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Football a platform for further expansion of ties between countries: Iran president

By
IFP Media Wire
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During the meeting that took place on Wednesday, Raisi considered football to be a fascinating sport, especially among the youths, and one of the important sources of liveliness across society.

“It is necessary for the policymakers and those who are involved in football to pay special attention to enhancing professional ethics among the sportspeople and across the competition arenas, alongside trying to improve players’ technical and tactical competence,” Raisi said.

He also considered football to be among the appropriate platforms for further convergence of countries and expansion of relations among them, advising that FIFA be heedful of efforts by some politicians to exert influence on the sport and direct it towards political goals.

The FIFA president, for his part, expressed appreciation of Iran’s efforts at the development of sports, especially football, throughout the Islamic Republic as well as Tehran’s constructive interaction with the international football association.

Infantino voiced readiness on the part of his association to lend support to those involved in the field of football in Iran and introduce the country’s football talents and culture to the world.

He also proposed that Tehran host a match between Iran stars and world stars in the near future. The Iranian chief executive agreed to the proposal.

Release of 5 American prisoners showed true face of Iran’s humanitarian motives: President Raisi

By
IFP Media Wire
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Ebrahim Raisi

“…I do think that the accomplishment was something that led to the happiness of the families of the prisoners, as well as having been able to show the true face of our humanitarian motives and efforts,” Raisi said in an interview with CNN, excerpts of which were released on the American channel’s website on Wednesday.

The comments came two days after Iran allowed five US citizens who had been convicted by Iranian courts to return to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange deal with the US in which five Iranian prisoners were also released by Washington.

The president noted that those detained in Iran had “committed crimes,” however, the Iranian citizens were “unfairly” jailed in the United States.

The deal which was first publicized in early August concluded on Monday after Qatar, which mediated the deal, confirmed the transfer of some $6 billion worth of Iranian funds from South Korea, where they had remained blocked for several years because of US sanctions.

Raisi told CNN that Iran will use the funds to procure the needs of the Iranian people despite suggestions by US officials that Tehran will face limits on spending the funds.

“We will certainly keep to the core of our belief that the objective is to spend those funds to respond to the needs of the Iranian people,” he added.

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria interviewed the Iranian president in New York where he has been staying since earlier this week to attend the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Raisi delivered a speech to the UNGA late on Tuesday where he strongly criticized the United States for its continued but unsuccessful efforts to exert pressure on the Iranian nation through the use of sanctions.

Saudi-Israel normalisation getting ‘closer’: MbS

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IFP Media Wire
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MbS

“Every day, we get closer,” the crown prince told US broadcaster Fox News, according to excerpts seen by Reuters of an interview scheduled to air later on Wednesday.

The interview with the crown prince came as US President Joe Biden’s administration presses ahead with an effort to broker historic ties between the two regional powerhouses, Washington’s top Middle East allies.

The normalisation talks are the centrepiece of complex negotiations that also include possible Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, as well as discussions of US security guarantees and civilian nuclear help that Riyadh has sought.

MbS told Fox’s, Special Report, that the Palestinian issue was “very important” to Riyadh.

“We need to solve that part,” he said when asked what it would take to get a normalisation agreement.

“We got to see where we go. We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, get Israel as a player in the Middle East,” he added, speaking in English.

US officials have privately touted the potential benefits of a regional mega-deal, which would be a foreign policy win as Biden seeks re-election in November 2024.

MbS also stated that if Iran got obtained a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would “have to get one”.

Tehran has repeatedly declared that its nuclear program remains purely peaceful as always and that the Islamic Republic had no intention of developing nuclear weapons as a matter of an Islamic and state principal.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued an official fatwa (religious decree) clearly establishing that any form of acquisition, development, and use of nuclear weapons violate Islamic principles and are therefore forbidden.

Saudi Arabia, along with Israel, has long been an adversary of Iran, but relations have improved since Riyadh and Tehran agreed to restore diplomatic relations in March.

The broadcast of the crown prince’s comments will follow a meeting between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, in which they pledged to work together towards Israeli-Saudi normalisation, which could reshape the geopolitics of the Middle East.

Both leaders also stressed Iran could not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.

