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EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump’s second term in office presents a historic chance to reverse the Biden administration’s failed Iran policies and prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, a new report from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) argues.

The report, titled "Detecting and Halting an Iranian Weaponization Effort," argues that the president should immediately muster the full weight of the U.S. national security establishment to confront this urgent threat.

"The president made the right call in re-imposing maximum pressure. Now, he needs to ensure Iran can't dash to nuclear weapons, drawing on the short timeline and technical know-how it possesses," Andrea Stricker, author of the FDD report, told Fox News Digital.

A WEAKENED IRAN HAS IRAQ LOOKING TO CURB TEHRAN-BACKED EXTREMISTS IN COUNTRY

"A nuclear-armed Iran would fundamentally upend security in the region and hinder the ability of the United States, Israel, and their partners to counter Tehran's aggression out of fear of nuclear escalation," she said.

Srickler believes President Trump absolutely cannot tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran and must use all instruments of American power to stop this.

The FDD report recommends that the administration and allies should re-establish the threat of credible military force to deter Iran from breaking the nuclear threshold and, along with Israel, be prepared to target Iranian nuclear sites.

"The United States or Israel should demonstrate their ability to eliminate any detected Iranian weaponization facilities and activities."

U.S. intelligence learned recently that a secret team of Iranian scientists are working on a short-cut to the country’s path to develop a nuclear weapon. The revelations come as Iran’s position in the region has significantly weakened as Tehran became embroiled in conflict with Israel after Oct. 7. 

TRUMP CALLS FOR 'NUCLEAR PEACE AGREEMENT' WITH IRAN RATHER THAN BLOWING COUNTRY 'TO SMITHEREENS'

Then-President Joe Biden allowed Tehran’s nuclear program to progress largely unimpeded, the report said, and Iran now likely has the capability and know-how to produce nuclear weapons. Although Iran may lack confidence in the functionality of certain components, it may be able to detonate a crude nuclear device within six months from starting. 

"An advancing Iranian weaponization capability, matched with Tehran’s enrichment of uranium to near-weapons-grade, limits the window of time in which the United States and its allies could intervene to stop an Iranian dash to nuclear weapons, known as a breakout," the report notes.

In a sign of the administration’s toughening position on Iran, Trump signed a memorandum reimposing the "maximum pressure" policy, a hallmark of his first term administration’s crippling sanctions on Tehran.

It is "in the national interest to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop its support for terrorist groups," the president’s executive order read.

IRAN ‘TERRIFIED’ OF TRUMP PRESIDENCY AS IRANIAN CURRENCY FALLS TO AN ALL-TIME LOW

Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, during his first term in 2018 and reapplied harsh economic sanctions. The Biden administration had initially looked at re-engaging with Iran on the nuclear issue upon taking office, but on-again-off-again talks went nowhere, complicated by Iran’s domestic politics and Iran’s role in supporting its terror groups in the region. 

Stricker says the clerical regime has an additional incentive to seek nuclear weapons to secure its hold on power with a more confrontational administration in Washington. It could also sprint for the bomb to bolster its offensive and defensive capabilities to deter further Israeli strikes against the regime itself, she warned.

In addition to the military threat, the report recommends the U.S. and Israel should cooperate on intelligence-related operations to detect and disrupt Iranian weaponization. It also suggests that the U.S. and Israel should work toward identifying key Iranian officials and nuclear scientists and to cultivate them as human intelligence sources. 

It additionally encourages the U.S. and other nations to urgently mobilize the International Atomic Energy Agency to strengthen inspections of weaponization activities in Iran.

A November 2024 report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said that Iran has enough fissile material to produce over a dozen nuclear weapons if it continues to enrich uranium. 

A top European Union official is warning President Donald Trump against letting Russian President Vladimir Putin succeed in dividing a decades-old alliance between the U.S. and Europe as Trump seeks to bring an end to the war in Ukraine. 

"It is clear that any deal on Ukraine that doesn’t involve Europe will fail," EU policy chief Kaja Kallas told Fox News Digital from South Africa. "Europe and the U.S. are stronger together, this is exactly why Putin is trying to divide us. 

"Let's not do him the favor," she added. 

UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY SAYS TRUMP LIVES IN 'DISINFORMATION SPACE' AMID RIFT ON RUSSIA TALKS

Kallas' comments came after she held a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, the U.K., Italy and Germany on Tuesday night to discuss the U.S. talks with Russian in Saudi Arabia, in which Washington agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties with Moscow through reopening embassies and re-engaging geopolitically and economically.  

Concern in Europe has been mounting over the Trump administration’s push to find a solution to end the war in Ukraine, as neither Kyiv nor any European official has yet been present for the discussions. 

"When they say ‘these are our plans for the end of the war,’ it raises questions for us," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters from Turkey on Wednesday following a meeting with Turkish President Recep Erdoğan. "Where are we at this negotiating table? This war is taking place inside Ukraine. Putin is killing Ukrainians, not Americans."

"We want a just peace, a lasting peace, a sustainable peace," he added.

While Rubio looked to set the record straight following the talks on Tuesday by agreeing that Ukraine, Europe and Russia will need to be involved in any ceasefire terms, some comments by Trump have prompted frustration in Kyiv and concern across Europe.

"We need American strength not concessions to end this war on Ukraine’s terms," Kallas told Fox News Digital. "Handing Ukrainian territory to Putin on a plate is a losing strategy."

RUBIO MAKES PROGRESS WITH RUSSIA AFTER TRUMP PROMISED TO BRING END TO WAR IN UKRAINE

Kallas, along with other European leaders, took issue this week when Trump said Ukraine needs to hold presidential elections – something that Ukraine constitutionally cannot do during a state of war.

"Elections in Ukraine are impossible amid Russia’s daily attacks, which have displaced millions of Ukrainians," Kallas said. "Let’s not forget Russia hasn’t held a free election in 25 years."

Kallas, who told Fox News Digital that she has submitted a proposal that would see EU nations ramp up military aid to Ukraine this year, argued, "Kyiv must be able to negotiate from a place of strength."

Reports indicated that European leaders were set to hold a second emergency summit on Ukraine in Paris on Wednesday after a smaller group of leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark and the U.K. reportedly convened on Monday following the Munich Security Conference.

Despite concerns that Putin could be dividing the West, one former DIA intelligence officer and author of "Putin's Playbook," Rebekah Koffler, argued the Trump administration’s strategy on ending the war is not an indication the U.S. is abandoning its allies.

"The U.S. is not turning against Europe," she said. "NATO had 10 years, a decade to prepare for and deter this war."

"In the course of several years, my colleagues and I briefed senior military and intelligence officials of top European nations on the Russian threat. In vain," Koffler said, noting that she and her American intelligence colleagues warned European nations in 2013 ahead of Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014. "NATO ignored the threat for a decade and did not bother to develop a counter-strategy to Putin’s Playbook.

"Trump is handing over the responsibility for Europe’s protection to the Europeans," she added, noting the West was already divided given some NATO nations' failures to meet defense spending agreements. 

Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is calling for global action to defeat the Islamic Republic’s regime. Pahlavi says the regime is "weaker than it has ever been" and the people of Iran are ready to take back their "stolen country."

Pahlavi spoke at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on Tuesday, highlighting the plight of the Iranian people, calling the country a "nation in chains," and the oppressive nature of the Islamic Republic regime headed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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"The Iranian people have endured more than four decades of suffering, yet their spirit remains unbroken," Pahlavi said, becoming visibly emotional. "They are fighting not just for themselves but for the values of freedom, justice, and human dignity."

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the crown prince’s father, saw his government fall in 1979, forcing his family to flee as Islamists took power. The crown prince lives in exile until this day, unable to return to his home country of Iran.

The strategy for rebuilding Iran that Pahlavi outlined in his speech included pressuring G20 governments to apply "maximum pressure" on the regime, while giving the Iranian people "maximum support."

In his impassioned call to action, Pahlavi spoke about those inside his home country who are fighting to remove the Islamic regime, particularly the Iranian women.

"Iranian women are not just fighting against the forced hijab. Their struggle is not about a piece of cloth. It is about reclaiming their equality and their country," Pahlavi said to the cheering crowd.

Throughout his address, Pahlavi repeatedly expressed his love for Iran and its culture, which he says the current regime is trying to erase.

"We are not just fighting against the Islamic Republic. We are fighting for Iran," Pahlavi said.

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Pahlavi also slammed the Islamic Republic’s use of embassies and cultural centers to target dissidents abroad. This tactic was thrust into the spotlight with the regime’s alleged targeting of President Donald Trump and its plot to kill New York-based Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad, a fierce critic of the regime in Teheran.

"Whatever I do, it seems that hurts the Islamic Republic very bad, and that's why they want me dead," Alinejad said during an appearance on "The Story" in November 2024. "I don't want to die. I want to fight against tyranny. I want to fight against this regime, and I want to be alive to see the end of this regime."

Upon Trump’s inauguration, Pahlavi wrote a letter to the president asking him to facilitate what he calls the "Cyrus Accords." Pahlavi believes Trump can "transform the Middle East and the world" through a new agreement similar to the Abraham Accords, except the Cyrus Accords would include a "free Iran."

The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, where Pahlavi spoke on Tuesday, is held annually around the time of the UN Human Rights Council session. Dissidents, activists and more are given a platform at the summit to speak against human rights abuses and undemocratic practices taking place across the globe.

Marine experts have given up hope of rescuing more than 150 false killer whales that stranded on a remote beach on Australia’s island state of Tasmania, officials said on Wednesday.

Experts including veterinarians were at the scene near the Arthur River on Tasmania’s northwestern coast where 157 whales were discovered on an exposed surf beach on Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said.

Unfavorable ocean and weather conditions, which prevented the whales from being rescued on Wednesday, were forecast to persist for days, incident controller Shelley Graham said.

'I THOUGHT I WAS DEAD': KAYAKER GETS SWALLOWED BY HUMPBACK WHALE IN DRAMATIC MOMENT CAUGHT ON CAMERA

"We have been out in the water this morning and have relocated and attempted to refloat two whales but didn’t have success as the ocean conditions weren’t allowing the animals to get past the break. The animals are continuously restranding," Graham said in a statement.

Marine biologist Kris Carlyon said the survivors would be euthanized.

"The longer these animals are out stranded, the longer they are suffering. All alternative options have been unsuccessful," Carlyon said.

The department said there were 136 survivors on Wednesday morning but that assessment was revised down to 90 within a few hours.

The inaccessibility of the beach, ocean conditions and challenges to getting specialist equipment to the remote area complicated the response.

The young whales weighed as little as 1,100 pounds, while the adults weighed 3.3 tons. Despite their name, false killer whales are one of the largest members of the dolphin family.

Department liaison officer Brendon Clark said the stranding was the first by false killer whales in Tasmania since 1974. That was a pod of more than 160 whales that landed on a beach near Stanley on the northwest coast. Strandings in Tasmania are usually pilot whales.

Clark declined to speculate on why the latest pod might have stranded. Carcasses of dead whales would be examined for clues, he said.

A helicopter reconnaissance on Tuesday afternoon determined that there were no other whales within 6 miles of the stranded pod, he said.

Some could have been stranded for as long as 48 hours by early Wednesday.

Arthur River resident Jocelyn Flint said her son had discovered the stranded whales around midnight while fishing for shark.

She said she had gone to the scene in the dark hours of the morning and returned after dawn, but the whales were too big to be refloated.

"The water was surging right up and they were thrashing. They’re just dying, they’ve sunk down in the sand," Flint said Wednesday morning. "I think it’s too late.

"There are little babies. Up one end, there’s a lot of big ones. It’s sad," she added.

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In 2022, 230 pilot whales stranded further south on the west coast at Macquarie Harbor.

