Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Oman pledges to safeguard Strait of Hormuz navigation, urges Iran-US settlement

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  Oman pledged on Saturday to continue safeguarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while urging Iran and the US to resolve their disputes through a lasting political settlement, Anadolu reports. Addressing the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the conflict that erupted earlier this year with US-Israeli strikes on Iran has threatened regional security and disrupted shipping and trade through the strategic waterway. He said the disruption affected energy security, prices and confidence in the international system. Albusaidi said Oman is committed to protecting navigation through the strait in line with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. He urged all parties to cooperate with Muscat in efforts to

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  Hamas says it offered mediation in Yemen, awaits response from warring sides

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  The head of Hamas political bureau said on Saturday that the group has offered to mediate between the warring sides in Yemen, and hopes the initiative will be accepted, Anadolu reports. Speaking in his first televised interview since taking the post in July, Khalil al-Hayya told the Qatar-based Al Araby TV that the movement had already presented its proposal. “We have offered mediation between the disputing and warring parties in Yemen, and I hope this offer will be accepted,” he said. The Houthis, who took control of Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, have fought against ⁠a Saudi-led coalition for more than a decade. The war, largely on hold since the 2022 truce, reignited in July when the Houthis declared a

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  Mauritius denies landing permit to flight from Israel, forcing cancellation: Tour operator

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  Mauritius on Saturday refused landing clearance for a scheduled flight from Israel, forcing its cancellation after efforts to secure approval failed, Israeli media reported, Anadolu reports. The Ynet news website said the Air Seychelles flight was due to depart Israel for Mauritius but was called off after authorities did not grant permission for it to land. Spirit World Productions, the Israeli tour operator behind the trip, said the flight had received approvals several months earlier. The company said it had been informed that the refusal was based on “political and diplomatic considerations.” Mauritian authorities have yet to comment on the decision. Separately, sources familiar with the matter told Israel’s Channel 12 that the refusal was linked to absence of the

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  Iraq, US agree to resume dollar cash shipments

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  Baghdad has reached an understanding with the US to resume dollar cash shipments to Iraq after a months-long suspension, an Iraqi government spokesman said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. Haider al-Aboudi told the official Iraqi News Agency that the agreement was reached during Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s visit to the US. He said the shipments would help meet Iraq’s domestic demand for foreign currency. “A new shipment will arrive in the coming days,” said al-Aboudi, without disclosing the value or a delivery date. He said the agreement followed steps by Iraq to tighten oversight of dollar distribution, curb misuse of foreign currency and expand electronic payments as the country gradually shifts toward a more digital economy. The US suspended dollar

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  Qatar’s energy diplomacy: Can a diversified energy portfolio translate into broader influence?

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  Qatar’s energy diplomacy is usually associated with liquefied natural gas. That is understandable: Qatar is one of the world’s leading LNG players, and North Field expansion is set to lift production capacity from 77 million tonnes per year to 142 million tonnes by 2030. But LNG alone no longer captures Doha’s energy strategy. Qatar is building a broader portfolio spanning oil and condensates, refined products, petrochemicals, fertilisers, helium, gas-to-liquids, solar power, lower-carbon ammonia and carbon capture and storage. The strategic question is whether a diversified product portfolio can translate into a broader architecture of geoeconomic influence. Diversification without moving beyond hydrocarbons A basic distinction matters. Qatar is not moving away from hydrocarbons in any fundamental sense. According to the US

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  Israel to impose weeklong closure on occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on September 27, 2026

  Israeli officials have decided to impose a “comprehensive closure on the occupied West Bank” and close border crossings into the territory, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Sunday, Anadolu reports. The closure is set to remain until Saturday, Oct. 3, the agency reported, adding that Israeli authorities cited the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, as the reason for the measure. The measures include tighter military restrictions at checkpoints and barriers, limiting Palestinians’ movement and access to holy sites. Israeli forces tightened restrictions around Ramallah and Al-Bireh on Sunday, closed several roads and entrances and harassed Palestinians, the outlet said. They also closed the entrances to Turmus Ayya, Aboud, Nabi Saleh, Atara and

