• President Donald Trump has told reporters ⁠at the UN that US officials ‌had a “very good” three-hour meeting on ⁠Tuesday with the ⁠Iranian delegation at the UN General Assembly.
• Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani tells the UNGA that the Gulf is experiencing one of its most dangerous phases due to the US-Israel war on Iran, while urging diplomacy as a lasting solution.
• Iranian media has reported the sound of an explosion near Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, though the cause remains unclear.

UNGA Summit

US Special Envoy Witkoff confirms ‘lengthy’ UN talks with Iran via mediators

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff says he had “lengthy talks” with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

In a post on X, Witkoff said the talks were conducted through mediators who “shuttled between the two sides throughout the day”.

He added that the round of discussions was “successfully completed” and that he hopes it will prove “constructive and promising”, as the mediators “will continue their work”.

Iranian and US officials hold rare meeting over Strait of Hormuz conditions

According to state media, Iran has confirmed a meeting between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US representative Steve Witkoff. This is significant, as it comes after weeks without direct contact between the two sides.

Before the two countries signed their memorandum of understanding, engagement was more frequent. Since then, escalation has meant less diplomacy, even as Iran continues to say the door remains open.

This latest meeting was held at the request and insistence of the American side, and was aimed at conveying Iran’s messages and conditions, particularly around reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

On the broader question of diplomatic engagement with the United States, sources here in Tehran say Iran’s position has not changed. However, one security source said earlier today that there could be room for diplomatic engagement if the United States fulfils its commitments with respect to Iran’s conditions and demands.

EU foreign policy chief presses Iran on maritime security and domestic repression

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has discussed diplomatic prospects and maritime security with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, pointing out the need to ensure free navigation.

In a post on X, Kallas said that “navigation must be free and unimpeded, both in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.”

Kallas also said that she raised “domestic repression inside Iran, including the sharp rise in executions and death sentences”.

No breakthroughs in US, Iran meeting in New York

That was a bit of a surprise: that meeting between US officials and Iranian officials. And we’re learning more about that after some initial confusion.

The US president implied that he was present at that meeting, only for the White House to later clarify that wasn’t the case. The US president clarified as well that it was his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were participating, along with reportedly the foreign minister of Iran.

The meeting discussed conditions – or possible conditions – for ending the conflict, for resuming negotiations to end the conflict, and also for opening the Strait of Hormuz, which we know is one of Donald Trump’s priorities.

But in terms of that is that there were no breakthroughs in that meeting, only that there is expected to be another meeting in the coming days.

US trying to manage tensions between Iran war and Gulf allies’ concerns

In addition to the US officials meeting with Iranian officials, we also know that Donald Trump met with GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] leaders. And this is significant as well because they have been affected, of course, by this conflict.

Even though they have, in many cases, US bases on their own soil, this was supposed to be the security guarantee that hasn’t been, after all, that secure.

This is the tension that the United States is experiencing right now with its Gulf allies.

So, regional security as well as semi-paralyzed commercial shipping was the other big focus. And we know that Qatar presented a proposal in order to try and resolve these immediate security and shipping concerns. But, again, no breakthroughs.

Instead, what the US president said when he emerged from those meetings was about Iran, again presenting that binary choice that he mentioned in his UN General Assembly speech, namely that it needs to choose whether or not it should accept a deal that would allow for a breakthrough and for new opportunities, or face annihilation.

Iran and US hold UN talks amid mixed signals from Tehran

Diplomatic efforts continue between Iran and the United States, and as we’ve heard here in Tehran, the current atmosphere around these moves is actually positive.

There are initiatives under way to de-escalate tensions between the two countries that could lead to something in the next few days, especially as Iran has announced its openness to any talks that achieve lasting security.

In this regard, Iranian state broadcast media announced that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was held at Witkoff’s own request.

Araghchi later reaffirmed that Iran remains committed to diplomacy that seeks calm and security, saying the US’s violation of its commitments is the only obstacle to the diplomatic efforts under way.

These statements coincide with the IRGC’s rejection of negotiations, with its spokesperson saying Iran should be prepared for all likely scenarios, including the possibility of a forceful response.

Iran says it conveyed conditions to US through Qatari mediator

Iran has engaged with the United States through a Qatari mediator in New York and conveyed conditions including an end to the war on all fronts and a halt to what Tehran called US “acts of aggression,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has told state news agency IRNA.

