— 🇺🇸/🇨🇳 NEW: Republican members of Congress have filed a resolution to encourage President Donald Trump to abandon the 'One China Policy' and recognize the island of Taiwan, as autonomous

Diplomatic relations between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China were established in 1979 on the condition that the U.S. recognizes there is only one China, and that Taiwan is a province, a policy which Beijing has with any country that wishes to have diplomatic and economic ties.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇮🇳 NEW: Marko Elez, a 25-year-old staffer at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has resigned after the Wall Street Journal uncovered 'tweets promoting racism and eugenics,' including one that wrote 'normalize Indian hate' and suggested Indian H1B workers would be replaced by 'slightly smarter LLMs.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

He's still going

—❗️🇮🇷/🇺🇸 Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei: 'Negotiations with the United States are useless, and will not benefit the country in any way'

In his speech today, the Supreme Leader once again emphasized that negotiating with the U.S. is not of any benefit to the Iranian nation:

'For some time now, you have been hearing, in newspapers, in cyberspace, and in the words of various people, that there is discussion about negotiations with America.

They mention the word 'negotiation', saying, 'Sir, negotiation is a good thing,' as if someone is opposed to the goodness of negotiation. Today, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of the busiest foreign ministries globally. That is its job, after all. It negotiates with countries around the world — Eastern, Western, all kinds — it travels back and forth, speaks, and signs agreements.

The exception that exists is America. Of course, I do not mention the Zionist regime because it is not a real country. The Zionist regime is a gang of criminals who came and occupied a land and are committing crimes. That is not a subject of discussion. The exception is America. Why is it an exception? What is the reason?

Negotiating with America has no effect on solving the country's problems. We must understand this. They should not make it seem as if sitting at the table with that government will solve this or that problem. No, not at all.

No problem is solved through negotiations with America. The reason? Experience. In the 2010's, we sat down and negotiated with America for about two years. A treaty was formed with them (JCPOA).

Our government sat down and negotiated. They went, came, sat, stood, negotiated, talked, laughed, shook hands, became friends — they did everything. A treaty was formed. In this treaty, the Iranian side was very generous. It gave many concessions to the other side. But the Americans did not implement the treaty.

The very person who is now in office [Trump] tore up this treaty. He said, 'I will tear it up,' and he did. Even before he came, those with whom this treaty was signed did not implement it. The treaty was meant to lift U.S. sanctions. The U.S. sanctions were not lifted at all.

We should learn from this experience. We gave concessions, we negotiated, we compromised, but we did not achieve any result. That is what happened. Even this treaty, with all the concessions we gave, was still undermined, violated, and torn apart by the other side.

Negotiating with such a government should not be done. Negotiation with them is neither wise, nor intelligent, nor honorable. We must solve our problems internally, not relying on outside factors.

As for the Americans, they comment on us, they talk, they express their opinions, they issue threats. If they threaten us, we will threaten them. If they carry out their threat, we will carry out our threat as well. If they violate the security of our nation, we will undoubtedly violate their security as well. This is our duty.'

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— 🇮🇷/🇺🇸 NOTE: The Supreme Leader's comments today are quite unequivocal, and honestly unprecedented. In Iran, Khamenei's word is final.

Negotiations with the U.S. are now truly off the table, unless President Pezeshkian and his administration openly challenge the words of the Supreme Leader.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇷🇺/🇺🇦 New: The Russian Ministry of Defense has officially announced the capture of the city of Toretsk (Dzerzhynsk)

This was the last Ukrainian stronghold on the pre-2022 frontline.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🌍 NEW: Massive backlash from basically the entire world, after Trump sanctioned the International Criminal Court, with 79 countries issueing a joint statement

The statement reads that the U.S. is 'eroding the international rule of law', and it strongly condemns the U.S. financial sanctions and visa restrictions against ICC staff.

The statement was signed by: Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jordan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇱/🇵🇸 NEW: Hamas has handed over the list of three male hostages due to be released tomorrow after a brief delay.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇹🇷/🇦🇫 NEW: The Embassy of Afghanistan in Ankara has been handed over to the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Since 2021, 17 nations have transferred control of the Afghan embassies in their countries from the previous government over to the Taliban-led government.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷/🇺🇸 NEW: After the crystal clear statements by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei today against negotiations with the United States, and following the frustrated reactions from Pezeshkian-aligned media, Iranian newspaper 'Vatan Emrooz' published a fitting headline: 'Did you get the message now?'

@Middle_East_Spectator

Trump will fire Elon Musk, probably in less than a year. Just wait and see.

— 🇮🇱/🇺🇸 NEW: A Jewish restaurant in New York City was forced to close down, after the restaurant was discovered presenting two different menu cards to its customers – one for 'regular' customers, and one for Jews, with significantly cheaper prices

After an investigation by local police, the owner, 43 year old Moshe Feinman, was also found guilty on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit tax fraud.

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