The largest mass stranding in Australian history occurred in the same harbor in 2020 when 470 long-finned pilot whales became stuck on sandbars. Most of the beached whales died on both occasions.

The reasons for the beachings are unclear. Reasons could include disorientation caused by loud noises, illness, old age, injury, fleeing predators and severe weather.

Pope Francis slept well and ate breakfast on Wednesday morning after he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, according to the Vatican.

Matteo Bruni, a spokesperson for the Vatican, said Francis had a peaceful fifth night in Rome's Gemelli hospital.

"He had a tranquil night, woke up and had breakfast," the spokesperson said.

The Vatican said Tuesday that Francis, who had the upper lobe of his right lung removed when he was young, had been diagnosed with pneumonia in both his lungs and that laboratory tests, chest X-ray and the pope's clinical condition "continue to present a complex picture."

POPE FRANCIS DIAGNOSED WITH BILATERAL PNEUMONIA, VATICAN SAYS

"The polymicrobial infection, which arose on a picture of bronchiectasis and asmatiform bronchitis, and which required the use of antibiotic cortisone therapy, makes the therapeutic treatment more complex," the Vatican said Tuesday.

"The chest CT scan that the Holy Father underwent this afternoon… demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia that required further pharmacological therapy," it continued.

But the Vatican said Wednesday that the pope remains in good spirits and is grateful for the prayers for his recovery.

On Friday, Francis, 88, was admitted to the hospital in "fair" condition after a week of bronchitis worsened. On Monday, the hospital determined that he was suffering from a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, which means that a mix of viruses, bacteria and possibly other organisms had colonized in his respiratory tract.

"The follow-up chest CT scan which the Holy Father underwent this afternoon ... demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia, which required additional drug therapy," Bruni said.

Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, a deeper and far more serious infection of the lungs’ air sacs. Pneumonia can develop in part of or the entirety of one lung or both lungs, and it is typically more serious when both lungs are affected, because there is insufficient healthy lung tissue to compensate.

Treatment may vary but can include providing oxygen through a nasal tube or mask, intravenous fluids and treatment of the underlying cause of the infection.

Francis is not believed to be using supplemental oxygen. He has eaten breakfast every day, read the newspapers and done some work from his hospital room.

POPE FRANCIS WILL REMAIN IN HOSPITAL, VATICAN SAYS

The Vatican also said Francis was not running a fever, which Carmelo D’Asero, an infectious disease and geriatric disease expert in Rome, said was not necessarily a positive thing due to the seriousness of his infection.

"A high fever is a sign of an immune response to a pathogen," D’Asero said. "Having a low fever and having a serious bronchial infection ... is a sign of a decreased immune response and that makes us worry a little bit more, let’s say. Maybe if he had a fever, it would have been better."

The Vatican has not said how long the pope might remain in the hospital, saying only that the treatment of such a "complex clinical picture," would require an "adequate" stay.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brazil’s prosecutor-general on Tuesday filed charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro for attempting a coup to stay in office after his 2022 election defeat.

Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleges that Bolsonaro and 33 others participated in plan to remain in power despite losing to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

BRAZIL’S FORMER PRESIDENT BOLSONARO AND AIDES INDICTED FOR ALLEGED 2022 COUP ATTEMPT

Last November, Federal Police filed a 884-page report with Gonet detailing the scheme. They allege it involved systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace, drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legality, pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan, and inciting a riot in the capital.

The Supreme Court will analyze the charges and, if accepted, Bolsonaro will stand trial.

The far-right leader denies wrongdoing. "I have no concerns about the accusations, zero," Bolsonaro told journalists earlier on Tuesday during a visit to the Senate in Brasilia.

"Have you seen the coup decree, by any chance? You haven’t. Neither have I," he added.

A lawyer for Bolsonaro did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol plane on Tuesday in a disputed area of the South China Sea, prompting the Filipino pilot to warn by radio: "You are flying too close, you are very dangerous."

The Chinese helicopter was attempting to force a Cessna Caravan turboprop plane belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources out of what China claims is its airspace over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines.

US FLIES JOINT PATROL WITH THE PHILIPPINES NEAR SHOAL REGION GUARDED BY CHINA

An Associated Press journalist and other invited foreign media on the plane witnessed the tense 30-minute standoff as the Philippine plane pressed on with its low-altitude patrol around Scarborough with the Chinese navy helicopter hovering close above it or flying to its left in cloudy weather.

"You are flying too close, you are very dangerous and endangering the lives of our crew and passengers," the Philippine pilot told the Chinese navy helicopter by radio at one point. "Keep away and distance your aircraft from us, you are violating the safety standard set by FAA and ICAO."

The pilot was referring to the standard distance between aircraft required by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization to prevent air disasters.

There was no sign that the Philippine plane had to alter its planned path and altitude to avoid a collision.

The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries said in a statement that they remain "committed to asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, despite the aggressive and escalatory actions of China."

They referred to the Philippine name for the stretch of waters in the South China Sea closer to the Philippines’ western coast.

The Chinese military, referring to Scarborough Shoal by its Chinese name, said the plane had "illegally entered the airspace of China’s Huangyan Island without the Chinese government’s permission."

The Chinese Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to track and warn the plane away, Senior Col. Tian Junli, spokesperson for the command, said in a written statement posted online.

The Philippines "confused right and wrong and spread false narratives," the statement said.

Tuesday's encounter, which is expected to be protested by the Philippine government, is the latest flashpoint in a decades-long territorial standoff in one of the world’s busiest trade routes, which involves China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan .

Confrontations on the high seas have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guards in the last two years at Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoal, where a grounded Philippine navy ship has served as a military territorial outpost since 1999 but has since been closely surrounded by Chinese coast guard, navy and other ships.

China deployed its naval force around Scarborough after a tense standoff with Philippine ships in 2012.