Baghaei said that Iran’s conditions also included an end to the naval blockade and economic warfare, and the release of Iranian assets, IRNA said.

US senator rebukes Trump’s threat to ‘annihilate’ Iran

Senator Bernie Sanders has urged President Donald Trump to halt his threats against Iran, pointing out that calling to “annihilate” the population is a war crime and an act of barbarism that the United States must never be associated with.

In a social media post, Senator Sanders argued that the current conflict is “illegal and unconstitutional”, demanding that Congress act immediately to bring it to an end.

“No, Mr President. We should not ‘annihilate’ the people of Iran,” Sanders wrote. “That is a war crime. That is barbarism. And it is something the United States must never be associated with.”

Iran’s Araghchi criticizes European double standards in meeting with Dutch counterpart

Araghchi has met Dutch Foreign Minister Tom de Bruijn on the sidelines of the UNGA, according to his Telegram channel.

During the meeting, he strongly criticized “the double standards of European countries” concerning regional developments, pointing specifically to their silence and appeasement regarding the “aggressive actions and crimes” committed by the US and Israel against Iran, the statement noted.

“The foreign minister noted that European nations cannot, on the one hand, claim to uphold the rule of law and human rights while, on the other, remaining indifferent to – or even supporting – blatant military aggression by the US and Israel against Iran,” it added.

De Bruijn emphasized the importance of diplomacy and outlined his country’s perspectives on ongoing regional developments and interactions between Iran and Europe.

Iran FM Araghchi slams France’s ‘double standards’ in talks with counterpart

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, on the sidelines of the UNGA.

In a statement on his Telegram channel, Araghchi criticised France’s “interventionist” positions towards Iran and urged the French embassy to respect national laws and regulations.

He also called France’s stance on regional developments, particularly its position regarding the US and Israeli military aggression against Iran, “unacceptable”.

Referring to what he called France’s “double standards” on human rights, Araghchi said Paris could not claim concern for rights while remaining silent over “crimes against humanity” committed by the US and Israel against the Iranian people.

Earlier, President Macron had told US media that he did not “want to engage in a confrontation with any country, but we are ready to be more engaged in order to protect some capacities in order to make this transit possible” regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran calls Trump ‘annihilation’ threat a sign of ‘strategic desperation’

Iran’s military has dismissed Donald Trump’s threat to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic warning it’s ready to respond with “crushing” attacks far more severe than earlier in the war.

In a statement carried by Mehr news agency, Iran’s General Staff accused the US president of using the UN podium at the General Assembly to justify “aggression”.

“Such words demonstrate America’s strategic dead end in its aggression against the Iranian nation,” it said. It described Trump’s repeated threats as “not a sign of power but a sign of their strategic desperation”.

The statement also warned Iran’s armed forces are ready to deliver strikes against the US and Israel that would be “more crushing and less predictable” than earlier in their war.

Trump ‘annihilation’ warning: ‘Genocidal threat’ or ‘art of the deal’?

President Trump has again threatened to “annihilate” Iran, a nation of 90 million people.

In April on social media, he issued a similar apocalyptic statement saying: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

In response, Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International, said Trump’s warning of exterminating an entire population “may constitute a threat to commit genocide” – a crime under international law.

Zeidon Alkinani, from the Arab Perspectives Institute, said  that the US president “has been very self-contradictory in his statements since the war began”.

“He’s a man of deals … but he’s also making sure if a deal is not written to his conditions, he promises a destructive war” – even if it violates international humanitarian law.

Iraq-Iran foreign ministers discuss regional de-escalation at UNGA

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has held talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on the sidelines of the UNGA.

In a post on X, Hussein said indirect communications are currently under way between Tehran and Washington, as are efforts aimed at “de-escalation and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to navigational traffic”.

“Dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective path to contain tensions and prevent their escalation, and regional security and freedom of navigation require regional cooperation and responsible dialogue among the concerned parties,” he affirmed.

Egypt, UK discuss regional developments at UNGA

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell discussed regional developments and ways to strengthen bilateral relations during a meeting in New York, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry says.

The meeting was held during the high-level segment of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, according to a ministry statement.

