• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran rejects a US threat of annihilation in a defiant UN address, while leaving the door open for diplomacy to end the war.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says an Iran agreement requires extensive negotiations, warning that military options remain on the table for US President Donald Trump.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tells his German counterpart that European nations are enabling regional Israeli crimes.
• Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei says Tehran has given the US a five-day deadline to meet conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz.

UNGA Summit

Pezeshkian says Iran will not surrender to US pressure at UNGA

A day after the US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly his choice on Iran was his alone, a deal or annihilation, Iran’s president took the same podium to answer him.

Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a defiant speech, insisting Iran would continue to defend itself against what he called “cowardly” attacks.

European Council urges Iran to restore navigation freedom in Hormuz, cease attacks on neighbors

European Council President Antonio Costa says he held a “frank and substantial discussion” with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

In a post on X, Costa said he stressed that “dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and to ensure lasting peace across the region”.

Costa also called for “an end to Iran’s strikes against its neighbours and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.

He also urged Iran to “resume cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency, adding that the European Union “stands ready to support all ongoing diplomatic efforts”.

Two speeches a day apart, no clear end to Iran war

Donald Trump had threatened Iran with annihilation from this podium. Twenty-four hours later, Masoud Pezeshkian stood in the same spot and answered him.

During his speech, Iran’s president held up photographs of children he said were killed by American and Israeli weapons. As he did so, the one US diplomat sent to listen to his speech got up and left.

Pezeshkian restated much of Tehran’s position – that Iran had been attacked and not surrendered, and would not unless the US ended its offensive. He said the US and Israel had imposed the war on his country, and that Iran had shown it was not afraid to defend itself.

In the audience were Iran’s foreign minister and his team, who a day earlier had exchanged conditions for ending the conflict with US envoys through Qatari mediators.

Trump called those talks productive. Pezeshkian set a different bar. He said the US had previously attacked Iran during negotiations, so trust was lacking.

Trump said the decision on Iran is his to make. Pezeshkian said his country also has a say, and offered both talks and defiance.

Two speeches a day apart in the same building, but neither man being able to explain exactly how this war will end.

Spanish PM condemns Israel’s genocide in Gaza in UN speech

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, says Spain has, for eight years, opposed “all wars of aggression wherever they have started, whether it’s in Ukraine, Lebanon or Iran”.

“We have refused to increase our military spending … and we’ve done everything possible to avoid aggressions that ran counter to the UN Charter,” he added, saying Spain was committed to “placing sanctions on Russian aggressors, imposing an arms embargo on the Netanyahu government of Israel and prohibiting the use of our territory to deploy an aggression that was against international law”.

He said Spain condemns “unequivocally a genocide that Netanyahu is still perpetrating in Gaza”.

US special envoy says Gaza reconstruction goals are ‘transparent’

US special envoy Jared Kushner says that the goals for Gaza’s reconstruction are “transparent: a fully demilitarized Gaza, governed responsibly by Palestinians, where people can live with dignity, opportunity, hope and peace”.

Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, said in a statement on X that “much of what we presented today did not exist a year ago”. He referenced that “there is a ceasefire, the hostages are home, a Palestinian technocratic government is ready, a security and demilitarization framework has been developed, and 66 projects are ready to begin rebuilding Gaza and improving people’s lives”.

“President Trump challenged us to break the old cycle and build something different,” he said.

“We have made real progress. Now we will move forward to the next phase.”

Board of Peace plans $2.4bn Gaza reconstruction amid Israeli ‘ceasefire’ violations

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the US-led Board of Peace outlined a six-month plan for Gaza’s reconstruction and governance.

But after nearly a year of Israeli “ceasefire” violations, critics say there’s no sign it can be implemented successfully.

Omar Shaban, director of the Gaza-based think tank PalThink for Strategic Studies and founder of Palestinian branches for Amnesty International, says reconstruction cannot begin without funding, stability and clear governance.

‘Annihilate’ vs ‘crushing’ attacks: Why Iran, US up rhetoric amid talks

Speaking on the first day of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, United States President Donald Trump threatened to “annihilate” Iran. Hours later, he told reporters that US officials held a “very good” meeting with Iranian leaders.

Iran’s military did not hold back. Dismissing Trump’s remarks, the Armed Forces General Staff – Iran’s highest military body – warned that it is ready to respond with “crushing”, severer attacks than earlier in the war.

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, though not in direct response to Trump, used similarly combative imagery in a message marking the start of Iran’s academic year, describing knowledge combined with faith and morality as a “sharp sword” capable of cutting off the hands of aggressors.

Amid the rhetoric, the two sides held their first in-person meeting in months on the sidelines of the UNGA, reviving a diplomatic channel that had almost collapsed in the wake of repeated violations of the June memorandum of understanding.

Iran sharply criticizes Canadian PM for calling ‘annihilation’ threat ‘language of war’

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has criticised Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for “reframing a threat to annihilate Iran as merely speaking the language of war”.

In a post on X, Baghaei said that “Mark Carney must understand that time is too ruthless to let the shelter of illusion and hypocrisy endure forever”.

He added that “those who sought refuge in the long shadow of American bullying” would eventually learn that “averting their eyes from reality and bartering away their dignity and self-respect buys no salvation”.

The spokesperson also stated that “they will see that the nation they once conspired with empires to crush was the solitary guardian of a sacred flame” which kept a torch burning against coercion.

 ‘Political will’ can prevent Strait of Hormuz crisis, UNOPS chief says

The Strait of Hormuz has become a crucial sticking point in the conflict between the US and Iran. The closure of the strategic waterway has had major knock-on effects on the global economy.

Jorge Moreira Da Silva is the executive director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), a UN body that focuses on implementing humanitarian aid through infrastructure and project management.

He’s also been recently appointed as the head of a UN task force to mitigate the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on humanitarian needs.

