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UNITED NATIONS — Sudan’s military leader is openly defying a U.S.-backed ceasefire push after Washington withheld his visa to attend the U.N. General Assembly, exposing a widening rift over a war that has become not only one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, but also a regional struggle for influence stretching to the Red Sea.

Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s armed forces and de facto leader, had been expected in New York during UNGA before the Trump administration withheld his visa amid a dispute over a proposed 90-day humanitarian truce. Days later, Burhan struck a defiant tone from Khartoum.

"We will keep our heads high. We will not accept bargaining, sell ourselves cheaply to anyone or bow to anyone," Burhan said Saturday, according to Anadolu Agency. "We do not need a visa to any country or anyone’s permission."

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The State Department has accused both Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, of failing to make serious commitments to an immediate truce.

"Neither the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces, nor their respective leaders, represent legitimate, constitutional governance for Sudan," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Sept. 22, adding that the conduct of both leaders renders them "ineligible to govern the country."

The State Department said both sides had instead intensified combat operations and drone strikes that killed civilians and said Washington had repeatedly asked them to accept a humanitarian truce "without preconditions" and commit to an inclusive political dialogue leading to civilian government.

But a senior advisor to Burhan disputed Washington’s account in an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital on the sidelines of UNGA.

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Dr. Amjad Farid Al-Tayyib, the foreign affairs advisor to Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council, said Sudan never rejected the American ceasefire proposal and instead submitted technical comments on it.

"We never rejected this proposal," Farid said. "The Sudanese government wants war with no one."

Farid said a negotiating team had intended to accompany Burhan and accused Washington of undermining the very diplomatic process it was seeking to advance by preventing the delegation from traveling.

The State Department declined to comment on Burhan’s specific visa case, citing its policy of not discussing individual visa decisions. A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital on background that Washington is instead focused on a broader diplomatic framework with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE through the Quad, linking a humanitarian truce and sustained aid access to a permanent ceasefire, civilian transition and reconstruction.

"We are working with our partners to encourage the parties to agree to the humanitarian truce and guarantee humanitarian access, and to also ensure external military or financial support to the warring parties is cut off," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the Quad supports the Quintet-led civilian political track and rejects parallel diplomatic processes that could fragment negotiations.

The United Nations also challenged Washington over the visa decision. "We immediately raised with the U.S. authorities the issue regarding the denial of visa to the President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Sudan, who was scheduled to address the General Assembly this week," U.N. Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told Fox News Digital.

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Cameron Hudson, a former director for African affairs on the National Security Council who also served as chief of staff to successive U.S. presidential special envoys for Sudan, said his understanding was that Washington had asked the Sudanese to send a delegation both to the U.N. and to Washington for talks on a ceasefire.

He said the Sudanese were preparing to do so before Washington, in his understanding, made Burhan’s visa contingent on signing the ceasefire agreement before traveling.

"It doesn’t fully make sense why the United States took this decision at the last minute," Hudson told Fox News Digital.

Farid said the central dispute is whether the RSF would be required to withdraw from civilian areas it controls. He argued that freezing current lines of control risks turning a temporary ceasefire into a de facto partition of Sudan.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of a brutal civil war that erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.

Both sides have been accused of serious violations, but Hudson told Fox News Digital that treating their records as interchangeable obscures an important distinction.

"The RSF is committing war crimes on a scale and with an intention that the army does not," Hudson said.

Hudson said SAF has struck civilian targets and committed war crimes, including through drone attacks, but said the RSF’s record goes significantly further.

"They have committed mass rape, mass killing, torture, sexual enslavement," Hudson said, arguing that Western descriptions of "both sides" can create the impression that the two forces are committing the same crimes "on the same scale or with the same intention."

U.N. investigators have also drawn distinctions while documenting abuses by both forces.

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A U.N. fact-finding mission reported in September 2025 that both SAF and RSF were responsible for direct, large-scale attacks against civilians and the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure. But it found that the RSF, particularly during its siege of El Fasher and surrounding areas, committed crimes against humanity including murder, torture, enslavement, rape, sexual slavery, forced displacement and persecution on ethnic, gender and political grounds.

A separate U.N. Human Rights Office report released in February documented more than 6,000 killings during the first three days of the RSF’s final offensive on El Fasher and found that the violations could amount to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

Farid nevertheless accused the U.N. and Western governments of creating what he called a ‘false equivalence’ between Sudan’s military and the RSF.

"The U.N. is not staying neutral," he told Fox News Digital, arguing that international institutions have documented RSF atrocities without taking sufficient action against the group or those supporting it.

Farid nevertheless accused the U.N. and Western governments of creating what he called a false equivalence between Sudan’s military and the RSF.

U.N. Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric rejected the allegation that the organization was equating the two sides. "This is not about equating two sides," Dujarric told Fox News Digital. "We focus on the facts, the violations that have been documented, and above all, the devastating toll this war has taken on civilians since 15 April 2023."

Dujarric said both the RSF and SAF have used explosive weapons in densely populated areas and that the U.N. Human Rights Office has documented attacks affecting schools, hospitals, markets and religious sites.

He pointed specifically to what he described as "particularly grave violations" by the RSF and affiliated forces in Darfur, including mass killings, sexual violence, torture, abductions and forced displacement, while noting that serious abuses have also been documented in SAF-controlled areas, including arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and summary executions.

The war, meanwhile, increasingly extends beyond Sudan’s borders.

Foreign backing has become a central feature of the conflict. A July 2026 UK government assessment, drawing on U.N. and other reporting, said the RSF had benefited from support networks involving the UAE and neighboring countries, while SAF had received backing from states including Egypt, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey. The UAE has repeatedly denied providing military support to the RSF.

Fox News Digital reached out to the UAE Embassy in Washington and the UAE mission to the U.N. but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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Hudson said the RSF’s foreign relationships are only part of a much larger regional competition.

He said Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Qatar have supported the army to varying degrees, while outside powers pursue their own strategic interests in Sudan.

That competition increasingly centers on Sudan’s Red Sea coastline. "There is a regional battle of influence among neighboring states and regional states who want to be able to control Sudan’s Red Sea coastline," Hudson said, pointing to potential military, port and economic access.

"Superimposed on top of the conflict inside Sudan is a regional proxy conflict for influence in Sudan and in the wider Horn of Africa, Red Sea region," he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also said foreign powers are central to prolonging the war. "What’s happening in Sudan would not be happening were it not for external actors supporting one side or the other," Rubio told reporters during UNGA week, describing U.S. efforts to secure even limited humanitarian agreements as "very frustrating."

Rubio said the parties have repeatedly agreed to commitments only to abandon them when one side believes it is gaining the upper hand. "There are external actors. I’m not going to single them out. You know who they are," Rubio said. "That war and that conflict and that crisis would not be happening were it not for the active participation of external actors that are feeding one side of that conflict or another."

He said meaningful progress would depend on those states pressuring their respective partners in Sudan.

"Until those external actors are prepared to use influence and pressure their respective proxies to live up to the commitments that they’re making, we’re not going to make progress," Rubio said.

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Sudan’s strategic value goes beyond geography. The country has significant gold, agricultural and livestock resources and sits at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East. The World Bank has described Sudan as rich in fertile land, water and minerals, while noting its substantial gold production and agricultural potential.

Sudan also controls critical infrastructure used to transport South Sudanese crude oil to the Red Sea. A World Bank assessment says South Sudan’s oil has historically traveled through pipelines across Sudan to Port Sudan, its key export route.

Hudson said that broader regional competition helps explain why Washington has struggled to force Sudan’s outside backers to pull away.

"The United States is not going to use the limited political capital that it has with Saudi Arabia or Egypt or Turkey or UAE to get them to control their support to one side or the other in this conflict," he said.

Hudson also questioned Washington’s diplomatic strategy, arguing that pressure on Burhan has not been matched by sufficient direct engagement inside Sudan.

He said Massad Boulos, President Donald Trump’s senior advisor for Arab and African affairs, has never traveled to Sudan while attempting to mediate the conflict.

"He’s trying to mediate peace in a country that he’s never been to," Hudson said, arguing that Washington needs more "personal diplomacy" and less reliance on public statements and social media.

"If we want these people to sign a ceasefire deal, then they have to trust us," Hudson said. "And right now we’ve given them no reason to do so."

The U.N. acknowledged that international efforts have so far failed to stop the fighting. "Unfortunately, we are not seeing the war abating," Dujarric said, reiterating the U.N. position that "there is no military solution to the conflict," and noting Washington’s diplomatic role as the US and African Union co-chaired a Sept. 23 meeting bringing together the Quad and Quintet diplomatic groupings.

"The immediate priority is to stop the killing and secure a cessation of hostilities, while creating the conditions for a credible political process," he said.

Just days after left-wing British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband shook hands with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s top diplomat at the United Nations, U.K. authorities arrested five men with possible links to Tehran who allegedly sought to bomb a military base in Fairford used by American forces.

