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US holding secret peace talks with Russia to end Ukraine war: Axios

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War
Red Cross volunteers help local residents to evacuate from the city of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi in Kharkiv region, Ukraine.

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev have extensively discussed the 28-point peace plan, an unnamed U.S. official said.

Dmitriev described the secretive peace deal optimistically, saying that, unlike in the past, “we feel the Russian position is really being heard.”

Russia has repeatedly issued maximalist demands to Kyiv in previous direct peace talks, including that Ukraine give up its NATO aspirations, demilitarize, and cede territory that Kyiv controls.

The secretive peace deal reportedly focuses on peace in Ukraine, security in Europe, security guarantees, and U.S. relations with Kyiv and Moscow in the future.

Dmitriev met with Witkoff and other senior members of the White House administration in Miami from Oct. 24-26, the Russian official told Axios.

“It’s actually a much broader framework, basically saying, ‘How do we really bring, finally, lasting security to Europe, not just Ukraine,'” Dmitriev claimed.

The two sides hope to produce a written document before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin next meet, Dmitriev stated, adding that a Budapest summit still remains off the table.

The proposed meeting was called off by Trump on Oct. 25, who said he felt it would not be productive as the White House continues efforts to broker a peace deal.

Meanwhile, Witkoff’s planned meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey has reportedly been postponed, according to Ukrainian and U.S. officials.

National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov has already discussed the secretive peace deal with Witkoff at a separate meeting in Miami a week earlier, unnamed Ukrainian officials told Axios.

The White House has begun briefing Ukrainian and European officials on the new plan, an unnamed U.S. official said.

 

Trump hosts Saudi Arabia’s crown prince at White House

By
IFP Media Wire
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The White House rolled the literal red carpet out for Prince Mohammed, known as MBS, on Tuesday. Trump greeted him with a ceremony that featured marching bands, flag-carrying horsemen and a military flyover.

The opulent display of hospitality signalled Trump’s embrace of what he sees as a new Middle East driven by financial investments and US partnerships with allies in the region, chiefly Saudi Arabia.

After Prince Mohammed’s arrival through the South Portico, he and Trump took questions from journalists in the Oval Office. The two leaders spoke of business opportunities, peace, artificial intelligence and the tech business.

The Trump-MBS meeting also led to major announcements, including in the already strong defence relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia.

Here are the key takeaways from the meeting:

‘Good talks’ on Saudi Arabia-Israel ties

In recent months, Trump has repeatedly said he would like Saudi Arabia to join the so-called Abraham Accords, which established formal relations between Israel and several Arab countries.

On Tuesday, Prince Mohammed and Trump signalled possible progress on the issue without providing details or a timeline for a potential deal. The crown prince, however, did reiterate that Riyadh wants to advance the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of a potential agreement.

“We believe having a good relation with all Middle Eastern countries is a good thing, and we want to be part of the Abraham Accords,” Prince Mohammed told reporters.

“But we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path [to a] two-state solution. And today we have a healthy discussion with Mr President that we’ve got to work on that, to be sure that we can prepare the right situation as soon as possible to have that.”

Saudi officials have previously stressed that Riyadh is committed to the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions the recognition of Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Trump stated that he had “good talks” with Prince Mohammed about the issue.

“We talked about one state, two states. We talked about a lot of things. In a short period of time, we’ll be discussing it further too,” the US president added.

Major non-NATO ally status for Saudi Arabia and a defence deal

At a black-tie dinner he hosted at the White House for the Saudi leader, Trump announced the US has decided to recognise Riyadh as a “major non-NATO ally”.

That status allows a country expedited access to US military hardware, sales and other cooperation without some of the elaborate licensing protocols that other buyers of advanced American weapons systems need to go through.

Saudi Arabia joins 19 other countries that are major non-NATO allies of the US: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia. The US also treats Taiwan at par with major non-NATO allies.

Separately, the White House announced that Trump and MBS signed a strategic defence agreement “that strengthens our more than 80-year defense partnership and fortifies deterrence across the Middle East”. Details of the agreement are unclear, but the White House said it would secure “new burden-sharing funds from Saudi Arabia to defray US costs” and would affirm that the “Kingdom views the United States as its primary strategic partner”.

The agreement comes weeks after Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence agreement with Pakistan following Israel’s September attack on Qatar, which had sparked concerns across the region over whether the US could be trusted by its Gulf allies as a security partner.

On Monday, Trump confirmed that he will authorise the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting with MBS, he stated the jets would not be downgraded to ensure Israel’s military superiority in the region, a departure from a US policy known as “qualitative military edge”.

