UN says Israeli settlements ‘a clear violation of intl. law’

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Slamming the Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories, the UN deputy spokesman stated that all Israeli settlement activities are a clear violation of the international law.

United Nations Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq has said that all Israeli settlement activities constitute a clear violation of international law.

Haq said on Monday that all settlements in the occupied West Bank, including newly planned farms and outposts, lack legal validity and constitute a clear breach of international law.

He stressed that the illegal settlements remain a major obstacle to achieving a solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace.

The spokesperson noted that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has voiced serious concern over escalating violence across the West Bank in recent days.

Israeli forces have tightened movement restrictions in many areas, preventing thousands of Palestinians from accessing essential services, including emergency medical care and sources of livelihood, he added.

OCHA has recorded more than 1,330 settler-related incidents since the start of 2026, resulting in casualties and property damage.

Until Saturday, 77 Palestinians, including 18 children, were killed this year by Israeli forces or settlers, with many others injured.

Israeli news outlets reported on June 30 that a plan to build 229 new settlement units in the West Bank had been formally approved, reflecting the regime’s insistence on expanding settlements in the occupied territories.

Lebanese Christian writer says his love for Iran is rooted in faith and resistance to oppression

Roni Alpha, Lebanese writer and thinker

Tehran, IRNA – Lebanese writer and thinker Roni Alpha says his love for Iran stems not from sectarian or political considerations but from Christian values that, he argues, place justice, human dignity and resistance to oppression above power and identity.

In an article titled “Why I Love Iran,” Alpha writes that his Christian faith compels him to stand with the oppressed rather than the powerful, describing his political convictions as “an extension” of his religious beliefs.

“Christianity did not teach me to seek the strongest,” he wrote. “It taught me to seek the most wounded.” He added that, for him, the Gospel “is not only a book of prayer; it is also a book of taking a stand.”

Alpha said he sees Iran as representing principles that transcend politics, including independence and resistance to domination.

“As an Eastern Christian, I have found in Iran something beyond politics,” he wrote. “I found a narrative that says independence is not merely a slogan, that opposing domination is not a crime, and that dignity is sometimes more valuable than prosperity.”

While acknowledging that many people have legitimate criticism of the Iranian government, Alpha said such criticism should not eclipse a broader historical and civilizational reality.

“I cannot look at it with only one eye,” he wrote, arguing that “one eye sees only half the truth.”

Rejecting decades of “colonial propaganda,” Alpha portrayed Iran as a country of ancient civilizations, diverse peoples, languages and religions. He said Iran’s churches, places of worship, mosques and historical heritage reflect a civilization that cannot be reduced to political headlines.

Drawing on his experience as a Lebanese, Alpha said he understands how public images of nations are constructed and repeated until they become accepted as fact.

“I refuse to reduce an entire nation to a news bulletin, a political speech or an economic sanction,” he wrote.

Alpha also said he judges governments and political movements by their actions rather than their slogans.

“I fear every power that reduces human beings to lifeless numbers,” he wrote. “I fear every project that builds its own prosperity upon the destruction of others.”

He argued that Eastern Christianity is inherently a faith of resistance against injustice and tyranny, saying it sides with justice rather than tribe, religion or political alignment.

Although he acknowledged that his political assessment could be mistaken, Alpha insisted it should not be dismissed as sectarian.

He said Iran is engaged in “a struggle beyond its borders” centered on “independence in decision-making, rejecting dictates and coercion, and the belief that the peoples of this region deserve to write their own future with their own hands.”

Responding to those who question how a Lebanese Christian could support Iran, Alpha concluded that Christ taught him “to judge a person by the justice he creates, not by the name he bears,” adding that love “is not a reward given to those who resemble us, but a bridge built between those who are different.”

Exclusive | American analyst describes assassination of Iran’s Leader as ‘major miscalculation’

Tehran, IRNA – American-Canadian political analyst and peace activist Robert Fantina says the assassination of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, represented a major strategic miscalculation that damaged the international standing of the United States and the Israeli regime.

Speaking in an interview with IRNA, Fantina said Ayatollah Khamenei’s political legacy was rooted in resisting foreign domination and preserving Iran’s independence.

According to the political expert, “Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei recognized the evils of Western imperialism and the desire of Western nations, especially the United States and the Zionist entity, to subjugate Arab and Muslim people. He fought these wicked geopolitical goals while recognizing that by doing so, Western nations, at the behest of the United States, would demonize and shun Iran. But he was not willing to surrender to these actions and saw that Iran could and must be independent of their influences.”

Fantina also highlighted Ayatollah Khamenei’s inspiration for the regional resistance movement.

