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Smashing Sanctions, breeaking blockades, and the Alternative Economy at work.

🇮🇷|The US is trying to ground Iranian flights. Yet today, Iran operated over 60 flights to more than 30 international destinations.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent issued a threat: any airport that refuels Iranian aircraft, provides landing services, or sells tickets for them will be cut off from the US dollar system. Iraq closed its doors. Oman closed. Georgia closed. Azerbaijan closed. Turkiye partially closed.

Yet Iran Air did not stop. Today, Imam Khomeini International Airport handled over 60 flights to more than 30 international destinations. This comes directly from the airport’s CEO. It is not a “plan.” It is not a “hope.” These flights actually took place today.

What do “over 30 international destinations” mean?

Iranian aircraft are flying to:

◽ China: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Urumqi.
◽ Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Astrakhan.
◽ Central Asia: Tashkent, Dushanbe, Almaty, Bishkek, Ashgabat.
◽ South Asia: Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Mumbai, New Delhi.
◽ Middle East: Istanbul, Ankara, Dubai, Doha, Muscat, Baghdad, Najaf, Beirut, Damascus.
◽ Southeast Asia: Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta.
◽ Africa: Cairo, Algiers, Tunis, Addis Ababa.

Not a single one of these countries has stopped accepting Iranian flights due to US threats.

What do “over 60 flights” mean?

◽ Iranian citizens traveling abroad.
◽ Foreigners entering Iran.
◽ Cargo transport.
◽ Business travel.
◽ Visiting family and friends.
◽ Medical transfers.
◽ Students returning to school.
◽ Pilgrims traveling back and forth.

What the US wants to cut off is not the “Iranian regime’s transport links,” but the normal lives of millions of Iranians.

Who is flying?

Iran Air. Mahan Air. Qatar Airways. Turkish Airlines (on select routes). Emirates. Iraqi Airways. Azerbaijan Airlines. Turkmenistan Airlines. Uzbekistan Airways. Air Astana (Kazakhstan). Pakistan International Airlines. China Southern Airlines. Aeroflot. And dozens of other airlines.

They haven’t stopped flying just because of a threatening letter from the US Treasury. Because their governments didn’t comply. Because their airports need the business from Iran. Because their citizens need to travel to Iran. Because their businesspeople need to trade with Iran.

The US blockade is collapsing

The US tried to ground Iran’s flights. The result:

◽ China continues to accept Iranian flights.
◽ Russia continues to accept Iranian flights.
◽ The five Central Asian nations continue to accept Iranian flights.
◽ Pakistan continues to accept Iranian flights.
◽ Najaf (Iraq) refused to stop; Baghdad is seeking exemptions.  (It was reported later that Iran has opened its airport).
◽ Istanbul (Türkiye) operations continue.
◽ Dubai (UAE) operations continue.
◽ Doha (Qatar) operations continue.
◽ Muscat (Oman) continues negotiations.
◽ Operations to over 30 destinations continue.

The US can threaten Iraq. It can threaten Oman. It can threaten Georgia. It can threaten Azerbaijan. But it cannot threaten China. It cannot threaten Russia. It cannot threaten Central Asia. It cannot threaten Pakistan. It cannot threaten India. It cannot threaten all 30-plus destinations.

Because most countries in the world do not host US military bases. They do not rely on the US dollar. They do not depend on SWIFT access. They do not rely on US aid. They do not need US permission to operate flights to and from Iran.

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The greatest act of terrorism since Dresden, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. And no one says a word. https://t.co/bAVQuQJ1sC

— Daniel McAdams (@DanielLMcAdams) September 27, 2026

Genocide:

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Gaza: The biggest key to migration is: take away their hope. If you annex up to the Yellow Line and say, “This is ours,” and leave them with a tiny, crowded and destroyed area, everyone will understand that there is nothing to look for there and they will start searching for solutions for where to go. That is the right thing.

The Israeli upcoming elections feature the greatest warmongers of that society.  The one with the most hatred and most blood thirsty plans for Palestinians and their neighbors win.  It is societal and too many holes to cover are now opening up for what looks like a psychopath and sociopath society.   Largely the civil community world wide will not forget this and will not let their governments forget this.   European Governments, Great Britain, Germany and others have to arrest 100’s per day that are protesting against the genocide in Gaza and surrounding countries  and various manifestations of this message.

Sep 27

Changes in the UN.   UN Human Rights updates the list of companies involved in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.

Mandated by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), the database was first issued in 2020, then updated in 2023 and 2025. The update report identifies businesses involved in specific activities related to the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, which the HRC has directed the Office to consider. The latest update focuses on businesses engaged in the agriculture, transport, storage, waste management, energy, food and hospitality providers sectors.