The interview with Fox’s anchor, Bret Baier, was the royal’s first on US TV since 2019. Saudi Arabia has been embroiled in controversy, particularly following the crown prince’s alleged role in the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

After a week of lead-up interviews with various Saudi government and business leaders, Baier told Fox that he had seen the country undergo “tectonic changes at a scale and pace and degree that no country in modern times has seen”.

“These changes have been positive,” he added.

Netanyahu tells Biden Israel-Saudi normalisation agreement reachable

By
IFP Media Wire
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The meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Wednesday was the first between the two leaders since Netanyahu returned to power late last year.

The Biden administration has been pushing to establish formal ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, two top US allies in the Middle East.

“I think that under your leadership, Mr President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” the Israeli prime minister told Biden ahead of their talks.

“I think such a peace would go a long way first to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state, and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is something within our reach.”

The discussions came as Israel continues to intensify violence against Palestinians in the occupied territories, drawing criticism from Palestinian rights defenders who have urged Biden to hold Israel accountable for abuses.

But on Wednesday, the US president called Netanyahu a “friend” and heaped praise on Israel.

“You’ve heard me say many times: Were there no Israel, we’d have to invent one, and I mean it,” Biden said.

He also lauded a newly announced initiative to create an economic corridor from India to Europe, including by rail through Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

“It’s a big deal,” he stressed.

Few Arab states have recognised Israel since its establishment in 1948, but former US President Donald Trump’s administration helped secure agreements to establish relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco in 2020.

Sudan also agreed to join the so-called normalisation deals, known as the Abraham Accords.

Amid Israeli leaders’ calls for a similar pact with Saudi Arabia, Saudi officials have said Riyadh is sticking by the Arab Peace Initiative. That plan conditions normalisation with Israel on its withdrawal from Arab territories and the establishment of a Palestinian state, as well as finding a “fair solution” to the plight of Palestinian refugees.

In addition to the normalisation campaign, the Biden administration is pushing to include Israel in its Visa Waiver Program, which would allow Israelis to travel visa free to the US despite concerns about Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian Americans.

Despite their continued alliance, US-Israeli relations have been marked by recent friction between Biden and Netanyahu.

The US president publicly clashed with Netanyahu earlier this year over the Israeli prime minister’s push to overhaul Israel’s judiciary, a move that his liberal critics say would weaken the rule of law in the country.

On Wednesday, Biden alluded to Netanyahu’s judicial plan, which has been put on hold for months.

“Today, we’re going to discuss some of the hard issues,” Biden added.

“And that is upholding democratic values that lie at the heart of our partnership, including checks and balances in our systems and preserving the path to a negotiated two-state solution.”

Meanwhile, the US government has criticised Israel’s push to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as racist comments by ultranationalist ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet.

Biden also had not invited Netanyahu for an official visit to the White House, leading to criticism from US Republicans and speculation about tensions between the two leaders.

US officials regularly stress that American support for Israel, which leading rights groups have accused of maintaining a system of apartheid against Palestinians, is unwavering. Israel receives at least $3.8bn in US military aid annually.

As the two leaders met, Jewish-American and Israeli demonstrators protested in New York.

The protesters – several of whom were waving Israeli flags – rallied “to raise their objections” to the judicial overhaul plan, Al Jazeera reported. Many of the demonstrators say that they don’t think Biden should be even meeting with Netanyahu.

Later in the day, the White House announced in a statement on the meeting that Biden invited Netanyahu to visit Washington, DC “before the end of the year to continue direct collaboration”.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 575

By
IFP Media Wire
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Residents of the area damaged during a Russian missile strike clean up the consequences, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, September 21, 2023.

Ukraine claims fresh progress on southern battlefront in Zaporizhzhia region

Ukrainian officials indicated further progress has been made on the southern front in the Zaporizhzhia region, with some units advancing “deep into the Russian defenses.”

Melitopol: “Units of the Offensive Guard brigades are pushing the [Russians] out of their positions and consolidating their positions despite strong Russian resistance,” said Col. Mykola Urshalovych, deputy director of planning with the National Guard, at a briefing in Kyiv Thursday.

“Despite dense mining and engineering equipment, as well as strong resistance from the occupiers, our units had a partial success, advanced both into the depths of the enemy’s defense and along the front.”

