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IRGC spokesman: “Enemy lacks capability for full-scale war”

Iran Missile

Brigadier General Ali-Mohammad Naeini, IRGC spokesperson and deputy head of public relations, stated during a televised program that Israel “entered the conflict with maximal objectives for overthrow and disintegration, but failed to achieve them. Now, it has neither the motivation nor the technological readiness to start another war.”

Referring to the war with US-Israeli alliance in June, he noted that intelligence and technical assessments showed the adversary suffered not only from ammunition shortages but also from deficiencies in air defense systems and advanced military technology.

“What they already possessed could not provide effective defense, and there is no sign of new strategic capability,” General Naeini said.

Discussing Iran’s response operations, General Naeini confirmed that the IRGC’s Operation True Promise 2 missile campaign strengthened regional deterrence and morale among allied resistance groups.

He added that while Iran maintained readiness for extended conflict, the logical decision was to accept an end to hostilities after achieving victory.

“The war ended when we were in a position of strength,” General Naeini said, emphasizing that about 60 percent of global public opinion viewed Iran as the victor of the 12-day conflict.

Israeli military committed 194 violations of Gaza ceasefire: Media office

Gaza War

Ismail al-Thawabteh, the office director, told Anadolu that the violations included Israeli incursions beyond the so-called “yellow line,” the blocking of medical supplies, medicines, tents, and mobile homes, as well as gunfire, shelling, and military incursions.

“So far, the occupation forces have committed 194 violations against the Palestinian people since the agreement took effect, an agreement we hoped would bring relief,” Thawabteh said, adding that his office submits daily reports to mediators regarding these breaches.

Thawabteh said Israeli forces have repeatedly crossed the “yellow line”, sending in vehicles into residential areas, carrying out airstrikes and demolitions, which have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.

He warned Palestinians against approaching the “yellow line” for fear of being targeted without warning, noting that Israel had previously killed civilians attempting to inspect their homes near the area.

The “yellow line” refers to the zone to which Israeli forces have withdrawn under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10. It is a non-physical partition that runs through the Gaza Strip, dividing the Palestinian territory in half, south of Gaza City and north of Khan Younis.

Israel has not allowed full entry of aid convoys, nor reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt for the evacuation of patients for treatment abroad, Thawabteh said.

“Israel has also blocked the entry of medicines and medical equipment,” he added.

Since May 2024, Israel has controlled the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, after destroying and burning its buildings and banning Palestinians from traveling through it.

According to the media office, from Oct. 10 to the end of the month, only 3,203 trucks entered Gaza out of the 13,200 that were supposed to enter under the deal, a 24% compliance rate.

The media office noted that the ceasefire protocol includes a provision for hundreds of heavy machines to be allowed in to recover bodies from under the rubble.

“This has not been implemented, except for a limited entry of equipment used to search for the remains of Israeli captives,” Thawabteh stated.

Last week, Israel allowed in some machinery to recover the bodies of dead Israeli captives, according to Israeli media, while continuing to ban heavy equipment from entering Gaza to retrieve thousands of missing Palestinian bodies trapped beneath destroyed homes.

The media office estimates that around 9,500 Palestinians are still missing, either under the rubble or unaccounted for.

The protocol, Thawabteh said, also calls for the entry of over 300,000 tents and mobile homes to shelter displaced families.

However, Israel has not complied, leaving 288,000 Palestinian families living in streets and public areas, he added.

The Gaza government’s data shows that Israel destroyed about 90% of the territory’s civilian infrastructure, causing initial losses estimated at $70 billion.

Thawabteh accused Israel of deliberately worsening the humanitarian crisis by blocking more than 6,000 trucks on the Egyptian side of Rafah.

He called on US President Donald Trump and international mediators to intervene urgently to compel Israel to stop its violations and fully implement the agreement.

 

Hamas transfers remains of 3 more hostages under ceasefire accord: Israel

Israel Hostages

A military statement said the coffins were transferred to the Red Cross and were on their way to Israeli troops inside the Gaza Strip.

Hamas earlier announced that it would hand over the bodies of three captives it had recovered from under the rubble.

Hamas had released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over the remains of 19 out of 28, most of them Israelis, since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Israel, however, claimed that one of the received bodies did not match any of its listed captives.

Israel has tied the start of negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire to the handover of all the hostage remains. Hamas says the process requires time due to the massive destruction in Gaza.

Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Israel has killed close to 69,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,000 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

 

Security chief say Iran to engage in ‘genuine’ talks with US

Ali Larijani

Speaking on Sunday, Larijani warned that enemies of the Islamic Republic seek to weaken the Iranian nation’s resolve, emphasizing the need to strengthen national unity to counter “endless” demands.

He pointed out that the United States seeks to halt Iran’s uranium enrichment and missile development as a precondition for talks.

