Sunday, December 28, 2025
type here...
Home Blog Page 548

UN warns Gaza aid effort at ‘breaking point’ amid war

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

Aid efforts in Gaza are facing mounting obstacles as Israeli forces continue attacks on relief workers amid a breakdown of law and order in the war-torn enclave, the UN humanitarian agency’s (OCHA) chief said in a statement.

He also noted the threat from armed Palestinian groups.

Tom Fletcher, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, stated: “The reality is that despite our determination to deliver food, water and medicine to survivors, our efforts to save lives are at breaking point.”

The official added an Israeli air attack had seriously injured three people at a known food distribution point where the World Food Programme (WFP) partner was operating.

Israeli soldiers also fired more than 16 rounds at a clearly marked UN convoy at the checkpoint from the south to the north on Sunday, he continued.

Armed Palestinian gangs are also hindering operations. They hijacked six fuel tankers entering from the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, leaving humanitarian agencies with hardly any fuel for aid operations, Fletcher said.

“There is no meaningful civil order. Israeli forces are unable or unwilling to ensure the safety of our convoys. Statements by Israeli authorities vilify our aid workers even as the military attacks them. Community volunteers who accompany our convoys are being targeted. There is now a perception that it is dangerous to protect aid convoys but safe to loot them,” Fletcher said.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed at least 45,854 Palestinians and wounded 109,139 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and about 250 were taken captive.

UN agencies estimate that some 1.6 million people in Gaza are living in makeshift shelters that do not protect them from the cold of winter, with nearly half a million in flood-prone areas. Authorities in Gaza say some 110,000 out of the 135,000 tents being used as shelter in the Strip are worn out and not fit for use.

Fletcher has called on UN member states to ensure that all civilians, and all humanitarian operations, are protected.

“This should not need to be said,” he insisted.

His comments came as Gaza’s Health Ministry urged international donors to immediately provide fuel to maintain medical services.

It warned of “a real disaster”, as none of the remaining operational health facilities in the enclave has any fuel stock left, “threatening hospitals, oxygen stations, medicine refrigerators, and nurseries”.

The ministry announced the latest shipment of fuel was stolen on Monday as it was on its way to hospitals.

“We reiterate our appeal to all concerned international and humanitarian institutions to urgently intervene to provide and secure fuel to operate generators in hospitals and health centres in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry added.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari confirmed that indirect talks aimed at cementing a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas are continuing with “technical meetings” taking place between the parties.

Discussions among lower-level officials on the details of an agreement are continuing, and “there are no principal meetings taking place at the moment”, he added.

Hamas stood by its demand on Tuesday that Israel fully end its assault on Gaza and withdraw all its troops from Gaza under any deal to release Israeli captives.

Iranian filmmaker wins top honors at NYIFA for short film Soratgar

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

This renowned festival, in its sixth edition, selects films through preliminary, semifinal, and final stages. Selected films are screened monthly at The Producers Club in Manhattan, New York, with public screenings set for January 20, 2025.

Soratgar is a short documentary based on the lives of Molavi or Rumi, the great Iranian poet, and his spiritual instructor Shams Tabrizi in 642 AH. It is currently in contention for the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and other prestigious honors in 2026, and ranks among IMDb’s Top 50 Short Films and Documentaries of 2025.

Previously, Soratgar secured third place at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2022, in the US, and earned nominations at the 78th FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DEL CINEMA DI SALERNO, in Italy, and the Crown Point International Film Festival in 2024 in Chicago, the US.

Key collaborators on Soratgar include cinematographer Ali Ehsani, editor Ehsan Vaseghi, and artistic director Mohammad Nazari.

First international flight lands in Syria since overthrow of Assad

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The flight from Qatar landed around 1pm at Damascus International Airport, according to AFP correspondents, the first from the Gulf state in 13 years.

A Syrian Airlines flight also took off for Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, at around 11:45am.

“Today marks a new beginning,” airport director Anis Fallouh told AFP.

“We have started to welcome international flights taking off and landing in Damascus.”

Syria’s planes have been repainted to reflect the new national flag that has replaced the Baathist one used under Assad.

This is the first international commercial flight since 8 December, the date Damascus was captured by armed groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Syria’s new administration has been pushing to end the country’s isolation amid continuing concerns over governance and HTS’s former links to al-Qaeda.

During a visit to Qatar on Sunday, Syria’s new foreign minister said US sanctions imposed during the former government were hindering the country’s ability to recover swiftly from years of conflict and called on Washington to lift them.

“These sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries,” Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said after meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister.

