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Trump’s comments prompted Pezeshkian to change approach to UN address<\/p>\n
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian<\/a> said he adjusted his U.N. General Assembly address after hearing President Donald Trump’s comments while in New York.<\/p>\n Pezeshkian, who returned to Tehran after a five-day trip, said Trump’s remarks prompted him to respond more directly from the General Assembly podium.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter arriving in New York and learning of the US president\u2019s remarks, our approach to the General Assembly speech was affected by them,\u201d Pezeshkian said.<\/p>\n Pezeshkian said the shift led him to defend Tehran’s positions \u201cexplicitly\u201d during his address as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 3 hours agoBessent says US economic pressure on Iran is ‘delivering results’<\/p>\n Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/a> said Saturday that the Trump administration’s economic pressure campaign against Iran is prompting countries and financial institutions to restrict business with Tehran.<\/p>\n Following the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, Bessent said Treasury officials were sent around the world to press governments to take action against Iran.<\/p>\n “These efforts are delivering results. T\u00fcrkiye and Oman announced the cessation of Mahan Air flights to their countries. The UAE has halted all flights by Iranian airlines, and top commercial banks in the UAE and T\u00fcrkiye have stopped transacting with Iran,” Bessent wrote on X.<\/p>\n Bessent also pointed to the declining value of Iran’s currency as evidence of the economic toll of the war.<\/p>\n “We will continue working together as there is more to be done to prevent Tehran from carrying out its terrorist agenda,” he wrote.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 4 hours agoUS ambassador to NATO says Trump ‘right to reject’ Iran’s latest deal<\/p>\n U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker <\/a>backed President Donald Trump’s rejection of Iran’s latest proposal Saturday, arguing that Tehran’s economic troubles have left it eager to reach a deal.<\/p>\n “President Trump has been so successful with the naval blockade and the sanctions. Their economy is crippled. They are completely broke. Their currency is weak. Inflation is high, and you know they desperately want a deal,” Whitaker said on “The Big Weekend Show.”<\/p>\n Whitaker said the U.S. position remains that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and must abandon its nuclear program.<\/p>\n “But these kind of half measures that they offer or illusory deals to make themselves look good on the world stage are just not acceptable. And so President Trump’s right to reject it,” he said.<\/p>\n Whitaker also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. is in “total control” of the key waterway and that the American blockade is preventing Iranian vessels from transiting while allowing other shipping to pass.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 5 hours agoGulf states urge international response to Houthi attacks amid regional escalation<\/p>\n Gulf Arab states called for an international response to recent attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on Saturday as tensions involving the Yemen-based group continue to escalate.<\/p>\n The Gulf Cooperation Council described the attacks as a \u201cgrave escalation and threat to regional security,\u201d according to The Associated Press. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia<\/a>, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.<\/p>\n The statement came after Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched from Yemen toward the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait. Saudi officials also said earlier Saturday that air defenses intercepted two drones launched by the Houthis toward the Riyadh area.<\/p>\n Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Col. Turki al-Malki has warned that further Houthi attacks would be met with a response as the Iran-backed group remains involved in the broader regional conflict.<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this post.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 5 hours agoOman offers to mediate Middle East conflict, urges cooperation on Hormuz<\/p>\n Oman offered Saturday to continue mediating the Middle East<\/a> conflict while calling for cooperation to protect navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n “Oman once again reaffirms its steadfast commitment to continuing its efforts aimed at safeguarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz … We also call upon all parties to cooperate with Oman in these efforts,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi told the U.N. General Assembly.<\/p>\n Muscat has played a mediating role in regional diplomacy as the conflict has disrupted traffic through the key waterway separating Oman and Iran.<\/p>\n “We call upon all parties concerned to settle their outstanding disputes through pursuing a policy of self-restraint and foresight, and through engaging in dialog to reach consensual, political solutions and sustainable understandings for the benefit of all,” Albusaidi said.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 6 hours agoIranian lawmaker warns Tehran has ‘fingers on the trigger’ after Trump rejects proposal<\/p>\n An Iranian lawmaker warned Saturday that Tehran is prepared for further U.S. military action after President Donald Trump<\/a> said he rejected Iran’s latest proposal for a deal.<\/p>\n Mojtaba Zarei argued in a post on X that Trump’s recent focus on Iran’s nuclear program signals preparations for another strike.<\/p>\n “These repeated emphases from the corrupt Trump indicate that he is seeking military pressure to achieve his goal in the nuclear issue through a strike on some of Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities, aimed at creating an illusory victory in American public opinion,” Zarei wrote, according to an English translation provided by X.<\/p>\n Zarei warned that another U.S. strike would bring a stronger response from Tehran, adding that “there will be no surprise in Iran” and “Iran\u2019s hands are on the trigger!”