“They’d like you to get planes of reduced calibre. I don’t think that makes you too happy,” he told the Saudi crown prince.

“They’ve been a great ally. Israel has been a great ally, and we’re looking at that exactly right now. But as far as I’m concerned, I think they are both at a level where they should get top of the line.”

Trump says Iran wants deal

Trump once again expressed pride in the US strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.

“We did that on behalf of everybody, and the outcome was extraordinary because we have the best pilots, the best equipment, the best planes, the best everything,” he said.

The US president later shifted to a softer tone on Iran, claiming Tehran is seeking a diplomatic resolution with Washington, which has sought the dismantlement of its nuclear programme.

“I am totally open to it, and we’re talking to them,” Trump added.

“And we start a process. But it would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran. And we could have done it before the war, but that didn’t work out. And something will happen there, I think.”

Saudi Arabia’s official news agency, SPA, had reported that MBS had received a handwritten letter addressed to him from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian before his trip to Washington. No details were available about its content.

On Tuesday, Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia would back a US-Iran deal.

“We will do our best to help to reach a deal between the United States of America and Iran,” he told reporters.

“And we believe it’s good for Iran’s future to have a good deal that would satisfy the region and the world and the United States of America,” he added.

$1 trillion in investments?

At the outset of the two leaders’ public remarks, Trump expressed gratitude for anticipated Saudi investments in the US, which he said will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

“I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600bn into the United States. And because he’s my friend, he might make it $1 trillion, but I’m going to have to work on him,” Trump said.

He added that the Saudi funds will create jobs and resources for US companies and Wall Street investment firms.

For his part, MBS said the Saudi investments in the US will likely rise to $1 trillion.

“The agreement that we are signing today in many areas – in technology and AI, in rare materials, magnet, etc – that will create a lot of investment opportunities,” he added.

The crown prince echoed Trump’s assessment that the US is now the “hottest country” in the world, adding that the kingdom wants to be part of the “foundation of emerging technologies” in the US.

Praise and smiles

Trump and MBS were all smiles as they exchanged flattering comments from the moment the crown prince arrived at the White House.

At one point, Trump reached for Prince Mohammed’s hand and held it as he criticised former US President Joe Biden for giving MBS only a fist bump when he visited Riyadh during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

“I grabbed that hand. I don’t give a hell where that hand’s been,” Trump said.

The US president described the Saudi crown prince as “fantastic” and “brilliant”.

“We have an extremely respected man in the Oval Office today, and a friend of mine for a long time – very good friend of mine,” Trump added.

“I’m very proud of the job he’s done. What he’s done is incredible in terms of human rights and everything else.”

The US president went on to rebuke an ABC News reporter for asking a challenging question of Prince Mohammed, accusing her of disrespecting his guest.

When the same journalist later asked Trump why he would not voluntarily release government files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Trump said ABC News’s broadcasting licence should be revoked.

“You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” he added.

 

US, Russia in talks over potential prisoner swap: Axios

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia US Flags

Prisoner swaps, the latest of which took place in April, were part of US President Donald Trump’s effort to stabilize relations with Russia after years of diplomatic friction. Kirill Dmitriev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, told Axios that the prospect of another exchange was raised during his trip to Washington in late October.

“I met some US officials and members of the Trump team on some issues that are humanitarian in nature, such as possible exchanges of prisoners that the US side has been working on,” Dmitriev told the outlet in a phone interview.

US officials confirmed that Dmitriev discussed the idea with special envoy Steve Witkoff and other members of the Trump administration, but no agreement has been reached and no names have been publicly identified, according to Axios.

The Trump administration has rejected the previous White House’s strategy of isolating Moscow over the Ukraine conflict, promoting instead what it calls a pragmatic normalization process. Officials have described prisoner exchanges as a confidence-building element meant to repair bilateral ties damaged under President Joe Biden.

In May, Washington reportedly provided Moscow with a list of nine people whose release it wanted. One of them, Joseph Tater, reportedly left Russia in June, after a court overturned his involuntary psychiatric commitment stemming from a brief altercation with police during an apparent mental health episode.

Witkoff, who has been handling several sensitive negotiations for Trump, was personally involved in arranging prisoner exchanges with Russia. This week he is expected to meet Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Türkiye.

 

Iran’s parliamentary security chief: IAEA’s report deliberate act against natl. interests

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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IAEA

Ebrahim Azizi, reacting to the report circulated ahead of the upcoming meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, said that Grossi’s “hostile behavior and malicious actions can no longer be addressed with mere warnings.”

Azizi argued that the tone and content of the report fit into a broader Western political campaign.

