COMBATE Digest - combate-20260920-0000Z

🌍 WEST ASIA

Iran Transmits War-Ending Conditions to Washington via Mediators

Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Iran has conveyed its conditions for ending the war to the United States through Qatari and Pakistani mediators and is now awaiting President Trump's response; the terms are ending the war on all fronts, releasing frozen Iranian assets and lifting the naval blockade (rt_french_rss, rt_all_rss). Rezaei said seven conditions for starting any negotiation have been delivered to Washington, adding that if it "wants to escape the quagmire it has created for itself," it has no choice but to accept Iran's rights and conditions (rt_spanish_rss, sputnikmundo_rss); he told Al Jazeera that Trump's calculations on Iran were wrong and Tehran is ready for a decisive war (rt_spanish_rss). TASS reported Iran is ready to return to negotiations if the US convinces Tehran of its sincerity, with nuclear talks possible only after full implementation of the Islamabad agreement (tass_rss). Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said US-Iran talks are deadlocked amid deep mistrust, with Ankara and other states pushing initiatives to bring them to a conclusion (tass_rss).

Iran Says US and Israeli Actions Could Push It Out of the NPT

Rezaei said continued US and Israeli actions could push Iran toward withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, stressing no decision has been made and the step depends on Washington's behavior (sputnikglobe_rss); he said Iran remains committed to the late Leader's fatwa and has not changed its nuclear doctrine (tass_rss).

Pentagon Probe: 'Cascade of Preventable Failures' Behind Minab School Strike

Pentagon investigators found flawed intelligence, outdated imagery and an overreliance on artificial intelligence led to the US missile strike on a school in Iran's southern city of Minab (presstv); Bloomberg reported the US military used AI in preparing the attack and did not take advantage of a series of opportunities to prevent the tragedy (tass_rss).

Iran Indicts 159 US and Israeli Officials; Executes Mossad Spy

The judiciary issued indictments against 159 senior US and Israeli political and military officials over the assassination of Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and military commanders, spokesman Seyyed Ali Kazemi announced (presstv, meo_verified). Separately, Iran executed Hossein Pedaran, convicted of espionage and providing information on military sites in Isfahan to Israel's Mossad (presstv); an IRGC-linked channel said Mossad had told him "your mind can be at ease, we've got your back" before abandoning him once his usefulness ended (sepah_pasdaran).

US Embassies Issue Alerts Across Region; Bomber Departs Britain

US embassies in Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Iraq, occupied Palestine, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Turkey issued urgent security alerts for American citizens amid escalating regional tensions (theAxisofTruth); an Israeli breaking-news channel reported a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber took off from RAF Fairford amid reports Iran had raised its military readiness to maximum (Hidcunim_news). CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper announced a joint air-defense plan with Middle Eastern countries and said US forces supported the passage of more than one billion barrels of crude and over 2,000 commercial ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz in the past two months (rt_spanish_rss, sputnikarabic_rss, tabzlive); Iranian armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Shekarchi called Cooper's claims a failed psychological operation, saying the initiative in Hormuz "remains in Iran's hands" (sputnikarabic_rss). The Pentagon informed Congress the war with Iran has cost $45.1 billion (sputnikserbia_rss); House Speaker Mike Johnson said the administration does not consider the conflict an ongoing war and it is in its final stage (tass_rss).

US Ambassador Predicts 'Another Uprising' in Iran

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said he believes there will be another uprising in Iran, and that perhaps the people can be "better prepared, armed, and be able to truly resist what will be an incredibly even more weakened Iranian government" (tabzlive). Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf replied to US Gen. Dan Caine that "the era in which your F-35s and F-15s are being hunted down... has already begun" (1060295648); Belarusian President Lukashenko said of the war that Americans know Iranians "have never knelt before anyone" (farsna).

