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Iranian president urges Trump to avoid creating turmoil, says dialogue can resolve problems
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses national and international policy matters during a live broadcast on state television in Tehran, Iran, on August 28, 2026. [Iranian Presidency – Anadolu Agency]
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday urged US President Donald Trump to avoid creating turmoil, saying problems could be resolved through dialogue and implementation of a memorandum of understanding, Anadolu reports.
“If we proceed through dialogue and on the basis of the memorandum of understanding, we will resolve the problems and secure our rights,” Pezeshkian said in a ceremony in Tehran, as cited by Mehr News Agency.
“It is in the interest of the country, the region and the world that Trump does not create turmoil and that Israel does not cause insecurity and aggression,” he added.
Pezeshkian said Iran does not favor war but would respond firmly to any assaults.
“We do not like war, but we will stand with strength against aggression and defend ourselves,” he said, adding that no power could force a united nation determined to defend its territory to surrender.
He said Tehran was seeking to resolve problems through dialogue, but stressed that the Iranian people, officials and military commanders would “never surrender” in the face of threats and aggression.
The president also accused Israel of seeking to sow divisions among Muslim countries, saying greater unity among Islamic nations could thwart such efforts.
READ: Iran says it agreed with Oman on Hormuz passage route, links reopening to US commitments
Turning to domestic issues, Pezeshkian said maintaining industrial production during the coming winter was a “red line,” stressing that supplies of gas, electricity and water to production facilities should not be interrupted.
He said the government would manage consumption of water, electricity, gas and fuel and, if restrictions became necessary, would first impose them on government offices and public buildings rather than shift the burden onto the public.
Pezeshkian called on the public to cooperate with the government to maintain stability, saying Iran’s adversaries should not believe that pressure would force the country to surrender.
The US-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28, with attacks targeting military, nuclear and infrastructure sites across the country. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel and US military facilities across the region.
Iran and the US reached a 14-point memorandum of understanding in June, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, aimed at ending hostilities and opening a 60-day window for negotiations toward a broader agreement.
The memorandum also addressed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of the US naval blockade, as well as sanctions and Iran’s frozen assets.
Tehran has maintained that further progress in talks depends on Washington fulfilling its commitments under the memorandum, while Iranian officials have said the Strait of Hormuz will not fully reopen until those obligations are implemented.
READ: Dialogue ‘only viable way out’ of US-Iran conflict, China says amid sanctions threats
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
29 August 2026
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says US claims about Hormuz are ‘lies’ to manipulate oil prices
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Large commercial vessels and a small boat navigate the waters off the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Iran on June 21, 2026. [Hassan Ghaedi – Anadolu Agency]
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Friday that US claims that the Strait of Hormuz is open are “lies” aimed at manipulating oil prices and concealing Washington’s failures, Anadolu reports.
The IRGC Navy said in a statement by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB that US officials had made “false and misleading” statements about the waterway’s status.
“Statements by American officials regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz are an outright lie, aimed only at manipulating oil prices and covering up their failures,” it said.
The IRGC Navy said its control of the strategic waterway was “decisive,” asserting that the strait will remain closed to all vessels seeking to pass without coordination with Iran.
It said the measure will continue until the end of “the evil actions” of the US military against Iran and until commitments outlined by Tehran were fulfilled.
The US military’s Central Command said Thursday that internationally recognized shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz are open after American forces cleared sea mines from the waterway.
READ: Iran seeks stronger relations with Muslim countries, particularly neighbors: Foreign minister
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that millions of barrels of oil are continuing to pass through the waterway despite tensions with Iran.
“The strait is open. The Strait of Hormuz is open. We have control, and we have the blockade,” Trump said in remarks at the White House.
“We’re taking a lot of boats,” he added. “Millions and millions of barrels of oil are coming out of the strait every day.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy chokepoint linking the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that Tehran agreed with Oman on a passage route through the strait and would reopen the strategic waterway if the US fulfilled its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum signed in June.
The two littoral countries have been holding talks on an arrangement to manage shipping through the waterway since the signing of the memorandum.
Under that deal, the US and Iran agreed to extend an April ceasefire and gradually allow shipping through the strait to return to its prewar levels.
READ: Iran says it agreed with Oman on Hormuz passage route, links reopening to US commitments
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
29 August 2026
Israeli military officials suspect Netanyahu may seek escalation to delay elections: Israeli media
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on December 9, 2024. [Photo by MAYA ALLERUZZO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]
Senior Israeli military officials suspect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may seek to escalate the situation in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to disrupt or delay the country’s upcoming parliamentary elections, Israeli media reported.
Israeli daily Maariv cited assessments within the upper ranks of the Israeli army that Netanyahu does not want the current conflicts to come to an end and could seek renewed escalation in Gaza as the election approaches.
According to the report, senior military officials are increasingly concerned that political considerations could influence decisions on further military action.
Officers have made clear that the army does not intend to be drawn into another conflict without a clear security necessity, saying: “We will not enter a new and unnecessary war.”
The reported concerns come amid growing debate in Israel over Netanyahu’s handling of the country’s multiple fronts and accusations from opposition figures that he is using security issues for political purposes ahead of the election.
READ: Israeli premier turns to anti-Turkiye campaign as polls show Likud losing ground
Netanyahu has recently stepped up his rhetoric against Turkiye following an Israeli attack on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in northern Syria.
