Netanyahu's Office Acknowledges Rare Secret Trip To UAE

RFE
28 Sep 2026

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23:11

Netanyahu's Office Acknowledges Rare Secret Trip To UAE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to the United Arab Emirates and met with the president, Netanyahu's office and the UAE said in a rare public acknowledgement at a time of high tensions between Israeli and many Gulf Arab nations over the Gaza war.

Abu Dhabi acknowledged the September 27 meeting between Muhammad bin Zayed al Nahyan and Netanyahu, confirming earlier Israeli media reports.

"The two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them," the Emirati statement read.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (file photo)

Netanyahu's office said the visit "focused on strengthening relations between the two countries and on regional challenges" amid delicate US-backed diplomacy on the Iran war.

The visit comes amid media reports, denied by Netanyahu, that the Emirati president had warned Netanyahu ahead of Hamas's October 7, 2023, deadly attack on Israel. That attack led to Israeli strikes against Hamas -- a US- and Israeli-designated terror group -- in Gaza.

Israeli media reported that Netanyahu went to the UAE to ask the Emirate leader to deny having given him that warning in 2023.

Prior to Netanyahu's office formally confirming the trip, Israel's domestic security service filed a complaint against a TV channel that reported the visit.

The reporting of the trip "endangered the lives of the prime minister and his wife, as well as the delegation, which included the head of the Mossad" spy agency and other security officials, Netanyahu's office said in its statement.

Last week, Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, disclosed that Tel Aviv had shared its air defense system with the UAE, sending Iron Dome batteries and specialists to operate them during the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Theres an extraordinary relationship between the UAE and Israel, Huckabee said.

Netanyahu has acknowledged previous trips to the UAE, with which Israel normalized relations with the 2020 Abraham Accords.

The UAE, along with neighboring Saudi Arabia, is a Sunni-Muslim led nation and a bitter regional rival of Shi'ite majority Iran.

With reporting by AFP and The GuardianShare

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21:51

Iraqi Airways Flights Between Najaf And Iranian Airports Resume

Iraqi state news agency INA reported on September 28 that Iraqi Airways has resumed flights between the city of Najaf and Iranian airports.

Hours earlier, Reuters cited an American official saying that the US government was set to issue a limited exemption from the Iran sanctions program to allow flights carrying Shi'ite pilgrims between Iran and Iraq.

The Reuters source, said to be involved in negotiations related to the decision, said the US Treasury Department waiver allows Iraqi Airways to operate round-trip flights between Iran and the city of Najaf for one month.

The report said the move is aimed at reducing pressure on the Iraqi government, which is trying to deepen ties with Washington while also maintaining its close ties with Iran.

The Iraqi prime minister's office announced earlier that Baghdad is seeking exemptions from US restrictions on travel between Iran and Iraq for medical, educational, and pilgrimage purposes.

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20:14

Supreme Leader Releases Statement Reasserting Irans Role In The Strait of Hormuz

As reports emerged about efforts to resume talks between Iran and the United States, Irans Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement released by his office that Iran insists on being a custodian of the Strait of Hormuz.

Shortly after the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran in February this year, Irans forces imposed a blockade on the strategic waterway by attacking commercial ships, leaving hundreds of cargo vessels stranded.

In recent weeks, media reports and shipping data show that the amount of oil flowing through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz has increased with the support of the US military.

At the same time, Iranian oil exports have been greatly reduced due to the US-imposed naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Videograb from footage released by Iranian media on August 24, 2026.

The new Iranian leader, who has not been seen in public since being elected to the position in March, has claimed that the United States will be forced to leave the Middle East after suffering "painful blows."

In the statement attributed to Khamenei and published by Iranian state media on September 28, he declared that Iran will not be forced back to the era the enemy wants it to be in.

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16:38

Iranian FM To Meet With Qatari Negotiators In NY

Iranian media reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was set to meet with Qatari mediators in New York on September 28 to discuss the latest proposals and positions concerning the ongoing war with the United States.

