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President Pezeshkian urges Muslim nations to condemn Israeli aggression against Qatar

By
IFP Media Wire
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Pezeshkian Qatari Emir

During a phone conversation with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani on Tuesday evening, President Pezeshkian expressed strong condemnation of the Israeli regime’s aggression and reiterated Iran’s solidarity with Qatar.

Pezeshkian criticized the Israeli regime for its disregard for accepted international norms and legal frameworks, emphasizing that such actions are supported by the United States. He stated that the Israeli regime disrupts the security, stability, and peace of the entire region under the pretext of self-defense, committing atrocities without hesitation.

The president urged Islamic nations to adopt a unified stance against these violations, asserting that collective condemnation is necessary to deter further aggression from the Israeli regime. He emphasized that a coordinated response from Islamic countries is essential to effectively address and oppose the ongoing crimes.

In response, the Qatari Emir acknowledged the importance of a unified regional stance against Israeli actions, highlighting that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows no limits to his aggression.

He noted that recent discussions with Hamas officials revealed a willingness to respond positively to a ceasefire proposal from the US, only for Israel to launch an attack during those negotiations.

He expressed hope for continued communication between Iran and other Islamic nations to collaboratively take effective measures to halt Israeli atrocities.

Trump ‘feels very bad’ about Israel attack against Qatar: White House

By
IFP Media Wire
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Trump and Netanyahu

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and greatly taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a Tuesday press briefing.

“The President views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack. President Trump wants all of the hostages in Gaza and the bodies of the dead released and this war to end now,” she added.

The administration was notified of the strike by the U.S. military, Leavitt said. It’s unclear how the military was made aware of the plans. Leavitt added Trump directed special envoy Steve Witkoff to inform Qatari officials of the “impending attack.”

The president spoke with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attack and reiterated that he wants “peace,” she continued.

The raid was immediately condemned by Qatar and its neighboring states, warning that the attack risks escalating tensions in the region. The leaders of France and the United Kingdom also criticized the attack.

After the attack, Trump also spoke with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to Leavitt.

Trump sought to further distance himself from Israel’s attack in Qatar, posting an addendum to an earlier statement from the White House that specified the decision was made by Israel’s leader and that the US learned of it too late to intervene.

“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social today, inserting the line into a statement read earlier from the White House briefing room by Leavitt.

Trump added that by the time his administration learned of the attack and told the Qataris, there was little he could do to stop it.

“I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack,” Trump wrote.

The president also said he directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize a defense cooperation agreement with Qatar, though the two countries have an existing pact that Trump amended when he visited Qatar in May.

Iran marks Prophet Muhammad’s birthday anniversary with nationwide celebrations

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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In Tehran, large crowds of people are marching from Haft-e Tir Square toward Valiasr Square to mark the birth of the Prophet of Islam, known as the “Messenger of Mercy.”

The event carries the central slogan: “In the Light of Love for Ahmad; Unity of the Nation, Solidarity of the Ummah,” referring to Prophet Muhammad’s name mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

The Prophet was born in the year 570 CE, on the 17th day of Rabi al-Awwal according to Shia tradition, while Sunni tradition commemorates his birth on the 12th of the same month.

The late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, designated the days between these two dates as “Islamic Unity Week” to encourage convergence and understanding among Muslims worldwide.

The birth anniversary also coincides with the birthday of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (PBUH), the sixth Shia Imam.

Religious sites across Iran, including the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, were decorated with flowers and illuminated to mark the occasion.

Iran condemns Israel’s raids on Qatar as criminal, extremely dangerous

By
IFP Media Wire
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Esmail Baghaei

Earlier this afternoon, a series of powerful explosions shook the Qatari capital, and the Israeli military issued a statement claiming responsibility for an operation targeting Hamas leaders who were in Qatar.

Esmail Baqaei added that this act by the Zionist regime is yet another crime carried out in violation of all international norms and regulations.

He stressed that from the perspective of international law, this move constitutes a grave breach of the principles, purposes, and rules of the United Nations Charter.

According to him, it should serve as a wake-up call to regional countries and the international community at large regarding the dangers posed by continued inaction and indifference toward the aggressions and violations that the Zionist regime commits in occupied Palestine and across West Asia.

