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Iran calls for U.S. accountability and reparations after Trump admits involvement in Israeli strikes

Trump and Netanyahu

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Security Council President Michael Imran Kanu, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani cited Trump’s recent remarks, in which he openly accepted responsibility for leading and overseeing twelve days of Israeli military aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran in June.

The strikes left 1,062 people dead and thousands more injured.

Iravani described Trump’s comments as undeniable proof of the United States’ direct involvement, command responsibility, and leadership in orchestrating and facilitating the Israeli regime’s unlawful military operations.

He emphasized that these actions constituted a blatant violation of the UN Charter, resulting in significant civilian casualties, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, and serious damage to Iran’s peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities.

The ambassador added that the confession by the highest-ranking U.S. official provides clear and legally binding evidence of America’s international responsibility for these aggressive acts.

He asserted that both the United States and Israel bear full and joint responsibility for their attacks and their consequences, including the killing of civilians, extensive property damage, and the deliberate targeting of Iran’s peaceful nuclear sites.

Iravani’s letter reaffirmed Iran’s inherent and sovereign right to pursue all available international legal avenues to ensure accountability, secure justice, and obtain full reparations — including compensation in accordance with international law — for the victims, the wounded, and all damages suffered by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its people.

Türkiye rejects US pressure to give up S-400s: Bloomberg

The acquisition of S-400s by Ankara from Moscow in 2019 soured its relations with Washington, resulting in sanctions being imposed against Türkiye the next year and the NATO member’s exclusion from the US F-35 fighter jet program. The Turkish government has defended the purchase, insisting on their sovereign right to choose their arms suppliers.

Türkiye remains interested in buying 40 F-35s from the US, which would be impossible as long as the sanctions remain in place, the news agency said in an article on Friday.

Ankara is “willing to compromise” in order to make sure that Washington lifts its restrictions, sources told Bloomberg. The Turkish authorities could agree to a technical mechanism for supervising the S-400s together with the US, they said.

US President Donald Trump signaled he was open to Turkey purchasing F-35 fighter jets during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in late September. “He needs certain things, and we need certain things,” Trump said, adding that Erdogan would be “successful” in obtaining what he “would like to buy.”

However, no deal on the fighter jets has been announced since then.

“I do not think it is very becoming of a strategic partnership,” Erdogan said about Washington’s ban on F-35s purchase in an interview with Fox News during his US visit.

Britain lifts sanctions on Syrian president

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) published an official notice on Friday, stating that al-Sharaa, as well as Interior Minister Anas Khattab, have been removed from its blacklist and “are no longer subject to an asset freeze.”

Both men were delisted by the UN Security Council the day before, after members voted in favor of a US-drafted resolution to remove them from the Daesh and Al-Qaeda Sanctions List.

Al-Sharaa, who once led the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani, assumed power after wresting control from former President Bashar Assad.

The US has been urging the 15-member Security Council to ease sanctions on Syria since al-Sharaa met US President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia in May – the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in more than two decades. Trump later announced a major US policy shift, saying he would lift sanctions on Syria.

Last week, US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack confirmed that al-Sharaa would visit Washington, DC, next week. During the visit, Damascus will “hopefully” join the US-led coalition to defeat Islamic State (Daesh), he added. It will be the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House.

On Thursday, Reuters reported that Washington wants to expand its military presence in Syria and is in discussions with Damascus over the use of an airbase by American troops. The agreement, reportedly linked to a non-aggression pact between Syria’s new authorities and Israel, is expected to establish a demilitarized zone in the south of the country.

The US has maintained a foothold in Syria through a controversial base in its southeast, surrounded by an exclusion zone that Moscow has described as a safe haven for terrorists. Neither Assad nor the new government led by al-Sharaa has authorized an American presence in the country.

US admission ‘irrefutable’ evidence of its ‘direct involvement’ in Israeli attacks: Iran

Esmael baghaei

In a post on his X account on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Trump’s public admission that he was “very much in charge” of the Israeli assault leaves no doubt about Washington’s being “actively involved” in an “unlawful” act of aggression.

“This admission constitutes irrefutable evidence of America’s direct involvement and active complicity in Israel’s unprovoked act of aggression against Iran,” Baghaei added.