Armed officers arrested the five suspected terrorists who were traveling in three vans reportedly packed with explosive material. The authorities seized the five British nationals and the vans a mere 350 yards from the military base, which is used by the U.S. Army to launch air strikes against military targets in Iran.

Speaking from London on Monday, Nile Gardiner, the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital, "I think it is highly likely it was an Iranian orchestrated attack. It is stunning that they have released terrorist suspects on bail. It strikes me as entirely insane. The suspects appear to be Muslim Islamists, judging by the picture."

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Gardiner said, "The British government is on a full appeasement drive toward Tehran. We saw that with Ed Miliband meeting with the Iranian foreign minister at the U.N. General Assembly. The U.K. does not want to get involved in the U.S.-led war against Tehran."

He said the current government is a "socialist appeasement-minded British administration that is incredibly weak on defense and national security."

The United States and Israel launched a joint military campaign on Feb. 28 to knock out Iran's nuclear weapons and missile systems.

A source familiar with the Fairford investigation had previously ⁠told Reuters that an Iranian-linked motive was considered the most likely, although a Russian sabotage operation or an Islamist plot were also being looked at as possibilities.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump said the suspects were "looking to do big damage." He added, "We had them under view for a long time, and we got them."

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that "when asked whether President Trump’s comments were accurate, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said the Defence Secretary had been asked about them on the morning round and referred journalists to his words. He said the investigation was ongoing, and it would not be appropriate to comment further."

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The U.S. and U.K.-designated terrorist movement, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), put the British government on notice in July that military installations used to attack Iran are legitimate targets for retaliation.

Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which tracks Iran’s terrorist and spycraft activities in the United Kingdom, told Fox News Digital, "I believe Iran would have a motive for such a plot. This is because in July, authorities in Cyprus arrested a man accused of spying for Iran at RAF [Royal Air Force] Akrotiri. Iranian officials and media have also pointed to RAF Fairford specifically, dubbing it ‘an important matter for our self-defense’ amid Operation Epic Fury."

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Brodsky added, "Iran has a long history of launching terror plots in the U.K., via its Intelligence Ministry and the IRGC. It has long used criminal gangs as proxies to mask its involvement. So I suspect U.K. authorities are probing these angles as part of the investigation."

The U.K.’s Counterterrorism Policing Office said the five suspects were detained on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act and preparation of a terrorist act contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.

Vicki Evans, counterterrorism policing senior national coordinator, deputy assistant commissioner, said, "This is a hugely complex and large-scale operation, involving local and national policing, the MOD, and local agencies, who are working together to progress the investigation and support for the community."

Evans added, "I am very aware of the levels of speculation about the motivation behind this incident, and the geopolitical questions that are being raised."

According to an X post by the Iranian regime’s embassy in London, "The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base."

The Iranian Embassy added "The Circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the UK. The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives."

Barak Seener, senior fellow at the London-based Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital, "The British government has no sense of how to prioritize its national security interests. While British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the U.N. that the United Kingdom will not tolerate intimidation, threats, or hostile activity on British soil, he was sure to take a friendly picture with him, while purposely avoiding meeting any Israeli representative."

He added, "Similarly, at the Labor Party conference, Ed Miliband spent 15 seconds on Iran, and close to four minutes on Israel. This has led to an environment in which a suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford could take place."

A spokesperson for the British government told Fox News Digital, "The police have issued a statement this afternoon from the head of CTP. We don’t have any further comment at this early stage."

With respect to the Fox News Digital press query about Miliband's meeting with Araghchi at the U.N., the British government spokesperson sent Fox News Digital a readout of the meeting, "The Foreign Secretary told Araghchi that Iran should choose de-escalation and diplomacy instead of prolonging the war. He underlined the importance of restoring freedom of navigation and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the impact continued disruption has on global security and economic stability.

"The Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK's unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups in UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community. The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response. He also raised the ongoing detention of Craig and Lindsay Foreman, repeating the UK's call for their immediate release and stressing that their welfare remains a priority for the Government."

Reuters contributed to this report.

United Kingdom police are releasing five terror suspects on bail Monday after they were arrested on suspicion of a terror plot targeting a U.S. air base in Britain this weekend.

Laurence ​Taylor, head of ​Counter Terrorism Policing, confirmed that investigations into the five men are ongoing, "including ⁠that this may be actively committed ​by proxies ​or ⁠individuals either knowingly or unknowingly working on ⁠behalf ​of a ​foreign state." Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in the U.K. has denied any connection to the five men.

The Sunday night arrests came after a local resident and farmer in Gloucestershire told the BBC that she had called police late in the evening after coming across three white vans blocking a road near RAF Fairford air base. As she turned her car around, she told the BBC that her headlights illuminated a group of "hooded and masked men" who "panicked" upon being spotted and scrambled into a nearby woods.

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Authorities identified the five men as "U.K. nationals," but did not offer any further details.

RAF Fairford plays host to significant U.S. Air Force assets and has been used as a launching point for multiple U.S. operations in the war against Iran in recent months.

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Defense Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that the local farmer had at least a "partial picture" of the incident.

"I do want to thank the member of the public who acted quickly and called this in," Streeting told the BBC.

"I would also just say, respectfully, that she has a partial picture. And I won't go beyond that, in terms of commenting on operational security matters," he added.

The local, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC that she was astounded it had been her 999 call that "foiled whatever plans they had," adding that she was surprised the base didn't have more significant surveillance and security.

Iran's Embassy vehemently denied any connection with the incident in a public statement on Monday.

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"The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base," the Embassy wrote on X.

"The Circulation of such fabricated speculations, particularly in the aftermath of the criminal acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people, will serve no purpose other than to fuel Iranophobia propaganda in the U.K.," the statement continued.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives," it added.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Five men arrested near a key U.S. bomber base in the U.K. on Sunday may have planned a "complex," coordinated attack with potentially far-reaching security implications for American military installations globally, a former U.S. intelligence official warned.

As counterterrorism police investigated after officers detained the suspects near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a former Pentagon official also said President Donald Trump will ultimately be the one to decide the consequences if indeed the "trail leads to Tehran."

The men were initially held on suspicion of offenses under Britain’s Explosives Act before being arrested on terrorism charges in connection with the airfield, a key U.S. Air Force hub and the primary European base for American strategic bombers.

On Sunday, Trump said U.S. authorities had been monitoring the suspects prior to their capture.

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"We had them under investigation," Trump told reporters in Chicago. "They were looking to do big damage to our fort."

"It may have been Scotland Yard. I don't know. We worked with a lot of them. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them," Trump added.

According to Sky News, counterterrorism police were investigating whether Iran is linked to the suspected bomb plot.

Former Trump White House official Morgan Murphy told Fox News Digital that British authorities are leading the investigation alongside U.S. law enforcement and intelligence.

"Every phone, bank record and rental receipt will be run through British and American intelligence, and if the trail leads to Tehran, it will be found," Murphy clarified.

"But as American airmen and bombers seem to have been the target, Air Force investigators on the base, the FBI in London, and American intelligence will likely all work the case."

"If conclusive evidence proves Iran is behind an attempted attack on U.S. forces, the American President will ultimately decide how Tehran pays," Murphy added.

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Former Defense Intelligence Agency official Andrew Badger told Fox News Digital the number of suspects and vehicles involved raised the possibility of a sophisticated operation.

"We are going to see elevated security protocols across Europe, across the U.K., and across the entire world for any U.S. installation," he said.

"This is a very significant threat, and again, seeing that we had five individuals involved and three different reported vans at the scene, this could have been a very complex, highly orchestrated operation," Badger added.

"This isn't just some type of amateur lone wolf operation," he said, noting Fairford’s strategic importance to the U.S. military. "Fairford is also where the U.S. houses its strategic bombers for Europe as well as the rest of the world."

He said a potential attack posed broader risks beyond the airfield itself which he said "could have had significant security implications. It could have damaged the nearby area."

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"They could have tried to use a VBIED or a vehicle-borne explosive device where the first van could have gone off at the front gate, and then the other vans would have gone in and tried to go for the strategic bombers," Badger said.

British authorities have not publicly identified who they believe was behind the suspected plot or announced a motive, but RAF Fairford had taken on greater strategic importance during the war with Iran.

The U.K. government previously authorized U.S. forces to use the Royal Air Force bases Fairford and Diego Garcia for limited defensive operations, including destroying Iranian missiles and launchers at their source.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later warned that any base used to attack Iranian territory would be considered a legitimate target.

"Any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our forces," the IRGC said, according to reports.

"Tehran warned London in July to keep American bombers off Fairford, and if this plot traces back to Iran, the answer must be more bombers, not fewer," Morgan said.

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A local councilor told Reuters there had been a recent security alert at Fairford and surveillance had been stepped up.

"So there was a specific threat about six weeks ago from the Iranians on this base. At the time, there was increased surveillance around the area," he told the outlet.

Badger, however, cautioned against assuming Iran was responsible while pointing to other potential threats.

"This could be Iran trying to gain strategic leverage in negotiations, but there are other actors as well," Badger added.

