TOP STORIES
Trump Weighed Strikes Against Houthis in Yemen Before Holding Off | Axios
“President Trump over the weekend considered ordering a strike against the Houthis in Yemen before deciding to hold off for now, two U.S. officials said. . . . Trump was caught between wanting to help his friend and ally, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and avoiding getting entangled on a new front in the Middle East.”
Iran Ready to Reopen Strait of Hormuz If Us Eases Military Pressure and Lifts Blockade | Reuters
“Iran can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday. . . . Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, who left Tehran for New York on Tuesday morning, will not meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters in New York, the official told Reuters. The Iranian official said details on an agreement to end hostilities with Washington can be discussed in New York via mediators, explaining that Tehran’s proposal was delivered to the US via mediators on September 16.”
Russian Document Reveals Sweeping Iran Plan Spanning Nuclear, Finance and Aviation | Fox News
“A nonpublic Russian government document obtained and reviewed by Fox News Digital reveals how Moscow sought to deepen its relationship with Iran far beyond conventional trade—laying out plans for alternative financial channels, nuclear cooperation, Iranian production of Russian aircraft components, major energy projects and new transportation routes stretching toward the Persian Gulf. . . . The Russian document itself does not use the phrase ‘sanctions evasion.’ Instead, it repeatedly calls for increased use of national currencies, independent financial channels and measures to counter what Moscow describes as ‘unilateral restrictive measures.’”
UANI IN THE NEWS
“Last week, experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said satellites had revealed more activity at Pickaxe Mountain in 2026 ‘than at any point in the site’s history.’ . . . Policy Director at United Against Nuclear Iran Jason Brodsky told The Sun: ‘There are some fears it could be the site of any covert attempt by the Iranian regime to break out towards a nuclear weapon.’ . . . Trump may start to mull unleashing his weapons on the base in just weeks, Brodsky said. The expert said the US president will probably wait until after the midterm elections to decide on the attacks.”
Iran’s Shadow Tankers Run up Against Hormuz Geography | Al Majalla
“During the summer respite, United Against Nuclear Iran, an advocacy group that supports greater pressure on Tehran, tracked Iranian-flagged tankers gathered off the Malaysian state of Johor with their identification systems switched off as they waited to conduct ship-to-ship transfers. Southeast Asia has thus become the other half of Iran's export chain. A cargo is loaded at Kharg, passes through Hormuz and is then disguised again near Malaysia before reaching China. This route gives Iran logistical depth, but also makes it more dependent on the tolerance of flag states, ports, service providers and Chinese refineries.”
“According to a report by United Against Nuclear Iran, no tanker carrying Iranian crude oil has left the Gulf of Oman since July 12, and US forces have turned back 87 ships by early September.”
Photo caption: “Photo: Charlie Brown/United Against Nuclear Iran via AP, archive.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
U.S. Proposes $5 Billion to Kickstart Fund to Rebuild Gulf Energy Sites | Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration has proposed investing $5 billion in a new fund that would help Middle East countries rebuild energy infrastructure battered in the Iran war and reduce their reliance on the Strait of Hormuz to transport oil and gas, according to U.S. and Middle Eastern officials and documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. . . . Under Trump’s plan, the U.S. would seek a matching contribution from eight Middle Eastern partners—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq and Jordan—with the goal of generating a $10 billion investment fund. The investment would be called the Partnership for Allied Trust and Construction, or Pact.”
US Threatens to Ground Iranian Airlines Worldwide from Wednesday | Al Jazeera
“United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Iranian airlines could effectively be shut out of international travel from Wednesday, as Washington threatens foreign companies with secondary sanctions if they continue servicing the country’s carriers. ‘On September 23, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world,’ Bessent told CNBC on Monday. The warning is aimed not just at the airlines themselves, but at the airports, fuel suppliers, ticketing companies and other businesses they rely on to operate abroad. ‘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,’ Bessent said.”
Turkey Revokes Operating License of Iran’s Mellat Bank amid US Economic Pressure Campaign | Reuters
“Turkey’s BDDK banking watchdog revoked the operating license of Iranian lender Mellat Bank’s branch in Istanbul, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette on Saturday, as the US presses other countries to increase economic pressure on Tehran.”
