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US eyes $10bn fund to rebuild war-battered Gulf infrastructure

The Cradle | September 22, 2026

Washington is seeking to funnel $5 billion into a fund to rebuild Persian Gulf energy infrastructure damaged during the seven-month war on Iran and reduce its partners’ reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on 22 September.

The US would seek an equal $5 billion contribution from eight regional allies combined – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, and Jordan – bringing the total to $10 billion in a fund named the Partnership for Allied Trust and Construction, or Pact.

US officials said talks on the fund are ongoing and its terms could change. It remains unclear when, or even if, other countries will sign on.

According to WSJ, the proposal tacitly admits that the war has upended global energy markets and destroyed pipelines and refineries across the region that will be costly to rebuild.

Some regional officials said the initiative appeared to be a US attempt to cast the Strait of Hormuz as a less consequential energy route and to present Washington and its allies as united in confronting Iran.

They warned that creating a fund to rebuild destroyed energy sites without a peace deal with Tehran would be premature, as the Islamic Republic could strike any new infrastructure with drones and missiles.

“This strategy has risk written all over it,” said Bilal Saab, senior managing director of consulting firm TRENDS US, noting that Gulf states depend on the strait to differing degrees.

US President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran in his address to the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 22 September, casting the choice before him as a deal with Tehran or the destruction of the country.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump said.

He dismissed any link between the upcoming US midterm elections and his Iran policy, even as the war on the Islamic Republic and its cascading effects on the US economy drive his plummeting approval ratings, including among Republicans.

September 23, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , | Comments Off on US eyes $10bn fund to rebuild war-battered Gulf infrastructure

Trita Parsi: Middle East Unraveling — Are We on the Path to World War?

Glenn Diesen | September 22, 2026

Trita Parsi is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Follow his excellent Substack: https://tritaparsi.substack.com/

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September 22, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , | Comments Off on Trita Parsi: Middle East Unraveling — Are We on the Path to World War?

Iran FM meets with US envoy on UN meeting’s sidelines at American side’s insistence: Report

Press TV – September 22, 2026

At the insistence of the American side, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met with the United States’ regional envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s 81st meeting, a report says.

The news outlet affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran’s national broadcaster, carried the report on Tuesday, citing an exclusive IRIB source.

According to the source, “Iran agreed to Witkoff’s request for the meeting in order to convey Tehran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iran’s “firm positions” were communicated to the US representative during the meeting, it noted.

Iran’s conditions

The source identified the conditions specified by the Islamic Republic during the meeting as the immediate lifting of the illegal naval blockade that the United States has imposed on Iranian ports and vessels, the immediate release of all of Iran’s frozen assets, and “an end to the war on all resistance fronts.”

Iran closed the chokepoint following the launch of the latest round of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the country on February 28.

The Islamic Republic and the United States agreed on a 60-day reopening period as part of a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding in June.

Iran devised the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), an authority tasked with managing legal transit through the strait, towards implementation of the understanding, but American violations forced the Islamic Republic to reestablish the closure.

As part of Iran’s efforts at enforcing the closure, the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces have been targeting the vessels trying to illegally cross the chokepoint under American escort.

Tehran has, meanwhile, warned ship owners, charterers, and buyers against buying into Washington’s pledges of “protection” for the vessels seeking to illegally cross the waterway.

September 22, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran FM meets with US envoy on UN meeting’s sidelines at American side’s insistence: Report

Qatar PM calls for Gulf security framework with Iran, says war must be ‘wake-up call’

MEMO | September 22, 2026

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has called for a new regional security framework that brings Gulf states and Iran together, warning that the region cannot go back to how it was before the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“Iran is our neighbour,” Sheikh Al Thani told the Qatar Economic Forum in New York on Sunday. “We have to act together responsibly as a region and to make sure that we are having good relations with Iran.” He said the region could not return to how things were before the war unless Gulf states and Iran agreed a security framework ensuring that none of them posed a threat to the others. “We are hoping this war is a wake-up call for everyone,” he added.

