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A dizzying ride on the Hill: Lawmakers debate in circles as shutdown enters week two

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It must be something about October and two-year intervals in Congress.

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Congress was paralyzed for more than three weeks without a leader two years ago this October as the House unceremoniously ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

And Congress is paralyzed again this October – unable to find the votes to re-open the government.

«There’s nothing for us to negotiate,» said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. «We did the job to keep the government open. And now it’s on the Senate Democrats.»

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OMINOUS RED AND ORANGE SKIES HAD CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE AS SHUTDOWN LOOMED

But Democrats say that’s the problem. There haven’t been negotiations. Save for a brief White House meeting last week between President Trump and the top four bipartisan, bicameral Congressional leaders a day before the shutdown.

«The Majority Leader in the Senate, John Thune, R-S.D., talks about, ‘we’ll have conversations.’ We need more than conversations. We need a real negotiation,» said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., on Fox.

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So there are no talks. And the sides are seemingly talking past each other.

It seems as though Congress is positively heading nowhere as shutdown negotiations drag on. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

So, they’ve turned to handicapping.

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Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., gamed out that the shutdown would run another week.

«It won’t end until everybody in the Senate takes their ego out back and shoots it. And then it’ll end,» predicted Kennedy.

It always is, and always will be about the math.

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Senate Republicans can conjure up the votes of 55 senators to break a filibuster on the House-passed bill to fund the government. But they need 60 yeas. And Republicans are determined to stick to their playbook.

«I can tell you there’s more than five Democrats in the Senate who know that (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. has led them into a box canyon with this Schumer shutdown,» said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on Fox. «But the consequences will start to pile up.»

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: SENATE REVOTES TODAY ON ENDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

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White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wouldn’t directly answer a question about what would trigger federal firings. But Leavitt made clear that jobs hung in the balance.

«We don’t want to see people laid off. But unfortunately, if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unfortunate consequence of that,» said Leavitt.

Democrats excoriated the Trump Administration for hinting it would cut programs and jobs in agencies important to Democrats.

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«Americans really hate bullies. And this kind of bullying from the White House is going to backlash because they understand that an authoritarian president uses grants to New York for infrastructure, laying off workers, deliberately inflicting pain,» predicted Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. «Don’t inflict unnecessary pain and then boast about it.»

Some Republicans practically reveled in the White House approach.

«All’s fair in love and war. I think that there’s a price to pay for the Democrats shutting this down,» said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. «These will be part of the consequences.»

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Sen. Peter Welch

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., argued that the shutdown is «collective punishment» and undercuts Republicans equally harshly. (Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)

But one Democrat argued that the Trump administration’s gambit would also undercut Republicans and voters who supported the president. Even in blue states.

«There’s a lot of folks in Vermont, there’s lot of folk in Illinois who voted for President Trump. So this sort of collective punishment,» said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., on Fox. «I think it’s a really bad idea.»

But the president is coy about when the shutdown could trigger federal layoffs.

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«It could,» said the president. «At some point it will.»

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted that his department saw «a slight uptick» in aviation safety employees who were calling out sick during the shutdown – since they weren’t being paid.

«They’re thinking about how am I going to get a paycheck? How do I make a car payment,» said Duffy.

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WHITE HOUSE ESCALATES SHUTDOWN CONSEQUENCES AS DEMOCRATS SHOW NO SIGNS OF BUDGING: ‘KAMIKAZE ATTACK’

But if you squint, you can see a few signs of bipartisanship.

Johnson is discussing Obamacare subsidies with one prominent Democrat.

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«I had I think a fruitful discussion, with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., about two days ago, a day or so ago,» said Johnson on efforts to address looming Obamacare premium spikes. «Whatever the conference committee comes up with, I will put on the floor. I’m ready to go.»

But Schumer is skeptical about the Speaker’s promises.

«Delay has always been Speaker Johnson’s MO. Speaker Johnson has survived by kicking the can down the road,» said Schumer. «When Johnson says later, they know he means never.»

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., insists Democrats are «playing a losing game.» (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Tension is building as the shutdown barrels into its second week as lawmakers spin in circles.

