Foreign Affairs

Iran has rejected calls for renewed talks with the United States after President Donald Trump said he was open to discussions aimed at ending the Middle East war. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, says there will be no negotiations with Washington until Iran’s demands are met. Trump had earlier said Iran was eager to reach a deal and that the United States was open to engaging in talks. Iran has demanded war reparations and the lifting of sanctions as conditions for ending the conflict and its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The latest development comes after weeks of mixed signals from Washington over whether negotiations with Tehran could resume. For now, Iran maintains that talks with the United States are off the table until its conditions are addressed.

The British government has committed £100 million, about $135 million, to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence capabilities ahead of winter. The UK Defence Ministry says the support includes Patriot missiles, air defence interceptors, large-calibre artillery rounds and drones. The contribution is part of a NATO programme supporting Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian attacks.

Hundreds of masked anti-migrant protesters had blocked access to the Port of Dover in southern England, briefly disrupting ferry traffic between the United Kingdom and France. The protest had stopped all routes into and out of the terminal before police dispersed the demonstrators. No arrests or reports of violence had been recorded. The protesters, many dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, had chanted against migrant boat crossings as they faced a police line. The disruption had affected passengers and freight operations at one of Britain’s busiest international ferry ports. The Port of Dover handles thousands of passenger and freight vehicles daily and accounts for about a third of Britain’s goods trade with the European Union.

Sustained gunfire and explosions were reported across several parts of Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic, early Saturday, with Diori Hamani International Airport emerging as a major target. The airport, located about 10 kilometres from the presidential palace, also houses a major air force base. The attack marked the third assault on the city this year, as tensions continued under the military government that came to power following the 2023 coup. A member of Niger’s Bureau of the Consultative Council and deputy in the Alliance of Sahel States Parliament, Bana Wagana Ibrahim, confirmed the incident, saying the attack on Base 101 had been brought under control. A security source said terrorists attacked the airport and attempted to breach the security perimeter around the presidential palace. The latest incident occurred barely two months after gunmen attacked the airport in June, killing 11 security personnel and two civilians. Twenty-two attackers were also killed during the incident. The Islamic State had previously claimed responsibility for an attack on the airport in January. General Abdourahamane Tchiani has remained in power since the July 2023 coup that ousted former President Mohamed Bazoum.

At least 27 people were killed in Zimbabwe after a truck collided head-on with a minibus carrying church worshippers. The accident occurred on Friday evening near Chivhu, about 140 kilometres south of the capital, Harare. Police said the foreign-registered haulage truck was overtaking another vehicle when it crashed into the minibus, which was carrying worshippers to a church conference. Seven people were injured in the crash, while the total number of passengers in both vehicles remained unknown. The accident was described as the latest deadly road crash in Zimbabwe, where road accidents remain common.

A US Congressman, Riley Moore, has said the United States should not remove Nigeria from its Country of Particular Concern, CPC, designation, citing continued attacks against Christians in parts of the country. Moore said the Nigerian government must do more to protect Christian communities and hold those responsible for attacks accountable. His comments followed a recent attack in Plateau State, where more than 24 people were reportedly killed and several others remained missing. The US Bureau of African Affairs had also condemned the attack and urged the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, the Christian Elders and Professionals Consultative Council of Nigeria supported the concerns raised by the US, while stressing that Christians, Muslims and traditional religious practitioners all deserved equal protection. The group called for thorough investigations and prosecution of those responsible for killings, kidnappings and displacement, while urging the government to improve intelligence gathering, early warning systems and security responses. Nigeria was first designated a CPC by the US in 2020, removed from the list in 2021, and later returned to the designation under the Trump administration. The status is reviewed annually, with the next review scheduled for November.