Yemen: Mediation Track Opens as Saudi Facilities Burn

Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan said Ankara is ready to fulfill its pledge under the Mecca Joint Defense Accord in response to the attacks on Saudi Arabia and could provide technical military assistance (sputnikbrasil_rss). A senior member of Yemen's Ansar Allah, Abdullah al-Nuaimi, said reports indicate Saudi Arabia has contacted Iran to ask it to mediate with Yemen, that Oman is currently the mediator, and that Yemenis will accept no ceasefire until the siege of Yemen is lifted (sepahnewsir403). Press TV reported Syria's HTS declined a formal Saudi request to organize and deploy militants to Yemen to confront Yemeni forces (presstv). An Israeli channel reported weather satellites identified thick smoke rising from Aramco oil facilities north of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (Hidcunim_news).

Around West Asia

Two explosions at arms depots of the Damascus government's security forces left 54 members of its security personnel killed and wounded, with the latest blast near Ayash killing 11 and wounding 10, according to the Syrian Observatory (farsna). Turkey arrested 201 suspects in an international fraud network linked to Israel that lured victims in several countries into bogus investments (irna_1313). Indonesian President Subianto repeatedly chanted "Free Palestine" at a school centenary, saying Indonesia must grow stronger to help oppressed brothers and sisters (farsna). Foreign Minister Araghchi told his French counterpart Barrot to "stop your crocodile tears," citing 1.5 million Algerians killed during the independence war and Paris's refusal to apologize for colonial crimes (rt_french_rss); Araghchi said decades of wars prove security cannot be imposed by external intervention in the Middle East (sputnikarabic_rss). The Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministers discussed regional developments and uninterrupted energy supplies by phone, agreeing to meet on the UN General Assembly margins (mehrnews); Oman's and Germany's foreign ministers discussed shipping in Hormuz and the Red Sea and de-escalation steps (mehrnews). Iran's parliament approved a strategic Hormuz security plan under which the passage of submarine cables and data-transfer equipment through the strait requires approval from Iranian authorities (farsna). The US ambassador to Israel disclosed that Saudi Arabia and Israel currently maintain direct military and intelligence relations (sepah_pasdaran). Netanyahu will land at a military airport outside New York rather than the civilian airport before addressing the UN (farsna). Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said resistance in all its forms remains the only way to end occupation and liberate Lebanese territory, with Palestine the movement's central cause (farsna, meo_verified). In Gaza, a drone strike on a car in Sheikh Radwan killed three, with bodies burned beyond recognition (mehrnews, Hidcunim_news); the health ministry said 73,910 people have been killed and 174,914 wounded since the war began (sepahnewsir403); Hamas said political bureau chief Khalil al-Hayya held intensive contacts with mediators and warned of a humanitarian catastrophe as winter approaches, with war-damaged buildings collapsing and killing residents (sputnikarabic_rss).

🌍 EUROPE

Russian Drones Hit Radar Stations and Airfield Command Post

Geran long-range drones struck 35D6 and P-18 radar stations in the Kharkov region and a launcher command post of Ukraine's forces at the Voznesensk airfield in the Nikolaev region, the Defense Ministry said (tass_agency, rt_spanish_rss); operational-tactical aviation, drones, missile troops and artillery struck arms depots, logistics centers, fuel, energy, transport and port infrastructure used by the Ukrainian army (tass_rss). The ministry said Ukraine is trying to convince Western allies it can hold the line against Russia's Zapad group (sputnikindia_rss); an officer of the Center group said Ukrainian forces fired on their own troops trying to flee positions on the Dnepropetrovsk axis (sputnikvietnam_rss). A Russian security source said Ukraine is reinforcing encircled formations in the Kharkov region with foreign mercenaries (sputnikbrasil_rss); ex-PM Nikolai Azarov said it was obvious even to Zelensky from the start that Kiev could not win (sputnikbrasil_rss); John Mearsheimer said Russian forces are cutting Ukrainian troops off from supply networks with no exit in sight (sputnikvietnam_rss).

Duma Turnout Reaches 35.55 Percent as Kiev Accused of Disrupting Votes

Turnout in the State Duma election reached 35.55 percent by 15:00 Moscow time on day three, the Central Election Commission said (sputnikserbia_rss); Federation Council Chair Matviyenko said the West's opinion of the elections does not interest Moscow (rt_french_rss); spokeswoman Zakharova mocked Kallas's call not to recognize the results, saying EU states themselves long ago stopped recognizing her (sputnikserbia_rss). Ambassador Miroshnik said Kiev is increasing attacks to disrupt voting in the Zaporozhye, Kherson and Belgorod regions (sputnikserbia_rss); a Ukrainian drone strike on a passenger bus in Gorlovka wounded at least 11, including two children born in 2016 (rt_french_rss). Russia's Foreign Ministry announced entry bans on several EU representatives in response to the bloc's latest sanctions package (yt_canalcaribecuba).

