https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iaea-claims-cannot-assure-peaceful-nature-of-iran-nuclear-pr
IAEA claims 'cannot assure' peaceful nature of Iran nuclear program
The UN's nuclear watchdog said Wednesday it could not guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program, saying there had been "no progress" in resolving questions over the past presence of nuclear material at alleged "undeclared sites".
In a report seen by AFP, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was "not in a position to provide assurance that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful."
It said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was "increasingly concerned that Iran has not engaged with the Agency on the outstanding safeguards issues during this reporting period and, therefore, that there has been no progress towards resolving them."
The IAEA has been pressing Iran for answers on the presence of nuclear material at three alleged "undeclared sites".
In a separate report also issued on Wednesday, the IAEA said that Iran was continuing to enrich uranium well over the limits laid down in the 2015 deal, with its stockpile now over 19 times the limit set out in the accord.
The report claimed that Iran's stockpile as of August 21 stood at an estimated 3,940 kilograms, up 131.6 kilograms from the last quarterly report, "over 19 times the limit set out in the accord."
Iran urges IAEA to drop "baseless accusations"
It is noteworthy that in late August, Iran's top diplomat Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian demanded that the IAEA drop the issue of what the Western parties claim to be "undeclared sites", as momentum builds to revive a 2015 nuclear deal.
In June, the IAEA's board of governors adopted a resolution censuring Iran for failing to adequately explain the previous discovery of traces of enriched uranium at three sites allegedly "not declared by Tehran" as having hosted nuclear activities.
"We are very serious about safeguard issues, and do not want to allow some of the IAEA's baseless accusations to remain," IRNA quoted Amir-Abdollahian as saying.
>> Giving the green light to bomb Iran?
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-says-fbi-took-medical-files-during-mar-a-lago-raid
Trump says FBI took medical files during Mar-a-Lago raid
Former US President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that federal agents took confidential medical records during an FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago residence last month.
"Not only did the FBI steal my Passports in the FBI Raid and Break-In of my home, Mar-a-Lago, but it has just been learned through court filings that they also improperly took my complete and highly confidential medical file and history … a definite NO, NO. Days of the Soviet Union!" Trump said on social media.
Last month, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago based on an affidavit and search warrant purporting potential violations of classified document handling protocols.
Agents seized boxes of records from the residence, including empty folders with classified labels, according to court filings.
Trump has repeatedly condemned the raid as a weaponization of the US justice system against him by the Biden administration and denied any wrongdoing.
According to the former US President, federal agents took personal tax records and privileged attorney-client information in addition to medical records and other items.
Investigators will at least see that the former president is "very healthy, an absolutely perfect physical specimen," Trump added, mocking the FBI raid.
Trump held on to material on foreign nation's nuclear capabilities: WP
Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate has proven to be an absolute treasure trove of critical documents, and reports saying the FBI raid on the home was with the aim of finding classified nuclear documents have proven to be true.
FBI agents that conducted the Mar-a-Lago search found a document detailing a foreign nation's military defenses, which include its nuclear capabilities, the Washington Post reported, saying this raised concern about the classified materials Trump has been keeping in his possession for all this time.
Several documents seized by the FBI contained information about top-secret US operations that only a handful of officials know about them. The FBI seized 11 boxes worth of papers, including data deemed to be so secret that they could not be stated individually in the "receipt" of what was taken. Only the president, handpicked members of his Cabinet, or near-Cabinet-level officials are able to reveal the information about the top-secret documents to other government officials, people familiar with the matter told the WP.
In addition to the 150 documents recovered by the National Archives in January and the documents given to the Department of Justice in June by Trump aides, the documents recovered in the Mar-a-Lago raid raised a total of more than 300 classified documents recovered by Washington, the New York Times reported previously.
Trump and the National Archives have been at each other's throats since the former left office in 2021 after the agency found that he was in possession of White House documents that he should have turned over to the government upon the end of his term.
It was only in the latest batch of documents seized from Trump that there was information regarding a foreign country's nuclear and military capabilities, and people familiar with the issue did not reveal which country was in question nor give out any additional details about the Department of Justice's investigation into the matter.
The dramatic FBI raid on Donald Trump's palatial Florida residence has supercharged the bitter, polarizing political debate around the slew of judicial investigations facing the former President as he considers another White House run.
The raid led to Trump facing a criminal investigation over potential violations of the Espionage Act and additional statutes relating to obstruction of justice, as well as the destruction of federal government records, according to the search warrant executed by FBI agents at the former President's home.
Trump is in such hot water that he announced that he was taking the US government to court over the FBI's raid in a bid to stop the federal agency from delving into the material seized from him until a special court official can be appointed to review the documents in question.
