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Poll shows almost half of Britons want Trump UK  visit cancelled after clash with Zelensky

By
IFP Media Wire
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Some 42 per cent of voters said the historic second invitation to Trump should be withdrawn amid growing outrage at the US administration’s increasingly critical stance on Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer has faced pressure from across the political spectrum to withdraw the invitation, which he hand-delivered to Trump just a day before his Oval Office shouting match with Zelensky. That is only likely to increase since Trump’s decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine.

While two in five people said the invitation should be withdrawn, an overall majority (51 per cent) said it should not have been extended in the first place.

It comes as a petition by pro-democracy campaign group 38 Degrees calling for the visit to be axed passed 180,000 signatures.

Trump would become the first US president honoured with two state visits, with Sir Keir mounting a major charm offensive as she seeks to protect Britain from a global trade war.

But 38 Degrees warned that, because of the British public’s overwhelming support for Ukraine, the PM risks alienating voters by cosying up to the US president.

Chief executive of 38 Degrees Matthew McGregor said: “Since the Russian invasion three years ago, the British people have consistently shown an outpouring of support for the people of Ukraine. They have been clear that the UK must stand up for Ukraine, and that voters will back the PM if he does.

“But standing up for Ukraine means unequivocally standing up to Donald Trump right now. With the majority of Brits feeling he is undeserving of a second state visit … Keir Starmer should think long and hard about whether this state visit really should go ahead.”

The survey, conducted by Survation for 38 Degrees, also revealed Sir Keir’s backing for Zelensky after his White House clash with Trump made the public feel “proud to be British”.

The prime minister standing up for Ukraine on the world stage won him the support of 46 per cent of the public, who said it made them feel proud, while just 12 per cent said it did not.

And it contained a stark warning for Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who was accused of “acting as Donald Trump’s spokesman in Britain” for defending the US president after the row.

It revealed President Zelensky as the most popular world leader out of a group also including Sir Keir, French president Emmanuel Macron, Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky had a 54 per cent approval rating, while Trump was on 24 per cent and Putin was on 11 per cent.

Farage blamed the Ukrainian president for having played the White House meeting “very badly”, and accused him of “bowling in” without a suit on and “showing no respect” for his American counterpart.

McGregor added, “After Nigel Farage’s comments earlier this week, this poll shows him well and truly out of step with public opinion, from his sympathetic comments towards Putin to his sneering at Zelensky’s sartorial style.”

Israel’s Gaza aid blockade could breach humanitarian law: E3

By
IFP Media Wire
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In a joint statement published on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany called on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations, and “to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza”.

Israel blocked the entry of aid shipments to Gaza on Sunday, hours after the first phase of its ceasefire deal with the Palestinian group Hamas expired, raising fears of hunger and more hardships during the holy month of Ramadan that began over the weekend.

“A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the Government of Israel would risk violating International Humanitarian Law,” the three ministers stated.

“Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” the statement added, calling on all parties to uphold the ceasefire.

Separately, on Wednesday, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the UK and France, called on Israel to “immediately let humanitarian aid flow into the Gaza Strip”, urging parties “to find a way forward to the next phases of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal”.

Rights groups have accused Israel of crimes against humanity and violations of international laws for blocking aid in Gaza. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70 percent of Gaza’s buildings and roads are damaged after 15 months of nonstop Israeli bombardment.

Hamas has accused Israel of reneging on the ceasefire that ended the Gaza war. Israel now wants to extend the first phase of the agreement by 50 days instead of entering into the second phase as agreed originally. Israel was supposed to withdraw its soldiers from the Philadelphi Corridor at the end of the first phase on March 1, but it has refused to do so. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly expected to visit the region in the coming days to end the deadlock.

On Wednesday, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced it has food supplies for the Palestinian enclave to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks.

Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for the UN’s children’s agency, also said the block on humanitarian aid, including vaccines and ventilators for pre-term babies, “will have devastating real-life consequences” for children and their parents.

