US and allies push IAEA board to report Iran to UN Security Council, diplomats say

Air defence commander says Iran is prepared for 'any confrontation’ as 'threat is not over'

The United States, Britain, France and Germany were seeking a resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog's ‌board next week, reporting Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in 20 years, according to diplomats and the proposed text seen by Reuters.

If passed, the resolution would follow up on one adopted on June 12 of last year declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for not ​fully cooperating with an investigation into uranium traces found at undeclared sites.

Israel started bombing Iran's nuclear facilities the next ​day, soon joined by the US. Iran's uranium-enrichment plants were destroyed or badly damaged.

Iran had not let ⁠the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors return to the bombed sites since then or verify what remains of its stocks of enriched uranium, ​some of which was enriched to up to 60% purity, a short step from weapons grade.

A resolution by the IAEA's 35-nation ​board reporting Iran to the Security Council would also be the culmination of a standoff over IAEA access to those sites, since the board had passed two resolutions in the past year demanding Iran declare its enriched uranium stocks and grant the IAEA full access to verify them.

"(The board) requests the (IAEA) ​Director General to transmit this resolution and the previously adopted resolutions ... to all Members of the Agency and to the Security Council ​and the General Assembly of the United Nations," said the latest resolution draft seen by Reuters.

It also "reiterates its call upon Iran to urgently remedy ‌its non-compliance ⁠with its Safeguards Agreement by taking all steps deemed necessary by the Agency and the Board, so that the Director General can provide the necessary assurances regarding the correctness and completeness of Iran's declarations".

The draft had not yet been formally submitted to the board, and negotiations over the exact wording were ongoing, diplomats said. Whenever the four powers have submitted a draft resolution on Iran in ​recent years, it has passed.

Concrete action ​by the Security Council against ⁠Iran was unlikely since Tehran's allies Russia and China were permanent, veto-wielding members.

The United States, Britain, France and Germany are pushing members of the UN nuclear watchdog’s board to report Iran to the UN Security Council for the first time in 20 years, diplomats told Reuters on Friday.https://t.co/yjoYFsKn7s pic.twitter.com/j73Juvafqt

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 4, 2026

Iran prepared for 'any confrontation’ as 'threat is not over': air defence commander

Iran’s joint air defence commander Brigadier General Alireza Elhami said the country is “ready for any kind of confrontation” because “the threat is not over,” Al Jazeera reported, according to the Fars News Agency.

He added that Iran’s air defence “achieved complete self-sufficiency” and that the country had presented “a new definition of national power” to the world.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to comments made by the Jordanian foreign minister on Friday, saying the US did not respect Arab or Iranian sovereignty.

"How much time does the Jordanian Foreign Minister believe Iran should wait before responding to an aggressor that respects neither Arab sovereignty nor Iranian sovereignty?"

كم من الوقت يرى وزير الخارجية الأردني أنه يتعين على إيران أن تنتظر قبل أن تردّ على معتدٍ لا يحترم سيادة العرب ولا سيادة إيران؟

وهل هو حقًا غير مدرك أن المجال الجوي والأراضي والمياه العربية استُخدمت في الهجمات الأمريكية الأولى التي أسفرت عن مقتل إيرانيين أبرياء؟ pic.twitter.com/joI7qMsMOS

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) September 4, 2026

He also questioned whether the Jordanian minister was unaware that Arab airspace, lands, and waters were used by the US in its initial attacks that resulted in the “killing of innocent Iranians”.

Israel claims seizing southern Lebanon's Ali al-Taher ridge

Israel claimed it seized southern Lebanon’s Ali al-Taher ridge, which is reportedly a strategic position for Hezbollah, AFP reported on Friday.

Hezbollah has not confirmed losing the highland, which is approximately 10 kilometres from the border with Israel and has been targeted by several Israeli strikes in recent weeks despite a ceasefire.

The ridge lies close to the major city of Nabatieh and the Litani River. It is just a few kilometres from Unesco-listed Beaufort Castle, another strategic site that Israel captured in recent months.

Ali al-Taher ridge, on the edge of the Israeli-proclaimed “security zone”, overlooks surrounding areas and key districts further north, and sits atop a network of tunnels.

Red Cross says it transferred four people released by Israel to Lebanon

Humanitarian workers said on Friday that they facilitated the transfer to Lebanon of four more people detained by Israel, a day after another person was freed, AFP reported.

“The International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC], at the request of the relevant parties, facilitated the transfer to Lebanon of five individuals released from Israeli detention,” the ICRC has said in a statement.

“One individual was transferred on Thursday, and four others on Friday,” it added.

Iran continued crude oil exports without interruption during war, petroleum minister says

Iranian Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Friday that Iran’s crude oil exports continued without interruption throughout the 40-day war, despite attacks on oil and gas infrastructure and the severe logistical challenges created by US aggression and the subsequent maritime blockade, according to state news channel Press TV.

“During the 40-day war, despite the wartime conditions, the country’s crude oil exports did not stop even for one hour from February 28 until the temporary ceasefire was established,” Paknejad said.

Israel claims it has cleared Hezbollah fighters from tunnels under key Lebanon ridge

Israel’s military has cleared Hezbollah fighters holed up in tunnels under the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed on Friday, though the group did not immediately comment.

Israel claimed Hezbollah fighters were embedded in tunnels under the ridge, which overlooks a wide area and had become one of the most hotly contested areas in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, despite a ceasefire announced in June.

“The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists,” Katz said on social media, after a statement by the military claiming it had operational control of the ridge.

The military said some Hezbollah fighters were “eliminated”, while others fled.

EU joins 'Operation Economic Outcast' campaign against Iran: US Treasury Secretary

The European Union has officially joined the US’s economic pressure campaign, “Operation Economic Outcast”, against Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote.

In a post on X, Bessent said “The United States stands firm with our allies in ensuring the murderous Iranian regime cannot exploit the global financial system to fund its nuclear ambitions, weapons programs, and terror proxies.”

Under @POTUS, this Administration is standing up for America’s students by ensuring racial discrimination has no place in American education. Schools rebranding race-based preferences as equitable, inclusive, or diversity-enhancing does not change their discriminatory nature.…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) September 3, 2026

“The world is sending a clear message to the Iranian regime: We will not stop until every remaining financial lifeline has been severed,” he added.

Seoul weighs 'contributions' to Hormuz security: president's office

South Korea said that Seoul could contribute to the US security efforts in the Strait of Hormuz as long as its own military readiness is not compromised, AFP reported.

“Contributions to the Strait of Hormuz could be managed within limits that do not compromise military readiness,” a presidential official said, adding a review is still under way

South Korea preparing for Strait of Hormuz deployment: report

The South Korean military is making "concrete preparations" to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report released on Thursday.

"We are making concrete preparations to dispatch naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz," a National Defense Ministry official told Australia's broadcaster SBS.

Read: Vance: US probing airstrike that Iran says hit a wedding party

The report said the deployment, which is underway, includes P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal team and a logistics support ship.

The South Korean government previously expressed that it would pursue a deployment to the strait only after the US-Iran war ends.

It came after US President Donald Trump publicly criticized Seoul for refusing to take part in action against Iran, as the United States recently scaled back a military exercise with South Korea.

"I understand that discussions regarding base ports and operational bases are also underway with the relevant countries," a high-ranking military official was quoted by SBS.

The deployment requires a decision by the National Security Council (NSC), a resolution by a Cabinet meeting, and consent from the National Assembly.