“What we are witnessing today from Grossi and Western institutions is a coordinated and intentional effort against Iran’s national interests,” he said, warning that Europe and the United States “will not be able to achieve in Vienna what they failed to accomplish through political pressure in New York or during recent regional tensions.”

He stressed that the Islamic Republic “will neither remain silent nor passive” in the face of what Tehran views as one-sided demands and politicized pressure.

Referring to Iran’s earlier suspension of voluntary cooperation measures with the Agency, Azizi said Parliament will again adopt “firm and proportionate measures” in response to the “blatant political manipulation by the Agency and its Western backers.”

The comments come as the Associated Press reported that it had reviewed a confidential IAEA assessment stating the Agency has been unable to verify Iran’s stockpile of 60-percent enriched uranium since Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year.

According to AP, the report warns that the status of the accumulated material “requires urgent clarification.”

Lake Urmia officials warn of “unprecedented crisis” as water volume falls below 40 million cubic meters

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Lake Urmia

Prolonged drought has worsened water shortages across West Azarbaijan Province, but experts stress that reduced rainfall accounts for only 20-30 percent of the crisis.

The main drivers, they say, are decades of over-extraction for agriculture and extensive dam construction across the basin.

According to provincial water authorities, rainfall in the Lake Urmia watershed is down 81 percent compared with last year and 86 percent below long-term averages.

Storage levels in the basin’s dams have fallen by 46 percent, while underground aquifers are rapidly declining, contributing to severe land subsidence in plains such as Salmas and Kahriz.

Saeed Issa-Pour, planning director at the Restoration Headquarters, said the lake’s annual environmental water right is around 3.2 billion cubic meters, but last year only 470 million cubic meters, less than 10 percent, was delivered.

He noted that more than 100 large and small dams now intercept water flowing toward the lake.

Officials warn that even a return of normal rainfall will not save Lake Urmia without major changes in water management and agricultural consumption.

Trump would support Russia sanctions bill if he retains final authority: White House

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Trump and Putin

Trump told reporters late on Sunday that it was “OK with me” that Republicans were working on legislation to impose sanctions on countries doing business with Russia over Moscow’s failure to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.

Trump said lawmakers may take his suggestion to add Iran to the sanctions measure.

Senator Lindsey Graham and U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, both Republicans, sponsored the legislation to impose sanctions on countries doing business with Russia, including buyers of its energy exports.

Trump’s comments on Sunday could clear the way for the legislation to move forward in Congress.

Leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives have held off bringing the legislation to a vote as Trump has preferred instead to impose tariffs on goods imported from India, the world’s second-leading buyer of Russian oil after China.

Asked if Trump was now ready to back the legislation, the official stated, “He would sign it. He signaled that last night.”

But the White House will insist on specific language ensuring that Trump retains control over the sanctions, the official continued.

“It’s always been important to the White House and the president that there’s a carve-out in the sanctions package that ensures the president has the ultimate decision-making authority on the sanctions,” the official added.

“So as long as that is included, I think the president would entertain signing the bill.”

The official said the White House was continuing to work on negotiations with Russia on ending the war, adding, “We’re definitely still working it. It just hasn’t been the center of the news because we have so much going on.”

 

Germany plans to lift arms export restrictions on Israel

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

According to Hille, the situation on the ground has since stabilized, with a US-backed ceasefire in force since October 10. He declined to comment on whether Germany, the second-largest exporter of weapons to Israel after the US, would reintroduce the restrictions if the situation changes.

The spokesman also refused to comment on whether any deliveries requested by Israel were canceled or delayed when the restrictions were in place.

Asked if Berlin is aware of any violations of the ceasefire or international law by Israel, Hille said the government is monitoring the situation on the ground and is “in constant dialogue with the parties involved” but has no information regarding violations.

His comments came just days after Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir claimed that the Palestinian people have never existed and the nation is just “an invention without any historical, archaeological, or factual basis.”

Last week, Reuters reported that the Israeli military was sending Palestinian civilians into Hamas tunnels that they knew might be rigged with explosives during their operation in Gaza.

Berlin’s decision on Monday was welcomed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who urged other nations to follow suit in a post on X. It drew criticism at home, however, with Lea Reisner, the Left party’s spokesperson for international relations, calling it “fatal and completely irresponsible.”

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. At least 260 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza over the past month, according to local officials.

Israel launched its military operation in the Palestinian enclave in response to a Hamas surprise attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 others taken hostage in October 2023. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health authorities, the campaign has left at least 69,500 Palestinians dead.

