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Iran Supreme Leader Vows Revenge for Father’s Killing

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Iran Supreme Leader Vows Revenge for Father’s Killing

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 9, 2026. (Reuters)

Iran's supreme leader on Saturday vowed revenge for the US-Israeli killing of his father and predecessor, hours after President Donald Trump warned against any attempt to assassinate him. 

Both sides dialed up the rhetoric after exchanges of fire this week rocked an interim agreement aimed at ending their war, which broke out in late February with massive US-Israeli strikes. 

Trump has declared their ceasefire over, while mediators have been trying to salvage diplomacy, with Iranian media reporting that a delegation from Qatar travelled to Iran on Friday. 

"Vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out," Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message. 

He became Iran's supreme leader after his father Ali Khamenei's killing in late February by US-Israeli strikes, but has not been in public since before the war. 

"This matter depends neither on my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will come to pass," he wrote in his first message since his father's funeral this week. 

He said Iran had compiled a list of individuals to be targeted. 

Hours earlier Trump had posted on his Truth Social platform that any attempt to assassinate him would lead the United States to "completely decimate" Iran. 

"1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!" Trump wrote. 

"Orders have already been given, and the US Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one-year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran." 

With both nations stepping up their threats, mediators have been working to bring diplomacy back on track. Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on Friday that a Qatari delegation was visiting Iran to "try to reinforce Qatar's role as a mediator". 

Trump has said talks with Iran will continue but has labelled them "a waste of time". 

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meanwhile insisted Tehran had stuck to its end of the bargain after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding last month. 

Tehran "has so far kept its word", he said. "Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance." 

- Hormuz deadline - 

US and Iranian delegations have held one round of direct talks in Switzerland since the signing of their memorandum of understanding, as well as indirect negotiations in Qatar, but there has been no sign of diplomatic progress since. 

A key roadblock to a final deal is the future of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed to commercial shipping during the war in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes. 

The waterway is a key conduit for oil and gas exports out of Gulf countries, and its closure has heavily impacted the world economy. 

Iran insists on controlling the passage of ships and has announced plans to charge fees, saying there will be no return to the free navigation of the pre-war era, which Washington has rejected. 

Under customary international law, states are not generally permitted to charge tolls on straits used for international navigation. 

Araghchi on Saturday arrived in Oman, which sits on the other side of Hormuz, for talks on administering the strait. 

News outlets Axios and Politico reported that Washington has given Tehran until Saturday to stop firing on commercial ships transiting Hormuz and acknowledge the waterway is open. 

This week's exchange of strikes was sparked after Iran was accused of targeting three vessels it said had deviated from its approved route. 

The attacks prompted Washington to launch a heavy round of bombing in Iran, hitting around 90 targets across the country, according to the US military. 

The US strikes killed 17 people, Tehran's health ministry said Saturday, and injured 115 more. They also triggered a wave of reprisals by Iran against countries in the Gulf that host American military bases. 

- 'Hard-earned peace' - 

Despite being one of the Gulf nations targeted during the war, Qatar has spearheaded efforts to get diplomacy back on track. 

Aside from the Qatari delegation visiting Iran, Qatar's emir on Friday held a call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, which has also been mediating, according to Sharif's office. 

The Pakistani leader said he had also spoken with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging him to safeguard the "hard-earned peace" in the region. 

But Iran's chief negotiator in talks with Washington, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, struck a defiant tone. 

"Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone must know that this confrontation will never end with Iran's surrender," Iran's ISNA news agency quoted him as saying. 

Iranians, he said, were "fully prepared to defend ourselves". 

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World

Stalled US-Iran Mediation Puts Bombing Threats Back in Focus

The US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush sails in the Arabian Sea (CENTCOM)
The US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush sails in the Arabian Sea (CENTCOM)
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Stalled US-Iran Mediation Puts Bombing Threats Back in Focus

The US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush sails in the Arabian Sea (CENTCOM)
The US aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush sails in the Arabian Sea (CENTCOM)

Efforts to end the US-Iran war are seesawing between hopes of a breakthrough and threats of renewed bombing. The stalled mediation reveals a dispute not just over what each side must concede, but over who moves first and what guarantees follow.

As the war enters its eighth month and the US midterm elections approach, both sides are guarding their leverage. Mediators have yet to turn their declared willingness to negotiate into a settlement.

An Axios report that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked the Iranian delegation to leave New York, and Iran’s denial that it was expelled, has added a diplomatic clash to an impasse over the nuclear program, maritime security and sanctions.

One departure, competing accounts

Axios, citing a US official and a source familiar with the matter, reported that Rubio asked the Iranian delegation attending UN General Assembly meetings to leave on Monday evening, after White House hopes of progress in the talks faded.

The request included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who left with the delegation early Tuesday. The US official said the meetings were over and the Iranians had stayed beyond the period during which they were welcome.

Iran’s mission disputed that account, saying the delegation’s departure did not follow a US order and that its itinerary had been submitted to the State Department on Sept. 17. Axios itself cited a source saying Araghchi had already been due to return to Tehran on Monday evening.

Whether Washington issued the request is therefore separate from whether it changed the departure time. Describing the delegation as expelled would treat a disputed account as an established fact.