<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 6 hours agoIran military spokesman threatens Trump, Netanyahu regardless of whether war ends<\/p>\n A senior Iranian military spokesman said Saturday that President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> would remain targets for punishment even after the U.S.-Iran war ends.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if the war ends, we will not spare Trump, Netanyahu and their accomplices. Whether they are in power or not, they will pay for their actions,\u201d Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Iranian state television.<\/p>\n Shekarchi warned U.S. forces to leave the Middle East, arguing that withdrawing sooner would result in fewer American losses.<\/p>\n He separately warned Washington against involvement in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Americans can dream of intervening in the Strait of Hormuz,\u201d Shekarchi said. \u201cIf they intervene in the Strait of Hormuz, they will receive a slap.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 7 hours agoPezeshkian returns to Tehran after UN General Assembly visit<\/p>\n Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran on Saturday after attending the 81st U.N. General Assembly in New York, according to his office.<\/p>\n During his visit<\/a>, Pezeshkian backed a return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and renewed negotiations as diplomatic efforts continued over the U.S.-Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Pezeshkian also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for supporting the diplomatic framework. His return comes as President Donald Trump says he rejected an Iranian proposal that would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for U.S. concessions.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 8 hours agoRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offers help stabilizing Gulf, condemns Khamenei killing<\/p>\n Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered Moscow’s help stabilizing the Gulf region and condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during an address to the U.N. General Assembly<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n “We need trust in the relationships between the Gulf states, the Arab states and Iran. We need stable regional architecture,” Lavrov said.<\/p>\n “Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilizing this strategically important region.”<\/p>\n Lavrov said it was unacceptable that force was used to kill Khamenei, members of his family and members of Iran’s military and political leadership. He accused the U.S. and Israel of targeting civilian and International Atomic Energy Agency-safeguarded nuclear infrastructure during the war.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 8 hours agoFormer UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says Iran is ‘underestimating’ Trump’s determination<\/p>\n Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair<\/a> said Saturday that Iran’s regime is underestimating President Donald Trump’s determination to achieve his objectives in the U.S. war against Tehran.<\/p>\n Blair told “Saturday in America” that the conflict should continue until its objectives are achieved, pointing to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.<\/p>\n “We should negotiate, of course. If if you can do it by negotiation, fine. But the Iranians have got to know that there is a bottom line, and that bottom line is going to be met,” Blair said.<\/p>\n Blair argued that Tehran may now be miscalculating Trump’s willingness to continue the conflict.<\/p>\n “If there was an underestimation at the beginning of this of the resilience of the regime, I think there is an underestimation by the regime now of President Trump’s determination to see this through,” he said.<\/p>\n Blair also pointed to the economic pressure facing Tehran, saying the Iranian economy is in “desperate straits.”<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 9 hours agoFormer NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio calls Iranian regime ‘horrible’ during Hannity clash<\/p>\n Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio<\/a> called the Iranian regime “horrible” during a heated exchange with Fox News host Sean Hannity over Israel and the war in Gaza.<\/p>\n Hannity pressed de Blasio over his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenged the former mayor to condemn Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n “I did. I condemned Hamas many times. I think the Iranian regime is horrible. I think Hezbollah has been horrible things in Lebanon. That’s not the point,” de Blasio said.<\/p>\n De Blasio repeatedly criticized Netanyahu during the interview and argued that Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 terrorist attack had resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians.<\/p>\n Hannity pushed back, arguing that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas and other threats.<\/p>\n “I think you have your moral compass all screwed up. You should be blaming Hamas. It should be blaming Iran,” Hannity said.<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 9 hours agoWaltz says record 146 countries condemned Iran over attacks on civilian shipping<\/p>\n U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz<\/a> said Saturday that a record 146 countries condemned Iran over its attacks on civilian shipping, shortly after President Donald Trump said he rejected Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal.<\/p>\n “They broke the last deal. As soon as we had the MoU in place. they started launching on civilian shipping. and here as we come out of, the UN week here, the high level week, you know, it’s notable that 146 countries, a UN record, condemned Iran for its attacks on civilian shipping,” Waltz told “Fox News Live.”<\/p>\n “You can’t attack civilian shipping any more than you can start shooting down civilian airliners. because you’re in some type of conflict. So it’s it’s a violation of international law. And it is good to see the world join us in condemning them for that,” he added.<\/p>\n Asked whether U.S. strikes against Iran could soon resume, Waltz declined to get ahead of Trump but pointed to the administration’s economic pressure campaign against Tehran.<\/p>\n “We’re starting to see countries in the region and around the world no longer allow even Iran’s airlines that have moved, weapons, soldiers and agents all over the world,” he continued. “They’re shutting down airline routes, they’re shutting down correspondent banking. Their ability to indirectly access the dollar is increasingly, is increasingly drying up.”