The Qatari premier was speaking on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. His remarks came hours after reports that Washington was preparing to resume direct attacks on Iran. US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend stay at Camp David without explanation, and the State Department issued a new security alert to all US citizens in the Middle East.

The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, saying they aimed to bring about regime change and target the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Iran responded with counter-strikes on Israel, US bases in the region and military and civilian sites in Arab states, many of which host US forces.

A conditional ceasefire was declared on 8 April. In June, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding brokered by Pakistan and Qatar, but its implementation has stalled over disputes about navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar has paid a heavy price. Its Ras Laffan complex, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, was shut down in the first week of the war after an Iranian attack. The facility has two production trains that are expected to take years to restore. This month Doha extended force majeure on LNG shipments to early November because of the continued blockade of the strait.

Speaking at the same forum, Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi dismissed US claims that new pipeline investments could make the Strait of Hormuz irrelevant within two years. “I think this is completely wrong,” he said, adding that Qatar had decided against building pipelines and would rely solely on the strait.

Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani’s remarks echo growing calls across the Gulf for a regional settlement. Earlier on Sunday, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said the region needed a “new mindset”. He called for any negotiations to end the war to include an “Iranian-Arab” element.

Doha has stepped up its diplomacy with Tehran in recent months. Last month Mohammed Al Thani made his first visit to Iran since the war began, pledging to help ease the hardships facing Iranians. “Qatar does not want the Iranian people to face difficulties while the countries of the region merely watch,” he told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported. In August, he also urged his Gulf counterparts to coordinate on implementing the US-Iran memorandum. Qatar’s defence minister has held security talks with his Iranian counterpart.

Read:

Qatari, Iranian defense officials discuss regional security developments

Qatar urges Gulf coordination to implement US-Iran memorandum of understanding

September 22, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Qatar PM calls for Gulf security framework with Iran, says war must be ‘wake-up call’

China condemns US extortion of Iranian airlines, rejects Washington’s ‘illegal’ sanctions threats

Press TV – September 22, 2026

China has fiercely rejected the United States’ latest attempts to ground Iran’s aviation sector, dismissing Washington’s threats of secondary sanctions as “illegal” coercion that lacks any basis in international law.

The rebuke from Beijing signals growing global resistance to the Trump administration’s failing “Economic D-Day” campaign against Iran.

The diplomatic clash erupted after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent boasted in a televised interview that “all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world” within days.

Bessent threatened global aviation hubs and foreign firms with exclusion from the US dollar system if they provide fuel, landing services, or ticket sales to Iranian carriers.

Beijing, a primary economic and diplomatic partner of Tehran, swiftly condemned the maneuver.

“China consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.

The friction arises just days before a scheduled summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, and shortly after Bessent met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for economic talks.

Collapse of ‘Economic D-Day’

Bessent’s threats against Iranian airlines are a hallmark of what he previously dubbed “Economic D-Day”, a sweeping, draconian sanctions regime intended to force Iran’s capitulation.

However, analysts note that the campaign has largely collapsed on the global stage.

Despite Washington’s demands, key global powers, including China and Russia, as well as Iran’s regional neighbors, have refused to enforce the illegal embargo.

The US attempt to isolate Iran has backfired, exposing the severe limitations of American financial hegemony when wielded without international consensus.

The US resort to extreme economic coercion against civilian aviation follows the catastrophic failure of its broader military objectives.

Since launching an unprovoked US-Israeli war of aggression in late February, Washington has failed to achieve its stated goals.

Instead of capitulating, Iran has seized the strategic initiative. By asserting sovereign control over the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran has effectively expelled the US from the Persian Gulf region.

September 22, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on China condemns US extortion of Iranian airlines, rejects Washington’s ‘illegal’ sanctions threats

Italy to move military personnel from Taif base after missile strike

Al Mayadeen | September 22, 2026

The Italian government has decided to relocate a significant portion of its military personnel from an airbase in Taif, Saudi Arabia, following a missile strike that hit an Italian Eurofighter fighter jet stationed at the facility, the Italian newspaper Messaggero reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

The move concerns personnel from the Italian Task Force Air Arabia, which operates from the Taif airbase. The Italian contingent stationed there is estimated to number around 500 personnel.

