Asara Resources (AS1:AU) has announced Massan Resource Drilling Confirms High Grade Continuity
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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Falco Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: FPC) (‘ Falco ‘ or the ‘ Corporation ‘) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation to act as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the ‘ Underwriters ‘), in connection with a bought deal private placement of 31,250,000 units (the ‘ Units ‘) at a price of $0.32 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $10,000,000 (the ‘ Offering ‘).
Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Corporation (each, a ‘ Common Share ‘) and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.46 at any time on or before that date which is 18 months after the Closing Date (as defined below).
In addition, the Corporation will grant the Underwriters an option (the ‘ Option ‘) to increase the size of the Offering by up to an additional 4,687,500 Units on the same terms and conditions as the Offering for additional gross proceeds of $1,500,000, by giving written notice of the exercise of the Option, or a part thereof, to the Corporation at any time up to 48 hours prior to Closing Date.
The Corporation intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of Units for the advancement of the Horne 5 Project in Québec as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The Offering is anticipated to close on or about October 17, 2025 (the ‘ Closing Date ‘), or such other date as the Corporation and the Underwriters may agree, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
The Units are being offered by way of private placement in all of the provinces of Canada to investors who qualify as ‘accredited investors’ under Canadian securities legislation or who are otherwise exempt from prospectus delivery requirements. The Offering may also be offered in the United States to ‘accredited investors’ (as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D) pursuant to an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in such other jurisdictions outside of Canada in accordance with applicable law.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.
The Common Shares issuable from the sale of the Units to ‘accredited investors’ in Canada or otherwise on a prospectus exempt basis will be subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance of the Units.
About Falco Resources
Falco is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the province of Quebec, with an extensive portfolio of properties in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue greenstone belt. Falco holds rights to approximately 67,000 hectares of land in the Noranda Mining Camp, which represents 67% of the camp as a whole and includes 13 former gold and base metal mining sites. Falco’s main asset is the Horne 5 project located beneath the former Horne mine, which was operated by Noranda from 1927 to 1976 and produced 11.6 million ounces of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper. Osisko Development Corp. is Falco’s largest shareholder, with a 16% interest in the Corporation.
For more information, please contact:
Luc Lessard
President and Chief Executive Officer, Falco Resources Ltd.
514-261-3336
info@falcores.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, ‘forward looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’, ‘seeks’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘will’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, or variations including negative variations thereof of such words and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. These statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the terms and conditions of the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering and the date of closing of the Offering. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set out in Falco’s annual and/or quarterly management discussion and analysis and in other of its public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, as well as all assumptions regarding the foregoing. Although the Corporation believes the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations and assumptions in such statements will prove to be correct. Consequently, the Corporation cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Corporation are not guarantees of future results or performance and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.
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Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY,OTCQB:LKYRF,FSE:X5L) is a US-focused critical minerals company advancing high-grade rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony at its flagship Mojave project in California. Located just 1.4 kilometers from Mountain Pass — North America’s only producing REE mine — Locksley is strategically positioned to support the U.S. drive to onshore critical mineral supply chains, reduce dependence on China, and secure essential inputs for defense, clean energy, and advanced technologies.
The Mojave Project, Locksley’s flagship asset, is among the most strategically located critical minerals projects in the US Spanning 491 claims adjacent to MP Materials’ world-class Mountain Pass mine, Mojave offers Tier-1 infrastructure with highway access and proximity to Las Vegas. Drilling permits for REE and antimony targets are approved, and the 2025 exploration program is fully funded.
Company Highlights
- US-focused Critical Minerals Strategy: Targeting antimony and rare earths, both on the US critical minerals list, at the Mojave project in California, within a federally prioritized supply chain hub.
- Tier-1 Location: Just 1.4 km from the Mountain Pass mine, the only REE producer in the US, with highway access, infrastructure and proximity to major defense and technology industries.
- Drill-ready and Fully Funded: Approvals secured for both antimony and REE drilling programs, with initial campaigns set for 2025.
- Downstream Innovation: Partnership with Rice University to advance DeepSolv solvent-based processing technology for antimony and investigate applications in next-generation energy storage.
- Government and Institutional Pathways: Positioned to benefit from US policies, Department of Defense initiatives, EXIM Bank financing and Department of Energy funding.
This Locksley Resources profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Altech Batteries (ATC:AU) has announced Altech – Commences Selling Sodium Nickel Chloride Batteries
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Golconda Gold (TSXV:GG) is a growth-focused junior producer with operations in prolific gold districts in South Africa and the US. Positioned as one of the sector’s highest-torque opportunities, Golconda offers investors profitable production, exposure to both gold and silver, and a disciplined, capital-efficient path to meaningful growth.
Golconda Gold is anchored by two cornerstone assets: Galaxy, its cash-flowing South African gold mine, and Summit, a high-grade silver-gold project in New Mexico set for restart. Together, they provide self-funded growth, U.S. exposure, and strong leverage to rising gold prices.
Galaxy, Golconda’s cornerstone asset, is a producing mine in South Africa’s prolific Barberton Greenstone Belt. The operation hosts 941,000 oz gold (M&I, 2.79 g/t) and 1.37 Moz inferred (2.62 g/t), supported by strong infrastructure and access to skilled mining services.
Company Highlights
- Significant Production Growth: On track to triple production over three years at Galaxy while bringing Summit online in Q2 2026.
- Summit Restart and Spin-out: Fully permitted past-producing mine in New Mexico, expected to restart in Q2 2026 and spin out as a standalone US-focused gold-silver producer in Q4 2026.
- No Dilution Strategy: Growth funded through operating cash flow rather than equity raises, ensuring torque to gold without shareholder dilution.
- Insider Alignment: Management and insiders control more than 40 percent of shares, aligning leadership directly with shareholder interests.
- Jurisdictional Strengths: Operations in South Africa’s Barberton Greenstone Belt (long history of gold mining, strong infrastructure) and in the US southwest.
- Exploration Upside: Both Galaxy and Summit hold substantial untested upside with additional ore bodies and underexplored zones.
This Goldconda Gold profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Copper Quest Exploration (CSE:CQX, OTCQB:IMIMF, FRA:3MX) is focused on creating shareholder value through the exploration and development of its North American critical mineral portfolio, with more than 40,000 hectares across tier-one jurisdictions in Canada and the US.
In British Columbia, the company’s assets include the Stars copper-molybdenum discovery in the Bulkley Porphyry Belt, the Stellar property with historic showings and new anomalies, an earn-in on the Rip project, a large porphyry copper-molybdenum system, and the Thane Project in the Toodoggone Belt, prospective for copper-gold-molybdenum.
The Stars project is a 9,694-hectare, road-accessible copper-molybdenum property in the prolific Bulkley Porphyry Belt, home to past producers such as Imperial Metals’ Huckleberry mine and Newmont’s Equity Silver Mine. Stars is defined by a 5 × 2.5 km annular magnetic anomaly coincident with a mineralized monzonite intrusion. Drilling in 2018 confirmed a significant porphyry system at the Tana Zone, highlighted by intercepts of 0.466 percent copper over 195.1 meters from 23 meters, including 40 meters averaging nearly 1 percent copper, and 0.20 percent copper over 396.7 meters from 28 meters. All holes to date have returned copper levels well above background, with alteration, intrusive textures, and veining typical of productive porphyry systems.
Company Highlights
- