US sources told EKHBARIYA the memorandum of understanding with Erbil will expire on Sept. 30 and will not be extended. Iranian Kurdish sources said the MoU's non-extension does not mean cooperation between Erbil and Washington has ended.

Iran foreign minister Araghchi said on Saturday that the Japanese public should demand that Tokyo explain "US crimes" after reports that the US dispatched F-16 fighters from Misawa air base in Japan to West Asia for operations targeting Iran.

In a video address on Aug. 30 marking Miners’ Day, Putin said coal and other mineral resources remain a cornerstone of Russia’s economy and its sovereignty. He said Russia’s coal reserves are the world’s second-largest, coal exports rank third and coal production ranks sixth, and that despite a complex operating environment Russia continues to hold a leading position in global coal markets.