BRICS unlikely to last: WH trade adviser

By
IFP Media Wire
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BRICS

In an interview with US President Donald Trump’s former strategist, Steve Bannon, on Monday, Navarro said none of the BRICS members could survive without selling products to the US.

”India has been at war with China for decades… and I just remembered, it was China that gave Pakistan the nuclear bomb,” Navarro told Bannon.

“They have ships flying around the Indian Ocean with Chinese flags. [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi, see how you kind of work that out.”

He added that China is sending illegal immigrants to Russia and has claimed territory within Russia.

“China claims they own Vladivostok, the Russian port, and they are already through massive illegal immigration into Siberia, basically colonizing Siberia, which is the biggest landmass of the Russian semi-empire.”

China, however, does not claim any Russian territory, and the two countries signed the Complementary Agreement on the Eastern Section of the China-Russia Boundary in 2004 as a final resolution of their border dispute.

”I don’t see how [BRICS] stays together since historically they hate each other and kill each other,” the trade adviser stated.

Navarro claimed that BRICS countries are dependent on the US for trade.

“The bottom line is none of these countries can survive if they don’t sell to the United States, and when they sell to the United States, their exports, they’re like vampires sucking our blood dry with their unfair trade practices.”

 

Iran’s FM calls Islamic unity religious obligation, rejects military solutions

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Abbas Araghchi

Speaking at a gathering with foreign ministry officials and participants of the 39th International Islamic Unity Conference, he said the current conditions facing Muslim nations demand collective action.

Araghchi highlighted that this year marks the 1,500th anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth, which he said provides a unique opportunity for greater celebrations across the Muslim world.

He recalled Iran’s proposal at the latest Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting to designate the current year as the “Year of Unity,” a suggestion that received positive attention.

Addressing the conflict in Gaza, Araghchi castigated the Israeli regime for committing “war crimes” by using starvation as a weapon and condemned the international community’s silence.

He argued that threats from Israel extend beyond Palestine to the entire region, stressing that only unity among Muslim nations can counter such dangers.

On talks over Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi also reiterated that Iran “has never left the negotiating table” and that the US and Israel have realized “there is no military solution regarding Iran,” leaving diplomacy as the only viable path forward.

Iran rejects “false claims” in Arab League foreign ministers’ statement

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iranian Foreign Ministry

It also urged the Arab League to refrain from any actions or rhetoric that divert regional and global attention from the central issue of the region and the Islamic world, namely the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran once again reaffirmed Iran’s indisputable sovereignty over the islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb as inseparable parts of Iran’s territorial domain, condemning any territorial claims against Iran and emphasizing that repeating baseless assertions in similar statements will not alter the geographical, historical, or legal realities of these islands.

It said all measures taken on these three Iranian islands are in line with Iran’s sovereign rights to safeguard their security and safety and to protect Iran’s national interests.

The Foreign Ministry categorically denied the unfounded accusation of sending military shipments from Iran to Yemen or interfering in its internal affairs.

It noted that while the Zionist regime continues its genocide in occupied Palestine, its aggression and occupation in Syria and Lebanon, and repeated terrorist and aggressive attacks on Yemen under the full support of the United States, raising such fabricated claims, mostly orchestrated by the Zionist regime, do nothing to advance the interests of the Islamic Ummah.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, reiterating its principled policy of good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, stressed the importance of strengthening unity and coordination among regional countries and avoiding divisive positions.

It said Iran is the most effective provider of maritime security in the Persian Gulf and regional and international waters, and has always guaranteed the safe passage of ships and vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Within the framework of protecting its national interests and territorial sovereignty, and through full and responsible oversight of the strategic Hormuz Strait’s entry and exit points, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to take any action necessary to ensure freedom of navigation in accordance with international laws and regulations, while preventing any violation of its national sovereignty.

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasized the need to establish lasting security and stability in West Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the Sea of Oman through intra-regional mechanisms and the participation of all regional countries, free from destabilizing and destructive interference by external actors.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the Arab League’s strong condemnation of the Zionist regime’s continued genocide in Gaza and the occupying regime’s crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.