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  Too small to lead, too visible to hide: Jumblatt and the Druze framework calculus

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Walid Jumblatt has held four distinct positions on the Washington framework agreement in sixty days. He has called it a capitulation, declared neutrality, labelled it a trap, and announced his support. The conventional reading is that this represents inconsistency, opportunism, or the erratic behaviour of an aging political operator who has lost his strategic compass. This reading is wrong. Jumblatt’s shifts are the most precise instrument for reading the actual balance of power in Lebanon at any given moment, precisely because they are not driven by conviction. They are driven by calculation. And the calculation reveals more about the structural dynamics of the framework’s viability than any official statement, diplomatic communique, or expert assessment produced in the last two months.

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  Iraq says coalition headquarters to close by Sept. 30, citing stable security

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Iraq reiterated Saturday that the headquarters of the US-led international coalition will close on Sept. 30, saying its security situation is stable and its armed forces are in control of the entire country, Anadolu reports. “On Sept. 30, the international coalition headquarters will close, and there are no foreign military bases on our territory,” Abdul Amir al-Shammari, director of the office of Iraq’s aremd forces commander-in-chief, said in remarks carried by the state-run Iraqi News Agency on US social media company X. “Our security situation is good. We control all Iraqi territory, and there is no concern over the country’s security,” he added. The US-led coalition, which includes countries such as France and Spain, was formed in 2014 to fight

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  Yemen’s war is closer to Indonesia than it looks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Yemen, a country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is about 7,000 kilometres from Jakarta. It feels far away. But this month, its war came closer to Indonesian families, workers and prices. Yemen has had a civil war since 2014. On one side is the Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah, or “supporters of God.” Backed by Iran, it controls the north and the capital, Sanaa. Against it stands the official government, backed by Saudi Arabia. A 2022 truce brought four years of calm, but the war restarted in July. In early September, the Houthis took the port of Mocha and nearby Perim island. This gave them control of Yemen’s side of the Bab al-Mandeb, a narrow sea

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  Ireland players to wear black armbands for Israel Nations League match

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Republic of Ireland players intend to wear black armbands in recognition of the lives lost in the Gaza conflict during Sunday’s Nations League match against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said, Anadolu reports. FAI Chief Executive David Courell confirmed Saturday that one player had withdrawn from the squad ahead of the match. Courell said the squad had held a vote on whether to play the fixture, with a “significant majority” voting in favor of proceeding with the game. The match has been the subject of controversy since Ireland and Israel were drawn together in Group B3. The players had faced calls from the Stop The Game campaign, organized by the Irish Sport for Palestine group,

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  Palestinian hunger strikers hospitalized in Brussels as protest continues

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Two Palestinian men on hunger strike at the Beguinage Church in central Brussels have been hospitalized as their protest enters its second week, with activists demanding the evacuation of family members stranded in Gaza, Anadolu reports. One of the men was admitted to the hospital Wednesday, while a second fell ill Friday. Both were taken by ambulance to Sint-Jans Hospital, where they remain, according to Ismael Najar, who is also taking part in the hunger strike. “The situation of the two individuals is currently unstable,” Najar told Belgian news portal BRUZZ. He added that the man admitted Friday is suffering from gastrointestinal complaints and that it remains unclear when he will return to the church. READ: Belgian university rector urges government

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  Trump says he rejected Iran’s latest proposal from indirect talks in New York

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Saturday that he rejected Iran’s latest proposal conveyed to Washington during indirect negotiations in New York this week, US news outlet Axios reported. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said: “They have made a proposal and I rejected it.” Despite the rejection, a US official said that “positive and constructive” discussions between Washington and Tehran are continuing through regional mediators, including on nuclear issues, according to the report. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a new round of indirect talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week, with Qatari officials relaying messages between the two sides,

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  New York is becoming a stage for speeches, not decisions

