Iranian Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia has said that if necessary, the country will carry out preemptive military operations to prevent any "aggression by the enemy."

TEHRAN, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for the continuation and strengthening of the strategic cooperation between their countries, according to the Iranian president's office.In a phone call, the Iranian president stressed the need to continue and enhance bilateral cooperation in different areas between the two countries, adding that continuing on that path would serve the two countries' common interests, said a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.Putin, for his part, said collaborations between his country and Iran within the framework of their comprehensive strategic cooperation treaty are continuing despite the ongoing developments and events in the region, underlining the importance of maintaining close relations and cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.Putin pointed to certain countries' efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States and contribute to the de-escalation of tensions in the West Asia region, emphasizing that Russia supports such diplomatic efforts and stands ready to play a role to that end.On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts.Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement. However, the two sides failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal as tensions continued to escalate.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted near east coast of Honshu, Japan at 1913 GMT on Wednesday, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences said.

RIYADH, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 36 others injured in two separate attacks targeting Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia and King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation said.In a statement posted on social media, the authority said the attack on Abha airport killed two female residents of Moroccan and Algerian nationalities and injured 28 others. The injuries ranged from minor to critical.At King Khalid airport, one Sudanese resident was killed and eight others were injured, also with injuries ranging from minor to critical.All the injured were taken to hospital for treatment, while the two attacks also caused property damage, the statement said.The authority said it is coordinating with relevant agencies to assess the damage, ensure the safety of airport facilities and take necessary measures to safeguard passengers and maintain the security and safety of Saudi Arabia's civil aviation system.

Four moped riders were killed in a serious traffic accident in eastern German federal state of Brandenburg on Wednesday evening.