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UK Labour conference votes to sanction Israel and recognise Gaza genocide

By
IFP Media Wire
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The unprecedented move means that the Labour conference has officially accepted the findings of a recent UN Commission of Inquiry report, which found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and has backed comprehensive sanctions on Israel and a full arms embargo.

Delegates from constituencies and affiliated organisations are voting on motions covering a range of topics at the governing party’s annual conference, which began in Liverpool on Sunday.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal said: “This is a huge defeat for the government, with the Labour Party finally accepting that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

“This historic vote must now become government policy: imposing comprehensive sanctions on Israel and a full arms embargo.”

Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Union (TSSA), stated: “Today the Labour movement stood on the right side of history and in solidarity with the Palestinian people, sending a clear message to the Labour leadership: we will not remain silent on the crime of genocide.”

Delegates also voted on Monday evening against another motion understood to broadly support Labour policy on Israel.

On Sunday, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer backed that motion, which falsely claimed a 16 September UN Commission of Inquiry report found “a risk of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza”.

In fact, the UN report concluded that Israel has committed genocide and is still committing genocide in Gaza.

By contrast, Middle East Eye understands the emergency motion – which Falconer spoke against on Sunday – received strong trade union support.

A copy of the motion seen by MEE notes: “Conference accepts the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry and calls on the Labour government to… employ all means reasonably available to it to prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza.”

The motion further demands that the government “apply sanctions to put pressure on the Israeli government to respect international law” and “ensure individuals and corporations in the UK are not involved in aiding and assisting the genocide”.

Sara Husseini, Director of the British Palestinian Committee stressed: “The Labour leadership must now join their own party members, along with the UN, genocide scholars and countless human rights organisations in confirming Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people, and end the UK’s complicity in it.”

The motion’s passing piles further pressure on the beleaguered Prime Minister Keir Starmer to cut political and military ties with Israel over its genocide in Gaza.

It signals significant discontent among the Labour rank and file with government policy. Britain recognised a Palestinian state last week but has rejected calls to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.

Last September, the government suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licences to Israel after a review found a clear risk that British-made weapons could be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

Licences for parts for F-35 fighter jets, which are directly used in Gaza, were among those exempted from the embargo.

Recent polling found that 72 percent of Labour’s 2024 voters back a full arms embargo on Israel.

Recent months have seen a series of diplomatic spats between the UK and Israel, two historical allies.

The UK government banned Israeli officials from Britain’s largest arms trade show earlier this month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the UK’s move to recognise a Palestinian state last week as “rewarding Hamas”.

However, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Britain last week and met Starmer at Downing Street.

Herzog said afterwards that he both “argued” and had points of agreement with Starmer, whom he called Israel’s “ally”.

Israeli PM apologises to Qatar over Doha attack

By
IFP Media Wire
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Benjamin Netanyahu

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received the apology on Monday in a joint call from United States President Donald Trump and Netanyahu during their meeting at the White House.

“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” a White House statement said.

“He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”

At least five lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security official were killed in the September 9 attack, which targeted senior Hamas leaders involved in negotiations on a US-backed ceasefire proposal. Hamas’s top leaders survived the assassination attempt.

It was the first Israeli attack on Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire efforts and host of the US military’s largest base in the Middle East, Al Udeid.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the call “as part of US efforts to address the repercussions of the Israeli aggression that targeted a residential neighbourhood in Doha city, which included housing for the Hamas negotiating delegation, resulting in a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar”.

“At the beginning of the call, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his gratitude to the US President for his efforts to achieve peace in the region, including guarantees to prevent a recurrence of aggression against the State of Qatar and the US commitment to its defense partnership with Qatar,” the ministry announced.

“For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister apologised during the call for the attack and the violation of Qatari sovereignty, which resulted in the martyrdom of Qatari citizen Badr Al-Dosari, pledging not to repeat any targeting of Qatari territory in the future,” it added.

Netanyahu’s official X account quoted him as telling the Qatari prime minister: “Mr Prime Minister, I want you to know that Israel regrets that one of your citizens was killed in our strike. I want to assure you that Israel was targeting Hamas, not Qataris.”

“I also want to assure you that Israel has no plan to violate your sovereignty again in the future, and I have made that commitment to the president.”

The prime minister then went on to claim: “Israel has grievances against Qatar, from support for the Muslim Brotherhood to how Israel is portrayed on Al Jazeera to support for anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses.”

After Netanyahu’s “deep regret” over attacking Qatar, the White House announced that Qatar’s prime minister “welcomed these assurances, emphasising Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed commitment to the same.”

Iran’s Leader offers condolences to Ayatollah Sistani over passing of his wife

By
IFP Media Wire
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Ayatollah Khamenei

In a message of condolence to Ayatollah Sistani on Monday, the Leader prayed to Almighty God to bestow divine forgiveness and mercy on her.