He added, “The Ayatollah was instrumental in encouraging and strengthening the ‘Axis of Resistance.’ Iran’s support for Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine has enabled those countries to continue to exist; despite the suffering of the Lebanese and Palestinian people due to the United States and the apartheid Zionist entity, those countries remain; both of them may be a major annoyance to the US and Israel, but both continue to resist Western and Israeli influence and violence in large measure due to the influence and support of Iran, as directed by the Ayatollah.”

Discussing the consequences of the assassination, Fantina argued that Washington fundamentally misjudged both Iran’s leadership and its people.

The expert said, “The Ayatollah directed the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran by understanding the Iranian people and recognizing the threats posed by other nations. The United States government greatly underestimated not only the strength of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps but also the resilience and devotion to Iran of the Iranian people. The US and Israeli governments believed that the Ayatollah’s assassination would splinter the country, cause civil war, and bring about what they refer to as ‘regime change.’”

“They chose not to recognize his long record of resistance to foreign imperial forces, and this led them to the major miscalculation of attacking Iran. This costly mistake has embarrassed the US and Israel on the international stage and sent a strong message to their allies about the risks of attacking Iran. It is a lesson that many nations in the Middle East already knew, but the US and Israel, and their few allies who supported the invasion, have learned it in a painful manner.”

It is worth mentioning that the funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader began on July 3, 2026, at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla, attended by senior officials, foreign dignitaries, and religious scholars. The farewell and funeral processions continued through Tehran, Qom, and Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala and concluded with burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad.

Iranian Simorgh airplane nears operational certification

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Iran’s indigenously developed Simorgh cargo aircraft is undergoing the licensing and certification process. An informed official said full support has been provided, and it will likely enter the commercial cycle next year.

The Secretary of the Aerospace, Transportation, and Urban Development Staff of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, referring to the fact that the Simorgh transport aircraft is now in the standard acquisition stage, said that the aircraft will probably enter the commercial cycle in the Iranian year of 1406 (next year).

At a time when Iran's aviation industry has for years faced foreign supply restrictions and an increasing need to develop air transportation, the construction of another indigenous aircraft is no longer considered merely a symbolic or promotional project; rather, it is an effort to address a real need in the country's aviation chain.

The Iranian transport aircraft "Simorgh" is also defined within this framework; a project designed with a cargo and freight transport mission, intended, in addition to strengthening the country's operational capability in this sector, to enhance Iran's technical and industrial capacities in the areas of design, testing, standard acquisition, and ultimately aircraft production.

The importance of Simorgh lies in the fact that the cargo and air support sector is one of the less developed yet strategic links in the country's aviation industry; a sector that is important both for cargo transport and logistical support, and can serve as a platform for forming indigenous capability in building more advanced aircraft. From this perspective, the country's aviation industry officials have previously emphasized that Simorgh has been formed based on domestic experiences in past projects and is set to advance the localization path in the aviation industry one step further.

This aircraft is designed based on the Iran-140 aircraft platform, and the main goal of its development is to create an indigenous aircraft with cargo transport capability and entry into the country's commercial cycle.

Officials of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology have announced this project's entry into a new phase and consider it one of the examples of the linkage of technology, industry, and the knowledge-based economy in the country.

The role of knowledge-based companies in the Simorgh project is also noteworthy. This project does not rely solely on a single manufacturer or executive body; in practice, it requires a network of technological capabilities; from the design and construction of some subsystems and equipment to cooperation in testing processes, technical compliance, documentation, standardization, and support for the licensing phases. From this perspective, officials of the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy consider Simorgh one of the examples of the linkage between the aviation industry and the country's innovation ecosystem; a project that can elevate the share of knowledge-based companies from the level of supplying parts and technical services to a more effective role in major national projects.

In this regard, Shokri, Secretary of the Headquarters for the Development of the Knowledge-Based Economy of Aerospace, Transportation, and Urban Development of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, in an interview with Mehr reporter, also spoke about the latest status of the Iranian Simorgh aircraft, saying: Regarding the Simorgh aircraft, the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology continued its support last year, and according to the agreements made with the knowledge-based company cooperating on this project, this support has been fully provided.

He continued: This project is now in the stage of undergoing the standard acquisition, licensing, and certification process (a decisive stage that can clarify the fate of this aircraft's entry into the operational cycle). The relevant company has good cooperation with HESA complex as well as the Civil Aviation Organization, and we hope that with further cooperation, the process of receiving the standard, whether in the form of STC or TC, will be carried out more quickly.

Shokri, referring to the support provided for this project, stated: Considering the emphasis made by the Vice President for Science and Technology, full support for this project was provided last year, and we hope that with the progress of the implementation stages, subsequent support will also continue.

Regarding the timeline of this project, he also said: Estimates are still focused on the year 1406, although a short delay may occur due to some interruptions created in the past year. Nevertheless, experts and specialists are seriously pursuing the matter.