The mediators were expected to hold separate discussions with US representatives on September 28 or 29, according to an official familiar with the negotiations, as diplomatic efforts continue to find a way to end the war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi

The talks are expected to focus on a revised version of a seven-day proposal submitted by Tehran last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Araqchi remains in New York following the General Assembly meetings. It was not immediately clear who would represent Washington in discussions with the mediators.

Irans proposed framework calls for a halt to hostilities in Iran and Lebanon, the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, and an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports.

In return, Tehran would allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, while negotiations between Iran and the United States on Tehran's nuclear program would resume.

US President Donald Trump said on September 26 that he had rejected Iran's proposal, arguing that Tehran was seeking a rapid agreement because of mounting economic pressure. However, he told Axios on September 27 that he expected US negotiators to take part in further discussions this week.

Araqchi said on September 27 that mediators had not formally informed Tehran of a US rejection. He added that Iran was waiting for Washington to communicate its definitive position before deciding how to proceed.

Iran's foreign minister reiterated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would depend on Tehran's conditions being met, adding that a negotiated settlement was the only way to resolve the impasse.

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15:37

Iran Rejects Attempts To Link Tehran To Air Base Terror Plot

Iran on September 28 denied any involvement in the suspected terror plot incident near the RAF Fairford airbase in England.

The Iranian Embassy in London rejected "unfounded and malicious speculations" linking Tehran to the incident over the weekend, in which five British nationals were arrested near the air base and improvised explosive devices were discovered in vans that residents had reported as suspicious.

In a statement posted on X, the embassy said it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns" attempts to connect Iran to the arrests. Such speculation, it added, would only serve to "fuel Iranophobia propaganda" in Britain.

British police have not linked Iran to the arrests, and counterterrorism police said that an investigation was under way.

With reporting by ReutersShare

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10:10

UK Police Probe Possible Iran Link After Explosives Found Near RAF Fairford

Armed police officers stand guards on a road outside the perimeter of the RAF Fairford airbase on September 28.

British counterterrorism police were examining a possible Iranian connection to a suspected terrorism plot uncovered near RAF Fairford, as new details emerge about how five men were arrested close to the air base, which has been used by US forces in operations against Iran.

The men were detained early on September 27 after a local resident reportedly spotted three suspicious vans and a group of masked men near Whelford and called emergency services. Investigators subsequently found materials in the vehicles that were reportedly consistent with improvised explosive devices, although checks were continuing to establish whether any suspected devices were viable.

One of the vans reportedly carried "FUEL 2YOU" branding and a telephone number. A registered fuel company using a similar name has said the vehicle was not connected to its business and that its name had apparently been used without permission.

Photographs circulating on September 28 appear to show the five suspects shirtless and handcuffed. The Guardian reported that removing their clothing may have been a precaution against concealed weapons or suicide vests, although this has not been established by police.

A local councillor, Tristan Wilkinson, told Reuters on September 27 that authorities had been aware of a specific threat against RAF Fairford from Iran about six weeks earlier. He said surveillance around the area had been increased at the time.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting cautioned against drawing conclusions. Asked about possible Iranian involvement, he said on September 28 it was "far too early to comment or speculate" and that doing so would be "irresponsible." He said he had spoken with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and that Britain was working closely with the United States.

The investigation follows the September 27 evacuation of around 85 households and the establishment of a 400-meter cordon while bomb-disposal teams examined the vans. Police say the five men remain in custody and the investigation is continuing.

British media have reported that security measures have been tightened at other bases used by the United States in the country, including Lakenheath and Mildenhall.

The incident comes amid growing concerns about the actions of hostile foreign countries.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has accused Iran and Russia of using proxies to carry out criminal activities on their behalf on British soil.

Earlier this month, reports emerged indicating that British military bases and facilities had been targeted by drones more than 300 times over the past year.