Separately, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sent messages of condolences to Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

The late venerable lady passed away on Monday and was laid to rest at the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala with the participation of a large number of mourners and believers.

 

Bringing Iranians to their knees is a pipe dream: Pezeshkian

By
IFP Media Wire
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Masoud Pezeshkian

“They want to force us to submit to base and vile people, but even imagining that has no place in my mind,” Pezeshkian said.

“Bringing Iran and our people to their knees is a pipe dream.”

The UN Security Council restored the anti-Iran sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal on Sunday at 0000 GMT. The sanctions will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with the Islamic Republic and target the country’s defensive missile program.

The move came nearly two days after the United States and its allies vetoed a draft resolution submitted by China and Russia on delaying the so-called “snapback” mechanism inside the deal that would return the bans.

Pezeshkian added that the government will do everything for the nation’s dignity, striving to solve problems and use all resources for the people, who are targeted by revived economic sanctions.

The president recalled that adversaries never expected Iranians to unite during the twelve days of the US-Israel war in June.

“They assumed Iran had weakened, but the people’s steadfastness upset all their calculations.”

He criticized the American and European politicians who speak of human rights and democracy, adding, “Take a look at what they’re doing in Gaza. A regime that has sown chaos in the region has not once been sanctioned in the Security Council because the United States erases decisions with a veto.”

The notion of human rights, the United Nations and UNESCO are nothing but lies, the president said, “because innocents are being killed before their eyes and Israel attacks any country it wishes.”

 

Advisor to Iran’s leader: True security requires readiness for war

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Yahya Rahim Safavi

Rahim Safavi said the attacks caused extensive damage to facilities in Haifa and other areas, including refineries, power plants, and research centers.

He added that at least 16 Israeli pilots were killed in strikes on a pilot training center, though the Israeli regime has reportedly suppressed details of casualties and damage. The adviser to Iran’s leader described some rocket impacts as so powerful that they caused destruction in a three-kilometer radius, akin to a small earthquake.

Rahim Safavi noted that the US and Israel failed to achieve their objectives in the war.

He underscored that Israel, seeking to continue the conflict, was ultimately forced to request a ceasefire through the US, signaling the regime’s strategic failure against the resistance.

Rahim Safavi also said that popular resistance and unity within the resistance front can disrupt global power calculations and protect Iran and oppressed peoples in the region.

In other comments, he called for strengthening national cohesion, enhancing defensive and offensive capabilities, and improving strategic intelligence.

Rahim Safavi noted that true security requires readiness for war and that the best defense is offense.

Iranian parliament considers proposals for withdrawal from NPT

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ebrahim Rezaei added that the proposals were presented in response to the European troika’s move to activate the so-called snapback mechanism.

He noted that the parliamentary commission had reached a conclusion on one of the drafts, though it has not yet been placed on parliament’s agenda.

“In the current circumstances, we must withdraw from the NPT, as there is no justification for Iran’s continued membership”, Rezaei said.

He underlined that while Iran accepted extensive inspections to prove its nuclear program was peaceful, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) failed to meet its commitments.

“The IAEA not only failed to assist in developing our nuclear industry but its inspections ultimately paved the way for hostile actions against our country”, the MP maintained.

Rezaei also responded to recent remarks by Iran’s president, who chairs the Supreme National Security Council, that Iran would not exit the treaty.

“Parliament is independent”, he underscored. “Withdrawal from the NPT requires national consensus, and the president cannot impose his personal views on parliament.”

The lawmaker also said maximum consensus, particularly among the three branches of government, is essential for such a decision.

According to Rezaei, the draft proposal under review says if the snapback mechanism is fully enforced, the government of the Islamic Republic will be required to submit its request for withdrawal from the NPT to the IAEA’s Board of Governors.

Women Firefighters of Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The twelve-member team of women firefighters in Shiraz, Iran, who work 24/7 in three shifts, rush to the aid of citizens from their station located at the beginning of Kholdbarin Street.

More in the following pictures:

UN Secretariat’s notice on resurrected sanctions against Iran goes beyond its power: Envoy

By
IFP Media Wire
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Amir Saeed Iravani

In a formal letter dated September 28, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, addressed UN Secretary General António Guterres and the president of the UN Security Council, expressing Iran’s strong objection to the Secretariat’s action.

He said Security Council Resolution 2231 does not provide any mandate whatsoever to the Secretary General or the Secretariat to “determine, declare, or notify” member states about the so-called reapplication of terminated resolutions.

“The resolution sets out a specific mechanism under operative paragraphs 11 and 12, placing the matter exclusively within the purview of the Security Council,” he added.

He emphasized that the Secretariat’s unilateral move exceeds its authority and trespasses into the domain of the Security Council.