Following a public call for input in 2024, UN Human Rights received submissions concerning 596 businesses. In last year’s report, and within the resources available, the Office reviewed 215 of these enterprises, including the companies previously listed. In this latest update, the Office reviewed 126 companies of the remaining 381. The Office continues to review the businesses whose assessment could not be completed in time for the present report.

Of the 126 enterprises screened, 61 were added to the list. The Office also found that five companies previously listed were no longer involved in such activities, and were removed.

This year’s update also includes information on the type of involvement of each company in adverse human rights impact, based on the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. These provide for three levels of involvement, the highest of which is “causation” – when a company’s activities are sufficient on their own to affect people’s ability to enjoy a human right. This is followed by the “contribution” level, where an enterprise’s activities are combined with those of another actor in a way that affects the enjoyment of a human right. The third level is “direct linkage”, under which a company’s operations, products or services are considered to be directly linked to adverse impacts on human rights.

This assessment focuses on the companies’ impact on the right to self-determination, and, in view of resource limitations, does not address impacts on other rights or forms of involvement on those. Of the 214 companies listed, 200 were found to be contributing to the adverse impacts on the right to self-determination, 14 directly linked and no causation level was established.

The report calls on companies to “meet their own responsibility to respect human rights under widely accepted international standards”.

“Where business enterprises are involved in listed activities, they should take appropriate action to address the adverse human rights impacts with which they are involved,” it says.

“This report is another reminder to companies that they have human rights responsibilities and are expected to conduct due diligence to ensure that they do not become involved in human rights violations or abuses,” UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said.

This update also follows recent reporting by UN Human Rights examining involvement of business and economic interests in adverse human rights impacts in the context of the current conflicts in Sudan and in Myanmar.

“States must take appropriate steps to ensure, through judicial, administrative, legislative or other appropriate means, that when business-related human rights abuses occur within their territory and/or their jurisdiction, those affected have access to effective remedies, consistent with international law,” the report adds.

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Iran strikes 19 vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in just two days!

Iranian forces struck 19 vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Friday and Saturday, according to Fars.

Iran says 12 vessels were targeted on Friday and another 7 on Saturday for violating restrictions on the Strait.

Meanwhile, Trump claims the U.S. successfully escorted a record volume of oil through the Strait overnight, even as Iran continues attacking vessels attempting to pass.

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After his UNGA address, Mr Lavrov held a press conference.  I mentioned on the UNGA thread that Germany asked for a sideline meeting with Lavrov.  Here is Lavrov’s comment on that meeting.

Lavrov on his conversation with German official Wadephul:

“When we met, I invited him to lay out the purpose of his visit. He took out his notes and read a text that was a verbatim repetition of what German leaders state officially and publicly on a daily basis.

That is essentially what Mr. Wadephul told me. I gleaned nothing new from it. The subtext was something like: “I came to see you—I deigned to engage with you—so now, in return for this ‘gesture of goodwill’ on my part, you need to make concessions on the Ukrainian front and ensure an agreement regarding the Black Sea region so that tankers and dry-cargo ships can pass through without issues.”

Lavrov went on to rightly call the European preparations for war a “self-fulfilling prophecy”. The war drums are beating louder and louder in Europe. This undertone and in some cases overtone was present in all of the UNGA speeches from the Europeans. From our Group of Friends I’ve just received a cornucopia of data on the Baltics and the drang to war from there. It may be too early to call them an active proxy, but it sure looks like it. It is now real and weapons are being placed. Weapons of mass destruction form part of the plans as militarily there is no conceivable way that they can fight Russia. This falls into the calculus of the empire. They would destroy what they cannot have, rather than to let it be.

Lavrov also confirmed that the West is forcing Serbia to sanction Russia—or lose its EU path. Brussels won’t open a single new chapter, but demands Belgrade betray its historic ally. Yet Serbia is still the only country in Europe refusing to sanction Russia. That’s not “European values.” That’s coercion.

Sep 26

Formidable continuous stream of tweets from citizens of European countries and even other countries around the world with tens of thousands of retweets to assert that Russia is not our enemy!!Its Growing by hundreds at a time!

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Germany has asked Lavrov for a bilateral at UNGA.

The meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and German Foreign Minister Wadephul has lasted just over 20 minutes – TASS.

German Foreign Ministry demanded restrictions on media access to the meeting between the Russian and German Foreign Ministers – Maria Zakharova.  She also stated that they wanted to “guarantee the absence of questions, prohibit the recording of audio during opening remarks, and impose a ban on the publication of materials.”

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Confirmed now:  Trump rejects Iran’s proposal to get the Strait open in 7 days from confirmation of agreement.

(Sorry the press is back!)