"But there's Russia, who's been launching a campaign of gray zone or hybrid warfare attacks across Europe, as well as Islamic extremists, which are still a significant threat here in the U.K."

"Was this some type of retaliation by Iran to perhaps try to gain leverage or to try to inflict a cost for the U.S. withdrawing from these negotiations? Again, we don't know for sure, but it is a possibility," Badger said.

Badger also pointed to RAF Welford, a major U.S. ammunition storage facility that primarily supports operations at RAF Fairford.

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"RAF Welford is actually the second-largest weapons and ammunition depot in all of Europe," Badger said, noting that the facility where the U.S. stores ammunition "could have been a target as well."

"Other bases across Europe, including European and U.S. partners, have already been on a heightened state of alert," Badger continued.

"But of course, after this attack, I think they're going to be in an even more heightened state. You're going to have more frequent security patrols."

"There are reports that RAF Fairford was put onto what's called the Delta alert, which is the highest state of security alert within the military base system," Badger said.

"So this is basically that 'an imminent terrorist attack is inbound,'" he concluded.

Finnish and Swedish fighter jets scrambled for the first time on Sept. 24 to intercept supersonic Russian military aircraft flying over the Gulf of Finland, marking a major milestone in Nordic defense cooperation amid heightened tensions with Moscow.

The mission also came one day before Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed European warnings about the threat from Moscow in the region and mocked Estonia's new defense minister over the Baltic state's preparations for a potential Russian attack.

Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and Swedish JAS 39 Gripens were scrambled after Russian aircraft were detected in the international airspace, according to the Swedish Armed Forces.

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The Russian formation included a Tu-134 transport plane, a high-altitude, supersonic MiG-31 interceptors designed to detect and engage long-range threats; and Su-30 multirole fighter jets which are designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.

"This is what close cooperation looks like in practice," Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, commander of the Swedish Air Force, said in a statement following the joint operation.

"Built over years on trust and strong personal relationships, we can now operate seamlessly together — as air forces, as nations and as Allies."

Concern over Russian military activity along NATO’s eastern flank has grown following a string of airspace violations.

These include Russian drones entering Polish airspace, a Mi-8 helicopter crossing from Kaliningrad into Poland, drones crashing in Romania and Moldova, and armed Russian jets entering Estonian airspace before being intercepted by NATO aircraft on Sept. 18.

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In Estonia, Defense Minister Martin Herem warned that Russia could be capable of using military force against Estonia within a year and argued that Tallinn must determine whether its defenses are sufficient for such a scenario.

Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated that the government is ready to shut down border crossing points on short notice if threat assessments change, according to reports.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum on Friday, Putin pushed back against such warnings.

"Many people in Europe say they expect an attack from Russia and therefore claim they must prepare for war with Russia," Putin said.

"I want to emphasize once again: we are not preparing for military action against Europe. We have no such plans, no basis for them, and, most importantly, no real motive to escalate the situation with Europe."

Putin then mocked Herem's warnings: "As we jokingly say in Russia: 'The circus has left, but the clowns remain.' It is political clowning. ... Clearly, these statements are complete nonsense and absurdity," Putin said, according to EurAsia Daily.

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Estonia sits across the Gulf of Finland from Finland, with the three countries forming part of NATO's increasingly integrated northern and eastern defenses amid concerns about Russian military activity.

Finland formally joined NATO as its 31st member in April 2023, roughly doubling the alliance's land border with Russia. Sweden followed as the 32nd member in March 2024. Estonia, which regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, has been a NATO member since 2004.

The Baltic Sea region has also remained on heightened alert following incidents involving gas pipelines, sabotage and hybrid threats since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Reuters has reported.

NATO said in June that it was enhancing protection of its eastern members in the cyber and space domains while helping countries build resilience against what it describes as hostile Russian actions, including cyberattacks, sabotage and airspace violations.

NATO says its military activities along the eastern flank are entirely defensive and that it is "ready, willing and able to defend every Ally."

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The alliance has said an attack against any member would be met with a "resounding response."

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently underscored Washington's role in the alliance during a visit to Iowa, telling The Associated Press that Putin "knows that the United States and Europe are totally intertwined."

"We have to make sure that we are prepared, we are strong, and he knows it," Rutte said.

"And if he does anything silly, he knows our reaction will be tough," he warned.

European intelligence officials said Sept. 24 that Russia could test NATO's defenses.

Denmark's Defense Intelligence Service assessed the risk of a limited Russian military attack against a NATO country in the coming months as "low but growing" and said Moscow is expected to intensify its hybrid campaign against NATO and the West.

The service said in a statement that a full-scale Russian invasion of a NATO member remains highly unlikely but can no longer be ruled out.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255).

Pope Leo XIV called for an end to medically assisted suicide during a visit to medical facilities in Lourdes, France, on Sunday.

The pope gave Mass in Lourdes before addressing a large crowd who cheered as he emphatically affirmed the dignity of all human lives and admonished listeners to reject the "false compassion" of assisted suicide.

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"It is precisely in the name of this inalienable dignity of the human person that we must reject the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion," the pope said, speaking in French.

"It is impossible to regard causing death as something normal. What is legal is not necessarily moral," he continued. "Here in Lourdes, the city of the sick and of hope, I appeal to the entire healthcare community to remember the profound meaning of your vocation, which is to care for a suffering person, not to eliminate that person."

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"No one ever has the right based on laboratory algorithms to decide the life of a given embryo or elderly person. Medicine must never become the servant of programmed death," he said.

Assisted suicide is legal in many Western countries, including France.

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The practice has come under heavy criticism, particularly in Canada where it has seen widespread use.

Last week, the family of an 83-year-old Canadian woman demanded answers after she died through the country's medical assistance in dying program despite allegedly becoming distraught when told the procedure would end her life.

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The Daily Mail reported that 83-year-old Christian grandmother Brigitte Stegemann was killed under Canada’s physician-assisted suicide program, called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), on July 10.

Her granddaughter, Brigitte Kranendonk, said that she was her grandmother’s primary caregiver and that her family had decided to place Stegemann at The Pearl care home in Cannifton due to physical and mental decline.

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But according to Kranendonk, her grandmother still had a good appetite even following a stomach cancer diagnosis, and rejected the idea of using MAID when it was presented as an option.

Kranendonk said she was present for Stegemann's second MAID assessment, and said that the doctor used "really loose terms, never using the words death or dying."

NEW YORK NUNS' CHALLENGE TO ASSISTED SUICIDE LAW IS ABOUT PROTECTING FREEDOM, LAWYER SAYS

"She explains MAID to my grandmother by saying: 'We’re going to give you medicine, you’re going to feel at peace. And I just want you to know that you won’t have a bowel movement,'" Kranendonk said.

When Kranendonk interjected and said, "She doesn’t understand what you’re saying," the doctor allegedly looked at Stegemann and said, "We’re going to make sure you won’t have any more pain."

CAN FAITH HELP PATIENTS HEAL? VETERAN DOCTOR REVEALS WHAT HE'S WITNESSED FIRSTHAND

According to a doctor, Stegemann was "deemed fit for MAID, and we're going to proceed," The Daily Mail reported.

Kranendonk said that two days before Stegemann's death, she asked her grandmother directly whether she understood that the scheduled procedure meant she would die.

According to Kranendonk's account to the outlet, Stegemann began crying and said she had "made a mistake."

Stegemann was allegedly told by the doctor her grandmother could "deny" MAID on the day of the procedure, but Stegemann was already unsure if her grandmother had actually consented to it, did not want to cause her more stress, and wanted to enjoy what could be the last few days she had left with her grandmother.

Four American tourists were among six people killed in Greece when a devastating explosion leveled a residential building near Athens’ famed Acropolis, according to officials.

The four Americans — two men and two women believed to be two couples — were staying in the two-story building in the historic Plaka district, the historic neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis and close to some of Athens’ most heavily visited landmarks, when the blast struck Friday.

The two couples had been expected to catch a flight from Athens airport at 3 p.m. Friday but never showed up, a police source told Reuters. Documents and belongings recovered with the four victims indicated they were U.S. citizens, according to Greek state broadcaster ERT and other local media.

AMERICAN TOURISTS STABBED OUTSIDE ATHENS' ACROPOLIS AS POLICE DETAIN SUSPECT IN APPARENT RANDOM ATTACK

U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle mourned the victims in a post on X.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of four American citizens in yesterday’s explosion in central Athens," Guilfoyle wrote.

Emergency crews searching through the rubble recovered six bodies from the collapsed building Saturday, authorities said.

Firefighters had been searching for an elderly couple who lived in one apartment and four tourists staying in another as crews painstakingly removed debris, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said in a televised briefing.

EXPLOSION NEAR GERMAN TRAIN STATION INJURES 2 UKRAINIAN CITIZENS

The explosion was believed to have been caused by a major gas leak, Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said. Authorities were investigating the cause after reports of a gas smell in the area.