“We do not say that we oppose negotiations. The Leader [of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] has always emphasized having knowledge of negotiations. However, real negotiations must take place, not ones with predetermined outcomes,” Larijani asserted.

He added that negotiations should happen at the “right time.”

Larijani noted that Iran and the United States were engaged in talks when the Israeli regime launched its war of aggression against the Islamic Republic in mid-June. He said that Washington now seeks to resume negotiations based on pre-established outcomes.

Prior to the US-Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran and its nuclear facilities, Tehran had held five rounds of discussions with Washington aimed at replacing the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The United States and its European allies have repeatedly insisted that any future deal must address not only Iran’s nuclear program but also its ballistic missile capabilities.

Tehran has consistently rejected such demands, insisting that its military capabilities are not open to negotiation.

On August 28, the European trio invoked the “snapback” mechanism to restore UN sanctions, further complicating diplomacy to resolve tensions.

In an interview with the Qatari news network Al-Jazeera published on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is open to holding talks on its nuclear program but refuses to negotiate over its missile capabilities.

“We are ready to negotiate to address concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program…We will never negotiate our missile program, and no rational actor would accept being disarmed,” he added.

 

Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi takes athens by storm as Olympiacos’ new star

Since joining the Athens-based club late in the summer transfer window after parting ways with Inter Milan, Taremi has emerged as a key playmaker, both scoring goals and orchestrating attacks from the front.

In just six league appearances — only two of them as a starter — the Iranian forward has scored four goals and provided one assist, averaging a direct goal contribution every 38 minutes.

Olympiacos coach José Luis Mendilibar, who brought Taremi in as a backup for Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi, now sees the Iranian as more than a substitute. Taremi’s influence has grown quickly, with his composure, vision, and leadership earning him comparisons to a conductor leading an orchestra.

At Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Taremi’s name has become a chant on the lips of Olympiacos fans, signaling his rise as both a key player and a potential successor to El Kaabi — not only on the pitch but in popularity as well.

For many in Greece, Taremi’s arrival has added new energy and international flair to Olympiacos’ attacking line, reaffirming his reputation as one of Asia’s finest footballers and marking the beginning of what could be a defining chapter in his European career.

Iran, Russia to build 8 new nuclear power plants

The announcement came during President Masoud Pezeshkian’s meeting with senior officials of Iran’s nuclear industry.

Eslami stated that Iran’s nuclear sector, despite decades of pressure since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has continued to advance as a symbol of scientific self-reliance. He highlighted that under the guidance of the Supreme Leader, the Atomic Energy Organization has transformed into a pioneering, knowledge-based institution dedicated to technological innovation and commercialization.

According to Eslami, the organization is currently implementing the third year of its long-term strategic roadmap, which envisions producing 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity by 2041.

He said multiple feasibility and design studies have been completed to achieve this goal, emphasizing that the plan is economically viable and will attract investors due to its self-sustaining financial model.

Referring to the agreement with Russia, Eslami explained that following the successful operation of the first Bushehr nuclear power plant in 2013, a new contract was concluded between Tehran and Moscow for the construction of four additional reactors in Bushehr and four others at sites to be announced by the Iranian government.

He added that additional nuclear plants will be established in various regions to ensure clean, stable power generation, including projects in Darkhovin (Khuzestan Province) and a newly initiated nuclear power project on the Caspian coast in Golestan Province.

Eslami reaffirmed that Iran remains committed to producing 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity, citing continuity even during wartime as proof of the program’s resilience.

He stressed that the completion of these new plants will secure Iran’s position among leading nations in peaceful nuclear energy production.

Hamas refutes US accusations that it looted aid trucks in Gaza

Hamas

In a statement, Hamas called the US accusations “unfounded” and “part of an attempt to justify the further reduction of already limited humanitarian aid, while covering up the international community’s failure to end the blockade and starvation imposed on civilians in Gaza.”

“All manifestations of chaos and looting ended immediately after the withdrawal of the (Israeli) occupying forces, proving that the occupation was the only party that sponsored these gangs and orchestrated the chaos,” it added.

Hamas said over 1,000 Palestinian police and security forces had lost their lives and hundreds were injured while trying to provide protection for humanitarian aid convoys and ensure that assistance reaches those in need.

It affirmed that none of the international or local institutions, nor any driver working with the aid convoys, has filed any report or complaint about looting by Hamas.

“This clearly demonstrates that the scene cited by the US Central Command is fabricated and politically motivated to justify blockade policies and the reduction of humanitarian aid,” it stressed, blaming the US for failing to document the ongoing Israeli attacks despite the ceasefire, including the killing of 254 Palestinians and wounding of 595 others.

CENTCOM had shared drone footage allegedly showing an aid truck being looted by Hamas operatives in the enclave.