He also recalled that, at the onset of the war, American officials had denied any role in the Israeli offensive. “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on June 13, 2025, that Washington had no role in the war,” he noted, referring to Rubio’s statement at the time that the strikes were a “unilateral action” by Israel and that the US was “not involved in strikes against Iran.”

“That statement was an outright lie, of course; from the very beginning, it was clear that the United States was a full participant in Israel’s crime of aggression against the nation of Iran,” Baghaei continued.

The Iranian spokesman said Trump’s remarks now serve as an “unambiguous acknowledgment of US responsibility for a wrongful act and a serious breach of international law.”

He called on the international community to hold Washington accountable for its “flagrant violation and the atrocious wrong it has committed.”

On June 13, Israel launched an unprovoked war against Iran, assassinating many high-ranking military commanders, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians.

More than a week later, the United States also entered the war by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the illegal assault.

Trump, who spoke at the White House on Thursday night, appeared to take full responsibility for what Washington had previously called an Israeli-only action.

“Israel attacked first. That attack was very, very powerful. I was very much in charge of that,” he stated.

Since the aggression, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for the outcome, claiming that the US “totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. His comments on Thursday went further, suggesting he had orchestrated the war from the outset.

Trump had long campaigned as a “peace” candidate who claimed to oppose starting new wars.

At the time, Secretary Rubio stressed, “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”

Washington lifts terrorist label on Syria’s leader ahead of US visit

US Treasury

According to a notice on the U.S. Treasury Department website, the United States removed Specially Designated Global Terrorist designations on Sharaa and Syria’s interior minister, Anas Khattab.

“These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,” State Department Principal Deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement Friday.

“This new Syrian government, led by President al-Sharaa, is working hard to missing Americans, fulfill its commitments on countering terrorism and narcotics, eliminating any remnants of chemical weapons, and promoting regional security and stability as well as an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process.”

Al-Sharaa is the former leader of U.S.-designated terror group al-Qaeda who was once wanted by the U.S. as a terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head. He has even served time in the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.

The U.N. Security Council voted 14-0 in favor of adoption of the resolution, with one abstention.

“With the adoption of this text, the Council is sending a strong political signal that recognizes Syria is in a new era since Assad and his associates were toppled in December 2024,” U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz stated moments after the resolution was adopted Thursday.

“As President Trump previously indicated, now is Syria’s chance at greatness,” Waltz added, noting that al-Sharaa, as well as Syria’s interior minister, Khattab, were now ‘de-listed’ from a sanctions list.

Monday’s meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa marks the first-ever official visit by a Syrian president to the White House.

It’s also the third meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa this year, as the Syrian leader confronts the challenges of rebuilding the country, seeking to restore ties with Arab countries and the West after years of war under al-Assad’s government.

A senior Trump administration official said Monday’s meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa will focus on counterterrorism efforts. Syria is also expected to join the U.S.-led anti–Islamic State coalition, which includes some 80 countries working to prevent a resurgence of the extremist group, according to the official.

US sees ‘progress’ in resolving Ukraine conflict

Russia Ukraine War

The US president has long pledged to mediate an end to the Ukraine conflict and has repeatedly voiced frustration, alternately blaming both Moscow and Kiev for the deadlock.

During a White House dinner with the leaders of Central Asian nations, Trump claimed credit for ending “eight wars in eight months” and expressed hope to add another one to the list.

“We are looking at one more, that’s possible – Russia and Ukraine. We haven’t gotten that yet, but I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” Trump said.

The US president told the America Business Forum on Wednesday that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, stated during a recent phone call that Moscow has been trying to find a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict for over a decade, and that Washington is more than welcome to compel Kiev to accept a negotiated solution.

Speaking at the same forum, Witkoff recalled his multiple face-to-face rounds of talks with Putin this year and said he similarly sees progress.

“There’s a lot of discussion that technical teams have to have at the lower level before the leaders can get to a deal. But I sense that there’s some progress today,” Witkoff added.

Moscow has consistently praised the Trump administration for what it describes as a genuine attempt to address the root causes of the conflict. At the same time, it has repeatedly stated that it seeks a lasting resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire, which it argues would only allow Kiev to regroup and rearm.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and its European backers continue to call for increased Western military support. Russia has accused them of resisting meaningful diplomatic engagement and of refusing to accept realities on the ground.

