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Iraqi Govt to Asharq Al-Awsat: Al-Zaidi's Talks in Tehran Did Not Include ‘Carried Messages’

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran July 23, 2026. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran July 23, 2026. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
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Iraqi Govt to Asharq Al-Awsat: Al-Zaidi's Talks in Tehran Did Not Include ‘Carried Messages’

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran July 23, 2026. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attend a welcoming ceremony in Tehran, Iran July 23, 2026. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters

An Iraqi government spokesperson said that the Iraqi delegation visiting Tehran on Thursday discussed bilateral relations and regional developments related to the economic interests of regional countries, denying that the talks included "any carried message."

The spokesperson's comments followed a New York Times report stating that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had conveyed an American ceasefire proposal to Iran.

Government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi told Asharq Al-Awsat: "The Iraqi delegation that visited Tehran on Thursday discussed bilateral relations and regional developments related to the economic interests of the region's countries, and the talks did not include any offer or carried message."

The Iraqi government's media office denied on Friday that al-Zaidi had conveyed a ceasefire proposal from US President Donald Trump to Tehran.

In a statement, al-Zaidi's office said that the New York Times report represents "groundless allegations that have no basis in reality."

The report contained incorrect information, it added, calling on the media to "ensure accuracy, rely on official sources, and avoid circulating unverified information or info attributed to anonymous sources."

The New York Times had reported, citing unnamed Iranian and Iraqi officials, that Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal presented by Trump, which al-Zaidi had conveyed during his Tehran visit.

It added, citing Iranian officials, that Tehran sees no utility in a temporary agreement that leaves the issue of control over the Strait of Hormuz unresolved.

It also quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying that al-Zaidi presented his "views and impressions" following his visit to Washington, adding that Iran and the US already have a sufficient number of mediators.

The Iraqi denial came at a time when NYT highlighted escalating tensions between the US and Iran, amid the exchange of attacks and threats between both sides. It quoted Iranian officials as saying that Tehran is preparing for the possibility of a widening confrontation if Washington carries out its threats to target Iranian infrastructure.

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Arab World

G7 Agrees on Need to Avoid ‘Security Void’ in Lebanon After UN Force Mandate Ends

Under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026. (AFP)
Under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026. (AFP)
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G7 Agrees on Need to Avoid ‘Security Void’ in Lebanon After UN Force Mandate Ends

Under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026. (AFP)
Under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026. (AFP)

G7 foreign ministers agreed on "the need to avoid a security void" in Lebanon after UN peacekeepers pull out, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday after a meeting of the group in Paris.

They also backed "the need to move quickly toward a new security architecture" after the mandate of United Nations peacekeeping forces in Israel's neighbor expires at the end of the year, he said.

But Barrot acknowledged there had been no breakthrough on what should replace the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has been in place since 1978 and now counts some 7,500 personnel from nearly 50 countries.

Under US pressure, the UN Security Council voted last year to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31, 2026.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told AFP in October that the bloc favored a UN peacekeeping mandate in south Lebanon.

Lebanese group Hezbollah drew the country into the broader Middle East war by attacking Israel, which responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanon says have killed more than 4,300 people.

"I am hopeful that we will reach a consensus," said Barrot. "The objective is widely shared: the withdrawal of Israel (from southern Lebanon), the disarmament of Hezbollah (which is pro-Iranian), and the restoration of a strong state that holds a monopoly on the use of arms -- a state capable of ensuring the security and prosperity of all the populations and all the communities in Lebanon."

Israel now maintains troops in a self-declared occupied "security zone" running around 10 kilometers (six miles) inside Lebanon along the border.

"We underscored the need for a robust, credible, and long-lasting security architecture in Lebanon in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces," the ministers said in their final communique.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that he had discussed the issue with President Emmanuel Macron and suggested that what replaces UNIFIL "doesn't have to be a military mission, it could be a civilian mission."

"We need a verification system trusted by everyone and trusted by both sides that both sides are complying with their obligations under the agreements that are in place," Rubio said.

A transitional mechanism utilizing UNIFIL forces is among the options on the table, a European diplomat said, asking not to be named.

But this could require a UN Security Council resolution and thus run into an American veto, the diplomat warned.

The Europeans are also pushing a proposal for an international military coalition tasked with supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in their mission to disarm Hezbollah.