The Secretary of the Headquarters for the Development of the Knowledge-Based Economy of Aerospace, Transportation, and Urban Development emphasized: At the Vice Presidency, we assume the role of facilitator and supporter and are not the project owner; therefore, determining the exact time is the responsibility of the project executors and the Civil Aviation Organization.

The Paper Tiger Genocide: How Western “Human Rights” Underwrite the Gaza Slaughter

By Mohammad Hammoud

On a widely watched political program, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson recounted the horrors that unfolded in Rwanda during the spring of 1994- a hundred days of systematic killing that claimed more than half a million lives. The broadcast highlighted how the global community remained paralyzed despite explicit warnings published in Western newspapers, or the direct presence of United Nations and French forces on the ground. Carlson provided historical context regarding the long-standing ties between the Hutu government and "Israel," pointing to classified documents under seal by an "Israeli" court to protect the state's global image regarding arms sales during the genocide. According to the broadcast, this historical failure demonstrated how global powers frequently choose to allow mass slaughters to occur despite possessing clear, real-time intelligence.

Samantha Power's Betrayal: From “Problem from Hell” to Gaza Silence

The broadcast also followed the story of Samantha Power, then a Harvard Law student, who was deeply shaped by witnessing these African tragedies from afar. Power went on to write a Pulitzer Prize-winning book indicting the world’s indifference to genocide- a work that launched her into the highest circles of US foreign policy, including the National Security Council and the Atrocity Prevention Board. Yet, as Carlson noted, when a new humanitarian catastrophe erupted in Gaza- territory held by "Israel" since 1967- Power’s once-vocal advocacy faded. The show suggested that the language of genocide prevention had become mired in bureaucracy, with Power notably silent as the crisis unfolded.

Netanyahu's Amalek Declaration: Genocide Announced Out Loud

Carlson’s review of public statements contended that the "Israeli" government made its intentions clear during the opening days of the October 2023 conflict. The broadcast zeroed in on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invocation of the biblical story of Amalek- a reference that, in scripture, calls for the annihilation of an enemy people, down to women and children. The rhetoric continued with the "Israeli" Defense Minister, who enforced a sweeping blockade on food and electricity, and described Gaza’s residents in dehumanizing terms. Such language was echoed by Jerusalem’s deputy mayor, who described Palestinians as subhuman and suggested they could be entombed with heavy machinery. Other city and cabinet officials publicly called for overwhelming force and the mass displacement of more than two million people. Legal experts, Carlson noted, see these statements as critical evidence of intent to target a population based on ethnicity.

International Paper Tigers: The Global Silence on Simulated Sanctions

Globally, the response has been largely symbolic. Governments have issued strong words and signed documents, but on the ground, atrocities continue with little real intervention. In a broadcast interview with Dr. Mark Perlmutter, Carlson spotlighted the relentless attacks on hospitals and aid workers. 

The discussion included harrowing evidence of severe torture tactics- among them, cases where trained attack dogs were deployed by military forces to commit sexual assaults against detained civilians. While global bodies issue formal condemnations and legal filings, independent human rights monitors argue that this lack of enforcement mechanisms turns international law into a shield for state violence. According to the broadcast analysis, these severe actions demonstrate that Western institutional mechanisms function primarily to manage public relations rather than to enforce the Geneva Convention or protect human lives.

Congressional Complicity: Americans Proudly Funding Genocide

The program didn’t spare US lawmakers, either. Several high-profile officials used their platforms to defend and amplify these genocidal objectives. Carlson broadcasted public social media exchanges from a Florida representative who openly mocked images of deceased children and cheered the forced starvation of the civilian population. The program also highlighted televised statements from a South Carolina senator who compared the complete destruction of Gaza to the atomic bombings of World War II, asserting that no innocent civilians existed in the territory. Independent human rights monitors have since detailed the terrifying scope of these actions on the ground, reporting widespread sexual assaults against Palestinian women and the systematic flattening of entire residential villages across Gaza and southern Lebanon. These severe violations of international humanitarian law ultimately led the United Nations to formally place "Israel" on its official global list of state offenders committing crimes against children during armed conflict.

Moral Blackmail: The Real Criminals Are Those Who Object

In closing, Carlson emphasized that "Israel’s” military efforts are underwritten by billions in US tax dollars and weapons. The program argued that a web of domestic moral intimidation shields these policies, with critics branded as modern-day heretics. Major conservative commentators, the broadcast showed, have called for opponents to be prosecuted simply for objecting to foreign military aid. This atmosphere of polarization, Carlson warned, has moved debate far from international law- allowing Western governments to publicly champion human rights while bankrolling the physical destruction of a people.