Turkish Airlines Says All Iran Flights Suspended Until March 2027 | Iran International
“Turkish Airlines has suspended all flights to Iran until at least March 2027, a company representative told Iran International, as Iraq also moves to halt Iranian carriers following a US Treasury warning of a worldwide shutdown of their operations.”
DOJ Probing Binance over Potential Iran Sanctions Violations | Bloomberg
“Federal prosecutors are investigating whether Binance Holdings Ltd., the operator of the world’s biggest crypto exchange, violated US sanctions on Iran by not stopping certain trading on its platform, according to people familiar with the matter.”
‘Just to Survive’: Soaring Inflation Puts Iranians’ Lives on Hold | Radio Farda
“After getting engaged last year, Ramin, an Iranian pharmaceutical salesman, had planned to get married this year. Instead, as soaring inflation has upended everyday life in Iran, the couple’s goal now is ‘just to survive.’ With the future uncertain amid countr’'s protracted war with the United States and mounting economic pressure, the two decided to put their plans for married life on hold and continue living separately with their families, Ramin told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.”
China Slams US Law Tightening Sanctions on Russia and Iran | Bloomberg
“China criticized the new US law that strengthens sanctions on Russia and extends trade measures on Iran, which was signed late Friday by President Donald Trump. Bejing has ‘consistently opposed’ unilateral sanctions and so-called secondary sanctions, according to a Commerce Ministry spokesperson.”
Waltz Delivers Blunt Warning to Nations Defying Iran Sanctions, Touts Greenland Deal | Fox News
“[U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike] Waltz outlined what Washington expects from its partners on Iran: full enforcement of sanctions against Tehran, with consequences for countries that fail to comply.”
Iran Factories Face Deepening Raw Material Shortages | Iran International
“Iranian manufacturers are rapidly running down stocks of raw materials as supply disruptions and rising costs deepen pressure on industrial production, according to the latest survey by the Iran Chamber of Commerce.”
MILITARY MATTERS & SHIPPING
“U.S. embassies across the Middle East early Sunday morning local time issued security alerts for American citizens in the region. ‘Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,’ the State Department said in its alerts. The alerts did not state a specific threat, but called for Americans to ‘exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.’ They cited the recent fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, noting that the ‘military conflict’ between the two sides ‘has the potential to escalate rapidly.’”
Iran Threatens Regional Strikes as MPs Question Nuclear Policy | Iran International
“Iran’s military threatened sustained attacks on US bases and interests across the Middle East on Sunday, while parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf argued that Tehran must both fight and negotiate. Some lawmakers, meanwhile, raised the prospect of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and changing the country’s nuclear-weapons policy.”
Iran Claims US Preparing to Resume Attacks, Threatens Bases, Supporting Regional Countries | Reuters
“Iran received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, was preparing to resume actions against Iran, the country's central military command said in a statement on Sunday, according to state media. The military said that any US attack would trigger sustained strikes on US bases and interests in the region, the report added, warning that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran would be considered parties to the conflict.”
With Strait of Hormuz Blocked, Iran Turns to Caspian Sea | Le Monde
“Choked by the maritime blockade that has paralyzed its ports along the Persian Gulf, Iran has turned to its northern border on the Caspian Sea, where navigation is calmer. This enclosed body of water, inaccessible to the American military, provides Iran with a precious gateway to Russia.”
Fresh Iran Attack Injures Seafarers on Greek Product Tanker | TradeWinds
“Tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz remain in Iran’s crosshairs, with UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reporting a fresh strike against a Greek-controlled tanker in the area early on Monday.”
Tehran Threatens to Use ‘New Weapons’ as Trump Weighs Meeting with Iranian President | NBC News
“Iran warned Monday it would use ‘new weapons with new capabilities’ if the U.S. launched a fresh assault after President Donald Trump ramped up the rhetoric against Tehran over the weekend.”
More U.S. Troops Have Died amid Iran War than Pentagon Has Disclosed Publicly | Washington Post
“More American service members have died in the Middle East during the ongoing Iran war than the Pentagon has disclosed publicly, according to six U.S. officials familiar with the Defense Department’s internal casualty accounting data. Five of the officials said there have been at least 22 military fatalities—four more than what appears in the Pentagon’s public database, known as the Defense Casualty Analysis System, or DCAS.”
