Iran Claims Capture of Second US Underwater Drone in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that its naval forces captured a second U.S. unmanned underwater vehicle in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, accusing the vehicle of conducting surveillance activities in the waterway.

The IRGC Navy said on Sunday, September 27, that the Remus 600 autonomous underwater vehicle was intercepted during what it described as a complex operation involving intelligence capabilities and electronic warfare.

According to the Iranian military, the vehicle was operating in the Strait of Hormuz for what it described as espionage purposes when it was captured.

The IRGC said the underwater drone has been handed over to specialists who are working to retrieve and examine information stored on the system. (Arab News)

The claim represents the second reported Iranian capture of a U.S. underwater drone in September, following an earlier incident involving a much larger Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle.

On September 8, Iran said its forces had captured the Dive-LD at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC subsequently released images of the vehicle and described it as an advanced U.S. military unmanned submarine.

The U.S. military acknowledged around that time that one of its underwater drones had malfunctioned while operating in regional waters but did not publicly confirm that Iran had captured it. Reuters footage from the incident showed the vehicle identified by Iran as a Dive-LD. (Reuters Connect)

The latest vehicle, the Remus 600, is substantially smaller than the Dive-LD. It is an autonomous underwater system designed to operate without a crew and can be configured for a range of underwater missions.

Available technical information indicates that the Remus 600 can operate at depths of up to about 600 metres and can remain underwater for extended periods, depending on its configuration and operating conditions.

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The system can be equipped for missions including seabed mapping, mine detection and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). Its modular design also allows different sensors and equipment to be fitted according to mission requirements.

Reports indicate that the vehicle is about 3.25 metres long and can operate autonomously for up to about 70 hours on a single charge, although actual endurance depends on mission configuration and conditions. (Seoul Economic Daily)

Iran’s latest announcement comes amid heightened military tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

The strait is strategically important to global energy markets because of the large volume of oil and gas shipments that traditionally pass through it.

The ongoing conflict in the region has severely disrupted commercial shipping through the waterway. Iran has said it considers the strait closed and has warned against what it describes as dangerous or unauthorised activity.

In its latest statement, the IRGC again declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and said it would respond to what it considers dangerous movements or unauthorised passage. (ایرنا)

The United States has not publicly provided a detailed account of the latest alleged seizure, leaving important questions about the circumstances of the incident unresolved.

In particular, it remains unclear when and where the Remus 600 was deployed, what mission it was conducting, whether it was operating under direct U.S. military control at the time and how Iranian forces allegedly took possession of it.

Iran’s assertion that the vehicle was conducting espionage also remains an Iranian military claim and has not been independently established.

The seizure claim nevertheless highlights the growing importance of autonomous underwater vehicles in modern military and maritime operations.

Such systems can conduct surveillance, map underwater terrain, detect mines and gather information without placing personnel aboard a conventional submarine.

The reported Iranian effort to retrieve data from the Remus 600 could also provide Tehran with an opportunity to examine the vehicle’s sensors, navigation systems and other technologies if the equipment is intact.

The significance of any information Iran could obtain from the system would depend on the condition of the vehicle and the amount of recoverable data and technology.

The latest development comes as Iran-US tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran and Washington pursuing opposing positions on access to the waterway.

For now, the capture of the Remus 600 remains a claim by Iran, while the absence of a detailed U.S. account means that several aspects of the incident cannot yet be independently confirmed.

Iran Claims Capture of Second US Underwater Drone in Strait of Hormuz

Milei Slams UN as ‘Useless’ Over Falklands Dispute

Argentine President Javier Milei has criticised the United Nations, describing the organisation as “useless” and accusing it of failing to make progress on the longstanding Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

Milei made the remarks on Wednesday, September 23, while addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. He used the speech to renew Argentina’s claim to the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, and demand a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

The Argentine president accused the UN of failing to act on resolutions concerning the Falklands and said the organisation had effectively “looked the other way” while the dispute remained unresolved.

Milei pointed particularly to UN General Assembly Resolution 31/49, adopted in 1976, which called on Argentina and the UK to refrain from unilateral actions that could complicate the sovereignty dispute while negotiations continued. The UN has repeatedly called on both countries to pursue negotiations for a peaceful and lasting settlement.

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The dispute has gained fresh attention amid tensions over offshore oil exploration around the Falkland Islands. Argentina has objected to British-backed oil activities in the area and recently introduced measures aimed at increasing sanctions against companies involved in activities it considers unauthorised.

The UK, however, maintains that the Falkland Islands are British and says the islanders have the right to determine their own future and develop their natural resources. The British government has also rejected Argentine pressure on companies involved in economic activities around the islands.

Milei reaffirmed Argentina’s position that the Falklands are Argentine territory and called for the UK to return to negotiations. He stressed that Argentina’s claim would be pursued peacefully.

The disagreement over the islands dates back decades and led to the Falklands War in 1982, when Argentina invaded the territory and Britain sent military forces to retake it. The conflict ended with Argentina’s surrender after about 10 weeks.

The islands have remained under British administration since then, while Argentina has continued to press its sovereignty claim through diplomatic and international channels.

Beyond the Falklands dispute, Milei used his UN address to criticise the organisation’s broader role in international affairs. He accused the UN of failing to adequately address collective security, human rights, conflict and terrorism, arguing that it had become ineffective in dealing with major global crises.

