TEHRAN -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday denied having negotiations with the United States, the country's official IRNA news agency reported, reversing U.S. President Donald Trump's earlier claim that Washington had reached "major points of agreement" with Iran and is in contact with "a top person."
Friendly countries recently sent messages to Iran indicating Washington's desire to begin talks on ending the war, but Iran has not responded, the IRNA reported, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. (Iran-U.S.-Talks)
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JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel will leverage its attacks on Iran to ensure any potential diplomatic agreement protects its "vital interests."
Following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu issued a video statement, saying Trump believes there is an opportunity to "leverage the tremendous achievements" of the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran in order to "realize the objectives of the war through an agreement." (Israel-Iran-Phone call)
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KHARTOUM -- At least 17 people were killed, and 25 others injured in drone strikes targeting residential neighborhoods in Lagawa city in West Kordofan state, southern Sudan, according to a statement by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and an eyewitness.
In a statement on Monday, the RSF said that "these systematic attacks on hospitals, markets, and residential areas across several cities in the Kordofan and Darfur regions, using drones, constitute a grave and explicit violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting civilians and civilian objects." (Sudan-Drone strikes-Deaths)
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DAMASCUS -- A Syrian military base near the northeastern border with Iraq came under rocket attack on Monday, the Syrian army said, in an incident highlighting ongoing security tensions in the region.
In a statement, the operations command of the Syrian army said the base, located near the town of al-Yarubiyah in the countryside of Hasakah province, was struck by five rockets. (Syria-Iraq-Military base) ■
