TOP STORIES
Ukraine Summons Iranian Diplomat As Tehran Denies Missile Transfer To Russia | Reuters
Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Monday it had summoned a senior Iranian diplomat to warn of "devastating and irreparable consequences" for bilateral relations if reports that Tehran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles were correct. A senior Iranian official denied the reports earlier on Monday, describing them as "psychological warfare". A European Union spokesperson described the information as "credible". CNN and the Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing unidentified sources, that Iran had transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, as Moscow continues to wage war in Ukraine more than two and a half years after its 2022 invasion.
Iran Wants New Talks About The Nuclear Deal At UN General Assembly In New York | Bloomberg
Iran aims to rekindle talks about its broken nuclear deal with the West at a gathering of world leaders in New York later this month. The Islamic Republic has already spoken to the European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, about reviving negotiations over its contested nuclear program, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani told reporters in a televised news conference on Monday.
IAEA Hopes To Restart Iran Nuclear Talks In Near Future | Washington Post
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sept. 9 that he hopes to soon hold nuclear talks with Iran's new president.
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran’s $5B Investment Lags Behind Regional Competitors | Iran International
Iranian officials have been promoting last year's $5 billion in foreign investment as a success despite sanctions. However, this amount pales in comparison to the much larger sums being attracted by neighboring countries. The Chairman of the Iranian and Foreign Joint Investment Association, Hossein Salimi, in an interview with ILNA admitted that Iran's energy crisis could be the final nail in the coffin for its already anemic foreign investment prospects. According to Salimi, the ongoing shortfall in energy production and consumption is so severe that it may deter foreign investors more than any other issue.
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Sentences Former Chamber Of Commerce Head For Criticizing Government | Iran International
Despite a change in government, Iran's private sector remains under pressure as the judiciary sentenced the former head of the Chamber of Commerce to prison and a fine. Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA) serves as the voice and the representative body for the private sector. However, the government maintains a tight grip on the chamber, often resisting its efforts to operate independently. After about a year of controversy surrounding Hossein Selahvarzi’s election as head of the chamber, which eventually led to his dismissal late last year, *Mizan News Agency*, linked to Iran's judiciary, reported on Sunday that the Tehran Court of Appeals sentenced him to six months in prison and a fine for "spreading lies." The campaign against Selahvarzi was reportedly orchestrated by figures close to former President Raisi's administration, further intensifying the political nature of his case.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS & NEGOTIATIONS
CENTCOM Chief In Israel Again As Tensions On Lebanon Border Increase | Al-Monitor
US Central Command chief Michael Kurilla arrived in Israel on Sunday for meetings with senior Israeli security officials in a visit focusing on potential threats from Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Iran. The visit by the top commander of US military forces in the Middle East came against the backdrop of continued exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military. Former Israel war cabinet minister Benny Gantz warns that war with Hezbollah could be imminent if Israel does not soon reach a deal for a hostage release cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Syria Says Israeli Strikes Kill 18 People In A Large-Scale Attack | Associated Press
The number of people killed in overnight Israeli strikes in Syria has risen to 18 with dozens more wounded, Syria’s health minister said Monday — the largest death toll in such an attack since the beginning of the war in Gaza. One of the sites targeted was a research center used in the development of weapons, a war monitor said. Syrian officials said civilian sites were targeted. Israel regularly targets military sites in Syria linked to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Those strikes have become more frequent as Hezbollah has exchanged fire with Israeli forces for the past 11 months against the backdrop of Israel’s war against Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — in Gaza.
Despite Israel’s nearly one-year-long war with Hamas in Gaza after the Oct. 7 attacks, security experts continue to sound the alarm that Jerusalem’s greatest threat actually lies to the north in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has developed a sophisticated tunnel system. Hezbollah, an Islamic terrorist organization that has long had the backing of Iran, has over the last two decades developed a network of tunnels that stretch more than 100 miles in cumulative length throughout southern Lebanon. Though the existence of the tunnels has been known for decades, the significant role they play in arming Hezbollah has once again come to light during the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza, where terrorists have not only relied on tunnels for operational rearmament and maneuvering capabilities but also to house hostages taken by Hamas nearly a year ago.
GULF STATES, YEMEN, & IRAN
Yemen's Houthi Rebels Claim They Shot Down Another US MQ-9 Drone | ABC News
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed early Sunday they shot down another American-made MQ-9 drone flying over the country, marking potentially the latest downing of the multimillion-dollar surveillance aircraft. The U.S. launched airstrikes over Houthi-controlled territory afterward, the rebels said. The U.S. military told The Associated Press it was aware of the claim but has “received no reports” of American military drones being downed over Yemen.
MISCELLANEOUS
Iran’s Fuel Distribution System Hit By Similar Cyberattacks Twice, VP Admits | Iran International
Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran’s First Vice President, revealed that the country's fuel distribution system was hit by two identical cyberattacks within a year, both targeting critical infrastructure without any preventive measures taken. Speaking at a ceremony on Sunday to introduce new Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad, Aref referenced the cyberattacks carried out by the hacking group Predatory Sparrow in 2023, which crippled Iran’s fuel supply system.