Western powers are lobbying other states on the UN nuclear watchdog's board to jointly pressure Iran to give the agency the answers it has long sought on uranium traces found at three undeclared sites, diplomats said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. 

At its last quarterly meeting in June, the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution expressing "profound concern" that the traces remain unexplained due to insufficient cooperation by Iran and calling on Tehran to engage with the watchdog "without delay".

The US atomic watchdog had repeatedly called on Iran to cooperate when earlier the Islamic Republic removed CCTV cameras on its nuclear sites operated by the IAEA.
The Vienna-based IAEA says there has been no progress and no engagement by Iran since then, Reuters said.

Rather than pass a new resolution at this week's board meeting, the four countries behind June's resolution - the US, Britain, France and Germany - have prepared a joint statement reaffirming support for that text, hoping that many other countries will also sign onto it.

"We call upon Iran to act immediately to fulfil its legal obligations and, without delay, take up the (IAEA) Director General's offer of further engagement to clarify and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues," the text seen by Reuters says, referring to the years-long IAEA investigation.

A resolution passed by the Board of Governors carries the weight of a formal decision by the IAEA's top policy-making body that meets more than once a year. Countries banding together to state without submitting and passing a resolution are merely expressing an opinion.

The unexplained uranium traces found at three sites in Iran has become an obstacle in wider talks in Vienna to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear deal since Tehran is now seeking closure of the IAEA's investigation as part of those negotiations, parties to talks say.

"A French diplomatic source said Paris and its partners were consulting to see how to respond to the current deadlock and prepare the next IAEA board meeting in November," Reuters reported.

The Trump administration left the 2015 Iran deal while Iran gradually lessened its commitments in hopes of the US returning to the deal.

People parked their cars along the usually busy road, got out and waved as the hearse, with lights inside illuminating the flag-draped coffin, made its way into London, Associated Press reported.

Thousands of people outside the palace cheered as the hearse moved in front of the palace. King Charles III and other royals waited to greet the casket.

The King will gather with royals, including his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, Princes William and Harry and their wives, Catherine and Meghan.

It will mark one of the final stages of a solemn journey which began on Sunday at the Queen's Balmoral estate, BBC reported.

The Queen's state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday at the Queen's Balmoral estate, aged 96. Leaders across the world expressed their gratitude to the Queen.

The 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein or Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein – a founding figure in Shia Islam and grandson of the Prophet Mohammed – by the forces of the caliph Yazid in 680 CE.

More than 3 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in Iraq this year to participate in mourning anniversary for the killing of Imam Hussein, mostly through the Iraqi government's border crossings. While 20 thousand pilgrims have crossed into Iraqi through Kurdistan region border crossings, the Commission of Border Crossing Points said.

Zurbatiyah border crossing in Wasit Governorates followed by Shalamcheh border crossing were busies points of entry into Iraq, over 70 percent of pilgrims entered Iraq through Zurbatiyah alone, the commission added.

Iraqi is home to holiest Shiite cites in the world. Karbala where Imam Hussein was killed is the place where Shias march for the Arbaeen ritual. During Arbaeen Shia across the world head to Iraq to mourn Imam Hussein’s death.

This year, many Shias entered Iraq through the Kurdistan region. They were welcomed by Sunni groups and were provided accommodation and assistance.

Kyoumars Heydari, the commander of the ground forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, claimed its country has designed an advanced long-range suicide drone "specifically for attacking Haifa and Tel Aviv", two important cities in Israel.

“We have specially designed this drone for Haifa and Tel Aviv. This is a unique drone that was developed for this task,” state media quoted Koumars Heydari.

Iran “will unveil this drone’s capabilities in future exercises,” he said.

Israel has usually called out Iran's drone program, and calls it a threat to the region's security. Recently Iran concluded a deal with Russia to provide Moscow with Iranian-made drones.

Iran does not recognize Israel and Iranian military commanders have repeatedly threatened to attack the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Iran and US came close to revive the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump administration left in 2018, the talks were backed by most parties except Israel that openly worked to undermine a potential deal between the two.