Robotyne-Verbove area: Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed administration in occupied Zaporizhzhia, gave a different picture.

“Our attack drones have hit an assault group of Ukrainian militants who tried to break through to our positions on the Orikhiv direction between the villages of Robotyne and Verbove,” he said, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Ukrainians were forced to retreat with heavy losses, he added.

However, Yevgeniy Balitskiy, the Russian-appointed acting governor of occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia region wrote on Telegram that Ukraine is “completing the redeployment of its units in the Robotyne area, after which we expect the situation in the Robotyne-Verbove area to deteriorate.”

Open-source analysis of available video suggests some Ukrainian units have crossed through an important line of Russian defenses near the village of Verbove.

According to several analysts, Ukrainian vehicles from the 82nd Air Assault Brigade had crossed one trench system.

Without air superiority and in the face of dense minefields and reinforced Russian units, Ukrainian forces have so far struggled to break through the multiple layers of Russian defenses in occupied Zaporizhzhia. They still remain some 20 kilometers from the strategic Russian hub of Tokmak — their first major target on the southern offensive.

Kyiv passes 1,000 hours of air raid sirens during Russian invasion

Air raid sirens in Kyiv have sounded for more than 1,000 hours since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February last year, a Ukrainian official said following Moscow’s latest assault on the capital.

Seven people, including a 9-year-old girl, were injured in Russian aerial attacks Thursday, which caused damage and power outages in several districts, Ukrainian authorities confirmed.

“The capital has already crossed the mark of 1,000 hours of air raid alarms since the beginning of the full-scale invasion!” said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, in a Telegram post Thursday.

“Just imagine – a month and a half of continuous air raid alarms! We have survived it and we will overcome much more together!” Popko added.

Poll finds a majority of Americans oppose more US aid for Ukraine in war with Russia

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy prepares to return to Capitol Hill on Thursday to appeal for more support for Kyiv, a recent CNN poll shows that American public support for additional US aid for Ukraine has been shifting.

Most Americans oppose Congress authorizing more funding to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, according to an August CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

Overall, 55% say the US Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine vs. 45% who say Congress should authorize such funding.

And 51% say that the US has already done enough to help Ukraine while 48% say it should do more. A poll conducted in the early days of the Russian invasion in late February 2022 found 62% who felt the US should have been doing more.

Partisan divisions have widened since that poll, too, with most Democrats and Republicans now on opposing sides of questions on the US role in Ukraine.

A majority, but not all (68%) of those who say the US should do more to support Ukraine favor additional funding, as do 23% of those who say the US has already done enough.

When asked specifically about types of assistance the US could provide to Ukraine, there is broader support for help with intelligence gathering (63%) and military training (53%) than for providing weapons (43%), alongside very slim backing for US military forces to participate in combat operations (17%).

Most Americans who say the US should be doing more to support Ukraine are in favor of providing assistance in intelligence gathering (75%), military training (68%) and weapons (60%), while among those who say the US has already done enough, only intelligence gathering earns majority support (52%).

A majority of Americans do express concern that Russia’s war in Ukraine will threaten US national security (56%), but that’s down significantly February 2022 (72% were worried about threats to US security then).

A bigger worry across partisan lines in the new poll is that the war will continue without a resolution for a long time. Nearly 8 in 10 are worried about that, including 82% of Democrats, 75% of independents and 73% of Republicans. Nearly two-thirds overall are concerned that the war in Ukraine will lead to increased threats to democracy elsewhere (65%) or lead to Russian attacks elsewhere (64%), and about 6 in 10 are worried it could lead to a broader war in Europe (59%).

Russian official says Ukrainian missiles headed for Crimea air base shot down

Russian forces have shot down all Ukrainian missiles used in an attempted attack on the Saky airbase in Crimea, Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to the Russian-installed head of the local administration, wrote on Telegram.

Ukraine’s military announced its forces had struck the Russian airbase overnight, confirming an attack that a Ukrainian intelligence source had earlier told Reuters was carried out by the SBU security service and navy using drones and Neptune cruise missiles.

Zelensky seeks more air defence systems after overnight attack

President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated the need for more air defence systems after Russia launched a series of air strikes across Ukraine overnight.

