World Live News Updates: At UN, Russia’s Lavrov says Khamenei killing ‘unacceptable manifestation of dictatorship’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also said Western double standards were contributing to growing instability and tensions around the world.
by Mashkoora Khan, Utsav Basu · The Indian Express · JoinRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, accused Western countries of relying on force and unpredictable actions to pursue their interests. Lavrov condemned what he described as US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, including the martyrdom of Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
US-Iran War Live News Updates: Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US standoff intensified this week, with Tehran putting forward a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting within seven days, only for the Wall Street Journal to report that Trump had rejected the deal. The plan, raised by Iran at the UN General Assembly and passed to Washington through Qatari mediators, comes as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan hold emergency military talks over Houthi attacks, and as Iran works to distance itself from the Houthis even as it engages Saudi Arabia directly on the strait.
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Is a US-Iran deal on Hormuz actually close?
Iran has reportedly proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, and US and Iranian officials are said to be discussing a phased arrangement that would reopen the strait and end the American blockade. A senior official told Reuters such a deal could give Tehran access to its frozen assets.
Why is Qatar pushing back on Israel?
Qatar has rejected claims from Israeli PM Netanyahu that it is running an “anti-Israel influence campaign,” even as it continues to play a mediating role between the US, Iran, and other regional actors. Iran’s president has separately sought to distance Tehran from the Houthis despite the group’s continued attacks in the region.
Key world developments:
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- Iran says it’s “ready to strike a deal” with the Trump administration to end the conflict, per President Pezeshkian.
- A US-Iran phased deal under discussion would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the US blockade possibly unlocking frozen Iranian assets.
- Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan held emergency military talks in Riyadh as Houthi-aligned forces claim battlefield gains in Yemen.
- Iran awaits US move after WSJ report says Trump rejects peace plan.
- Qatar is rejecting Israeli accusations against it even as it plays a mediating role between the US, Iran, and regional actors.
Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.
Live Updates
Sep 26, 2026 10:33 PM IST
Russia accuses West of ‘double standards’, condemns US-Israeli actions against Iran at UN
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, accused Western countries of relying on force and unpredictable actions to pursue their interests.
Lavrov condemned what he described as US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, including the martyrdom of Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
He said Western double standards were contributing to growing instability and tensions around the world.
On Ukraine, Lavrov said Kyiv’s actions violated fundamental principles of the UN Charter and criticised what he described as the selective application of international law.
Sep 26, 2026 09:42 PM IST
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov urges US to lift blockade of Cuba
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on the United States on Saturday to lift the 'siege' of Cuba and restrictions on trade with the largest island in the Caribbean.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov also said the US should strike Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The US has launched a pressure campaign on Cuba that has largely blocked oil from reaching the island, causing crippling blackouts. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 09:24 PM IST
Trump rejects Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump spoke to reporters Saturday outside the White House before leaving for a college football game. His remarks come after Iran offered this week to reopen the strait and resume talks on its nuclear program in seven days if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waives sanctions on Iranian oil sales and observes a ceasefire that would include Lebanon.
U.S. President Donald Trump has posted an image of the Strait of Hormuz labeled “Trump Strait” shortly after Iran proposed a deal to open the waterway within a week if the U.S. meets certain conditions. AP
Sep 26, 2026 08:01 PM IST
US President Trump says China's President Xi understands his position on Taiwan
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Taiwan had come up in his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that China's leader understands his position. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 06:21 PM IST
Six dead after explosion destroys building in Athens
Six people have died, the Greek fire brigade said on Saturday, after a two-storey residential building in a tourist area of central Athens collapsed following an explosion which the capital's mayor said was likely linked to gas infrastructure.
Emergency crews in heavy gear and red helmets assisted by rescue dogs, cameras and sensors found the bodies of six people, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said in a televised briefing. They were looking for an elderly couple who lived in one apartment and four tourists who were staying in another as they removed debris from the building.
The fire brigade's crime investigation unit was also on site to identify the cause of the blast after reports of a gas smell in an area which is home to hotels and short-term rentals.
The tourists, two American couples, had been expected to check in to catch a flight from Athens airport at 3 p.m. local time on Friday but did not show up, a police source said. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 05:46 PM IST
White House blocks CNN from Air Force One for Trump’s Tennessee trip
The White House has prevented CNN from travelling aboard Air Force One with President Donald Trump for his trip to Tennessee on Saturday, disrupting the network’s scheduled role in the presidential television press pool.
CNN was due to accompany Trump as he travelled to Tennessee to attend a college football game. The network had been assigned to the rotating TV pool, a system under which a small number of journalists cover presidential movements when space is restricted and share their footage and reporting with other major television networks.
