"Iran's" Thirst Trap

Hi Global Recap readers,

Before we get into today’s topic, I’ve got a story that’s equal parts hilarious and unsettling.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the war in the Middle East, you might’ve come across an X account called @TheIranMilitary. It was pretty vocal, constantly posting pro-Iranian takes on the conflict.

Emphasis on was. 👇️ 

🕸️ SOCIAL MEDIA
”Iranian” Thirst Trap

The account just got suspended after accidentally posting a Billie Eilish thirst trap.

Yeah, you read that right. They most likely forgot to switch accounts, which strongly suggests it wasn’t some passionate activist but part of a bot farm running multiple personas.

Since our community’s made up of critically thinking individuals, I probably don’t need to spell this out, but this stuff is everywhere.

• Tons of accounts that pump out hot takes aren’t always real people.

• Many of them are automated bots pushing a narrative.

• Some believe that the account nuked itself to scapegoat (but who knows).

So next time you find yourself furious over some painfully dumb opinion online, pause for a second. There’s a good chance it wasn’t even a real person to begin with.

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇮🇷 Iran Halts IAEA Access. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian just ordered a full freeze on cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog after Israeli and US airstrikes wrecked major atomic sites.

• Iran’s parliament passed the law, demanding “guaranteed security” for its nuclear sites.

• Although inspectors are still in-country for now, but no one knows for how long.

• Israeli Foreign Minister Saar called it a “scandalous announcement,” and the US warned Iran was blowing its shot at diplomacy.

🇮🇱 Trump Pushes Gaza Truce. Hamas says it is still reviewing what Trump called a "final" 60-day ceasefire proposal. Israel has already agreed to the proposal, but Hamas is holding out for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, doubled down: “There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a ‘Hamastan.’ We're not going back to that. It's over.”

🇺🇸 Quad Targets China’s Grip. The US, Japan, India, and Australia just launched the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative to cut their dependence on China’s stranglehold over rare earths like graphite.

• They didn’t name names, but the joint statement warned that relying too heavily on “any one country” risks “economic coercion” and “price manipulation,” while endorsing “freedom of choice” in the Indo-Pacific.

🇻🇳 Trump Hits Vietnam Trade. Trump just slapped a 20% tariff on Vietnamese exports ahead of a July 9 deadline that could’ve triggered a harsher 46% rate.

• Shipments routed from countries like China through Vietnam will get hit with 40%, targeting "relabeling schemes."

• Hanoi said it’ll commit to "providing preferential market access for US goods." Trump claims this means US goods will have full access to Vietnam's market tariff-free.

• However, Vietnam didn’t confirm Trump’s exact numbers, leading many to believe this is a "framework" rather than a treaty.

🇰🇵 North Korea Sends 30,000. North Korea is reportedly deploying another 30,000 troops to help Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tripling its earlier commitment of 12,000 fighters.

• Ukraine’s intel says the fresh wave is part of Russia’s prep for a major assault near Sumy, where Putin’s pushing to create a so-called “security buffer” and is amassing around 50,000 troops.

• The warning came after a North Korean ship and military aircraft were spotted at North Korea's Sunan airport, linked to last year’s deployments.

• Russia’s defense ministry claims it’s ready to arm and train the new arrivals “as quickly as possible.”

🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM
Palestine Action:
Designated Terrorists

UK lawmakers just designated Palestine Action a terrorist group, sparking outrage, legal threats, and comparisons to the Suffragettes. Despite the outcry, the vote was overwhelmingly one-sided.

How the Vote Went Down

Let’s start with Parliament: MPs voted 385 to 26 in favor of proscribing Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000.

• The draft order was pushed by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, alongside bans on two neo-Nazi groups. These groups are:

  • Maniacs Murder Cult

  • Russia Imperial Movement (RIM)

• Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis said it would “remove Palestine Action’s veil of legitimacy” and curb its recruitment and financing.

Government’s Justification

So what’s the official rationale? Jarvis argued their tactics went far beyond protest.

• “People engaged in lawful protest don’t throw smoke bombs,” he told MPs.

• He accused the group of causing millions in damage to national security infrastructure, including NATO-related equipment.

• The government insists this won’t affect “those who wish to express support for Palestine.”

Critics Slam the Move

Not everyone bought that. Critics inside and outside Parliament say this sets a dangerous precedent.

• MP Zarah Sultana called it an “unprecedented and dangerous overreach” that lumps “students, nurses, teachers” in with “neo-Nazi militias.”

• Human Rights Watch called it “a grave abuse of state power.”

• UN experts warned that damaging property is not terrorism unless there’s intent to harm people.

However, it's not just the pro-Palestine crowd that's criticizing the vote.

• Many critics of the pro-Palestine protests also think the government's crackdown has less to do with public safety and more to do with protecting military contracts. In their view, the UK is still under the sway of a pro-Palestine (or, as they frame it, pro-Hamas) ideology.

Legal Pushback Begins

Now, it’s heading to court. Palestine Action and allied legal groups say they’ll challenge the ban.

• A hearing is expected Friday on whether to temporarily block the measure.

• Lawyers from the Haldane Society and Network for Police Monitoring warned that the move blurs the lines between activism and extremism.

• Critics allege the government bundled it with white supremacist groups to pressure MPs into voting yes.

What’s Next

The House of Lords still needs to approve the proscription, which seems likely. But protests have already kicked off.

• Four arrests were made in Westminster, including “a man who blocked the gates of Downing Street with his mobility scooter.”

• Palestine Action remains defiant: “Spraying red paint is not terrorism. The real terrorism is what’s happening in Gaza.”

Here’s the full UK parliamentary debate on the ban (if you’ve got 3+ hours to spare):