“If we’re unable to bring that in, routine vaccination will come to a standstill,” she continued, adding, “Neonatal units won’t be able to care for preterm babies, so this is a real-life consequence that we’ll be dealing with very, very soon if we’re unable to resume the aid supplies coming in.”

Bollen, who is in Gaza, said existing supplies have already been largely distributed throughout the enclave.

“The first phase of the ceasefire wasn’t just a pause in hostilities … it really was a lifeline for families here,” she continued, adding, “The mood here is very depressed; families that I speak with are deeply worried about what the future is going to hold.”

CIA confirms freeze of intelligence sharing with Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
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CIA

The development came just a day after several American media outlets reported that the US had suspended military assistance, including both the purchase of new weapons and shipments already in progress.

When asked by host Maria Bartiromo whether the US had “cut off” its cooperation with Ukraine, Ratcliffe said that US President Donald Trump had “asked for a pause” to see if Kiev was ready to work toward resolving the conflict with Russia.

“President Trump had a real question whether…Volodymyr Zelensky was committed to a peace process,” Ratcliffe said, claiming that the halt to assistance and information sharing contributed to Zelensky publicly stating that he was “ready for peace.”

On Tuesday, the Ukrainian leader said that Kiev was ready for an immediate POW release and a temporary ceasefire with a “ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure.” Last week, Trump told reporters that Zelensky needed to be ready for an immediate ceasefire before he could be welcomed back to the US following their Oval Office debacle on Friday.

”On the military front and on the intelligence front, the pause… allowed that to happen,” Ratcliffe continued, adding that he expected the US to resume cooperating with Ukraine soon.

The halt to intelligence sharing was “selective,” Sky News reported on Wednesday, citing a Ukrainian source. However, the move made it difficult for Ukraine to launch attacks against targets deep inside Russia, the source stated.

Washington reportedly also barred its allies from sharing with Ukraine, Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Recipients with assets inside Ukraine itself were likely to continue to pass on relevant information, the paper said, but Kiev would likely miss out on time-sensitive and high-value intelligence it needed to strike moveable Russian targets.

Trump and Zelensky had a heated verbal exchange on Friday, when the US president accused the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III” by refusing to work towards a halt to hostilities.

Several US outlets, including Bloomberg and CNN, reported that Trump had paused military aid after the fall out. According to reports, the president’s order affected more than $1 billion in “arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order.”

Moscow commented on the reports by saying that if the US were to suspend supplies altogether it would “probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”

Oil minister: Turkmen gas starts flowing to Turkey via Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iraq Gas

Paknejad said the contract which has made the gas swap possible has now been finalized, and the gas is flowing.

He added that over the past few days, this project has come to fruition, thanks to the efforts of the National Iranian Gas Company and other sectors involved in advancing the project.

Paknejad noted that this project is significant from various aspects, such as the amount of gas received in the northeastern region and the interactions with neighbors, namely Turkmenistan and Turkey.

The Iranian oil minister underlined that the deal will have a significant impact on Iran’s relations with Turkey and Turkmenistan, especially in terms exporting gas and other oil products.

Paknejad noted that the agreement is an important step toward strengthening Iran’s position as a regional energy hub and shows Tehran’s resolve to expand its energy diplomacy.

Trump says received an important letter from Zelensky

By
IFP Media Wire
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Multiple news outlets reported that the Trump administration ordered an immediate freeze on all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The U.S. president barely referenced the decision in his first major address to lawmakers since returning to the White House, focusing largely on domestic issues.

When he mentioned the war and Washington’s role in supporting Ukraine, he avoided any direct mention of the aid freeze.

“The United States has sent hundreds of billions of dollars to support Ukraine’s defense,” Trump said.

“With no security, with no anything. Do you want to keep it going for another five years?”

That question was Trump’s only nod to the suspension of aid, which a White House official stated is meant to pressure Zelensky into peace negotiations.

Trump said in his address that he “appreciate(s)” Zelensky’s recent statements expressing Ukraine’s readiness for peace, but did not say whether or not the U.S. would resume weapons deliveries.