The 2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Israel believes the deal is too generous to Tehran and is opposed to efforts by the US and the EU to restore it.

On Saturday, Britain, France and Germany – who are parties to deal alongside the US, Russia and China – said they had “serious doubts” about Iran’s intentions to revive the agreement.

Tehran said the statement by the three European countries was “unconstructive,” and Moscow’s envoy to the talks called it “untimely.”

Iran says that its nuclear program is directed to peaceful means, while the UN atomic watch dog has questioned the military dimension of Iran’s nuclear program, and was the main obstacle in reviving the deal.

Today, Monday, the Ukrainian army announced the recapture of more than 20 towns within 24 hours, from the Russian army.

It said in a statement that the army was able to "to expel the enemy from more than 20 towns," according to AFP.

The army confirmed in the first official assessment of their gains, it said that the army has recaptured about 500 square kilometers in the Kherson region in the south of the country, including the towns of Visokopelia, Belogirka, Sukhi, Stavok and Mirolubivka.

The army commander announced yesterday that his forces had recaptured more than 3,000 square kilometers from the Russian forces, since the start of the counterattack at the beginning of the month in eastern Ukraine.

While the Russians withdrew from many towns in the Donbas region, leaving behind equipment and ammunition, abandoned boxes of ammunition and military equipment were seen scattered in the areas they left, according to photos published by the Ukrainian army.

On the other hand, there was no official Russian reaction to the gains made by the Ukrainian forces, but a map of Kharkiv presented by the Russian Defense Ministry during its daily briefing yesterday, Sunday, showed a significant withdrawal of its army from this area.

It showed that the Russian army controls only a small part of the territory east of Kharkiv beyond the Oskol River, after it controlled much larger areas in that region on Saturday.

It is noteworthy that the control of several urban centers such as Kobyansk and Izyum in the vicinity of Kharkiv may constitute a major blow to Russia's ability to deliver supplies to its forces on the front line in eastern Ukraine, which will greatly reduce its control, after important progress achieved last spring.

In his first public speech since taking office last June, he added that the Mossad had thwarted dozens of Iranian attempts to target Israelis in the recent period, stressing that the Israeli response would be painful and inside Iran, if it touched Israelis.

He also indicated preventing 3 Iranian cells in Turkey from killing Israelis, and thwarting other attacks against businessmen and diplomats in Cyprus, Colombia and many other places.

"Once the agreement is signed, there will be no restrictions on Iranian terrorism," he said, referring to the "huge sums of money that will be given to Iran," according to the Jerusalem Post.

Barnea also said that Iran's leadership must understand that any direct or indirect attack against Israel or against Israeli citizens will be answered with "a painful retaliation" against those responsible, Axios reported.

Barnea explained that the investigations opened by the International Atomic Energy Agency at uranium enrichment sites cannot be closed despite Iran's demands, because this will only lead to a nuclear escalation.

"If Iran's proxies come for us, we will hit them directly," he added.

Israel accused Iranian agents of planning to target its citizens in Turkey last June, which Tehran denied.

At that time, the Turkish police arrested a cell comprising 5 Iranians, which had planned to kidnap and target Israelis in Istanbul.

Israel urged its citizens to exercise caution after credible threats of Iranian agents planning to kill or kidnap Israelis, especially after the escalation of tension with Tehran, after the latter accused Tel Aviv of carrying out assassinations and sabotage on its soil.

During the past months, Iran witnessed the killing of a number of Revolutionary Guards officers and nuclear workers. Fingers were pointed at Israel, and as usual,  Israel remained silent on the issue.

The announcement comes a day after the 96-year-old monarch canceled a meeting of her Privy Council and was told to rest.

The palace says the queen is “comfortable” and remains at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she has spent the summer.

Qubad Talabani told Leaf and the delegation accompanying her that the KRG has no problem over who sells [KRG’s] oil, and that they are concerned about Baghdad guaranteeing KRG’s share of the budget, financial entitlements and constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region, and he called on the United States to assist in the constitutional resolution of the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.