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02:57

Middle East Oil Exports Rise, But Still Down From Prewar

Data showed that crude oil exports from key Middle East producers have recovered in September to 12.8 million barrels a day -- the highest level since the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran at the end of February.

Figures released on September 28 by commodity analytics firm Kpler showed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates led the rise in exports.

Exports from the region -- including those from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran -- although experiencing a rebound, are still some 6 million bpd down from 18.8 million bpd in February, according to Kpler.

With reporting by ReutersShare

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22:36

27.9.2026

Trump Sees More Talks In Coming Week After Rejecting Iran's Hormuz Proposal

US President Donald Trump said he expects negotiations with Tehran to resume in the upcoming week, despite having rejected a proposal put forward by Iran days earlier.

"They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make," Trump said in a phone interview withAxioson September 27 without providing specifics.

"It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago," he added.

Trump on September 25 rejected a proposal made hours earlier by Tehran to reopen the important Strait of Hormuz, saying that Iran made the offer because "they are losing so badly."

"They overplayed their hand," Trump told Axios.

Axios, citing sources familiar with the talks, said indirect talks could resume as early as September 28 through Qatari mediators.

Five Men Arrested Near UK Air Base Used By US Forces In Iran War

British police have arrested several men on suspicion of explosives offenses near an air base used by US forces, prompting the evacuation of residents from nearby homes.

Police declared a major incident on September 27 near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, western England, and said army bomb-disposal experts were examining several vehicles.

RAF Fairford is used by the US Air Force and has been used for US military operations against Iran.

Several properties in the nearby village of Whelford were evacuated, and residents were taken to a local leisure center, police said.

Armed police were seen blocking access to the main gate of the base, according to Reuters.

In March, Britain granted the United States permission to use RAF Fairford and another British base for what the government described as specific and limited defensive action against Iranian missile facilities. The permission was later extended to missile sites and capabilities threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps warned in July that any base used for strikes against Iran would be considered a legitimate target, according to Reuters.

There was no immediate indication that the arrests were connected to Iran or to any foreign government.

The US Air Force said it remained vigilant and would take appropriate measures to protect US personnel, civilians, contractors, and their families, according to Reuters.

British authorities have also warned in recent months about the threat of hostile activity and possible sabotage by state actors, including Russia. The British government has said it does not comment on specific intelligence or security threats.

Gloucestershire police said it believed the incident was contained.

UPDATE:Counter-terrorism police said five men remain in custody and have been arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.

US President Donald Trump described the arrests as "fantastic" and called the prevention of the act "an amazing job," adding that the suspects had been planning to cause "big damage."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said police were in the "early stages of an investigation" and were working with Gloucestershire Police and other partners to gather evidence.

A 400-meter cordon remains in place around the vehicles while the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit examines them, Evans said. Some 85 households have been evacuated.

The BBC reported that a wheeled robot was operating next to three parked white vans as the bomb-disposal team examined the vehicles in Whelford.

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02:43

27.9.2026

US Treasury Chief Hails Success Of New Economic Measures On Iran

US Treasury chief Scott Bessent said he had deployed representatives around the globe to pressure countries to economically isolate Iran, citing new restrictions that have targeted the Islamic republic's airline and banking sectors.

"At my direction, teams were dispatched across the globe to engage with countries and demand action against the Iranian regime,"he wrote on X."These efforts are delivering results."

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Bessent said the United Arab Emirates has stopped all flights by Iranian airlines and that Turkey and Oman have halted incoming flights from Mahan Air.

The UAE's emirate of Dubai is a major destination for Iranian carriers, with multiple flights each day, and a large Iranian community.

A Wall Street Journal article shared by Bessent said Treasury's assistant secretary for terrorist financing traveled across the Middle East and Europe over two weeks to press the plan to impose what Bessent called "economic D-Day" on Iran.

Discussions were held with more than 50 countries, the Journal reported.

With reporting by AFPShare

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