WASHINGTON: More than two decades later, Congress is on the verge of writing a closing chapter to the war in Iraq. The Senate voted Thursday to repeal the resolution that authorized the 2003 US invasion, following a House vote last month that would return the basic war power to Congress. The amendment by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, and Indiana Sen. Todd Young, a Republican, was approved by voice vote to an annual defense authorization bill that passed the Senate late Thursday &mdash; a unanimous endorsement for ending the war that many now view as a mistake. Iraqi deaths were estimated in the hundreds of thousands, and nearly 5,000 US troops were killed in the war after President George W. Bush&rsquo;s administration falsely claimed that then-President Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the way the war ends, not with a bang but a whimper,&rdquo; Kaine said after the vote, which lasted only a few seconds with no debate and no objections. Still, he said, &ldquo;America is forever changed by those wars, and the Middle East is too.&rdquo; Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the United States. The House added a similar amendment to its version of the defense measure in September, meaning the repeal is likely to end up in the final bill once the two chambers reconcile the two pieces of legislation. Both bills also repeal the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the US-led Gulf War. While Congress appears poised to pass the repeal, it is unclear whether President Donald Trump will support it. During his first term, his administration cited the 2002 Iraq resolution as part of its legal justification for a 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani. It has otherwise been rarely used. Young said after the vote that he thinks Trump should &ldquo;take great pride&rdquo; in signing the bill after campaigning on ending so-called &ldquo;forever wars,&rdquo; especially because he would be the first president in recent history to legally end a longstanding war. He said the vote establishes an important precedent. &ldquo;Congress is now very clearly asserting that it is our prerogative and our responsibility not only to authorize but also to bring to an end military conflicts,&rdquo; Young said. The bipartisan vote, added to the larger bipartisan defense measure, came amid a bitter partisan standoff over a weeklong government shutdown. Young said the quick vote was an &ldquo;extraordinary moment&rdquo; that he hopes &ldquo;will help some people see that we can still do consequential things in the U.S. Congress.&rdquo; The Senate also voted to repeal the 2002 resolution two years ago on a 66-30 vote. While some Republicans privately told Kaine that they were still opposed to the measure, none objected to the unanimous vote on the floor Thursday evening. A separate 2001 authorization for the global war on terror would remain in place under the bill. While the 2002 and 1991 resolutions are rarely used and focused on just one country, Iraq, the 2001 measure gave President George W. Bush broad authority for the invasion of Afghanistan, approving force &ldquo;against those nations, organizations, or persons&rdquo; that planned or aided the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Passed in September 2001, it has been used in recent years to justify US military action against groups &mdash; including al-Qaida and its affiliates, such as the Islamic State group and al-Shabab &mdash; that are deemed to be a threat against America.

Americas

Congress is set to withdraw the 2002 Iraq War authorization with bipartisan support, formally ending the conflict and reinforcing congressional war powers, as Iraq is now seen as a strategic US ally.


US Senate unanimously endorses repeal of 2002 Iraq war resolution

TEHRAN: Iran does not plan to immediately resume nuclear talks with European nations after they reimposed sanctions, the foreign ministry said on Monday. Britain, France and Germany, signatories to Iran&#39;s 2015 nuclear deal, reimposed sanctions on September 28, triggering in turn the return of UN sanctions under the so-called snapback mechanism.&lsquo;No plans for negotiations&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;We have no plans for negotiations at this stage,&quot; ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said, adding that Iran was examining the &quot;consequences and implications&quot; of the restart of sanctions initiated by the countries known as the E3. &quot;Of course, diplomacy -- in the sense of maintaining contacts and consultations -- will continue,&quot; Baqaei said. &quot;Whenever we feel that diplomacy can be effective, we will certainly make decisions based on the country&rsquo;s interests and priorities,&quot; he added. Western countries, spearheaded by the United States and joined by Israel, accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and define uranium enrichment as a red line. Iran categorically rejects the accusations, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes and that it has a right to enrichment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran nuclear deal&nbsp;In 2015, the United States, with the three European countries, Russia, and China concluded an agreement with Iran providing for the regulation of Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. President Donald Trump decided during his first term in 2018 to withdraw from the deal and reinstate sanctions. Iran has repeatedly warned that a return of sanctions would lead to a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA. On Sunday, Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that cooperation with the IAEA, the UN&#39;s nuclear watchdog, &quot;is no longer relevant&quot; with the reintroduction of UN sanctions.