Since early 2022, Baghdad has called KRG’s handling of its oil sector unconstitutional, and asks energy firms operating in the region to leave or face legal action.

The two sides also discussed the political situation in Iraq, and the latest political developments in Baghdad. Both sides agreed that the political parties should resolve their issues through national dialogue.

In another part of the meeting, the reform process of the Kurdistan Regional Government was discussed, and Talabani stressed that the Kurdistan Regional Government insists on implementing the reform process in all sectors step by step and called for continued US assistance to the region.

According to Article 64 of the 2005 Iraqi constitution, the Supreme Court has no authority to dissolve the House of Representatives.
The court's powers are limited and do not include the dissolution of parliament. 

After four postponements, the supreme court met today, Wednesday, to decide on the fate of the parliament. The court met on the request of Iraq’s popular cleric Muqtada al-Sadr whose supporters occupied Baghdad’s Green Zone and called for an early election and dissolution of the parliament. 

The decision might again suspend everyday politics and oblige the political parties to impose their wills through their people, not state institutions. 

Shalaw Kosrat Rasul, and Saadi Ahmad Pira, accompanied president Bafel in the meeting. The guest delegation congratulated Bafel Jalal Talabani on his election as the president of the PUK, and wished him success in this historic task.

The meeting discussed the political situation in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. President Bafel pointed out the latest political developments and said that the unity and common vision of the Kurdish forces in Baghdad is an important need of the time that guarantee the protection of legal and constitutional rights of the Kurdish people.

The Kurds can play a stronger role in Baghdad and we as the Kurdistan National Union (KNU) continue our efforts for this lofty goal, President Bafel Jalal Talabani added.

The meeting also emphasized the improving ties between the two countries, especially in terms of trade, and President Bafel said that we encourage German investors to come to Kurdistan and invest their capital.

Foreign investors poruing their capital into the region would strengthen the economic infrastructure and President Bafel Jalal Talabani promised his support for such efforts.

He explained that all data indicate that Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium by is up to 60 percent, which it maintains in the form of uranium hexafluoride, the gas enriched in centrifuges, has grown by 12.5 kilograms to 55.6 kilograms since the last quarterly report issued on May 30.

In addition, the quarterly report confirmed what the United Nations agency has repeatedly stated in the past, that Tehran has not yet provided clear and honest answers to the origin of uranium particles found in three old nuclear sites that were not previously known.

The Director-General of the Agency, Rafael Grossi, also expressed his growing concern about Iran's handling of the requests of international inspectors on this file, explaining that no progress was made in this context, according to Reuters.

This report comes at a sensitive time, amid pessimism surrounding the talks to revive the nuclear agreement signed in 2015, after long rounds of consultations between Tehran and Western countries.

Iran's stipulation that the agency's investigations should be closed to return to the agreement ended the hopes that had surfaced weeks ago.

It prompted the European Coordinator, Joseph Borrell, to express his disappointment two days ago, noting that the Iranian response to the European text he presented to the negotiators was not constructive or encouraging and set things back.

It is noteworthy that the European Union submitted on August 8, after long and complex rounds and negotiations that started last April (2021) in Vienna, and lasted 16 months, a final text to overcome the impasse to revive this agreement.

Borrell received the first Iranian response in mid-August 2022, followed by the American reaction to Iranian observations and demands. Finally, Tehran's response came and dashed the hopes of reviving the nuclear agreement.

Iraqis in Sadr City reacted on Wednesday to Iraq's top court ruling that it does not have the legal right to dissolve parliament.

The ruling by the Supreme Federal Court states the court does not have the authority under Iraq's constitution to dissolve the legislature, which was a key demand by influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Amer Alwan, a resident of Sadr City, the Baghdad suburb where al-Sadr's followers are highly concentrated, said the "court's decision is unfair."

The much-anticipated decision that raises the stakes in the country's unprecedented 11-month political crisis.