Zelensky has reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to the peace process in a post on X.

“Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians,” he wrote.

Zelensky proposed initial steps toward de-escalation with Russia, including prisoner of war (POW) releases, a “truce at sea,” and a “truce in the sky” that would ban missiles, long-range drones, and bombs targeting civilian infrastructure.

He also noted Ukraine is ready to sign the critical minerals deal “at any time and in any convenient format.”

Trump said in his address to Congress that he received that same message in a letter from Zelensky. He read Zelensky’s statement aloud, apparently presenting the message as a sign of successful U.S. pressure on Kyiv. Trump added that his team had held discussions with Russia and received “strong signals” that Moscow is ready to make peace.

“Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” he added.

While Trump’s remarks on Ukraine and Russia were short on details, his comments indicated that he wants Europe to foot the bill for Ukraine’s defense.

“Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian oil and gas than they have defending Ukraine,” he continued.

Trump likened U.S. spending on military aid to Ukraine to “taking candy from a baby” and expressed disbelief at the disparity between European and American aid packages. He repeated his hopes for an end to the war, saying “it’s time for the madness to stop,” but made no mention of sanctions against Russia or security guarantees for Ukraine.

The decision to halt aid came on the heels of a contentious meeting in the Oval Office between Zelensky, Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The U.S. leaders berated Zelensky for continuing to stress Ukraine’s need for security guarantees, accusing him of being insufficiently grateful for American assistance.

Zelensky was ordered to leave the White House, and departed without signing the much-anticipated minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine. Trump later claimed that Zelensky “is not ready for peace.”

The suspension affects over $1 billion in arms and ammunition deliveries. It halts not only future aid but also weapons already in transit, including shipments on aircraft and ships, as well as equipment awaiting transfer in Poland.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that the freeze had gone into effect, based on reports from the Ukrainian-Polish border.

The White House has not specified what steps Ukraine must take to restore the flow of weapons.

Trump’s foreign policy moves in recent weeks signal a seismic shift in U.S. attitudes toward Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. Trump has conceded to Russian demands before negotiations even begin, initiated direct talks with Moscow while excluding Kyiv, and echoed Kremlin talking points — including blaming Ukraine for starting the war and calling Zelensky a “dictator.”

The Kremlin has applauded Trump’s policy shift, saying it “largely aligns” with Russia’s interests.

Trump’s address to Congress comes six weeks after the start of his second term in the White House. In a post to Truth Social late on March 3, Trump said he would use his address to “tell it like it is.”

Iran’s parliament approves Thursday holidays for government offices

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran's parliament

According to the new bill, all executive bodies at both national and provincial levels must adjust their working hours from Saturday to Wednesday.

However, exceptions apply to military, law enforcement, and security units, as well as operational service providers such as banks, customs offices, hospitals, healthcare centers, and sports facilities.

The decision comes after parliament addressed concerns raised by the Guardian Council, Iran’s constitutional oversight body, by introducing specific exemptions to the bill.

During an open session on Wednesday, lawmakers amended and approved the bill to revise Article 87 of the Civil Service Management Law.

A comprehensive list of operational service units exempt from the new regulation will be prepared by the Administrative and Employment Organization and approved by the Cabinet once the law takes effect.

Previously, the Iranian parliament had proposed making Saturdays a holiday, but the plan was abandoned due to widespread opposition, mainly stemming from religious concerns.

White House turmoil reflects global diplomatic shifts, says Iranian FM

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Abbas Araghchi

Araghchi argued that the confrontation revealed deep fractures within the Western alliance and highlighted the fragility of US foreign policy coordination.

He questioned whether the clash was intentional or accidental, suggesting it underscored the growing influence of internal political pressures on global decision-making.

The article also examined Ukraine’s evolving role in international politics. Once heavily dependent on Western support, Zelensky’s assertive stance during the dispute signaled a shift among smaller nations resisting subordinate roles.

Araghchi warned that this could strain Western unity, particularly in Europe, where countries like France and Germany have taken a more cautious approach to the Ukraine conflict.