China Firm Gave Iran Lifeline to Collect Hormuz Tolls Before Pulling Plug amid Us Warning | Fox News
“Iran’s sanctioned Persian Gulf Straits Authority (PGSA) regained secure online access for four days after a Shanghai-based internet security firm provided and then revoked its web credentials, enabling Tehran to vet vessels, collect Strait of Hormuz tolls and operate despite U.S. digital restrictions, global internet monitors said. . . . The move prompted U.S. sanctions experts, including Jeremy Paner, a partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, to urge TrustAsia to review its compliance program before offering further services to the IRGC-linked maritime authority — with Paner warning them to act ‘before it is too late.’ . . . NetBlocks CEO Alp Toker told Fox News Digital that the authority had lost its web security credentials after the entity was added to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list on May 27.”
“Chief of the US Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, says American forces have enabled over one billion barrels of crude oil to exit the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, amid an ongoing blockade against Iran. . . . ‘Over one billion barrels of crude have been shipped from Gulf partners through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has exported zero barrels thanks to our ironclad blockade,’ Cooper continues. He says the ‘volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquid natural gas these past two weeks is higher than at any point in the past six months.’”
Pakistan Secures Latest Qatar LNG Shipment After Deal With Iran | Bloomberg
“Pakistan has negotiated with Iran to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for another liquefied natural gas shipment, offering some respite as the South Asian nation struggles with an energy shortfall.”
Iran War Cost Is Now at Least $43.6 Billion, U.S. Central Command Says | Washington Post
“U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, estimates that the Iran war has cost about $43.6 billion through early September, according to a document reviewed by The Washington Post. That’s far more than the Trump administration has disclosed previously and does not include future costs facing U.S. taxpayers, including billions of dollars that will be needed if the U.S. government decides to rebuild damaged or destroyed U.S. military facilities overseas.”
Trump’s Ambassador to U.N. Says There’s No Timeline on Iran War’s End | Washington Post
“President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday he would not put a timeline on the end of the Iran war, which has dragged on for nearly seven months despite Trump’s initial insistence that it would be over within four or five weeks. ‘I think time—with the president’s strategy and Operation Economic Fury—is on the president’s and on the United States’ side,’ Mike Waltz told CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ on Sunday.”
Trump on Iran: ‘My Question Is, If and When Do I Blow the Entire Nation Up?’ | The Hill
“Fox News’s Trey Yingst reported that Trump is in a ‘deciding mode’ and ‘that very big things are going to be happening in the not-so-distant future.’ ‘The president described the current choices on the table as ‘wiping Iran out, letting them rot economically or making a deal,’ Yingst said. ‘He added, ‘My question is if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave.'’”
Iran Says It Struck Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz | The Hill
“Iran says it struck an oil tanker that was attempting to ‘illegally pass’ through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said in a statement shared by state media that it attacked a Togo-flagged tanker, the Trend, after it tried to navigate through the waterway. The vessel ‘came to a halt after catching fire,’ according to the Guard report.”
Inside the US ‘Kill Chain’ That Destroyed an Iranian School | Bloomberg
“Pentagon investigators have discovered that flawed intelligence, outdated imagery and an overreliance on AI contributed to a missile strike that killed 123 children in Minab.”
South Korea Tells US It Will Contribute to Restoring Hormuz Passage | Iran International
“South Korea reaffirmed its willingness to make a substantive contribution to restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz during talks between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Friday, Yonhap reported.”
Iranian Military Threatens U.S. and Israel with “Further Defeats” | IranWire
“In a joint statement, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the IRGC threatened the United States and Israel with ‘further defeats,’ claiming that the Iranian armed forces have taken control of the Strait of Hormuz under ‘Iranian arrangements.’”
Don’t Ask How This War Ends | Eliot Cohen for the Atlantic
“During the 2003 Iraq War, then–Major General David Petraeus famously said to the journalist and historian Rick Atkinson, ‘Tell me how this ends.’ It is the obvious query to be posed about the conflict with Iran, but it requires a different answer. . . . [T]he questions of when and why a war began are essential to understanding it. In the case of the Iran war, we must see the conflict not as a war unto itself but rather as the latest campaign in a war that has gone on since the 1979 Iranian revolution, conducted for the most part with covert warfare, naval skirmishes, and raids. The launch of Operation Midnight Hammer in 2025, in which the U.S. targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, marked a new phase.”
