Middle East
Biden and Netanyahu hold first call in two months amid Israeli military preparations

U.S. President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone for the first time in two months, following rising tensions between the two allies over Israel’s widening role in the Middle East conflict. Netanyahu is reportedly preparing for possible military action against Iran, and Biden emphasized the need to minimize civilian casualties, particularly in densely populated areas like Beirut.
Vice President Kamala Harris also participated in the call, which the White House said reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security. Biden stressed the importance of finding a diplomatic solution to ensure that both Lebanese and Israelis along the Blue Line border could safely return to their homes.
The official statement from the call, however, made no mention of Israel’s increasing military actions and occupation in southern Lebanon. Biden did, however, underscore the importance of minimizing harm to civilians, especially in densely populated regions of Beirut.
The two leaders also discussed the possibility of resuming diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and emphasized the importance of regaining access to northern Gaza.
White House: 30-minute call was productive
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the Biden-Netanyahu meeting as “direct” and “productive.” She noted that the 30-minute conversation did not delve deeply into details but covered a range of issues. “We will issue a written statement shortly. Discussions between the U.S. and Israel regarding how to respond to Iran’s latest actions are ongoing,” Jean-Pierre said.
Book controversy: No comment on alleged remarks
Jean-Pierre declined to comment on claims in an upcoming book by journalist Bob Woodward, set to be released on October 15, which alleges that Biden used harsh language when referring to Netanyahu in private conversations. When asked about the remarks, Jean-Pierre responded, “I cannot confirm anything.”
Jean-Pierre also avoided commenting on former U.S. President Donald Trump’s past phone calls with Netanyahu when asked for a comparison.
U.S. frustration over Israel’s military moves
According to reports, Netanyahu has been hesitant to share details of a potential retaliatory strike on Iran with the U.S., leading him to block a planned visit to Washington by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. U.S. officials are reportedly frustrated by being caught off guard by Israel’s military actions in Gaza and Lebanon. The vetoed meeting between Gallant and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was expected to provide more insight into Israel’s thinking regarding Iran.
Challenges for U.S. diplomacy
Despite Biden’s frustrations with Netanyahu’s defiance, U.S. officials have been reluctant to apply significant pressure on Israel, such as through an arms embargo, fearing domestic political repercussions and the upcoming U.S. elections.
Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the Financial Times: “Biden has been reluctant to use his leverage with Netanyahu because of his personality, policies, and the domestic political landscape, especially with one of the most important elections in modern U.S. history approaching.”
Jonathan Lord, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, noted that U.S. diplomacy toward Israel is struggling. “The U.S. is trying to deter and de-escalate at the same time. Realistically, you can only do one of these effectively, but trying to do both has limited results in either direction.”
Middle East
Call from the the Nedaye Iranian Party: ‘Let Us Unite Against Israeli Oppression’

The Nedaye Party, a political party from the reformist camp in Iran, issued a letter calling on more than 100 political parties and international organizations worldwide to unite in condemning Israel’s attacks.
Presenting itself as a “young, reformist, and peace-loving” political party, the Nedaye Iranian Party released a letter addressing more than 100 global political parties and international organizations across five continents, regarding Israel’s attacks on Iran and especially its war crimes committed against civilians, children, women, and peace-loving civil activists in Gaza.
The letter, signed by the Secretary-General of the party, Seyed Shahabeddin Tabatabaei, proposed the formation of a global coalition capable of taking serious measures against the spread of violence and threats to global peace.
The letter suggested that anti-war and peace-loving political parties cooperate to unite against Israel’s aggression and war crimes. The concrete proposals were listed as follows:
1- Officially, firmly and publicly condemn the recent Israeli attack on Iran.
2- Pressure your governments to stop military, intelligence and technological cooperation with this regime.
3- Support the referral of these crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the initiation of legal proceedings against its officials.
4- Demand that the competent UN bodies conduct independent, transparent and impartial investigations into these attacks.
5- Actively participate in launching international awareness campaigns to expose the dimensions of these crimes.
6- Hold partisan and international meetings to coordinate political and legal measures against the Zionist regime.
At the end of the letter, the Nedaye Party proposed the formation of an international coalition capable of taking effective and serious steps to oppose the spread of violence and threats to global peace, calling for a “shared stance.” It emphasized that organizing a joint meeting among various parties across the world would be “a first but strategic step on the path to international political solidarity.”
The letter concluded with the following words:
“This is not just a call to issue a statement; it is a call for collective action, for solidarity in defending human dignity, and to prevent the repetition of tragedies that may occur tomorrow in another corner of the world.
The memory of all the innocents lost calls us to a historic responsibility. Let us stand against warmongering and destruction at this critical moment, with unity and determination, and build a more humane world.”
Middle East
Plight of refugees in Iran