Hundreds of artists vow boycott of Israeli film institutions amid Gaza war

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

In a pledge released on Monday, the artists – who include Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem – decried the “unrelenting horror” in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and flattened most of the territory.

“Inspired by Filmmakers United Against Apartheid who refused to screen their films in apartheid South Africa, we pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the statement read.

Examples of being complicit in Israeli rights violations include “whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them”, it added.

The pledge cited International Court of Justice rulings that concluded a genocide charge against Israel is plausible and found the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal.

Over the 23 months of the Gaza war, leading academics, rights groups and United Nations experts have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians.

Genocide – defined by the UN as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group” – is one of the gravest war crimes.

Palestinian rights advocates have long called for celebrities to use their reach and status to bring awareness to the plight of Palestinians.

Hollywood has been historically pro-Israel, producing movies like the 1960 film Exodus, which valorised the founding of Israel, and regularly inserting positive references to Israel in blockbusters.

But in recent years, many actors and directors have spoken out against Israel’s policies – sometimes to the detriment of their own careers.

For example, in 2023, actor Susan Sarandon, who signed Monday’s pledge, was dropped by her talent agency after attending a Palestine solidarity rally.

After the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Melissa Barrera, who also joined the boycott call, lost her role in the horror franchise Scream over social media posts critical of Israel.

Still, voices sympathetic to Palestinians continue to grow louder in the film industry.

In March, No Other Land, an Israeli-Palestinian film focused on the ongoing destruction of the Palestinian community of Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, won the Oscar for best documentary feature.

More recently, The Voice of Hind Rajab, which tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car with slain family members before Israeli soldiers also killed her, received a 23-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.

The movie centres on Rajab’s heart-wrenching calls to rescuers while under Israeli fire in Gaza City.

Monday’s pledge comes as Israel pushes to systematically destroy Gaza City, having already levelled most of the besieged enclave.

“As filmmakers, actors, film industry workers, and institutions, we recognise the power of cinema to shape perceptions,” the statement said.

“In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror.”

EU may impose sanctions on China over Russia: FT

By
IFP Media Wire
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European Parliament

The British newspaper reported that EU officials began discussing the matter on Sunday. A source said that the talks are still at a “very early stage.” Before committing to any punitive measures against Beijing, Brussels reportedly wants to have the “full backing of the US and co-ordination with Washington,” according to the FT.

To ensure this, EU officials travelled to the US on Monday, while US Energy Secretary Chris Wright will head to Brussels later in the week, the paper wrote.

Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, China emerged as the top importer of Russian oil.

Earlier this year, the EU sanctioned several Chinese firms over their alleged support for industries that aid Russia’s military. Beijing slammed the move as “unreasonable” and accused the bloc of “double standards.” It emphasized that China strictly regulates dual-use goods and insisted it has not supplied any lethal weapons to parties involved in the Ukraine conflict.

On Sunday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the US and EU could impose more sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil.

Beijing earlier vowed to “ensure its energy supply” in ways that protect its interests, and cautioned that “tariff wars have no winners.”

Last month, US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on India to 50% citing New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Indian officials denounced the move as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said last week that India will continue to buy Russian crude, stressing that the nation’s oil purchases are driven by its economic priorities and not external pressure.

Last week, during his four-day visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West against talking to such global economic powerhouses as China and India in an “unacceptable” tone. He argued that pressure on Beijing and New Delhi is intended to slow their economic rise.

 

Spain announces several measures against Israel, including arms embargo

By
IFP Media Wire
-

At the heart of the package is a royal decree law to formalise and make permanent Spain’s embargo on the purchase and sale of weapons, ammunition and military equipment to Israel.

Although the embargo has been applied de facto since October 2023, Sanchez said the decree would remove any ambiguity after months of controversy and doubt.

Additional measures include banning ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from docking in Spanish ports, and denying access to Spanish airspace for state aircraft transporting defence material bound for Israel.

Spain will also bar entry to individuals “directly involved in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes” in Gaza, a prohibition that could apply to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government.

Madrid will also prohibit imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, while restricting consular services to Spanish citizens living in those settlements to a bare minimum.