On Monday, the US announced that it would be softening some sanctions on Syria, with the Treasury issuing a general licence lasting six months authorising some transactions, including energy sales and incidental transactions.

The Treasury said that the move did not constitute the lifting of the sanctions, but was meant to ensure they “do not impede activities to meet basic human needs, including the provision of public services or humanitarian assistance”.

Shibani’s first foreign trip was to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where he met with Saudi officials to discuss ways to support Syria’s political transition.

The Syrian foreign minister will also visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan later this week.

Iran holds commemoration ceremony for victims of Ukrainian flight 752

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The event was attended by Saeed Ohadi, Head of the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs; Zahra Behrouz-Azar, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs; and Fatemeh Mohajerani, Government Spokesperson.

Speaking at the ceremony, Saeed Ohadi recalled his interaction with some of the victims at a mourning ceremony for the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (PBUH), in Toronto in 2018.

“Zeynab Asadi Lari, Mohammad Hossein Asadi Lari, and Mohammad Amin Jebelli were present at that event, shedding tears, unaware that two years later, they would no longer be with us,” he said.

Ohadi emphasized, “God has stated not to think martyrs are absent among us. Although we struggle with worldly matters, the martyrs rejoice in the divine blessings and grace bestowed upon them.”

The tragic crash of a Ukrainian Boeing 737 on January 8, 2020, claimed 176 lives, including 148 Iranians, 10 Afghans, and 18 other nationals over the sky of Tehran. Several victims, are laid to rest in the courtyard of Imamzadeh Saleh, in northern Tehran, where the commemoration ceremony was held.

Iranian FM stresses powerful presence of Resistance Front in West Asia

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Abbas Araghchi

On Tuesday, in remarks made on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian anti-terrorism icon, Araqchi said that the school of thought of General Soleimani is one of resistance, established by the wise leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and transformed into the Resistance Front.

The top Iranian diplomat pointed out that the Resistance Front continues to maintain a powerful presence in the region and confronts the Zionist regime and the domination forces.

He pointed to recent developments in the Middle East, emphasizing that the Resistance Front has experienced a growing trend throughout its existence. Enemies should not think that the resistance has weakened due to the blows they have inflicted.

The Iranian Foreign Minister stated that undoubtedly, the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon will become stronger and more fruitful after the martyrdom of its late leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Araqchi mentioned field developments, diplomacy, and media as three pillars of the Resistance School, adding these elements complement each other and must work together.

He warned that enemies seek to create despair and frustration among the people and emphasized that the resistance will remain strong in the region.

Trump’s Ukraine aide postpones visit to Kyiv until after inauguration: Reuters

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Keith Kellogg

According to the sources who spoke to Reuters, the new date has not yet been set, and it was not immediately clear as to why the trip was postponed.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously confirmed to journalists in Brussels on Dec. 19 that Kellogg would visit Ukraine before Trump’s inauguration in January, according to a Kyiv Independent reporter.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated on Dec. 20 that Ukraine and the US had initially reached a preliminary agreement on the date of a visit to Kyiv by Kellogg — although that date was never publicly revealed.

Reuters reported on Dec. 18 that Kellogg planned to visit Kyiv and several European capitals before Trump takes office on Jan. 20 as part of the new administration’s effort to address Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

Sources confirmed on Jan. 6 that Kellogg remains committed to visiting other European capitals, including Rome and Paris.

Kellogg, a former national security advisor to Vice President Mike Pence, is a known figure to Ukraine and “has maintained close ties… in recent years” with Kyiv, Tykhyi noted on Nov. 28.

Trump has pledged to quickly bring an end to the war but has not provided details on how he plans to do it.

Zelensky recently stressed that the country must do everything possible to end the war through diplomatic means in 2025, adding that a war would “end faster” under a Trump administration.

Ukrainian military says fends off almost 100 Russian attacks in a day in Kursk Oblast

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Russia Ukraine War

This represents nearly half of the skirmishes over the past day, as the military reported 218 clashes across the front.

On Jan. 5, Ukraine launched renewed offensive operations in the Russian region, which is seen as crucial for any possible peace negotiations.

The Russian Defense Ministry alleged on Jan. 6 that the Ukrainian advance was halted and that Ukraine’s primary units were destroyed near Berdin, a settlement along a road leading northeast to the city of Kursk.

Ukraine has not commented on the claims and provided limited information on the operation.

The US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) announced that between Jan. 5 and 6, Ukrainian forces advanced in southern Berdin, central Russkoye Porechnoye, and central Novosotnitsky, all northeast of Sudzha, a key Ukraine-held town in the region.