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Farewell to Starlink in Ukraine:   Russia strikes ‘Starlink’ support center in Kiev — ‘Kosmonova data center’ was KEY for mobile internet & Starlink satellite communications of Ukrainian Armed Forces.  Ukraine uses Starlink to attempt drone strikes inside Russia.  Russia owns the skies now.

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Various US media reports that Trump rejected the new Iranian proposal that the Strait of Hormuz could be opened in seven days – these seven days start from the day that the US accepts it. Trump claimed Iran was stalling until after the midterms so Iran offered this deal, based on the original Memorandum of Understanding. The media reports that Trump wants to continue bombing after the midterms. This is a watchlist item for me, because Trump could say something else in the next five minutes now that his media pool is back.

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Things are heating up in Brazil with the election coming up for the 4th October. The Lula Campaign sounded the big alarm: “Trump wants to colonize Brazil”

LULA accused Washington of meddling in the upcoming election to seize the country’s natural resources. The evidence is mounting – and Big Tech is already blocking the message. “Flavio Bolsonaro is Trump’s candidate. And what Trump wants is to colonize Brazil, to take our wealth, steal our future and leave us behind.”  (Just like Venezuela, Cuba, Iran .. the list goes on).

Brazilian intelligence assessment: Risk of US interference raised to “critical level.”

There is American money in Bolsonaro’s campaign – linked to Rockbridge Network, co-founded by JD Vance.

Meta blocked Lula’s Facebook ad account just days before the election.

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Sep 25

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan at the White House.  The leaders are expected to have tea in the Red Room before visiting the National Archives ahead of Xi’s departure from Washington.

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Xi Jinping’s visit to the US is simply that .. a visit. Nothing will change, however Trump wants to leverage his ‘good relationship’ for the upcoming mid-terms. The most amazing is that the US has nothing to show. Xi and his wife come from China. So the US wants to show them China in each public event. Chinese songs, Chinese colors, a Chinese themed menu at the state banquet, Ivanka Trump wearing a dress by a Chinese designer … There are many photos with many smiles, but there is nothing underneath. All Trump has to show, is a helicopter pad, a half-built ball room and a series of portraits of dead and still alive presidents. US does China and making big but oh so basic protocol errors.

In Chinese culture, when a toast is proposed, other guests at the table should follow the most senior figure. Absolutely do NOT drink BEFORE the “boss.” (Elon Musk!)

In Chinese culture, when making a toast, you should hold your glass LOWER if the person you are toasting is more senior. No one told Melania this.

More seriously, substantive differences remain unchanged and they will not change pre-midterms.

Vintage Xi Jinping:

I am glad to announce an invitation for 100,000 young Americans to visit China for exchanges and study in the coming five years.

We should coexist in peace. As I have said many times, China and the United States, as two major countries, stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation.

We do not need to avoid mentioning competition, but our competition should be a healthy one and should be kept within bounds. It should be a race of catching up with one another, not a wrestle in which either wins or loses.

Panda diplomacy is back: Two pandas — Pingping and Fushuang — heading to Zoo Atlanta

Do follow Periol in the Apocalypse thread today. There are a number of details that are important. https://sovereignista.com/globalsouthforum/topic/chronicles-of-the-apocalypse-25-september-2026/

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UNGA yesterday. I will have to think of a new title. If that is the cream of our crop, we need to change to black coffee.

It was the day that a genocidaire took the podium. And the audience, even the part of the audience that stayed, was utterly revolted. The only positive comment came from Milei, Argentina, saying that Bloody Bibi is the best statesmen in the world. There are now strong calls for the UN to actually do something about Israel’s ‘war on seven fronts’. People, leaders saw with their own eyes, and heard what this regime is all about from the horses mouth, and little more can be said about it .. Revolting! Bibi cooked his own goose and this speech has cemented the status of pariah nation. There are very many strong statements of rejection. Even Qatar made a strong statement: “The spokesperson of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to the claim made by the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime in the United Nations General Assembly, said: We categorically reject Netanyahu’s accusations against the government of Qatar in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.”

African delegates in general spoke about climate change, war, the condition of debt provision to African countries and the unfair rules, the exclusion of African countries in the UN generally, and the UN being ineffective.

The Arab countries talked as is usual, but are ineffective. They are in fear, can only complain that Iran attacks them, but cannot say that Iran attacked their infrastructure – as Iran only attacked the infrastructure of the US.

The Latin American countries generally talk about climate change, trust, war and the UN being ineffective. The massive change to right wing politics in the LAC shows up, as some of these proudly announce that they have joined the Shield of the Americas. (Review the posts on colonialism on the site – they are walking in with their eyes wide open, having been placed by the empire in its service.) Colombia’s new US-backed government has severed diplomatic ties with Iran, as the right-wing administration of dual US citizen Abelardo de la Espriella moves to realign Bogotá firmly with Washington and Israel.