Middle East

The Middle Eastern country has announced it will not resume nuclear talks with European nations after they reimposed sanctions, citing ongoing evaluation of consequences, while maintaining diplomatic contacts but rejecting accusations of pursuing nuclear weapons.

Will not resume nuclear talks with Europeans 'at this stage': Iran

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Araghchi, on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote regional stability, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.&nbsp;During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders reviewed the state of Pakistan-Iran relations and exchanged views on regional developments, the foreign office said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;They stressed the importance of expanding collaboration in both bilateral and multilateral forums,&rdquo; it added.&nbsp;According to the Embassy of Iran in Islamabad, both sides remain committed to advancing shared objectives despite shifting regional dynamics.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan and Iran stand united amid the changing regional landscape, dedicated to promoting peace, stability, and security,&rdquo; the embassy said in a post on X.&nbsp;The Foreign Office also noted that both ministers reiterated their unwavering support for Palestine, describing it as a shared cause that remains &ldquo;steadfast now and forever.&rdquo;&nbsp;The call followed a visit to Tehran by Pakistan&rsquo;s special envoy for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, who met his Iranian counterpart Reza Bahrami to discuss regional security, terrorism threats, and Afghanistan&rsquo;s humanitarian and economic challenges.&nbsp;Ties between Islamabad and Tehran have gained momentum in recent months, particularly after Pakistan played what officials in Tehran described as a &ldquo;positive role&rdquo; during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict, helping de-escalate tensions in the region.

Foreign Affairs

Islamabad and Tehran reaffirmed commitment to strengthen bilateral ties and regional peace in a phone call, stressing cooperation in multilateral forums and support for Palestine, as recent diplomatic exchanges signal renewed momentum in their relationship.

Pakistan, Iran pledge deeper ties, stress peace in regional dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Mohammad Sadiq met on Monday his&nbsp;Iranian counterpart, Reza Bahrami, in Tehran, discussing regional security and terrorist threats while underscoring the need for a coordinated strategy.&nbsp;Pakistani envoy is on an official visit to Iran, where he will meet senior officials with a focus on security in Afghanistan and ways to expand ties between Islamabad and Tehran.&nbsp;During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on Afghanistan&rsquo;s humanitarian situation, as well as its political, economic, and trade future, Sadiq said in a post on social media platform X.&nbsp;&ldquo;We discussed regional security and terrorist threats, underscoring the need for a coordinated strategy,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;The meeting also included discussions on initiatives aimed at promoting peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan through joint efforts.&nbsp;Earlier last week, Sadiq met Denmark&rsquo;s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mette Knudsen, and Chief Advisor in the Humanitarian Department, Andreas Ahrenfeldt Kiaby, where they discussed regional developments with a focus on Afghanistan, including security dynamics, humanitarian assistance, and prospects for enhanced cooperation.

Pakistan’s Special Envoy Mohammad Sadiq met Iran’s Reza Bahrami in Tehran, discussing regional security, terrorism threats, and Afghanistan’s humanitarian, political, and economic future, while stressing the need for a coordinated strategy and stronger bilateral cooperation.

Pakistan, Iran discuss regional security and expanding ties

BEIRUT: &nbsp;A top Iranian security official called on regional countries on Saturday to put their difference aside and cooperate closely as they face what he called &ldquo;Israel&rsquo;s conspiracies.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ali Larijani, head of Iran&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council, spoke in Beirut where he arrived earlier Saturday to attend the anniversary of Israel&rsquo;s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon.&nbsp;Iran has been the main backer of Hezbollah over the past four decades, supplying it with weapons and money that had turned it one of the most powerful militant groups in the region. But Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in a 14-month war with Israel, which ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November, with much of its political and military commanders killed in Israeli strikes.&nbsp;The latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict began the day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.&nbsp;In June, Israel launched airstrikes in Iran, triggering a 12-day war between the two countries that killed several key Iran&#39;s military commanders and targeted its arsenal of ballistic missiles while decimating the country&rsquo;s air defenses.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas&rsquo; political leadership in Qatar as the group&rsquo;s top figures gathered to consider a US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;&ldquo;Today, amid Israel&rsquo;s conspiracies, regional states should closely cooperate and even if there were disagreements between them, they should put these disagreements aside,&rdquo; Larjani said after a nearly one-hour meeting with Lebanon&rsquo;s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.&nbsp;Larijani praised the call by Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem for Saudi Arabia to open a new page after years of tense relations, calling it &ldquo;a step in the right direction.&rdquo; Referring to Israel, Larijani said Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah both &ldquo;have a common enemy.&rdquo;&nbsp;Asked about reports that Israel might launch new strikes against Iran, Larijani said, &ldquo;We are ready to face all scenarios but I don&rsquo;t think that the Israelis will behave in this stupid way.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;If they do that, they will receive strong retaliation,&rdquo; Larijani said, without elaborating.&nbsp;