Hamas said the average number of aid trucks entering Gaza does not exceed 135 per day, while the rest are commercial trucks that Gaza’s population cannot afford, “despite our repeated calls to increase the number of humanitarian aid trucks and reduce commercial shipments.”

“The US adoption of the Israeli narrative only deepens Washington’s immoral bias and places it squarely as a partner in the blockade and the suffering of the Palestinian people,” it added.

The ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10 under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.

Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Israel has killed more than 68,500 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,600 others in attacks in Gaza since October 2023.

 

Syrian president to discuss sanctions, reconstruction during US visit: FM

Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani

Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected in the US capital in early November, Syria’s top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani told a panel at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.

“This visit is certainly historic,” he said.

“Many topics will be discussed, starting with the lifting of sanctions,” Shaibani continued, adding: “Today we are fighting (the Islamic State)… any effort in this regard requires international support.”

Discussions will also revolve around reconstruction after more than a decade of war, he stated.

The foreign ministry in Damascus confirmed the trip would be the first ever visit to the White House by a Syrian president.

On Saturday, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said Sharaa was heading to Washington “hopefully” to sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS).

Though it will be Sharaa’s first visit to Washington, it will be his second to the US after a landmark UN trip in September, where the former militant became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York.

In May, the interim leader, whose fighters ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, met US President Donald Trump for the first time in Riyadh during a historic visit that led to the US leader vowing to lift economic sanctions on Syria.

Syria and Israel remain technically at war, but they opened direct negotiations after Assad was toppled last December.

Trump has expressed hope that Syria will join other Arab countries that have normalised ties with Israel under the so-called Abraham Accords.

But Shaibani stated that “regarding Syria and the Abraham Accords, this is an issue that is not being considered and has not been discussed”.

“We do not want Syria to enter a new war, and Syria is not currently in a position to threaten any party, including Israel,” added Shaibani.

He stated that the negotiations underway were focused on “reaching a security deal that does not undermine the 1974 agreement (cementing a ceasefire with Israel) and does not legitimise any new reality that Israel might impose in the south”.

 

NATO would need several weeks to respond to ‘Russian threat’: Euractiv

NATO

Moscow strongly opposes any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, saying Kiev’s aspiration to join the bloc was one of the key causes of the conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that the presence of NATO forces in the neighboring state could trigger an “uncontrollable escalation with unpredictable consequences.”

A spokesperson for the Portuguese Armed Forces told Euractiv that moving tanks across the continent requires diplomatic permits from every country they cross. The transfer of heavy equipment is a “highly complex logistical operation” involving transportation on platforms and heavy trucks along both maritime and land routes, the spokesperson said.

Troop movements depend on existing relationships between national armed forces and the speed at which permits are granted, the outlet noted, adding that the authorities process these requests slowly.

An unnamed EU country requires 45 days’ notice to issue cross-border permission, according to a 2025 report from the European Court of Auditors, as cited by Euractiv. In 2018, the European Council set a standard time frame of five working days for these procedures.

NATO Defense College researcher Yannick Hartmann told the outlet that additional delays could result from mandatory security checks. Although NATO members could use a special customs declaration for military transport when entering or exiting the EU, it is up to the national authorities to process these types of requests, Euractiv said.

Maxime Corday, a senior researcher at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, told the outlet that the absence of a unified legal framework within the EU leaves procedures inconsistent across member states.

EU and NATO officials have repeatedly cited the ‘Russian threat’ to justify increasing defense spending, boosting weapons production, and reintroducing military conscription. President Vladimir Putin has said Russia has “no reason and no interest – geopolitical, economic, political, or military – to fight NATO countries.”

 

Ukraine says thousands lose power supply after Russia attacks on frontline region

Russia Ukraine War

As winter nears, Russia has stepped up missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s power grid, triggering outages and forcing Kyiv’s emergency crews to race to repair damage and manage rolling blackouts.

The attack on Zaporizhzhia left two people wounded and reduced buildings to rubble, the regional governor, Ivan Federov, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“Crews will restore power as soon as the security situation allows,” Fedorov said on Telegram, where he posted nighttime photographs of buildings with facades and windows torn off.

Zaporizhzhia endures near-daily Russian artillery, missile and drone strikes that have destroyed homes, crippled utilities and killed scores, as Moscow pressures Ukraine’s defences and disrupts links between its south and the rest of the country.

Fedorov stated that the overnight attack wounded two people. Russia’s 800 strikes on 18 settlements in the region killed one person and injured three over the 24 hours into Sunday morning, he added.

Two people died as a result of Russia’s overnight drone attack on Odesa on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, Ukraine’s state emergency service said on Telegram.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia launched with a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in 2022, but thousands have been killed in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.