«I realize that my Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far left base. But they’re playing a losing game here,» said Thune.

But each side is now engaged in a game of parliamentary chicken. Republicans won’t budge from their demand that Senate Democrats approve their funding plan. And Democrats won’t relent from their insistence that the sides shore up Obamacare subsidies.

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«I’m not going to vote to reopen the government until I see a way that we can do that,» said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.

Even some Republicans worry about Obamacare price spikes.

«There are some folks in what is the new part of the Republican Party, which is blue-collar workers,» said Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., on Fox Business. «We have to be careful how we do this. We just shouldn’t cut it. We should make sure we use a scalpel and not a sledgehammer.»

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SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026?

But even if bipartisan senators were to forge a deal, the plan may slam into a brick wall in the House.

«Republicans have spent most of their careers being against Obamacare. Why would they expand it and add a subsidy on top of a subsidy?» asked House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.

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A debate is now raging over which side will cave. Or which party faces political consequences.

Naturally, Republicans believe Democrats will pay a price.

«Their radical base just wants to see them up here fighting Donald Trump, not over any particular issues,» said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

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But Democrats don’t see a political downside.

«Are you concerned in any way about the political ramifications that voters might blame your side down the road?» yours truly asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

«The American people are crystal clear on who shut down the government. Crystal clear,» replied Jeffries.

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Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., suggested Americans are «crystal clear» on who shoulders the blame for the shutdown. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

However, some lawmakers doubt that voters care about who «shut down the government.»

«My constituents don’t care about the finger pointing. They just want us to govern,» said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa.

As the impasse deepens, the Senate shifted from parliamentary posturing to ecumenical intercession.

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«On this third day of the government shutdown, inspire them to work for your glory in all they think, say, and sow,» prayed Senate Chaplain Barry Black during his invocation of the Senate last week.

HERE’S WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DURING THE SHUTDOWN

And then there are the sideshows. The White House sent out a meme portraying Budget Director Russ Vought as the Grim Reaper. And the president trolled Jeffries with an AI-generated social media video, casting Jeffries in a sombrero and a mustache with mariachi music playing in the background.

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At the same time, Republicans warned about grave shutdown consequences.

«Real pain is being endured by real people,» said Johnson.

But in the next breath, the Speaker defended the president making light of circumstances, describing the trolling as «entertainment.»

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«That’s what President Trump does. And people are having fun with this,» said Johnson.

I didn’t let that go.

«On one hand, you say this is very serious. That people have jobs on the line. On the other hand, you say, ‘oh, this is just fun and games and they’re trolling.’ Which is it?» I inquired.

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«What they’re trying to have fun with, trying to make light of, is to point out the absurdity of the Democrats’ position,» answered Johnson.

Mike Johnson

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended President Trump’s making light of current circumstances as «entertainment.» (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

So we don’t know if or when Vought will drop the anvil on federal workers. But one senator who caucuses with the Democrats and voted for the GOP plan, signaled his support could wane if Republicans overplay their hand.

«If they start firing thousands of people or clawing back other kinds of programs, I think, it could hurt their chances of getting this resolved,» said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.’

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The Senate has now blocked the House-approved spending package on six separate occasions. The sides are having casual conversations. But nothing has happened.

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It’s as though Congress is on a merry-go-round to nowhere, just going around and around. Everyone’s getting dizzy. And just wants to dismount.

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Los abusos de los agentes de inmigración en Estados Unidos: corrupción, agresiones y abusos sexuales

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Los investigadores dijeron que un agente de control de inmigración se salió con la suya al agredir físicamente a su novia durante años. Otro admitió que abusó sexualmente de una mujer bajo su custodia en repetidas ocasiones. Un tercero está acusado de aceptar sobornos para eliminar órdenes de detención sobre personas susceptibles de deportación.

Al menos dos docenas de empleados y contratistas del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés) han sido acusados de delitos desde 2020, y sus infracciones incluyen patrones de abuso físico y sexual, corrupción y otros abusos de autoridad, según una revisión realizada por The Associated Press.