“Last night, Russian terrorists launched another massive attack. In particular, on infrastructure. Most of the missiles were shot down. But only most of them. Not all of them,” he said on the Telegram messaging app.

“More air defence. More sanctions. More support for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines,” he wrote during a visit to the US, where he stated air defence systems would be on the agenda of talks.

Ukraine’s military claims it struck Russian air base in Crimea overnight

Ukrainian forces struck the Saky air base in Crimea overnight, Ukraine’s military said on Thursday, confirming an attack that had earlier been reported to Reuters by an intelligence source.

“Ukrainian defence forces have carried out a combined attack on a military air base near the city of Saky in temporarily occupied Crimea,” the military wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

The intelligence source told Reuters the attack had inflicted “serious damage” on equipment at the base.

Russia has not commented on the reports. The Russian military announced it had destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and the Black Sea earlier on Thursday, and gave no details on casualties or damage.

Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure for first time in months

Ukraine’s state energy provider Ukrenergo says that Russia’s overnight missile attacks caused damage to power facilities in western and central regions in Ukraine.

Ukrenergo said it was the first time that Russia had launched attacks on the power infrastructure in six months. The strikes come as Ukraine prepares for the winter months. Last year, Russia began a series of intense attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in October.

“Due to the consequences of the attack, there were partial blackouts in Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Dniproptrovsk and Kharkiv regions. The power supply is being restored to consumers,” Ukrenergo said.

“Due to the hostilities and other reasons, 398 settlements remain without electricity as of the morning.”

It added: “Currently, the operation of main power grids in [Rivne and Zhytomyr] has been restored, and household consumers are being supplied with power in the regional power company grids. The attack also damaged power grids in Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. Emergency repair work began immediately after the air raid alarm went off.”

“The power supply is restored subject given the security situation and with the permission of the military.”

Vitalii Koval, head of the Rivne regional military administration, stated the region had suffered several missile strikes. “Unfortunately, there are hits on the energy and civilian infrastructure.”

Speaking in front of a service station that was damaged, Koval added that there were no casualties, but added “There is also no power supply in part of Rivne district.”

Last year, Russia ramped up strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as temperatures dropped.

In October 2022, the country’s energy facilities were attacked at least 82 times — more than in all previous months of the full-scale invasion combined.

From October through to January, Russia hit infrastructure throughout most of Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces operating armoured vehicles beyond Russian defensive lines: ISW

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, DC-based think tank, announced Ukrainian forces appear to have operated armoured vehicles beyond Russian antitank defences in a key stretch of the front line in an “important sign of progress in the Ukrainian counteroffensive”.

“These small tactical steps may be the start of a larger and more significant advance, although it is too soon to make confident forecasts,” ISW wrote on X.

Poland will still send previously agreed supplies of weapons and ammunition

Poland is only carrying out previously agreed supplies of ammunition and armaments, including those resulting from the contracts signed with Ukraine, government spokesperson Piotr Muller was quoted as saying by state-run news agency PAP.

This follows Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s comments on Wednesday that Warsaw would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine.

Ship with Ukrainian grain arrives in Turkey

The cargo ship Resilient Africa arrived off Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait on Thursday, the first vessel loaded with grain from Ukraine to sail in and out of the Black Sea using a temporary corridor.

The ship left the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk this week with 3,000 metric tonnes of grain, Kyiv had said.

Ukraine last month announced a “humanitarian corridor” to release ships bound for African and Asian markets, and to circumvent a de facto blockade after Russia abandoned a deal this summer that had guaranteed its exports during the war.

Russia says NATO drills are ‘aggressive’, risky

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced NATO drills near Russian borders have taken on an increasingly provocative and aggressive nature and increased risk of incidents, Russia’s RIA news agency reports.

The ministry was referring to the Steadfast Defender exercise planned next year in Europe.

The live joint command exercise will assemble more than 40,000 NATO soldiers to practise how the alliance would attempt to repel a Russian attack on one of its members.

Ukraine’s air defences shoot down 36 Russian missiles: Army chief

Ukrainian air defences have shot down 36 of 43 missiles launched by Russia in overnight attacks on Ukraine, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces stated.

General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi wrote on the Telegram messaging app that the missiles were launched in several waves from 10 Russian warplanes.