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  The 81st United Nations General Assembly opened under the unusually self-aware theme of “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all”. Yet one of the week’s most revealing diplomatic images was not in New York at all. President Xi Jinping travelled to Washington for a state visit and direct talks with US president, Donald Trump, while China sent Vice President Han Zheng to the General Debate. Russia, meanwhile, sent foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, to New York. Only weeks earlier, Xi and Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had both attended the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summits in person. It would be too simple to declare the UN irrelevant on the strength of leaders’ travel schedules, and there is

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  In UN General Assembly address, China opposes ‘unilateral military actions’ amid US-Iran war, calls for 2-state Palestine solution track

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  China’s Vice President Han Zheng on Saturday voiced Beijing’s opposition to “unilateral military actions” amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, also using his address to the UN General Assembly to urge a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue, Anadolu reports. “We should settle differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and oppose unilateral military actions that violate the UN Charter and circumvent Security Council authorization,” Han said, urging major countries to shoulder “special responsibilities for safeguarding international peace and security,” and take the lead in “complying with the rules, upholding rule of law, and doing what’s right.” He also said China believes the sovereignty and security of Middle Eastern countries, including Gulf states, should be respected. “International industrial and supply chains

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  Iran denies plans for military retaliation over aviation restrictions

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Saturday denied reports that Tehran plans to respond militarily to recent restrictions imposed on Iranian aviation, according to Press TV. In a statement, the council rejected reports that Iran will retaliate militarily over the aviation measures, saying negotiations are underway with the countries concerned to remove some of the “unlawfully imposed” restrictions on Iranian air travel. It said Iran has “numerous non-military options” that can be used against some airports, if necessary. The statement came after the council’s secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, warned neighboring countries on Wednesday against cooperating with US restrictions on Iranian aviation. Speaking to Iranian state television, Rezaei said that if countries prevented Iranian aircraft from operating, their own airports would also

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  Israeli occupiers establish new settlement outpost in occupied West Bank: Rights group

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli occupiers began establishing a new settlement outpost near the town of Adh Dhahiriya, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian rights group said Saturday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Al-Baidar Organization said the move was part of continued illegal settlement expansion in the area. It warned that the outpost threatened Palestinian land and could restrict residents’ movement and access to their property. The group said occupiers also raided the area around the home of Palestinian resident Khairi Mohammed Abu Tuhfa in Khallat al-Hummus, in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron, and frightened members of his family. Near the village of Umm Safa, northwest of Ramallah, a settlement outpost established about two months ago has

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  ‘War criminals’ belong in courtrooms, not at UN rostrum: Turkish president

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that “war criminals” belong in courtrooms rather than at the UN rostrum, stressing that those committing genocide must be held accountable, Anadolu reports. “War criminals belong not at the UN rostrum, but in courtrooms where they will answer for the crimes they have committed and the blood they have shed,” Erdogan said at the closing program of the 21st MUSIAD EXPO International Trade Fair and 29th International Business Forum in Istanbul. “If those committing genocide are not held accountable before justice and history, the same atrocities will happen again,” he warned. Erdogan reiterated Turkiye’s support for Palestinians, saying: “The Palestinian people are not alone or abandoned.” “Our sisters and brothers in Gaza are

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  262 Palestinian journalists killed by Israel since Gaza war: Media office

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  The Israeli army has killed 262 Palestinian journalists and injured 433 others since its offensive began in the Gaza Strip in 2023, Gaza’s Government Media Office said Saturday. Palestinian journalists, particularly those in Gaza, have been subjected to “the worst and most horrific campaign of targeting, assassination and systematic destruction known in modern history,” the office said in a statement marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Journalists. The slain reporters included 26 women journalists, while Israeli forces have also arrested 50 journalists and media workers since the start of the war, with 23 remaining in detention under “harrowing conditions,” the office said. The losses inflicted on the media sector exceed $800 million, the statement noted. READ: Remains of

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  More Ireland players considering boycott of match with Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  More Republic of Ireland players could boycott Sunday’s UEFA Nations League fixture against Israel after goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu confirmed he does not want to play in the match, Anadolu reports. Bazunu’s decision has prompted teammates to consider their own positions, with the match now facing uncertainty amid growing calls for Ireland to withdraw, according to a report by The Telegraph. The principled stand comes against the backdrop of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and growing pressure from Irish sporting figures for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to boycott the match. More than 160 Irish athletes signed an open letter urging the FAI to withdraw from the fixture. Protests were also held outside the Irish team’s hotel in Dublin earlier