Yet, in comparison with last year, there is a clear recognition that the world is in travail. Last year everyone was in a state of ‘talking it better’, Hollywoodish speeches of ‘We shall Overcome’ were the order of the day. This year the recognition that this world is in deep trouble, is clear. The litmus test that I wanted to assess, was if multipolarity is entering the room. Yes, it is, but with a certain layer of confusion. Few leaders understand multipolarity and the big word is multilateralism. (You know, flying off and making more talk shops while accomplishing very little). With zero structure, that will surely save us.

The President of Barbados is a strong woman. She is my Person of the Day for yesterday. There are no signs that her address is AI generated and although politically we may differ, her views are strong and she says the right things, despite the Rules-Based-International-Order. We will see what jumps out for today. I have not seen China scheduled but Mr Lavrov is scheduled for Saturday.

At least Mia Amor Mottley makes sense, in a typical lyrical Caribbean style. She summarizes the problems in a nutshell and suggests human solutions.

Jokes abound:

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Pakistan, Imran Khan and shooting up Afghanistan. There are daily reports now of Pakistan flying drones into Afghanistan, but always blaming Afghanistan. The Cradle has details. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan are rising, threatening a repetition of the February all-out border warfare, which was triggered by Pakistani air strikes against what it called camps belonging to the TTP and the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K). The strikes followed a February 6 suicide bombing in Islamabad. Today, Islamabad accused Kabul’s Taliban government of harboring militants attacking Pakistan from Afghan territory.

And … as I said, there will be problems on the streets given the march for Imran Khan. In addition, an emergency meeting has been called for Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiya, the Mecca Agreement.

Sep 24

What does Sheinbaum know about Michelle Bachelet, that we don’t know?. Yes, Mexico will take its turn at the podium at UNGA, but it won’t be Sheinbaum. Yet, she had few things to say:

Mexico City. In the framework of the start of the session period of the General Assembly of the United Nations, President Claudia Sheinbaum maintained that Mexico upholds the multilateral solution of conflicts, as established by the constitutional principles of Mexican diplomacy.

She considered that the organization is overwhelmed, as reflected in conflicts such as the genocide in Palestine, the war in Iran or the trade blockades on Cuba “or what happened in Venezuela.”

She emphasized that Mexico defends the peaceful settlement of disputes and the self-determination of peoples, which is why she questioned that the UN maintains a structure in which “the Security Council somehow controls, well, many of the decisions of the United Nations, which are five countries. The United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom. A good part of the decisions are concentrated there.”

-Does the genocide in Palestine clearly show that the UN is absolutely overwhelmed?

-Yes, that is why we talk about strengthening the United Nations in that multilateral vision. That is why we supported Michelle Bachelet at the time. Well, Bachelet, well, did not get through with these five nations that, let’s say, have the right of veto.

– Would a profound reform of the UN be required?

-It would be very good.

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This is from Reuters and CNN, so currently, we have to take it with salt.

Iran says it has presented a new proposal to the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations toward a “final deal.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. would have seven days after accepting the proposal to meet undisclosed conditions based on the June Islamabad agreement, which covered sanctions relief, frozen assets and an end to military operations.

Tehran is awaiting a U.S. response and says it would prefer talks to resume before the U.S. midterm elections in early November.

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His threats are funny!

MB Ghalibaf:  Happy 5.1% 10Y America.  Mashallah.  Celebrate.  Its the floor two years out.

You wanted Iran dragged back to the 1970’s?  Nobody told you that Iran isn’t for arrogant amaterus?  We’ll return you to 1970’s rates, plus high gas prices, diesel shortages and bell-bottoms.  Enjoy the nostalgia!

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What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.

So we’re going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations… pic.twitter.com/Eow5Lv1SCH

— Macklemore (@macklemore) September 24, 2026

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Last night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a massed strike by high-precision ground-, air-launched weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles and engaged enterprises of the Ukrainian defence industry, telecommunication, and logistics centres in Kiev and Odessa regions as well as vessels involved in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The image from the Russian MoD is titled “Dropping words of wisdom from above”, referring to FM Lavrov’s furious response to Europe at the UNSC today.

Sep 23

Oh No!  We had blessed peace and quiet out there for a few days.

US federal judge orders White House access restored for journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying Trump’s ban ‘was likely unconstitutional’ — Reuters

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Representatives from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) firms DeepSeek and Moonshot are expected to brief a United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting on AI and international security next week on Wednesday in New York, according to Reuters. Chinese experts said the move underscores the growing role of Chinese firms in global discussions on AI development and also highlights China’s commitment to global AI governance, including sharing innovation, openness, and win-win cooperation.