The two officials, who met on the sidelines of the UNGA, stressed the importance of further advancing Egyptian-British ties in political, economic, and investment fields, and building on recent momentum in relations, the statement said.

World leaders say UN Security Council failing to function effectively

Several world leaders at the 81st UN General Assembly have said the UN is not functioning effectively.

In speeches at the General Debate, they added their voices to criticism that the five permanent UN Security Council members are not using their powers to help resolve global crises.

Iran lawmaker predicts Trump-Pezeshkian meeting at UNGA

An Iranian member of parliament says he believes Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

“In my opinion, the meeting between the two presidents will take place,” Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani said in an interview with Iranian news portal Didban.

Pezeshkian is due to speak before the world body later on Wednesday after Trump’s controversial speech yesterday.

Officials from both countries held Qatar-mediated talks lasting several hours on Tuesday.

One analyst warned against interpreting a possible Trump-Pezeshkian meeting as a sign of progress in the deadlocked conflict.

“Diplomacy should not be confused with progress,” said Danny Citrinowicz from the Institute for National Security Studies, also a former Israeli intelligence official.

“So far, there is little indication that the Trump administration’s economic and military pressure has persuaded Tehran to retreat from what it considers its core negotiating demands,” he wrote in a post on X.

Senior Iranian lawmaker questions FM Araghchi’s authority to attend meeting with US officials

A senior Iranian lawmaker has questioned Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s authority to attend a meeting with senior US officials in New York and suggested that the talks may have undermined Tehran.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the executor, not the policymaker,” Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said in a post on X.

“The foreign minister must explain on the basis of which authorisation and policy his meeting with the representative of the aggressor enemy was conducted? Iran’s conditions have been communicated to America, and turning an illegal meeting into an excuse under the pretext of conditions yields nothing but a sign of weakness.

“Foreign policy and national security are not arenas for recklessness. In parliament, we will fulfill our legal duty to defend the interests of the Iranian nation and address this.”

Araghchi met special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the war. Trump described the meeting as “very good,” saying that it lasted three hours and that another one is scheduled in the “very near future”.

As diplomatic efforts on the US-Iran war continue at the UNGA, multiple actors are testing possible off-ramps

President Donald Trump has used his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to continue his threats against Iran, suggesting on Tuesday that he could “annihilate” the country he has waged war against since February 28.

But behind closed doors, on the sidelines of the meeting, a flurry of diplomatic activity concerning the ongoing US-Iran war has also been unfolding.

Senior Iranian media official says delegation in New York working with colleagues in Tehran

The secretary of the Iranian government’s information council says the delegation attending the UN General Assembly in New York is carrying out its duties in coordination with fellow decision makers in Tehran.

“The Iranian delegation has traveled to New York in coordination with the relevant authorities and within the country’s institutional frameworks, and all programs are being carried out within the framework of the decisions made in Tehran,” Mohammad Golzari said.

Earlier, senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei questioned Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s authority to attend a meeting with senior US officials.

Pezeshkian says Iranian ‘resistance’ will only increase when facing sanctions

Iran’s President Pezeshkian has addressed the UN General Assembly, focusing on the war and the wider regional conflict. Here are some of his key statements:

• “It must be understood by Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations without accepting the language of force.”
• “He must know that the resistance of the Iranian people will only increase in the face of sanctions, increased pressure and increased bullying.”
• “No nuclear weapons and no limitations to peaceful nuclear technology.”
• “In order to defend our country, we do not seek anyone’s permission or approval.”
• “Our defensive systems have been built so that no one can think that bombing Iranian cities will go unanswered.”
• “Israel targets any neighborhood in any city in any province [and] commits assassinations like a true terrorist.”
• “Israel has savagely murdered over 70,000 innocents in Gaza, but Iran, while behind the table of negotiation, was bombed.”

Another round of US-Iran talks took place in New York: Iranian official

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says another round of talks between Iranian and US officials took place on Tuesday and was mediated by Qatar.

“Yesterday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting, as a continuation of the discussions mediated by countries between Iran and the United States, another round of message exchange and clarification took place through Qatari intermediaries between Iran and America,” Baqhaei posted on X.

“In this process, which lasted approximately two hours, Iran’s positions and conditions for reviving diplomacy in a manner that leaves no doubt or ambiguity and provides no excuses or pretexts for any party were conveyed to the American side.”