The powerful blast destroyed the building and damaged nearby homes, shops and vehicles, sending rubble and shattered glass as far as three blocks away, Reuters reported.

Video from the scene showed debris strewn across the street and parked cars crushed beneath falling rubble. The destroyed building was reduced to twisted metal, broken tiles and concrete, with clothing and household belongings scattered among the wreckage.

The search-and-rescue operation involved 30 firefighters and three dogs, while crews also used cameras and sensors to comb through the debris.

Two women were injured in an adjacent building on Lysikratous Street, according to the fire department. Resident Andreas Martzaklis told the Associated Press that all those rescued from the neighboring building were tourists.

The damage extended to a nearby church, where the pastor said Sunday services would be held outdoors because the building had been damaged in the explosion.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

U.K. police say they arrested multiple suspects for offenses under the "Explosives Act" near a U.S. airbase in southwest England on Sunday.

Gloucestershire Police say the arrests took place just two miles from RAF Fairford, which hosts U.S. Air Force assets. The U.S. has recently used the base in operations relating to the war in IRan.

"A number of properties are currently being evacuated in the Whelford area following the declaration of a major incident," Gloucestershire Police said in a statement. "It follows the arrest of several men on suspicion of offenses under the explosives act."

ANDY BURNHAM TAKES OVER AS UK PRIME MINISTER, CALLS FOR 'NEW POLITICAL MODEL'

"The Army's specialist explosive ordnance disposal team are currently examining a number of vehicles," police added.

Authorities did not name the suspects or detail exactly how many were arrested.

British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting wrote on X that the situation is "being dealt with."

UK PINS STRING OF ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS ON IRAN-LINKED GROUP, BANS IRGC

"The Prime Minister is being kept updated on the incident in Gloucestershire," The UK Defense Ministry said in another statement.

"We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe," the statement continued.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing," it added.

WATER CYBERATTACK HITS AT LEAST 7 STATES

The incident comes roughly a month after Iran-linked hackers were suspected of forcing a small British power generator offline for several days this summer.

The British shutdown came weeks after hackers struck more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota, accessing technology used to remotely monitor and control pumps and other equipment. Minnesota officials have not publicly attributed the attacks. Several news outlets, citing U.S. officials and a leaked industry threat-sharing memo, reported that Iran was the likely culprit.

Federal agencies have also warned that Iranian-affiliated actors have targeted similar industrial devices across water, energy and government sectors, seeking access to the software used to control them. That activity has already caused operational disruptions and financial losses.

UNITED NATIONS — As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Russia could take its war beyond Ukraine, Finnish President Alexander Stubb is striking a markedly calmer tone — saying Finland is prepared for Moscow and crediting President Donald Trump with pushing harder for a negotiated end to the war.

"I think we're certainly in a better place than we were before President Trump started," Stubb told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. "He's doubled down in the past year and a half to try to find a solution for peace with negotiators such as Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and many others."

Stubb, who has been closely involved in the diplomatic effort, said he and Norway’s prime minister have worked largely "in the back office," relaying information among Ukraine, the United States and European governments.

KUSHNER, WITKOFF SET FOR KYIV TALKS AFTER PUTIN MEETING IN US PUSH FOR PEACE

"I think he's really working hard and hopefully we'll get a solution," Stubb said.

The interview came during an intense diplomatic week in New York focused heavily on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in New York during UNGA week as Washington continued its effort to revive negotiations with Moscow. Zelenskyy said peace remained Ukraine's priority and thanked Trump for sending the two envoys to Kyiv after they had also held talks in Moscow.

Zelenskyy was asked by Fox News Digital after the meeting about the possibility that Russia could invade or attack another European country in the near future.

BATTLE-TESTED ZELENSKYY SOUNDS CHILLING ALARM ON WHERE PUTIN’S WAR COULD HEAD NEXT

"That's why the risk of offensive by drones, missiles or land operation is very high against other countries who are bordering Russia or Belarus," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin, unable to achieve his military objectives in Ukraine, could seek to create instability elsewhere in Europe to pressure Western governments into reducing their support for Kyiv. He pointed to drone incursions and disruptions affecting several European countries, arguing that Moscow is already attempting to intimidate European societies and test their response.

Asked by Fox News Digital what European countries should do in response to the growing threat, Zelenskyy offered a direct answer.

"Respond. Always respond. It's not about the war. If you don't respond, Russians, they will go further," he said.

But Stubb struck a notably calmer tone when asked about Zelenskyy’s warnings that Russia could eventually attack other European countries, including Finland, which shares the longest border with Russia.

"As commander-in-chief in Finland, I sit on all the relevant information and I just don't see a factual basis for it," Stubb said.

RUSSIA'S SHADOW WAR IS PUTTING EUROPE ON EDGE AS GERMANY CONFRONTS A GROWING THREAT

That does not mean, he stressed, that Moscow has stopped targeting Europe.

Stubb distinguished between the "kinetic" war Russia is fighting in Ukraine and what he described as a broader "hybrid" campaign in Europe, pointing to cyberattacks, sabotage and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.

"We have to see this as a campaign," he said. "Russia tries to intimidate Europe, scare us and get into our heads."

His prescription was characteristically Finnish: "cool, calm and collected, take a sauna and a nice bath and deal with it."

Stubb said Finland, a country with a population of 5.6 million, can afford that attitude precisely because it has spent decades preparing for a potential threat from its eastern neighbor.

"We are calm because we are prepared," he said.

He pointed to Finland’s mandatory military service, reserve force, artillery, long-range capabilities and extensive network of civilian shelters. The Finnish Defence Forces puts Finland’s wartime military strength at 280,000 personnel, with additional reservists available if needed.

That deterrent received another boost just days before Stubb traveled to New York. Finland is acquiring 64 F-35A fighter jets to replace its F/A-18 Hornet fleet under a procurement decision announced by the Finnish government.

The first two F-35s intended for operations inside Finland arrived at the Lapland Air Wing in Rovaniemi on Sept. 18, according to a Finnish Defence Forces press release.

"We have obligatory military service. I did mine, my son did his. We have women who do it voluntarily. We have over 60 F-18s. We just bought 64 F-35s, the two first of which arrived. We have long-range missiles, air, land and sea. We have the capability to mobilize 280,000 troops within days in a conflictual situation. On top of that, we have land mines. And we have the biggest artillery in Europe together with Poland… On top of that, we have civilian shelters for over 4.4 million people out of 5.6."

FINLAND'S PARLIAMENT VOTES TO LIFT DECADES-OLD BAN ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN HISTORIC NATO DEFENSE SHIFT

"We don't have them because we're worried about Sweden," Stubb joked of Finland’s military capabilities. "We have them because we see a security threat coming from Russia."

He said that level of preparedness, combined with Finland’s NATO membership, makes a direct Russian attack unlikely. Finland became NATO's 31st member on April 4, 2023, after abandoning its longstanding military non-alignment following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"We feel that we're very prepared, and that gives us a strong enough … deterrent that we don't believe that Russia is going to test a country like Finland," Stubb said. "And of course the icing on the cake is that we are now security providers in the Alliance NATO."

Stubb also used his Sept. 22 address to the U.N. General Assembly to advocate for continued support for Kyiv, calling the "Coalition of the Willing" supporting Ukraine "particularly close to my heart." He said the coalition was working toward a "just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the U.N. Charter."

Stubb made additional news on Ukraine during UNGA week, when he urged SpaceX owner Elon Musk to extend Starlink coverage so Ukrainian forces could use the satellite network in areas containing Russian ballistic missile launchers, including inside Russia. He argued that doing so could help Ukraine target launchers firing missiles at Ukrainian cities.

Yet Ukraine was only one piece of what Stubb described as an increasingly interconnected global security crisis.

WORLD LEADERS DESCEND ON NEW YORK FOR UNGA — BUT WHO REALLY HAS AMERICA’S EAR?

Asked about Trump’s call at the U.N. for countries to support efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Stubb was unequivocal.

"I agree, Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons," he told Fox News Digital, adding that Tehran should not use proxies or be able to produce missiles.

Stubb also argued that the conflicts involving Russia and Iran can no longer be viewed in isolation, alleging that Moscow is providing intelligence to Tehran that Iran has used against U.S. military bases in the Gulf, while Iranian weapons have been supplied to Russia for use against Ukraine.

"We're going in this merry-go-round where every bit of the conflict is linked to another," Stubb said. "The sooner we can end both, the better."

Trump used his Sept. 22 U.N. General Assembly address to call for Iran's economic isolation and reiterate that Tehran should not obtain a nuclear weapon, while warning of further US military action if a peace agreement is not reached, according to Reuters. 

For Stubb, the proliferation of conflicts — from Ukraine and Iran to Gaza, Yemen and Sudan — is testing a diplomatic system already struggling to keep pace.

"It's not a zero-sum game," he said. "We have to deal with a multiplicity of conflicts right now, unfortunately."

And for Trump, he added, that means "working around the clock."