The violation of the Espionage Act has a possible punishment of 10 years in federal prison, the statute for obstruction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, and the statute for the destruction of records carries a potential lifetime ban on holding public office.
Similar couch design, similar fabric color, different fabric pattern.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/putin-on-truss-victory:-uk-elections-far-from-democracy
Putin on Truss' victory: UK elections far from democracy
The system for electing a leader in the United Kingdom is contrary to democratic norms, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday in response to Liz Truss' election as Prime Minister.
"In the UK, the procedure for electing the head of state is far from democratic principles. It takes place within the framework of the party that won the previous parliamentary elections. The people of the UK are not involved in this case in the change of government. The ruling elite there has its own attitudes," Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
Truss inherently anti-Russian, Lavrov says
Incoming British Prime Minister Liz Truss has a pre-existing negative attitude toward Russia, yet under the current conditions it would be more important for London to sort out relations with its closest neighbors, including France, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following talks with Thailand’s visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, in Moscow on Tuesday.
"I believe that Liz Truss still has a higher priority: before she finally formulates her attitude to Russia, which is patently negative, she will have to sort out relations with the [UK’s] near neighbors, for one, to make up her mind about who French President, Emmanuel Macron, is - a friend or a foe. This question is still up in the air. It remains unanswered. I believe that it would be more important for the two neighbors to deal with this first than to cast their eyes far beyond their borders," Lavrov said.
"She (Truss) has her own principles, primarily, adherence to a hard line in defending Britain’s interests without any wish to take into account the position of others or to make any compromises," Lavrov said.
"I don’t think that this will help to maintain or strengthen that country’s stance on the international stage, which has clearly been dented after Brexit. Now London has for a long time been actively trying to compensate for this loss of identity and of influence in the European Union by taking quite drastic steps, including aggressive actions regarding the situation that has developed around Ukraine. We all know this."
Liz Truss, who won the Tory leadership election, was named Prime Minister on Tuesday, succeeding Boris Johnson. Truss defeated former UK finance minister Rishi Sunak in an intra-party battle on Monday. Earlier today, Queen Elizabeth II approved Liz Truss' new cabinet formation.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-military-eyes-ksa-for-new-military-testing-facility
US military eyes KSA for new military testing facility
Three US defense officials aware of the plans revealed that the US military command responsible for the Middle East and Iran is formulating plans to construct a new military testing center in Saudi Arabia.
The center will develop and test new technologies to address the growing danger posed by unmanned drones, as well as integrated air and missile defense capabilities.
Early planning by Central Command, or CENTCOM, included naming the facility the Red Sands Integrated Experimentation Center, a reference to the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, which serves as a US military testing center for long-range missiles.
While the location has not yet been determined, officials believe Saudi Arabia is the best option because it has large open spaces owned by the government and the ability to test various methods of electronic warfare, such as signal jamming and directed energy, without interfering with nearby population centers.
“With the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the center of gravity for many future regional security endeavors, this is an opportunity,” a US defense official said.
The commander of CENTCOM, Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, proposed the idea in a meeting with several US allies in the region last month. “There was overwhelming support,” said a US official familiar with the discussions.
The testing site plan comes amid growing security cooperation between normalizing Arab governments and "Israel" against Iran.
During President Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East in July, US officials underlined the idea of regional states working together to bolster missile defenses.
Human rights groups and some senators in Washington are likely to criticize the United States for expanding military cooperation with Saudi Arabia after the CIA found that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and some members of Congress have urged that the United States should withdraw from the oil-rich country and reconsider its ties with Riyadh.
While there is no solid cost estimate, officials said the US would likely fund around 20% of the cost and provide about 20% of the troops, with allies covering the remainder, according to two US defense officials.
The US official revealed that the plan "draws several states into realistic security arrangements" at a time when Kurilla has urged CENTCOM to shift its attention away from a big US military footprint in the region and toward establishing partnerships.
There is no firm timeline for when Red Sands could begin operations, but it is not likely before the end of 2022, the two US defense officials said. A spokesperson for CENTCOM declined to comment on specific details of the planning.
US, KSA, and 'Israel' to build a fleet of drones against Iran
This comes amid efforts by the US Navy, along with "Israel", Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries, to establish a network of unmanned drones to limit Iran's military in the region; a program that the Pentagon hopes will serve as a model for operations around the world.
US commanders declined to reveal the number of airborne and marine drones deployed by the US and its partners or to provide data on where and how they are employed, citing secret information.
However, they claim that unmanned vessels and aircraft are providing them with improved visibility over the region's seas.