The following year, the Philippines brought its disputes with China to international arbitration. A 2016 decision by a United Nations-backed arbitration panel invalidated China’s expansive claim in the South China Sea based on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China, a signatory to the UNCLOS like the Philippines, refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected its outcome and continues to defy it.

Faced by China's military might, the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has resorted to a shame campaign — embedding Philippine and foreign journalists in its sea and air patrols in a bid to expose Beijing's increasingly assertive actions.

The Philippines has also been strengthening its security alliances with the United States, Japan, Australian, France, Canada, the European Union and other Western countries to shore up its external defense.

The United States says it's obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China has warned the U.S. and its allies not to meddle in what it calls a purely Asian dispute.

The U.S. and Russia on Tuesday took steps to improve diplomatic ties after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with top officials from Moscow in a move to find an end to the war in Ukraine. 

Speaking to reporters following the 4.5-hour meeting held in Saudi Arabia between Rubio and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, the secretary of state said the first move would be in reestablishing the "functionality of our respective missions in Washington and in Moscow."

"For us to be able to continue to move down this road, we need to have diplomatic facilities that are operating and functioning normally," Rubio said. 

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Rubio said there were three additional steps the U.S. planned to pursue, which included establishing a "high-level team" to help negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine – though he did not mention if this would be headed by the special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. General Keith Kellogg.

The Trump administration will also be looking to expand geopolitical and economic relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. 

Rubio did not go into detail on how or when the U.S. would agree to lift the heavy sanctions put on Russia following its illegal invasion, but said that at some point "the European Union (EU) is going to have to be at the table" because they too have strict sanctions in place.   

Concerns over EU involvement in negotiating a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia have been mounting as the Trump administration increasingly takes on Moscow. 

Reporters questioned Kellogg about EU involvement following the Munich Security Conference that concluded Monday, but he would not confirm whether an EU representative will be officially included at any negotiations, despite direct concerns over European security. 

Rubio responded to questions regarding concerns that the EU and Ukraine are being abandoned by the Trump administration and said, "No one is being sidelined here."

PEACE TALKS: TRUMP TEAM WORKS TO END UKRAINE WAR AS EUROPEAN LEADERS MEET 

"But President Trump is in a position – that he campaigned on – to initiate a process that could bring about an end to this conflict, and from that could emerge some very positive things for the United States, for Europe, for Ukraine, for the world," the secretary said. 

Rubio confirmed the final agreement to come out of the lengthy meeting on Tuesday was that the five men involved in the meeting – which included Rubio and Lavrov, as well as Trump’s national security advisor, Michael Waltz, special Mideast envoy Steven Witkoff and Putin’s foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov – would remain "engaged" to ensure negotiations continue to progress in a "productive way."

Neither the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nor the EU immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s questions regarding their reactions to the day’s meeting.

Zelenskyy, who was supposed to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, canceled his trip on Tuesday, which according to a Reuters report, was a move to counter any "legitimacy" of the U.S.-Russia talks that were held without a Ukrainian delegation. 

Kellogg’s team confirmed for Fox News Digital that he is set to meet with Zelenskyy this week during his trip to Kyiv. 

Zelenskyy, like some EU leaders, has said he will not accept any ceasefire negotiations that are not made through coordinated efforts with Kyiv. 

"Ukraine and Europe – in the broad sense, including the European Union, Turkey and the United Kingdom – must be involved in discussions and the development of necessary security guarantees together with the United States, as these decisions shape the future of our part of the world," he said in an address following a meeting with Turkish President Reccep Erdoğan on Tuesday.

Reports on Tuesday also indicated that European leaders were looking to reconvene at a "second emergency Ukraine summit" to discuss Ukraine and Europe’s security.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions. 

Amnesty International is urging French lawmakers to reject a bill this week that would ban headscarves in all sporting competitions.

The bill is backed by right-wing senators and will be debated from Tuesday in the upper house of the French parliament. Its aim is to ban all "ostensibly religious" clothing and symbols during competitions. Amnesty International says the move would be discriminatory.

The vote is likely to refuel the lingering debate on secularism — still volatile more than a century after the 1905 law on separation of church and state that established it as a principle of the French Republic.

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Until now, sporting federations have been free to decide whether or not to allow headscarves, with two of the country’s most powerful sports, soccer and rugby, opting to ban them.

The bill is at an early stage and this week's vote marks the beginning of a long legislative process with an uncertain outcome. Even if senators vote in favor, the bill's future will remain unclear since the lower house has the final say.

To pass, the bill would need a coalition of forces that don't usually collaborate in the deeply divided lower house.

Amnesty International's calls come after French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla said last summer she was barred from the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics because she wears a hijab. She was eventually allowed to take part, wearing a cap to cover her hair.

France enforces a strict principle of "laïcité," loosely translated as "secularism." At the Games, the president of the French Olympic Committee said its Olympians were bound by the secular principles that apply to public sector workers in the country, which include a ban on hijabs and other religious signs.

"At the Paris Olympics, France’s ban on French women athletes who wear headscarves from competing at the Games drew international outrage," said Anna Błuś, an Amnesty International researcher on gender justice.

"Just six months on, French authorities are not only doubling down on the discriminatory hijab ban but are attempting to extend it to all sports."

Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council have previously criticized the decision by the French soccer and basketball federations to exclude players wearing the hijab, and the French government’s decision to prevent its athletes wearing headscarves from representing the country at the Paris Games.

Amnesty International said the bill in reality targets Muslim women and girls by excluding them from sporting competitions if they wear a headscarf or other religious clothing.

"Laïcité...which is theoretically embedded in the French constitution to protect everyone’s religious freedom, has often been used as a pretext to block Muslim women’s access to public spaces in France," Amnesty International said.

"Over several years, the French authorities have enacted laws and policies to regulate Muslim women’s and girls’ clothing, in discriminatory ways. Sport federations have followed suit, imposing hijab bans in several sports."

Two years ago, France’s highest administrative court said the country’s soccer federation was entitled to ban headscarves in competitions even though the measure can limit freedom of expression.