Baghaei also reiterated Iran’s demands for negotiations to resume, including an end to all acts of US aggression, such as the naval blockade and economic warfare; an end to the war on all fronts; the release of frozen Iranian assets; and acceptance of a safe shipping route agreed upon by Iran and Oman.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi met US special envoy Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Kushner on Tuesday in New York.

Former Iranian diplomat suggests Pezeshkian’s New York visit could ease US tensions

A former Iranian diplomat has published an op-ed on IRNA arguing that Peesident Pezeshkian’s presence in New York could lead to opportunities to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Abdolreza Ghafrani argued that “the art of foreign policy is to use the opportunity at the right time to secure national interests”.

“Negotiations become meaningful when both sides, while maintaining their own positions and interests, are willing to listen to the positions of the other side and strive to find common ground,” Ghafrani wrote.

He suggested that the current situation shares similarities with the phone call between then-US and Iranian presidents Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani in September 2013. The call was aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. However, Ghafrani stressed that today’s circumstances were “much more difficult and sensitive”.

Golan Heights will remain Syrian territory, says President al-Sharaa

Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa says the occupied Golan Heights will remain Syrian territory.

Israel has been occupying the Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed the territory in 1981.

“Any attempts that violate our sovereignty, violate international law, will be stopped,” al-Sharaa said in his UN General Assembly address.

He added that “Israel is launching attacks against Syria,” adding that despite repeated “aggressions” by Israel, “the opportunity for peace and security is available to those who wish to live in peace.”

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to al-Sharaa’s remarks, saying in a video statement that “the Golan under Israeli sovereignty is an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever.”

Iran’s FM says Europe is enabling Israeli crimes in region

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi has told his German counterpart that European countries are enabling Israeli crimes in the region.

During a meeting with Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Araghchi called for an end to European complicity and Israeli impunity.

He added that Tehran cannot be blamed for the insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz and insisted that Tehran is committed to achieving a diplomatic solution to end the war and address US objections to the country’s nuclear program.

Iran’s security chief says Tehran will not engage in negotiations if the US does not meet its conditions

Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei says Iran will not engage in negotiations or open the Strait of Hormuz if the US does not meet Iranian conditions.

“Iran has not been in a rush to negotiate. Iran’s conditions have been finalized and are in the hands of the Qatari and Pakistani parties,” Rezaei told the state broadcaster IRIB.

Rezaei said that a decision was made that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would convey Iran’s conditions to intermediaries during his trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

“The new diplomatic path we have chosen is proceeding strongly,” Rezaei said.

US has five days to meet Iranian conditions: Iran’s security chief

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei says the US was given a five-day deadline to meet Iran’s conditions before opening the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Strait of Hormuz is a tool for the Iranian nation to secure its rights,” Reazei said in an interview with state broadcaster IRIB.

Rezaei, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, added that Iran will block flights of aircrafts belonging to neighbouring countries that cooperate with the US.

“Neighboring countries should not get drawn into US games and adventurism regarding the issue of Iranian flights,” Reazei said.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that all Iranian airlines would be forced to stop operating on September 23 by the threat of secondary sanctions on air services providers.

Deal with Iran will involve hard work over a period of time, says Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that a deal with Iran would involve hard work over a period of time.

Rubio told reporters in New York that the US president “has a number of options available, including military options”.

He added that the US will “continue to defend and hold the Strait of Hormuz open”.

UAE bans branches of major Iranian bank

The United Arab Emirates’s central bank says it has prohibited branches of the major Iranian bank, Bank Melli, from operating in the UAE.

The central bank said that its measures “were taken due to violations involving non-compliance with applicable regulations, laws, and supervisory decisions”, the state-run Emirates News Agency reported.

According to the new UAE ban, Bank Melli Iran branches will be prohibited from executing financial transactions to or from Iran, including trade finance and financial transfers.

In August, the US Treasury Department sanctioned one person linked to Iran’s Bank Melli as part of its escalating economic pressure campaign against Iran.

Saudi port sees busiest crude oil loading day since start of war

Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port on the Gulf has recorded its busiest loading day since the war, ship tracking firm Kpler is reporting.