<\/p>\n Posted by Brittany Miller<\/p>\n 10 hours agoSaudi Arabia pushes UN to ensure \u2018freedom of navigation\u2019 in Strait of Hormuz, denounces tolls<\/p>\n Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said at the U.N. General Assembly Saturday that his country \u201cstresses the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in all international waterways, foremost among them the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe must restore the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-28th of February status without the imposition of any fees or restrictions,\u201d he continued, denouncing the idea of a potential toll system for the key waterway.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe kingdom supports efforts and initiatives that contribute to the de-escalation, foremost among them, the efforts of Qatar, Pakistan and other sisterly and friendly countries. This would contribute restoring stability to the region,\u201d Al-Saud added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe stress the need to ensure that the entire region is free of weapons of mass destruction and that peaceful nuclear programs are subject to international oversight, verification and safeguards,\u201d he also said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 11 hours agoTrump hails Iraqi prime minister as \u2018fantastic guy\u2019 as Iraq seeks sanctions exemption<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> said Ali al-Zaidi is a \u201cfantastic guy\u201d following his meeting with the Iraqi prime minister on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly earlier this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt went great. He’s a fantastic man. He’s a friend of mine. I endorsed him, right? I mean, I endorsed him, the Iraqi prime minister, he’s a fantastic guy,\u201d Trump said Saturday when asked how the meeting went.\u00a0<\/p>\n The remarks come after the Office of Iraq\u2019s Prime Minister announced Saturday it is in talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to secure an exemption linked to the shutdown of Iranian airlines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that all Iranian airlines will be \u201cshut down\u201d starting Wednesday during the Operation Economic Outcast pressure campaign against the regime in Tehran.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Iraqi government is conducting direct dialogue with the American side to exempt some Iraqi airports from these measures, in a manner that allows the resumption of air travel, for humanitarian reasons related to treatment, study, religious visits, and civilian interests,\u201d the Iraq Prime Minister\u2019s Office said Saturday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the Iraqi government is working to de-escalate the situation in the region, it affirms that the continuation of crises complicates the scene further, and calls on all parties to engage in dialogue and negotiation to reach solutions that end the current crisis and conflicts, in a way that achieves the interests of the region’s countries and peoples,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 12 hours agoStrait of Hormuz traffic remains about 75% below pre-war levels, UKTMO says<\/p>\n The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said this week that commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz \u201cremains approximately 75% below pre-conflict levels.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTankers remain the predominant vessel type transiting the Strait,\u201d it added, noting that \u201cthe southern Omani route remains the most reported corridor, accounting for 26 of 43 projectile strike incidents reported by UKMTO\u201d since July 26.\u00a0<\/p>\n The U.S. war against Iran<\/a> is nearing the 7-month mark, and the strain it\u2019s putting on commercial shipping is impacting energy prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n As of Saturday, the national average price of a gallon of gas is $4.49, up from $4.10 a month ago, according to AAA.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 12 hours agoIsrael\u2019s military strikes Hezbollah weapons facility in Lebanon<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Saturday that it stuck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe facility stored weapons that were used to target IDF soldiers operating in the Security Zone, and was struck to remove the threat it posed,\u201d the IDF said on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group has been clashing with Israel during the U.S. war against Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 14 hours agoTrump says Iran desperate to make deal on Strait of Hormuz \u2018because they\u2019re dying\u2019<\/p>\n President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran, who is \u201closing so badly\u201d in their war against the U.S.,<\/a> wants to strike a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz \u201cbecause they\u2019re dying.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve rejected their deal,\u201d Trump said after Iran proposed a temporary ceasefire in exchange for reopening the key waterway. \u201cThey want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing so badly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n “We\u2019re winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait, massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait,\u201d Trump continued. \u201cLast night we had 29 ships come out. They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine, I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. You know why? Because they’re dying,\u201d Trump added. \u201cYou know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in. Because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait. So they outsmarted themselves. They said, ‘let’s close it and cause a problem for the world.’ And then I came along and we put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI would put it up and guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait. And I said, \u2018that’s fine, we’re going to close it on you. But everybody else is able to use it,\u2019\u201d Trump also said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 14 hours agoUS fighter jet takes off from aircraft carrier stationed in Middle East during Operation Epic Fury<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command<\/a> released a photo Saturday showing an F\/A-18 Super Hornet preparing to take off from the flight deck of the USS George Washington as it sailed \u201cregional waters in the Middle East.