In Beirut, Iran’s Ali Larijani urged unity against Israel’s “conspiracies,” condemned its assassinations and wars killing Hezbollah and Iranian commanders, and warned any new Israeli strike on Iran would be “stupid” and face strong retaliation.

Iran's top security official urges regional states to unite against Israel 

Portrait of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iranian President says Washington demands Tehran hand over all its enriched uranium in return for a three-month reprieve from sanctions, rejecting this as "unacceptable".


Iran awaits 'snapback' of UN sanctions over its nuclear program

<span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three Iranian nationals, who arrived in the UK as irregular migrants, on Friday denied spying in Britain on behalf of Iran&#39;s intelligence services. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, appeared at London&#39;s Old Bailey court charged under the powerful National Security Act. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said the charges were serious and related to spying on journalists and organizations &quot;known to be considered by the Iranian regime as hostile&quot;. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&quot;These are extremely serious charges,&quot; said Dominic Murphy, head of the Met&#39;s Counter-Terrorism command, when the men first appeared in court in May, adding that it had been a &quot;very complex and fast-moving investigation&quot;. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All three were charged with &quot;engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025,&quot; the police said. Sepahvand was charged with conducting surveillance, reconnaissance, and open-source research with the intent to commit serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Manesh and Noori were also charged with &quot;surveillance and reconnaissance with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the United Kingdom, would be committed by others.&quot; <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The BBC reported in May that the men allegedly targeted UK-based journalists working for the Farsi-language Iran International television news network, an independent media organization based in London that Iran has labelled a terror organization. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Home Office said the suspects were all irregular migrants having arrived in the UK by small boat or other means, such as hidden in a vehicle, between 2016 and 2022. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The three defendants, who appeared via videolink from Belmarsh prison, confirmed their identities speaking through a Farsi interpreter before entering not guilty pleas in English. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A trial has been set for October 2026, with an interim hearing in March. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In March, Iran became the first country to be placed on the UK&#39;s enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which aims to boost the UK&#39;s national security against covert foreign influences. <span style="font-size: 18px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under the scheme, all people working inside the UK for Iran, its intelligence services, or the Revolutionary Guard have to register or face jail.

United Kingdom

Three Iranian migrants in the UK denied spying for Tehran, facing charges of surveillance and aiding Iran’s intelligence. Accused of targeting journalists, they pled not guilty at Old Bailey. The trial is set for October 2026.

Three Iranian migrants deny spying in UK for Iran

Tehran: Iran and Russia signed a $25 billion deal to build nuclear power plants in the Islamic republic, Iranian state media reported Friday, just hours ahead of the likely return of sweeping UN sanctions on Iran. &quot;A deal for the construction of four nuclear power plants with a value of $25 billion in Sirik, Hormozgan was signed between the Iran Hormoz company and Rosatom,&quot; state television said. Iran has just one operational nuclear power plant in Bushehr in the south, with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts -- just a fraction of the country&#39;s energy needs. According to state news agency IRNA, each plant will have a capacity of 1,255 megawatts, though no details were provided on the timeline. The move comes as so-called snapback sanctions triggered by the European parties to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran are set to return by the end of Saturday. Britain, France and Germany triggered the sanctions last month, accusing of Iran of failing to adhere to its commitments under the agreement. At a Security Council session on Friday, China and Russia put forward a draft resolution to allow another half year for talks, but it is unlikely to garner enough support to pass. Western countries have long accused Iran of seeking an atomic bomb -- a charge Tehran vehemently denies, defending its right to a civilian nuclear programme. The United States in 2018 unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear accord with Iran, prompting Tehran to begin walking back its commitments. Talks between Washington and Tehran to strike a new deal were underway, before being derailed by unprecedented Israeli strikes on Iran in June that began a 12-day war briefly joined by the United States. Iran had previously signed with Russia a nuclear energy deal in 1993 allowing for the construction of the Bushehr plant, after Germany had abandoned it in the wake of the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Asia

Iran and Russia signed a $25 billion deal to build nuclear power plants in the Islamic republic.