The Navy plans to have 100 tiny surveillance drones operating from the Suez Canal in Egypt to waters off the Iranian coast by next summer, relaying data to a command center in Bahrain, the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet.
“I think we are truly on the cusp of an unmanned technological revolution,” said Capt. Michael Brasseur, who heads the US Navy task force working on the drone fleet in the Middle East.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/putin-warns-no-gas-no-oil-to-countries-that-cap-prices
Putin warns 'no gas, no oil' to if prices capped
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia will stop supplying oil and gas to countries that impose price ceilings.
Capping prices, as some Western countries are considering, "would be an absolutely stupid decision," Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok.
"We will not supply anything at all if it is contrary to our interests, in this case economic (interests)," he said. "No gas, no oil, no coal, no fuel oil, nothing."
The G7 industrialized nations pledged on Friday to work quickly to establish a price cap on Russian oil imports in order to cut off a key source of funding for Moscow's military activity in Ukraine.
Putin stated that Russia will honor its contractual responsibilities and hoped that other countries would follow suit.
"Those who are trying to impose something on us are in no position today to dictate their will," Putin said. "They should come to their senses."
In response to rising European energy prices ahead of winter, Putin stated that Russia would not deliver anything outside of current contracts.
"They have several solutions. Either subsidizing high prices, which is bad because it won't change consumer behavior… or reduce consumption," he said.
"From an economic point of view, it is correct. From a social point of view, it is dangerous, it can lead to an explosion. It is better to adhere to contractual obligations, to civilized rules," Putin said.
Putin slams accusations that Russia allegedly uses Nord Stream as energy weapon as "nonsense"
Accusations by Western countries that Russia is allegedly using the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline as an energy weapon are nothing but nonsense, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
"Nord Stream 1 is practically closed now. Everyone says: 'Russia uses energy weapons.' This is another nonsense. What kind of weapons do we use?! We supply as much as our partners need: as much as they place an order," Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
The president noted that Ukraine and Poland, through the territories of which Russia supplies gas to Europe, closed the gas pipelines on their own, adding that these were their decisions.
"Give us a turbine, we will launch Nord Stream 1 tomorrow. They do not give anything," Putin said.
Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to be switched on once needed
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was not built in vain, and "if necessary, please, we will turn it on," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
"No, we are not building anything in vain. We have received the appropriate technologies, we have worked them out. If necessary, please, we will turn on Nord Stream 2," he said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), answering whether Nord Stream 2 had been built in vain.
It is worth noting that gas supplies via Nord Stream have completely stopped since August 31 and the operation of the pipeline has been suspended due to scheduled maintenance work at the Portovaya compressor station, data from gas transportation system operators showed.
A leak was detected at the main gas turbine at the Portovaya compressor station near St. Petersburg.
Previously, Gazprom said gas would continue to flow on Saturday after a different turbine repair was required. However, Western sanctions have made it difficult for the oil company to pursue its maintenance routine.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/eu-chief-proposes-cap-on-russian-gas-following-putin-no-gas
EU chief proposes cap on Russian gas following Putin 'no gas' threat
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen proposed that the bloc's 27 nations agree on placing a price cap on Russian gas imports.
Von der Leyen's decision comes as a means of imposing further sanctions on Russia as the West looks for more means of punishing the country over the Ukraine war.
"The objective here is very clear. We must cut Russia's revenues which (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin uses to finance this atrocious war against Ukraine," the president of the European Commission told reporters.
Just hours ago, President Putin said Russia would stop supplying oil and gas to countries that impose price ceilings.
Capping prices, as some Western countries are considering, "would be an absolutely stupid decision," Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok.
The G7 industrialized nations pledged on Friday to work quickly to establish a price cap on Russian oil imports in order to cut off a key source of funding for Moscow's military activity in Ukraine.
Putin stated that Russia will honor its contractual responsibilities and hoped that other countries should follow suit.
In response to rising European energy prices ahead of winter, Putin stated that Russia would not deliver anything outside of current contracts.
"They have several solutions. Either subsidizing high prices, which is bad because it won't change consumer behavior… or reduce consumption," he said.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russia-expands-sanctions-against-brussels-includes-military
Russia expands sanctions against Brussels, includes military officials
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday in a statement that "in response to the next restrictive measures against Russian individuals and legal entities, a decision was made to expand the list of representatives of the institutions of the EU and its member states, which are banned from entry into our country."
Among those on the ban are the top military leadership of the EU, high-ranking officials of the law enforcement agencies of the EU member states, and representatives of European commercial organizations in the production of weapons and military equipment involved in the deliveries of military products to Ukraine.
