Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev thanked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for expressing gratitude for Azerbaijan’s assistance to Iran during the war. In a post on X, Aliyev said he appreciated Pezeshkian’s “friendly and sincere words,” according to a report published on August 10, 2026.

Aliyev said the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran have always stood by one another during crises and difficult times. He added that, despite recent regional developments, Azerbaijan had again demonstrated that it stands with what he described as the brotherly Iranian people.

Earlier, Pezeshkian commented on Azerbaijan’s support for Iran, specifically citing Baku’s role in resolving various problems related to routes for delivering relief and assistance. Quoting Azerbaijani media, he said Azerbaijan provided Iran with necessary support, including on route-related matters, and had been with Iran while helping with everything needed.

A criminal complaint has been filed in Vietnam against Israeli reservist Matan Zrafi over allegations of war crimes, genocide and incitement to genocide in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. The Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation submitted the complaint to Vietnamese authorities, according to an Anadolu report. Zrafi is identified as chief executive of the Israeli organization Im Tirtzu and as having served in the Israeli military’s 920th Infantry Battalion of the 769th Brigade.

The foundation said Zrafi documented his own direct involvement in the destruction of civilian property in Gaza and southern Lebanon. It alleged that between December 2023 and January 2024, he directly participated in destroying civilian infrastructure in Shujaiya and Rimal in Gaza City, as well as the Bureij and Maghazi refugee camps in central Gaza. It said he was later transferred to southern Lebanon in mid-October and November 2024, where similar destruction occurred.

The foundation also accused Zrafi of direct and public incitement to genocide, alleging that he supported removing Palestinians from Gaza, justified attacks on civilians and opposed the entry of humanitarian aid. Its director general, Dyab Abou Jahjah, and litigation head Natasha Brack called on Vietnamese authorities to immediately arrest Zrafi and open an investigation under international law and treaties.

Former US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Iran is in an advantageous position in the war, citing its negotiating stance and control of the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with ABC News reported on August 10, 2026, Esper, who served during the first Trump administration, said Iranian leaders appear confident about the leverage they have gained.

Esper said Iran’s new conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring shipping to its pre-war status demonstrate that confidence. He said the conditions show Iranian leaders believe they are in a favorable position and are winning, adding that, in his assessment, they are in fact winning.

He also said the new conditions indicate Iran has become bolder and more confident about its position in the world. According to Esper, Tehran is demonstrating power in the region through proxy forces. He additionally discussed reduced US stockpiles of some munitions during the Iran war. The Trump administration is trying to reduce the impact of those shortages by increasing production, he said, while noting that some weapons take a long time to manufacture.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran is not concerned about a new security agreement involving Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Speaking at a news conference in Tehran on Monday, August 10, 2026, he said the Mecca pact reflected a change in approaches to Middle East security.

Baghaei said the agreement signaled a shift in attitudes toward the United States and in how regional countries view security. He said states in the region were seeking to rely more on their own capabilities rather than on outside powers.

He added that any plan based on the region’s geopolitical and historical realities, that is broad and inclusive and correctly identifies enemies and threats, could help strengthen security. According to Baghaei, such a plan could also help counter instability and oppression caused by the Zionist enemy and its allies.

The United States said it redirected 55 commercial ships traveling toward Iran as part of an operation to enforce sanctions imposed on Iranian ports. The US military announced the claim on Monday, according to a report published and updated on August 10, 2026.

US Central Command, the body coordinating US military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement on X that the ships’ routes were changed to ensure compliance with the sanctions. CENTCOM described the action as part of ongoing US efforts to enforce restrictions involving Iranian ports and trade connected to the country.

CENTCOM also said two additional vessels were disabled during the operation, while two ships were searched. The statement did not provide further details on the identities of the vessels, their cargoes, their locations, or the circumstances in which the ships were redirected, disabled, or searched.

The Wall Street Journal has raised concerns about vulnerabilities and risks facing the US military during its war with Iran, according to a report published on August 10, 2026. It said Iranian attacks on US military bases in West Asia, including a recent attack in Jordan, highlighted the growing threat from enemy missiles and drones.

The newspaper said the attacks showed that the United States was not adequately prepared to protect overseas military bases, critical infrastructure, and military and civilian personnel. It claimed Iran had launched more than 2,000 aircraft, missile, and drone attacks across West Asia since the war began, damaging at least 20 facilities used by US forces in eight countries.

The Wall Street Journal estimated military equipment and infrastructure losses at about $13 billion and said more than 42 US military aircraft had been destroyed or damaged. The New York Times said five months of fighting had reduced stocks of key weapons, including more than 1,500 Patriot missiles, and that replenishment could take at least two years. It said the shortfall could weaken US capacity to respond to potential threats in Europe and Asia.

Kuwait congratulated Pakistan on the recently signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah spoke by telephone late at night with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and extended congratulations on the agreement.

The two foreign ministers exchanged views on the regional situation, including conditions in occupied East Jerusalem. They also discussed Pakistan-Kuwait bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest. Their call covered follow-up steps after the Kuwaiti foreign minister’s recent visit to Pakistan, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation and investment in important sectors.

The agreement was signed on Friday in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Under its terms, an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack against all three. The stated aims are to reinforce collective deterrence capabilities and expand defense cooperation among the three countries.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said Tehran is not concerned about a new security agreement involving Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. He made the remarks at a news conference in Tehran on Monday, according to the report.

Baghaei said the agreement signals a shift in attitudes toward the United States and in regional countries’ approaches to security. He described the shift as one in which countries in the region rely more on their own capabilities rather than on outside powers.