The relocation is being described as a “restructuring” of Italy’s military deployment, rather than a complete withdrawal from the base, according to the report.

A significant portion of the Italian military personnel will be moved to a safer facility, which is also likely to be located in Saudi Arabia. The Taif airbase will not be left without operational coverage, with continuity of activities set to be maintained in line with Italy’s international obligations.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto decided to strengthen security measures for the country’s military personnel after a missile struck an Italian Eurofighter stationed at the base overnight into Friday, Messaggero reported.

Is Italy backtracking on its plans? 

Only a few days ago, Italy was preparing to deploy up to four naval vessels, including frigates, to secure passage for its merchant fleet through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported, citing sources.

Crosetto reportedly told EU foreign affairs and security chief Kaja Kallas in a letter that “the need to adopt effective and timely decisions” was urgent to prevent further disruption to maritime traffic through the strait, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Rome said it is prepared to act independently if other European Union member states do not move to reinforce the bloc’s Aspides maritime mission, though it expects to share the financial burden with fellow EU states if others step up.

The latest escalation was initiated by Saudi Arabia when it bombed Sanaa International Airport, while continuing the years-long siege imposed on Yemen. Sanaa had repeatedly demanded an end to the blockade and the reopening of the airport before launching its current counteroffensive.

Yesterday, Yemen’s national negotiating delegation held Saudi Arabia responsible for refusing to lift the blockade imposed on the country’s airports and ports, the Yemeni SABA news agency reported, citing an informed source.

September 22, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Italy to move military personnel from Taif base after missile strike

US lawmaker admits American people footing bill for Trump’s failed aggression against Iran

Press TV – September 22, 2026

Republican Representative Ashley Hinson of Iowa has criticized the unprovoked US-Israeli war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, declaring that ordinary Americans should no longer pay the price for a war that has spectacularly backfired on its architects.

Hinson, who is running for a US Senate seat, posted on the social media platform X that “Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran.”

She called for immediate measures to ease soaring fuel and living costs, including suspending the gas tax, pausing diesel exports, expanding E-15 ethanol use, reinstating the $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit, and creating a diesel relief program for farmers and truckers.

“These actions to lower costs are needed ASAP, and the war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end,” Hinson wrote, while insisting the highway trust fund must still be replenished to avoid further infrastructure decay.

The remarks come as the Trump administration’s illegal war has failed to achieve any of its stated objectives. Iranian forces have responded with successive waves of precision missile and drone strikes under Operation True Promise, dismantling US bases across the region, destroying significant radar capabilities, and imposing staggering military and economic losses on the aggressors.

US war goals remain unmet more than six months into the war, with Iranian retaliation turning the tables through asymmetric capabilities that have become the “enemy’s worst nightmare.” The aggression has driven up global energy prices, directly hitting American consumers at the pump and grocery stores, while Iran has emerged stronger, having successfully defended its sovereignty and supported regional resistance forces.

Hinson’s call for an “immediate end” underscores the growing domestic backlash within the United States against a quagmire engineered by Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Economic analysts have warned of tens of billions in direct military costs to American taxpayers, compounded by broader damage from disrupted oil flows and regional instability.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that the Islamic Republic seeks neither war nor escalation but will deliver crushing, proportionate responses to any aggression.

September 22, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | | Comments Off on US lawmaker admits American people footing bill for Trump’s failed aggression against Iran

Israeli lobby seeks to bind US fate to ‘Israel’: Araghchi

Al Mayadeen | September 21, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the Israeli lobby of attempting to tighten its hold over Washington after a prominent pro-Israel figure called for deeper US-Israeli integration that would make any economic action against “Israel” costly for the United States.

“The Israel lobby is getting less shy about its grip on U.S. policy toward Iran,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

“In Miriam Adelson’s publication, the Lobby’s loudspeaker says U.S. policy must ensure America pays a price for any slight against Israel,” he added, concluding, “High time for Washington to break free from these shackles.”

Pro-Israel figure warns of financial pressure

Araghchi was responding to an opinion article published by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, whose publisher is US-Israeli billionaire Miriam Adelson.

