UN: United States delegation exits Security Council meeting amidst French criticism. A diplomatic incident unfolded on Monday as the American delegation departed a United Nations Security Council session during the French ambassador’s address. The US representatives condemned France’s comments as “hypocritical” after Paris had likened Washington to North Korea and Russia following a vote concerning human rights. The previous Friday, the United States was among ten nations in the General Assembly to vote against the four-year renewal of Volker Türk’s mandate as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. France’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva reacted sharply on X, stating, “The United States was once a model for human rights. This is no longer the case. Today, they find themselves alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali, and Russia. Isolated. And the world no longer listens to them.” Such a walkout from a Security Council meeting is a rare occurrence. An official familiar with the situation indicated the American delegation was taken aback by France’s “frontal” public attack.
Romania expels Russian embassy official following repeated drone incursions. Bucharest has declared a Russian embassy member “persona non grata”, with the individual required to leave the country within five days, as announced by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev was formally notified of this decision. On Monday, fragments of a Shahed-type drone, deployed by the Russian army against Ukraine and reportedly shot down by a Romanian F-16 fighter jet, were presented to the ambassador. Romanian authorities intercepted three drones over the past weekend, and another incursion was reported on Monday. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs vehemently “rejected these unfounded accusations”, labeling them a “new propaganda staging” and declaring that the “baseless expulsion of a Russian diplomat will not go unanswered.”
Saudi Arabia reports drone attack from Iraq, amid regional tensions. With a three-day lull in hostilities between the United States and Iran, the Saudi Ministry of Defense asserted that “Iran-backed terrorist militias” had targeted its national territory with drones launched from Iraq. No group has yet claimed responsibility for this specific incident. Separately, Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels announced on Monday that they had targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, a claim not confirmed by Saudi Arabia. Riyadh, a key supporter of the Yemeni government, and the Houthis reignited hostilities on July 13, breaking a four-year truce. On July 20, the Yemeni rebels declared their intention to block maritime traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for vessels traveling to or from Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude oil exporter. Observers suggest the group’s actions aim to “support its main ally, Iran, and to compel Saudi Arabia and the international community to make political concessions in Yemen.” An analyst, April Alley, expressed significant concern about the potential for the war in Yemen to “resume with renewed intensity.”
Chad announces withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. N’Djamena justified its decision on Monday by citing the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) disproportionate focus on African nations. The Chadian government criticized that out of the 13 investigations opened by the Court since its inception, nine “concern African states, compared to four opened in other regions of the world.” This move appears to have been influenced by the United States. During a phone conversation last Thursday, Frank Garcia, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, reportedly urged Chad’s foreign minister to reconsider the country’s ICC membership. The United States initiated a major diplomatic offensive against the ICC in mid-July, labeling it a “threat” to Americans, promising new sanctions, and encouraging its partners to withdraw.