Israeli opposition figures, including former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Democrats party leader Yair Golan, have accused Netanyahu of deliberately escalating tensions with Ankara for political considerations.
Israeli security officials have also reportedly warned against an “unnecessary” escalation with Turkiye, expressing concern that public statements by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz could further inflame tensions.
The reported disagreement with the military comes as Netanyahu faces a difficult electoral landscape, with recent opinion polls showing his governing bloc falling short of the parliamentary majority needed to form a government.
Israel is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections in October.
READ: Growing international pressure puts Israel under diplomatic strain: Israeli media
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
23 August 2026
Growing international pressure puts Israel under diplomatic strain: Israeli media
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Displaced Palestinians, including children, wait in queues for food distributed by World Central Kitchen (WCK), the US-based international volunteer aid organization which had suspended its activities for a while after the Israeli army targeted and killed its employees, in Bani Suheyle town, east of Khan Yunis, Gaza on June 10, 2024. [Hani Alshaer – Anadolu Agency]
Israel is facing mounting diplomatic pressure from several of its traditional partners over its policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and military actions in the region, with Israeli media describing the country’s international standing as increasingly strained.
Israeli news outlet Ynet reported Friday that a series of statements and measures from Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany and other countries in recent days had highlighted Israel’s growing international isolation, particularly in its relations with Europe.
The report pointed to criticism over Israel’s settlement plans in the occupied West Bank, its decision not to pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers in Gaza, and its latest military action in Syria.
Six European countries condemned Israel’s plans for construction in the E1 area near the illegal Ma’ale Adumim settlement, according to Ynet.
The E1 project has long drawn international criticism because construction in the area would further fragment the occupied West Bank and undermine the territorial continuity of a future Palestinian state.
Britain, meanwhile, is considering additional measures against Israel over the settlement plans, the report said.
European officials have warned that construction in E1 poses an “existential threat” to the two-state solution, though some have also expressed concern that punitive measures ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 election could strengthen Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies.
Western countries condemn decision on WCK killings
Australia, Britain and Canada also issued a joint condemnation after the Israeli military decided not to open a criminal investigation into the April 2024 strikes that killed seven WCK employees in Gaza.
The three countries described the decision as “shameful” and said the victims and their families deserved justice and accountability.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong separately expressed “outrage” over the decision, while Canada called it “unacceptable” and Britain said it was “appalled and angry” on behalf of the families of three British nationals killed in the attack.
READ: Gaza ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ undermining support even in ‘pro-Israel’ nations: Poland
Poland, whose citizen was also among those killed, expressed disappointment and called on Israeli authorities to cooperate with a Polish investigation.
The aid workers were killed when Israeli forces repeatedly struck their clearly marked convoy in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military acknowledged failures in the operation but concluded that the commanders’ actions did not raise reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct.
US criticism over Syria strike
The diplomatic pressure has also extended to Israel’s actions in Syria amid rising tensions with Turkiye.
Ynet highlighted criticism from the US following an Israeli strike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur military airbase, which has fueled tensions between Israel and Turkiye.
US Ambassador to Turkiye and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack said Washington’s intelligence agencies had found no evidence supporting Israeli claims that Turkiye was moving military assets into the Syrian base.
The developments come amid growing debate inside Israel over Netanyahu’s foreign policy as the country heads toward parliamentary elections.
Recent Israeli analyses have increasingly focused on whether military and diplomatic confrontations could become part of Netanyahu’s election strategy.
Ynet has reported that concerns are growing that military escalation could be used for political gain, while another analysis said Netanyahu may have an incentive to portray resistance to international pressure as a political asset ahead of the vote.
Israel’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for Oct. 27.
READ: Israeli premier turns to anti-Turkiye campaign as polls show Likud losing ground
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
23 August 2026
Gaza ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ undermining support even in ‘pro-Israel’ nations: Poland
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Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski gives a speech in Warsaw, Mazovian Voivodeship, Poland, on February 26, 2026. [Artur Widak – Anadolu Agency]
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and the failure to ensure accountability for the Israeli military’s “excessive use of force” were undermining public support even in nations supportive of Israel.
“Partnership requires mutual respect,” Sikorski said Thursday on US social media company X.
“The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as well as the failure of accountability for IDF’s excessive use of force are undermining public support in even pro-Israel nations,” he added.
His comments came as Poland’s Foreign Ministry expressed “great disappointment” over Israeli military authorities’ decision to discontinue proceedings into the April 1, 2024 shelling of a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy in the Gaza Strip that killed Polish citizen Damian Sobol.
READ: UN: 94 % of Gaza residents need shelter and basic household supplies
The ministry said the Israeli ambassador in Warsaw was summoned following the decision, which Poland was informed of on Aug. 19.
Warsaw conveyed a critical assessment of the steps taken so far to establish the circumstances of the incident and said it expected Israel to provide Polish authorities with all necessary explanations and materials requested by Polish investigators.
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Przemysl is conducting a parallel investigation into the case, the ministry said.
“The circumstances in which the tragedy occurred in 2024 should be fully clarified,” it said, adding that it did not accept “the perpetrators’ evasion of legal and moral responsibility.”
“The families deserve appropriate redress,” the ministry added.
OPINION: A roadmap for Gaza and Palestine
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
23 August 2026