The article was written by Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a pro-Israel think tank that has long advocated stringent sanctions and other forms of pressure against Iran.

Titled “Israel must prepare for the possibility of financial warfare,” the article warns that the financial-sanctions apparatus Washington built to target Iran could eventually be turned against “Israel.”

Dubowitz argued that a future US administration could expand punitive measures from individual Israeli settlers to Israeli companies, banks, and major economic sectors. He pointed to the dependence of Israeli financial institutions on the US-dominated international banking system and warned that declining public support could weaken “Israel’s” political protection in Washington.

Making pressure on ‘Israel’ costly for Washington

To shield the occupation from possible sanctions, Dubowitz proposed expanding its relations with US governors and financial institutions while increasing economic ties with other markets.

Most notably, he called for making the US and Israeli economies and security establishments so interconnected that Washington would suffer consequences if it attempted to exert financial pressure on “Israel.”

“Most importantly, Israel and the United States should deepen their military, technological, intelligence and economic integration to such an extent that inflicting financial harm on Israel would also carry a significant cost for Washington,” he wrote.

Araghchi interpreted the recommendation as an open admission that the Israeli lobby seeks to subordinate US policy to Israeli interests and ensure that Washington bears the consequences of any measure taken against the occupation.

The Iranian foreign minister’s remarks come as scrutiny mounts over unconditional US political, military, and economic support for “Israel,” despite its ongoing aggression across the region and mounting international calls for accountability.

September 21, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Israeli lobby seeks to bind US fate to ‘Israel’: Araghchi

Pakistan-Iran talks secure LNG shipment to Islamabad through Hormuz

Al Mayadeen | September 21, 2026

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.

The tanker, which loaded LNG from Qatar’s Ras Laffan facility in late June, crossed the strait over the weekend and is signaling that it will arrive at Pakistan’s import facility by Tuesday, according to ship-tracking data.

The passage was negotiated between government officials, said people with knowledge of the matter, and would mark the second such Qatari delivery this month. The people asked not to be named as the conversations are not public.

Pakistan relies on relations with Iran to avoid blackouts

While LNG shipments through Hormuz remain heavily disrupted, some vessels have been able to get through. Import-dependent Pakistan, badly hit by the upheaval in the Gulf due to the US war on Iran, has been leveraging its relationship with Tehran to receive several cargoes since Washington launches its war on February.

Pakistan had been considering a tender if the shipment didn’t get through Hormuz. A successful delivery, however, is preferable for the government, eager to avoid buying additional expensive shipments from the spot market, where prices have spiked to the highest level since 2022.

The South Asian nation received nearly all of its LNG from Qatar last year. The emirate is home to the world’s largest LNG export plant, which is still exporting only a very small amount through Hormuz, Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York Sunday.

QatarEnergy says Hormuz crisis could delay expansion projects

The crisis over the Strait of Hormuz could delay some QatarEnergy expansion projects because critical equipment is unable to reach Qatar, the company’s CEO Saad al-Kaabi said on Sunday.

Al-Kaabi said QatarEnergy was currently producing only a “very minute” volume of liquefied natural gas.

Speaking at the Qatar Economic Forum in New York, al-Kaabi said a few LNG trains under QatarEnergy’s North Field East (NFE) expansion are due to start up in 2027, with the North Field South (NFS) expansion set to begin production in 2028.

This comes as the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz continues to affect Qatar’s economy negatively, in light of the US war on Iran, which prompted Tehran to close the Strait in retaliation.

September 21, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , | Comments Off on Pakistan-Iran talks secure LNG shipment to Islamabad through Hormuz

IRGC air defenses destroy another US MQ-1 drone over Strait of Hormuz

Press TV – September 21, 2026

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Aerospace Force has intercepted and destroyed another MQ-1 drone belonging to the US military over the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC announced the development on Monday, saying the aircraft was brought down using the Aerospace Force’s new air-defense system operating under the control of Iran’s Integrated Air-Defense Network.

The medium-altitude, long-endurance aircraft has won notoriety as the “Butcher of Kandahar” after logging 20,000 flight hours over Afghanistan.