Last month, Moscow announced that its forces had encircled some 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in several key strongholds. Putin urged Kiev to agree to an honorable surrender of the blockaded troops.

Kiev, however, continues to claim that it holds the cities and that the Russian Army is being pushed back. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is either “divorced from reality” or is deliberately lying to his nation.

Iranian deputy FM: Resumption of nuclear talks depends on US conduct

He revealed that in September, the US side made several requests regarding Iran’s missile program, noting, “Iran’s missiles are essential for preserving national sovereignty and territorial integrity and are non-negotiable”.

He added that if the US has the genuine will to reach an agreement from an equal position, achieving such an outcome is possible. Khatibzadeh underscored that the future of the negotiations depends entirely on the US approach.

The senior Iranian diplomat further said that if the US enters the process with a real intention to reach an agreement, speaks respectfully, and abandons its illusions, everything can be achieved.

Addressing the International Atomic Energy Agency’s access to damaged nuclear facilities, the Iranian deputy foreign minister said that access is currently very limited.

He then called for finding new mechanisms for cooperation and joint activities with the IAEA.

UNESCO recognizes Cyrus the Great Cylinder as early charter of human rights

The resolution, adopted by consensus, describes the ancient artifact as a foundational document in the history of human civilization that emphasizes justice, tolerance and respect for cultural diversity.

The initiative was jointly proposed by Iran, Tajikistan and Iraq, and received support from a number of member states, including Egypt, India, Colombia, Nigeria, Algeria, Pakistan, Kenya, Senegal, Armenia and Poland.

According to the resolution, UNESCO will integrate the teachings and values highlighted in the Cyrus Cylinder into its educational, cultural and human rights programs.

Iran’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Ahmad Pakatchi, and Hassan Fartousi, Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission in Iran, played key roles in advancing the proposal, with support from Iran’s Minister of Science Hossein Simaei.

Officials stated that the decision underscores Iran’s longstanding contribution to global heritage and reinforces UNESCO’s mission of promoting peace, intercultural dialogue and inclusive societies.

It also aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goals 16 and 17 related to justice and international cooperation.

Iran Slams US Sanctions as ‘Crime Against Humanity,’ Citing Ban on EB Patients’ Medical Supplies

Esmael Baghaei

Esmail Baqaei made the remarks Thursday evening during the unveiling ceremony of the documentary “Flight of the Butterflies”, which tells the moving story of pain, perseverance, and tireless effort of two gifted Iranian siblings suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), also known as butterfly disease.

Writing on X, Baqaei said: “The documentary ‘Flight of the Butterflies’ portrays, on one hand, the patience, determination, and unbreakable will of Zahra and Mohammad-Mehdi — a sister and brother living with EB — in their pursuit of knowledge and progress, and on the other hand, depicts the unimaginable suffering of EB patients and their families.”

Baqaei added that the inhumane and unjust nature of US sanctions against Iran is evident in the fact that EB patients — like many others with rare or life-threatening diseases — have always been among the first victims of such measures.

He emphasized that blocking the delivery of special dressings for EB patients represents the height of cruelty and brutality by those who design and implement the sanctions.

Speaker Ghalibaf says Iran seeks peace, not expansion; asserts no evidence of nuclear weapons drive

Speaking at a meeting with Pakistani religious scholars, academics and civic figures in Islamabad, as part of an official visit at the invitation of Pakistan’s National Assembly speaker, Ghalibaf praised Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran during the 12-day conflict and condemned Western and Israeli aggression.

He called for greater unity among Muslim countries and urged coordinated political, cultural and scientific cooperation.

Ghalibaf reiterated Iran’s longtime stance that it does not intend to build nuclear arms, adding that “even after attacks by the US and Israel, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated there is no evidence Iran is moving toward nuclear weapons,” an assertion he used to underscore Iran’s stated peaceful intentions.

He highlighted Iran’s scientific progress in nuclear technology, nanotechnology, aerospace and medicine, attributing advances to resilience despite sanctions.

The speaker also stressed that Muslim states should strengthen ties and resist imposed peace deals that he warned serve foreign interests.