Iran refutes Trump: no new negotiations. Egyptian 007s: we warned Netanyahu about 7 October

Iran has lodged a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) following US sanctions against the Iranian aviation sector, which have led to the cancellation of numerous flights from Tehran. This has been reported by state media. “In agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have also lodged a complaint with the International Court of Justice in The Hague,” said Abuzar Shiroudi, head of the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation, as quoted by the state news agency Irna.

The managing director of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, Raamin Kashef Azar, has stated that Iranian airlines remain operational despite the sanctions imposed by Washington. According to Al Jazeera, the director said that international flights are currently operating to over 30 destinations and that airport operations have not been disrupted. On 23 September, the day the sanctions came into force, 60 flights were successfully operated. Earlier this month, the US Treasury Department extended sanctions to Iran’s civil aviation sector, designating 27 airlines and aviation-related entities.

Peace mediators between the US and Iran are putting pressure on Tehran to make concessions on its nuclear programme in order to restart ceasefire talks, after President Donald Trump rejected the proposal for a truce, in a race against time to prevent the conflict from escalating once again into all-out war. Those involved, the Wall Street Journal reported, have said that this is an attempt – with little chance of success – to appease Trump on the issue closest to his heart. The tycoon has sought to reframe the conflict around his original war aim – namely, preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon – and to steer the negotiations away from the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently under Iranian control. In a speech at the United Nations last week, Trump said he was currently considering the possibility of ‘annihilating’ the Iranian government to prevent it from obtaining the atomic bomb. However, Iran has given mediators few signs that it is prepared to discuss its nuclear programme. According to Middle Eastern government officials who maintain regular contact with Tehran, Iranian leaders are confident they can withstand a long-term US blockade or a renewed US bombing campaign. The same officials stated that power in Iran is now concentrated in the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a paramilitary and economic force that has long taken a hard line against any compromise with the West.

The EU Commission is calling on Member States to adopt “measures to reduce demand for gas and electricity for as long as necessary” to tackle “an energy price crisis” linked to “a supply crisis”. This is stated by the EU Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jorgensen, in a letter sent to the 27 energy ministers, including Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. “Against a backdrop of limited global supply and high price volatility, reducing demand can be an effective tool to help keep prices in check,” reads the letter, a copy of which has been seen by ANSA.

Iran has denied that a new round of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington is planned, after President Donald Trump stated that he expected further talks with the Islamic Republic. This was reported by the Fars news agency, citing a source close to the Iranian negotiating team. “No talks are scheduled during the Iranian delegation’s visit to New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.” Axios had reported that another round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran was likely to begin today.

Oil prices have risen sharply after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal for a truce and Tehran announced in response that it would not relax its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Traders thus see hopes of a swift return to normal traffic in the strait dashed once again. The November WTI futures contract rose by 2.03 per cent to $94.29 per barrel, whilst the Brent contract for the same month gained 3 per cent to $107.45. Natural gas is up 1.2 per cent, trading at €72.9 per megawatt-hour on the TTF platform in Amsterdam.

“I believe we will win the war very soon.” This was stated by US President Donald Trump in an interview with Fox News on the sidelines of the President’s Cup at the Medinah Country Club, just outside Chicago. Trump also predicted a fall in oil prices once the war is over and said he believes the United States is winning it “thanks to both economic pressure and military action”.

According to Channel 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to the United Arab Emirates this morning and met with President bin Zayed. Two sources confirm that Netanyahu travelled to Abu Dhabi on a private jet and met with bin Zayed. This evening, the Prime Minister returned to Israel. The Prime Minister’s Office has declined to provide details of the meeting.

The head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, telephoned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a few days before the Hamas offensive on 7 October 2023 to issue a further warning and report signs of an imminent attack from Gaza, after two previous Egyptian warnings had been ignored. The news, which comes from the Wall Street Journal, has been widely reported in the Israeli press. The latest warning came in early October, when Kamel rang Netanyahu’s office directly. A source reported that Egypt continued to issue warnings right up until almost 48 hours before the attack.