China has issued guidance in the form of AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0, in which the classification of AI safety risks was reviewed and updated, and recommendations on optimizing technological countermeasures and comprehensive governance measures were outlined. This other bunch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue, seeks only primacy.

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Xi Jinping is in and was met at the airport by Donald Trump & Melania.  It is really only really a day, perhaps two,  that he will spend in the US.  Besides the pomp and circumstance tomorrow morning, rose garden, band playing, overflight, banquet and so on, Xi will be flying back to China within days.

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You could cut the air with a knife.

Trump isn’t going to like what Xi has to say both about bilateral relations and also the wider geopolitical theatre including Ukraine, Iran and Taiwan.

pic.twitter.com/ftMeF9OH3R

— The Sirius Report (@thesiriusreport) September 24, 2026

Bessent said the ‘trade truce’ has been extended into January. I doubt if China cares.

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I posted up a link to Venezuela’s Delcy Rodriques’ speech today at UNGA.  As always the unhinged commentary could be ignored.  Talk to people that can speak fluent Spanish and know what is going on grassroots before screaming for revolution or civil war.  In my view Venezuela is in revolution but not necessarily against Rodriques.    Comments that Venezuela should have fought like Iran, are childish and devoid of reality.  Venezuela did not spend 47 years preparing for a war.  Delcy’s speech is highly nuanced, not hiding the problems but finding a way through them and she knows exactly that she has to deal with new overlords, conquerors and in a state of being newly colonized.  Even then, she manages to lift up the Venezuelan people and delineates what is Venezuela’s role and what is the conqueror’s role, not giving an inch.  The US could have put in a Venezuelan proxy leader like we see in Syria.  The disappointed commentariat who did not see a war are now shouting ‘revolution’.  These do not know what is happening on the streets in Venezuela – a process that Delcy encourages under free speech and democracy.  Venezuelans are also out in the streets on a daily basis, low-key, but vibrantly alive, while still in a state of mourning.  The commentariat from outside are so misinformed that they see these marches, and forget to ask WHO is marching·

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Too independent to stay free: Imran Khan

Supporters of jailed former Pakistani PM Imran Khan are preparing a “March on Islamabad” on September 27. One of their main demands is his release. His PTI party links his imprisonment to his independent foreign policy stance.

Khan has long been critical of the US. He said he hates the word “aid,” calling dependency humiliating, and stressed that Pakistan wants equal relations with the US, not handouts. In 2022, he said he received a message from abroad — later clarifying he meant the US — that Washington’s anger would disappear if he lost the vote of no confidence.

On the Middle East, Khan said that behind every fire in the Muslim world one finds Israel, whose goal is to make Muslims fight each other. He accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians and insisted on a ceasefire first, then a two-state solution, and only then dialogue.

On Russia and Ukraine, he rejected Western demands to condemn Moscow. Pakistan abstained at the UN, and Khan visited Moscow on the eve of the conflict — the first such visit in 23 years.

Khan has said he would rather die in prison than abandon his principles.

📌 The military dictatorship in Pakistan will most likely attack the marchers as they did before.  Pakistan is sure quietly pummeling Afghanistan.  The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan confirmed that at least three civilians were killed and four injured in apparent airstrikes in Kunar province in the early hours of 21 September. So far this year, UNAMA documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border armed violence.

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Mark Rutte:  The Iran War is essentially a NATO War, according to NATO Chief Mark Rutte: “5,000 planes took off off from European bases in support of Epic Fury”

The SMO and the Iran War has just proven to be one war.

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From Mohammed Marandi and widely reported in Iran:  If the family dictatorships in the Persian Gulf join Bessent’s attempt to stop Iranian flights, Iran will, if necessary, use force to shut down all of their airports.

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RUBIO’S SPIN CYCLE: “Iran Can’t Have Nukes” – While the US Blockades, Bombs, and Kidnaps

The US Secretary of State just delivered a masterclass in hypocrisy. Iran is the “world’s leading sponsor of terrorism”? The empire that kidnapped Maduro, blockades Cuba, and bombs schools says that?

🗣️ On Iran: “If they continue to insist on a nuclear weapon, support for proxies, they’re the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, then we’re gonna have big problems.”

🗣️ On Cuba: “The Cuban revolution has failed. We’re open to measures that begin that process of change.”

🗣️ On Gaza: Blamed “external actors” while ignoring Israel’s genocide.

🗣️ On the MOU: “They violated it. They broke it.” (The US imposed a naval blockade first.)

🗣️ On the Strait: “The only blockade in Hormuz is the one we’ve imposed on Iran because they keep firing on ships.”