A viral video of Israel’s U.N. ambassador offering an Iranian representative a Starlink device has reached around 9 million views across social media — and nearly 40% of its Instagram viewers are in Iran, according to analytics shared with Fox News Digital.

A representative for Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that the office was surprised by the video’s reach inside Iran, saying such an audience is unusual for Israeli diplomatic accounts.

"We couldn't imagine to be the popular," the representative said, referring to the video's reach in Iran.

MIDDLE EAST TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UN AS REGIONAL LEADERS CONFRONT IRAN WAR, GAZA AND HOUTHI THREAT

The representative said the encounter grew out of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the U.N. General Assembly, where Netanyahu displayed a Starlink device while delivering a message aimed at the Iranian people.

According to Danon’s representative, Netanyahu had prepared the Starlink element for his speech and asked that the device be offered to the Iranian delegation afterward. Danon then approached an Iranian representative with the device in an encounter captured on video.

The Iranian representative declined to take it.

TRUMP, IRANIAN PRESIDENT CONVERGE ON NYC FOR ‘DRAMATIC’ UN SHOWDOWN AS TEHRAN FACES TIGHT RESTRICTIONS

Danon later posted the exchange on social media, where the video quickly gained traction.

Instagram audience analytics shared with Fox News Digital show 39.9% of viewers were located in Iran, the largest share from any country. The U.S. accounted for 14.3%, followed by Israel at 12.6%, Canada at 5.9% and Germany at 4.1%.

The representative said Danon’s office viewed the unusually large Iranian audience as significant given the message accompanying the Starlink offer, which he described as one of freedom and freedom of expression for the Iranian people.

IRAN ACCELERATES EXECUTION CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTI-REGIME ACTIVISTS AMID INTERNET CENSORSHIP

But Danon’s office says another online trend emerged as the video spread.

The representative told Fox News Digital that accounts the office believes are Iranian began recirculating a years-old video of former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan being escorted from the General Assembly during a protest against then-Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

The video dates to September 2023, when Erdan walked through the General Assembly holding a photograph of Mahsa Amini during Raisi’s speech.

One post recirculating the old video in recent hours has drawn hundreds of thousands of views while portraying the incident as a current confrontation involving Israel’s U.N. ambassador.

Danon’s representative characterized the renewed circulation as a "disinformation campaign" intended to counter the attention surrounding Danon’s video.

"From our perspective, the Danon video moved something in Iran," the representative told Fox News Digital, arguing that the Iranian regime was attempting to "change the story."

Fox News Digital's Emma Bussey contributed to this report.

Pope Leo XIV drew an estimated 800,000 people into the heart of Paris on Saturday for a massive open-air Mass, filling one of the French republic’s most storied public squares as he urged Catholics to openly share their faith in an "increasingly secularized society."

Flag-waving crowds packed the Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde as the American pope traveled roughly 1.2 miles through central Paris in the popemobile before celebrating Mass.

The Vatican estimated attendance at 800,000, roughly 200,000 more people than had registered in advance.

People of faith gathered in the streets, with families lifting babies and young children toward the popemobile as Leo made his way through the French capital.

POPE LEO XIV RECEIVES 'SYMBOLIC’ SPHERE IN CHARITY'S PUSH FOR AI TO 'PROTECT HUMAN DIGNITY'

"Seeing you gathered here," Leo told worshippers, he was looking upon the "heirs of France’s long and beautiful history of faith," according to Vatican News.

The pope called on French Catholics not to keep that rich inheritance to themselves.

FROM DISNEY MAGIC TO ANCIENT FAITH: DAVID HENRIE ON WHY GEN Z IS FLOCKING TO CHURCH

"Let it overflow, so that those you meet may be refreshed and their thirst satisfied," Leo said. "From this beautiful city of Paris, I pray fervently that the living water of the Holy Spirit may flow throughout France."

The setting carried particular resonance in a country known for its strict tradition of secularism.

AMERICAN BISHOP ROBERT BARRON CALLS OUT ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL IN UK OVER NIGHTCLUB PARTNERSHIP

It is notable that the Place de la Concorde was an execution ground during the French Revolution, where devoutly Catholic King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were guillotined. Today, the square is closely associated with the French republic and regularly hosts Bastille Day celebrations.

The decision to celebrate a papal Mass there drew criticism from supporters of France’s strict separation of church and state, who argued another site would have been more appropriate.

The images also offered a striking contrast with another massive Paris spectacle just two years earlier.

The 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony drew worldwide controversy over a tableau featuring drag performers that Christian leaders and other critics said mocked Christianity.

POLL FINDS SHARP RISE IN YOUNG MEN CALLING RELIGION 'VERY IMPORTANT'

The French Bishops’ Conference said at the time that the ceremony "included scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity," adding that Christians around the world had been "hurt by the outrageousness and provocation of certain scenes."

The tableau was widely interpreted by critics as a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s "The Last Supper," though Olympics organizers disputed that interpretation.

Leo’s visit comes as France experiences a notable increase in adult conversions even as the country continues a decades-long decline in overall Catholic participation.

Annual adult baptisms in France have tripled since 2016, reaching 13,000 this year, according to The Associated Press. Overall baptisms, however, have fallen sharply over the longer term, from 513,000 in 1980 to 186,000 in 2024.

YOUNG MEN ARE RETURNING TO CHURCH — AND IT COULD RESHAPE AMERICA’S FUTURE

Leo thanked French families, young people, catechumens and new Christians for bearing witness to their faith in what he described as an "increasingly secularized society," according to Vatican News.

The scale of the pope’s reception was already apparent the night before the Mass as some 80,000 young people packed France’s national stadium Friday for a vigil featuring fireworks and a theatrical retelling of the country’s Catholic history.

"Thank you for your courage! Thank you for your presence," Leo told them in French. "Thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!"

At Saturday’s Mass, Leo invoked France’s Catholic heritage and drew on the biblical image of "living water," telling worshippers that Jesus Christ could satisfy humanity’s desire for "life, truth, unity, peace, communion, and happiness."

He also invoked French Catholic saints including Irenaeus, Martin and Francis de Sales while praising those who continue to work for "life, the family, truth, peace, fraternity and justice."

The sea of people rivaled some of the largest public celebrations to fill the Champs-Élysées in recent decades, including France’s World Cup victories in 1998 and 2018, according to the AP.

Leo’s four-day trip to France began Friday with a visit to the restored Notre Dame Cathedral, the first by a pope since the devastating 2019 fire.

He traveled Saturday night to Lourdes, one of the Catholic Church’s most visited pilgrimage sites.

UNITED NATIONS — Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo said his country is embracing President Donald Trump’s push for a new security alliance across the Western Hemisphere, but drew a clear line on the role American forces would play inside Colombia, telling Fox News Digital that Colombian troops — not U.S. forces — will carry out operations against the country’s armed groups.

Restrepo spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview days after joining Trump and other regional leaders at a Shield of the Americas meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Trump called the initiative the "largest and most powerful alliance for economic and national security ever to convene in the Western Hemisphere."

Trump urged members to treat what he called "narco terrorists" as common threats and impose sanctions on U.S.-designated terrorist organizations.

Restrepo said he personally discussed the region’s changing political and security landscape with Trump. The shift in Colombia comes amid a broader political realignment across Latin America, with De La Espriella’s June victory adding Colombia to a group of countries including Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama that have moved to the right, fueled in part by voter concerns over crime, economic weakness and political instability.

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"There is a wave of freedom, a wave of democracy, a wave of free market. … There is a new momentum for the region and we have to take advantage of that momentum. That's what I said to President Trump," Restrepo told Fox News Digital. "If we want to keep and preserve democracy in the region, the Shield of the Americas is going to be the best opportunity to do it."

Asked what Trump told him, Restrepo said the president agreed and expressed respect for Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella.

"Colombia is a new partner. In my opinion, it's one of the most important partners for the United States in the region," Restrepo said.

That partnership is already being tested in the fight against drug trafficking and armed groups.

WHITE HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS 'STEEPEST' EVER DECLINE IN US CASUALTIES FROM CARTELS AMID BOAT STRIKES

In August, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Colombia had authorized "joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks" and told reporters that Washington had discussed possible joint strikes against groups including the National Liberation Army, or ELN, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization, and remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

"Designated terrorist organizations, with partnered governments, will be legitimate targets of the United States government," including in Colombia, Hegseth said when asked whether such operations were expected, according to Reuters.

But when pressed by Fox News Digital on whether joint U.S.-Colombian strikes remained an option, Restrepo appeared to narrow the scope of direct American involvement.

"The United States helps us on security, helps us information, helps us on technology, but the public forces of Colombia are those who are going to act in those places," he said.

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Asked specifically whether Colombia would have the "boots on the ground," Restrepo replied: "We will have our group, our public forces on the ground."

The tougher posture comes as Colombia confronts renewed violence from armed and drug-trafficking groups. This week, De La Espriella ordered the military into Santa Marta after the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada, an illegal armed group involved in drug trafficking, responded to the killing of one of its senior leaders with an "armed strike," threats, roadblocks and attacks that left businesses shuttered and public transportation disrupted. More than 500 soldiers and 600 police officers were deployed, according to the Colombian presidency.