He explains why political will is crucial to ease the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Ukrainian and Iranian foreign ministers hold talks amid bilateral tensions

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says he has met with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and discussed “mutual steps to prevent further aggravation of tensions between our countries”.

In a post on X, Sybiha said that he and Araghchi “agreed to keep existing channels of communication open” and added that they “exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and Europe, as well as various tracks of ongoing peace efforts”.

He also stated that he “reiterated Ukraine’s position in support of a sooner restoration of peace and stability in both our regions”.

Relations between Kyiv and Tehran have faced severe strain following accusations that Iran supplied Russia with Shahed-type attack drones, while Tehran recently accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, prompting the Iranian Foreign Ministry to summon Ukraine’s charge d’affaires over what it termed a hostile and criminal act.

Iran issues defiant UN speech and warning over US airline sanctions

Iran has combined a defiant UN speech with a warning to countries enforcing new US airline sanctions as those restrictions have taken full effect.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of bullying, pointing out that sanctions “only serve to hurt poor and underprivileged civilians” and that the US seeks “to sacrifice the population of a country in order to achieve its illegitimate goals”.

Pezeshkian said Iranian resistance “will only increase in the face of sanctions” and that “we will never bow our head, or bend the knee”, though Iran remained “ready for dialogue and diplomacy … without accepting the language of force”.

Separately, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that Tehran was pursuing diplomacy while preparing for what he called a “decisive war”.

Rezaei said Iran’s conditions for lifting the naval blockade, unfreezing Iranian assets, and ending the region’s wars, particularly in Yemen, had been passed to Qatari and Pakistani mediators through Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the UN.

The Iranian messages seek to counter the US demand that countries stop servicing Iranian airlines, which prompted Turkiye, the UAE and China to cancel most Iranian flights, and Oman, Azerbaijan and Georgia to bar Iranian carriers from their airspace.

Pakistan and Iran FMs discuss regional peace on UNGA sidelines

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has met Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the UNGA.

In a post on X, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the two officials discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, with Dar “underscoring the importance of dialogue, diplomacy and sustained engagement in promoting regional peace and stability”.

“Both sides agreed to remain in close contact,” it added.

Jordan’s foreign minister says Israeli government gambles away region to conflict and suffering

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says unlawful policies and measures of the Israeli government have been “laid bare” before the world during the UN General Assembly, pointing out that voices are rising globally against the killing of children, the destruction of schools and the starvation of civilians.

In a post on X, Safadi said Israel’s “mouthpieces” are launching desperate campaigns to “distort history” and question the credibility of those who demand respect for international law and are targeting the UN, humanitarian organisations and international leaders.

Safadi said Jordan will continue to expose the “inhumanity of the occupation” and mobilise practical international steps to curb Israeli expansionism, adding that the Israeli government is holding the “future of the entire region hostage to conflict and suffering”.

“The Israeli government must be held accountable for its violation of international law; for the injustice, oppression and deprivation it imposes on the Palestinian people; and for the conflicts it inflicts on the region that threaten international peace and security,” Safadi said.

EU leaders welcome Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts between US and Iran

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, European Council President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The two EU leaders said in separate posts on X after the meeting that Pakistan is “playing an important role in support of de-escalation, dialogue, and peaceful resolution of conflicts”, adding: “We work together on stability and security.”

“We thanked the prime minister for his initiative to mediate in the conflict between the US and Iran,” they added.

Sharif, Costa, and von der Leyen exchanged views on regional and global developments and “reaffirmed the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes”, a statement from the prime minister’s office said.

EU’s Costa stresses dialogue in meeting with Iran’s Pezeshkian

European Council President Antonio Costa says he held a “frank and substantial discussion” with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

In a post on X, Costa said he stressed “dialogue is the only way to resolve conflicts and to ensure lasting peace across the region”.

He also called for “an end to Iran’s strikes against its neighbors and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”, urging Tehran to resume its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

‘I defended the legitimacy of the Iranian nation at UNGA’: Pezeshkian

The Iranian president says his team changed his speech after hearing US President Donald Trump’s earlier address.

“We had a text prepared to deliver, but upon hearing the US President’s speech, our perspective went beyond that draft,” he told Iranian media.

“I defended the legitimacy of the Iranian nation at the UN General Assembly,” the Iranian president added, stating: “The Iranian nation – with its deep roots and rich civilisation – cannot be destroyed.”

Pezeshkian said that his speech “sought to articulate the realities of what the US imposes on our nation and the world,” adding that “they act in violation of all international laws and humanitarian frameworks, engaging in nothing but the use of force and inhumane actions”.

Iran’s ‘defensive doctrine has changed’, its defence minister says

Acting Defence Minister Brigadier-General Seyyed Majid Ibn Reza has said Tehran’s message was clear from the UN podium: “Iran’s defensive doctrine has changed.”

In a speech at the UNGA on Wednesday, President Masoud Pezeshkian stressed Iran’s right to defend itself against military attacks while also reiterating Tehran’s readiness for dialogue and a negotiated solution.

In a statement on X, Ibn Reza said, “The production of defensive power commensurate with this doctrine continues apace, and we possess a basket of initiatives and paradigm-shifting, power-generating capabilities. One cannot speak to the Iranian nation in the language of force and threats.”

Iranian and Ukrainian foreign ministers discuss Caspian Sea vessel attack in New York: Iran state media

The Iranian and Ukrainian foreign ministers have held a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, according to Iranian state-run media outlets.

The meeting between Tehran’s Abbas Araghchi and Kyiv’s Andrii Sybiha is the first since tensions rose in July following a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea.

The ministers exchanged views on how to solve that issue, Iran’s Foreign Ministry reported.

