Ukraine-Russia war: Sweden, Finland scramble jets to intercept Russian aircraft
Finland and Sweden deployed fighter aircraft on Thursday after a group of Russian military planes was detected over the Gulf of Finland, the Finnis...
Inspectors of the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA visited Iranian nuclear sites last week, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, according to state media, a week after the IAEA urged Iran to "seriously improve" cooperation.
The IAEA has carried out about a dozen inspections in Iran since hostilities with Israel in June, but last week highlighted it had not been given access to nuclear facilities such as Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
"As long as we are a member of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons), we will abide by our commitments, and just last week, IAEA inspectors visited several nuclear facilities, including the Tehran Research Reactor," Esmaeil Baghaei said, without naming the others.
The International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said last week that Iran must "seriously improve" cooperation with the United Nations inspectors to avoid heightening tensions with the West.
Iranian officials have blamed the IAEA for providing a justification for Israel's bombing in a 12-day war in June, which began the day after the IAEA board voted to declare Iran in violation of obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Baghaei's comments on Monday were in response to Grossi saying last week that Iran "cannot say 'I remain within the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons treaty’, and then not comply with obligations".
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low on Thursday, as Iran reiterated that it will neither enter into new negotiations with the United States nor re-open the Strait as long as its conditions are not met, despite recent indirect talks in New York mediated by Qatar.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
The 81st UN General Assembly has wrapped up its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan will hold an urgent high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis. The meeting comes as Tehran seeks to distance itself from the rapid advance of its Houthi allies.
Finland and Sweden deployed fighter aircraft on Thursday after a group of Russian military planes was detected over the Gulf of Finland, the Finnish Air Force reported on Friday (25 September).
The Middle East arrived at the United Nations this week with the consequences of a war that is no longer contained to one front. From Israel and Iran to Syria and Yemen, leaders have used the General Assembly to set out competing positions on the situation in the region.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 25 September 2026, with five key developments from the third day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Xi Jinping touched down at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday evening to a welcome that was fairly unprecedented. President Donald Trump was there on the tarmac to greet him personally, which is something no sitting U.S. president had done for a visiting foreign leader in six decades.
The U.S. Senate narrowly rejected a resolution on Thursday that would have required President Donald Trump to end the war in Iran or seek congressional authorisation, as Democrats sought to put Republicans on the record over the increasingly unpopular conflict ahead of November's midterm elections.
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