” on Israel if it retaliated.

The Islamic Republic has also warned the US – Israel’s top arms provider – against intervening, threatening “a harsh response” if it did.

Washington has said Iran must suffer “consequences”, which may be coordinated with Israeli officials, for the ballistic missile fire.

US President Joe Biden said Thursday he was discussing possible Israeli strikes on Iranian oil sites.

In April Tehran had sent missiles and drones against Israel in retaliation for a deadly Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.

In both attacks, nearly all missiles were intercepted by Israel or its allies, according to Israeli authorities.

Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has said that comprehensive arrangements are being made for the hosting of the SCO Summit in Islamabad.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad today, he pointed out Pakistan is hosting such a mega event after many decades which is an honour for the country. He mentioned that the heads of government from the member countries will attend the conference.

The Information Minister said Pakistan is securing successes on the foreign policy front under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He said the visits of foreign delegations to the country are a manifestation of it.

He said the visit of the Malaysian Prime Minister remained successful which will help promote bilateral relations between the two countries in diverse fields. He said Malaysia has expressed interest in importing rice and meat from Pakistan.

Attaullah Tarar said a Saudi high-level delegation is also visiting Pakistan in the next few days.

Alluding to the improved economic indicators, the Information Minister said the world institutions and leaders are also recognizing the fact and it is also for the opposition to accept it.

He said improving the lives of common man is the priority of the government.     

Geneva (AFP): The UN health agency said on Friday that it had approved the use of the first diagnostic test for mpox, a key tool in countries battling outbreaks.

More than 800 people have died across Africa from mpox, where the disease has been officially detected in 16 countries, according to the African Union’s disease control centre.

“The approval for emergency use” of the test “will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply”, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement.

The test, called the Alinity m MPXV assay and manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc, enables the detection of the mpox virus from swabs taken from human lesions.

“By detecting DNA from pustular or vesicular rash samples, laboratory and health workers can confirm suspected mpox cases efficiently and effectively,” the WHO said.

“Limited testing capacity and delays in confirming mpox cases persist in Africa, contributing to the continued spread of the virus,” it said.

The approval of the test “represents a significant milestone in expanding testing availability in affected countries”, the statement quoted Yukiko Nakatani, an assistant director-general of WHO, as saying.

“Increasing access to quality-assured medical products is central to our efforts in assisting countries to contain the spread of the virus and protect their people, especially in underserved regions,” Nakatani said.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.

It causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions, and can be deadly.