Belgium considers supplying Ukraine with F-16s

Belgium is considering supplying Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo stated.

Belgium is replacing its F-16s with F-35 fighter jets. Its Ministry of Defence said the F-16s are too old for Ukraine to use in battle although De Croo said they might still be useful, for example, in training pilots.

“I have asked Defence to see what use our F-16s could have in Ukraine,” De Croo told the Belgian broadcaster VRT from the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

“We need to consider all options.”

In recent months, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands have said they will supply Ukraine with F-16s once its air force is ready to use them.

Poland says it will no longer supply Ukraine with weapons

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki says as tensions are high between Warsaw and Kyiv due to a dispute over grain exports that Poland will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine.

Poland has been among Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since Russia launched its invasion last year and is one of Kyiv’s primary weapons suppliers. Poland also hosts about one million Ukrainian refugees.

But Morawiecki appeared to signal that relations would change radically.

“We are no longer transferring weapons to Ukraine because we are now arming Poland with more modern weapons,” the prime minister stated.

Russia targets six Ukrainian cities with air strikes

Air alerts have sounded across Ukraine as a massive Russian attack on at least six cities have killed at least two people, started fires and wounded at least 21.

In the southern city of Kherson near the front lines, two people were killed and five injured in the morning attacks when a residential building was hit, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Seven people were injured in Kyiv, including a 9-year-old girl, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported, and some residential and commercial buildings were damaged.

At least six strikes hit the Slobidskyi district of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, damaging civilian infrastructure, Governor Oleh Syniehubov stated. The mayor added that two people had been sent to hospitals.

Seven people were injured, and at least one person was rescued from under rubble in Cherkasy in central Ukraine, according to Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs.

An industrial zone was hit in the western region of Lviv, damaging buildings and starting a fire, but no information on casualties was immediately available, Klymenko added.

Russia imposes temporary restrictions on fuel exports

Russia has introduced temporary restrictions on petrol and diesel exports to stabilise the domestic market, the government says.

The Ministry of Energy announced in a statement that it would prevent unauthorised “grey” exports of motor fuels.

“Temporary restrictions will help saturate the fuel market, which in turn will reduce prices for consumers,” the government added.

Government officials stated the plans are intended to restrict fuel exports only to those who make oil products to avert a large-scale fuel crisis. A prohibitive duty on fuel exports has been considered.

In recent months, Russia has suffered shortages of petrol and diesel. Wholesale fuel prices have spiked although retail prices are capped to keep them in line with the official inflation rate.

White House to provide Ukraine with new aid package during Zelensky visit: US official

The White House is planning to provide a new aid package to Ukraine when President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Thursday, a US official told CNN.

The package — based on existing drawdown authority — will include additional artillery, anti-armor, anti-aircraft and air defense capabilities that will better equip the country for an ongoing counteroffensive and beyond.

Zelensky “will be leaving the White House with a significant package of additional capabilities to help near- and long-term defenses,” this official said.

The package’s air defense capabilities are also expected to help Ukraine defend its skies ahead of a tough winter, with more strikes expected on critical infrastructure.

Notably, the package is not expected to include Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS, that would allow Ukrainian soldiers the ability to strike longer-range targets.

“For us, that’ll be a loss for us, if we won’t be able to get that weapon which will protect us,” Zelensky said when asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer whether he would be disappointed not to receive those capabilities. “But it’s not disappointment. It will just be a loss.”

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that ATACMs are “not off the table,” but that the agencies reviewing whether to provide the weapons have not reached a decision.

US military has briefed the White House that, while ATACMs would provide longer-range and longer-term defense capabilities, Ukraine’s more pressing needs during the counteroffensive are vehicles, mine-clearing equipment, and short-range anti-aircraft equipment to breach Russian defenses.

Polish president calls on world leaders to act in solidarity to deal with Russia

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda urged world leaders at the United Nations to unite to deal with Russia.

“If we don’t act in solidarity today, to defend the fundamental values of international law, tomorrow may be too late,” Duda said during Wednesday’s UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Duda stated the “strategic change” that occurred following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not temporary.

“We are living in a new era of uncertainty,” Duda added.

Earlier, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the Security Council to revoke Russia’s veto power.