Tehran, Moscow sign $25 bn deal to build nuclear plants in Iran: state media

ISLAMABAD: Iran has welcomed the defense pact between Pakistan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a &ldquo;beginning for a comprehensive regional security system with the cooperation of the Muslim states of West Asia in the political, security, and defense domains&rdquo;. &nbsp;&nbsp; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated, &ldquo;Iran welcomes the defensive pact between the two brotherly Muslim countries, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan&rdquo;, while speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-6" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-6&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1970856570415206833&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=0694ba007bfe0945f9eda993896e78df390988cc&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 674px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1970856570415206833"></iframe></div></div>Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed landmark mutual defence agreement, under which any aggression against one state will be considered an attack on both.&nbsp; The pact was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh last week. The Iranian president further said that Tehran does not intend to build nuclear weapons. &#39;Will never seek to build a nuclear bomb&#39;&quot;I hereby declare once more before this assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb. We do not seek nuclear weapons&rdquo; he said, adding that his country supports a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. Pezeshkian accused the US and its allies of double standards, saying they expand nuclear arsenals while pressuring Iran. He condemned Britain, France and Germany for voting to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, calling it done &ldquo;at the behest of the United States of America.&rdquo; &ldquo;In doing so, they set aside good faith,&rdquo; said Pezeshkian. &#39;Betrayal of peace&#39; Blaming Israel and the US for destabilizing the region and betraying diplomacy with military strikes on Iran, he called the assaults a &ldquo;grave betrayal of peace.&rdquo; Displaying images of those killed, Pezeshkian delivered his first UN address since the 12-day Israel-Iran war, which Tehran says claimed the lives of many senior military and political leaders. On Ukraine, he urged a negotiated end to the conflict, saying Iran &ldquo;hopes that the efforts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine may result in a just and lasting agreement between Russia and Ukraine and bring solace to the human suffering caused by this crisis.&rdquo; The Iranian leader also voiced solidarity with Qatar following recent strikes. &ldquo;Iran condemns the aggression of the Israeli regime against Qatar, and declares solidarity with the people of Qatar,&rdquo; he said.

Iran welcomed the Pakistan-Saudi defense pact as a start for regional Muslim security cooperation. President Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s non-nuclear stance, criticized Western sanctions, condemned Israel and the US for regional destabilization, and urged peace in Ukraine. 

Iranian president welcomes Pakistan-Saudi defense pact 

TEHRAN: Iran&#39;s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday said the Islamic republic would not give in to pressure to abandon its enrichment of uranium. Khamenei, in a televised address, also called any talks with the United States a &quot;dead end&quot; that were of no benefit to his country. His statement came as European powers seeking to reimpose tough sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program met with the Islamic republic&#39;s top diplomat, without any signs of a compromise. &quot;The American side has been adamant that Iran must not have (uranium) enrichment,&quot; Khamenei said. &quot;We did not surrender and we will not. We did not and will not yield to pressure in this matter or any other matter,&quot; he added. The supreme leader went on to say talks with the United States would only bring harm to Iran. Negotiating with America &quot;not only brings no benefit, but also causes major harm under the current conditions, some of which might even be described as irreparable&quot;, he said. &#39;Complete dead end&#39;&nbsp;&quot;Let us not forget the experience of these past 10 years, and the other side -- which is the subject of our discussion for now -- is the United States,&quot; he continued, referring to the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that Washington withdrew from three years later. &quot;This other side consistently breaks promises, lies about everything, deceives and threatens militarily at every opportunity,&quot; Khamenei said. &quot;One cannot negotiate with such a party. In my view, negotiations with the United States on the nuclear issue, and perhaps on other issues as well, are a complete dead end.&quot; European countries and the United States suspect the Iranian government of allegedly seeking to acquire an atomic bomb. Tehran has vigorously denied that, insisting it has a right to civilian nuclear energy. Israel in June carried out a major military campaign against Iranian nuclear sites, with President Donald Trump joining by ordering US warplanes to drop bombs on key targets. The Trump administration, which had long pushed for the re-imposition of sanctions, has voiced a willingness to hold talks with Iran, which doubts Washington&#39;s sincerity.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Islamic republic would not give in to pressure to abandon its enrichment of uranium

Articles tagged with "Iran"