G7 Condemns Iran’s ‘Malign Activities’

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a meeting with the cabinet members in Tehran on September 7, 2025. (Handout / KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a meeting with the cabinet members in Tehran on September 7, 2025. (Handout / KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
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G7 Condemns Iran’s ‘Malign Activities’

A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a meeting with the cabinet members in Tehran on September 7, 2025. (Handout / KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shows him speaking during a meeting with the cabinet members in Tehran on September 7, 2025. (Handout / KHAMENEI.IR / AFP)

Members of the G7 condemned on Saturday Iran’s “malign activities”, including “transnational repression”.

They said: “The G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) notes recent statements made by Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, condemning transnational repression and other malign activities by Iran.

“According to those statements, Iranian intelligence services have increasingly attempted to kill, kidnap, and harass political opponents abroad, following a disturbing and unacceptable pattern of transnational repression, and clearly undermining state sovereignty,” they said.

“Other malign activities include operations to obtain and disclose the personal information of journalists and attacks designed to divide societies and intimidate Jewish communities,” it noted.

“The G7 RRM stands in solidarity with our international partners whose citizens and residents have also been targeted by Iran.”

“Since its inception, the G7 RRM has aimed to counter foreign interference. Building on the recent G7 Leaders’ Statement on Transnational Repression, we will continue to safeguard our sovereignty, keep our communities safe, and defend individuals from the overreach of foreign governments trying to silence, intimidate, harass, harm or coerce them within our borders,” it said.

Members of the G7 RRM include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. The statement also included G7 RRM associate members Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden.



German Foreign Minister: We Need Deterrence in Face of Nuclear Threats

 27 April 2026, Berlin: Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, gives a statement on the military section of Berlin Brandenburg Airport on an aircraft of the air force before his departure to the United Nations in New York. (dpa)
27 April 2026, Berlin: Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, gives a statement on the military section of Berlin Brandenburg Airport on an aircraft of the air force before his departure to the United Nations in New York. (dpa)
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German Foreign Minister: We Need Deterrence in Face of Nuclear Threats

 27 April 2026, Berlin: Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, gives a statement on the military section of Berlin Brandenburg Airport on an aircraft of the air force before his departure to the United Nations in New York. (dpa)
27 April 2026, Berlin: Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, gives a statement on the military section of Berlin Brandenburg Airport on an aircraft of the air force before his departure to the United Nations in New York. (dpa)

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Monday that deterrence is needed amid nuclear threats, even as he underscored support for nuclear non-proliferation.

"As long as nuclear threats against ‌us and ‌our partners continue, we ‌will ⁠need a credible ⁠deterrent," he said in a statement ahead of meetings on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that he ⁠is due to attend ‌this ‌week at the United ‌Nations in New York.

He ‌added the conference would seek new ways of safeguarding the treaty's achievements ‌and focus on nuclear disarmament.

France and Germany ⁠last ⁠month announced plans to deepen cooperation on nuclear deterrence, marking a significant shift in defence policy as Europe faces rising threats from Russia and instability linked to the Iran conflict.


Too Early to Drop Sanctions Against Iran, Says EU’s von der Leyen

 President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks the opening press conference of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s executive committee meeting in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2026. (Reuters)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks the opening press conference of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s executive committee meeting in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2026. (Reuters)
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Too Early to Drop Sanctions Against Iran, Says EU’s von der Leyen

 President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks the opening press conference of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s executive committee meeting in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2026. (Reuters)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks the opening press conference of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s executive committee meeting in Berlin, Germany April 27, 2026. (Reuters)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that it was too early to drop sanctions imposed on ‌Iran.

"We think ‌the dropping ‌of ⁠sanctions would be ⁠too early," she said in Berlin at a meeting of the ⁠conservative CDU and ‌its ‌CSU Bavarian sister party, ‌adding that ‌the sanctions were in place due to Iran's suppression of ‌its own population.

"We first have to ⁠see ⁠a change, a fundamental change in Iran for the dropping of sanctions," von der Leyen added.


Russia Says Worker at Captured Nuclear Plant Killed in Ukrainian Strike

A view shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir near the town of Nikopol after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir near the town of Nikopol after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 16, 2023. (Reuters)
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Russia Says Worker at Captured Nuclear Plant Killed in Ukrainian Strike

A view shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir near the town of Nikopol after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 16, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir near the town of Nikopol after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine June 16, 2023. (Reuters)

A Ukrainian drone strike Monday on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant complex killed a transport worker, the site's Moscow-installed authorities said.

Zaporizhzhia is the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe. Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused the other of risking a nuclear catastrophe with attacks since it was captured by Russia's forces in 2022.

"Today, a driver was killed in a strike by a Ukrainian armed forces drone on the transport shop floor of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," the plant's press service said on Telegram.

The plant -- which is in cold shutdown -- is close to the front line in southern Ukraine. Its fate is a major sticking point in stalled talks on ending the war.

Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said Sunday that the plant's "power transmission line was disconnected, causing the plant to switch to blackout mode" for an hour and a half.

"This is already the 15th blackout at the Zaporizhzhia NPP since its occupation. Each such incident significantly increases nuclear and radiation safety risks not only for Ukraine, but for Europe in general."

Ukraine on Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Russia of sending drones at the site that he said amounted to "nuclear terrorism".