It said six “very large crude carriers” loaded nearly 12 million barrels of crude at the port’s Ras Tanura and Juaymah terminals on Monday, “highlighting how quickly crude flows are adapting to pressure around [the Strait of] Hormuz”.

Kpler added that some of the six ships had already been recorded making “dark” ship-to-ship transfers in recent weeks, with their tracking devices switched off to avoid easy detection, “suggesting the latest rerouting sits on top of a longer-running pattern of changing vessel behaviour”.

Oil prices slip as Saudi pipeline restarts and UN talks offer hope

Oil prices are slipping lower on Wednesday, with Brent crude futures falling 7 cents, or 0.07 percent, to $99.18 a barrel as of 01:19 GMT.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude went down 35 cents, or 0.39 percent, to trade at $90.17 per barrel.

The losses came as Saudi Arabia began restoring crude supply on a critical pipeline to the Red Sea, according to the Reuters news agency, alongside growing hopes for a diplomatic solution to the US-Iran conflict through talks at the UN in New York.

Strait of Hormuz shipping traffic remains low

Three commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, down from four a day earlier and below the 10-day moving average of about 15, according to preliminary shipping data released on Wednesday.

The figures, cited by Reuters, could change as some ships typically switch off their transponders during the voyage.

Macron says France ready to be more engaged to make Strait of Hormuz transit possible

French President Emmanuel Macron has told US media that he does not “want to engage in a confrontation with any country, but we are ready to be more engaged in order to protect some capacities in order to make this transit possible,” regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview with ABC News, Macron said that the “main objective” of his meeting with US President Donald Trump was “to find the right deal in order to open” the vital waterway and address the escalating global energy crisis.

He criticised the US decision to go to war in the first place, saying that “regime change by bombing a country is not something I think feasible.” He added that “it doesn’t work. And we did this mistake several times in the past decades.”

Regarding the decision not to assist the US earlier, Macron noted that “when you want to engage people, you strategise with them, and you ask them before launching a war, and we decided not to join this war because we considered, and I still consider, it was not the right option.”

Qatar says diplomacy is only way out of regional crisis amid widening conflicts

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said that Qatari leaders have met US President Donald Trump, stating that “the implications of the conflict [with Iran], the conflict in Gaza, the West Bank and what’s happening across our region are being felt internationally” while warning that “the effects of this will only continue to grow.”

Al-Ansari said: “We do believe in diplomacy, and we do [believe] there is no alternative to diplomacy, and we cannot afford to let diplomacy fail.” He continued: “Qatar has been engaged with all the parties of the conflict though Qatar was a target of attacks during this war. But that did not lead us to shy away from diplomacy or abandon our role as a mediator.”

He noted that Qatar has been “working with partners in the region, like Pakistan and Oman, other GCC countries to get to a peaceful, diplomatic resolution”. He added: “We have not stopped working although we have seen a lot of setbacks, … but we do believe this was a week where we could push the discussion further.”

Al-Ansari also stated that Qatar is “glad about hosting the meetings between the parties and seeing them engaging again” and emphasized: “For us here in Qatar, diplomacy is the only way out of this.”

He concluded that the focus remained “on keeping the lines of communication open, keeping the exchange going, listening to both sides and addressing the security concerns of not only both sides but all the states within the Gulf and beyond who are affected by this crisis”.

‘Glimmer of hope’: Oil falls $1 on hopes for US-Iran negotiations

Oil prices saw further declines as investors eyed improved supply and hopes for a diplomatic solution ⁠to the nearly seven-month US-Israel war on Iran.

Brent crude futures fell $1.09, or 1.1 percent, to $98.16 a barrel as of 04:21 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate futures fell $1.50, or 1.67 percent, to $89.01 per barrel.

While President Trump warned he could “annihilate” Iran, he also said productive talks were held to end the war.

“The market is currently feeling more constructive about the global oil supply picture than it was a few weeks ago,” said Tim Waterer, chief analyst at KCM Trade.

“The meeting of US and Iranian delegations in New York has given traders a glimmer of hope… Despite the continued tough rhetoric – including threats of ‘annihilation’ – the market is choosing to price in the possibility of talks.”

Iran says 50% of South Pars oilfield capacity restored after March attack

Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad Zeraatkar says half of the capacity of the heavily damaged South Pars oilfield is back online after an Israeli air strike shut it down in March.