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Pezeshkian’s UNGA speech has overall received positive reactions from everyone in Iran, including his critics.   This is very different from last year.

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun affirmed that Beijing opposes “illegal unilateral sanctions” after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Iranian airlines could be shut down globally and threatened countries providing them with services such as landing facilities or fuel with exclusion from the US dollar system.

Asked specifically about Iranian flights scheduled to land in Guangzhou and Shanghai, Guo said China “consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council.”

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FM Lavrov walked into a trap as he walked into the UN for the General Debate this morning.

Ukraine and 51 of its allies released a statement on Wednesday demanding that Russia accept an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” so that peace talks between Moscow and Kiev can take place. The statement, whose signatories included the EU and its member states, the UK, Canada, and Australia, was published before the security council met to discuss the conflict.

Lavrov did not mince words: “We are not going to have a pause in our special military operation. “Europe, whatever it thinks, just wants to get a pause and it wants to use it to pump the Kiev regime with weapons.”

Sep 22

I declare this UNGA The UNGA of AI Addled Trained Automatons and the real leaders will easily stand out as civilizational and quintessentially human. We will see and intuit the differences.

A lot is happening behind the scenes at this UNGA.  The US with their threats via Trump from the podium is for one or other reason playing a game of winning and presenting themselves as uncouth barbarians with a rare sense of ownership – gorillas beating breasts. The Israelis are walking about and threatening Iran as well as if they are victorious. Iran and Mamdani are the victims of what can only be described adult bullying. The Israeli delegation walked out of the UN General Assembly hall as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered his speech, criticizing Israel over war crimes in Gaza. About half of the speeches today referred to Israel in a negative sense. But more than half referred to the fact that we are now in a multipolar world, even those that we did not expect to do this. We can look forward to Mexico speaking sense. Chile made a good speech, and kept it about Chile and what they have accomplished in their eyes.

Iran is at the UNGA podium tomorrow morning and Ukraine in the afternoon. Zelenski in his meeting with Trump today, appeared higher than a kite.

Other speeches today were seldom inspirational but mainly sounded as if they were reiterating the managerial toolkits of some AI secret ivy league brainwashing witches coven. One did not see people and leaders, but automatons. The biggest problem expressed among them, is Trust, they say.

Lavrov has arrived and he and Rubio will have a sideline meeting on Wednesday.

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I get the idea that the only reason that a cut-down Iranian delegation received visas, was to force them into a round of negotiation.

Iran’s State TV confirms Iran’s FM Araghchi held a meeting with Witkoff on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York –  this was at the insistence of the US side, according to an exclusive IRIB. Iran agreed to the meeting in order to reiterate Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Their meeting was focused on communication of Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormoz.

Iran conveyed its positions during the meeting.

• Immediate lifting of the maritime blockade
• Immediate payment of all frozen Iranian assets
• An end to the war on all fronts of the resistance (including Gaza and Lebanon)

These are among Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormoz.

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The genocide in Gaza continues. Death toll from Israeli genocidal war on Gaza rises to over 73,900 as 5 Palestinians killed in the last 24 hours. This is a very low number as there still are corpses under the rubble. Killings happen daily and there are continual West Bank (now with a new name) attacks. It has become the issue that commentators do not speak about because they run to something that seems more exciting. I made a call some number of months ago, for the commentators and the diplomats and the journalists to spend a few seconds in their reporting to remind the world that the genocide continues. We had to wait for a HipHop musician to speak out. A slow killing spree with Israel keeping to some kind of process that they think the world will not say anything about. Well, this world speaks. Free Palestine! Bring the genocidal monsters to justice.

It is the start of High-Level week at the UN. China did speak out, via a Global Times article (posted) and said among other comments:

“The world should hear Gaza’s children first. That weeping is not background noise but an interrogation of conscience. Bombing, blockade and starvation rotate there; aid is cut off; hospitals and schools are not safe.” And “If delegates can enter the UN hall only at the host’s discretion, confined by travel limits and a compressed delegation, then international law and the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the UN are already hollowed out.

Harder still: Between the two states at war, Israel is admitted while Palestinian representatives are shut out for taking its war with Israel to international courts. Yet in Gaza’s ruins, families still search for remains, and the blood of women and children remains wet. To whom can victims appeal for justice? The podium shouldn’t exist only for the strong. “

I hope China’s address to the General Assembly includes these thoughts, out live to the world, while Trump’s pool reporters are refusing to turn on their sound, to protest against Trump kicking out some journalists. You silence us, we silence you! Whatever you think of it, it is a wonderful time of Trump silence. The new announcement from Bessent that all Iranian aircraft are sanctioned and nobody must service the aircraft, is not falling as Biggly as Bessent thought. China has already said they do not recognize this.