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Aunque la mayoría de los casos ocurrieron antes de que el Congreso votara el año pasado para otorgar al ICE 75.000 millones de dólares para contratar más agentes y detener a más personas, los expertos dicen que este tipo de delitos podría acelerarse dado el gran volumen de nuevos empleados y los poderes que se les han otorgado para usar tácticas agresivas en la detención y deportación de personas.

El gobierno de Trump ha envalentonado a los agentes al argumentar que tienen «inmunidad absoluta» por sus acciones en servicio y debilitar la supervisión. Un juez sugirió recientemente que el ICE estaba desarrollando una preocupante cultura de ilegalidad, mientras que los expertos han cuestionado si los nuevos empleados están recibiendo suficiente evaluación y capacitación.

“Una vez que una persona es contratada, incluida, pasa por la capacitación y no es la persona adecuada, es difícil deshacerse de ella y todos pagaremos un precio más adelante”, afirmó Gil Kerlikowske, quien sirvió como comisionado de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos de 2014 a 2017.

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Casi todas las agencias de seguridad lidian con malos empleados, y los delitos relacionados con la violencia doméstica y el abuso de sustancias son problemas arraigados en el sector. Pero el rápido crecimiento del ICE y su misión de deportar a millones de personas no tienen precedentes, y el análisis de AP encontró que el inmenso poder que los agentes ejercen sobre poblaciones vulnerables puede llevar a abusos.

La subsecretaria del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, Tricia McLaughlin, dijo que la mala conducta no era generalizada en la agencia y que el ICE «se toma muy en serio las acusaciones de mala conducta por parte de sus empleados». Afirmó que la mayoría de los nuevos contratados ya habían trabajado para otras agencias de seguridad y que sus antecedentes fueron minuciosamente evaluados.

«Estados Unidos puede estar orgulloso del profesionalismo que nuestros agentes aportan al trabajo día tras día», expresó.

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El ICE anunció el mes pasado que había más que duplicado su tamaño a 22.000 empleados en menos de un año.

Kerlikowske dijo que los agentes del ICE son particularmente «vulnerables a problemas de uso innecesario de la fuerza», dado que a menudo realizan operaciones en público mientras enfrentan protestas. El número de detenidos del ICE casi se ha duplicado desde el año pasado, a 70.000 personas, y los empleados y contratistas responsables de supervisarlos también enfrentan condiciones complicadas que pueden proporcionar más oportunidades para la mala conducta.

La Patrulla Fronteriza duplicó su tamaño a más de 20.000 agentes de 2004 a 2011, seis años más de lo que le tomó al ICE. La agencia se vio avergonzada por una ola de corrupción, abuso y otras infracciones por parte de algunos de los nuevos empleados. Kerlikowske recordó casos de agentes que aceptaron sobornos para permitir que autos que transportaban drogas ingresaran a Estados Unidos o que se involucraron en el tráfico de personas.

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Él y otros dicen que el ICE está en posición de ver problemas similares que probablemente serán más amplios en alcance, con menos supervisión y rendición de cuentas.

«La corrupción, el abuso y la mala conducta estaban en gran medida confinados en la instancia anterior a lo largo de la frontera y las interacciones con inmigrantes y residentes de estados fronterizos. Con el ICE, esto se convertirá en un fenómeno a nivel nacional a medida que atraen a muchas personas que se sienten atraídas por esta misión», dijo David Bier, director de estudios de inmigración en el Instituto Cato, un grupo de expertos libertario.

Bier, quien ha ayudado a publicitar algunos de los arrestos recientes y otras presuntas malas prácticas de agentes del ICE, dijo que le ha sorprendido la «notable variedad de diferentes delitos y cargos que hemos visto».

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El análisis de AP examinó registros públicos que involucran casos de empleados y contratistas del ICE que han sido arrestados desde 2020, incluidos al menos 17 que han sido condenados y otros seis que están esperando juicio. Nueve han sido acusados en el último año, incluido un agente procesado el mes pasado por agredir a un manifestante cerca de Chicago cuando estaba fuera de servicio.

Algunos de los delitos más graves fueron cometidos por empleados veteranos de ICE y supervisores en lugar de novatos.