However, the formation of such a coalition faces hesitation from Italy, which "remains strongly committed to its presence in Lebanon but appears reluctant to join an ad hoc coalition", partly due to cost concerns, as such missions are not funded by the UN, diplomats said.

Arab World

Lewis Hamilton in Egypt to Visit Gaza Humanitarian Aid Facilities

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, left, listens to Major General Khaled Megawer, governor of North Sinai, during his visit to Egypt's side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP)
British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, left, listens to Major General Khaled Megawer, governor of North Sinai, during his visit to Egypt's side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP)
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Lewis Hamilton in Egypt to Visit Gaza Humanitarian Aid Facilities

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, left, listens to Major General Khaled Megawer, governor of North Sinai, during his visit to Egypt's side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP)
British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, left, listens to Major General Khaled Megawer, governor of North Sinai, during his visit to Egypt's side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP)

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton arrived at Egypt’s Rafah on Tuesday to visit organizations sending humanitarian aid to the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Hamilton has spoken out about humanitarian crises and conflict zones in the region, calling for peace. He has frequently posted on social media about children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and called for a ceasefire. He has also addressed other conflicts.

“I think we need to make sure we’re pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there’s a lot of peace that I’m hoping we get to at some stage,” Hamilton said last month.

While a ceasefire agreement reached last year has halted major combat operations, aid going into Gaza continues to fall far short of the agreed-upon minimum of 600 trucks a day.

Israeli forces have continued to advance into Gaza, expanding their control from 53% of the territory to at least 60%, an independent commission of UN experts said last month.

Israeli airstrikes continue across Gaza, and Israeli fire along the advancing front has killed at least 196 Palestinians, including 18 women, 32 boys and 11 girls, the commission said.

Hamilton toured Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza before visiting logistics warehouses operated by the Egyptian Red Crescent, which facilitates aid entry into Gaza.

At the crossing, Hamilton greeted aid workers with “Al-Salamo Alaykom,” an Arabic greeting meaning “peace be upon you.” He shook hands and briefly spoke with workers and officials.

Khaled Megawer, the governor of North Sinai, where Rafah is located, said the visit aims to help Hamilton learn about Egypt’s efforts to send aid to Gaza.

The visit comes after Hamilton made his 400th race start on Sunday at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos.

Hamilton, the first Black driver to race in F1, made his debut with McLaren in 2007. He is only the second driver in F1 to start 400 races following his former teammate Fernando Alonso, who achieved the milestone in 2024.

Arab World

Israeli Fire Kills Father and Son in Gaza, Medics Say

Palestinians inspect tents buried under rocks and earth a day after a large sandstone slab collapsed at a displacement camp, killing at least five people, including four children, according to health officials, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP)
Palestinians inspect tents buried under rocks and earth a day after a large sandstone slab collapsed at a displacement camp, killing at least five people, including four children, according to health officials, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP)
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Israeli Fire Kills Father and Son in Gaza, Medics Say

Palestinians inspect tents buried under rocks and earth a day after a large sandstone slab collapsed at a displacement camp, killing at least five people, including four children, according to health officials, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP)
Palestinians inspect tents buried under rocks and earth a day after a large sandstone slab collapsed at a displacement camp, killing at least five people, including four children, according to health officials, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026. (AP)

Israeli forces ‌killed at least three Palestinians, including a father and his 13-year-old son, in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, local health officials said.

Medics said Fadi Rajab and his son Abubakr were killed in an airstrike that hit the roof of a displacement shelter in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City, while a ‌third person ‌was killed by gunfire in Khan ‌Younis, ⁠in the south ⁠of the enclave.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on either of the incidents.

A US-brokered ceasefire last year called for the eventual reconstruction of Gaza, but little progress has been made. Negotiators ⁠have failed to agree on ‌terms for ‌Hamas to disarm or for Israel to withdraw its ‌troops, which control about two-thirds of ‌the territory and from which residents have been ordered to leave.

Israel says Hamas is trying to regroup and refill its arsenal, while ‌Hamas says it is committed to the ceasefire agreement and accuses ⁠Israel ⁠of trying to undermine it.

At least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement, according to the territory's health officials, while Israel says four soldiers have been killed.

Palestinian authorities say more than 74,000 people have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.