Canadian prime minister urges action over Russia’s “illegal war”

Canada’s prime minister called Wednesday for action to be taken over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We need to be one hundred percent clear about what is happening right now. A permanent member of this Security Council, Russia, has launched and continues to wage an illegal war,” Justin Trudeau said at Wednesday’s United Nations Security Council meeting.

He criticized Russia for using its veto right within the Security Council “to facilitate this war and these violations of the principles of the United Nations.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made similar comments earlier Wednesday calling for Russia’s veto power to be stripped — saying it’s making it impossible to stop the war.

For example, in September 2022, Russia vetoed a draft resolution that would have condemned its seizure of Ukrainian territories and called on it to withdraw from Ukraine.

Russia, which has defended its veto power, is one of five permanent members of the powerful Security Council, the so-called P5, which also includes the UK, France, the United States, and China.

“We must take action to stop the tragic deaths and violence, including sexual violence, caused by this unjustifiable invasion,” Trudeau added.

“We must not let the world return to a place where might makes right. We must make sure borders mean something even when a neighbor has a bigger army.”

No grounds for Ukraine peace talks: Kremlin

Russia is ready to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine, but so far there is no basis for such talks to start, the Kremlin press secretary has said.

“The word ‘negotiations’ is being heard more and more often” in relation to the crisis in Ukraine, Dmitry Peskov stated in an interview with Russia’s Channel One on Wednesday.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin “consistently… explains the position of the Russian side, which has never given up on the idea of such negotiations, but which asserts that at the moment there are no grounds for their resumption,” he explained.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, in view of the circumstances, Russia has no choice but to keep pursuing its goals in Ukraine through military means.

Moscow and Kiev have not sat down at the negotiating table since talks in Istanbul in late March 2022, a month after the outbreak of the conflict. Russia, which initially expressed optimism on the peace process, later accused Ukraine of backtracking on all progress achieved in Türkiye, saying it had lost trust in Kiev’s negotiators.

Ukrainian President Vladmir Zelensky used his trip to the UN General Assembly this week to rally international support for his so-called “peace formula.” He told world leaders in New York that his plan might provide “a real chance to end the aggression on the terms of the nation which was attacked.”

Among other things, Zelesky’s “peace formula” calls on Russia to withdraw to its pre-2014 borders, pay reparations, and submit to war crimes tribunals. Moscow rejected this plan when it was first put forward last year, describing it as “unrealistic” and a sign of Kiev’s unwillingness to seek a diplomatic solution.

US President Joe Biden stated in his speech at the UN on Tuesday that Washington supported a negotiated settlement, but stressed that Russia’s “price for peace,” which, according to him, was “Ukraine’s capitulation, Ukraine’s territory and Ukraine’s children,” was unacceptable.

During a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, at which Zelensky was present, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said Moscow was “not giving up” on the idea of peace talks.

If the US is also interested in dialogue it could start by giving a “command” to Kiev to cancel a decree, signed last autumn, which banned Zelensky from holding any negotiations with Putin, the Russian diplomat suggested.

Water, electricity and gas restored in Iran’s Astara after heavy flood 

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Amir Moradi, tha crisis management director of Gilan Province added that efforts are under way to remove debris from houses that were inundated.

He added that more than 4000 houses were affected by the flooding, adding that authorities in Astara have provided the displaced with makeshift homes.

The flood that had been triggered by heavy rains blocked roads between Astara and Talesh and destroyed a number of buildings.

Astara’s bazaar was also inundated by the flood. Several people sustained injuries by the flood.

Moscow confirms Russian peacekeepers killed in Nagorno-Karabakh

By
IFP Media Wire
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The peacekeepers were returning to an observation post when their car was attacked by unknown assailants. All the servicemen inside the car were killed on the spot, the military said, without revealing the exact number of casualties.

Russian and Azerbaijani investigators are examining the scene of the incident, the military added.

The new escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh began on Tuesday when Baku launched “counter-terrorism measures of a local nature,” citing an alleged Armenian military buildup in the disputed region. Armenia denied that it had a troop presence, and accused Baku of starting “another large-scale aggression against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

The Azerbaijani military subsequently advanced in multiple directions, breaching the positions of local forces.

