Iranian FM spokesperson rebukes Canadian PM for calling ‘annihilation’ threat ‘language of war’

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Thursday criticised Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for “reframing a threat to 'annihilate' Iran as merely 'speaking the language of war'”. Baghaei on X said that “Mark Carney must understand that time is too ruthless to let the shelter of illusion and hypocrisy endure forever.” He has added that “those who sought refuge in the long shadow of American bullying” would eventually learn that “averting their eyes from reality and bartering away their dignity and self-respect buys no salvation.” To the Canadian Prime Minister who, instead of condemning U.S. blatant aggression and warmongering, chose to appease Washington by reframing a threat to "annihilate" Iran as merely "speaking the language of war": Mark Carney must understand that time is too ruthless to let the… pic.twitter.com/87XRoT8cjc — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) September 24, 2026 He also stated that “they will see that the nation they once conspired with empires to crush was the solitary guardian of a sacred flame” which "kept a torch burning" against coercion, "a torch that, if allowed to die, would leave humanity with nothing but the cold embrace of naked force, burying the civilised and humane altars of reason beneath the brutal logic of might." Yemeni government forces stop Houthi attack near key southern provinces The Yemeni government’s armed forces thwarted an attack and infiltration attempts by the Houthis aiming to reach positions near the road linking the southern and southwestern provinces of Aden, Taiz and Lahj, the Ministry of Defence has said in a statement, Al Jazeera reported. BREAKING: Yemeni government forces thwart Houthi attack near key southern provinces 🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/yIoLRqH3fa pic.twitter.com/GP4Oefje3j — Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) September 24, 2026 According to the official spokesperson of the Yemeni armed forces, “clashes ensued”, which forced “the attackers to retreat” and inflicted heavy losses in lives and equipment. Read: Iran says it conveyed conditions for reviving diplomacy with US through Qatar “We affirm that our armed forces stationed on those fronts have regained the initiative, are highly prepared, and continue to repel attacks and infiltration attempts,” the spokesperson has said. Shipping traffic via Strait of Hormuz stays lower than 10-day average, data shows Ten commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, up from seven a day earlier and below the 10-day moving average of about 17, preliminary shipping data showed on Thursday. Nine vessels entered the strait, including Supramax ships carrying metals, grain and other dry bulk cargoes, as well as an empty very large gas carrier. One Supramax carrying fertiliser exited, according to the data, as of 0923 PKT on Thursday. The figures exclude any vessels that might have crossed the strait with their transponders turned off to avoid detection. Before the US-Israeli war on Iran started on February 28, the strait typically handled about 125 large, commercial vessels a day, including tankers, gas carriers, bulkers and container vessels, accounting for some 20% of the world’s daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Read more: US president open to making a deal with Iran: Rubio Iran and the US remain far apart on how to end the war, but diplomacy must continue, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, after Iran's president told the United Nations General Assembly that Tehran would never surrender to US pressure. The senior Iranian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Tehran was reviewing Washington's response to its peace proposals, which prioritise lifting a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. In the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, 27 commodity vessels transited the waterway on Wednesday, up from 24 the day before and compared with an average of 26 ships using the strait over the past 10 days. EU's Costa urges Iran to resume cooperation with IAEA European Council President Antonio Costa said on Wednesday he spoke with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged Iran to resume its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa also called for an end to Iran's strikes against its neighbours and the full restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump should press Xi to stop support for Iran, Democratic senator says US Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said on Wednesday President Donald Trump should press Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit this week over China's support for Iran, saying that Chinese firms were helping Tehran economically and militarily. In a Senate speech, Shaheen cited reports that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before launching a missile attack that killed three American soldiers and wounded four others. She noted that about 90% of Iran's oil exports go to China and provided it with "billions of dollars of revenue" and a "critical economic lifeline." Shaheen said Chinese and Hong Kong companies had also supplied components used in Iranian ballistic missiles and drones She urged Trump to "use his leverage" with Xi to stop Chinese firms from providing satellite imagery, missile and drone parts and access to markets for sanctioned Iranian oil. "If we want to bring this war to an end, we need to cut off the outside support that allows Iran to keep fighting, and that starts with China," she said. Shaheen said the administration should enforce sanctions against Chinese entities helping Iran, "and if China doesn't stop, Congress should impose additional consequences." She said Trump should also consider using authorities in recently enacted Russian sanctions legislation against Chinese purchasers of Russian energy, arguing that China was "the top funder of the war in Ukraine, as well as being one of the top funders of the war in Iran."