Wielding the principle of religious neutrality enshrined in the constitution, the country’s soccer federation also does not make things easy for international players who want to refrain from drinking or eating from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, an Islamic holy month.

Supporters of the bill cite growing attacks on secularism in sport, arguing that its core values are based on a principle of universality. To protect sports grounds from any non-sporting confrontation, they say, a principle of neutrality needs to be implemented to ensure that no political, religious or racial demonstration or propaganda can be promoted.

The bill also states that using part of a sports facility as a place of worship would be a misuse of its purpose, and bans the wearing of religious clothing, such as the burkini, in public swimming pools.

"By placing the wearing of a headscarf on the spectrum of "attacks on secularism," which range from "permissiveness" to "terrorism," this legislation, if passed, would fuel racism and reinforce the growing hostile environment facing Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim in France," Amnesty International said.

Pope Francis has been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia in both lungs but was in a good mood, the Vatican said Tuesday. 

"The laboratory tests, the chest X-ray and the clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture," a Vatican statement said. 

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates. 

The Trump administration’s pause of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding may leave the door open for China to spread its influence, and Beijing is not wasting time trying to fill in the gaps.

A former USAID official, who spoke with Fox News Digital under the condition of anonymity, said that whereas the U.S. stepped down, China has "immediately" stepped in.

"We’ve just seen news reporting coming out of Nepal, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, documenting directly that where USAID programs have ended that the People’s Republic of China has told these governments that it will step in and become the partner for these governments to continue that work," a former USAID official told Fox News Digital.

FORMER USAID ADMINISTRATOR SAYS AGENCY SHOULD STAY WITH CONSERVATIVE HEAD

China has already stepped up its funding to Cambodia's largest demining organization, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), in the absence of U.S. funds, according to Reuters. As it seeks increased influence, Beijing pledged $4.4 million to CMAC, more than double the $2 million it received from the U.S. last year, the outlet added.

Additionally, China is also watching the funding freeze’s impact on Nepal, the Annapurna Express reports. While China is already sending funds to Nepal, it is reportedly increasing its financial support in various areas.

The former USAID official emphasized that "by removing these [USAID] programs it adds one more reason for many of these partners to now not see the United States as a partner who shares their priorities of investing in the people of their countries."

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While there are several populations around the globe feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s funding freeze, the situation is particularly treacherous for women.

During President Donald Trump’s first term in office, his daughter, Ivanka, played a key role in launching the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP). At the time, the White House said the program was aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment.

Lilian Achom, who is based in Uganda, participated in USAID W-GDP Fund programming and was present when Trump launched the W-GDP. Now, she fears that women grappling with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are widows trying to raise children.

When speaking to Fox News Digital, Achom said Trump needs to "think about the underprivileged deep down in northern Uganda. The underprivileged, the children, the women who are currently suffering."

Achom recalled meeting Ivanka Trump and spoke highly of the president’s daughter, saying that she was "inspired" by her.

"I saw in her someone who was really, really interested in women’s empowerment, economic development and digital inclusion for women around the world," Achom said of Ivanka.

The former USAID official who spoke with Fox News Digital said that the funding freeze is "impacting potentially every aspect of the lives of women and girls who were benefiting from USAID programs." The official added that while China is already trying to fill certain voids left by the U.S., it’s unclear whether they will fund programs focused on women.

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The White House has accused USAID of funding "the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats."

Among the areas of "waste and abuse" highlighted by the White House are $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam, $1.5 million to "advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities," and $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt.

The State Department did not respond to a Fox News request for comment.

The U.N. human rights chief accused Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a second major city in eastern Congo of killing children and attacking hospitals and warehouses storing humanitarian aid.

Volker Türk said in a statement Tuesday that his office "confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week. We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons."

13 UN PEACEKEEPERS, ALLIED SOLDIERS DEAD IN CONGO AS M23 REBELS MAKE GAINS IN KEY CITY

He provided no details or did not refer to specific events, but U.N. agencies have previously accused both Congolese government forces and the rebels of recruiting children. The United Nations Human Rights Council earlier this month launched a commission that will investigate atrocities, including rapes and killings akin to "summary executions" committed by both sides since the beginning of the year.

The M23 rebels on Sunday captured Bukavu, the city of 1.3 million people, after seizing Goma, 63 miles to the north last month. At least 3,000 were reported killed and thousands displaced in the Goma fighting.

The M23 is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control of eastern Congo’s trillions of dollars in mineral wealth that’s critical for much of the world’s technology. The rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts.

Rwanda accuses Congo of enlisting Hutu fighters responsible for the 1994 genocide of minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus. M23 says it's fighting to protect Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination and wants to transform Congo from a failed into a modern state — though critics say it's a pretext for Rwanda's involvement.

Unlike in 2012, when the M23 briefly seized Goma and withdrew after international pressure, analysts have said the rebels this time are eyeing political power.

The decades-long fighting has displaced more than 6 million people in the region, creating the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

A Ugandan military official said Tuesday that Ugandan troops had entered the eastern Congolese city of Bunia to assist the Congolese army in quelling deadly violence by armed ethnic groups.

North Korea on Tuesday vowed to expand its nuclear forces under Kim Jong Un and criticized the U.S. and its neighbors in Asia for pushing a denuclearization plan against the authoritarian regime.

North Korea's foreign ministry denounced the joint pledge between the U.S., South Korea and Japan as an "outdated, absurd plan" and warned of "overwhelming and decisive counteraction" against its rivals who threaten its security.

"As long as the U.S. and its vassal forces' hostile threat exists, the DPRK's nukes are means for defending peace and sovereignty and a means for legitimate self-defense entrusted by the constitution of the state," an unnamed ministry spokesperson said in a statement picked up by the North's Korean Central News Agency, Reuters reported.

The criticism comes after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi met during a security conference in Germany and reaffirmed their commitment to the Hermit Kingdom’s "complete denuclearization" and maintaining sanctions on the country’s weapons program.

