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Azerbaijani president dismisses claims of threat to Iran from Zangazur corridor

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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President Ilham Aliyev

Aliyev dismissed as “unfounded” reports suggesting that Azerbaijan intends to occupy Zangazur or sever the land connection between Iran and Armenia.

He called these claims “pure slander”, underlining that Azerbaijan has no such intentions.

Aliyev claimed if Azerbaijan had wanted to, it could have easily taken control of Zangezur in November 2020 or at any time in the past five years but it did not do so because Baku is not an “aggressor”.

He added, “Therefore, allegations that we intend to cut the border between Iran and Armenia are unfounded”.

Iran has always said it cannot accept any geopolitical change in the region.
Meantime, the US participation in the Zangezur project has raised security concerns in Tehran.

Iran confirms IAEA inspectors’ visit under Supreme National Security Council decision

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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IAEA

Araghchi underlined that the Iranian parliament has mandated that any cooperation with the IAEA must first be approved by the Supreme National Security Council.

Araghchi further noted that the inspectors’ visit is about monitoring the fuel replacement at the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

“Decisions regarding this process have already been made, and any cooperation will be within the legal framework approved by parliament to protect Iran’s national interests”, said the foreign minister.

Regarding reports of a finalized agreement on a new cooperation framework with the IAEA, Araghchi said, “Some ideas have been exchanged between the two sides, but no final agreement has been reached yet”.

The top diplomat reiterated that all steps regarding Iran-IAEA cooperation remain subject to parliamentary law and the Supreme National Security Council’s decision-making process.

US sets new timeframe for ending Ukraine war

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Witkoff said he will be “having meetings all this week” on Ukraine and other global conflicts, “and we hope to settle them before the end of this year.”

In a follow-up interview with Fox News, Witkoff stated that although Trump had expressed frustration with both Moscow and Kiev, the Russian side has at least “put a peace proposal on the table.” He acknowledged that territorial concessions “may not be something that the Ukrainians can take,” but argued that the Trump administration had brought the sides closer to agreement than ever before.

“There’s a peace proposal on the table,” Witkoff reiterated.

“We’re at this place where we think the end is in sight… we have technical teams working on it and we’re hopeful that by the end of this year, and maybe quite a bit sooner, we actually can find the ingredients to get to that peace deal,” he added.

According to Witkoff, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a clear desire to end the conflict and discussed Moscow’s position in depth with Trump during their historic Alaska summit earlier this month. While no details of any potential deal were made public, Moscow has long insisted that a sustainable settlement can only be achieved if Kiev agrees never to join NATO, undergoes demilitarization and denazification, and recognizes the new reality on the ground. This includes the status of Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye as part of Russia – territories that voted to join the country in referendums in 2014 and 2022.

Witkoff emphasized that any decision on territorial concessions would be for Ukraine to make, and suggested the issue would be tied to long-term security guarantees. He noted that he would meet Ukrainian officials in New York this week and stressed that Washington maintains daily communication with Moscow. Recent reports have indicated that ongoing discussions include Kiev potentially ceding its remaining positions in Donbass in exchange for yet-to-be-defined Western commitments.

Witkoff further claimed “we may end up seeing a bilateral meeting” between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that Trump might be “needed at the table to finish a deal.”

Putin has not ruled out meeting Zelensky, but insisted a meeting could only follow tangible progress in negotiations. Moscow has also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, citing his expired presidential term and warning that any deals he signs could be overturned by his successor.

Spox: Iran, Europe contacts to continue in coming days

By
IFP Media Wire
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Baqaei stated that at the Geneva meeting, the responsibilities of the European parties were clearly conveyed, and Iran’s demands regarding the lifting of sanctions and its nuclear rights were explicitly outlined.

The seventh round of talks between Iran and the three European countries—Germany, France, and the United Kingdom—was held on Tuesday, August 26, in Geneva, with the participation of the Deputy EU Foreign Policy Chief.

The talks, at the level of deputy ministers and political directors, focused on sanctions relief, Iran’s nuclear program, and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, and Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy for Legal and International Affairs, headed the Iranian delegation.

In a televised interview, Baqaei said that this negotiation process is part of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy to use all diplomatic capacities to safeguard the country’s national interests.

Referring to threats by the European parties to resort to the UN Security Council’s sanctions snapback mechanism, he stressed: “We presented our principled position that, for clear legal and juridical reasons, none of the three countries holds such a right. Moreover, if such a move is taken, its consequences and impacts will also affect those countries themselves.”