The new government is also seeking to reverse former President Gustavo Petro’s "total peace" policy, which pursued negotiations with several armed organizations. Before taking office, De La Espriella announced that he would dismantle key elements of the policy and reactivate arrest warrants against members of illegal armed groups.

Restrepo went further, accusing the former government of creating "the idea of impunity" and saying the new administration instead intends to confront groups it considers terrorists.

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He said that when the new government took office, "around 30%" of Colombia’s regions lacked effective territorial control — a figure Fox News Digital has not independently verified — and said the administration was seeking to regain those areas through stronger security forces, intelligence gathering, drug eradication and extraditions.

Restrepo also argued that the same security debate should extend to the United Nations, where Colombia used its General Assembly address this week to call for reforms and an international definition of terrorism. The UN has had a global counterterrorism strategy since 2006, but member states have for decades failed to agree on a comprehensive international convention defining terrorism.

Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday also announced that the country was suspending all diplomatic relations with Iran.

"This sovereign decision aligns with the pillars guiding the Government's foreign policy regarding national and hemispheric security, as well as the fight against transnational crime, taking into account alleged links between the Iranian government and international terrorist groups and other narcoterrorist groups that threaten the country's security," the Ministry wrote in a statement posted to X.

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"I think this is a moment in which the United Nations have to reflect on its own future," Restrepo told Fox News Digital, calling for greater efficiency and effectiveness as well as international agreement on terrorism.

"The only way to attain peace, which is one of the main objectives of the UN, is through confronting terrorism," he said, arguing that countries need greater intelligence sharing, judicial cooperation and coordination.

With Secretary-General António Guterres set to leave office at the end of the year, Restrepo said the transition could offer the institution an opportunity to change.

"I think that the UN has a new moment and the UN has to take advantage of that opportunity," he said.

Restrepo added that the institution also needed to address what he described as the inconsistent application of human rights standards.

"Human rights should apply to all, regardless of political considerations," Restrepo said. "Ideology cannot decide to whom we are going to apply or not human rights."

A video captured the moment two Royal Air Force pilots ejected from a training aircraft before a fiery crash in Wales.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) said the incident involving a Hawk T2 aircraft happened near Anglesey on Wednesday after the pilots departed the RAF Valley base in the northwestern part of the country.

"Both pilots are doing well, they are in extremely good spirits and expected to make a full recovery," the RAF said in a statement. "A formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is now underway and as a precautionary measure, the RAF has temporarily paused Hawk T1 and Hawk T2 flying operations."

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Footage taken by local resident Danni Jones and obtained by Storyful shows the pilots parachuting through the air after a fireball erupted in the Welsh countryside.

The RAF said on its website that the Hawk T2 "is a high-performance, 2-seat training jet equipped with advanced avionics and synthetic radar to simulate front-line combat aircraft like the Typhoon."

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"Used primarily by the RAF for advanced jet training, it prepares pilots for complex tactical environments," it added.

The cause of Wednesday's crash was not immediately clear.

"RAF Valley on Anglesey is home to No 4 Flying Training School, responsible for training the UK's next generation of world-class fighter pilots," according to the RAF. "Aircrew are also trained at RAF Valley for mountain and maritime operations throughout the world."

Pope Leo XIV began his visit to France on Friday for his fifth apostolic journey as pontiff. The four-day trip marks the first formal papal visit to the country once called "the eldest daughter of the Church" since Pope Benedict XVI’s visit in September 2008.

French bishops announced the visit’s theme as "That the world may have life," and it comes as the officially secular nation is seeing an influx of new baptisms. So far this year, according to the Conference of Bishops of France, more than 21,000 adults have joined the Church, an increase driven by 18- to 25-year-olds.

"Pope Leo's visit to France has sparked a real tidal wave" of interest, retired French Bishop Marc Stenger told Reuters. "French Catholics are… saying ​loudly that they need the Church to find their way in these uncertain moments in world history."

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The rise comes after a 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades, and said the Church had shown "deep, total and even cruel indifference" ​to victims. Stenger, who led the Diocese of Troyes from 1999 to 2020, told Reuters the scandals "have deeply wounded the Church and damaged its credibility."

In what is described as an unusual move, the Vatican press office announced Pope Leo will meet privately in Lourdes with seven of those victims as part of a message of healing and vulnerability.

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The Vatican calls the trip "a journey that unites faith and public engagement, memory and the future, with listening and bridge-building at its heart." After being greeted by French President Emmanuel Macron and a courtesy visit to Élysée Palace on Friday, Pope Leo is scheduled to make 15 speeches during his visit. He is expected to speak on several spiritual and societal themes, including the need to protect immigrants, the sick and unborn and defend human dignity in the era of AI, and address themes of peace, culture and unity.

French bishops have expressed surprise at the level of interest in the visit. The Associated Press reports organizers for Pope Leo’s Saturday Mass at Paris’ Place de la Concorde, expecting up to 1 million people, have lengthened the security perimeter, extending the site beyond the 1.2-mile length of the Champs-Élysées, where Pope Leo will parade in the popemobile.

Among his more noteworthy stops, Pope Leo will worship and speak on Sunday at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, one of Christianity’s most-visited pilgrimage destinations, especially popular with the sick. It is where an ailing Pope John Paul II, on his final foreign trip in 2004, delivered a forceful condemnation of abortion and euthanasia.

Pope Leo’s visit, however, comes after France’s recent national debate and subsequent passage of legislation allowing adults with incurable illnesses to receive lethal medication. That followed 2024 legislation enshrining abortion as a constitutional right.

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On Friday, Pope Leo will speak at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says Leo will likely reiterate his call for an AI slowdown and speak "with regard to the meaning of existence, to what makes human beings human and what does not."

The speech comes after the pope’s May manifesto in which Leo warned of the dangers of AI and urged international regulation of the industry. His position again puts him at odds with President Trump, who has encouraged AI innovation so the U.S. can compete with and surpass China.

Following his UNESCO visit, Pope Leo holds a prayer service at the newly-restored Cathedral of Notre-Dame, marking the first papal visit since a 2019 fire nearly destroyed one of France’s national landmarks.

He concludes his trip on Monday with a symbolic full-day visit to the border city of Metz, the birthplace of former French Prime Minister Robert Schuman, considered one of the founding fathers of the European Union. It is a backdrop the Vatican says the pope will use to "champion friendship among European peoples."

French Ambassador to the Vatican Charles Personnaz told Reuters that Macron has invited leaders from all 27 EU members to attend the speech and meet with the Pontiff. Other media reports say Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may also attend.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian flatly denied Thursday that Tehran wants a nuclear bomb while claiming Iran is willing to submit its nuclear program for international inspection, blaming Washington for the nearly seven-month war in the Middle East and accusing it of blocking diplomacy.

Asked point-blank during an exclusive interview on Fox News’ "Special Report," "Do you want a nuclear bomb or not?" Pezeshkian firmly rejected the premise.

"Not at all. Not at all. Our martyred, esteemed supreme leader had announced several times that, from a religious decree, it is unholy. It is illegal," he told Bret Baier, referencing religious edicts issued against weapons of mass destruction.

IRAN 'ALREADY AGREED' TO GIVING UP NUCLEAR WEAPON AMBITIONS, TRUMP REVEALS

The Iranian leader's public denial came amid long-term international scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program and its enrichment of uranium to levels well beyond those typically used for civilian nuclear power.

This became President Donald Trump's central rationale for launching Operation Epic Fury in February.

On Thursday, however, Pezeshkian indicated Tehran would be open to lowering its enrichment levels and allowing outside verification as part of an effort to ease nuclear tensions.

"So, that weapon's mass destruction. We said we’re willing to dilute them. It’s not a big deal. We are willing to submit ourselves to verification," he said.

Pezeshkian also pointed to the failed memorandum of understanding, or MOU, signed by him and President Donald Trump in June intended to halt hostilities and establish a framework for a broader U.S.-Iran agreement.

The process was intended by Washington to lead to an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and included a 60-day process toward that final agreement.

"We have no problems. We did reach an agreement with your president," Pezeshkian said of Trump, who signed the agreement.

"That agreement was signed, and, based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward.

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL HINGES ON IAEA ACCESS TO LONG-BLOCKED ATOMIC WEAPON SITES, EXPERTS SAY

"And the framework was agreed upon. We had not closed the Strait of Hormuz; it was open without any legal justification or framework," he said.

"They attacked us. They assassinated and martyred our esteemed supreme leader, our scientists, our military commanders and government."

Pezeshkian then criticized Washington for the subsequent breakdown in diplomacy but insisted Tehran remains prepared to reach an agreement.

"The problem is that America, instead of conducting dialog, they descend into the arena by bombing us first, by blocking every pathway. We are ready," he said.

"This is not the way to conduct yourself on the world stage. They can have free access to see whatever we have, but not to put us under such pressure, under blockades, deny us access."