The decision was communicated in a White House schedule notice issued on Friday night. Unlike the usual arrangement, no other television network was named to take CNN’s place for the trip, raising questions over whether the TV pool would provide coverage of Trump’s journey.
The latest move comes amid an escalating dispute between the Trump administration and several news organisations over access to the White House and presidential events.
Trump last week announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico would be barred from the White House, accusing the outlets of publishing what he described as “fake news”. Journalists from the three organisations were subsequently denied entry to the White House grounds and had their press credentials confiscated.
Sep 26, 2026 05:37 PM IST
Heavy rain and flooding in Bangkok disrupts traffic and prompts evacuations
Incessant rain hammered several areas of Thailand ’s capital on Saturday, disrupting traffic and forcing hundreds to evacuate, as authorities declared the city a disaster area. Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned that the deluge, which has been pouring since Thursday afternoon, would continue in most parts of the country through Sunday. Accumulated rainfall in many areas of Bangkok since Thursday exceeded 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), officials said. Floodwaters spread across the city, particularly in the central and eastern parts, blocking roads and stopping traffic.While not all parts of Bangkok were submerged, the city declared all of its 50 districts a flood disaster area to allow authorities to respond rapidly to the crisis.More than 84,000 people in 21 provinces nationwide were affected by flooding as of Saturday, especially in the central region. AP
Sep 26, 2026 05:29 PM IST
Pakistan suicide bombing kills 11 in Dera Ismail Khan, 30 injured
A suicide bomber attacked a police post in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing 11 people and injuring 30 others, news agencies reported, citing authorities. The blast took place in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency service Rescue 1122 said. The injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, while rescue teams recovered the bodies from the scene.
Read full report here
Sep 26, 2026 05:17 PM IST
Suicide bombing at police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan kills at least 11
A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a roadside police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 11 people and wounding about 30 others, police and rescue officials said.
The attack occurred in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the provincial emergency service. Police said the dead and wounded were being taken to a nearby hospital, with some of the injured in critical condition.
The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement. Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant attacks in recent years, many of them claimed by the TTP and the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, a separatist group mainly active in neighboring Balochistan province.The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. AP
Sep 26, 2026 04:42 PM IST
7 dead as Russia, Ukraine exchange strikes and aerial war intensifies
Russian attacks killed four people across Ukraine Saturday, officials said, as the aerial war between Moscow and Kyiv intensifies.Russia has hammered Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles, powerful glide bombs and jet-powered drones while front-line progress has slowed, some 4½-years after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor. “It is essential that our partners not forget: Russia is escalating every single day. If the Russians have chosen to make their strikes even more brutal, the world must choose stronger responses to keep the war from spreading further,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Saturday morning. AP
Sep 26, 2026 04:14 PM IST
Russia's Putin holds call with Serbia's Vucic on energy cooperation, Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukrainian conflict and energy cooperation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a phone call, the Kremlin said on Saturday. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 03:46 PM IST
Heavy rain and flooding in Bangkok disrupts traffic and prompts evacuations
Incessant rain hammered several areas of Thailand ’s capital on Saturday, disrupting traffic and forcing hundreds to evacuate, as authorities declared the city a disaster area. Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned that the deluge, which has been pouring since Thursday afternoon, would continue in most parts of the country through Sunday. Accumulated rainfall in many areas of Bangkok since Thursday exceeded 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), officials said. Floodwaters spread across the city, particularly in the central and eastern parts, blocking roads and stopping traffic.While not all parts of Bangkok were submerged, the city declared all of its 50 districts a flood disaster area to allow authorities to respond rapidly to the crisis.More than 84,000 people in 21 provinces nationwide were affected by flooding as of Saturday, especially in the central region. AP
Sep 26, 2026 03:26 PM IST
Pope Leo set for largest event of France tour as Paris crowds swell
Throngs of people were gathering on the famed Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris on Saturday, ahead of an outdoor Mass with Pope Leo expected to be the biggest event of his weekend visit to France, with more than 600,000 registered to attend.
Crowds, including mothers carrying young children, began streaming towards the tree-lined boulevard in grey light before dawn for the 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) event, as police closed nearby streets where Leo will be driven in an open-top popemobile.
Leo is on a whirlwind four-day, three-city visit to France, where he is seeking to repair the Church's standing there after abuse scandals sparked nationwide shock.