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  Netanyahu blocking inquiry into Oct. 7 events, says former Israeli intelligence officer

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is doing everything” to prevent the establishment of an official commission of inquiry into the events of Oct. 7, 2023, former military intelligence officer Barak Seri said, Anadolu reports. In a Saturday post on the US social media company X, Seri said Netanyahu was “warned and alerted” ahead of the attacks, but that “he ignored it all.” “This is why Netanyahu is personally blocking the establishment of an inquiry commission,” he said. Earlier Saturday, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Netanyahu received warnings about a possible Hamas attack ahead of Oct. 7, 2023, but did not convene a meeting to discuss them. READ: Hamas slams Netanyahu’s UN speech: He should be in prison to face trial

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  Palestine opens registration for Nov. 28 legislative vote

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  The Palestinian Central Elections Commission opened Saturday registration for candidate lists for the Nov. 28 legislative elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. ​​​​​​​In a statement, the commission said it began receiving candidacy applications as of 8 am local time (0500GMT) at its headquarters in the central West Bank city of Al-Bireh and its offices in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah. It said the process will continue for 12 days through Oct. 7, citing “strong interest” from candidates at its offices in Ramallah and Deir al-Balah. According to the commission, candidates for the Legislative Council (parliament) will run only through electoral lists, while individual candidacies will not be accepted. Each list must have at least

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  Israeli army raids university campus in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli army forces raided the campus of Birzeit University north of Ramallah in the central West Bank on Saturday, according to Palestinian media. The army published a video on its digital platforms documenting the raid, Palestine TV reported. Israeli soldiers filmed the Martyr’s Memorial on the campus before withdrawing from the site. No arrests were reported. Birzeit University condemned the raid, which took place as students were taking their final exams for the summer session. It called the raid a “violation of the sanctity of the university and international conventions and laws that protect educational institutions.” READ: Israeli army detains more than 150 Palestinians in West Bank raids The raid involved “intimidation and terrorizing of students,” the university said, warning that

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  Félix Tshisekedi in Jerusalem and the dangerous marriage of faith, foreign policy and political survival

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  September has been a long month when it comes to Israel-DRC relations. On the first day of the month, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, smiled broadly beside Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Twenty-four days later, Tshisekedi’s delegation to the UN General Assembly in New York, led by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa and Foreign Minister Thérèse Wagner, was listed along with 76 other countries that walked out or was absent when Netanyahu addressed the assembly – seemingly in protest over Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. Suminwa and Wagner will, no doubt, be grilled by Tshisekedi about the reason for their absence during Netanyahu’s speech. Tshisekedi has been cosying up to Israel and Netanyahu for over six years now.

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  Iraq seeks exemption from US ban on Iranian flights

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Iraq is engaged in direct talks with the US to exempt some Iraqi airports from US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines operating flights to regional hubs, officials said Saturday, Anadolu reports. The talks aim to secure an exemption “to allow flights to resume on humanitarian grounds related to medical treatment, education, religious visits, and interests of civilians,” Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s office said in a statement on Facebook. “As the Iraqi government works to de-escalate tensions in the region, it emphasizes that the continuation of crises further complicates the situation,” it said. READ: Iraq announces phased reopening of Iran border crossings for passengers, trade The statement urged all parties to pursue dialogue and negotiations to resolve “the current crisis and conflicts,

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  Gulf Cooperation Council condemns Houthi missile, drone attacks on Saudi Arabia

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Saturday condemned ballistic missile and drone attacks launched by Houthis on Saudi cities of Riyadh and Khamis Mushait, Anadolu reports. “This perilous escalation represents a flagrant violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and an immediate threat to civilian safety and regional stability,” the council’s Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said in a statement. Albudaiwi reaffirmed the GCC’s support for the kingdom and its right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also urged the international community to take a “decisive stance” and hold the Houthis accountable for their actions. Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it had intercepted two ballistic missiles and two drones launched by the Houthi