TRUMP MUST NOT REPEAT HIS KIM JONG UN MISTAKE WITH IRAN, SECURITY EXPERT WARNS

The countries also agreed to bolster defense and deterrence, including by expanding three-way military exercises and strengthening Japan and South Korea's military capabilities, according to a joint statement released after the meeting.

President Donald Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House earlier this month and said the U.S. will have relations with the North Korean regime of dictator Kim Jong Un.

NORTH KOREA SLAMS RUBIO'S ‘ROGUE STATE’ LABEL AS ‘NONSENSE,’ VOWS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

"We will have relations with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un. I get along with them very well," Trump told reporters alongside Ishiba.

Trump, who first met Kim in 2018 in Singapore and became the first sitting president to meet with the leader of North Korea, is looking to build off his personal diplomacy he established with Kim during his first term. 

Trump met Kim again in 2019 and became the first president to step foot inside North Korean territory from the demilitarized zone.

Fox News Digital's Chris Massaro and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The dramatic, upside-down Delta plane crash at Toronto’s Pearson Airport marked the fourth major aviation disaster in North America in the last month. 

The Federal Aviation Administration said all 80 people aboard the jet were evacuated, as images showed the aircraft with a shewn off tail and wing belly up in the snow at Toronto's airport. 

The CRJ-900, which departed from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, overturned while coming in for a landing in Toronto. High winds and drifting snow reportedly had already prompted flight delays and cancelations at the airport. 

Air traffic control audio released after the crash depicts officials describing how the plane was "ups-side-down and burning" on the tarmac.

TORONTO PLANE CRASH TIMELINE: DELTA FLIGHT FROM MINNEAPOLIS FLIPS UPSIDE DOWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND

Delta Air Lines said "18 customers with injuries" had been transported to area hospitals. At least three people suffered critical but not life-threatening injuries, a spokesperson for the paramedic service that was on scene told Fox News Digital. 

In the airline's most recent update, which was provided at 10:33 p.m. ET, Delta Air Lines said that "no fatalities have been reported and some of the customers initially transported to area hospitals have been released." 

Two patients were taken by air ambulance to two different trauma centers – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and St. Michael’s Hospital – in Toronto. A child, about four years old, was transported to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, as officials are expected to provide an update to the media early Tuesday. 

"The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates," the FAA said.

Delta said its incident response team deployed to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Monday evening, "to support efforts surrounding Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, that was involved in a single-aircraft accident at YYZ around 2:15 p.m. ET." The team is said to include "specially trained Delta Care Team representatives who will provide support for customers and their loved ones." 

"Members of Endeavor Air’s leadership team, including CEO Jim Graham, are also en route to ensure full cooperation with investigators," Delta said Monday night. 

"The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement. "I want to express my thanks to the many Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on site. We are working to confirm the details and will share the most current information on news.delta.com as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, please take care and stay safe."

PLANE CRASHES SPARK RENEWED FEAR OF FLYING: 10 CAUSES OF AVIATION DISASTERS

In a Monday afternoon X post, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, said he was "in touch with Delta after a flight taking off from MSP crash landed in Toronto this afternoon." 

"Grateful to the first responders and professionals on the scene," he wrote. 

"Thinking of those on the Delta flight that left Minneapolis and crash landed in Toronto," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., wrote. "Thankful for all the first responders and those on the plane who worked to get everyone to safety and those injured to care. We must get to the bottom of what happened." 

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., said she and her staff "are closely monitoring this situation and gathering information." 

"Thank you to all the emergency response teams helping. My thoughts are with everyone on board and their loved ones," Smith wrote on X. 

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said he and his wife "are praying for the passengers and crew who were aboard Flight 4819 and are pleased to see initial reports that no lives have been lost." 

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said she was "closely monitoring the situation in Toronto and keeping all those on board in my thoughts." 

"I am praying for those involved and will continue to monitor this situation as details emerge," Rep. Pete Stauber, R- Minn., said. "I am incredibly grateful for the quick response of the first responders on the ground!" 

The Trump administration has promised a thorough review and update of air traffic control systems nationwide after a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight about to land at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29 killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft. It was the United States' deadliest aviation disaster since 2001. 

Other recent aviation disasters in North America include a small commuter plane on its way to Nome, Alaska, that crashed on Feb. 6, killing the pilot and nine passengers. Additionally, a medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Jan. 31, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes. 

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump congratulated U.S. forces following an airstrike over the weekend that targeted an official of Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaeda affiliate, in Syria.

"US forces conducted a precision airstrike against a member of al-Qaeda in Syria this weekend," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "The terrorist leader was working with al-Qaeda across the region."

"Congratulations to CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla, and the US warfighters who dealt Justice to another Jihadi threatening America and our allies and partners," he continued.

AUSTRIA STABBING SUSPECT IS SYRIAN MIGRANT WHO PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO ISLAMIC STATE, OFFICIALS SAY

On Saturday, U.S. forces "conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing a senior finance and logistics official in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate," U.S. Central Command said in a press release.

CENTCOM said the airstrike was part of its "ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond."

"We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists in order to defend our homeland, and U.S., allied, and partner personnel in the region," Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement.

Hurras al-Din was formed in 2018 after the Nusrah Front terror group broke off from Al-Qaeda. The group operates primarily in Syria’s Idlib Province and could have as many as 2,500 members, according to the National Counterterrorism Center.

TOP RUSSIAN, US OFFICIALS MEET IN SAUDI ARABIA TO BEGIN TALKS ON UKRAINE WAR WITHOUT OFFICIALS FROM KYIV

The center said Hurras al-Din "advocates attacks against the West and Israel to expel foreign influence from Muslim lands, and it seeks to set the conditions necessary to form a new caliphate across the Levant and the broader Middle East."

"Hurras al-Din maintains access to several longtime al-Qa‘ida members who could enable the group to pose a threat to US and other Western interests outside of Syria, despite its weakened state following successive personnel losses since 2019 that have removed many of the group’s veteran leaders," the center said.