Mientras que los funcionarios federales han justificado la agresión de ICE, el comportamiento de los agentes está atrayendo el escrutinio de observadores con celulares y fiscales en jurisdicciones lideradas por demócratas. Las agencias locales están investigando los tiroteos fatales del mes pasado en Minneapolis de los manifestantes Renee Good y Alex Pretti por parte agentes federales, así como el asesinato de Keith Porter por un agente de ICE fuera de servicio en Los Ángeles en la víspera de Año Nuevo.

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En todo el país, los casos han atraído titulares no deseados para el ICE, que ha gastado millones de dólares publicitando los antecedentes penales de aquellos que arrestan como los «peores de los peores».

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Trump directs military to strike new deals with coal-fired power plants: ‘Going to be buying a lot of coal’

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing the Department of War (DOW) to work directly with coal-fired power plants on new long-term power purchasing agreements, arguing the move would ensure «more reliable power and stronger and more resilient grid power.»

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«That’s why I’m also pleased to announce that, in just a moment, I will sign an executive order that directs the Department of War to work directly with coal plants on the new power purchasing agreements, ensuring that we have more reliable power and stronger and more resilient grid power,» Trump said. 

«And we’re going to be buying a lot of coal through the military now, and it’s going to be less expensive and actually much more effective than what we have been using for many, many years.»

The executive order, «Strengthening United States National Defense with America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Power Generation Fleet,» states, «The United States must ensure that our electric grid … remains resilient and reliable, and not reliant on intermittent energy sources,» calling the grid «the foundation of our national defense as well as our economic stability.»

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TRUMP ADMIN TO REPEAL OBAMA-ERA GREENHOUSE GAS FINDING IN LARGE-SCALE DEREGULATION

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, left; House Speaker Mike Johnson; and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin watch as President Donald Trump signs an executive order directing the military to purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants during a «Champion of Coal» event Wednesday at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

It adds, «It is the policy of the United States that coal is essential to our national and economic security.»

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Under a section titled «Power Purchase Agreements with Federal Installations,» the order states that the Secretary of War, «in coordination with the Secretary of Energy, shall seek to procure power from the United States coal generation fleet by approving long-term Power Purchase Agreements … with coal-fired energy production facilities to serve DOW installations or other mission-critical facilities.»

Speaking at the White House and flanked by members of his Cabinet, coal workers and GOP lawmakers, Trump framed coal as vital to defense and industrial production.

BIDEN’S GREEN ENERGY FIASCO, NOT TRUMP’S REFORMS, IS JACKING UP YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

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President Trump speaking during coal executive order event

President Donald Trump speaks during a «Champion of Coal» event in the East Room of the White House Wednesday, in Washington, D.C. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«Coal is also critical to our national security,» he said. «Vital to everything from steel production to shipbuilding and artificial intelligence.»

He also pointed to winter storms as evidence of coal’s reliability.

«More than 200 million Americans across 35 states were impacted by the storm, and the only reason most were able to take a hot shower was thanks to the power provided by the most reliable, dependable of, and really dependable form of energy that we have,» Trump said. «And that’s clean, beautiful coal.»

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Trump contrasted his approach with the prior administration.

«On day one of this administration, I ended the war on coal,» Trump said. «We terminated the green new scam, and we withdrew from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord.»

He also criticized wind energy.

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TRUMP TO HOST ‘CLEAN BEAUTIFUL COAL’ EVENT, CALLS IT AMERICA’S MOST RELIABLE ENERGY

President Trump speaks at coal executive order event while coal workers look on

President Donald Trump speaks during a «Champion of Coal» event, where he ordered the Pentagon to purchase electricity from plants and announced millions of dollars to upgrade existing sites. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«I’m not a big fan of those crazy windmills that are all made in China,» Trump said. «You know, they’re made in China but not used by China.»

Trump said the Tennessee Valley Authority was «taking action to save two major coal plants,» mentioning the Cumberland Fossil Plant and the Kingston Fossil Plant.

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«These two plants were slated for termination,» Trump said, «but we’re going to save over 450 jobs by keeping them going and going strong.»

Trump said he was «directing the Department of Energy to issue funds» to coal plants in several states.

