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Iran: News Emerge about Shamkhani Taking over Nuclear Talks amid Foreign Ministry’s Silence

The late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Shamkhani during a government meeting (Mehr)
The late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Shamkhani during a government meeting (Mehr)
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Iran: News Emerge about Shamkhani Taking over Nuclear Talks amid Foreign Ministry’s Silence

The late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Shamkhani during a government meeting (Mehr)
The late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Shamkhani during a government meeting (Mehr)

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani remained silent regarding reports that Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to the Iranian leader, was assigned to supervise indirect talks between Washington and Tehran with the aim of reviving the nuclear agreement.
Unofficial reports stated that Shamkhani took over the management of the nuclear file at the beginning of March. The Iranian official supervised the nuclear talks conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the tenure of former President Hassan Rouhani, when he served as Secretary General of the Supreme National Security Council for 10 years.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Kanaani said: “I don’t have any specific points to clarify regarding indirect allegations on social media,” adding: “Negotiations are continuing under the supervision of senior officials.”
The Rouydad 24 website stated that the nuclear negotiations and the development of related policies were assigned to the Supreme National Security Council at the start of Raisi’s tenure, in accordance with a decision to separate tasks among the Iranian agencies. Ali Bagheri Kani, the current acting Foreign Minister, has led the nuclear negotiating team
News of Shamkhani’s appointment comes after the Axios news website reported that indirect negotiations took place on May 18 between Iranian and US officials in Muscat.
The website quoted informed sources as saying that the round of talks was the first since January, and was attended by Brett McGurk, advisor to the US President for Middle East affairs, and Abram Paley, the US special envoy to Iran.
The website, however, did not reveal the identity of the Iranian officials who participated in “the talks that addressed US concerns about the status of the Iranian nuclear program.”

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Alberta Separatists Lose Vote on Leaving Canada

Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
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Alberta Separatists Lose Vote on Leaving Canada

Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Canada's province of Alberta rejected a plan to hold a binding independence referendum, results showed Tuesday, a setback for separatists backed by allies of US President Donald Trump.

Public broadcaster CBC and leading private network CTV projected a comfortable victory for the federalist side, with official results showing more than 76 percent support for national unity with more than a third of ballots counted.

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the result and said Albertans had made a "clear choice" in favor of unity.

"They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other," he said in a statement on X.

Carney had campaigned for national stability as the country faced Trump's trade war and annexation threats.

A somber mood took over the restaurant in the provincial capital Edmonton where a leading separatist group watched the returns.

Jeffrey Rath, a top leader of the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project, told reporters his push for an independent Alberta will "absolutely" continue, despite the result from Monday's vote.

"We've learned a lot of lessons from this fight," he said.

Separatist supporter Jour Dain said he was "disappointed in (his) fellow Albertans."

"Honestly, if this continues down this path of remaining in Canada, I'm just going to move," the 40-year-old said, expressing a desire to live in the United States.

At the federalist election night party in Edmonton before the results were announced, a band warmed up ahead of an anticipated positive result.

"It was amazing to see the enthusiasm and resolve among Canadians," said Thomas Lukaszuk, who heads Forever Canadian, the group that campaigned across the province for national unity.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative, said she voted against independence but called the referendum to settle an issue that has divided the province.

She has said a win for the federalists would close the secession question.

- Foreign influence? -

Alberta has the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, and much of the separatist momentum has been driven by anger over oil industry management.

Smith has blamed Carney's predecessor Justin Trudeau for igniting the separatist fire, accusing him of trying to crush oil production to advance his pro-climate agenda.

Alberta's independence push has also drawn sustained interest from Trump allies.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Alberta a "natural partner" for the United States. Elon Musk, the world's richest person and a top Trump supporter, posted on X this month that Alberta "should separate."

Separatist leaders also held meetings at the US State Department and received advice from Republican political operatives.