Many do not think the UN has any teeth and today, it does not.  This is a pivotal General Assembly, as we will see who has teeth and who not.  For a long time I advocated to abandon this organizational mess, but I have changed my mind.  We need a UN.  Whether we need this one, is the question.

In the mean time, US diesel gas hits all-time record.  Record fuel prices in France spark fears of new ‘Yellow Vest’ uprising and so reports from various countries on fuel shortages pour in.   Marco Rubio blames Ukraine, Iran, the ‘Houthis’ and whoever else he can think of.

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Sep 21

The lovely news is that my short piece on Michelle Bachelet, who withdrew candidacy from the UN General Secretary of the security council, is top post on Michael Hudson’s network.  Whereas I reacted completely emotionally, Michael gave it the right headline and said: The UN is blocked from effective leadership

Let’s repeat it, because it is true:

My friend Amarynth at Sovereignista.com has posted the folloing information. Blocking Bachelet leaves only Grossi — who turned over Iranian scientists names and labs as targets for Israeli assassins to kill afer his “inspections” — as a candidate not recommended by tiny island nations at the behest/threat of financial support or non-withdrawal of such support. This is serious. It is part of the US/NATO move to disempower any UN move against Trump’s policies.

Michelle Bachelet has just withdrawn from the candidates for UN Secretary General.  Former Chilean President and ex-UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet has announced she is withdrawing her candidacy for UN Secretary-General.

“Some might say the time was not right for a candidacy like the one I sought to represent,” she noted in a video posted on her social media channels.

She also highlighted that the global situation currently faces various challenges across multiple fronts, such as human rights and climate change.

Bachelet thanked the presidents of Mexico and Brazil for supporting her candidacy.  Initially Chile supported her candidacy but they were soon threatened out of that, and Mexico and Brazil took over in support.  Michelle is the only candidate where two large countries supported instead of smaller island states, most probably forced to do so.

Seven candidates remain in the running — the majority from Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside contenders from Africa.  There is nobody here with the deep resume and real and practical experience, fierce independence and honesty  that Michelle Bachelet presents.  The two Ecuadorian candidates are both nominated by small island nations.

• Rafael Mariano Grossi (Argentina), nominated by Argentina on 26 November 2025;
• Macky Sall (Senegal), nominated by Burundi on 2 March 2026;
• Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis (Costa Rica), nominated by Costa Rica on 3 March 2026;
• María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (Ecuador), nominated by Antigua and Barbuda on 11 May 2026;
• Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett (Guyana), nominated by Guyana on 15 June 2026;
• Olara Otunnu (Uganda), nominated by Uganda on 24 July 2026; and
• Ivonne A-Baki (Ecuador), nominated by Tonga on 18 August 2026.

(Michelle is proven to be a lady with guts.  We will find out in a couple of months who it was that again threatened her out of her gourd).

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ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC have all collectively decided to suspend their pooled coverage of President Trump, including his UNGA address today because he threw out a few like CNN from the pool reporters.

(That will be so peaceful.)

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Farewell Guterres. But you’ve said one thing right.  Pity that you only start now.

The Security Council is paralyzed

🔹We are facing a significant geopolitical gap that has paralyzed the Security Council. Superpowers engage in wars, in some cases acting contrary to international law.

🔹This situation creates an atmosphere of impunity in which the middle powers believe that they can do whatever they want because there will be no consequences for them.

It is of course your responsibility to see that there are nobody deprived of visas for this important week at the UN.  You need to fight that fight.

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Richard Gowan, UN director at the International Crisis Group, argues the UN’s declining effectiveness reflects a combination of great-power rivalry, financial pressures and bureaucratic inefficiency. It is all of the above, but it is also the unwillingness to follow international law and the overall hegemony.

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Trump called off Yemen strikes moments before launch — report

The US president cancelled planned US airstrikes against Yemen at the last moment, according to the New York Times — pulling back just as the operation was about to begin.

Trump had told the Pentagon to prepare a large strike package, and target lists were approved. According to the NYT, bombs were being loaded onto US warplanes when Trump decided against ordering the strikes.

Earlier, US embassies across the Middle East issued security alerts warning of flight cancellations and airspace closures. Trump then cut short his Camp David stay and returned to the White House early, cancelling all scheduled events.

📌 Of course, this could have been a huge bluff, or it could have been a huge bluff to try and force Iran back to a negotiation, or it could be partially true, or it could be not true at all, or it could be that the US defense leaders would not go ahead with it, or it could be a fake for the midterms, or it could be the major win of Macklemore in the media with ‘Free Palestine’ and a realization that nobody is with this administration and this war. The first reports that I saw were from the NYT

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Iranian lawmakers push urgent bill to quit nuclear treaty citing US-Israeli aggression

Lawmaker Hossein-Ali Haji Deligani announced the submission of a triple-urgency bill seeking the country’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty during an open parliamentary session, reports Press TV.