The pope, who has forcefully decried the direction of global leadership in recent months, warned in a speech on Friday at the Paris headquarters of the UN culture and education body, UNESCO, that the UN and other multilateral groups were in crisis. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 02:46 PM IST
Three killed in Ukrainian attack on Krasnodar region, Russian authorities say
Three people were killed and two injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia's Krasnodar region, local authorities said on Saturday.
The local task force added that fires at industrial sites that had broken out as a result of the attack had been extinguished. Reuters
Sep 26, 2026 12:14 PM IST
Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace proposal, war likely to resume after US polls
Iran was waiting for an official response from Washington on Saturday, a day after it put forward a peace proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting across the Middle East within seven days, only for The Wall Street Journal to report that US President Donald Trump had turned the offer down.
Sep 26, 2026 11:31 AM IST
Bus overturns in central Iran, killing 11 and injuring 24
A passenger bus overturned in Iran, killing 11 people and injuring 24 others, state television reported Saturday.
The crash occurred on the Saveh-Hamedan freeway in central Markazi province. Provincial traffic police said driver fatigue and drowsiness caused the crash.
Authorities did not immediately say where the bus was headed.
Iran has one of the world's worst traffic safety records. Crashes kill more than 17,000 people a year. Experts blame the high toll on unsafe vehicles, widespread disregard for traffic regulations and inadequate emergency services.
Sep 26, 2026 11:04 AM IST
GCC secretary-general condemns Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Mohammed al-Budaiwi says he strongly condemns recent ballistic missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis against the cities of Riyadh and Khamis Mushait.
Al-Budaiwi affirmed the GCC’s support for the kingdom and backed its right to take all measures to protect the country’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Sep 26, 2026 10:49 AM IST
Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘act of war’ warning over Indus waters at UN; India hits back over terrorism
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said any attempt to stop or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters would be treated as an act of war. He was speaking at the UN General Assembly. The remarks came months after India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack, a move Sharif said had “no legal basis whatsoever.”
He also used the speech to revisit last year’s four-day military clash with India and reiterate Pakistan’s position on Kashmir. An Indian diplomat in the audience was seen dismissing Sharif’s remarks with a smile and a shake of the head.
Sep 26, 2026 10:04 AM IST
Timeline for seven-day plan would start ‘as soon as US accepts’, says Araghchi
Iran’s foreign minister has provided more details on Iran’s proposed seven-day plan to reopen Hormuz.
Asked when the timeline would begin, Araghchi said, “as soon as the United States accepts this plan”.
“If they accept this plan tomorrow, the seven days will start from tomorrow,” he added.
Araghchi said the US would have to take “certain actions” under the plan, which he believes could be completed in four or five days. “The actions … are not new, they are all already in the MoU,” said Araghchi, “so we don’t see any difficulty to implement them.”
If the US meets these conditions, the strait would be open on day six and renewed talks with the US would commence the following day, he continued.
“If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” said Araghchi.
Sep 26, 2026 09:32 AM IST
Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace proposal, war likely to resume after US polls
Iran was waiting for an official response from Washington on Saturday, a day after it put forward a peace proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting across the Middle East within seven days, only for The Wall Street Journal to report that US President Donald Trump had turned the offer down.
The plan was raised by Tehran at the UN General Assembly in New York and transmitted to the Americans through Qatari mediators, with Iranian officials saying it could end a seven-month-old war that has disrupted oil flows through one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes. Reuters said it could not immediately confirm the Journal’s report of a rejection.
Sep 26, 2026 08:05 AM IST
France working on UN resolution for Strait of Hormuz navigation, and other Mideast developments
France is working on a draft United Nations Security Council resolution backing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.N. diplomat said Friday.
The resolution would reaffirm the need to respect freedom of navigation in the strait, a flashpoint in the war in Iran, citing its importance for global shipments critical for food and energy security, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because discussions on the measure have been private.
Sep 26, 2026 07:05 AM IST
Saudi says it intercepted 2 drones launched by Houthis towards Riyadh
Yemen's Saudi-led coalition said early on Saturday it had intercepted two drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis towards the Saudi capital Riyadh.
The coalition posted on X that it was monitoring missile threat and drones launched at the kingdom without providing further details.
The Saudi civil defence had sent alerts overnight for Khamis Mushait and Abha but not for the capital.
Sep 26, 2026 06:40 AM IST
Saudi says it intercepted two drones launched by Houthis towards Riyadh
Yemen's Saudi-led coalition said early Saturday it intercepted two drones launched by the Iran-backed Houthis towards the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Sep 26, 2026 06:35 AM IST
Araghchi says ‘choice rests with US’ over proposed seven-day Hormuz plan
Araghchi has referenced Iran’s seven-day proposal to reopen Hormuz, which he says was presented to the US via Qatar.