 

Qatar highlights Gaza’s ‘urgent humanitarian needs’ on sidelines of UNGA meeting

Qatar has highlighted “the urgent humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people” and the importance of formally recognizing an independent Palestinian state at a meeting on Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction efforts on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York.

Qatar was represented by its Minister of State for International Cooperation, Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on social media on Thursday.

“Recovery and reconstruction efforts must ultimately contribute to reunifying the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, and to establishing a credible, irreversible path towards realizing the Palestinian people’s legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state.”

The minister also emphasized the importance of maintaining the ceasefire, ensuring that the “comprehensive peace plan” is implemented and urged the need for “tangible progress on the ground… to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people”.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA

A pre-recorded statement from Abbas is beginning.

‘Choice to invoke international law is peaceful, civilized’: Abbas

Abbas says the Palestinian people and their leadership should not be punished for demanding an end to the occupation or for turning to the UN, the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.

“Our choice to invoke international law is a peaceful and civilized choice,” he said.

He also said that denying the Palestinian delegation access to the UN was a violation of the US’s obligation as the host country.

Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas opens speech denouncing US denial of visas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has begun his remarks by denouncing the United States decision to deny visas for Palestinian Authority officials for the second year in a row in the run-up to the annual high-level gathering in New York.

“We reject these unlawful, punitive measures and we reject the accusations and justifications on which they were based,” he said.

Abbas calls on US to lift restrictions on Palestinian delegation, return to dialogue

During his address to the UN General Assembly, Abbas said that “denying the Palestinian delegation access to the UN headquarters is a violation of the United States’ obligations as the host country”.

As such, he said that “we call upon the American administration to lift these sanctions and restrictions, return to dialogue and mutual respect, and work with us and with the international community in order to implement the two-state solution on the basis of international legitimacy and to establish peace rather than punishing the side that has chosen the path of international law, and political and diplomatic action, in order to guarantee its rights”.

Abbas says ‘ethnic cleansing’ threatening ‘very existence’ of Palestinians

In the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, settlement expansion is accelerating, Abbas said, while settler “terrorism” is escalating “under the protection of the occupying forces”.

Abbas denounced “land theft” and demolitions under a “system of laws, measures and practices all built on racial discrimination, ethnic cleansing and state terrorism”.

He warned that such policies went beyond destroying the two-state solution, threatening “the very existence of the Palestinian people”.

Israeli violence against Gaza has ‘created an unprecedented humanitarian catastroph’

Speaking in a pre-recorded address to the UN General Assembly, Abbas said that the Israeli violence against Gaza has “created an unprecedented humanitarian catastroph”.

“In the Gaza Strip, our people are being subjected at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces to killing, destruction, starvation, and attempts at displacement”, he said, calling Israel’s assault “a genocidal war”.

He added that Israeli violence has “targeted all the basic necessities of life and the future of entire generations”

Abbas calls on international community to not remain silent on Israeli actions in Palestine

During his address to the UN General Assembly, Abbas pondered how long the international community will remain silent on Israeli actions throughout Palestine.

“How much longer will some states continue to remain silent on Israel or supply it with the weapons that it uses against our people? The world has witnessed the tremendous cost in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,” asked Abbas.

“What is the international community waiting for in order to protect the Palestinian people, ensure their continued presence on their land, end the Israeli occupation, and implement the two-state solution on the basis of international legitimacy?”

Abbas continued, “This solution guarantees peace for all, instead of the threat emanating from Israeli extremism, which seeks to expand its colonial project towards establishing the so-called Greater Israel and completely erasing Palestinian presence.”

Abbas denounces Israel’s ongoing attacks on UNRWA

Ongoing Israeli attacks on UN headquarters and institutions in Jerusalem and in the West Bank are undermining UNRWA’s ability to carry out its duties, Abbas said in his remarks, referring to the UN’s agency for Palestinians.

“We call upon all states and international and regional organisations to continue supporting the work of UNRWA, for which there is no substitute so long as the issue of refugees remains unresolved,” he said.

Abbas calls on Trump to prevent annexation of Palestinian land, reject displacement

Abbas reminded the audience that the Gaza Board of Peace was established nearly a year ago, with only one year left on the designated transitional period.

“Therefore, we call for accelerating the implementation of the second phase [of the Gaza peace deal between Israel and Hamas] rather than wasting any more time,” said Abbas.

“Furthermore, we call upon President Trump to fulfil the commitments he made to the leaders of the Arab and Islamic states last September to prevent the annexation of Palestinian land and to reject displacement.”

Two US officials were pictured listening to Abbas’s pre-recorded video address.

 

Palestine seeks a ‘non-militarised state’

“We seek a democratic Palestinian state that respects the rule law and human rights”, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says.

“A non-militarized state, a non-militarized state”, he emphasized, adding, “that lives in security and peace alongside the state of Israel.”

Abbas said Palestinians will not leave ‘our homeland, accept displacement’

Addressing the young people of Palestine and those in the diaspora, Abbas told them that “you have painted the greatest picture of pride and dignity by holding steadfastly onto your land, your unity and your legitimate rights”.

“We will not leave our homeland. We will not accept displacement. And we will not allow anyone to decide our future on our behalf. We decide for ourselves.”

Concluding his address, Abbas said “we will extend our hands to a peace based on international legitimacy, so that our freedom and independence can be achieved, and so that everyone in the region may live in security, peace and good neighborliness”.

Abbas calls for security for Palestinians, Israelis alike

“We do not want a new process for managing the conflict, while the face of the land changes every day,” Abbas told UNGA. “We want a process that puts an end to occupation and guarantees freedom and self-determination for Palestinians, a process that guarantees also security and peace for Israelis and the countries of the region.”

His vision for peace was that of a “Palestinian people remaining on its land and determining a future for itself” and a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel that paves the way to “regional integration, cooperation, prosperity and security for everyone”.

No officials from the Israeli delegation were pictured sitting in the General Assembly while Abbas delivered his address.