«In addition, I’m directing the Department of Energy to issue funds to coal plants in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and Kentucky to keep them online and keep those plants open,» Trump said.

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On permitting, Trump said, «In one year of Trump, we’ve already approved over 70 permits for very big, very powerful mines that are going to be with us for many, many years to come.»

Trump said coal production and generation had increased during his tenure.

«Since I took office, coal production is up by nearly 4 million tons a month after falling for decades,» he said. «Coal power generation is up by nearly 15% in my first year.»

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Later in the event, Peabody Energy CEO Jim Grech presented Trump with an award.

«Sir. Just to show our appreciation,» Grech said. «The trophy says the undisputed champion of beautiful, clean coal.»

Trump closed by returning to what he described as American energy dominance.

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«America is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world,» he said. «We are by far No. 1.»

The Department of War did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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UN chief blasted as ‘abjectly tone-deaf’ over message to Iran marking revolution anniversary

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UNITED NATIONS: U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres sent a congratulatory message to Iran marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, a move that drew sharp criticism from anti-regime Iranian voices and human rights advocates.

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In a letter addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Guterres «extended his warmest congratulations on the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran,» describing such anniversaries as an opportunity to reflect on a country’s path and contributions to the international community, according to Iranian state and regional reporting published Wednesday.

The message comes weeks after the U.N.’s top human rights body condemned Iran over abuses tied to a violent crackdown on anti-government protests and mandated further investigation into alleged violations, with some reports citing casualty figures that could reach 30,000, pending verification.

RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS’ US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

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U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 26, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Furthermore, according to the NGO U.N. Watch, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is expected to address the U.N. Human Rights Council on Feb. 23.

Against that backdrop, critics said the secretary-general’s congratulatory message risked sending a conflicting signal.

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«The U.N. secretary-general’s congratulatory message is not merely diplomatic routine — it is abjectly tone-deaf,» said Iran analyst Banafsheh Zand. «At a time when the Iranian people continue to endure executions, repression and systemic abuse at the hands of the Islamic Republic, offering formal congratulations to the architects of that suffering reads as a moral failure.»

Zand added that such gestures «erode [the U.N.’s] credibility and deepen the wound for those still fighting for freedom inside Iran.»

Andrew Ghalili, policy director at the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), said the message amounted to legitimizing a repressive system.

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AMBASSADOR MIKE WALTZ LAYS OUT ‘AMERICA FIRST’ VISION FOR US LEADERSHIP AT THE UN

Burning cars line a street in Tehran as thick smoke rises during unrest.

Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency’s value in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

«The United Nations is legitimizing a regime built on repression, executions and the systematic destruction of basic freedoms,» Ghalili said. «Offering celebratory recognition to the Islamic Republic on the anniversary of its revolution ignores the bloodshed, the repression of protesters and the ongoing hostage-taking of innocent people.»

Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that impunity has enabled ongoing abuses in Iran, urging U.N. member states to pursue accountability for what they describe as systemic violations and mass killings of protesters.

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Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, told Fox News Digital during a press briefing that the message to Tehran was part of a long-standing U.N. protocol.

IRAN’S TOP DIPLOMAT SAYS NATION’S POWER LIES IN DEFYING PRESSURE: ‘NO TO THE GREAT POWERS’

Iranian foreign minister speaks at a podium during a diplomatic press conference.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul, Turkey, on Jan. 30, 2026. (Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images)

«The letter that came out from the secretary-general is a standard letter. Every year, each member state gets the exact same letter… congratulating them on the national holiday and conveying best wishes to the people of that country.»

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The spokesperson added that similar letters were sent the same day to other countries marking national holidays and «should not be interpreted… as an endorsement of whatever policies may be put in place by the government.» He said the message «doesn’t change the secretary-general’s view» on Iran, noting Guterres has previously spoken out against the crackdown and violence.

On reports that Iran’s foreign minister is expected to address the Human Rights Council later this month, the spokesperson said the matter falls under the council’s authority.

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«That’s a decision of the Human Rights Council,» he said. «This is a membership organization. Every member state has a right to address legislative bodies… It’s not within the secretariat’s authority to bar member states from addressing a legislative body.»



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