The ISW analysts speculated that these attacks “may be the beginning stages of a concerted Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere in the theater”.

In the meantime, Russian forces took advantage of Ukrainian activity to attack elsewhere in the Kursk Oblast salient, apparently advancing west of Malaya Loknya, according to the ISW.

Ukrainian forces launched a large-scale operation in Kursk Oblast in early August, allegedly capturing up to 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian soil. Since then, Russia has deployed reinforcements — including North Korean soldiers — in the area and reportedly retook around half of the lost territory.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Jan. 6 that Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk Oblast could play an important role in possible talks with Russia.

Prospects of negotiations in 2025 are hotly discussed amid U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s pledges to bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table.

US transfers several prisoners from Guantánamo Bay to Oman

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Guantánamo Bay

The 11 prisoners were Yemeni nationals, according to the Defense Department, and their transfer to the country of Oman brings the detainee population at the site down to just 15 people.

President Joe Biden has continued the mission of the Barack Obama administration to transfer prisoners out and wind down operations at the site that has become infamous for accusations of torture and abuse as the US carried out the war on terrorism.

The Pentagon also announced a detainee transfer to Tunisia in December, but it’s unclear if Biden intends to bring down the population even further before he leaves office.

Several inmates are likely to remain for now, including the alleged 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, known as KSM, and four of his conspirators. Including KSM, four of the five are set to stand trial beginning this week.

The US announced plea deals for KSM and three conspirators last year, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revoked them. Last week, a military appeals court ruled that Austin did not have the authority to revoke the plea deals, which included life sentences for KSM and the three conspirators.

The transfers this week were authorized for one detainee, Tawfiq Nasir Awad Al-Bihani, by an executive order signed by then-President Obama in 2009. The others were authorized by a review board.

“Although different processes, each of the 10 Yemeni detainees underwent a thorough, interagency review by career professionals who unanimously determined all detainees as transfer eligible consistent with the national security interests of the United States,” the Pentagon announced in a release.

One of the detainees transferred was Sharqawi Al Hajj, 51, who spent 21 years at Guantánamo Bay despite never being charged with a crime and who was hospitalized after undergoing a hunger strike in 2017.

Hajj was represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Pardiss Kebriaei, a senior staff attorney at the legal foundation, stated his thoughts were with Hajj as he “transitions to the free world after almost 23 years in captivity.”

“His release is hopeful for him and for us,” Kebriaei said in a statement.

“We are grateful to Oman and to the individuals in the administration who made this transfer happen, and to the many people over the years whose work and advocacy paved the way for this moment,” Kebriaei added.

The legal foundation said Hajj was one of 119 victims named in a Senate Intelligence report on the CIA’s alleged abuses, and that he spent more than two years at the CIA’s sites before transferring to Guantánamo Bay in 2004.

Of the 15 men still at the Cuba site, six have never been charged, three of whom are awaiting release while the other three waiting for clearance, according to the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Lalejin: The enchanting ceramics capital of Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The historic city, adorned with the title “Global City of Pottery” or the “Ceramics Capital,” owes its renown to the tireless dedication of its artisans.

For over seven millennia, the tradition of pottery has been the lifeblood of Lalejin.

In the past, this city was not just a center of ceramic creation but a beacon of culture in the Middle East. The clay here, once mere dirt, is transformed through skilled hands into beautiful vessels that tell stories of human creativity and resilience.

Find more the mesmerizing art in the pictures:

Iran’s export confederation chief emphasizes need for FATF compliance

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
FATF

In an interview with IRNA news agency, Mohammad Lahooti highlighted that the current administration is determined to resolve issues related to Iran’s inclusion in the FATF.

He pointed out that although sanctions have adversely affected the economy and foreign trade, being on the FATF blacklist is an even more significant challenge.

He also warned that failure to join the FATF could lead to losing key trade partners like Russia and China, as the countries conduct substantial trade with Europe and the US and are cautious about FATF regulations.

Lahooti noted that without resolving the issue, financial and trade interactions with other countries would become increasingly difficult and the situation would force Iran to rely on costly and less competitive methods to circumvent sanctions.

He also mentioned that the Iranian Leader has approved the review of the Palermo and CFT conventions, the two sticking points for Iran, by the Expediency Council, which had been stalled since 2019.

President Massoud Pezeshkian has committed to facilitating financial and trade relations globally, emphasizing the urgency of FATF compliance for economic stability.

1...547548549...5,017Page 548 of 5,017

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks