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Russia claims captured key logistics hub in eastern Ukraine

By
IFP Media Wire
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The Kremlin announced the news in a Telegram post on Monday, citing Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. The post said the eastern Ukrainian city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region had also been captured by Russian forces.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Gerasimov reported news of the “liberation” to Russian President Vladimir Putin late on Sunday as the leader visited a front-line command centre, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.

Pokrovsk is a major transportation hub in the Donetsk region, one of the four regions of eastern Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed.

The city, once home to 60,000 people, has been heavily bombarded in recent weeks by Russian drones, artillery and bombs, with many buildings reduced to rubble.

Ukraine has yet to confirm Russia’s takeover of the city, but Reuters reported that Moscow is circulating a video of soldiers marching through the streets of Pokrovsk and flying a Russian flag.

Putin later congratulated Russian forces on their victory, according to the TASS news agency.

“I want to thank you for the results of your work regarding Krasnoarmeysk, both you and the entire command and personnel of the battlegroup,” Putin said, using the Russian name for Pokrovsk.

“Of course, the fighters, our guys, who are carrying out these combat missions,” he added, according to TASS.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting with US and European leaders this week to discuss how to negotiate an end to the war.

He stated on Monday that one of his top priorities is to avoid granting Moscow territorial concessions that would legitimise Russia’s occupation of swaths of Ukrainian territory.

 

Russia responds to NATO pre-emptive attack threat

By
IFP Media Wire
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Zakharova was responding to an interview Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, gave to the Financial Times over the weekend. According to the general, the bloc should become “more aggressive” and “proactive” in its dealings with Moscow. He also claimed that a “pre-emptive strike” could be considered a “defensive action,” although it would be “further away from our normal way of thinking and behavior.”

In a statement published by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, Zakharova described Dragone’s words as “an absolutely irresponsible move indicating the bloc’s readiness to further move towards escalation.”

“Anti-Russian hysteria” whipped up by NATO members is only stirring up the ongoing confrontation even further, she warned.

The general’s statement also debunks a myth about the “purely defensive” nature of the military bloc, Zakharova said, adding that NATO “has not been hiding its goals and intentions for a long time.”

The spokeswoman further accused the bloc of “deliberately seeking to disrupt efforts aimed at finding a way out of the Ukraine crisis.”

“People making these statements should understand the corresponding risks and potential consequences, including for the bloc members.”

The EU has increasingly used anti-Russian rhetoric to justify massive military expenditures. The ReArm Europe package, presented in March, aims to mobilize up to €800 billion ($933 billion) to expand EU nations’ militaries under the pretext of countering an alleged “Russian threat.” NATO also pushed its members commit to spending a total of 5% of their GDPs on the military this summer.

Moscow has repeatedly stated that it has no intention to attack any NATO member, but has warned of a harsh response if attacked.

 

British special forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan: Report

By
IFP Media Wire
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The testimony transcript was one of four interviews released on Monday as part of a years-long investigation into the conduct of the UK special forces (UKSF), including the SAS, in Helmand province from 2010 to 2013.

The officer, who was formerly assistant chief of staff for operations in the UKSF HQ and was identified only as N1466, described serious allegations reported within the force. These included claims that officers had confessed to one unit’s policy “of killing fighting aged males on target regardless of threat,” he said.

The whisleblower added that raid reports often listed more Afghans killed than weapons recovered, and stated that claims of detainees grabbing guns or grenades after capture did not seem credible.

“We are talking about war crimes… we are talking about taking detainees back on target and executing them… the pretense being that they conducted violence against the forces.”

According to N1466, more than one special forces director had known about the issue, and tried to “suppress” it.

“Other directors… clearly knew there was a problem,” the officer claimed.

The issue was brushed aside as inter-unit rivalry, which “just didn’t chime with the evidence,” he added.

“We didn’t join UKSF for this sort of behavior, you know, [for] toddlers to get shot in their beds or random killing. It’s not special, it’s not elite, it’s not what we stand for,” he said.

According to another officer questioned, Western-trained Afghan forces refused to deploy alongside the British unit in question on multiple occasions, which he described as “indicative of a problem, a real problem.”

A third officer stated that the emerging evidence was likely “just the tip of the iceberg,” arguing that the “very kinetic” and violent NATO and UK operations did nothing to win Afghan “hearts and minds.”

The UK deployed forces alongside the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and withdrew along with other NATO troops in 2021.

 

Iran FM: U.S. “excessive demands” blamed for stalled Tehran–Washington talks

By
IFP Media Wire
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Abbas Araghchi

In an interview, Araqchi said the main obstacle in Iran–US relations today — and the reason negotiations have not resumed — is Washington’s approach rooted in imposing its will and pursuing maximalist demands.

“Unfortunately, we have repeatedly witnessed this behavior in our interactions with them,” he noted.

Araqchi emphasized that if the US side demonstrates readiness for a “fair and balanced agreement based on mutual interests,” Iran would certainly consider it.

He said the Americans entered the talks with a “zero-enrichment policy.” “From the outset, we made clear that such a thing is impossible and that a middle-ground solution must be found,” he stated.

Araqchi stressed that the door to negotiations and mediation is always open, provided that the rules are respected.

“We have never left the negotiating table, because diplomacy is an integral part of our principles and approach,” he added.

“No country can be deprived of its legitimate rights,” he continued.

“Transparency and confidence-building can be demanded, and we are ready for that. But abandoning our fundamental rights is never an option.”

“The only way forward is a balanced solution that considers the interests of all parties,” Araqchi said.

Commenting on the US position, he added: “If you want zero enrichment, there will be no agreement between us. But if you want zero bombs, then we can reach an agreement – it is entirely achievable.”

Araqchi said the two sides had come “very close to an agreement,” and that five rounds of negotiations mediated by Oman had produced “multiple solutions” capable of resolving the issues. “But these solutions were rejected in Washington, and ultimately the pro-war forces prevailed, pushing the country and the region onto a regrettable path,” he said.

Referring to the 12-day June war, Araqchi acknowledged that it inflicted heavy losses and significant costs on Iran, but also brought strategic benefits.

“Most importantly, our missiles and weapons were tested for the first time in an actual war. We used these capabilities fully, and all strengths and weaknesses became clear to us.”

He stressed that Iran’s defensive posture is now stronger than before the June conflict, “both in terms of the quantity and quality of our weapons and missile capabilities.”

Fatal crash kills Iranian VP’s wife, daughter declared brain-dead

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Ambulance Iran

The incident occurred when a Tara sedan carrying them struck a parked truck at the entrance of the small town of Eyvankey on the Sharifabad–Garmsar road east of the capital Tehran.

According to the road police, specialized investigations determined that the driver had lost control of the vehicle due to fatigue and drowsiness.

Fatemeh Heydari, 34, the vice president’s wife, died instantly at the scene. His 12-year-old daughter, who had sustained severe injuries, was later declared brain-dead, and Saghab Esfahani approved the donation of her organs.

Two other children and the wife’s 56-year-old father were also injured, though medical officials say their conditions are stable.

Emergency teams transferred all injured passengers to Motamedi Hospital in Garmsar before they were relocated to another hospital in Tehran.

President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Saghab Esfahani in the hospital, offering him condolences and requesting comprehensive medical care for all affected family members. He also issued an official message expressing sympathy and praying for divine mercy for the deceased.

World’s biggest arms producers increased revenue by 5.9% last year to record level: Report

By
IFP Media Wire
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The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, said the revenues of the 100 largest arms makers grew to $679 billion in 2024, the highest figure it has recorded.

The bulk of the increase was down to companies based in Europe and the United States, but there were increases around the world — except in Asia and Oceania, where problems in the Chinese arms industry led to a slight fall.

Thirty of the 39 U.S. companies in the top 100 — including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics — posted increases. Their combined revenue was up 3.8% at $334 billion. But SIPRI noted that “widespread delays and budget overruns continue to plague development and production” in major U.S.-led programs, including the F-35 fighter jet.

NATO member states begging US to U-turn on troop numbers: Bloomberg

By
IFP Media Wire
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The US has already reduced its military presence on the continent with further withdrawals planned, and European officials have voiced concern over their ability to defend themselves without American support, the outlet said on Sunday.

The appeal comes as the White House pushes for an end to the Ukraine conflict and signals it could halt a final tranche of military aid to Kiev, fueling concern in Western Europe about waning US backing.

The NATO exercises ran from October 20 to November 13 and involved more than 5,000 Romanian troops alongside personnel from nine other NATO members – Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.

Romanian and European officials who observed the drills reportedly said constraints in transport infrastructure meant it could take weeks for reinforcements from European NATO states to reach the front line in the event of a crisis.

Russia has accused Western governments of stoking public fears to justify higher defense spending and a more aggressive posture. Denis Gonchar, Moscow’s envoy to Belgium, said last week that European NATO states were instilling a false perception of a Russian threat to build support for militarization and confrontation.

Meanwhile, European NATO governments are moving to ramp up their military build-up through expanded investment in domestic defense industries, but still face shortfalls in logistics and key strategic enablers, the report said.

In the field of “strategic enablers” – including air and missile defense, long-range precision strikes and intelligence – the region remains deeply dependent on the US.

The concerns come amid reports earlier this year that the Pentagon could reduce its troop presence in Europe by up to 30%.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban last week accused the EU of “still plotting war” while “everyone else” is striving for peace, saying the bloc is deliberately stalling Russian and US efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict. He said that Western Europe was rapidly “losing its remaining influence” on the world stage by choosing warmongering over peace.

Iran warns over implications of Israeli incursions into Syria

By
IFP Media Wire
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Esmail Baghaei

Baghaei was speaking at a press conference on Monday, identifying the issue as a “shared regional concern,” and underlining the importance of stability as a region-wide imperative.

The official explained that Syrian security was inseparable from that of the wider West Asian stability, singling out the continued Israeli “acts of aggression” and the recent appearance of senior Israeli officials inside Syria’s occupied parts.

“One of the key, shared anxieties among regional nations is the continuation of attacks by the Zionist regime against Syria,” Baghaei said, adding that Tel Aviv had pushed deeper into the country “over recent weeks.”

Baghaei underscored that “the issues in the region are all interconnected,” naming “tragic [Israeli-manufactured] crises” in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon as cases in point.

Last year, the regime backed up increasingly ferocious onslaughts throughout Syria by the so-called Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Takfiri terrorist group with airstrikes targeting the country’s civilian and defensive infrastructure. The HTS-led militants topped the government of President Bashar al-Assad as a result.

Various reports have shown that, during the escalation, the regime conducted more than 1,000 airstrikes on the Syrian territory and over 400 ground raids into the south.

Following the collapse of the Assad government, Tel Aviv also widened its grip over the occupied Golan Heights by taking control of a demilitarized buffer zone, in defiance of a 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Earlier this month, senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, visited the buffer zone, prompting expressions of alarm on the part of the United Nations.

The spokesman dismissed the idea that Saudi Arabia was acting as a mediator between Iran and the new regime in Syria.

Tehran rather consults with Riyadh on issues concerning Syria, not in order to open “new [communication] channels,” but rather towards fostering regional security awareness and collective solutions.

“Our dialogue is not about creating a bilateral conduit, but about contributing to regional and security conditions and ensuring mutual understanding of emerging perspectives,” Baghaei stated.

He emphasized that such diplomatic engagement has become “a fixed agenda within Iranian diplomacy,” involving Saudi Arabia as well as other member states of the Arab League.

In the same context, the official stated, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Saud bin Mohammed Al-Sati recently traveled to Tehran, holding talks with Iranian officials that focused on Syria.

Baghaei described the United States as the “largest threat to international peace,” citing repeated coercive pressure against Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua as well as American rhetoric targeting Brazil and Mexico.

He highlighted unprecedented US demands such as closure of Venezuela’s national airspace, which he called a breach of global aviation safety norms

The official also denounced diplomatic threats towards South Africa, including attempts to influence its participation in the G20 Summit.

He, meanwhile, condemned Washington for enabling the Israeli regime’s aggression in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon, warning that “the US’s law-breaking is becoming a global template for some other actors.”

The spokesman addressed the Israeli regime’s constant warnings about alleged potential of emergence of an additional regional crisis, saying the nature exhibited by the regime over the past eight decades had featured constant crisis-engineering.

He added that the Islamic Republic draws on the strategic legacy of the 12-day-long defensive and retaliatory operations staged by the country against an imposed and illegal war by Tel Aviv and Washington in June, stressing that Tehran was “fully prepared for any contingency and will prevent Israel from exporting insecurity into Iran.”

 

Sons of Pakistan’s Imran Khan voice fears for his safety

By
IFP Media Wire
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Imran Khan

As court-ordered prison visits stay blocked and rumours swirl about possible prison transfers, his son, Kasim Khan, told Reuters the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Khan, despite a judicial order for weekly meetings.

“Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured or even alive is a form of psychological torture,” he said in written remarks, adding that there had been no independently confirmed communication for a couple of months.

“Today we have no verifiable information at all about his condition,” the son continued, stating, “Our greatest fear is that something irreversible is being hidden from us.”

The family has repeatedly sought access for Khan’s personal physician, who has not been allowed to examine him for more than a year, he added.

Pakistan’s interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a jail official told Reuters that Khan was in good health, adding that he was not aware of any plan for a move to a higher-security facility.

Khan, 72, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote.

His first conviction centred on accusations that he unlawfully sold gifts received in office, in a proceeding widely referred to as the Toshakhana case.

Later verdicts added lengthy jail terms, including 10 years on accusations of leaking a diplomatic cable and 14 years in a separate graft case tied to the Al-Qadir Trust, a charity project prosecutors say figured in improper land deals.

 

University of Tehran leads world in terms of highly cited researchers, new report shows

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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As reported on Monday by the University of Tehran’s Public Relations Office, citing data released by the Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC), 114 researchers from the University of Tehran were listed among the globally top-cited holars for the one-year citation window of 2024.

The report points to outstanding contributions across a wide range of scientific fields, hailing the university’s growing international impact.

The University of Tehran’s highly cited researchers include leading figures such as Ali Asghar Heidari, Morteza Aghbashloo, Mohammadreza Ganjali, Reza Tavakoli Moghaddam, and many others recognized for their significant scientific influence.

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