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Iran Executes Four Men Convicted of Spying for Israel

A file photo showing the Iranian flag in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. © Leonhard Foeger, Reuters
A file photo showing the Iranian flag in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. © Leonhard Foeger, Reuters
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Iran Executes Four Men Convicted of Spying for Israel

A file photo showing the Iranian flag in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. © Leonhard Foeger, Reuters
A file photo showing the Iranian flag in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organisation's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, June 5, 2023. © Leonhard Foeger, Reuters

Iran executed four men at dawn on Monday after they were convicted of collaborating with the country's arch-foe Israel on a plan to sabotage an Iranian defense site, according to the judiciary.

The four defendants, identified as Mohammad Faramarzi, Mohsen Mazloum, Wafa Azarbar, Pejman Fatehi, were arrested in July 2022 and accused of plotting to carry out out an operation against a Ministry of Defense center in the central province of Isfahan, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

"The death sentence of four members of a group affiliated with the Zionist spy organization, who were arrested... for plotting a bombing operation in Isfahan, was carried out this morning," Mizan Online reported, according to AFP.

According to Iran, the men had been recruited by Mossad, Israel's intelligence service, "about a year and a half before the operation".

They were sent to African countries for "training courses in the military centers" where Mossad officers were present, the judiciary added.

The men were sentenced to death in September 2023.

In August 2023, Iran claimed to have foiled a "very complex" Mossad-initiated project to "sabotage" its ballistic missile industry. A few months earlier, in February, Teheran accused Israel of being responsible for a drone attack on a military site in Isfahan.

The two countries have been engaged in a shadow war for decades, with Iran regularly accusing Israel and its ally the United States of inciting unrest.

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Trump Says Xi Visit 'Very Positive for both Countries'

China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
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China's President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump speak on the North Portico steps of the White House ahead of a State Dinner in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026. President Xi is on a State visit to the United States from September 23 to 25. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

President Donald Trump said Friday that he and Xi Jinping had made progress for the United States and China, as the Chinese leader wrapped up a state visit to Washington.

"I think we've made tremendous strides, we've made great strides, very positive for both countries," Trump told reporters as he and his wife Melania had tea at the White House with Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan.

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping floated the possibility of two more meetings with Trump, saying: "Looking ahead to the remainder of this year, there will be two more opportunities for us to meet each other -- firstly the APEC meeting in China and then the G20 summit in the United States."

"I do welcome you, Mr President and the First Lady, to visit China."

World

Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
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Türkiye Rejects Netanyahu's 'Baseless Accusations' at UN

TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on September 24, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Türkiye rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "baseless accusations" at the United Nations, its state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Friday.

Netanyahu had called Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant" during a fiery speech at the UN, accusing Ankara of harboring Hamas militant leaders.

The Israeli leader's address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, in which he denounced enemies and allies alike, sparked uproar in the chamber.

Dozens of envoys from across the world walked out, some jeering and booing, while Netanyahu's own team stood and applauded, and the speaker of the session shouted for order.

"The latest country to become a super spreader of antisemitic lies (is Türkiye)," he said.

"Erdogan is a tyrant. He also hosts the Hamas terror chiefs."

Erdogan has urged world leaders to "exert greater pressure on Israel" over its war in Gaza and called on nations to recognize Palestine as an independent state.

Anadolu quoted the Turkish presidency's communications director Burhanettin Duran, as slamming Netanyahu's allegation as "incompatible" with UN values.

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of the UN General Assembly podium to level "baseless accusations" against Turkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was incompatible with the "ideals of peace, law and dialogue" represented by the UN," Duran said.

Netanyahu's words cannot "make his massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the proceedings before international law invisible," he added.

World

Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
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Britain Warns Iran It Will Not Tolerate Hostile Activity on UK Soil

Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)
Britain's Foreign Minister Ed Miliband arrives to attend an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers at Druids Glen in Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland, on September 2, 2026. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)

Britain's foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and told him his country would "not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil" from groups linked to Iran.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also discussed the war in the Middle East, the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Britain's "unwavering resolve ‌to combat ‌threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil," ‌a ⁠Foreign Office statement said.

"The ⁠Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK's unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community," it said.

In July, Britain banned support for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and a linked group following a series of ⁠antisemitic attacks, using new legal powers designed ‌to stop the use ‌of state-sponsored proxies, said
Reuters.

Iran has previously denied using proxies. The British statement ‌did not say how Araghshi responded to ‌Miliband.

A statement on Araghchi’s Telegram account said he had used the meeting to call for a correction to "the destructive and irresponsible approaches of some European governments towards Iran and regional ‌developments."

He also said an "insistence on interfering in countries’ internal affairs and the instrumental ⁠use of ⁠human rights concepts is in no way acceptable."

Britain's National Cyber Security Center said last week Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as "CHOSEN BRICK" to steal emails, messages and other sensitive information through "spear-phishing" campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.

"The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response," the Foreign Office statement added.