US accounts attribute Rubio’s move to frustration with the lack of progress through Qatari mediation. It could be read as a political signal of a harder line as optimism faded. But the published information does not establish that Washington had decided to end negotiations.

Mediation channels remained open, suggesting increased pressure within the diplomatic process rather than its end.

Who moves first?

Iran’s proposal has not been officially published. According to leaked details reported by media outlets, it calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within a week and resuming nuclear talks in exchange for lifting the naval blockade of Iranian ports, exempting oil sales from sanctions and releasing frozen assets. It also calls for a ceasefire on all fronts.

Trump rejected the proposal, underscoring the unresolved question of what Washington should gain from easing pressure.

Patrick Clawson, director of the Viterbi Program on Iran and US Policy at the Washington Institute, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump wanted both the reopening of the strait and nuclear concessions. Either would be difficult to secure; obtaining both would be harder still.

Mutual distrust also complicates implementation, Clawson said. Each side wants proof that the other will honor its commitments before making concessions of its own, making a phased process difficult to arrange.

The dispute thus runs along two tracks: the terms of a deal and how to carry them out. Returning to nuclear talks does not amount to making specific nuclear concessions. Nor does promised sanctions relief guarantee that Iran will reap its benefits.

Reuters quoted an official familiar with the matter as saying the two sides largely agreed on the steps but differed over their order.

That leaves room for negotiation. It does not mean a finished agreement is awaiting signature. Sequencing determines who gives up leverage first, and what guarantees they receive in return.

The cost of waiting

Monday’s signs of optimism gave way on Wednesday evening to renewed threats from Trump of bombing unless a deal was reached.

In an interview published by Time magazine on Thursday, he said intensifying strikes after the midterm elections remained a possibility.

That keeps the military option open. It does not establish that Trump has decided to resume strikes or set a date.

World

France Faces a Difficult Triple Challenge: Stagnant Economy, Debt and Angry Streets

Firefighters wave flares and French trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT) flags as they climb on the statue 'The Triumph of the Republic' at Place de la Nation during a rally (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Firefighters wave flares and French trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT) flags as they climb on the statue 'The Triumph of the Republic' at Place de la Nation during a rally (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
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France Faces a Difficult Triple Challenge: Stagnant Economy, Debt and Angry Streets

Firefighters wave flares and French trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT) flags as they climb on the statue 'The Triumph of the Republic' at Place de la Nation during a rally (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)
Firefighters wave flares and French trade union General Confederation of Labour (CGT) flags as they climb on the statue 'The Triumph of the Republic' at Place de la Nation during a rally (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

With an economy barely growing, public finances drained by debt, and the streets returning to protest, France faces a highly complex equation. The government is under pressure to address demands over wages, purchasing power, and public services, while preparing an austerity budget expected to cut spending by billions of euros. At the same time, the country is approaching a presidential election, making any economic decision more politically sensitive.

It is difficult to find positive indicators when reviewing the performance of the French economy this year, as official figures reflect the scale of the pressures facing the country. On the ground, a new wave of demonstrations and strikes began on September 29, with marches and gatherings by firefighters who played a key role in fighting last summer's wildfires. Public-sector workers then joined in response to union calls, followed by public secondary school students demanding improved study conditions. The list of demands does not appear likely to stop there.

Unions are planning to escalate their action on October 17, with protests over the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power, alongside demands for a general wage increase, higher budgets for schools and hospitals, more hiring, and improved working conditions. At the same time, activists from the Yellow Vest movement are preparing to return to the streets and traffic roundabouts, protesting rising energy prices and demanding that they be frozen and that higher taxes be imposed on companies operating in the sector.

The movement recalls the wave of protests France witnessed in 2018 and 2019 under the banner of the Yellow Vests, which at various stages turned into clashes, violence, fires, property damage, and confrontations with security forces. Those scenes remain present in the French public memory, adding sensitivity to the return of protests, particularly amid the economic and financial pressures facing the country.

A Government With Little Room to Maneuver

As social demands expand, the government of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu finds itself with little room to respond, while fearing that the wave of protests could coincide with the political mobilization ahead of the presidential election scheduled for spring 2027.

This comes as inflation regains momentum. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) said France's inflation rate rose from 2.6 percent in August to 3.4 percent in September. Rising prices are increasing pressure on households, particularly lower-income groups, as their purchasing power erodes.

In response to rising fuel prices, the government has provided financial assistance to those affected by increases in gasoline and diesel prices, while pressure from gas and electricity prices has continued.

At the same time, the government is preparing to present its 2027 budget bill on Thursday, as it moves toward austerity and spending cuts. This makes it difficult for the new fiscal measures to meet most of the demands raised by protesters.

The government aims to achieve savings of €54 billion by cutting spending and targeting items it considers unnecessary. Its proposed measures also include pensions.

Financing needs reveal the scale of the pressure on France's public finances. Paris is preparing to borrow around €340 billion in 2027, while its debt is approaching €3.6 trillion, according to government sources, an increase of around €60 billion from its level at the end of March.