Pezeshkian also placed broader blame on Washington for the war.

"We do not seek to kill Americans, as shown by actions, demonstrable actions. America has sought to kill Iranians," Pezeshkian said. "What we know is that if we’re attacked, we must defend ourselves."

TRUMP BETS ECONOMIC PRESSURE CAN SQUEEZE IRAN AS REGIME’S OWN FAILURES DEEPEN THE PAIN

Addressing U.S. military strikes — including Operation Outcast — and increasing secondary sanctions, Pezeshkian said Iran would continue resisting Washington’s campaign.

"This is something that has been the doing of the United States," he said. "We will keep resisting. We will find ways, and the life of our country will continue. We will remain.

"Yes, we do have economic issues, certainly. But in order to remain, we will go through any hardship and endure.

"If America thinks that they can keep sanctioning us, we have nothing to do, nor do we consider any type of American elections. If the current American government, within international legal frameworks, wishes to reach an agreement, fine. If not, before the elections or after the elections, what difference does it make for us?"

Pezeshkian repeated that Iran does not want the war to continue, while blaming Israel for helping provoke the conflict and putting responsibility on Washington to bring it to an end.

TRUMP GIVES EVERY NATION AN EASY CHOICE: DO BUSINESS WITH AMERICA OR TERRORIST IRAN

"We will stand resolutely to defend ourselves. We never sought war. We do not seek war," he said.

"I deeply believe that humans should not cause the death of another human. But with the instigations conducted by Israel, they have imposed this war on us.

"But we do not wish to continue. It’s America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not."

The Iranian president also addressed reports that Iranian forces used Chinese satellite imagery to carry out a deadly strike on a U.S. base in Jordan. The attack resulted in the deaths of three U.S. service members.

When questioned about the reports, Pezeshkian denied direct knowledge.

"I’m specifically unaware of these purported images that you talk about," Pezeshkian said. 

"Now, what do militaries do with one another between two countries? It is their own business within their own guidelines."

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. — When Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the United Nations General Assembly, he portrayed his nation as the victim of American and Israeli terrorism.

But outside the hall, a thousand protesters chanted that he should be arrested for being a terrorist.

"They are terrorists. They must go!" the crowd repeatedly shouted, waving green, white and red flags of the resistance.

THE TOP MOMENTS FROM IRAN PRESIDENT’S TENSE VISIT TO US SOIL AS WAR RAGES

"The president of Iran speaks and lies over and over again. He is a murderer. He is a terrorist," former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told the gathering.

"It is useless to negotiate with them because they are terrorists, murderers, possibly in some ways insane religious maniacs. This would be like trying to reach an agreement with Hitler."

Various former high-level government officials struck the same tone, slamming the radical Islamic regime they say has savagely oppressed and butchered the Iranian people for decades. Estimates say upward of 20,000 protestors who took to the streets of Iran earlier this year demanding freedom have been murdered by the government. Reports of executions of political prisoners continue each week.

"It is time now to free Iran from the mullahs," Retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg, who has served in both Trump administrations, told the gathering, "You have a road map to a secular, non-nuclear Republic of Iran, one that rejoins the free world as a friend."

TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH

Former U.S. Ambassador Marc Ginsberg urged Congress to pass the Maximum Support Act, legislation that would crack down on Iran's resources, confiscate assets of the government and support internet freedom so the Iranian people could organize and have a voice.

"All you have to do, President Trump, is to provide the funding and the support that we need, the tools the Iranian people need," Ginsberg said. "That is the type of help you promised. That is the type of help you can still provide and bring the United States closer to this exit ramp from this war and to accelerate our speed as Iran's arsenal of democracy."

"The people of Iran have rejected every form of dictatorship, whether religious or monarchical," Maryam Rajavi said in a video message to the rally. She is president-elect of the group that sponsored the protest, the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

"The voice of protest from Iran's oppressed people is being heard. The voice rejects the continued occupation of Iran's seat by religious fanatics," she said, referring to the regime's membership in the world body.

US-BACKED ISRAEL-MOROCCO DEAL DEEPENS ABRAHAM ACCORDS AMID GROWING REGIONAL THREATS

The rally was held over a two-day period, and the message to the United Nations diplomats remained consistent.

"The regime only responds to firmness and decisiveness. And that's why sanctions and putting pressure on Iran has been the only solution in terms of external pressure," Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the NCRI Washington, D.C., office told Fox News.                                                

"The regime is incapable of reform and change. If they were able, they would have done it a long time ago. The real solution for Iran is change by the people of Iran. They can have any talks, any concessions, none of that is going to change the behavior of the regime.   

"The real Iran is represented by the people of Iran," he added. "The real change has to come from within."

UNITED NATIONS — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister warned Thursday that the growing threat from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis extends far beyond his country's borders, calling for international cooperation to protect critical shipping routes after Saudi forces intercepted six ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Fox News Digital that Riyadh was coordinating with Washington and other international partners as Houthi attacks threatened Saudi territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

The Saudi-led coalition said Thursday that its air defenses had intercepted six ballistic missiles allegedly launched by the Houthis toward the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu, according to Reuters. It was not immediately clear whether the attacks caused casualties or damage.

AMERICANS WARNED AGAIN TO RETHINK TRAVEL AS MISSILE ATTACK RATTLES HISTORIC REGION

Saudi authorities also issued emergency warnings across several areas, including Jeddah and Mecca, before announcing that the immediate danger had passed. Yanbu, a major Red Sea oil export hub, has become particularly important as the war with Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Asked by Fox News Digital whether Saudi Arabia was receiving the support it needed from the US following reports that President Donald Trump had declined Saudi requests for direct military intervention against the Houthis, Prince Faisal emphasized the kingdom's ability to defend itself while calling for a broader international response.

"So we are, of course, defending ourselves. And we are responding as necessary to the attacks by the Houthis. But we are also, of course, coordinating with all of our international allies, because this is not just about Saudi Arabia," he said.

IRAN’S PROXY MONEY MACHINE: HOW THE HOUTHIS BUILT A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR NETWORK DESPITE US SANCTIONS

"The fact that the Houthis are threatening the Bab el-Mandeb, threatening international shipping, is a risk to international security stability. That means that the responsibility to dealing with this threat is not just on Saudi Arabia, it is also on the whole international community."

The foreign minister thanked countries already working with Riyadh and confirmed that discussions with Washington were continuing.

"And we are obviously continuing to work with our partners in the U.S., to address the issue of this conflict as well," he said.

HOUTHIS ENTER US 'KILL BOX' AFTER SEIZING RED SEA 'CORK,' FORMER PENTAGON OFFICIAL WARNS

His remarks came as the Trump administration faced renewed requests from Saudi Arabia to take military action against the Houthis.

According to a Sept. 21 Axios report, Trump considered ordering strikes against the group over the weekend but ultimately decided against them. The report said Saudi officials had again sought American military assistance as Houthi forces advanced in Yemen, while the U.S. continued providing intelligence and targeting support without directly entering the fighting.

The Houthis' territorial advances have intensified concerns over control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and a crucial route for international trade and Saudi oil exports.

The group has expanded its control along Yemen's western coastline in recent weeks, reaching the shores of the strategic waterway as fighting with Saudi-backed government forces escalated.

UNITED NATIONS — Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs warned Wednesday that military cooperation between Russia and Iran poses a growing security concern, telling Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview that Iranian drone technology has helped Moscow wage war in Ukraine as Latvia prepares to contribute to a U.S.-led effort in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Rinkēvičs said Latvia, a country of approximately 1.84 million and still a core member of NATO's eastern flank, has already made the political decision to send military specialists to support international operations in the Middle East in response to President Donald Trump's request for European assistance.

"Yes, I am concerned. Actually, we have already seen Iran helping Russia a lot, especially at the very beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine," Rinkēvičs said when asked about the growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

PUTIN AND IRAN 'NEED EACH OTHER DESPERATELY,' EXPERT SAYS, AS RUSSIA VOICES SUPPORT FOR REGIME

"The first drones Iranian made, or Iranian-designed drones, were used by Russia. Now Russians are actually modernizing them, making completely new technologies. But, actually, the design is still Iranian."

Earlier this week, Fox News Digital revealed documents obtained from the Russian Foreign Ministry detailing a roadmap between Russia and Iran for cooperation between 2024-2026 in multiple fields, including nuclear, finance and aviation, as well as infrastructure.

Asked whether Europe should take a more active role in countering Iran's military activities and respond to Trump's call for support, Rinkēvičs confirmed that Latvia has already taken steps toward joining an international effort in the Strait of Hormuz.

BATTLE-TESTED ZELENSKYY SOUNDS CHILLING ALARM ON WHERE PUTIN’S WAR COULD HEAD NEXT

"From our side, we have already made a parliamentary decision. That our EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) diver specialists could be sent to the Strait of Hormuz or to the Middle East to help out the United States, the coalition that is being formed," he said.