Abbas calls for the reunification of the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank under ‘one law’

The Palestinian president warned against a transitional period becoming a “permanent or open-ended situation without any clear time bound policial horizon.”

“Rather, it must lead to the reunification of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the authority of the State of Palestine, in accordance with the principle of one state, one government, one law, and one legitimate entity authorized to bear arms,” Abbas said.

Palestinians question UN’s role as Israeli settlement expansion continues

As UN leaders meet in New York, Israeli forces have shut an UNRWA school and seized its headquarters in East Jerusalem, defying UN protections.

Colonist numbers in the occupied West Bank have surged from under 30,000 in 1980 to nearly 800,000 today, with the proposed E1 project threatening to split the territory in two and displace Bedouin communities.

Decades of UN resolutions, including a ruling by the International Court of Justice on the illegality of Israel’s occupation, remain unenforced.

Israel’s prime minister lands in US before UNGA address

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed at Stewart International Airport north of New York City, in advance of his expected remarks at the UN General Assembly scheduled for 2pm local time (18:00 GMT).

Footage posted on X by the prime minister’s office shows Netanyahu and his wife Sara exiting the plane “Wing of Zion” before being greeted by Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, as well as Israeli and US military personnel.

Abbas’s UNGA speech conveyed increased urgency amid inaction

The speech delivered by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas aimed to shake the international community into action as the situation on the ground is progressively worsening, Said Arikat, Washington bureau chief at the Palestinian Quds News network, said.

“The urgency has increased. [Abbas] tried to convey that message,” Arikat said. “He’s telling the world: ‘We have reformed, we are doing the right thing, we are going to hold elections, and we are abiding by whatever you tell us – but we need you to help us’.”

Abbas appealed to the world as US, Israel not meeting obligations

Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, has told Al Jazeera that Abbas’ speech at the UN General Assembly sent out the message that “the world needs to intervene” on behalf of Palestinians.

Abbas stressed that while the Palestinian leadership has been meeting its obligations, the US and Israel were not. Meanwhile, “the international community is not doing enough to intervene on behalf of the Palestinians who are completely vulnerable to Israel and its machinations in Gaza and in the occupied Palestinian territories,” Rahman said.

“We’re seeing a push for the ethnic cleansing in both of those territories [so this] is a very desperate position,” the analyst continued. He added that he does not hold out much hope that the international community will act to increase pressure on Israel given its mild response so far.

High-level roundtable on early recovery in Gaza held on UNGA sidelines

A high-level roundtable on early recovery in Gaza has been held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

Qatar Minister of State for International Cooperation Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad said in a post on X that the meeting emphasized the need to fully implement the Gaza peace plan and to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians.

The minister added that the roundtable also addressed the need for “a reliable path for the establishment of the independent Palestinian state”.

80 countries call at UN for reopening of Hormuz Strait

A coalition of 80 countries has demanded ⁠the ⁠urgent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, condemning Iran and its Houthi allies for their attacks in the region, as well as causing disruption to international trade and energy security.

“Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to threaten international security and ‌navigational rights and freedoms,” said a joint statement read out by Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani at UNGA.

“We call for the full restoration of navigational rights and principles without delay.”

Netanyahu takes podium at UNGA

The Israeli prime minister is now addressing the UNGA in New York.

Dozens of diplomats walk out as Netanyahu takes stage

Many delegations representing dozens of countries have left the assembly hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes the stage.

He called those who left “moral cowards”.

Netanyahu claims Israel prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons

In his opening remarks to UNGA, Netanyahu said that he had “vowed to prevent Iran’s murderous dictatorship from developing atomic bombs, nuclear weapons aimed at destroying Israel, nuclear weapons that could threaten the entire world”.

“That’s exactly what we did … Devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard. It was very hard to do. But for me, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister, because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead,” said Netanyahu.

Iran has repeatedly asserted that it hasn’t developed a nuclear weapon, with the IAEA also stating they have found no evidence of this.

Netanyahu addresses Syria’s al-Sharaa by name, details claim on Golan Heights

Israel’s prime minister has addressed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa by name, saying he “should know” that the Jewish people have been in the Golan Heights since the “days of Moses”.

His remarks come after al-Sharaa addressed the UNGA on Tuesday and demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Syrian territory.

Netanyahu added that Israel is being accused of “colonialism” by countries like France and the UK, who “invented the term”.

Along with US, Israel ‘crushed’ Iran’s military, Netanyahu says

The Israeli prime minister repeated claims made by the US President Donald Trump, stating that the US and Israel “crushed” the Iranian military and nuclear capabilities.

“With our great American friends, we crushed Iran’s army, navy, air force, and nuclear facilities,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu said Israel is fighting a “seven-front war” against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, as well as groups in Iraq, Syria, and Palestine.

Netanyahu pulls out pager, says Hezbollah ‘remembers’ attack that wounded nearly 3,000 in Lebanon

While claiming that Israel “hammered Hamas, pummeled Hezbollah” as it fought a seven-front war, Netanyahu took out a pager and asked the audience: “Do you remember these?”

“Certainly Hezbollah remembers them,” he added. The comment was met with applause.

The Israeli prime minister was referencing a 2024 attack orchestrated by Israel when thousands of pagers exploded nearly simultaneously in Lebanon, killing nine people and wounding about 3,000.

Netanyahu claims mass settler violence carried out by handful of ‘young juvenile delinquents’

In his address to UNGA, Netanyahu claimed that settler violence across the occupied West Bank is carried out by just a “handful of young juvenile delinquents, about 150 in number, who throw stones and chop down olive trees. Occasionally, they do fire up, they light some fires.”

Netanyahu claimed he doesn’t support their actions against Palestinians, saying, “I can’t stand that. I won’t stand for vigilantism. We’re a country of law, so we put our Shin Bet [domestic security agency] on them.”