PROXY WARS
Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea for Military Help | New York Times
“The president had wavered for weeks over the Saudi appeals for help in fighting the Houthis, who took advantage of the instability in the Middle East and reignited their war with the kingdom this summer. But things came to a head on Thursday: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader and a major ally in the Iran war, called the president to implore him, again, to step in to help blunt the rapidly advancing group, administration officials said. Mr. Trump had met with advisers just the day before and told them he did not favor strikes. But after speaking with the Saudi crown prince, he reversed himself and told the Pentagon to prepare for airstrikes against the Houthis. But by midday Sunday, the president appeared to have reversed himself again. There would be no U.S. airstrikes against the Houthis—at least not for the time being, according to administration officials. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss military planning.”
“A report at the UAE’s Al-Ain media says that ‘less than 10 days after the Houthis seized control of Yemen’s west coast, Iran rushed to transform this strategic geographical area into a theater of influence for itself.’ . . . ‘Security and media sources revealed that Iran has deployed radar systems in the commanding heights on the western coast, in addition to using the coastal strip as an outlet for smuggling military equipment from Somalia after field visits by its experts,’ the report says.”
IRGC Experts Visit Bab el-Mandeb, Iranian Equipment Reaches Houthis—Sky News | Iran International
“Iranian Revolutionary Guards experts visited Mokha’s port and airport and the Bab el-Mandeb area, Yemeni sources told Sky News Arabia. The sources said the Houthis had begun installing radars on hills overlooking the southern Red Sea and that Iranian equipment had reached Houthi-controlled areas along Yemen’s western coast. The shipments were unloaded secretly after arriving from the Somali coast, the sources said.”
Houthis Claim Responsibility for Riyadh Attack, Say Aramco Site Also Hit | Iran International
“Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility Saturday for the overnight attack on Riyadh that was followed by a large fire near King Khalid International Airport, saying they targeted ‘sensitive and important’ sites in the Saudi capital with missiles and drones. Military spokesman Yahya Saree did not specifically identify the airport as a target. He said a second operation targeted Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and claimed both attacks caused large fires.”
As US Steers Clear of Yemen Fight, the Iran-Backed Houthis Launch Next Phase of Campaign | CNN
“In the last month, Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have joined the Middle East conflict in dramatic fashion—capturing a swath of the Red Sea coastline, launching missiles and drones at Saudi energy infrastructure and even targeting the Saudi capital, Riyadh, over the weekend. Now their campaign appears to be entering a new phase, with a major offensive aimed at cutting off government forces in a central part of Yemen. Their ultimate goal, according to some analysts, is control of the entire country.”
UK to Give Saudi Arabia Defensive Support to Counter Houthis | Bloomberg
“The UK has agreed to help Saudi Arabia’s military in countering the Houthis, as the kingdom comes under frequent attack from the Iran-backed militants. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would provide ‘defensive air-to-air refueling’ support after a request from Saudi Arabia.”
“A senior official with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels is warning countries against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen’s revived civil war, telling The Associated Press on Sunday that his group has assured the Trump administration that it won’t attack U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. . . . He said the Houthi attacks against neighboring Saudi Arabia will persist until Riyadh ends its decade-long blockade on rebel-held areas in Yemen and allows vessels to reach Houthi-controlled ports on the Red Sea. Then they will be ready to negotiate, he said.”
G7 Ministers Urge Iran to Stop Arming Houthis | IranWire
“Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations have called on the Islamic Republic to halt arms transfers and support for Yemen’s Houthis, warning that continued assistance threatens to disrupt international trade and exacerbate global instability.”
Iraq’s Prime Minister Vows to Disarm and Disband Iran-Backed Militias in 2027 | New York Times
“Iraq’s prime minister, Ali al-Zaidi, pledged to disarm his country’s Iran-backed militias by June 2027, laying out an exceptionally ambitious timeline for bringing the country’s unwieldy array of militants under state control. . . . Mr. al-Zaidi’s government has . . . formed a committee to negotiate with the militias over disarmament. He said the terms of the agreement on the timeline would be announced on Sept. 30.”
