Iran Downplays U.S. Talks, Netanyahu Condemns Macron on West Bank

Iran denies new U.S. talks, Netanyahu criticizes Macron's West Bank comments. Key Mideast updates from the UN.

September 23, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — Iran has downplayed recent indirect talks with the United States, reiterating its conditions for ending the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks regarding Hamas activity in the West Bank during the United Nations General Assembly.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who recently arrived in New York for the U.N. General Assembly, has maintained his stance that the U.S. must lift its blockade on Iranian ports and release frozen assets as part of any negotiations. The talks, facilitated by Qatari mediators, were described as unremarkable by an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

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During the assembly, Macron condemned the situation in Gaza and criticized Israel’s actions in the West Bank, suggesting that Hamas had not governed the territory. Netanyahu’s office called the remarks a ‘grotesque absurdity,’ emphasizing that Hamas has long been active in the region. The dispute highlights growing tensions between France and Israel, especially after France recognized a Palestinian state last year.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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