A U.S. citizen arrested in Russia earlier this month on drug smuggling charges has been released from Russian custody.

Kalob Wayne Byers, 28, was detained on Feb. 7 at the Vnukovo airport in Moscow after cannabis-laced marmalade was allegedly found in his luggage by customs officials. Byers was traveling from Istanbul with his Russian fiancée, who was also taken into custody.

It was not immediately clear whether Byers' fiancée, identified by Russian media as Naida Mambetova, was also released. She was placed in pre-trial detention on the same charges.

Russian authorities said Byers had attempted to smuggle a "significant amount" of drugs into the country. He was taken into custody on drug smuggling charges, punishable by up to a decade in prison.

AMERICAN DETAINED IN RUSSIA IDENTIFIED AS KALOB WAYNE BYERS

Byers, now freed from Russian custody, is staying in the U.S. embassy in Moscow as he awaits a flight home, his parents wrote on social media, according to Russian independent news outlet Meduza. A U.S. official confirmed that Byers was released to the embassy late on Sunday evening, according to The Associated Press.

Russia freeing Byers appears to be part of an effort to ease tensions between Moscow and Washington ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

When asked about Byers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Moscow expects "to discuss restoring the entire complex of Russian-American relations" at the Saudi Arabia meeting "so certain events can be viewed in this context."

Tensions between the two countries had already begun to soften in recent weeks.

Last week, President Donald Trump upended three years of U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia, stating that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war.

Americans being arrested in Russia has become increasingly common in recent years, as relations between Moscow and Washington have soured because of Russia's war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022.

Some Americans have been released in prisoner exchanges, including Marc Fogel, a teacher from Pennsylvania who was jailed in Russia on drug charges. He was freed last week.

US CITIZEN ALLEGEDLY CARRYING CANNABIS DETAINED IN MOSCOW, CHARGED WITH NARCOTICS SMUGGLING: RUSSIAN MEDIA

Fogel was detained at a Russian airport in August 2021 when traveling to work at a school in Moscow. He was sentenced to 14 years behind bars for possession of drugs, which his family said was medically prescribed marijuana.

He was released and flown back to the U.S. earlier this month in an exchange that included returning Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cryptocurrency expert who faced Bitcoin fraud charges in the U.S., to Russia.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Senior Russian and U.S. officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss improving relations and an end to Moscow's war in Ukraine – without representatives from Kyiv.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led the delegations that met at the Diriyah Palace in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh.

Rubio was accompanied by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, while Lavrov brought along the Kremlin's foreign affairs advisor, Yuri Ushakov. 

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and national security advisor Musaed al Alban were present for the start of the meeting but were expected to leave early in the talks.

Ukrainian officials are not participating in Tuesday's meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Kyiv will not accept the outcome if his country is not in attendance at the meeting.

The meeting symbolizes another significant step by the Trump administration to reverse U.S. policy on isolating Russia. The event was meant to lead to a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Last week, Trump upended U.S. policy toward Ukraine and Russia, stating that he and Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war, which began in February 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Canadian tourist had both her hands amputated after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling on vacation in Turks and Caicos when she attempted to get a photo with the creature.

The incident happened on Feb. 7, when officials with the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) said the 55-year-old woman was snorkeling off Providenciales, the main island in the archipelago, when she was attacked by a shark.

Officials said the shark was estimated to be approximately 6 feet in length. However, the species is yet to be confirmed.

An investigation revealed that the woman had "attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs."

AMERICAN TOURISTS FELT 'NUDGE' BEFORE SHARK ATTACK AT POPULAR BAHAMAS RESORT

The woman's horrified husband quickly rushed into the water to attempt to get the shark away from his wife, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Other terrified bystanders also jumped in to help the woman and try to stop the bleeding. 

She was rushed to a local hospital and later flown off the island for further medical care, officials said.

AMERICAN TOURISTS ATTACKED BY SHARK AT LUXE BAHAMAS RESORT AREA

The victim, who was not identified, had to have both her hands amputated, according to the Visit Turks and Caicos Island website.

The beaches in the area were closed "in an abundance of caution," but later reopened on Sunday, officials said.

"The DECR would like to urge the public to always be aware of your surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life," officials said in a statement on their Facebook page.

SHARK ‘COMPLETELY SEVERS’ LEG OF HAWAII SURFER OFF MAUI BEACH, AUTHORITIES SAY

"Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and do not attempt to feed marine wildlife under any circumstances."

Between 2021 and 2025, four people were reported to have been attacked by sharks, and that all victims survived those attacks, according to the Visit Turks and Caicos Island website. 

The website reported that one of the incidents happened on May 23, 2024, when a male resident was snorkeling at Leeward Reef off the northeast coast of Providenciales when he was attacked by a shark. As a result of the attack, officials said the male had to have his leg amputated above the knee.

The attack comes as another shark attack was reported on the same day when two American tourists were attacked by a shark hours after arriving at a popular beach resort in the Bahamas.

Authorities said the tourists were attacked by what appeared to be a bull shark, leaving one woman with serious injuries, while swimming in the waters of Bimini Bay. 

The incident remains under investigation, and both women are expected to make a full recovery. 

Fox News Digital's Mollie Markowitz, Julia Bonavite and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

A plane crashed at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon, injuring Delta passengers flying from the U.S.

The plane crash, which involved a Delta Air Lines CRJ-900 jet that had departed from Minneapolis, was first reported by CTV. The incident was reported at 2:45 p.m. local time.

Pictures of the scene show the plane upside-down and mangled on a snow-covered runway. 

Peel Regional Police says that it is investigating the number of potential injuries, which are unknown as of now, but paramedics told reporters that there were 8 injuries so far. Of the 8 reported injuries, one was critical and the others were mild to moderate, Reuters reported.

HARROWING VIDEO FROM MILITARY BASE SHOWS NEW ANGLE OF MIDAIR CRASH CATASTROPHE

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement on Monday stating that the crash took place while the aircraft was landing. 80 people were on board at the time, and all were immediately evacuated.