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  Palestinian vote could be ‘game-changer’ in Israel’s upcoming elections: Lawmaker

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Ofer Cassif, an Israeli lawmaker from the Hadash party whose candidacy was rejected by the Central Elections Committee, said the Palestinian vote could prove to be a “game-changer” in the Oct. 27 parliamentary elections. “Everybody understands that the game changer is the Palestinian vote, the Palestinian citizens in Israel. I mean, not in the occupied territories. “Twenty percent of the citizens in Israel are Palestinian Arabs,” Cassif told Anadolu Agency. The Jewish lawmaker who has strongly criticized Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and previously faced several decisions calling for his removal from the Knesset, faces an attempt to bar him from standing in the election. The Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify

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  Netanyahu failed to relay UAE warning of possible Hamas attack to security chiefs: NYT

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to pass on a warning from United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan about a possible major Hamas attack to Israel’s security chiefs before Oct. 7, 2023, the New York Times reported on Friday. The Times, citing two people familiar with the conversation, said Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed called Netanyahu in late September 2023 and warned him that Hamas was considering a major attack. The warning, however, did not specify whether Hamas was planning rocket fire or a ground assault. Five former senior Israeli officials told the newspaper that the warning never reached the heads of Israel’s security establishment. READ: Hamas slams Netanyahu’s UN speech: He should be in prison to face

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  Israeli forces use phosphorus shells in southern Lebanon attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli forces used phosphorus munitions while shelling several towns in southern Lebanon on Friday, state news agency NNA reported. Artillery struck the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Mayfadoun and Nabatieh al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. Phosphorus shells were used in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while Israel later renewed attacks on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah with similar munitions. In the Tyre district, artillery fire also targeted Wadi Zibqin and the outskirts of Haris and Haddatha. READ: Israeli army sets fire to government hospital in southern Lebanon Lebanese army specialists dismantled two unexploded Israeli aerial bombs in Majdal Selm and Al-Ghandouriyah in the Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil districts and moved them to a safe location. The Israeli offensive in Lebanon has killed at least 4,386 victims, wounded 12,407

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  Trump doubts Iran deal, plans renewed strikes after midterms: WSJ

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has turned down a seven-day truce offer from Iran and told aides he expects to launch new strikes once November’s midterm elections are finished, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Friday. The Journal, citing officials familiar with the matter, said Iranian negotiators floated the offer through mediators in Qatar, proposing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear talks if Washington ended its naval blockade of Iranian ports. US officials told Tehran and the mediators there is no plan to lift the blockade, calculating that continued economic strain will eventually force Iran into an agreement on Washington’s terms, the report said. READ: Iran says Strait of Hormuz can reopen within 7 days if US accepts

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  Bahrain rejects permit, fee regime for Strait of Hormuz passage

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Bahrain on Friday rejected any permit or fee system for passage through the Strait of Hormuz saying transit through the international waterway cannot be suspended or subjected to unilateral conditions, Anadolu reports. Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said the right of transit through the strait is guaranteed under international law for vessels of all states. “The kingdom categorically rejects any permit or fee regime imposed on passage,” Al Zayani told the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. He also rejected using international waterways as instruments of pressure or economic coercion, warning that accepting restrictions in Hormuz could set a precedent for other strategic waterways. Al Zayani said alternative shipping routes could not replace the right of passage

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  Egypt calls for end to Israeli violations, rejects forced displacement of Palestinians

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Egypt urged an end to Israeli violations against Palestinians on Friday, and firmly rejected any attempt to forcibly displace the population from the Gaza Strip or the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the 81st UN General Assembly in New York that the Gaza ceasefire must be fully implemented, Israeli violations halted and the withdrawal completed. He called for a sustained humanitarian access, the start of early recovery and reconstruction, and a political process addressing the roots of the conflict. “Peace cannot be built on uprooting a people from their land,” said Madbouly, warning that regional stability cannot be achieved while Palestinian suffering continues and the occupation is managed rather than ended. He

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  RSF military group defects, joins Sudanese army: State media