"Today, we were surprised by the federal court's decision not to dissolve the Iraqi parliament, which was a popular demand," said Abu Hayder, another Sadr City resident.

Al-Sadr's bloc won most votes in parliamentary elections last October but he has been unable to form a majority government.

His followers stormed the parliament in late July to prevent their rivals from Iran-backed Shiite groups from forming the government.

With ensuing rallies, clashes with security forces, counter-rallies and a sit-in outside parliament, the government formation process has stalled.

Al-Sadr has now been calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections and has been in a power struggle with his Iran-backed rivals since the vote.

The decision by the court, which had delayed ruling on al-Sadr's demands amid concerns over more unrest, effectively rejects al-Sadr's demand and further deepens the stalemate between the cleric and his rivals.

It puts the onus on Iraq's lawmakers, who could potentially assemble and dissolve the legislature, something al-Sadr rejects.

After the ruling, Iraqi security forces closed the gates to the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad - the seat of the government and the center stage for Iraq's political crisis - anticipating a reaction from al-Sadr's followers.

Last week, at least 30 people died in clashes over two days between al-Sadr's loyalists and security forces, bringing Iraq to the brink of street warfare.

The hostilities came to a halt when al-Sadr ordered his supporters to withdraw.

The court’s ruling could bring further destabilize the country as it leaves al-Sadr no choice but to again call on his supporters to take to the streets to achieve his political demands.

A 25-year-old shepherd was kidnapped by ISIS terrorists in the village of Naren in the district of Qaratapa, a security source told Kurdsat News.

Three years ago, two other shepherds were kidnapped by ISIS in the same area, one of whom was released and the other was martyred.

A significant territory in middle of Iraq has seen increased ISIS activity. ISIS terrorists kidnap civilians in exchange for ransom. Since the territorial defeat of the terrorist organization in 2018 and 2019, the organization has resorted to guerrilla tactics to continue its operations.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime minister Qubad Talabani, said on his Facebook page that in the KRG Council of Ministers he met with the relevant ministries regarding construction of Sulaimani’s 100-meter ring road officially named Baban Street.

He added that early next week will hold a meeting with the municipal council and all relevant parties in Sulaimani, we have appropriate solutions to finish the strategic project, and the construction of the ring road must be done as soon as possible.

The 100-meter ring road has employed thousands of people and helps to reduce traffic congestion in the city by a significant margin.

To watch a video version of this story on YouTube click here.

To be sure, albeit fragile, Turkey has smoothed feathers with the Gulf states ruffled when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan effectively abandoned the policy by supporting the 2011 Arab popular revolts and the Muslim Brotherhood, coming to Qatar's aid during the 3.5-year-long UAE-Saudi-led diplomatic and economic boycott of the Gulf state, and taking Saudi Arabia to task for the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Most recently, Turkey re-established diplomatic relations with Israel after more than a decade of tensions that erupted in 2010 when Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists aboard a Turkish aid vessel, the Mavi Marmara, attempting to break the Israeli maritime blockade of Gaza.

Yet, with fears mounting of an escalation of the violence on the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the unresolved Palestinian issue constitutes a ticking time bomb in relations between Israel and Turkey. Turkey has insisted that restoring ties with Israel does not mean it has abandoned its support for the Palestinians.

Turkey's problem is that it has improved relations with regional powers, none of which border Turkey.

By contrast, relations with four of its eight neighbors with which it shares land borders – Iraq, Syria, the Kurds, and Greece – are on a downward spiral, with the specter of armed conflict hanging in the air.

At the same time, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has turned the Black Sea into a war zone.

Similarly, a potential Turkish offensive in northern Syria would create another war zone in which Turkey risks fighting Kurdish rebels, Syrian troops, and Iranian-backed militias.

So far, Turkey has insisted on its right to intervene militarily yet again in northern Syria but has held off launching a new offensive because of Russian and Iranian opposition.