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem and several international human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, have stated that Israeli settler violence is a systemic, state-backed tool used to achieve broader territorial goals, rather than an isolated issue driven by a few “bad apples”.

Netanyahu then downplayed the number of victims of Israeli settler violence, saying, “The number of casualties a year – maybe two, three – in the total time that this is being discussed – maybe two or three dead, compared to the thousands of terrorist attacks against the peaceful settlers, honourable people, law-abiding people. What a distortion!”

According to B’Tselem, settler militias have killed at least 35 Palestinians since October 2023.

Netanyahu says ‘no greater partner’ for Israel than Trump

The Israeli prime minister says his country has “had no greater partner” than US President Donald Trump.

“I thank him for his bold leadership. He boldly confronted an enormous danger to America, Israel and the world,” he added in reference to Trump’s decision to launch a joint war on Iran with Israel.

Netanyahu claimed that Iran would have “carried out their mad fantasies” if the US and Israel had not attacked Iran.

Netanyahu claims Turkiye has become a ‘superspreader of anti-semitism’

During his address to UNGA, Netanyahu claimed that Turkiye has become “the latest country to become a super spreader of anti-Semitic lies”.

Netanyahu then leveled a lot of accusations against Turkish President Recep Erdoğan, describing him as “a tyrant” and claiming that he “hosts the Hamas terror chiefs. He has murdered thousands of Kurdish civilians. He denies the Armenian genocide. He jails journalists and opposition leaders”.

Netanyahu continued: “I think he holds the world’s record on this, and that’s a tough call. But I think he’s number one. He illegally occupies Northern Cyprus, an EU member, and he regularly transgresses against Greece, a NATO member”.

Lastly, Netanyahu claimed that Erdogan “wants to take over Syria”, adding “that’s not surprising, because he calls for Israel’s destruction almost every single day, he says he’s going to be the ruler of Jerusalem. No, sir, you won’t”.

Netanyahu denounces New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

More from the Israeli prime minister.

“So, to all those that are spreading these lies about my country or my brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the anti-semitic mayor of New York, I say this: ‘Shame on you. Shame on you for distorting the facts.’”

On Tuesday, Netanyahu lambasted the mayor on social media, saying, “I’m coming to the UN, I’m going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I’m going to tell the truth about you.”

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, charging him with committing war crimes during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Mamdani doubled down on calls to arrest Netanyahu in July, saying, “I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be tried and arrested for his crimes.”

Netanyahu in his UNGA address

As Netanyahu took the stage to deliver his address, many delegations representing dozens of countries left the assembly hall, whom the Israeli premier labelled as “moral cowards”.

• Netanyahu claimed Israel prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons, saying that “devastating Iran’s nuclear facilities was hard” but that it was “one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make as prime minister, because if we hadn’t done it, we’d all be dead”.
• The Israeli prime minister repeated claims made by President Donald Trump, stating that the US and Israel “crushed” the Iranian military and nuclear capabilities.
• Netanyahu said that Israel is fighting a “seven-front war” against Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iran, as well as groups in Iraq, Syria, and Palestine.
• Netanyahu claimed that settler violence across the occupied West Bank is carried out by just a “handful of young juvenile delinquents” and downplayed the number of Palestinian casualties from these attacks.
• The Israeli premier said his country has “had no greater partner” than Trump.
• Netanyahu denounced New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “So, to all those that are spreading these lies about my country or my brave soldiers – whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the anti-Semitic mayor of New York – I say this: ‘Shame on you. Shame on you for distorting the facts.’”

Netanyahu delivered ‘good speech’ to ‘wrong forum’

Ariel Cohen, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, has argued that the Israeli prime minister is a “strong orator” who delivered a “good speech” at the UNGA, but that he did so in the “wrong forum.”

“That speech should be given at an election rally in Israel, this is who he’s communicating to,” Cohen said. “He is making points that should be made to the Israeli audience for his political survival.”

The analyst noted that Netanyahu did not use the international platform for “outreach”, including towards Arab nations in a bid to revive the Abraham Accords

At UN sideline meeting, Lebanon invites Iran to appoint new ambassador

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has invited Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Beirut, the prime minister’s office says in a statement.

Salam said that Lebanon wants to “turn a new page,” and build a relationship with Iran “based on mutual respect for sovereignty and independence, noninterference in each other’s affairs, and shared interests”.

The prime minister added during a meeting with the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, that Lebanon “does not wish to serve as an arena for regional conflicts or the exchange of messages.”

Lebanon ⁠⁠had ⁠⁠withdrawn accreditation from the Iranian ambassador to Beirut in March⁠, but the ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, remained in the country and received backing from the Iran-aligned group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu’s speech served to alienate all countries except US

Netanyahu’s speech certainly didn’t make him any friends and was directed primarily to Israelis, says Marwan Bishara, a senior political analyst.

“He sure made no friends today, but he did make a lot of enemies. Even those who had to leave the hall because they were under pressure from certain other members would not take it kindly that he called them cowards,” Bishara said.

“Unlike his previous two speeches that were addressed to the international community and President Trump, this very particular speech during election time in Israel was addressed to … Israelis,” said Bishara.

In other words, “he was talking at the UN delegates, but he was talking to the Israeli public” in the run-up to the country’s elections next month.

What is interesting is that he even attacked Western nations, Bishara said, posing the question: “How can you claim to defend Western civilisation when you’re attacking the French and the British and the Europeans?”

Bishara continued, “When you say that they came up with the concept of colonialism, well, in fact, if they did come with the concept of colonialism, they should know it when they see it. And they’ve been saying again and again that Israel is a colonial power when it comes to the Israel-Palestine issue”.

The only friend Netanyahu perhaps made with his speech was Trump, whom he needs “because if he doesn’t have the United States on his side, he probably has no one on his side,” concluded Bishara.