Zeraatkar added the facility is expected to be fully operation by the end of September, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying.

“The planned schedule for restoring capacity has been met, and all remaining planned measures will be completed before the onset of winter,” he said.

Zeraatkar said in late ⁠August about 40 percent of the ‌damaged facility had been returned to ‌production.

Six months of war push Iran’s economy to breaking point

More than six months of war have left Iran’s economy under intense strain, forcing families to choose what they can still afford and what they must live without. Years of sanctions are compounded by a plunging currency of about 2 million rials to the dollar, 65% inflation and food prices up 128%.

Shopkeepers in Tehran say imports are scarce and customers are cutting back as war damage nears an estimated $270bn and tens of thousands of homes and public services are hit.

While control over the Strait of Hormuz gives Iran some leverage, millions of Iranians face a more immediate question: how long they can bear the cost.

IRGC’s Karami says Iran ‘will not yield an inch to the enemy’

The commander of the ground forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Karami, made the remarks as he inspected operational bases in northwestern Iran, according to state media.

“With the grace of God, we will not yield an inch to the enemy, just as we did during the Sacred Defence period [1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War], and the future belongs to the esteemed Islam and the heroic Iranian nation,” he was quoted as saying by the Mehr News Agency.

Karami also stressed the continuation of “the path of resistance and steadfastness”.

US seeks ‘symbolic victory’ in Iran war to sell to domestic audience

Zeidon Alkinani, founding director of the Arab Perspectives Institute, says the United States wants to “find a solution to the war” with Iran after Washington started it alongside Israel with “limited time, knowledge, and expertise”.

“The issue is that the US doesn’t want to exit the war without a symbolic victory that it can sell back to its domestic audiences, but also sell back to the international media given that it presents itself as the leader of the ‘free world’,” he told Al Jazeera.

With the UN General Assembly (UNGA) ongoing, Alkinani also addressed why the US denied Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend, saying Washington is not currently “aligned” with the PA.

“I think there is a clear US exploitation of the visas when it comes to the UN, particularly this edition [of UNGA], similar to what we witnessed at the World Cup.”

Iran faces ‘war of attrition if negotiations fail’

State TV yesterday confirmed the meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the US representative Steve Witkoff, at the insistence of the American side. The meeting was aimed at clarifying and conveying Iranian conditions pertaining to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Different Iranian sources, diplomatic and security sources, are all saying that Iran’s conditions and demands have not changed. One security source told us that in case the US fulfils its commitments with respect to Iranian demands, in case there are sufficient practical guarantees and assurances, Iran might be flexible enough to get into further engagement with it.

There are mixed signals from Tehran: on one hand, readiness for diplomacy, and on the other hand, we heard from the joint military headquarters, saying yesterday, that in case of escalation, Iran is ready to retaliate in a stronger manner, something that Iranians are saying could even be beyond the borders of the region, and it could be a war of attrition if negotiations fail.

OECD lifts 2026 global growth forecast to 2.9% despite Iran war

Economic growth remains “resilient” in many countries despite the devastating effects of the US-Israel war on Iran, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says.

Global economic growth is now seen at 2.9 percent, a 0.1-point increase from estimates in June by the Paris-based group of 38 industrialised countries.

Even though energy prices have soared since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February, the OECD noted “broader financial conditions remain supportive”, including rising equity markets and continued access to credit.

“Sizeable oil inventories, additional supply from outside the Gulf economies, and discretionary government support measures all helped to cushion the impact on the global economy,” it said in its quarterly update.

However, global growth slowed sharply from the 3.4 percent chalked up last year, and the OECD trimmed its 2027 growth forecast by 0.1 percentage point to 3 percent.

Iranian envoy says Tehran and Muscat will decide Strait of Hormuz’s new status

According to the ISNA news agency, Iranian Ambassador Kazem Jalali said the US would have to accept what he called the strait’s new legal status, to be decided by Iran and Oman, if it intended to continue passing through the waterway.

The remarks come following a meeting between US and Iranian officials at the UNGA in New York last evening.

Iran’s Baghaei says dialogue most effective weapon against threats

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says there is no weapon that can replace dialogue and peace.

“Peace means more than just the absence of war; it encompasses tranquility and prosperity,” he said in remarks quoted by ISNA news agency.