It has been removed from the operational fleets of the US Navy and Air Force for several years and replaced by the MQ-9.

Its re-entrance into service has been attributed to the US Army’s having lost a large number of MQ-9 drones to the Islamic Republic’s defensive operations.

The US Congressional Budget Office has confirmed the loss of at least 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones since February 28, when the United States and the Israeli regime began their latest round of unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic. According to figures released by the office, those losses amount to approximately $720 million.

The IRGC, however, has put the number at 53.

The office has also confirmed destruction of an MQ-4C Triton, with an additional estimated loss of approximately $150 million.

Observers commenting on the report have credited Iran’s success in securing its airspace “to a considerable extent” against combat drones for the extensive losses suffered in the area of unmanned aerial aircraft by the US Department of War.

The MQ-1 shootdown follows the Iranian Army’s announcement on Sunday that it had destroyed an advanced Orbiter reconnaissance drone over the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the Army said the Orbiter drone had been targeted and destroyed by indigenous air-defense systems deployed in southeastern Iran.

Iran has closed the waterway in response to the aggression and ongoing American violations, as well as in retaliation against those aiding the aggressors.

The Islamic Republic has vowed to retain the closure until the cessation of US interference in regional maritime affairs.

September 21, 2026 Posted by | Illegal Occupation, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on IRGC air defenses destroy another US MQ-1 drone over Strait of Hormuz

Seyed M. Marandi: U.S. Strike Imminent – Toward Total War in the Middle East

Glenn Diesen | September 20, 2026

Prof. Seyed Mohammad Marandi is a professor at Tehran University and a former advisor to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team. Marandi argues we could be days or hour away from a major war between the US and Iran, which could engulf the entire region.

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September 20, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , , , , | Comments Off on Seyed M. Marandi: U.S. Strike Imminent – Toward Total War in the Middle East

Yemeni army claims responsibility for strikes on sensitive sites in Saudi capital, Aramco facilities in Yanbu

Press TV – September 19, 2026

Yemeni armed forces have claimed responsibility for two separate missile and drone attacks on strategic installations deep inside Saudi Arabia in retaliation for Riyadh’s smear campaign and ongoing acts of aggression against the Arab Peninsula nation.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesperson for Yemen’s military, announced in a statement on Saturday that Yemeni army units had targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh, as well as Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Yanbu port city on the Red Sea coast.

He added that both operations, involving swarms of homegrown ballistic and cruise missiles as well as combat drones, were successful and caused massive blazes at the impact sites.

Saree noted that the attacks were in reprisal for Saudi Arabia’s unsubstantiated allegations of an attempted drone attack near the city of Mecca, and an unrelenting onslaught against the Yemeni nation.

The drone and missile operations were also in response to the Saudi enemy’s vile attempts to target the Yemeni capital Sana’a through tactics once employed by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group. The tactics included indiscriminate shootings and bombings targeting civilians, he added.

The spokesperson for the Yemeni armed forces added that F-15SA and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) have so far carried out 732 airstrikes across Yemen, inflicting heavy civilian casualties and destroying critical non-military infrastructure.

Saree also vehemently denied Saudi officials’ claims that Yemeni armed forces are targeting residential neighborhoods, stressing that such baseless assertions come in light of the miserable failure of Saudi air defense systems to intercept Yemeni drones and missiles.

“Yemeni army units will uphold the siege-for-siege and escalation-for-escalation equation, and will target Saudi military buildups until the aggression ceases and the siege on our beloved country is completely lifted,” the Yemeni military spokesperson concluded.

The Sana’a administration declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20, in response to “an unfair and tyrannical siege” on Yemen lasting nearly 12 years.

The Yemeni military has announced a number of successful operations aimed at ships linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on Yemen and launched a sweeping military campaign, backed by military, political, and logistical support from the United States and several Western countries.

The war has killed tens of thousands of Yemenis. However, Saudi Arabia has failed to achieve its stated objective of reinstating a puppet regime that serves its interests.

September 19, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Yemeni army claims responsibility for strikes on sensitive sites in Saudi capital, Aramco facilities in Yanbu

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