Mamdani says Netanyahu attempting to ‘sanitise genocide’ of Palestinians

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said Israel’s prime minister used his speech at UNGA to “repeat baseless lies meant to sanitise his genocide of Palestinians”.

“Yet no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he said in a statement.

Netanyahu attacked Mamdani during his speech, accusing him of “spreading lies”.

Hamas denounces Netanyahu’s speech as ‘rife with lies’

Hamas has denounced Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address at the UN General Assembly as “rife with lies”.

The Palestinian group said in a statement that Netanyahu’s “denial of the systematic genocide” is contradicted by UN reports.

“We warn against the occupation’s terrorist and criminal schemes in the occupied West Bank, as well as war criminal Netanyahu’s denial of the Palestinian people’s existence there and his legitimization of settler crimes against the local population,” Hamas said.

Netanyahu, in his speech, denied “accusations of genocide” and downplayed settler violence across the occupied West Bank.

Iran delegation leaves picture of slain General Qassem Soleimani on empty desk at UN

The Iranian envoy displayed a picture of the former Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani after walking out of the United Nations General Assembly during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech.

Soleimani was killed in a January 2020 drone strike in Baghdad, ordered by US President Donald Trump.

Qatari diplomat condemns Netanyahu for comments regarding Hamas base in Doha

Hamad al-Muftah, deputy chief of mission at the Qatari Embassy in Washington, has condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments regarding Hamas’s operations in Doha.

“You … know exactly why Hamas representatives have been based in Doha: Qatar has served as a communications channel and mediator in negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, the United States and Egypt,” said al-Muftah in a post on social media.

“US officials have repeatedly described Qatar’s mediation role as critical or indispensable. At a moment of profound regional and domestic political turmoil, attacking one of the countries doing the difficult work of mediation does nothing to solve the problem.”

Qatar has said that the US requested it establish a base for Hamas political leaders in Doha in 2021. Hamas negotiators vacated the office in November 2024, though the office has not been closed.

Qatar ‘categorically rejects’ Netanyahu’s claims over anti-Israel campaign

Qatar categorically rejects claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly that Doha is running a campaign to influence public opinion against Israel.

Netanyahu had lashed out during his speech by accusing Qatar of pouring huge sums of money into American universities to “brainwash young people” into hating Israel and the West.

“This continuing rhetoric against Qatar is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the atrocities committed by his government in the occupied Palestinian territories and their grave humanitarian consequences,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in a post on X.

Al-Ansari said that “reducing the global shift in public opinion to allegations of influence campaigns insults a generation witnessing events in real time”. He added that “if Israeli politicians addressing empty halls want the world to view Israel differently, they should change their policies and respect international law instead of searching for scapegoats”.

Qatar of pouring huge sums of money into American universities to “brainwash young people” into hating Israel and the West.

It where the Israelis, who poured huge sums of money during the university student protests

Egyptian and Iranian foreign ministers meet at UNGA

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), reports semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.

Their last in-person bilateral meeting took place in Cairo on June 2, 2025, when Araghchi traveled to Egypt for talks with Abdelatty and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

‘Enough is enough’, US senator blasts spending on foreign wars

US Senator Chris Van Hollen says that instead of using taxpayer dollars to attack Iran and strangle the Cuban people, the United States “should be investing them” at home.

In a post on X, Senator Van Hollen questioned what happened to the “America First” agenda, arguing that funds should be redirected towards domestic priorities.

“Enough is enough,” he wrote.

US Treasury secretary outlines three goals of US pressure on Iran

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has outlined to US media the Trump administration’s strategy towards Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, Bessent said: “External flights from Iran, probably more than 80 or 90 percent of them, got shut down. I’m not sure how the Iranian representatives at the UN are going to get home.”

On reports of tankers being targeted, Bessent said “most of them just sail along”.

He also issued a warning to financiers of Iran, saying “we are going to prosecute and execute your companies and your bank accounts every day and every week”.

Turning to broader objectives, Bessent said that “the goal here can be one of three states of the world”.

The first, he said, is that “the regime turns on each other”.

The second, according to Bessent, is that “we get some kind of uprising from the Iranian people”.

The third is to “get the Iranians, if they want to make a deal, to stick to the deal”.

US aviation sanctions disrupt Iran flights, push travelers overland

Travel for Iranians is growing harder as new US sanctions push airlines and neighboring countries to cut off Iranian carriers entirely. Wednesday marked the end of a brief wind-down period allowing countries to keep servicing Iranian airlines, leading to the cancellation of nearly all Iranian flights to Turkiye, the UAE and China.

Oman, Azerbaijan and Georgia have also stopped providing airspace and airport services to Iranian carriers, while Baghdad’s airport is now off-limits to them, though flights to Najaf continue.

The disruption has pushed thousands of travelers towards land crossings, with heavy congestion reported at Iran’s borders with Turkiye and along routes to Armenia. Bus tickets to Turkiye have reportedly sold for four times their normal price.

Aviation expert Mohammadreza Ebrahimpour called the coordinated refusal by neighboring countries “a new level of sanctions in action”, warning it could have longer-lasting consequences than previous measures, which had already cost Iran more than $300m a year in lost overflight payments.

All flights by Iranian airlines to UAE have been cancelled: Iran state media

Media in Iran reports that all flights by Iranian airlines to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been cancelled following newly announced US sanctions.

According to the ISNA news agency, all flights between Iran and the UAE have been cancelled since midnight last night.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the operations of Iranian airlines would be halted globally starting September 23 due to the sanctions, which prompted various countries to act.

Oil prices edge lower as Iran signals openness to diplomacy

Oil prices edged lower on Thursday, with Brent crude futures falling 94 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $102.13 a barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude went down 59 cents, or 0.7 percent, to trade at $91.56 per barrel.