 

Iran says maintains “excellent and strategic” ties with all Caspian neighbors

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Speaking at a meeting of Caspian provincial governors in northern city of Rasht, Araghchi said Iran seeks to expand political, economic, social, cultural and security cooperation with its neighbors.

He emphasized that Iran borders 15 countries by land and sea and considers both the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea as regions of critical importance.

Araghchi noted that Caspian cooperation has expanded through regular summits of the region’s heads of state, foreign ministers and sectoral ministers, as well as new initiatives such as the governors’ forum.

He described ties with Russia as a “strategic partnership,” citing a 20-year cooperation agreement signed last year and ongoing close political and economic exchanges.

He also highlighted recent and upcoming regional visits by President Massoud Pezeshkian, including trips to Russia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

Araghchi said the Caspian region plays a major role in energy, transport corridors, trade and tourism, and called the sea a “treasure trove” of natural resources.

He added that Iran has launched a program to expand provincial diplomacy and plans to replicate joint cross-border meetings with other neighboring states.

Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azaerbaijan Republic are Caspian littoral states.

Iranian deputy FM says progress with US depends on “real give-and-take”

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran US Flags

Khatibzadeh said abandoning “illusions” and avoiding attempts to compensate for “battlefield failures through political tools” is essential for progress.
He added that movement forward is possible only within the framework set by Iran’s Leader.

Reiterating that Iran’s nuclear activities remain peaceful, he stated that the program is rooted in indigenous knowledge and distributed across a country of 90 million people. “Iran is not a country whose acquired knowledge can be erased by bombardment; we will safeguard it,” he said.

Khatibzadeh noted Iran’s reconstruction efforts began immediately after the announcement of a cease-fire back in June, comparing it to Israel’s receipt of large amounts of US and NATO weaponry.

He stressed that Iran’s objective is “to prevent the next war, not prepare for it,” and that the country will not compromise its national security.

He also referred to Iran’s continued membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), arguing that despite attacks on monitored facilities, Iran has remained within the treaty while Israel, which possesses nuclear warheads, is not a member.

Trump greenlights sale of F-35 warplanes to Saudi Arabia 

By
IFP Media Wire
-
F35

Trump stated he will greenlight the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, signalling a departure in how Washington handles sophisticated weapons transfers to Arab countries.

Trump made the announcement on Monday at the White House, just one day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to visit. “We’ll be selling F-35s,” the president told reporters, lauding Washington’s ties with Riyadh.

“Yeah, I am planning on doing it. They want to buy them. They’ve been a great ally,” Trump said.

The decision marks a substantial win for Riyadh as Trump works to persuade Saudi Arabia to establish official ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords.

But Saudi officials have repeatedly reasserted the kingdom’s commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions recognition of Israel on the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

The potential arms deal between Washington and Riyadh raises questions about preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge, which is enshrined in US law. Some Israeli officials have already voiced opposition to the transfer of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia.

The US has a decades-old commitment of ensuring Israel retains superior military capabilities over potential regional adversaries.

The principle, first established under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and formally adopted by President Ronald Reagan, has guided American arms sales in the Middle East for more than four decades.

Every US administration since has pledged to preserve Israel’s ability to emerge victorious against any likely combination of regional forces.

The F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is widely regarded as the world’s most advanced fighter jet, featuring technology that makes it difficult for enemy defences to detect.

Critics in Israel have warned the sale could erode the country’s longstanding military superiority in the region.

The timing of Trump’s announcement, just before Prince Mohammed’s visit to the White House, underscores the US administration’s efforts to deepen ties with Riyadh as part of its broader Middle East strategy.

Washington has historically managed concerns about Israel’s military edge by either downgrading weapons systems sold to Arab states or providing upgraded versions and additional equipment to Israel.

Prince Mohammed’s visit comes as the shaky ceasefire in Gaza continues amid near-daily Israeli violations.

On Monday, when asked about a potential F-35 deal with Riyadh, Trump invoked the US attack on Iran in June, which he said “obliterated” the country’s nuclear facilities.

Saudi Arabia was not involved in those strikes, but the kingdom’s official news agency, SPA, reported on Monday that Prince Mohammed received a handwritten letter from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian before his trip to Washington – without providing details about its content.

If the F-35 sale materialises, Saudi Arabia would become the first Arab country in the F-35 programme.

In 2020, Trump approved the sale of F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi agreed to establish formal ties with Israel. But the deal fell through after Joe Biden succeeded Trump in 2021 amid concerns by US lawmakers over the security of the technology.

The US Congress can disapprove weapon sales authorised by the president and his secretary of state.

 

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