He recalled October 2020, when the US similarly tried to trigger the “snapback” mechanism, but deep divisions within the Security Council over the validity of such action prevented the Secretariat from taking any unilateral or administrative steps to give effect to it.

“The restraint shown at that time reaffirmed the absence of any mandate under resolution 2231 for the Secretariat to act independently in this highly contested matter,” Iravani explained.

The Iranian envoy said the Secretariat has taken sides with the three European countries – Germany, Britain and France — and the United States by deliberately issuing this notification despite evident and fundamental disagreement among member states, and in the face of the lack of consensus at the Council’s meeting on September 19, 2025.

“This action constitutes a serious breach of Article 100 of the Charter, which obliges the Secretary General and the staff of the Secretariat to refrain from seeking or receiving instructions from any member or external authority, and to maintain the highest standard of independence and impartiality,” Iravani pointed out.

On September 19, the 15-member Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have prevented the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran after the E3 triggered the “snapback” mechanism and accused Tehran of failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

A subsequent resolution, which sought to grant a six-month extension to both the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, also failed to pass at the UNSC on Friday.

The Council restored the bans on Sunday at 0000 GMT. They will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with the Islamic Republic and target the country’s defensive missile program.

Iravani warned that the Secretariat’s partiality undermines its credibility as an international civil service.

He also cautioned that such conduct severely damages the members’ confidence in the Office of Secretariat and sets a dangerous precedent of politicization of the Secretariat’s role.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran firmly rejects the action taken by the Secretariat today as null and void, lacking any legal basis, and in direct contravention of the Charter,” the ambassador reiterated.

He stressed the importance of swift rectification of such grave breach, urging the Secretariat to give assurances that it will fully respect its obligations under Article 100 of the UN Charter, refraining from any further action or interference in matters.

Iravani’s letter came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote to his counterparts around the world, saying recent assertions by the United States and the European troika that terminated Security Council resolutions had been “restored” were “entirely unfounded, unlawful, and invalid.”

Last month, the E3 invoked the so-called snapback mechanism, a 30-day process to restore all anti-Iran sanctions.

Iran rejected the move as illegitimate, citing the US’ unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA and the European trio’s decision to align with unlawful sanctions rather than fulfilling their JCPOA obligations.

 

Russia using ‘shadow fleet’ tankers to launch drones towards European cities: Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Oil

The comments come amid increased tension between Russia and NATO countries over airspace violation. Over the past month, Russian drones have violated Polish, Romanian, and possibly Dutch, Finnish, and Danish airspace.

On Sept. 19, Estonia accused Russia of violating its airspace with three MiG-31 fighter jets, which remained in Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, triggering NATP’s Article 4. While on Sept. 26, Hungarian fighter jets intercepted five Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Zelensky made the comments during his evening address, calling for additional sanctions to be implemented on Russia’s shadow fleet, amid the drone threats.

“It is especially important that the sanctions hit Russia’s energy trade and the entire infrastructure of the Russian tanker fleet painfully,” Zelensky said.

“This is further evidence that the Baltic Sea and other seas should be closed to Russian tankers, at least for the shadow fleet,” he added.

Russia’s shadow fleet has been increasingly targeted by Western sanctions as Ukraine’s international partners seek to limit Russian oil revenues, which help fund Moscow’s war machine.

The shadow fleet includes hundreds of older, often uninsured or poorly maintained tankers. These typically operate under the flags of other countries and have little transparency, making it difficult for regulators to enforce sanctions.

Amid the European Union’s anticipated 19th sanctions package, U.S. officials have also considered new sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet should Russian President Vladimir Putin fail to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Despite an initial deadline for the sanctions being set for Aug. 8, U.S. President Donald Trump has yet to implement additional sanctions on Russia.

Following Zelensky’s meeting with Trump in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly earlier this week, the Ukrainian president said in his evening address that Kyiv “count(s) on strong steps from the United States of America.”

 

Russia says Tomahawk missile supplies from US won’t be game changer for Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
-

“Even if it happens that the United States sends its Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, currently there is no cure-all that could be a game changer on the front lines for the Kiev regime. No magical weapons exist, and Tomahawk or other missiles simply won’t be a game changer,” Peskov said when asked to comment on Washington’s statements about the possible supply of Tomahawk missiles to Kiev.

Moscow has heard Washington’s statements about possible Tomahawk cruise missile deliveries to Kiev and is thoroughly analyzing them, Peskov stated.

“We have heard these statements. We are thoroughly analyzing them. Our military specialists are closely monitoring it,” he added, responding to a question about the Kremlin’s assessment of statements regarding the US supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kiev, as well as the possibility that strikes against Russia with these missiles could be conducted with the consent of US President Donald Trump.

Earlier, US Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington is weighing selling Tomahawk missiles to its NATO allies for them to send those to Kiev, with the “final determination” being up to US leader Donald Trump.

 

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