The losses came after oil climbed 4 percent in the previous session, as Iran said it remained open to diplomacy to end the US-Iran conflict, though the two countries remain far apart on how to do so.

Oil extends gains on little sign of progress in US-Iran talks

Oil prices have extended gains after climbing 4 percent in the previous session ⁠as diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran show no concrete sign of progress.

Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $103.51 a barrel at 06:30 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures climbed 35 cents, ⁠or 0.4 percent, to $92.51 a barrel.

The physical market for oil is nowhere near a fully normalized situation, said Priyanka Sachdeva, head of market insights at Phillip Nova.

“Brent retains a larger geopolitical and sea-route premium because international crude is more directly exposed to Middle East and Hormuz disruption, while WTI ⁠benefits more from relatively insulated US supply,” Sachdeva added.

Iran’s security ⁠chief Mohsen Rezaei said on Wednesday the Strait of Hormuz would not be reopened while Iran’s conditions are not met.

Geopolitical tensions have kept energy prices elevated. Iranian officials communicated with US envoys at the UN General Assembly, but ⁠both sides signaled little progress towards ending the conflict. Trump reiterated threats of further escalation, while Iran’s ⁠president pledged not to yield.

 

Brent crude price jumps 3% as US war on Iran stokes supply fears

The international benchmark Brent crude has jumped three percent to $106.24 per barrel.

The surge came a day after world leaders at the UN General Assembly offered little to suggest progress in ending turmoil in the oil-rich Middle East.

Oil prices rise as US-Iran talks show little progress

Oil prices rose about 2 percent as diplomatic talks between the United States and the Iranian delegation have shown few signs of progress during the United Nations General Assembly.

Brent crude futures increased by $2.03, at $105.11 a barrel at 13:20 GMT.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said American officials had a “very good” three-hour meeting with Iranian leaders.
 

Oil prices nearly double from earlier increase

Brent crude futures have increased to $4 a barrel at around 16:00 GMT, an increase from $2.03 a barrel at 13:20 GMT.

Oil price retreats slightly after earlier surge

Oil prices rose more than 2 percent as ⁠diplomatic talks between the US and Iran showed little sign of progress, while investors focused on uncertainty about a potential US ban on diesel exports.

Brent crude futures were ⁠up $2.43, or 2.36 percent, to $105.51 a barrel at 09:40 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate futures were up $1.74, or 1.89 percent, to $93.90 a barrel.

Brent rose as high as $106.50, or 3 percent, earlier in the day following reports that Iran gave the US one week to meet its publicly stated demands, such as ‌lifting the US naval blockade.

Iran will continue to fully manage and control the Strait of Hormuz: Senior Iranian military adviser

In a video released by Iran’s Fars and Tasnim news agencies, Major-General Yahya Rahim Safavi, adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, says that “the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its former state” and that Iran will continue to “fully manage and control the Strait of Hormuz”.

Safavi said that Iran and Oman “reached an agreement on a mechanism for managing the Strait of Hormuz, but the Americans obstructed it”.

Iran’s strategic linking of the Gulf with the Red Sea, as well as the Strait of Hormuz with the Bab el-Mandeb “will change the battlefield,” the military adviser also said.

Safavi said that the Houthis have their “own goals and strategy, and they have made great progress in producing weapons”.

Earlier, the adviser said that the regional war could expand to the Indian Ocean and beyond if the US or Israel attacks Iran again.

Strait of Hormuz vessel traffic rises slightly but remains below average

Ten commodity vessels navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, up from seven a day earlier and remaining below the 10-day moving average of approximately 17, according to preliminary shipping data cited by the Reuters news agency.

The figures could still change because vessels frequently disable their transponders during the voyage, according to the report.

China raises retail gasoline, diesel prices again as effects of Iran conflict persist

China is raising retail gasoline and diesel prices after gains in global oil prices but capping the increases to cushion the impact on the domestic market, the National Development and Reform Commission has said.

Retail gasoline prices will rise by 395 yuan per metric tonne ($58.85), and diesel prices by 385 yuan per ton, effective September 25. Under China’s scheduled pricing mechanism, the NDRC said in a statement that the increases should have been 830 yuan and 800 yuan, respectively.

After the adjustment, retail gasoline prices will be 24 percent higher and diesel prices 26 percent higher than the levels set at the last adjustment, before the Iran war began.

US Navy confirms 8 suicide attempts in USS Abraham Lincoln strike group during extended Middle East deployment

The US Navy has confirmed that there were at least eight suicide attempts by sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during the aircraft carrier’s record long deployment during the war on Iran.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao revealed the numbers in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York in response to questions from the Democrat about the wellbeing of sailors on board. No one died in the attempts, Cao said.

The letter was first reported by CNN, and it was reviewed by major US media outlets. The Lincoln has left the Middle East and is returning to its home base of San Diego, California.

On August 13, 2026, Navy officials have denied any increase in suicide attempts on the ship. A day later,  Hegseth pushed back on reports of poor conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln in Middle East, while Trump dismissed growing criticism.

Sooner or later, the truth always comes out.

Iran threatens to expand war to ‘Indian Ocean and beyond’ if attacked again

Iran may expand the war to the Indian Ocean if the US or Israel attacks again, warns an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Major-General Yahya Rahim Safavi issued the threat in a video released by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

“Since the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, it is possible that – in response to more war – the front will expand even further, reaching the Indian Ocean and perhaps beyond,” Safavi said.

Iran’s military has prepared plans for the worst-case scenario if US-Israeli attacks start again, he added, while praising Yemen’s Houthis for taking over the Red Sea coastline.

“I must state here that if the Americans start a new war, a new front centred on the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait may open up before their very eyes,” said Safavi.