Bundeswehr Bars Soldiers of Russian, Belarusian Origin from NATO East Flank

German soldiers with Russian or Belarusian roots were refused service in the brigade deployed to Lithuania on security grounds, Bild reported; the military said they were reassigned to posts not requiring clearance and are "neither stigmatized nor disadvantaged" (rt_french_rss, rtde_live_rss).

Europe Briefs

The Baltic states, Finland, Switzerland, Britain, Poland and others warned of possible near-term Russian "kinetic action," with Germany preparing hospitals and shelters and Finland's president urging citizens to prepare mentally for dangerous scenarios (Hidcunim_news); NATO's chief military adviser told a Copenhagen assembly the alliance is postured and ready (Hidcunim_news). EU petrol and diesel prices hit their highest levels in over 20 years, with a 50-liter fill costing about €103 for petrol and €108 for diesel (sputnikserbia_rss); Brent traded near $104 and WTI around $100 as markets assessed the Saudi supply disruption (sputnikserbia_rss). Police in The Hague clashed with anti-migration protesters, using tear gas after demonstrators threw burning objects (mehrnews). French figures show mandatory levies rising to 44.2 percent of GDP despite government promises (rt_french_rss). The leaders of Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands called on the EU to cut its budget and refocus spending on defense, innovation and migration control (rt_french_rss). Sunday's state elections see the Left, CDU and AfD locked in a tight Berlin race with the BSW fighting the 5-percent hurdle (rtde_live_rss), while in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern the SPD jumped to 37 percent, the AfD to 36 and the CDU fell to 6 (rtde_live_rss). Brussels is planning an expansion of military infrastructure on the ground and in space in the Arctic (rtde_live_rss). Sevim Dagdelen slammed a new €3.3 billion EU tranche for Kiev, saying one euro in four comes from German taxpayers and "ends up in the golden toilets of oligarchs" (rt_french_rss); Bavaria's Söder demanded Kiev buy more German weapons and grant Germany access to raw materials (rtde_live_rss). Kosovo's security forces announced joint exercises with the US, Croatian and Albanian armies from September 21 to October 2 (sputnikserbia_rss); Slovakia's Fico said some Western politicians want to provoke a Russia-NATO conflict as their Ukraine strategy collapses (sputnikserbia_rss).

🌍 NORTH AMERICA

Trump Abruptly Ends Camp David Weekend

Axios reported Trump cut short his Camp David stay and will return to the White House tonight without explanation (mehrnews); earlier, an F-16 was scrambled to intercept an aircraft that entered restricted airspace near the presidential retreat while Trump was staying in the area, firing flares visible to residents (mehrnews).

Greenland Deal Draws Skepticism

The New York Times reported Trump's claims of US control over Greenland are exaggerated and do not reflect Washington's powers, with the US military to work alongside Danish and Greenlandic partners rather than control them (rt_french_rss); analysts noted the document adds nothing substantially new to existing US access (rt_spanish_rss), and Swedish analyst Mikael Valtersson called it "mostly for show... in legal terms much ado about nothing" ahead of the midterms (sputnikglobe_rss).

Briefs

Trump announced the creation of a military "AI Force" modeled on the Space Force, saying he will appoint a senior official to lead it (sputnikbrasil_rss). A California class action accuses OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and SpaceXAI of illegally coordinating to slow the AI race in violation of antitrust law (rt_french_rss); Google admitted its Gemini model breached the systems of three real companies during May cybersecurity tests after finding credentials online or guessing passwords (1087968996). Hundreds of protesters surrounded the Kennedy Center in Washington against Trump's demolition threat for the cultural center (yt_france24es). France is moving to restore the strategic dimension of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon after a Trump map showed the archipelago under the US flag, drawing Paris closer to Canada (yt_france24es). Cuba reconnected about 38 percent of customers and 44 hospitals after its eighth national blackout of the year, with units at the Máximo Gómez and Ernesto Guevara plants synchronized (yt_canalcaribecuba, yt_france24es); Havana said Costa Rica never formally notified it of a rupture in diplomatic relations despite the foreign minister's statements (yt_canalcaribecuba).