His latest remarks come as Argentina and the UK remain divided over sovereignty, negotiations and the development of natural resources around the islands. While Buenos Aires continues to demand negotiations over sovereignty, London maintains its position that the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination must be respected.

Milei’s intervention has therefore brought the Falklands dispute back into focus at the UN, with the disagreement now also linked to the increasingly contentious issue of offshore oil exploration.

Milei Slams UN as ‘Useless’ Over Falklands Dispute

Iran Delegation Walks Out as Trump Threatens to ‘Annihilate’ Islamic Republic

Members of the Iranian delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly during US President Donald Trump’s address after he threatened to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if Washington and Tehran fail to reach an agreement to end the conflict.

The dramatic walkout occurred on Tuesday, September 22, during the opening day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York, where Trump devoted a significant portion of his speech to defending the US military campaign against Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who were in New York for the annual UN meeting, did not attend Trump’s address in the General Assembly chamber. Most members of Iran’s delegation who were present left the hall about 10 minutes into the speech, while a lower-ranking Iranian diplomat remained in the chamber.

Trump used the address to defend the US military action against Iran, arguing that the campaign had prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

He said Washington faced a choice between reaching an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild and taking further military action against the country.

Trump asked whether a deal would allow Iran to become “a far greater country” or whether the United States should “annihilate the Islamic Republic” and “drive them into hell with no chance of survival.”

The remarks represented a fresh escalation in Trump’s public warnings against Iran, although he simultaneously indicated that he expected diplomacy to eventually produce an agreement.

Trump said he believed a deal could be reached after the November 3 US midterm elections, while insisting that the election would not determine his administration’s policy towards Iran.

He also called on other countries to join the United States in imposing economic pressure on Tehran, arguing that international isolation would increase pressure on the Iranian government to negotiate.

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The Iranian delegation’s departure provided a visible response to the remarks and underscored the continuing diplomatic divide between Washington and Tehran. Reports from the General Assembly said the delegation left as Trump moved into his warnings about the Iranian government and its nuclear programme.

The walkout came despite continuing diplomatic contacts between the two countries on the sidelines of the UN gathering.

Shortly after his speech, Trump said US officials had held what he described as a “very good” and productive meeting involving Iranian representatives and mediators.

He later clarified that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had met with mediators involved in the Iranian discussions, rather than necessarily holding a direct meeting with Iranian officials themselves.

Reuters reported that Trump subsequently said he believed a settlement between the United States and Iran would eventually be reached.

The diplomatic activity has highlighted the conflicting tracks surrounding the US-Iran conflict: public threats and military pressure on one side, and continued efforts to negotiate an end to the confrontation on the other.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier confirmed that Washington was open to meeting Iranian representatives at the UN, although he said at the time that no formal meeting had been scheduled. Rubio said any engagement would need to address the US objective of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Arab countries have also been involved in efforts to facilitate communication between Washington and Tehran.

Qatar, which has previously played a mediating role in regional disputes, has urged both sides to pursue diplomacy. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told the General Assembly that the Gulf was experiencing a dangerous period and argued that the crisis could be addressed through diplomatic means, including efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime navigation.

The strategic waterway has become a major issue in the conflict because of its importance to international energy and shipping.

Iran has reportedly linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to conditions including an end to the naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to hostilities across the various fronts involved in the conflict.

The demands illustrate the substantial gap between Tehran’s conditions and Washington’s position, particularly over Iran’s nuclear programme and the future of military and economic pressure.

Trump’s UN speech also sought to rally international support for his administration’s approach to Iran.

He argued that previous US administrations had failed to adequately confront Tehran and maintained that his administration’s military campaign had prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Iran has rejected the US military campaign and continued to call for diplomatic efforts to address the conflict on terms acceptable to Tehran.

The presence of both diplomatic contacts and military threats has created uncertainty over whether the latest negotiations can produce a lasting settlement.

The Iran nuclear dispute remains at the centre of the confrontation, with Washington insisting that Tehran must not obtain a nuclear weapon while Iran has maintained that its rights and national interests must be respected in any negotiations.

Trump’s remarks also came as the United States sought broader international support for its position.

During the same UN address, he criticised Cuba and said its communist government was failing, prompting members of the Cuban delegation to leave the chamber as well.

The Iranian walkout, however, was particularly significant because it occurred during Trump’s direct warnings against Tehran and came as mediators were working to bring the two sides closer to negotiations.

The developments have placed the UN General Assembly at the centre of renewed diplomatic activity surrounding the conflict.

Pezeshkian’s expected appearance before the General Assembly provides Tehran with an opportunity to present its position on the war, the nuclear dispute and the conditions it considers necessary for diplomacy.

For Washington, the priority remains preventing Iran from developing or obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Trump has continued to combine military pressure with calls for a negotiated settlement.

The immediate outcome of the latest diplomatic efforts remains uncertain. Trump has said he expects an eventual settlement, while significant differences remain over the conditions for ending the conflict and reopening key regional waterways.

For now, the Iranian delegation’s walkout has become one of the most visible moments of UNGA 81, highlighting the sharp tensions between Washington and Tehran even as officials and mediators continue to explore a possible diplomatic path.

Iran Delegation Walks Out as Trump Threatens to ‘Annihilate’ Islamic Republic