Kazem Gharibabadi also wrote last night on X: “Both sides set out their views on Resolution 2231. Iran remains committed to diplomacy and to a mutually beneficial diplomatic solution. It is time for the three European countries and the UN Security Council to make the right choice and give diplomacy time and space.”

Hundreds of former EU ambassadors, officials call for tougher stance on Israel

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

“We express our profound disappointment that, in response to the deteriorating situation in Gaza, no substantive measures have been taken by the EU to pressure Israel to end its brutal war, to resume vital humanitarian assistance by mainstream providers, and to dismantle its illegal occupation of both Gaza and the West Bank,” signatories wrote in the letter seen by Irish broadcaster RTE News.

They warned that if the EU fails to take “an effective stand,” action will be left to individual member states or “groups of like-minded countries,” which would lack the “full force of EU-wide collective action.”

The officials also expressed “dismay” that, in the four weeks since their previous letter – signed by 58 former EU ambassadors – no cease-fire has been agreed in Gaza. Instead, they noted, Israel has begun implementing plans to empty Gaza City.

The letter condemned Israeli government plans to expand illegal settlements in East Jerusalem, calling it an “openly declared aim … to sabotage the longstanding two-state solution, backed by the vast majority of UN member states and the EU.”

“If this was not bad enough, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed on 22 August that a man-made famine now exists in these same areas of Gaza, with half a million people there facing starvation, destitution and death,” it added.

The letter was addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, as well as the leaders and foreign ministers of the 27 member states.

Iran, Russia talk military cooperation, regional security

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran National Army Day

According to the ministry’s statement, the two sides reviewed ongoing matters in defense collaboration and discussed prospects for expanding military ties. They also exchanged views on pressing global and regional security developments, with particular focus on the situation in the South Caucasus.

Fomin expressed appreciation for Jalali’s contributions to advancing Moscow–Tehran relations. The Iranian ambassador, for his part, highlighted the dynamic and multifaceted nature of current cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in the military sphere and reiterated the Islamic Republic’s commitment to further developing these ties.

The Russian Defense Ministry emphasized that the meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere of mutual trust, with both sides reaffirming their determination to deepen strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Iran condemns Australia’s expulsion of envoy, denies anti-Semitism allegations

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said Tuesday that the decision is “unfounded and politically motivated,” adding that the allegations of anti-Semitism made by Canberra are “baseless and absurd.”

“There is no such concept as anti-Semitism in our culture and history; it is a Western and European phenomenon,” Baqaei said during his weekly press briefing.

He also dismissed claims that Iran was engaged in destabilizing activities in Europe, calling them “fabricated accusations.”

Baqaei suggested that Australia’s decision was influenced by domestic unrest, pointing to recent mass protests in the country condemning Israel’s military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The remarks came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Iran of organizing anti-Semitic attacks in Australia and said the country was severing diplomatic relations with Tehran in response.

“This decision appears to be a reaction aimed at compensating for the rare moments of criticism of the Israeli regime expressed in Australia,” Baqaei said.

The spokesperson warned that “any inappropriate diplomatic action will be met with a response,” noting that Tehran is assessing its next steps and will make an “appropriate decision” regarding the matter.

Gaza war will have ‘conclusive’ ending in two to three weeks: Trump

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

“Right now they’re talking about Gaza City – there’s always talking about something,” Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

“At some point, it’s going to get settled, and I’m saying you better get it settled soon. You have to get it settled soon,” he added.

For the first time since taking office, Trump gave a specific timeframe for when he imagined the war’s end.

“I think in the next two to three weeks, you’re gonna have a pretty conclusive ending,” he said before adding, “It’s a hard thing to say because they’ve been fighting for thousands of years.”

Trump is known for his impromptu style, and other deadlines he has given to enact tariffs have come and gone.

In general, the Trump administration has shown no urgency to end Israel’s genocide and has backed Israel’s decision to launch a new onslaught on Gaza City, experts say.

Speaking alongside Trump at the White House, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US wants the war to end, but the stipulation is the removal of Hamas.

“We want it to end. It has to end with no Hamas,” he added.

Despite a 22-month Israeli offensive following the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on the occupied territories, the Palestinian group continues to launch guerrilla-style attacks on Israeli soldiers. US officials announced in January that Hamas had recruited almost as many fighters as Israel has killed.

