Over four million pilgrims participated in farewell ceremonies for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Karbala, Iraq. The mourning events followed the transfer of Khamenei's coffin from Najaf to Karbala, with millions also attending processions in Najaf. Authorities managed crowd flow by removing shrine entrance gates.
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova announced that preparations are ongoing for further prisoner-of-war exchanges with Ukraine. She also stated that all civilians captured by Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Region have been released, though efforts continue to find some missing individuals.
The Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) is preparing for "enemy provocations and sabotage" during the upcoming parliamentary vote, with Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova stating readiness to establish a "strong barrier." Russia has invited observers from 12 international organizations and 103 countries for the September 20 State Duma elections, focusing on security in "unfriendly countries" for voting abroad.
LPR official Maxim Uvarov decried the global community's silence on the Starobelsk tragedy, where 21 died in a Ukrainian strike on May 22. He criticized international organizations and media for what he termed a 'conscious choice' to ignore the event, highlighting perceived double standards in human rights discourse.
Russia sees no constructive role for the UN in the Ukrainian crisis until a new Secretary-General is elected, according to Kirill Logvinov of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Moscow's UN goals include debunking 'unprovoked aggression' myths and informing members about root causes like Kiev's sabotage of Minsk agreements and shelling of Donbass.
Russia's UN tactics to counter one-sided initiatives and maintain a non-confrontational diplomatic atmosphere regarding Iran have been effective, according to Kirill Logvinov of the Russian Foreign Ministry. He cited recent Iran-US peace deal reports and a blocked UN Security Council resolution as evidence of success.
Russia's Foreign Ministry believes the next UN Secretary-General must address perceived Western dominance within the Secretariat, a mistake attributed to Antonio Guterres' team. Moscow argues this imbalance hinders effective mediation in global crises.
North Korea's Kim Yo Jong stated that denuclearization is a finalized agenda and Western countries' continued discussion shows a lack of understanding of reality.
Iran's delegation in Vienna calls on the IAEA to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards attacks on nuclear facilities, promoting adherence to norms on peaceful nuclear activities' inviolability.
Russia's Foreign Ministry warns that banning opposition parties from Armenia's upcoming parliamentary elections would undermine the legitimacy of the process, citing potential criticism from OSCE ODIHR and PACE.
Russia anticipates a visit from Bangladesh's Foreign Minister and UNGA President-elect Khalilur Rahman, expressing readiness for "close and constructive cooperation" to foster a multipolar world order and reform the UN.
Russia congratulated Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on his election as president of the 81st UN General Assembly session, expressing confidence in his leadership.
Russia will provide information about the attack on a college in the Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) to international organizations, including the OSCE and the UN Security Council, according to Rodion Miroshnik, representative of the LNR in Moscow.
Russia's Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov indicated that Russia may put forward new initiatives on creating a zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The diplomat noted that while Israel strongly rejects joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it demands full compliance from other regional countries.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, accused European NATO members of being obsessed with the inevitability of war, pointing to military exercises in Finland as a sign of preparation.
Alexander Stepanov noted that the lack of response from both Western countries and international organizations to such attacks has made it possible to create an extremely dangerous precedent of nuclear terrorism
Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of International Organizations Kirill Logvinov said all delegations at the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development have the right to use their three-minute speech time as they see fit