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  A military group affiliated with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Friday defected and joined the Sudanese Armed Forces, state news agency SUNA reported. The force was led by Al-Tayeb Mohammed Ahmed, also known as Al-Tayeb Al-Wahido. Senior officials from the Sudanese army and the General Intelligence Service received the defecting force. Al-Wahido said in a press statement he had broken away from the RSF and joined the Sudanese army after witnessing “tragedies” within the paramilitary group’s ranks. He called on RSF members to join the army, “return to the homeland” and reconsider their positions, saying “there is no cause that justified the continuation of the fighting.” READ: More than 308,000 displaced from Sudan’s Kordofan since October 2025: UN migration

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  Iran says Strait of Hormuz can reopen within 7 days if US accepts plan

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US accepts a plan it conveyed through Qatar, Anadolu reports. Araghchi told reporters in New York on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly that the seven-day timeline would begin once Washington accepts the proposal. He said the US would be expected to take steps within the first four or five days, allowing the strait to reopen on day six. Talks between Tehran and Washington on a final agreement would then begin on day seven, he said. READ: Iran tells Washington its conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz The foreign minister said the measures sought from Washington were already included

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  Iran warns regional air travel could be halted because of ban on its airlines

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Iran warned on Friday that air travel across the region could be disrupted if Iranian airlines continue to be denied access to flights and airport services, Anadolu reports. Tehran will not accept regional countries “aligning themselves with hostile US policies against Iran,” Mohammad Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said in a post on US social media company X. “Our strategy on this matter is clear: Either air travel in the region is available to everyone or to no one,” said Mokhber. “If Iran cannot travel by air and receive airport services, no country in the region will be able to do so either,” he added in a thinly veiled threat. Mokhber said the decision by regional countries

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  Netanyahu has driven Israel’s standing in US to ‘unprecedented low’: Haaretz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli daily Haaretz said on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has driven Israel’s standing in the US to an “unprecedented low.” “Anyone following the conduct of Israel and its relations with other countries, especially the United States, has for years warned of an unprecedented crisis in Israel’s strategic relations with its most important ally,” Haaretz said in an editorial. “It was clear that the damage caused by Benjamin Netanyahu and his government would bring relations with the United States to a new low.” “He has ignored the many warnings regarding the damage he is causing to Israel-US relations,” the newspaper said. The damage continued with his “blatant interference in American politics in favor of (President Donald) Trump and the

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  UN says Israel’s 942 checkpoints, barriers in occupied West Bank restrict Palestinian movement

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  An extensive network of Israeli military checkpoints, gates and barriers stretches across the occupied West Bank, restricting Palestinian movement between cities, towns and villages, and separating communities from one another and their agricultural land, Anadolu reports. The network has reached 942 checkpoints, closure points and other barriers, according to updated data from the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The system includes 824 fixed checkpoints and closure points, as well as 118 linear barriers, including earth mounds, trenches and roadblocks, spanning a combined 107.7 kilometers (70 miles). Hebron tops list The Hebron governorate has the highest number of fixed checkpoints and closure points at 221, followed by Ramallah and

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  Aafia, Adiala, and the architecture of the War on Terror

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  There is something revealing about the geography of Muslim moral courage. Western Muslim leaders and institutions can summon magnificent clarity when the perpetrator is Washington, Delhi or Tel Aviv. They have spoken, often rightly and courageously, about Palestine, Kashmir, Islamophobia, Guantánamo, rendition, drone warfare and the obscenities committed under the banner of the War on Terror. The harder test begins when the road leads somewhere less comfortable. To Islamabad. And two names now expose that discomfort with unusual force: Aafia Siddiqui and Imran Khan. Aafia belongs to the beginning of the War on Terror. Adiala belongs to its afterlife. For more than two decades, Aafia Siddiqui has haunted Pakistan’s political conscience. She disappeared with her three children in 2003 before

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  5 Netanyahu claims at UN that clash with documented findings