- 'Rash decisions' -

Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has worked to improve relations between the province and Ottawa since taking office last year.

He has partnered with Smith on advancing a new pipeline to export more Alberta bitumen overseas, a project considered a nonstarter during Trudeau's tenure.

Alberta Prosperity Project leader Mitch Sylvestre told AFP earlier Monday that Carney had "threatened" the province in the closing days of the campaign.

Carney's message was "voting against Canada is dangerous," Sylvestre said, calling that "very unreasonable."

Haley Erdegard, a 44-year-old who voted in Edmonton, voiced discomfort with the idea advanced by some separatists that Alberta is forced to share too much of its oil revenue with the rest of Canada.

"I think we probably need to put some more work towards cooperation before making rash decisions about trying to start our own country," she told AFP.

World

Araghchi Says Russia, Iran Have 'Never' Worked so Closely

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
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Araghchi Says Russia, Iran Have 'Never' Worked so Closely

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Russia and Iran have "never" worked so closely, as Moscow seeks to play a mediating role in the Middle East war.

Araghchi hosted his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Iran on Monday, in his first visit since the outbreak of the conflict, AFP reported.

"We covered everything from Europe to West Asia, including Lebanon, Palestine, Ukraine and Yemen. Also focused on expansion of economic and nuclear cooperation," Araghchi wrote on X.

"Never in our history have Iran and Russia worked as closely as now."

Lavrov said ahead of the visit that Moscow's efforts "aimed at preventing the return of a large-scale war,” with talks stalled between the United States and Iran.

His visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian this month that Moscow was prepared to contribute to mediation efforts.

Russia and Iran, two of the most heavily sanctioned nations in the world, maintain close ties.

The Russian foreign ministry said ahead of Lavrov's visit to Tehran that discussions were expected to focus on "ways to resolve the acute international crisis triggered by the unlawful aggression of the US and Israel" against Iran.

The ministry said the war had been a blow to stability and security "not only in the near and Middle East, but also on a global scale.”

World

France to Impose New Curfews Where Necessary, Says PM

Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
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France to Impose New Curfews Where Necessary, Says PM

Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)

France will impose new curfews in areas where needed on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, adding that the measures introduced in several cities the previous day had "helped keep the night calm".

France was rocked on Saturday by some of its worst rioting in recent years, just six months before the country elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.

Accused of failing to anticipate and contain the street violence, the government has pledged to restore order, and had announced partial curfews in Paris and some other cities on Monday.

"Targeted curfews have contributed to calm overnight," Lecornu wrote on X.

"Tonight new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors," he said.

Police confirmed the night had passed without major incidents across France.

Several cities, including Paris, the southwestern city of Bordeaux and Nice on the French Riviera, introduced partial curfews on Monday in response to urban unrest that followed weeks of student demonstrations over poor learning conditions in high schools.

While some restrictions, such as those in Paris, initially applied only for the night from Monday to Tuesday, others, particularly in Bordeaux and Nice, were set to remain in force for several days.

During the night, a helicopter flew over the French capital's Place de la Republique, one of the epicenters of the unrest, sweeping a powerful searchlight across the square to monitor compliance with the curfew.

In Lyon, despite a ban on demonstrations, around 500 people gathered on Monday evening outside the tourism office that was set on fire, to show support for shopkeepers affected by looting, according to organizers.

The word "LYON" had been spelled out on the ground with candles.

A banner hung on a fence nearby read "Anti-Rioters Lyon" and "Doucet Resign", referring to Green Mayor Gregory Doucet, an AFP journalist said.

Under pressure, the government scheduled another series of emergency meetings on Tuesday, including talks involving representatives of major social media platforms.

Finance Minister Roland Lescure pledged support measures for shopkeepers and craftspeople.

Patrick Martin, the head of France's Medef business lobby group, on Tuesday accused the state of having "failed" during the urban unrest that hit at least 3,000 businesses, according to preliminary estimates.