Rinkēvičs said Latvia hopes military activities will give way to a political solution and the restoration of global energy supplies, while expressing skepticism about the prospects for negotiations with Tehran and Moscow. 

"It's very, very difficult to have diplomacy with Iran. It's very difficult with Russia," he said.

Turning to the security situation in Europe, Rinkēvičs said Latvia does not see evidence of an imminent Russian military invasion despite growing concerns about Moscow's intentions toward NATO's eastern flank.

"If Russia were able to attack us ... that would have happened already," he said. "The Russian military is not the same as it used to be back in 2022. Remember they tried to take Kyiv in three days. They are still trying to take some certain small pieces of Ukrainian territory 4½ years after the full-fledged."

IRAN’S DRONE HUNT ESCALATES AS TEHRAN TARGETS US SPY TECH TO EXPOSE BATTLEFIELD SECRETS

Explaining the immediate threat to Latvia comes instead from sabotage, cyberattacks and information campaigns, which he described as intensifying, adding that European leaders face the difficult task of preparing their populations for potential threats without creating unnecessary panic.

Rinkēvičs also warned that NATO must accelerate its adaptation to the rapidly changing nature of warfare, particularly the growing role of drones and missile technology.

While traditional military equipment, including tanks and armored personnel carriers, remains essential, the president said the war in Ukraine has demonstrated how quickly new technologies are transforming the battlefield.

The president welcomed increased NATO defense spending, crediting Trump's push for greater investment, but cautioned that additional funding alone would not resolve the alliance's military readiness challenges.

"You have money, but not always you can buy the stuff immediately, or at least you can order things. And they are delivered soon enough," he said.

Rinkēvičs said he plans to meet with U.S. defense companies during his visit to the U.S., saying, "When it comes to the U.S. support, let me just say that the United States does an amazing job already. We do have U.S. troops, not big numbers, but I think sufficient numbers are now stationed in our airbase in Lielvārde.

"U.S. presence in the Baltics is very important, and we are working with our U.S. partners about further rotations."

UNITED NATIONS - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the United Nations of applying double standards to global conflicts, arguing that the international community's focus on Gaza has overshadowed Russia's war in Ukraine and other humanitarian crises, while revealing that President Donald Trump has promised to visit Slovenia, the homeland of First Lady Melania Trump.

Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Janša said the international body must give greater attention to conflicts beyond the Middle East rather than concentrating its diplomatic efforts on a single crisis.

"We have to get rid of double standards," Janša said, calling for the UN to apply its available diplomatic and security tools equally instead of putting its attention, money and energy into one conflict while neglecting others.

MIDDLE EAST TAKES CENTER STAGE AT UN AS REGIONAL LEADERS CONFRONT IRAN WAR, GAZA AND HOUTHI THREAT

The Slovenian leader said he was struck by how extensively Gaza dominated speeches during the opening of the General Assembly, while Ukraine, a war much closer to his country's borders, received comparatively less attention.

For Slovenia and other European countries, he said, Russia's invasion represents an immediate security threat, with no clear indication that Moscow is prepared to negotiate an end to the fighting.

Janša argued that the UN was established to prevent such conflicts and should not allow its attention to be consumed by one region.

He also pointed to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other humanitarian crises, arguing that the international body must recognize that different countries face different security and humanitarian challenges.

TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH

Janša said he intends to raise the issue during his own address to the General Assembly, scheduled for Thursday.

His criticism comes as Slovenia undergoes a significant shift in its foreign policy, particularly toward Israel.

Under the previous government of Prime Minister Robert Golob, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024 and imposed an arms embargo on Israel in July 2025. The government defended those measures as necessary to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international law.

Since returning to power, Janša has sought to strengthen Slovenia's relationship with Israel, marking a shift from the previous government's more critical approach toward the Jewish state.

Earlier this month, Israel opened its first resident embassy in Slovenia, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar visited the country for talks aimed at expanding political and economic cooperation. The two governments also signed a cooperation program covering education, science, culture, youth and sports through 2030.

Janša described his government's approach as a return to the traditionally good relations between the two countries rather than a dramatic diplomatic realignment.

US-BACKED ISRAEL-MOROCCO DEAL DEEPENS ABRAHAM ACCORDS AMID GROWING REGIONAL THREATS

He also criticized European governments that, in his view, have failed to recognize the broader strategic connections between Iran, Russia and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Janša said he has supported the Iranian opposition for decades and argued that lasting peace in the Middle East would remain elusive without political change in Tehran.

He accused some European governments of applying inconsistent standards by supporting Ukraine while taking positions toward Iran that he believes fail to account for Tehran’s relationship with Moscow, citing Ireland and Spain as well as Slovenia under the previous government before this year’s change in leadership.

Janša also suggested that some European leaders have used the Palestinian issue to divert public attention from domestic economic and political problems, particularly ahead of elections.

The prime minister's visit to New York also provided an opportunity to strengthen Slovenia's relationship with Washington, a relationship that carries a personal dimension because of the country's most prominent American connection: First Lady Melania Trump.

Born in Slovenia in 1970, Melania Trump grew up in the town of Sevnica before moving to the United States and becoming the nation's second foreign-born first lady.

The prime minister praised Melania Trump’s work on initiatives for children, describing her role in the White House as a source of pride for many Slovenians. He said his wife met the first lady for the first time on Tuesday and that he also spoke briefly with President Trump.

According to Janša, he invited Trump to visit Slovenia and received a positive response. "He promised he'll come," Janša told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital's Tyler Speicher contributed to this report.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s sharp rebuke of Washington at the United Nations would have drawn little more than a "smirk" from President Donald Trump, who knows he "holds the cards," a foreign policy expert told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

The assessment came after Pezeshkian and Trump addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York from the same podium within 24 hours of each other, trading sharp rhetoric as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to mount.

"Trump understands he holds the cards, and he may not even have paid much attention to what the Iranian president was saying," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital.

Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran while portraying his country as the victim of aggression.

THE TOP MOMENTS FROM IRAN PRESIDENT’S TENSE VISIT TO US SOIL AS WAR RAGES

"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian claimed.

"Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. America and Israel attacked us," he said.

"I’m sure that would have drawn a smirk or a smile or a chuckle from the president’s face, seeing that crassness," Taleblu said, pointing to what he described as a sharp contrast between Pezeshkian’s rhetoric and the Iranian government’s track record.

Pezeshkian’s address came after Trump used the same U.N. stage to defend the U.S. conflict with Iran and warn that Tehran faced a stark choice between reaching a deal and facing further destruction.

"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?" Trump said on Tuesday.

While the rhetoric from both leaders was pointed, Taleblu said their broader diplomatic positions remain largely predictable.

TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH

"To a certain degree, both President Trump and President Pezeshkian’s speeches before the U.N. General Assembly’s 81st session were predictable," Taleblu said.

"Predictable because the status of both countries and their foreign policy toward the other are in a fairly predictable pattern right now," he added,

Despite the threats and recriminations, the two adversaries also appear to be still testing a diplomatic path behind the scenes.

Trump said Tuesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with Iranian officials for roughly three hours on the sidelines of the General Assembly and characterized the discussions as productive.

Witkoff later said the talks were conducted through mediators who shuttled between the U.S. and Iranian delegations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also represented Tehran in the discussions, according to reports.

KUSHNER TOUTS UNPRECEDENTED IRAN CONTACTS AS TEHRAN DENIES TRUMP BACKCHANNEL

Both sides, Taleblu said, are attempting "to make time a weapon on their side" and "to put the burden of choosing between escalation and engagement on the other."

But Taleblu went on to characterize Pezeshkian’s broader message as an attempt to cast Iran as a victim through an anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-imperialist framework.

"It seemed to be more of a global South, anti-American, anti-Israeli, kind of anti-colonial, anti-imperialist message that he was looking to kind of paint the Islamic Republic as the victim," Taleblu said.

"In reality, the long-serving victim in this entire crisis is the Iranian people because of the policies of the Islamic Republic."

The competing messages — confrontation from the U.N. podium and diplomacy behind the scenes — highlighted the unresolved tensions between Washington and Tehran as officials explore whether negotiations can produce an off-ramp from the conflict.

TRUMP KEEPS FORECASTING AN IRAN DEAL — WHY THE WHITE HOUSE STILL THINKS IT CAN HAPPEN

"Despite the tough talk at the podium, both sides still feel like they need to signal an interest in talks, even though they’re both trying to use talks to shape an outcome that is more conducive to their interests," Taleblu said.

Pezeshkian also told the General Assembly that Tehran would not surrender to military pressure while signaling that Iran remained open to diplomacy.

"I think the Iranians are trying to signal an interest in talks, but they may run into a brick wall quite soon if they foot-drag or delay or don’t meaningfully provide any kind of substantive change in their policy," Taleblu said, citing Iran’s positions on the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program.

"Ultimately, if the positions remain the same, the fact that they’re oscillating between shooting and talking doesn’t mean much because the red lines haven’t actually moved," Taleblu said.

"Of course, the Trump administration is looking for a political win here," he concluded.