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly used the UN General Assembly podium to defend Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, making claims that have been challenged by international bodies, humanitarian agencies and, in some cases, data from Israel’s own military, Anadolu reports. In speeches between 2024 and 2026, Netanyahu rejected allegations of genocide, described civilian casualties as exceptionally low, blamed Hamas for Gaza’s aid crisis and played down Israeli occupier violence in the occupied West Bank. A review of five such claims shows substantial discrepancies between Netanyahu’s account and documented findings. – Genocide allegation is ‘the greatest lie of the century’ In his 2026 UN address, Netanyahu called accusations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza

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  US university ends contract for sending human cadavers to train Israeli military personnel

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  The University of Southern California (USC) has terminated an arrangement involving the transfer of human cadavers used to train Israeli military medical personnel, campus news organization Annenberg Media reported, Anadolu reports. The university concluded the agreement between its Keck School of Medicine and the US Navy on Thursday, ending a program that spanned more than five years and generated more than $1 million for the university. Officials at the medical school said decision did not stem from recent student demonstrations sparked by media disclosures of the initiative. Instead, the school confirmed the agreement ended because the University of California San Diego (UCSD) declined to continue supplying donated bodies for the venture. The University of California Health Communications team explained that

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  Army halts arrests of ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews draft dodgers: Israeli newspaper

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  The Israeli army has halted arrests of ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews wanted for failing to comply with military draft orders amid concerns that the arrests could trigger protests, according to Israeli media. Haaretz reported Friday that the army had decided to suspend arrests of Haredi draft dodgers over fears of unrest and protests across the country as Israeli elections approach. The army attributed the move to “operational needs,” without providing further details, according to the newspaper. Haaretz said arrests had been extremely limited even before the decision was taken. According to figures cited in an Israeli Supreme Court ruling, only 16 Haredi draft dodgers were arrested during the first half of 2026, the newspaper said. Haaretz cited unnamed police sources as

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  Yemeni government forces seize strategic mountain range in Lahj after clashes with Houthis

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Yemeni government forces said Friday that they seized control of the strategic Numan mountain range in the southern province of Lahj following clashes with the Houthis, Anadolu reports. The Yemeni army’s media center said government forces, backed by the Popular Resistance, took control of the mountain range overlooking the Al-Wazi’iyah and Al-Mudarabah districts. Houthi fighters withdrew from the area and suffered heavy losses in personnel and military equipment, it added. The Nation’s Shield Forces said its units, backed by the Giants Brigades and local tribesmen, seized the summit of Jabal Numan and the nearby Dar al-Kafir position in a rapid military operation. According to the force, the operation began with an overnight infiltration followed by the encirclement of the position

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  UN chief calls for end to Sudan war, voices regret that Burhan was denied US visa

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the war in Sudan and the suffering of its people, while expressing regret that Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was not issued a visa to attend this week’s UN General Assembly, Anadolu reports. Guterres made the remarks during a meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, according to Sudan’s state news agency. He stressed the importance of pursuing dialogue as a means to resolve the conflict and achieve peace in Sudan. Guterres also praised the Sudanese government’s cooperation in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to people affected by the ongoing war. He expressed regret over the

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  Maldives vice president tells UN Israel’s genocide in Gaza ‘must end’

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Maldives Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef told the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday that Israel’s genocide “must end,” calling for an end to Israel’s occupation and settlements and for humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians safely and rapidly, Anadolu reports. He called for accountability under international law, saying no state should be shielded by its power or political alliances. “Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and other Arab lands must end. Illegal settlements must end. Humanitarian assistance must reach Palestinians safely, rapidly and at scale. And the decisions of international courts and the resolutions of this Organization must be respected and implemented,” Latheef said. He reiterated the Maldives’ support for an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders,

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  Israeli opposition party leader says state’s global standing at all-time low, warns of economic collapse

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Yisrael Beiteinu opposition party leader Avigdor Liberman said Friday that Israel’s global standing had reached an “unprecedented low,” warning of a “real economic collapse” because of European sanctions and their impact on trade, Anadolu reports. Liberman made the remarks in a post through US social media company X, commenting on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly in New York. “Israel’s standing in the world has reached an unprecedented low,” Liberman said. “For years, Israel benefited from the American veto at the UN Security Council. I believe that as long as (US President Donald) Trump remains president, the veto will continue to be available to us. Under the next president, whether Republican or Democrat, the reality could