The FAA also said that the flight was operated by Endeavor Air. Toronto Pearson confirmed the crash on X, and said that all the plane's passengers and crew "are accounted for." 

"Toronto Pearson is aware of an incident upon landing involving a Delta Air Lines plane arriving from Minneapolis," the airport's post read. "Emergency teams are responding."

PLANE VEERS OFF AIRPORT RUNWAY IN SOUTH KOREA AND CRASHES, KILLING 179: REPORTS

"The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates," the FAA noted.

Monday's crash comes amid a turbulent season for air travel. In late January, 67 people died near Washington, D.C. when a military Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines-affiliated commercial flight from Kansas.

Recent plane crashes have not been limited to North America either. A crash involving a Jeju Air flight in South Korea killed 179 people when the aircraft crashed into an airport's concrete barrier and bursted into flames. An Azerbaijan Airlines plane also crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas, killing 38 people and injuring 29.

Fox News Digital reached out to Delta for an additional statement.

Reuters contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Fox News Digital's Brooke Curto and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

FIRST ON FOX - A group of young Iraqis launched an initiative called "Iraq Only" with the goal of having better relations with the U.S. and eliminating Iranian militias' hold over Iraq.

The campaign, which involved posting stickers printed with the Iraqi flag and placed over images of militia leaders in Iraq, was a grassroots initiative started by young people to empower the rule of law and build a democratic and citizen-based state in Iraq, free of Iranian influence.

Fox News Digital spoke exclusively with one of the activists who spearheaded the recent effort, Muqtada al-Tamimi, about his experience of social activism, their goals for Iraq’s future, and being kidnapped for his activity of sounding the alarm on Iranian influence.

A WEAKENED IRAN HAS IRAQ LOOKING TO CURB TEHRAN-BACKED EXTREMISTS IN COUNTRY

"We as activists suffer the most from Iranian influence over Iraq. Many of us have been kidnapped and taken into illegal detention centers run by Iranian-backed militias. And some were killed," al-Tamimi, who is a businessman and in his late 20s, told Fox News Digital through his interpreter. 

Al-Tamimi and some of his fellow activists were kidnapped by Iranian-aligned armed groups and were tortured for five days. They were shackled, abused, tortured and had their phones and personal data confiscated without any legal document or judge's signature proving they had the right to access these documents.

"We as activists are persecuted for simply trying to raise our own flag, the Iraqi flag," al-Tamimi lamented.

Al-Tamimi said the Iranian militias act with impunity and don’t respect the Iraqi constitution or Iraqis' rights as citizens.

"The people most harmed by Iranian militias are people like us who call for peace and co-existence in Iraq and with our neighboring countries," he said.

Al-Tamimi and his fellow activists want a strong Iraq that has a stable and integrated economy with the West. 

"We believe that an Iraqi alliance with the West would make Iraq stronger, stable, and more prosperous."

Al-Tamimi and his associates' desire to remove Iranian influence and move Iraq closer to the U.S. and the West is what leaders in Tehran fear most. 

WHO IS THE IRAN-BACKED COALITION ISLAMIC RESISTANCE IN IRAQ, RESPONSIBLE FOR DEADLY DRONE STRIKE ON US TROOPS?

The groundwork for the activism was first laid in 2021 when 312 Iraqis from the Shi'a and Sunni communities convened in Erbil in a conference facilitated by the Center for Peace Communications (CPC), and called for peace and normalization with Israel. Once word of the conference spread across international media, the Iran-backed militias issued death threats, and the Iraqi government issued arrest warrants for conference organizers. CPC took measures to protect all participants from jail or being harmed. 

"The Iraq Only movement speaks to pent-up Iraqi demand for peace, development, and an end to Iranian domination. We wish these young men and women Godspeed in driving change, and hope the U.S. will do everything it can to help them," CPC's founder and president Joseph Braude told Fox News Digital.

Iraq has become a central battleground for regional dominance between U.S. and coalition forces and Iran. Tehran uses allies in Iraq to exert its regional influence and also undermine Iraqi sovereignty through various proxy forces.

The Islamic Resistance of Iraq is a group of armed Islamic resistance factions under the umbrella of the Iran-backed "Axis of Resistance." These groups are the most difficult for the Iraqi government to manage and were responsible for the attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan in January 2024. 

The IRI has been engaging in armed operations against Israel and U.S. coalition forces since Oct. 7. Also operating in Iraq are the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which were formed in 2014 to fight ISIS. 

Iraq Only is also supportive of U.S. forces on Iraqi soil, even as the status of the 2,500 troops in the country remains uncertain.

NETANYAHU HAILS ‘HISTORIC’ FALL OF BASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA, CREDITS ISRAELI ATTACKS ON HEZBOLLAH, IRAN

"The American presence in Iraq does not at all contradict a strong Iraq but the opposite. A good relationship with the United States means a strong Iraq."

Al-Tamimi said he understands and appreciates the heavy price paid by American forces in upholding the stability and security of Iraq since the invasion of 2003. 

One aspect of their platform that may raise eyebrows is their recognition of Israel’s place in the Middle East and their desire for closer ties with Israel.

"Israel is a great country and has a great culture. We share with them a lot of the geography and as we are looking at and seeking a strong Iraq, we need to seek a strong partnership with a country like Israel if needed."

Al-Tamimi also notes that everyday Iraqis have suffered and paid a high price because of the alliance between Iraq and Iran. Physical infrastructure was destroyed, and Iranian interference undermined state institutions. Eradicating Iranian influence will help Iraq, in their view, ultimately become safer and more prosperous.

"We think once we have a strong relationship with Israel and the United States, we will have a strong Iraq." 

Al-Tamimi also sees positive signs for Iraq and the Middle East after the fall of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

"We believe the removal of the Assad regime is a very good step for undermining Iranian influence in the region and gives us as Iraqis hope for better change in the region."