The proposal has been delivered to the Presiding Board and now awaits approval from Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf before debate can begin.

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The Trump administration is preparing sanctions against the entire International Criminal Court, after imposing sanctions on several judges over arrest warrants for Israeli officials.

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Last night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted UAV strikes on logistics centres, depots and Ukrainian seaports, as well as vessels used in the interests of the AFU.

💥 As a result of the strikes, the following objects were engaged:

📍 in Kiev region:

▫️ in the settlement of Schastlivoye, the BDU Logistic centre in which depots storing and distributing of military materiel were organised;

▫️ in the settlement of Boyarka, a gas distribution station providing gas supply to the defence industry facilities;

📍 in Odessa region:

▫️ in the port of Odessa, a dry cargo ship, delivering cargo intended to support the AFU;

▫️ in the port of Izmail, port infrastructure facilities used to unload and store military cargo.

▫️ In addition, a dry cargo ship delivering military cargo intended to support the AFU to the port of Odessa was hit at sea.

Zaporozhye is now on the SMO menu. You recall that Zaporozhye and Kramatorsk are the final two major cities where the Ukies are holding on.

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The Russian election is of importance. It appears that Russia citizenry are happy with the increase in speed and volume of the current administration on the SMO.  This stability is excellent.

Russia’s ruling party retains majority in parliament. With more than 90% of precinct protocols processed early Monday, United Russia scored nearly 58%, followed by the Communist Party (CPRF) with nearly 14%, the LDPR with 8.9%, and New People with 7.94%. A Just Russia currently stands at 4.95%, just below the 5% threshold for party-list seats.on is of great importance.

Formal results will only be available around Friday, but these are good enough for now.

We know about Ukraine’s drone raids on the Moscow Region, which officials say was aimed at derailing the election. The attack killed two civilians in the capital suburbs and damaged an oil refinery, residential buildings, and civilian infrastructure. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said the “unprecedented” attack involved more than 1,600 UAVs.

The Russian digital elections infrastructure also endured more than 3,000 waves of DDoS attacks during the vote, according to CEC Chair Ella Pamfilova.

The parliamentary election coincided with more than 2,200 regional and municipal campaigns, with around 20,700 mandates and elected posts at stake. Of Russia’s 89 regions, 11 were choosing their leaders, including eight through direct popular votes, while 39 were electing local legislatures.

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Merz Refuses to Quit As CDU Suffers Worst State Election Result Since 1949 Merz said he would push ahead with economic reforms after CDU fell to 4.9% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, its worst state election result in postwar Germany.

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Today the Chinese Foreign Ministery for the first time confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States from Sept. 23 to 25 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump,

Bessent declares: We just had a very, very successful engagement with the Chinese on trade, AI, completing the where we left off in Beijing. There, we created the board of trade and began the subject of AI, and this evening those were operationalized.  He says that they’ve established a mechanism called the U.S.–China AI Dialogue.

China uses many words to indicate that these are so far dialogue.  They set up the board of trade with the previous US visit to China:    https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202609/1371021.shtml

Uhm, looks like the only thing that the Chinese agree to, is a few talk shops.  We will see. And the AI ‘Safety Issue‘ is not that simple. They tell us it is ‘our safety’. It is the safety of the ‘frontier AI companies in the US’ that is the big deal here.

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The US has refused visas for a number of Iranian delegates, mainly press, for this UNGA.

Scott Bessent has just said that all Iranian airlines will be shut down ‘worldwide’ on Wednesday, September 23rd.  “How do we do that? If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system.”  (Sounds like a good deal to me though – something like an own goal?).  The Iranian delegation will be in New York at the time.  They also refused a visa for Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian President but there was an outcry and he will address the General Assembly online.

They did the same to Russia last year – but not just refusing visas, approving visas and just making sure that the delegation did not get the visas on time.

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The temporary secretariat of the Caspian Convention was moved to Iran

▪️Decreasing the Caspian balance is on the agenda

Director General of the Sea Coast Office of the Environmental Organization in a conversation with Tasnim(https://www.tasnimnews.ir/):
🔹 Reducing the water level of the Caspian Sea as one of the important challenges has been raised in regional meetings for more than a year, and the member states emphasize the necessity of pursuing it in the form of a regional action plan.

🔹 Iran’s proposal for developing a regional action plan has been submitted to the secretariat of the convention and the member states, and this matter is undergoing technical investigations.

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