The South African Consulate in Lagos has denied reports that it stopped issuing visas to Nigerians amid ongoing anti-migrant protests in South Africa. The Consul General, Professor Bobby Moroe, said visa applications were still being processed and that qualified Nigerian applicants would not be denied visas because of the protests. Moroe made the clarification during a round-table organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, adding that Nigerians continued to travel to South Africa for tourism and other legitimate purposes. He said visa applicants would only be denied if they failed to meet the requirements for the category of visa they applied for, stressing that Nigerians would not be discriminated against. The consul general also highlighted South Africa’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation system, which was designed to make travel authorisation faster and more convenient. He said the digital system had reduced documentation requirements and allowed prospective travellers to apply using their mobile devices.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has raised fresh concerns over attacks on religious communities in Nigeria, with its newly elected chairman, Asif Mahmood, naming the country as his top priority. Mahmood, speaking in an interview with OSV News, said the commission remained deeply concerned about violence linked to Islamic extremist groups, including Boko Haram, as well as conflicts between farmers and herders that have contributed to insecurity and displacement across parts of Nigeria. He said the commission’s focus was on seeing tangible improvements, including the recovery of kidnapped victims and ensuring that Nigerians could worship safely without facing violence. The USCIRF had previously called on the United States to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged systematic violations of religious freedom. Former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria under the classification in 2025. Mahmood also criticised the Nigerian government, accusing it of failing to adequately respond to attacks on religious communities by non-state actors. He said USCIRF’s assessment was based on conditions faced by families and communities, including whether people could attend churches and other places of worship safely. Meanwhile, Mahmood said the commission had resumed its work after securing a quorum, but urged the Trump administration to fill three outstanding commissioner vacancies and appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. He stressed that USCIRF’s mandate covered people of all faiths facing religious repression and said its goal was to help anyone experiencing persecution because of their religion.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Yakubu Gambo, has raised concerns over Nigerians who remain in Saudi prisons and detention centres despite completing their jail terms because they cannot afford to pay outstanding fines. Gambo disclosed this during a meeting with the Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja. According to the ambassador, the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia is working to address the challenges faced by Nigerians in the Kingdom, particularly those in detention who are unable to return home after serving their sentences. He also revealed that the mission had asked Nigerian associations in Saudi Arabia to unite under a single umbrella to improve coordination and make it easier for the embassy to address issues affecting Nigerians in the country. Gambo stressed that Nigerians in Saudi Arabia should not be viewed mainly through the lens of criminal cases, noting that many have built successful careers and businesses in the Kingdom. He said Nigerian doctors, engineers, teachers, artisans and traders, as well as families who have lived in Saudi Arabia for decades, continue to make positive contributions to the country. Nigeria’s Consul General in Jeddah, Ambassador Muazam I.J. Nayaya, identified consular services as another major challenge. He said officials issue dozens of emergency travel certificates daily to Nigerians in detention who are seeking to return home. Responding, Dabiri-Erewa assured the delegation that NiDCOM would continue working with the Nigerian Mission to improve the welfare of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia. She also encouraged Nigerians in the Kingdom to register on NiDCOM’s Diaspora Data Mapping Portal to help the government improve planning and engagement with citizens abroad. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the interests and welfare of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia while strengthening their contribution to Nigeria’s development.

At least 34 workers have been confirmed dead following a methane gas explosion at a coal mine in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, authorities said. The blast occurred on Thursday at a mine near the provincial capital, triggering a rescue operation that continued into the night. In a statement issued early Friday, the Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority said rescue teams had recovered 34 bodies from the site. “According to information received from the deployed teams, 34 dead bodies have been recovered,” the agency said. It added that rescue efforts were still ongoing to locate and recover other miners believed to be trapped underground, although officials did not disclose the total number of workers in the mine at the time of the explosion. Authorities said the explosion was caused by a buildup of methane gas, a common hazard in underground coal mining. Mining accidents are frequent in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, where poor safety standards and hazardous working conditions have contributed to recurring fatalities. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land area, remains the country’s least developed region, with persistent challenges in education, employment and economic development despite its abundant natural resources.