He said any plan based on the region’s geopolitical and historical realities, and one that is broad and inclusive, could help strengthen security if it correctly identifies enemies and threats. Baghaei added that such an approach could potentially counter instability and oppression caused by the Zionist enemy and its allies.

A record 230 migrants reached the United Kingdom in a single small boat after crossing the English Channel, local media reported Monday. According to the BBC, the vessel arrived in the UK on Saturday. The crossing set a new record for the number of people travelling in one boat.

The previous record was 165 people in a single boat, set in July. The UK Home Office said a total of 258 migrants arrived after crossing the English Channel in four boats on Saturday, meaning the record vessel accounted for most of the day’s arrivals.

A Home Office spokesperson told the BBC that the incident highlighted the “reckless and dangerous tactics” of criminal people-smuggling gangs. The spokesperson said the gangs were putting lives at risk by placing more people than vessels could carry in unsuitable boats. Despite the record number aboard one boat, overall small-boat crossings have fallen this year. Preliminary Home Office data cited by the BBC showed about 14,820 people had reached the UK by small boat so far, 43 percent below the same period last year and 16 percent below the equivalent period in 2024.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan plan to consider adding further countries to their new defense alliance, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vision, the grouping would not remain limited to its three founding members. The countries signed the “Mecca Joint Deterrence Agreement” last Friday.

The agreement states that an attack on any one member will be treated as an attack on all three. Egypt has emerged most clearly as a possible next member, with Fidan calling it a natural partner and saying Cairo could join once technical issues are resolved. Egypt remains cautious about military commitments, seeking to preserve independent decision-making on relations with the United States, its peace treaty with Israel, and regional issues including Libya.

Qatar and Kuwait are also receiving attention in possible expansion because of their close ties with the three founders, analysts said. Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani expressed hope that other GCC members would seek to join. Analysts also cited Azerbaijan, Syria and Jordan as possible future participants, while noting differing interests and regional disputes could hinder a unified military bloc.

Costa Rican diplomat and former vice president Rebeca Grynspan is leading the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general. Grynspan, who currently heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, would become the first woman secretary-general in UN history if elected. She would also be the first Jewish person to hold the position.

In a secret Security Council ballot involving five permanent and 10 non-permanent members, Grynspan received 10 supportive votes. Four members expressed no opinion and one raised an objection. Her main rival, former Guyanese UN envoy Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, received nine supportive votes and two objections. Grynspan’s parents emigrated from Poland to Costa Rica, while her grandparents were killed by Nazis.

Secretary-General António Guterres’ term ends on December 31, 2026. Under the customary regional rotation, a candidate from Latin America is considered likely this time. A candidate needs at least nine Security Council votes and no veto from any permanent member. The process may be finalized by October, with a new secretary-general required to be selected by the end of 2026.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar expressed deep grief over the deaths of 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers in a major fire at a sofa factory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fire occurred in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area under Shifa police station in the Saudi capital. The report, published on August 10, said Parwar issued his condolence message on Monday.

In the message, Parwar described news of the deaths as deeply heartbreaking and painful. He said family members of the migrant workers depended substantially, and in some cases entirely, on them. He said the loss of lives in this manner while working abroad for a livelihood was an irreparable loss for their relatives.

Parwar prayed for the souls of those killed and extended deep condolences to the bereaved families. He called on the Bangladesh government and the Bangladesh embassy in Saudi Arabia to swiftly identify the victims and return their bodies to Bangladesh for handover to their families. He also urged the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment to provide appropriate financial compensation and overall assistance to the families.

Peru’s Foreign Ministry said 11 Peruvian citizens have been killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine, while 114 remain missing. Three Peruvians are being held by Ukrainian forces, according to a ministry statement issued on Sunday. The report was published on August 10, 2026.

The ministry said 31 people have been returned to Peru from Russia. Peruvian consular officials in Moscow and Warsaw are working to bring back several more citizens. Authorities also warned Peruvians not to respond to fraudulent job offers linked to joining the Russia-Ukraine war, saying such offers could expose people to risks of human trafficking.

Relatives of Peruvians who joined the Russian army protested outside the Russian embassy in Lima, demanding the return of missing and injured family members. Families have claimed that at least 150 Peruvians were killed, but that figure has not been officially confirmed. The Peruvian government has requested assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross in searching for those missing.

US President Donald Trump said the United States is holding limited discussions with Iran, according to an interview with Axios reported on August 10, 2026. Speaking on Sunday, Trump described economic pressure on Iran as Washington’s main tool and said the contacts were only partial.

Trump said the United States was monitoring Iran’s high inflation and whether the country had access to money. His remarks framed Iran’s economic conditions as a central element of the US approach while describing the scope of discussions as restricted.

Iran has repeatedly said no direct talks with the United States can take place until Washington implements the terms of an interim agreement signed in June. Iran is, however, continuing discussions with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. The report cited CNN as its source.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said North Korea has decided to deploy between 30,000 and 50,000 troops on Russian territory to fight on Russia’s side. In a post on X on Saturday, he also urged South Korea to work more closely with Ukraine, including by helping address gaps in Ukraine’s air-defence capabilities.

Zelenskyy said the estimated deployment would exceed the figure of 30,000 troops he cited in July. He did not explain how he obtained the information. He also said some North Korean-made missiles had been found in Ukrainian territory, though he did not specify where they were found.

According to Zelenskyy, North Korea would continue gaining experience in modern warfare and could receive licences for military technology and various military equipment from Russia. He said Ukraine was interested in South Korean support where it faced shortages, particularly in air defence. Ukraine is also ready to cooperate with South Korea on a “drone deal” and other areas, he said, adding that Ukrainian diplomats were in contact with South Korea over possible agreements.