Jordan, UN stress need to uphold US-Iran ceasefire

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have stressed the need to uphold US-Iran ceasefire deal.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have met in Amman and discussed “the repercussions of the dangerous escalation the region is witnessing” as well as efforts “to restore calm and lasting security”, according to a Jordanian statement.

The two sides “affirmed the importance of committing to the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and resuming negotiations to reach a comprehensive solution that addresses all causes of tension and ensures freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law”, the statement said.

Safadi also stressed the need to implement all items of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and lift Israeli restrictions blocking sufficient humanitarian aid into the Strip, which continues to face a humanitarian catastrophe.

On the occupied West Bank, Safadi “affirmed the necessity of concerted efforts to stop the illegitimate Israeli actions that entrench the occupation, drive further tension and violence, and undermine all chances of achieving just and comprehensive peace”.

A cautious calm has prevailed since Friday, with the US pausing its strikes on Iran and Tehran halting retaliatory attacks for a fourth consecutive day.

Lebanon’s Constitution at 100: From Temporary Sectarianism to Permanent Paralysis

By Al Ahed Staff

One hundred years ago, Lebanon’s constitution was born out of hope and compromise. It promised equal citizenship for all, but also baked in a sectarian power-sharing system meant to stabilize the new republic. The idea was simple: this system would only be temporary, a bridge to help people develop a shared national identity. But the country’s leaders quickly found that dividing power along sectarian lines worked to their advantage, allowing them to maintain their grip on the state. Over time, that temporary bridge became the only road Lebanon could travel, and the system meant to unite its people hardened into permanent division.

This contradiction has shaped the lives of generations. Lebanese citizens often talk about being defined not by their abilities, but by their sect—whether they’re applying for jobs, seeking government help, or simply trying to speak up. The constitution’s promise of equality now feels distant to many. Loyalty to sect is rewarded over loyalty to country, and the dream of unity is constantly frustrated by leaders who thrive on division. For most Lebanese, daily life means navigating a system where every opportunity and disappointment is filtered through communal identity.

This gap between ideal and reality has fueled Lebanon’s chronic instability. Institutionalized sectarianism has slowly suffocated dreams of universal equality, turning a secular promise into a rigid system controlled by sectarian leaders. Over time, individual rights have faded behind religious identity. The exception—sectarian power-sharing—has become the rule, erasing hope for a truly united Lebanon.

Taif and the Freezing of Reform

The cost of this frozen system was paid in blood during Lebanon’s fifteen-year civil war, which ended with the Taif Agreement in 1989. The agreement, according to the Associated Press, called for gradually ending the sectarian system and building real stability. But even this promise was sidelined, as the United States and other Western powers preferred a Lebanon they could influence, and real reform was always just out of reach. The result: a country stuck in a system that serves the powerful, not the people.

A World That Evolves While Lebanon Stands Still

Other countries have faced their own struggles with identity and exclusion, but many have found ways to move forward. The United States, for example, was built on slavery and later segregation, yet constitutional reform and civil rights struggles dismantled the Jim Crow system and ultimately made the election of a Black president possible. Similarly, The Wall Street Journal noted that South Africa ended apartheid and elected Nelson Mandela. Lebanon, meanwhile, still anchors political life to communal identity, unable to break the cycle. The world moves forward, but Lebanon remains stuck.

Frozen in Sectarian Geography

Sect is still embedded in Lebanese identity cards. Government institutions are divided by sect, not by merit. In places like Hadath, local leaders have even blocked Christian homeowners from selling to Muslims, all in the name of “demographic balance.” Officials call these actions unconstitutional, but they persist—reminders that even the right to own a home can be shaped by sectarian fear, not equal citizenship.

The same logic distorts elections. Confessional quotas and gerrymandered districts mean some candidates win seats with only a few hundred votes, while others lose despite thousands of supporters. Here, identity outweighs the simple mathematics of democracy, and the constitution’s promise of equality is lost in the machinery of the state.

Sovereignty Without a Sovereign State

This erosion of domestic democratic legitimacy has fed into a deeper sense of sovereign decline, where some leaders are widely seen as taking their cues from foreign embassies and trying to reflect those positions in domestic decisions. Despite strong opposition from a significant portion of the population to any engagement with “Israel”, the current government entered into indirect negotiations with it, while also adopting a more confrontational stance toward the Resistance, which much of the public considers the only force defending the country and preserving its sovereignty. 

A Constitution Suspended Between Text and Reality

One hundred years later, Lebanon’s constitution remains a promise caught between words and reality. The dream of equal citizenship is still held back by sectarian allocation, foreign influence, and leaders with little reason to change. In a world that moves—however imperfectly—toward equality, Lebanon risks remaining trapped in a “temporary” order that long ago became a permanent cage.