Over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to Palestinian health officials, the majority of them women and children.

Trump’s remarks on Monday were in response to questions over Israel’s devastating double-tap raid on Nasser hospital in southern Gaza that killed at least 20 people, of whom five were journalist.

The second part of the strike was caught vividly on camera by a Jordanian news station. The footage showed the obliteration of unarmed Palestinian rescue workers in safety vests trying to retrieve wounded people from the hospital.

Trump said he didn’t know about the Israeli attack but said, “I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it.”

Instead of addressing the deaths of Palestinians, however, Trump returned to talking about the Israeli captives still held in Gaza.

Israel says there are 20 captives still in the enclave – all military-aged men – but Trump has repeatedly said that number is less.

Trump stated on Monday that a “very serious diplomatic push” to end the war was underway, but didn’t provide details.

“It’s got to get over with because, between the hunger and all of the other problems – worse than hunger, death, pure death – people being killed,” Trump added.

Poll: 60% of Americans don’t think Trump will ultimately be able to solve Ukraine war

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The Harvard CAPS/Harris polling released Monday found that two-thirds of voters support President Trump’s efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

At least 66 percent support Trump’s efforts to end the war — which has been raging for more than three years — and 52 percent of voters were satisfied with how Trump is managing negotiations.

The president has claimed the war wouldn’t have started if he’d been in the Oval Office, a point Putin agreed with during the pair’s recent bilateral summit in Alaska. Trump later met with Zelensky at the White House last week.

Fifty-seven percent of voters surveyed said Trump deserves “a lot of credit” for the meetings, regardless of whether he succeeds in halting the fighting.

Despite the support for Trump’s efforts, 6 in 10 respondents said they viewed the Putin meeting as unsuccessful in advancing peace, compared to roughly half who said the Zelensky talks were successful.

Fifty-eight percent of voters said they think the president hasn’t been tough enough on Putin, with voters largely rating Washington’s relationship with Kyiv as more important than its relationship with Moscow.

Roughly 6 in 10 voters said they don’t think Trump will ultimately be able to solve the Ukraine war.

Trump has made the case that he should win a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in talks to curtail the war in Europe and other global conflicts. While he has struggled to make progress on the Russia-Ukraine clash or Israel’s war in Gaza, he aided in ending conflict between India and Pakistan in May, and between Cambodia and Thailand last month.

The poll found 61 percent of voters do not think Trump should win a Nobel Prize for his work.

Roughly two-thirds of voters in the polling said Putin is “playing games and stalling,” and the same share said they think Zelensky genuinely wants to stop the war.

“The voters think Putin is playing the president but they nevertheless think that President Trump’s efforts are worthy of support — maybe not a Nobel prize yet — but he is getting some significant applause for trying to end a war that has killed more than a million people,” said Mark Penn, chair of the Harris Poll.

The poll was taken Aug. 20-21 among 2,025 registered voters by The Harris Poll and Harris X. The margin of error for the total sample is 2.2 percentage points.

Prosecutor files charges against Iranian comedian over remarks on epic poet Ferdowsi

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

According to the judiciary’s official news agency, Mizan, the case was opened after Mousavi’s comments were widely circulated online, prompting public backlash.

Authorities cited “offensive content violating public decency” against one of Iran’s most respected cultural figures.

Mousavi, known for her sharp comedic monologues, had previously faced legal action in October 2024 on charges of “disturbing public order.”

The incident has sparked heated debate online and among cultural figures.

Prominent Persian literature scholar Mohammad-Reza Shafiei-Kadkani reposted a note by the late Shahnameh expert Abolfazl Khatibi, calling the epic poem the “collective consciousness of Iranians.”

A page attributed to filmmaker Bahram Beyzai also shared excerpts from his script The New Prologue of the Shahnameh, describing Ferdowsi as a symbol of cultural resistance.

Iran’s Culture Minister Seyyed Abbas Salehi Amiri condemned the comedian, saying, “Some people seek attention through inappropriate behavior.”

The media have also joined the criticism. Khorasan daily described her remarks as an “attack on the national identity of Iranians,” adding: “Mocking the Shahnameh is foolishness and irrationality in the face of Ferdowsi’s intellectual legacy.”

Following the uproar, Mousavi’s Instagram account was blocked.

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