Instead, Turkey is exploring under Russian auspices a modus vivendi with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose political demise Erdogan has demanded since the beginning of the Syrian civil war 11 years ago.

However, reconciliation on terms acceptable to Erdogan may amount to pulling a rabbit out of a hat, given the wide gap in Turkish and Syrian approaches towards control of Kurdish and other rebel groups in northern Syria.

Add to Turkey’s strained relations with its neighbors a so far carefully managed dispute between Turkey and NATO over Swedish and Finnish membership of the trans-Atlantic alliance that threatens already troubled relations with the United States.

Turkey is demanding the extradition by the Nordic states of scores of ethnic Kurds and alleged followers of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen in exchange for ratification of Swedish and Finnish membership by the Turkish parliament. Turkey holds Gulen responsible for a failed 2016 military coup.

Rather than easing tension, Erdogan and his associates have been fueling the fires.

In the latest forthright statement, Erdogan's interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, sounded like he was echoing Iran, that for decades has sought to force a withdrawal of the United States from the Middle East.

Soylu charged that Turkey’s pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party (HDP), whose leader is behind bars on terrorism charges, along with the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) that has been waging a four decades-long low intensity war in the predominantly Kurdish southeast of the country, are creatures of the United States.

This week, the PKK and the Turkish defense ministry differed on the reason for the loss of a Turkish Sikorsky helicopter in Iraqi Kurdistan, where the Turkish military has been targeting Kurdish rebel bases. The Turkish operations have strained relations with the Iraqi government in Baghdad.

The PKK claimed it had downed the helicopter in retaliation for the killing by Turkey of one of its commanders, while Turkey asserted that it had crashed “due to technical issues.”

To complicate things, Turkey, Iran, and Israel are fighting a low-level covert war in northern Iraq over the backs of Iraqi Kurds.

“We do not need the United States. We do not need a Europe that wants us divided and is indifferent to our religion, culture, and beliefs…. As we dismantle the terrorist organization, you should know that we also want to wipe out the USA from here,” Soylu said, referring to the PKK and its offshoots in Syria as well as the US military presence in the war-torn country.

It was unclear whether Soylu was referring to the European Union as a whole or just Sweden and Finland which, according to Turkey, are stalling on agreements made on the eve of NATO’s acceptance of the Nordic states’ membership application.

In a similar vein, Erdogan last week lashed out at fellow NATO member Greece after Turkey accused Greece of harassing Turkish jets on a reconnaissance mission with a Russian-made S-300 air defense system.

“Hey Greece, take a look at history. If you go further, you will pay a heavy price,” Erdogan said, apparently referring to the ethnic cleansing in 1923 when Greeks were forced to leave Turkey and Turks were expelled from Greece in what is euphemistically described as a “population exchange.”

Those in Turkey willing to risk the wrath of an increasingly autocratic Erdogan joke that, if he had been president during World War Two, Turkey would be fighting the Germans, British, and Russians all at the same time.

Regarding the national dialogue, Speaker al-Halbusi addressed several important issues, including the oil and gas law coordination between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region.

"The date of early elections and provincial councils must be determined by the end of next year," Halbusi said. It should also elect a president, and the next government should have full powers and be trusted by the people and political forces.

He called for the revision of Article 76 of the constitution and the law on the elections to the House of Representatives or remain unchanged, as well as the approval of the budget law and the law of the Federal Supreme Court per Article 92 of the constitution. Article 92 of the constitution stipulates that "the Federal Supreme Court is an independent judicial body, financially and administratively."

Al-Halbusi also called for the relations between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to coordinate their efforts and put an end to their disputes over the KRG's energy sector.

Early 2022, Baghdad's Supreme Court called the region's handling of its oil sector unconstitutional and called on energy firms operating in the region to operate legally by making contracts with Baghdad and not the Kurdistan region. Although the Iraqi government expressed its interest in carrying out the decision the issue remains a source of contention between the Kurdistan region and Baghdad. 

Mouhammed al-Halbousi's remarks come after sustained violence and stalemate in Baghdad over forming the next government.