The Ministry added, "We want to remind the initiators of anti-Russian measures that any unfriendly actions against Russia will continue to meet a harsh response from our side."
This comes in light of Brussels' enforcement of an abundance of continuous unexpected sanctions on Moscow as a response to the launch of the war in Ukraine. "Step by step," Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, "Brussels and individual European capitals demonstrate an absolute lack of reason… This mix of irrationality, bordering on the insane, allows for such decisions (on visas) to be discussed."
Russia's Foreign Ministry accused Brussels in June of "manipulating" Ukraine after the EU Commission recommended that Kiev be granted candidate status for joining the 27-nation bloc. The EU member states have agreed on a series of sanctions packages targeting Russia and sectors of the economy, including key oil exports. The latest of those packages targets visas given to Russians to access the EU bloc.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told Sputnik on Monday that the European Union is not taking into consideration the consequences of giving military aid to Ukraine.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/khan-slams-blocked-speech-on-youtube-as-unacceptable-censors
Khan slams blocked speech on Youtube as 'unacceptable censorship'
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan accused the government of censoring his speech Tuesday, saying the move would damage the country's reputation.
Last month, the government's media regulatory body blocked Khan's speeches from being broadcast live, claiming that they were instigating unrest. Even though this week the high court ruled the order illegal, no TV channels broadcast Tuesday's speech.
Even after leaving office in April, Khan still maintains his popularity among the public and has staged mass rallies across the country calling for early elections and railing against the government, as his speeches frequently draw top ratings on television, with highlights trending on social media in Pakistan.
On Tuesday, YouTube crashed across much of the country as Khan addressed a rally in Peshawar, with Netblocks, a London-based internet outage monitor, confirming the disruption and telling AFP, "Access was restored after the speech concluded." YouTube has yet to comment on the issue, and a representative of the Pakistan Telecoms Authority declared that they had "no idea about it."
Khan tweeted: "They are imposing complete blackout of my speeches not only from mainstream media but also by blocking YouTube, this fascist govt of cabal of crooks & their backers are willing to harm the interests of Pakistan simply out of fear of (his party) PTI's soaring popularity. Utterly callous & unacceptable."
Last month, a pro-Khan television station critical of the current government, ARY News, was taken off the air, but a court last week also ordered the move illegal. Another private TV channel, Bol News, was suspended last week allegedly for carrying an expired license but insisted later it was being penalized "for showing what the government doesn't like."
Free speech campaigners have long criticized the creeping censorship and control of Pakistan's internet, printed, and electronic media. According to Usama Khilji, a digital rights activist, it is protected under digital martial law.
Khan is due in court on Thursday for a hearing on one of the cases and charges against him since leaving office by a vote of no confidence in the national assembly, as he is charged with violating anti-terrorism laws after allegedly threatening a female judge and two senior police officials at a rally in Islamabad last month.
Current premier Shehbaz Sharif also has ongoing cases from when he was in opposition.
The country's political crisis comes as the country struggles with the worst floods in its history, leaving 33 million people affected by record rains that doused almost a third of the nation under water.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanon:-language-of-mandate-extension-contradicts-framework
Lebanon: Language of mandate extension contradicts framework agreement
The UN Security Council decision to extend the UNIFIL mandate in Lebanon is written in a manner that does not go with the decision's framework agreement, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The Ministry responded to press reports regarding Lebanon's request to cancel the references to resolutions 1559 and 1680 in the UNSC decision extending the UNIFIL mandate, clarifying that "Beirut did not ask for the cancellation of the references to resolutions 1559 and 1680."
"Lebanon respects and abides by all Security Council resolutions, and it is out of the question for it to request, and it did not request, the cancellation of the reference to resolutions 1559 and 1680," Beirut said.
The Ministry then added that Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib requested to meet with the head of the UNIFIL mission to underline the importance of coordination between the Lebanese Army and the UN force.
The United Nations Security Council last Wednesday extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon for one year, asking the UNIFIL to continue providing logistical support for the Lebanese army for another six months.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in the Lebanese South since 1978 as a "buffer zone" between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation as the two parties are technically still in a state of war.
The Security Council decided, at the request of Beirut, to extend the 10,000-strong force's mandate until August 2023.
The resolution was adopted by the council's 15 members, who stressed in particulate the "risk that violations of the cessation of hostilities could lead to a new conflict that none of the parties or the region can afford."
The Israeli occupation is notorious for continuously sending drones violating Lebanese airspace, bugging the Lebanese people, and disturbing the silence of their nights for their reconnaissance operations.
The Israeli occupation also violates Lebanon's sovereignty by continuously using its airspace to launch aggression against Syria, not to mention the repeated trespassing into Lebanese territories.