“There is no weapon that rivals dialogue and peace in undermining the effectiveness of the adversaries’ offensive tools.”

Top Iranian official says country’s ‘diplomacy will not return to the past’

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says the US will be forced to respect Iran and warns that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until Tehran’s conditions are met.

“Iran’s new diplomacy will not return to the past,” Mohsen Rezaei said.

“We will force America to respect the rights of the Iranian nation and act according to the conveyed conditions; otherwise, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened. Enough with negotiations; take action.”

Economic crisis is only one consequence of the war for Iranians

More than six months of war have put Iran under growing pressure. Years of sanctions had already weakened Iran’s economy, but since the start of the war with the US and Israel in February, the Iranian currency has fallen to around two million to the US dollar.

Inflation is up by 65 percent and food prices are up by 128 percent. For millions of people, this means making choices about what they can afford and what they can live without.

Saied Koshtinat, a coffee shop owner, said that “imports are extremely difficult and stocks are running low”.

The economic crisis is only one consequence of the war. In Tehran, more than 50,000 residential units have been damaged, according to the municipality. Schools and health centers were also hit.

“People are trying to deal with the consequences here in the capital and beyond,” Sinem Koseoglu in Tehran said.

Iran estimates the total damage from the war at $270bn and officials say it can resist the economic pressure by relying on domestic production.

UKMTO says 2 casualties reported as projectile hits cargo vessel in Hormuz

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says it received a report of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz, where an unknown projectile struck a cargo vessel, leaving it on fire and adrift.

The agency added that all crew members had been evacuated and that two casualties had been reported.

Authorities were investigating the incident, and there was no reported environmental impact, it said.

Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, it added.

One crew member killed in attack on ship near Oman

At least one crew member has been killed after a ship was attacked off the coast of Oman.

The Omani Maritime Security Centre says one of the country’s Royal Navy ships has evacuated 27 crew members onboard that vessel, which was flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda.

In a statement posted on X, the centre said a fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room as a result of the attack, adding that the ship was 2.5 nautical miles (4.6km) from the Omani governorate of Musandam when it was struck.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Killed crew member onboard vessel targeted off Oman’s coast was Indian national

The crew member killed onboard a vessel targeted off Oman’s coast was an Indian national, the Indian embassy in Oman said.

The embassy was in close coordination with Omani authorities regarding the safety of all crew on board the bulk carrier ⁠MV Cape Dao, including 19 Indian nationals, it added.

Iran says 50 percent of damaged production capacity at South Pars restored

Iran says 50 percent of the damaged production capacity at the South Pars gas field has been restored, six months after Israel bombed the site.

Deputy Oil Minister Ahmed Zeraatkar said production has now resumed at those facilities that have been repaired and that authorities are working to fix the remaining damage.

Israel attacked South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field, in mid-March. The strikes caused the skies over Tehran to turn black due to thick plumes of smoke blocking out the sun. Human Rights Watch said the attack could amount to a war crime.

Iran and Qatar share ownership of the gas field.

Canada sanctions 10 Iranian individuals and entities

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand says the country is imposing sanctions against 10 Iranian individuals and entities over their role in “the Iranian regime’s brutal repression”.

“Canada is using every tool at its disposal, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the Iranian regime’s abhorrent conduct – from threatening international peace and security to committing pervasive human rights violations,” Anand said in a statement.

The sanctions target senior Iranian security and government officials, as well as state-directed entities “involved in digital repression“, including Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, according to the statement.

Tehran’s Hormuz strategy seen as a ‘bargaining chip’ by regional powers

Pezeshkian’s call during his UNGA address on countries in the region to resolve disputes without US interference is “ironic coming from a country that attacked the Gulf countries not only with narratives but with missiles, as well”, says Mohamed al-Hashemi, the executive director of the Middle East Insights Institute.

He said that “those statements are important”.

“Qatar, in particular, has been a negotiator and we did a lot of things even during the peak of our disagreements, but I think it takes two to tango.”

Al-Hashemi said that the regional meeting in Oman was postponed earlier this month due to “the Iranian statement that sought to maintain the new status quo, where they keep using the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip, rather than an international passage”.

“What Qataris and others in the region are doing currently is to find a common ground that we can start with. We need an agreement. The MoU was important for its time to manifest and reflect good intentions.”