“The Iraqi government has given the country’s pro-Iranian Shi'ite militias until the end of September to disarm, as Israeli defense officials closely monitor the situation amid concerns that the groups could seek to ‘flex their muscles’ and launch attacks against Israel after the deadline expires.”
DIPLOMACY
Iran Says It Has Conveyed Conditions to Re-Engage in Talks, End War with US | Reuters
“Iran has conveyed its conditions to mediators for re-engaging in negotiations aimed at ending the war with the US, Al Jazeera cited Iran's Security Chief Mohsen Rezaei as saying in an interview on Saturday. The conditions include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian funds, and ending the naval blockade, Rezaei said, adding that consultations were continuing with Qatari and Pakistani mediators and that Tehran was awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump.”
US, China Trade Teams Set to Huddle in New York on AI, Iran | Bloomberg
“US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead talks on trade and other pressure points Sunday in New York ahead of next week’s summit between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies. The negotiators will lay the groundwork for a high-profile meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sept. 24 in Washington.”
Gulf States Urge Reset with Iran as Conflict Drags On | Financial Times
“Gulf states have called for a reset on Iran, with the United Arab Emirates urging a ‘new mindset’ and Qatar advocating for a regional ‘security framework’ with Tehran after the war exposed their vulnerability to Iranian attack and tarnished the US’s credibility in the region. Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani described the war against Iran, which the US and Israel launched in February, as a ‘wake-up call.’ He said the Gulf had to ‘act together responsibly as a region and to make sure that we are having good relations with Iran.’ ‘We are working towards that,’ he said. ‘Our regional partners believe in this. Speaking at a separate event, Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE’s president, echoed the calls for Arab states to hold a dialogue with Iran, adding that Tehran’s talks with Washington ‘are not really moving forward.’”
US Denies Visas to Iranian President’s Media Team, Official Says | Iran International
“The United States has refused to issue visas to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s media team, forcing him to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly without them, an Iranian official said on Monday.”
Iran President Pezeshkian to Address UN General Assembly in New York | IranWire
“According to state news agency IRNA, President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to depart for New York on Tuesday, September 22, to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Habibollah Abbasi, Director General of Public Relations for the President’s Office, told IRNA on Monday, September 21, that Pezeshkian’s itinerary includes addressing the UN General Assembly, meeting with several world leaders and attending officials, and gathering with Iranian expatriates living in the United States. According to the report, Pezeshkian is also slated to hold discussions with American experts and think tank members.”
Iran’s President Gets Rare Opportunity to Make His Case to the World | Wall Street Journal
“It isn’t clear what kind of reception Pezeshkian might receive in New York this year. Some think-tank analysts invited to meet the Iranian delegation said they are wary of U.S. sanctions that restrict informal policy dialogues with Tehran’s officials. ‘No one wants to be seen going,’ said one Iran specialist who previously received an invitation.”
“US President Donald Trump is expected to claim he is winning both on the battlefield and as a peacemaker Tuesday in a speech to the United Nations overshadowed by growing spillover from his stalled war against Iran. . . . He is also expected to seek to justify the Iran war, which has so far failed to fulfill the White House and Israel’s objectives and provoked widespread economic damage over the Strait of Hormuz’s closure.”
Iran’s Pezeshkian Meets Pakistan’s Naqvi in Tehran as Tensions with US Rise | Al Jazeera
“Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has held talks with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, as Pakistan and Qatar seek to revive diplomacy amid fears that regional tensions could intensify. Naqvi’s visit to the Iranian capital on Monday was his sixth since the United States and Israel’s war on Iran began in February.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Executes Man It Accused of Spying for Israel on Missile Sites | Iran International
“Iran has executed a man it accused of passing information about missile sites in Isfahan to Israel’s Mossad, the judiciary said on Saturday, the latest in a series of espionage executions that rights groups say rest on confessions extracted in detention. The judiciary’s news agency, Mizan, identified him as Hossein Pedaran and said he had been convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel and sentenced to death, with the sentence upheld by the Supreme Court.”
