Iran’s foreign minister said Saturday that his country would accept a resumption of nuclear talks with the US if there were assurances of no more attacks against it, state media reported.



Abbas Araghchi said in a speech to Tehran-based foreign diplomats that Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear program, but, “assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war.” 



Referring to the 12-day Israeli bombardment of Iran’s nuclear and military sites, and the US strike on June 22, Araghchi said that if the US and others wish to resume talks with Iran, “first of all, there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated. The attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations.”



Following the strikes, Iran suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, which led to the departure of inspectors.

Araghchi said that under Iranian law, the country will answer the agency’s request for cooperation “case by case,” based on Iran’s interests. 



He also said any inspection by the agency should be done based on Iran’s “security” concerns as well as the safety of the inspectors.

“Danger of proliferation of radioactive materials is high, danger of explosion of ammunition that remained from the war is a serious one.” he said.



He reiterated Iran’s position on the need to continue enriching uranium on its soil. US President Donald Trump has insisted that cannot happen.



Israel claims it acted because Tehran was within reach of a nuclear weapon. US intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency had assessed Iran last had an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, though Tehran had been enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.



Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the US airstrikes so badly damaged his country’s nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction.

Violence in Haiti is escalating sharply, with gang activity reaching new levels across the country. According to a new report from the United Nations, the surge began in October 2024 and has continued through June of this year. While Port-au-Prince remains a hotspot, the UN highlights that the chaos is now spreading rapidly into rural regions, where state authority is almost entirely absent.

“The escalating gang violence outside Port-au-Prince, where the presence of the state is extremely limited, has claimed over 1,000 lives and forced hundreds of thousands to flee since October 2024,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The report also notes a troubling rise in human rights abuses committed by so-called self-defence groups. These armed civilian groups initially emerged in response to gang violence but are now implicated in growing numbers of violations themselves. The UN is urging urgent international intervention.

“The human rights violations and abuses that we have documented are further evidence of why Haiti and the international community urgently need to step up to end this violence,” Shamdasani added.

According to the UN, a mass killing in Pont-Sondé in the Lower Artibonite region in October 2024 marked a major turning point. What followed was a wave of brutal attacks, displacements, and growing instability.

In one of the most striking examples, the town of Mirebalais in the Centre department was completely emptied. All 100,000 residents fled as violence surged earlier this year.

The UN continues to call for coordinated international action to restore security and protect civilians, warning that without intervention, Haiti’s humanitarian crisis will only deepen.

Six months after closing key border crossings due to rebel advances, Uganda has reopened its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The move comes after the seizure of Goma by the M23 rebel group, which led to the shutdown of crossings at Bunagana and Ishasha in Congo’s North Kivu province.

Ugandan military assistant Chris Magezi confirmed the reopening on social media, stating that it was ordered directly by President Yoweri Museveni. Magezi also noted that those responsible for initially closing the crossings and disrupting trade between the two communities will be investigated.

The decision follows the recent signing of a peace agreement in Washington, where Rwanda and the DRC agreed to support future talks between the M23 rebels and the Congolese army.

The M23 rebel group, largely made up of ethnic Tutsis, resumed its offensive in late 2021. Fighting intensified significantly this year, with the group capturing large areas of eastern Congo, including the strategic city of Goma.

The Congolese government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23 with weapons and troops. These claims have been backed by the United States, which has cited credible intelligence reports. Rwanda has denied any direct involvement with the rebel group.

With the border reopened and international diplomacy underway, regional dynamics are shifting. The success of upcoming peace talks will depend heavily on continued pressure from international stakeholders and a willingness among parties to compromise.