On the humanitarian front, Sanchez pledged enhanced support for the Palestinian Authority, including a larger Spanish presence in the EU mission in Rafah and new cooperative projects.

Spain will also contribute an additional €10 million to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, and increase its overall humanitarian aid to Gaza to €150 million by 2026.

“These nine measures will be implemented immediately,” Sanchez added.

In response to Spain’s announcement, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticised the measures as “antisemitic”, while his government announced it would bar left-wing Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz and Youth Minister Sira Rego from entering Israel.

The Spanish government immediately hit back at Saar’s comments.

“The Spanish government strongly rejects the false and slanderous accusations of anti-Semitism made by the Israeli government against Spain and the Spanish people, as well as the unacceptable ban on two members of the Spanish government entering Israel,” an official statement read.

“The measures relating to the inhumane situation in Gaza and the West Bank, announced today by the President of the Spanish Government, reflect the majority opinion of Spanish society and are adopted within the framework of its sovereignty and in line with its defence of peace, human rights and international law.”

The prime minister opened his address on Monday by recalling the “countless persecutions and injustices” endured by the Jewish people throughout history, including the Holocaust.

He expressed Spain’s support for Israel’s existence and condemned the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023. But he drew a distinction between legitimate defence and Israel’s current actions: “One thing is to protect your country and your society, and another very different thing is to bomb hospitals and starve innocent children.”

He argued that what Netanyahu’s government claims is a military response to terrorism “has ended up becoming a new wave of illegal occupations” and “an unjustifiable attack on the Palestinian civilian population”.

Sanchez stated that the campaign is now widely recognised as genocide, citing the opinion of the UN special rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese and other legal experts.

Sanchez has been among the most outspoken European leaders in criticising Israel’s onslaught on Gaza and was the first EU diplomat to call it out as genocidal.

“63,000 dead, 159,000 wounded, 250,000 people at risk of acute malnutrition and nearly two million displaced, half of them children,” he said, adding, “This is not self-defence; it is extermination of a defenceless people and a flagrant breach of humanitarian law.”

Sanchez criticised the international community for failing to halt the war, accusing major powers of being mired between “indifference” and “complicity” with Netanyahu. While acknowledging that Spain cannot stop the offensive on its own, he insisted it would not give up trying.

The prime minister recalled Spain’s recognition of the State of Palestine last year as part of earlier efforts and said the new measures were designed to “take another step forward to stop the genocide in Gaza, pursue its perpetrators and support the Palestinian people”.

Although he admitted the measures would not be enough to halt Israel’s invasion or its alleged war crimes, Sanchez said they were intended both to increase pressure on Netanyahu’s government and to ease some of the suffering in Gaza.

He concluded: “I want Spanish society to know that, faced with one of the most infamous episodes of the 21st century, your country, Spain, was on the right side of history.”

Sanchez has repeatedly accused the EU of double standards for failing to apply sanctions to Israel.

“It makes absolutely no sense that we’ve passed 18 sanction packages on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine and Europe but, with double standards, haven’t even been able to suspend the Association Agreement with Israel when they are flagrantly violating Article 2 in terms of human rights,” he stressed in June.

Madrid has been among a minority of EU states, including Slovenia, Ireland and the Netherlands, that have led efforts calling for the EU to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement since February 2024.

In their meeting in mid-July, the EU’s 27 foreign ministers failed to agree on the suspension of the controversial agreement, which covers both trade and political relations. They also failed to agree on nine other possible measures against Israel put forward after it was found to have breached the human rights provisions of the trade agreement.

The measures that would have been agreed included full suspension of the agreement, suspension of its preferential trade provisions, an arms embargo, sanctions on Israeli ministers, and imposing a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine.

Slovenia last month became the first EU country to take action independently, imposing a full arms embargo on Israel. Later in August, Germany announced the suspension of military exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, in response to Israel’s plan to fully occupy the Palestinian enclave.

Sweden and the Netherlands have also called on the EU to suspend the agreement with Israel over the continued Gaza siege and its ban on the UN’s humanitarian aid operations.

But Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp resigned last month citing his government’s failure to impose additional sanctions on Israel.

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