Araghchi noted that Russia is closely monitoring these developments, viewing the discord as evidence of Western vulnerability. He highlighted Russia’s efforts to strengthen ties with China and the Global South to reshape the global power balance.

For Iran, Araghchi emphasized the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy rooted in self-reliance and national interests.

He argued that Iran’s resilience against external pressures, including sanctions and military threats, demonstrates the value of strategic autonomy in an increasingly unstable world.

Sea buckthorn saplings planted in Tehran’s Pardisan Park to mark Arbor Day

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The event was attended by Shina Ansari, the head of Iran’s Department of Environment, as well as ambassadors and representatives from over 10 countries.

More in pictures:

US designates Yemen’s Houthi group as ‘foreign terrorist’ organisation

By
IFP Media Wire
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Yemen Houthi

The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced on Tuesday the department had restored the designation, which carries with it sanctions and penalties for anyone providing “material support” for the group.

“Since 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as US service members defending freedom of navigation and our regional partners,” Rubio said in a statement.

“Most recently, the Houthis spared Chinese-flagged ships while targeting American and allied vessels,” he added.

The Houthis have targeted more than 100 merchant vessels in the critical trade corridor with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip began in October 2023. In January, the group signaled that it will limit its attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships after a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip but warned that wider attacks could resume if needed.

Trump’s first Republican administration had similarly designated the Houthis in its waning days, but the designation had been revoked by Joe Biden’s Democratic administration over concerns it would badly affect the delivery of aid to Yemen, which was considered to be facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Rubio suggested in his statement that such a concern was not an issue any more, saying that the US would no longer “tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organizations like the Houthis in the name of practicing legitimate international business”.

Besides the “foreign terrorist organization” announcement, the state department’s “Rewards for Justice” program announced that it would pay up to $15m for information that leads to the disruption of Houthi financing.

The United Nations announced last month that it suspended its humanitarian operations in the stronghold of Yemen’s Houthi rebels after they detained eight more UN staffers.

The rebels in recent months have detained dozens of UN staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-shuttered US embassy in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital. None of the UN staffers have been released.

The Houthis have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, since 2014, when they descended from their stronghold in Saada and took control of Sana’a and most of the north.

The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed at the time by the US, in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government to power.

The war has killed more than 150,000 people including civilians and combatants, and in recent years it has deteriorated largely into a stalemate.

The UN has projected that more than 19 million people across Yemen will need humanitarian assistance this year as many deal with climate shocks, malnutrition, cholera and the economic effects of war.

Russia says ready to facilitate US-Iran negotiations

By
IFP Media Wire
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Kremlin

US President Donald Trump expressed interest in talking to Iran about those issues, both in his phone call to Putin in February and via representatives at the high-level US-Russian meeting in Riyadh just days later, the news agency wrote, citing anonymous officials.

“Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve all problems through negotiations,” Peskov told Bloomberg when asked about such contact.

Moscow “is ready to do everything in its power to achieve this,” he added.

The American leader returned to his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran last month. Trump’s executive order said that Washington would ramp up sanctions on Tehran, aiming to disrupt “its nuclear program, conventional missile deployment, and network of regional proxy groups”.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has stressed the country is building up its defenses, citing regular threats from US ally Israel.

“The Israeli regime keeps threatening Iran with military action while the West continues to blame Iran for its defense capability. This is outrageous & irrational,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei stated last week.

Given that Israel is “addicted to aggression and lawless behavior,” it is “responsible and essential to maximize our defense capabilities,” he stressed.

Israel and the West have long seen Iran’s uranium enrichment activities as a secret attempt to develop nuclear weapons – allegations that Tehran has repeatedly denied.

While Trump has touted harsher sanctions, he has also signaled that he is interested in signing a “verified nuclear peace agreement” with Tehran.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has stressed that talks with the US are unlikely to bear fruit, citing the prior nuclear deal Trump unilaterally left during his first presidency.

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