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n CENTCOM has said \u201cMore than 50,000 U.S. service members are currently operating across the Middle East and remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to continue executing operations directed by the Commander in Chief.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n As of Friday, \u201cCENTCOM forces have redirected 122 commercial vessels to ensure strict compliance\u201d with an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 15 hours agoTrump insists Iran ‘can not have a nuclear weapon’<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> repeated his vow Saturday that the Iranian regime cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.<\/p>\n The remark comes days after Trump told the U.N. General Assembly that he has a \u201cbig decision\u201d to make when it comes to the war against Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWill a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?\u201d Trump said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 15 hours agoIRGC spokesperson vows to keep fighting US \u2018until Iran\u2019s seven conditions are met\u2019<\/p>\n Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi vowed Tehran “will not stop punishing the U.S. until Iran\u2019s seven conditions<\/a> are met,\u201d according to Iranian state media.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tehran has been calling on the Trump administration to lift the U.S. military\u2019s naval blockade on Iranian ports and unfreeze some Iranian assets, among other asks.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe are the victors of the war and are turning it into permanent strategic deterrence,\u201d Mohebbi was quoted as saying Friday by Iran\u2019s Tasnim News Agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 16 hours agoPresident shares image declaring the Strait of Hormuz the \u2018Trump Strait\u2019<\/p>\n President Donald Trump shared an image on his Truth Social account labeling the Strait of Hormuz the \u201cTrump Strait\u201d after a report emerged saying he rejected a proposed 7-day ceasefire from Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Iranian proposal called for the U.S. to lift its naval blockade, unfreeze some Iranian assets and ease sanctions on Iranian oil exports in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations, according to The Wall Street Journal.\u00a0<\/p>\n Trump, during Operation Epic Fury, has made numerous remarks suggesting he would like to rename the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPretty soon I\u2019ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,\u201d Trump said in mid-August.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News Digital\u2019s Jasmine Baehr and Brittany Miller contributed to this post.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 16 hours agoSaudi air defenses intercept missiles, drones launched by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen<\/p>\n Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Col. Turki al-Malki said Saudi Arabia\u2019s air defenses<\/a> have intercepted attempted attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAir defenses intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the Riyadh area,\u201d al-Malki wrote on X late Friday, before adding that the air defenses also \u201cintercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Al-Malki wrote in a separate message that \u201cescalations and violations by the terrorist Houthi militia will be dealt with firmly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 17 hours agoIraq talking with Treasury Department to \u2018exempt some\u2019 airports from Iranian aviation shutdown<\/p>\n The Office of Iraq\u2019s Prime Minister announced Saturday it is in talks with the U.S. Treasury Department to secure an exemption linked to the shutdown of Iranian airlines.\u00a0<\/p>\n Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that all Iranian airlines will be \u201cshut down\u201d starting Wednesday during the Operation Economic Outcast pressure campaign against the regime in Tehran.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd how do we do that? That if they land, you cannot provide them with fuel. You cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,\u201d Bessent told CNBC in an interview, describing the risk of secondary sanctions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Iraqi government is conducting direct dialogue with the American side to exempt some Iraqi airports from these measures, in a manner that allows the resumption of air travel, for humanitarian reasons related to treatment, study, religious visits, and civilian interests,\u201d the Iraq Prime Minister\u2019s Office said Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the Iraqi government is working to de-escalate the situation in the region, it affirms that the continuation of crises complicates the scene further, and calls on all parties to engage in dialogue and negotiation to reach solutions that end the current crisis and conflicts, in a way that achieves the interests of the region’s countries and peoples,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 17 hours agoTrump rebuffs Iran ceasefire offer as renewed US strikes remain possible: report<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> has rejected Iran’s proposed seven-day ceasefire and told aides he expects U.S. bombing of Iran to resume after the November midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing U.S. officials.<\/p>\n Trump is reportedly skeptical that Tehran will meet U.S. demands despite continued negotiations through regional mediators.<\/p>\n Iran’s proposal called for the U.S. to lift its naval blockade, unfreeze some Iranian assets and ease sanctions on Iranian oil exports in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations, according to the Journal.<\/a><\/p>\n The U.S. has told Iran and mediators that Trump does not intend to lift the maritime blockade, the outlet reported.<\/p>\n The scope of any renewed U.S. strikes remains unclear, and officials told the Journal that Trump’s position could change as negotiations continue.<\/p>\n