This leaves the government facing a difficult equation: containing social pressures at a time when the state of public finances requires spending cuts, while the approaching election increases the sensitivity of decisions involving wages, services, and social spending.

The Cost of Debt Tightens the Squeeze

Weak growth and deteriorating public finances are also increasing the cost of France's borrowing in financial markets, with some bond yields reaching around 4.8 percent. This comes as French economic growth is expected to reach only around 0.05 percent in 2026, one of the weakest growth rates in the European Union.

At the same time, debt has reached around 119 percent of GDP, far exceeding the 60 percent ceiling set by European Union rules. The cost of servicing the debt is also rising, with interest payments expected to reach around €79 billion by the end of this year.

The scale of the shift becomes clear when compared with the situation in French debt markets between 2019 and 2021, when yields on some government bonds fell into negative territory. That environment allowed Paris to borrow at extremely low cost, while investors in some cases accepted a negative return for holding French bonds.

Today, however, France's borrowing costs have risen to levels exceeding those recorded by several European economies that have traditionally faced greater pressure in debt markets, including Greece, Spain, and Italy. The gap between French and German bond yields has also widened to more than 1.2 percentage points, indicating a higher risk premium demanded by investors to finance France.

As debt continues to rise and growth remains weak, France's public finances are becoming increasingly sensitive to interest rates. The higher the cost of borrowing, the larger the share of the budget allocated to debt servicing, leaving less room for spending on public services, social policies, and investment.

Challenges in Passing the 2027 Budget

The pressures facing the French budget cannot be separated from the energy crisis, which increased its cost by around €9 billion in 2026, with no signs that these pressures will ease in the near term.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is likely to face a difficult task in securing parliamentary approval for the 2027 budget bill, particularly in the National Assembly, as the presidential election approaches and political calculations intensify.

As the election approaches, political blocs may face increasing pressure to consider the impact of any austerity budget on their electoral bases, opening the door to difficult negotiations and conflicting parliamentary demands.

This is particularly significant in light of last year's experience, when two governments fell after failing to secure the majority needed to pass the 2026 budget. Lecornu was then forced to make concessions to Socialist Party lawmakers in an effort to secure the support needed for its passage.

A Major Economy and Political Weight

Despite the financial pressures, the French economy retains significant weight at both the European and global levels.

According to 2025 World Bank data, France ranks second among European Union economies by GDP, after Germany, with output of around $3.366 trillion, compared with $5.051 trillion for Germany. Across Europe more broadly, France ranks third after Germany and Britain, whose GDP stood at around $4.003 trillion.

Globally, France ranks seventh by GDP, according to the same data, behind the United States, China, Germany, Japan, India, and Britain.

Its economic weight, along with its permanent seat on the UN Security Council and nuclear capabilities, gives France political influence that extends beyond the weight reflected by the size of its economy alone.

However, the current financial and economic pressures could make it more difficult to maintain this weight within the European Union, where France and Germany have for decades formed a central axis in advancing European integration.

As President Emmanuel Macron's second term approaches its end in spring 2027, the next presidential election is becoming increasingly important for French economic and fiscal policies. At the same time, the rise of the nationalist right, led by the National Rally, raises the possibility of changes in several areas, including fiscal and economic policy.

World

UN Rights Chief Urges Tennessee Not to Repeat Christa Pike Execution Attempt

A picture taken on December 4, 2007 shows death row inmate Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, US., obtained by Reuters on September 30, 2026.
A picture taken on December 4, 2007 shows death row inmate Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, US., obtained by Reuters on September 30, 2026.
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UN Rights Chief Urges Tennessee Not to Repeat Christa Pike Execution Attempt

A picture taken on December 4, 2007 shows death row inmate Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, US., obtained by Reuters on September 30, 2026.
A picture taken on December 4, 2007 shows death row inmate Christa Pike entering a Knox County Criminal Court in Knoxville, Tennessee, US., obtained by Reuters on September 30, 2026.

UN rights chief Volker Turk on Thursday urged the US state of Tennessee not to make a new attempt to execute Christa Pike after she survived two lethal injection doses.

Convicted murder Pike, 50, was being treated in hospital, her lawyers said, following Tennessee's second failed execution in months.

"The case of Christa Pike lays bare multiple reasons why the death penalty should be abolished," the UN rights office said on X.

"The prolonged suffering -- physical and mental -- arising from multiple failed execution attempts is abhorrent, and cruel. And there are key fair trial questions still unresolved."

On Wednesday, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for Pike to become the first woman to be executed in Tennessee in 200 years -- but the attempt failed.

Turk "calls on the state authorities not to pursue any further attempt to execute Pike", the UN rights office said.

"We are also troubled by the increase in the number of executions in the United States," it added.

"The death penalty has no place in any society."

The failed attempt to execute Pike prompted Tennessee authorities to halt capital punishment for the rest of the year.

Pike was 18 when she and her boyfriend beat and killed Colleen Slemmer, 19, at a job training camp for young people.

The killing gained national attention after Slemmer's body was found with a pentagram, often seen as a satanic symbol, carved in her chest.

Pike's lawyers argued she should be granted clemency due to her young age and mental health issues at the time of the killing.

In the United States, 18 women have been executed since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.