“The choice now rests with the United States,” said Araghchi. “Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation. And Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.”
Sep 26, 2026 06:18 AM IST
Trump rejects Iran ceasefire, expects renewed bombing after midterms, WSJ reports
US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterms, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing US officials.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Sep 26, 2026 06:06 AM IST
UN’s Guterres says Iran not seeking nuclear weapons, Iranian media reports
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that, based on his assessment, Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency and the semi-official Fars news agency.
Pezeshkian, for his part, said claims that Iran was seeking a nuclear weapon were “illusions and fabrications”.
“Iran’s goal is to acquire peaceful nuclear knowledge and technology and benefit from it, not to produce nuclear weapons,” he said, according to IRNA.
He added that Tehran had not withdrawn from negotiations but no longer trusted the United States after what he described as repeated failures of diplomacy.
Guterres also said he planned to urge countries in the region to support the diplomatic process during an upcoming Middle East trip, IRNA reported.
Sep 26, 2026 05:31 AM IST
Araghchi says safe navigation ‘cannot be restored through further military action’
Continuing his remarks on the sidelines of the UNGA, Araghchi said Iran is committed to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but that this “cannot be restored through further military actions, threats, blockades or economic coercion”.
He said the current instability in the strait is “the direct result” of the US and Israel’s “aggressive actions”.
“You cannot bomb a country, threaten its annihilation, impose a maritime blockade and coercive measures, and expect automatic restoration of security and navigation,” he said.
Araghchi also blamed regional states who he claimed “enabled and facilitated the aggression” by opening up their territory to “aggressors”.
Sep 26, 2026 05:23 AM IST
Iran says military action cannot restore security in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Iran remained committed to safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz but that maritime security could not be restored through military action, threats, blockades or economic coercion.
“Maritime security cannot be restored through further military actions, threats, blockade, or economic coercion,” Araghchi said in a statement he read to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
He said insecurity in the strait and disruption to shipping were “the direct result of the aggressive actions of the United States and the Israeli regime.”
“You cannot bomb a country, threaten its annihilation, impose a maritime blockade and coercive measures, and expect automatic restoration of security and navigation,” he said.
Sep 26, 2026 05:05 AM IST
Timeline for seven-day plan would start ‘as soon as US accepts’, says Araghchi
Iran’s foreign minister has provided more details on Iran’s proposed seven-day plan to reopen Hormuz.
Asked when the timeline would begin, Araghchi said, “as soon as the United States accepts this plan”.
“If they accept this plan tomorrow, the seven days will start from tomorrow,” he added.
Araghchi said the US would have to take “certain actions” under the plan, which he believes could be completed in four or five days. “The actions … are not new, they are all already in the MoU,” said Araghchi, “so we don’t see any difficulty to implement them.”
If the US meets the
Sep 26, 2026 05:02 AM IST
Saudi Civil Defence says danger has passed in Jazan
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence says the danger has passed in Jazan Province, minutes after the National Early Warning Platform issued an alert warning residents of a potential threat.
Authorities urged people to continue following Civil Defence instructions and to avoid gathering or filming.
Sep 26, 2026 04:50 AM IST
Iran has not started the war but will respond powerfully to any attack, Pezeshkian says: IRNA
President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran has not started the war and will not do so, stressing that the country has faced an imposed war and will defend itself against any attack, IRNA reports.
In a Monday television interview on Fox News, Pezeshkian discussed Iran’s stance on the ongoing conflict with the United States, saying Iran did not choose war and that the war had been imposed on the country.
He noted that Iran does not wish to continue the conflict and will defend itself only when attacked, adding that Washington must decide whether it wants to end the war.
Sep 26, 2026 04:48 AM IST
India's Minister of External Affairs says attacks on commercial ships 'no longer exceptional'
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that India and Liberia have brought together a group of countries to address attacks on commercial ships and protect their crews, ANI reported.
On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar noted that two days prior, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier, MV Cape Dove, was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, killing an Indian sailor. He added that 10 days before that, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, El Gaya, was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving an Indian crew member missing.
Addressing the gathering, Jaishankar stated, “These, regrettably, are no longer exceptional occurrences.”
Recalling further incidents, he cited two attacks in the Black Sea, stating that the chief officer of the MV Omorfi, an Indian national, was killed when the vessel was hit in Russian territorial waters on 18 July. He added that the next day, four Indian seafarers died after the MV Golden Leo was struck following its departure from Odessa.
Sep 26, 2026 04:46 AM IST
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