Honoring the Memory of Those Killed on 9/11

Today we honor the memory of those murdered on September 11, 2001, and recommit to the courage, unity, and moral clarity that overcame that day. Iranians are intimately familiar with the dangers of radical Islam, having endured its violence at home and through the proxies of the Islamic Republic. NUFDI stands with all victims of terrorism and with those who resist it in pursuit of freedom. With the same conviction, we mourn Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated yesterday at Utah Valley University while engaging in open, constructive, free debate. Political violence is an assault on human dignity and democratic life. It is also something Iranians are acutely familiar with, as it was such radicalism that took Iran hostage 46 years ago. It has no place in any free nation. We offer our condolences to his family and colleagues and call on leaders and citizens alike to reject the bigotry of closed-mindedness and to stand boldly for the values of free speech and human dignity that have sustained Western civilization.

Brief Notes

French Hostages to be Released in Swap for Regime Terrorist: French hostages held by the regime in Iran are to be released in exchange for an Iranian national, Mahdieh Esfandiari, arrested in France on terrorism charges, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today. He added that the exchange deal is “close to the final stages.” Araghchi did not name the hostages, but he was presumably speaking about Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris. Tehran’s Growing Threat to Jordan: Jordanian officials say the threat from the Islamic Republic and its allies has sharply increased in the country, with one security source warning that “Iran's threatening activities, finance, and recruitment have tripled for the last three years to the extent that there have been people in security associated with Iran who have been accused of spying for Iran. For Iran, creating something in Jordan is important—even if on a small scale.” Jordanian authorities recently arrested 16 people accused of missile-making and militant recruitment.

FM: Enriched Uranium ‘Buried Under Rubble’

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the state broadcaster today that the enriched uranium in Iran is still “buried under the rubble of bombed facilities, and it is yet to be determined if the material can be accessed.” Speaking of the recent agreement between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the resumption of cooperation, Araghchi said that all steps taken were “approved by the Supreme National Security Council,” the SNSC, which is tightly controlled by the Supreme Leader. He added that, as per the agreement announced on September 9, the IAEA will not be allowed to carry out inspections of nuclear sites in Iran until Tehran’s security concerns are addressed. “IAEA’s access to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles hinges on an investigation, and SNSC permission,” he added. Elsewhere in the interview, he said that the responsibility of the file has been transferred from Ali Shamkhani, an SNSC member and a Supreme Leader adviser, to the SNSC secretary Ali Larijani. Today, the IRGC-linked Bajis militia staged a protest outside the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) in Tehran against the recent agreement with the IAEA. The protests come against the backdrop of a parliamentary law passed after the 12-Day War, which suspended IAEA cooperation amid unfounded allegations that the agency had shared information with Israel and the U.S. that was used in strikes.

On the Radar

Saudi Arabia has welcomed the Egyptian-brokered agreement between the Islamic Republic and the IAEA. The Saudi foreign ministry said it affirms “the importance of increasing trust and adopting diplomatic solutions and cooperation with the IAEA” and voiced “full support for the IAEA’s efforts” toward regional stability.
President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s September 9 strike in Doha as “criminal aggression” and urged a “firm and unified” stance by Islamic countries. He told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that Israel “adheres to no framework or rules” and attacks “any country without restraint.”
The Islamic Republic’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said Tehran and Moscow are “on the verge of finalizing a gas transfer deal.” He noted that the project was agreed as a key part of the Islamic Republic–Russia energy cooperation and follows a September 2 meeting between Presidents Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in China. A Russian delegation is expected in Tehran next week to conclude talks. The agreement builds on the 20-year Tehran–Moscow Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in January 2025.
The Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi pledged support for Qatar after Israel’s September 9 strike in Doha. Mousavi told Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani: “The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran never hesitate to support our Qatari brothers… We will not abandon Qatar in the face of its enemies—especially the criminal Zionist regime.” He added the attack “could not have occurred without coordination with America and its green light.”

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