New global ‘law of the jungle’ the fault of both the US and Iran

President Trump’s threat to “annihilate” Iran if it doesn’t comply with US demands was issued to appease hardline supporters as midterm elections approach, a security analyst says.

“With regard to Trump’s speech, I would say the target audience was first and foremost the Republican voters in the United States,” Wolfgang Pusztai, a former defence attache for the Austrian government, said.

“President Trump … doesn’t really respect international institutions so he doesn’t really care if this is legal from an international point of view. The same is the case with Iran. So are we heading to something like the law of the jungle? I fear yes. For the time being, there is no indication there will be a return to the acceptance of international law any time soon.”

Pusztai highlighted Iran’s plan to impose tolls on commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz as also violating freedom of navigation under international law.

“So yes, we are heading currently to the law of the jungle, but this is not only the fault of the US; this is also from the side of Iran.”

US sea blockade accelerates overland trade for Iran

Hundreds of trucks are stranded along the road into Iran from Turkey's mountainous eastern border as the US Navy blockades its ports.

Bustling even in normal times, the country’s largest border crossing at Gurbulak is now a make-or-break economic lifeline for Tehran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pressed to accelerate overland trade as the US blockade limits the vast majority of imports, while cutting off oil -and -gas sales that largely keep the economy alive.

Frustrated truck drivers spoke to The Associated Press at the crossing where queues stretch for kilometers.

“Our job has become very difficult,” said Muhammed Riza Shiri, 55, who waited four days to carry his load of rubber into Iran. “We have to wait for too long. I now make one trip every 40 days, two months. All my family waits for me to earn so they can eat.”

Tehran insists the economic pressure will not change its stance in negotiations to end the US-Israel war launched in February.

Saudi Aramco chief says any oil interruption can be fixed ‘within days’

Saudi Aramco’s President and CEO, Amin Nasser, has told Nikkei Asia news magazine that it can restore disrupted oil operations within days and is seeking to build alternative export routes.

The state oil giant is studying “a fourth and a fifth route” for crude oil exports in addition to its three primary ones, Nasser told the publication in Tokyo.

Aramco is considering expanding overseas storage capacity, including in Japan, to strengthen its ability to withstand disruptions, he added.

The company faces increasing attacks from Yemen’s Houthi group, which is also blocking passage to Saudi ships through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait – a critical export route in the Red Sea. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed because of the US-Israel war on Iran.

Vital for US-Iran to choose peace, resolve disputes: China’s Foreign Ministry

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun has said the “protraction of the US-Iran conflict does not serve the common interests of the parties concerned or the international community”.

Jiakun was addressing a question from reporters in Beijing about freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“It is vital for parties to choose peace, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and restore peace and tranquility to the Middle East and Gulf region at an early date,” he added.

Nations showing ‘obedience’ to US by tightening Iran bank restrictions, says central bank boss

The US Treasury Department seems to have “reached the end of its economic pressure on Iran,” says the governor of the Central Bank of Iran.

“Various countries have also – to show their support and obedience to the US – restricted the activities of banks that have not had any banking operations related to Iran for years under US sanctions, to welcome the US,” Abdolnaser Hemmati said.

“We ourselves had a plan to impose restrictions on inactive banks abroad to reduce their costs.”

US Republican lawmaker repeats assertion it is winning war against Iran

Republican Senator Rick Scott says the US is winning its war with Israel against Iran, reasserting claims made repeatedly by the Trump administration.

“We are winning. Iran is not getting a nuclear weapon. Oil is moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Navy is at the bottom of the ocean where it belongs. Their economy is in free fall, and their leaders are desperate,” Scott said in a post on social media.

Scott made the remarks after CENTCOM’s chief Brad Cooper briefed senators on its operations in Iran.

Republicans are becoming increasingly concerned as the November congressional elections approach, as the popularity of Trump’s war on Iran continues to fall and energy prices continue to rise.

‘Iran isn’t for arrogant amateurs’, Ghalibaf tells US

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has mocked the US amid reports that the 10-year US Treasury yield surged to 5.11 percent, its highest level in nearly two decades.

“Happy 5.1% 10Y America,” Ghalibaf wrote on X. “You wanted Iran dragged back to 1970s? Nobody told you Iran isn’t for arrogant amateurs?.”

He added: “We’ll return you to 1970s rates, plus high gas prices, diesel shortages and bell-bottoms. Enjoy the nostalgia!”

Iran ‘wishes’ that Washington will return to MoU before US midterm election: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran wants the US to return to the MoU by early November.

“We wish Americans to return to the MoU before the midterms,” Pezeshkian told media outlets on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, cited by NBC News.

“We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections,” Iran’s president added.

Jordan condemns Iranian attacks against Jordan in meeting with Tehran’s Araghchi

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Jordan will continue to take necessary measures to protect its territory, sovereignty and citizens.

Jordan’s foreign minister condemned, during a meeting with Araghchi, Iranian attacks against Jordan and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency reported.

“Safadi emphasised the importance of concerted efforts to restore calm and achieve lasting security and stability, based on principles that guarantee the security and stability of all countries in the region,” Petra said.

Iran’s deputy FM says Europe’s ‘complicity’ in attacks on Iran ‘will not go unanswered’

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has responded to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s claim that 5,000 aircraft took off from European military bases in support of US military operations against Iran.

He said Rutte’s remarks “revealed that Europe was part of the aggression’s infrastructure”.

“Governments that placed their territory at America’s disposal cannot shirk their responsibility,” he wrote on X. “This complicity will not go unanswered.”

Pakistan’s Asif says he believes mediaton efforts to end war on Iran ‘will bear fruit’

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has told Al Jazeera that efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Iran must not be abandoned and that communication exchanges are ongoing.

“I believe they will bear fruit,” Asif said, adding that the Gulf region and the world must not be left waiting in anticipation of a solution to be reached.