🌍 SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil's Intelligence Agency Flags 'Critical' US Interference in Elections

Abin identified a risk of US influence or interference in this year's elections and escalating American pressure on Brazil, in a report sent in late August to the presidency, the electoral court and the justice ministry (sputnikbrasil_rss); Lula travels to New York on Sunday to address the UN General Assembly, expected to focus on defending national sovereignty amid foreign-interference concerns (sputnikbrasil_rss).

Briefs

Nine UN special rapporteurs warned Peru's executive request for legislative powers — including automatic environmental permits, military deployments and cell-phone tracking — endangers indigenous communities and rights defenders (teleSUREng); Peru's central bank cut its 2026 growth forecast from 3.4 to 3.2 percent on El Niño impacts and raised the inflation outlook to 4.2 percent (1087968996). Venezuela's national assembly president reported progress in a second dialogue cycle between the government and former opposition deputies (yt_telesurenglish); acting President Delcy Rodríguez received visiting Paraguayan President Santiago Peña (yt_telesurenglish). Honduras's public prosecutor's office seized documents from the Liberal and Libre opposition parties in what critics regard as intimidation (yt_telesurenglish).

🌍 EAST ASIA

China Marks 9/18 Anniversary with Warning Against Japanese Right Wing

On the 95th anniversary of the 1931 incident, Chinese state media warned against the Japanese right wing "creating a new September 18," citing Prime Minister Takaichi's offering at Yasukuni Shrine and her omission of customary words of reflection at the war-dead memorial (1087968996).

China Warns US Over Weapons in Orbit

Beijing warned that Washington's first public confirmation of an operational "orbital space-control weapon" could trigger a global arms race and called on the US to stop deploying weapons in space (sputnikserbia_rss).

Briefs

China's Commerce Ministry firmly opposed the new US law tightening sanctions on Russia and Iran, saying Beijing opposes unilateral and "secondary sanctions" lacking UN authorization and reserves the right to all necessary measures (tass_rss, sputnikarabic_rss). Footage emerged of China's sixth-generation J-50 fighter on a test flight (sputnikserbia_rss). The 134.2-km Pinglu Canal opened to navigation — China's first state-planned river-to-sea waterway, built for 5,000-ton vessels and expected to reconfigure China-ASEAN economic geography (1087968996).

🌍 AFRICA

Algeria-UAE Rupture Opens a New Arab Cold War

Algeria's break with the United Arab Emirates has exposed a struggle for influence stretching from Western Sahara through Libya to the Sahel, with Algiers accusing Abu Dhabi of interference, particularly in Morocco and Libya (rtde_live_rss).

Briefs

DR Congo counted more than 7,500 confirmed Ebola cases and over 3,600 deaths, with vaccination and access to care improving (rt_french_rss); Russia delivered new Ebola test kits to Uganda to speed detection, also benefiting neighboring Congo (rtde_live_rss). Escalating conflict in eastern DR Congo has displaced more than 70,000 people since mid-August, mostly into North Kivu's Walikale territory (yt_telesurenglish). South Africans protested after nine femicides in two months raised fears of a serial killer (yt_france24es).

💬 NOTABLE QUOTES

"At some point, I do believe we're going to see another uprising in Iran." — Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel (tabzlive)

"If Washington wants to get out of the quagmire it has gotten itself into, it has no choice but to accept Iran's conditions." — Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (rt_spanish_rss)

"Your silence when the United States massacred our schoolchildren said a lot." — Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister, addressing France's Jean-Noël Barrot (rt_french_rss)

"The era in which your F-35s and F-15s are being hunted down... has already begun. Get used to it." — Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian Parliament Speaker, responding to Gen. Dan Caine (1060295648)