Security Forces Kill 35-Year-Old Kurdish Resident in Piranshahr, Iran | IranWire
“Ali Osloub, a 35-year-old Kurdish citizen from the village of Kileh Sipan near Piranshahr, was shot and killed by forces from the Ministry of Intelligence on the evening of September 17, 2026, while riding his motorcycle near the village of Jaldian. Informed sources told IranWire that after security forces confiscated his body, it remained in the custody of security agencies, and his family was denied permission to retrieve it.”
The Twin Sisters Facing the Wrath of Iran’s Crackdown | Wall Street Journal
“Taraneh Rahimi was staying with friends on the night of Jan. 24 when masked, armed men barged into the house, put a bag over her head and took her away. They later came for her twin sister, Romina. For months after that, their loved ones didn’t know where they were, or whether they were even alive. Their mother searched for her 20-year-old daughters everywhere, begging staff at hospitals, in courts and outside prisons for information about them, to no avail. In April, she received an anonymous call, a family member said. ‘Your daughters are at Dowlatabad Prison. You can book an appointment to see them,’ the caller told her. When she finally saw the twins again, in Isfahan’s female prison, their mother could hardly recognize them. Their faces were puffy and there were bald patches where their hair had been ripped out. They recounted harrowing tales from their time in detention, where they were tortured and sexually assaulted, according to information obtained by relatives and lawyers who reviewed their case.”
Iranian Children to Be Recruited for Islamic Republic’s ‘Self-Sacrifice’ Campaign | Jerusalem Post
“Children under the age of 15 will soon be offered training to join the Islamic Republic’s Janfada (self-sacrifice) campaign, the campaign’s spokesperson, Sasan Zare, confirmed to the Iranian Labour News Agency last week. . . . The planned recruitment of children comes despite international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, prohibiting the recruitment of minors under the age of 15 by both state armed forces and non-state armed groups. The Islamic Republic has nevertheless admitted to recruiting children as young as 12.”
AI Integration in Iran’s Security and Propaganda Systems | IranWire
“Artificial intelligence has now been integrated into the Islamic Republic’s apparatus of suppression, propaganda, and surveillance, functioning as a tool to identify individuals and their networks, build monitoring systems, and produce narratives designed to obscure their state origins.”
Iran Seizes 2,191 Bank Accounts Linked to 394 Individuals Accused of Aiding “Enemy” | IranWire
“Tehran Prosecutor Ali Salehi announced the identification and seizure of bank accounts and vehicles belonging to 394 individuals accused of collaborating with a ‘hostile enemy’ during recent wars and last year’s protests. Salehi stated on Tuesday, September 22, that 2,191 bank accounts belonging to these individuals have been identified and 37 vehicles have been seized.”
Iranian Rap Artist Armin Raber Detained by Security Forces | IranWire
“Security forces have arrested Armin Raber, an Iranian rap artist and organizer of underground music gatherings, according to the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA). The report states that following his arrest, Raber was transferred to an undisclosed location. No details have been released regarding the exact date or location of his arrest, the agency responsible, or the specific charges leveled against him.”
Hardline Outlet Kayhan Demands Strict Hijab Law Enforcement in Iran | IranWire
“The newspaper Kayhan, affiliated with the office of Ali Khamenei, the former Supreme Leader, and Mojtaba Khamenei, the current Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, criticized what it described as the spread of ‘unveiling’ in Iran, calling on the government and other state institutions to take action against women opposing the mandatory hijab and clarify their policies on the matter.”
HOSTAGES
No Regular Contact with Pair Held in Iran, Family Say | BBC News
“A British couple who have been detained in Iran for more than 20 months have not had regular contact restored with their family, despite assurances, their family say. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who were sentenced to 10 years in jail over espionage charges which they deny, were promised family contact after they ended hunger strikes, but there had not been regular calls since, they said.”