As the process of deporting Afghan migrants from Iran intensifies, Iranian officials say that in the past week, more than 120,000 people have entered Afghanistan from Iran, both forcibly and voluntarily.
The district governor of Taybad in Iran says that nearly 8,000 undocumented Afghan citizens enter Afghanistan daily through the Dogharun border alone.
Meanwhile, some deported immigrants say they left all their assets in Iran and were forced to return home empty-handed.
Hossein Jamshidi, the district governor of Taybad, told Iranian media that in the past week alone, more than 95,000 undocumented citizens and about 25,000 documented migrants from all over Iran have been identified and returned to Afghanistan from this border.
Dogharoon border is the largest crossing point for the deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran. Every day, thousands of migrants, most of whom were living in Iran without documents, are now transported in large convoys, in dozens of passenger buses from all over Iran, to this border point zero.
But in this side of the border!
But on this side of the border, at the Islam Qala crossing, thousands of people, including women and children, are standing in long lines in the scorching sun, wearing only a few layers of clothing, waiting to cross the border and enter Afghan territory.
Many of these migrants say they have nowhere to go and have been forced to leave all their belongings on the other side of the border, on Iranian soil, and return empty-handed.
The Taliban have called for the establishment of a “coordinated mechanism” with the Iranian government for the return of refugees.
UN agencies have called for increased financial assistance following the significant expulsion of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries.
The Norwegian government has expressed concern about the deportation of migrants in recent days and has allocated nearly $1 million to support them.
Middle East
US proposes $30 billion deal to Iran for halting uranium enrichment

The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly discussing the possibility of providing Iran with up to $30 billion in financial access to develop its peaceful nuclear program as part of efforts to return to negotiations with Tehran.
According to a CNN report citing sources familiar with the matter, this offer requires Tehran to completely halt uranium enrichment, a condition emphasized as “non-negotiable.”
Under the proposed plan, the funds would not be provided by the US but by Arab nations. An administration official stated, “The US is ready to lead these negotiations. Someone will have to pay for the implementation of the nuclear program, but we will not make such a commitment.”
Other proposals on the table
American officials have indicated that other offers are also being considered. These include the potential lifting of some sanctions against Iran and granting Tehran access to $6 billion of its frozen assets in foreign banks.
Another idea involves US allies in the Persian Gulf covering the cost of building new infrastructure to replace the Fordow nuclear facility, which was damaged in US attacks. This new facility would also lack uranium enrichment capabilities.
Washington’s “comprehensive peace” initiative
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Special Representative for the Middle East, told CNBC that the US aims to achieve a “comprehensive peace agreement.”
A White House statement emphasized that all proposals are designed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Following the events of the past two weeks, which include mutual attacks with Israel and a US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, the White House hopes Tehran will accept Washington’s terms.
Experts are skeptical, fearing the offer could backfire
Conversely, Iran experts cited by CNN believe these events will further convince the country’s leadership of the necessity of possessing nuclear weapons.
Earlier this week, the Iranian parliament approved the suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Even before the US attack on the night of June 22, the Iranian government had already significantly restricted agency officials’ access to its facilities.
According to IAEA data from mid-May, Iran possessed approximately 409 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
Bloomberg reported that this amount is theoretically sufficient to produce ten nuclear warheads. The agency’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, stated that the location of this material is unknown.
While Tehran claims it moved its uranium stockpiles from the attacked facilities beforehand, the IAEA assesses that a significant portion of the stocks may have survived the strike.
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