On Wednesday, the authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh announced a ceasefire with Baku, following a proposal by Russian peacekeeping forces. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed the operation as a major success, stating that sovereignty had been restored over the region.

Nagorno-Karabakh initially declared independence from Azerbaijan in the 1990s, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russian president confirms trip to China

By
IFP Media Wire
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Putin and Xi
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 20, 2023.

Speaking at a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, Putin touted his last sit-down with Xi, which took place in March, as “extremely successful” and “groundbreaking,” noting that it had given a strong impetus to bilateral relations.

The Russian president said that he “was happy to accept the invitation” from Xi to visit China this October as part of the Chinese leader’s push to promote his Belt and Road Initiative, which he said has already gained international acclaim.

According to Putin, Xi’s vision is fully in line with the interests of both nations, as it “integrates our ideas about the creation of a greater Eurasian space.”

Commenting on the upcoming visit, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the groundwork for the trip was already being laid, but would not provide specific dates.

The visit, which was first reported by Bloomberg in late August, was confirmed by Patrushev on Tuesday. At the time, he said that Moscow was looking forward to “substantial bilateral” talks between Putin and Xi in Beijing during the Belt and Road Forum.

Earlier this month, China announced that the event would be attended by representatives from 90 countries, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez.

The Belt and Road Initiative was first floated by Xi Jinping in 2013, with its goal being to foster infrastructure development and investment in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and elsewhere. More than 150 countries and organizations have joined the project.

Putin’s last visit to China was in February 2022, shortly before the Ukraine conflict began. At the time, the two leaders stressed that the “friendship between the two states has no limits,” and “there are no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation.” Since the start of hostilities, China has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia, blaming NATO expansion for the crisis.

Iranian defense minister: Military cooperation with Russia secures peace, stability

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Sergei Shoigu and Mohammad Reza Ashtiani

Ashtiani was speaking during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Tehran on Wednesday.

Ashtiani referred to the new international developments and efforts by independent countries to create a multipolar and fair order against unilateralist policies of some countries, saying the growth of regional organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS signal that world nations prefer a multipolar world order.

Ashtiani spoke about the importance of cooperation between Tehran and Moscow at regional and international levels and called it the guarantor of the interests of the two nations.

The Iranian defense chief stressed that countering common challenges including the US’s unilateralism is a strategic and important issue for both countries. Ashtiani reaffirmed Iran’s policy to support the territorial integrity of regional countries including in the Caucasus region.

He further condemned the European troika’s decision to not lift the anti-Iran missile embargo, saying their claim that Iran does not comply with its commitments is a big lie.

The Russian defense minister also said the Iran-Russia relationship is strategic, adding Russia plays an active role in regional issues and it can help strengthen regional peace and security with the help of Iran.

Azerbaijan announces ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

By
IFP Media Wire
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Armenia Azerbaijan

“The formations of the Armenian armed forces located in the Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan and illegal Armenian armed formations are laying down their weapons, abandoning combat positions and military posts and completely disarming. Units of the Armenian armed forces are leaving the territory of Azerbaijan, illegal Armenian armed formations are being disbanded,” the statement said.

The ministry added that the “illegal formations” in Nagorno-Karabakh are handing over all weapons, heavy equipment under the reached agreement that is being ensured by Russian peacekeepers.

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Anar Eyvazov claimed that Azerbaijani forces took control of 90 Armenian combat positions before the agreement on suspending activities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

No strikes are being carried out on the retreating “Armenian military formations,” the spokesperson stated.

“Conditions are being created for the voluntary retreat of the personnel of the Armenian armed forces accompanied by our technical means. In such cases, attacks on retreating military formations are not carried out,” Eyvazov said.

The administration of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday announced a meeting with representatives of Armenians in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh scheduled for September 21 to discuss reintegration issues in the city of Yevlakh.

“As proposed by the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the meeting with the representatives of the Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to discuss the reintegration issues, based on the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its laws, will be held on 21 September 2023 in Yevlakh,” the administration announced in a statement.

On Tuesday, Baku announced the launch of “local-level anti-terrorist activities” in Nagorno-Karabakh aimed at “restoring the constitutional order.” Yerevan described the operation as aggression against the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and reiterated that it had no military presence in the disputed region.

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