Jailed Iranian-American Journalist Reza Valizadeh Marks Two Years Behind Bars | Radio Farda
“Reza Valizadeh, a dual US-Iranian citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL's Radio Farda, is marking two years behind bars in Iran. Valizadeh was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of ‘collaborating with a hostile government’ in December 2024, a conviction his supporters and press-freedom groups reject. His appeal was rejected.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran Must Both Fight and Negotiate, Parliament Speaker Says | Iran International
“Iran should fight while also pursuing negotiations rather than treating the two as alternatives, parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday. . . . He criticized two competing positions in Iran’s political establishment: one that advocates war without offering a credible way to end it and rejects diplomacy, risking attrition and endless conflict; and another that underestimates Iran’s capabilities and promotes surrender to unilateral demands. The first would keep Iran in permanent crisis, while the second would sacrifice its resources and national dignity, he said.”
Ghalibaf Warns of Iranian Internal Divisions | The National
“Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has warned of divisions within the country’s political establishment over how to handle the war with the US, as officials disagree over the balance between military pressure and negotiations. . . . He added that there were two opposing approaches within Iran's political and intellectual circles. ‘First, there is a view that speaks of war but has no horizon or mechanism for bringing it to an empowered end,’ Mr Ghalibaf said. ‘This view, by rejecting any interaction and diplomacy, and without calculating the country's capabilities, effectively pushes the country toward attrition and endless war.’ He then criticised what he described as the opposite position. ‘On the opposite side is a current that suffers from the error of underestimating national power; it considers Iran weak and, by spreading fear, prescribes surrender and acceptance of the enemy’s unilateral conditions,’ he said, adding both approaches amounted to ‘strategic errors’ and could weaken Iran.”
Journalist Ties Tanker Attacks to Oil Middlemen, Drawing Treason Accusations | Iran International
“Iranian investigative journalist Yashar Soltani says the middlemen who move Iran's sanctioned oil revenues had a financial motive to wreck the June deal with Washington, and that the tanker attacks weeks later served it. Hardline outlets have answered with accusations of treason. Speaking on an online program last week, Soltani said networks built to evade oil sanctions stood to lose from the June memorandum between Tehran and Washington, because implementing it would have cut their role in oil sales.”
Iran’s School Year Opens as Fees Triple and Enrolment Falls | Euronews
“Iran’s new academic year opens on Wednesday against a backdrop of tuition fees that in some cases nearly tripled over the summer, with enrollment falling at private schools across Tehran as war fears, sanctions and the continued collapse of the rial squeeze family budgets.”
PROPAGANDA
Iran and China Create First-of-Their-Kind Autonomous A.I. Influence Campaigns | New York Times
“Iran, China and groups in Israel used artificial intelligence in novel ways in recent months to create first-of-their-kind influence campaigns on social media, ratcheting up concerns among U.S. officials and security researchers about the fast-evolving technology.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
“Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin is urging President Trump to press Chinese President Xi Jinping on evidence that the Iranians used satellite images from Chinese entities to carry out the July attack on a military base in Jordan that killed three U.S. service members and wounded four others. In a letter sent to the president Friday and obtained by CBS News, the Michigan senator urged the president to make that issue ‘a centerpiece of your talks with President Xi’ during his White House visit next week.”
Two Republican Senate Candidates Call for Swift End to Iran War, Diverging from Trump | Reuters
“Two Republicans in tight US Senate races called on Monday for a swift end to the war in Iran, the latest sign that vulnerable candidates are trying to put some distance between themselves and President Donald Trump over a conflict that has pushed up fuel prices, including a surge in diesel to record highs. Both Mike Rogers, locked in a competitive race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, and Ashley Hinson, who is facing Democrat Josh Turek in a close contest in Iowa, struck a more dovish tone on Iran on Monday, after previously backing Trump’s authority to strike Tehran.”
EUROPE & IRAN
Iran Seals French Language Centre in Tehran, Accuses It of Illegal Activities | Reuters
“Iranian authorities have sealed a French language centre affiliated with the French embassy in Tehran following a judicial order, the Tehran prosecutor's office said on Sunday according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The centre operated for years under the cover of foreign-language teaching despite repeated warnings to obtain a licence, authorities said, accusing it of activities against Iranian culture and national security, including identifying and building networks as well as facilitating the departure of skilled Iranians from the country.”
France Summons Iranian Ambassador over Language Center Closure | IranWire
“France announced that it will summon the ambassador of the Islamic Republic in response to the ‘sealing of the French Language Center in Tehran.’”