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  Turkiye rejects East-West divide, says Mecca defense pact not aimed at Iran or Israel: President

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye would not choose between East and West as the global balance of power shifts, emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to NATO while pursuing deeper partnerships with China, Russia, and regional powers. In an exclusive written interview with US-based Newsweek magazine published Friday, Erdogan outlined Turkiye’s approach to a changing international order, addressing the new Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, tensions involving Iran and Israel, the war in Ukraine, and developments in Syria. “We do not believe it is right to impose on Turkiye a choice between the West or the East,” Erdogan said, stressing that the country’s geographical position requires a multidimensional foreign policy. He said Turkiye was strengthening its position

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  China helping Iran would be ‘totally unacceptable,’ Trump told Xi during visit: US ambasador

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  US President Donald Trump told visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping this week that Beijing providing any assistance to Iran would be “totally unacceptable,” according to the US ambassador to China, Anadolu reports. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, David Perdue said the issue of Chinese support for Iran has been a recurring subject in US-China discussions and was raised again during Trump and Xi’s White House talks on Thursday. “We made it very clear to them weeks ago that any help that they would give Iran, whether it be direct or indirect, whether it be intelligence, or parts, or military equipment, was totally unacceptable,” Perdue said. “President Trump made that very clear again yesterday.” Perdue said Washington remains concerned about what

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  Zionism is racism, says Green leader Zack Polanski

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Green Party leader Zack Polanski has said Zionism is a form of racism and declared himself an anti-Zionist, drawing boos and heckling at a Jewish community election hustings in London. Asked whether Zionism was racist, Polanski said: “If you’re defining Zionism as a displacement genocide, which is how, in practice, Zionism has become, then that is racism.” His answer followed a qualification that people understood the term differently, Jewish News reported. Speaking in Holborn and St Pancras on Thursday, Polanski acknowledged that his declaration of anti-Zionism would be difficult for some audience members to hear. When challenged about where Jewish people should go, he argued that Israel’s exercise of self-determination relied on the displacement and genocide of Palestinians. The response

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  71,000 children displaced in Yemen in 3 weeks amid escalating conflict: UNICEF

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Some 71,000 children have been forced from their homes in Yemen over the past three weeks amid escalating conflict, UNICEF said Friday, warning that hunger and displacement are putting children at growing risk, Anadolu reports. Akhil Iyer, UNICEF’s country representative in Yemen, told reporters in Geneva that nearly 130,000 people, including 71,000 children, had been displaced during the period, with most uprooted from or within the southwestern governorate of Taiz. “Conflict is driving hunger, and hunger makes children even more vulnerable to conflict,” Iyer said. UNICEF in recent weeks, has screened nearly 2,900 children through mobile nutrition teams in areas where it has safe humanitarian access. More than one in four were found to be acutely malnourished, while around 200

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  Egypt urges resumption of US-Iran talks, regional de-escalation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Egypt stressed Friday the need to resume negotiations between the US and Iran and halt escalation in the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb during separate meetings between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian and Omani counterparts, Anadolu reports. The meetings were held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to two statements by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. Abdelatty and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed efforts and proposals aimed at reaching an agreement that would contain tensions and reduce escalation. “The utmost importance of every country fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure the movement and freedom of international navigation, limiting the negative repercussions of the crisis on the global economy,” the Egyptian foreign minister stressed. He

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  Saudi grand mufti urges front-line troops to unite against Houthis

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan urged the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and Saudi soldiers stationed along the front line to remain united in confronting the Houthis and defend Saudi territory and Muslim holy sites, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday and addressed to coalition forces and Saudi soldiers stationed along the border, Al-Fawzan called the Houthis “a misguided faction and deviant group,” urging the soldiers to “cooperate with one another and unite your word.” Guarding the country’s borders, “repelling aggression against them and punishing anyone who seeks to harm even an inch of it are among the greatest duties,” he said. “Restoring security and stability in Yemen under its legitimate