By President Masoud Pezeshkian

Copyright beijingbulletin

China respects corporate will on TikTok issue, urges fair U.S. treatment: commerce ministry

China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that China’s position on the TikTok issue is clear, emphasizing the Chinese government’s respect for the will of enterprises.

The ministry highlighted that the country welcomes companies to conduct business negotiations in line with market rules to reach solutions that comply with Chinese laws and regulations and balance interests of all parties.

The ministry stated that China hopes the United States will move in the same direction and fully honor its commitments, provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, including TikTok, to continue operating in the United States, and promote stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.

Trump signs proclamation raising H-1B visa fee for employers to 100,000 USD

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation raising the fee that companies pay to sponsor H-1B applicants to 100,000 dollars, saying the move is intended to ensure that the United States brings in highly skilled talent whom American workers cannot replace.

“The large-scale replacement of American workers through systemic abuse of the program has undermined both our economic and national security,” said the proclamation.

According to the decree, the entry of foreign nationals holding H-1B visas to work in specialty occupations in the United States will be restricted, except for applicants whose petitions include the six-figure payment by their employer. The entry restriction applies to foreign nationals entering or attempting to enter the United States after the date of the proclamation, Sept. 21.

Iran says cooperation with IAEA to be suspended after UNSC fails to lift sanctions

Iran’s top security body announced on Saturday that the country’s cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog would be “effectively” suspended following a UN Security Council vote not to maintain the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran.

The statement came from Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), detailing the outcomes of a meeting chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian.

During the meeting, the SNSC discussed what it called the “ill-considered” actions by France, Britain, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The council declared that Tehran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be effectively suspended in response to the European countries’ actions, despite Iran’s ongoing cooperation with the agency and proposals to resolve the nuclear issue.

Israeli army says conducted airstrikes on 100 targets across Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Saturday that its air force struck around 100 targets throughout the Gaza Strip over the past day.

It added that among the targets were underground infrastructure sites, weapons storage facilities, and militant cells.

At the same time, IDF ground troops expanded operations in Gaza City, dismantling military infrastructure such as tunnels, booby-trapped buildings, Hamas operational sites, and sniper positions, according to the statement.

It added that the troops located weapons and killed militants from Hamas’ military wing in the area.

Hezbollah activist killed in Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon

A Hezbollah activist was killed Saturday in an Israeli airstrike on a civilian car in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese officials and security sources.

The official Lebanese National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone targeted a car on the Khardali-Marjayoun road in the eastern sector of Lebanon’s southern border area, killing a person from the village of Kafr Kila.

A source in Lebanese army intelligence told Xinhua that the victim was a Hezbollah activist named Hassan Shahrour.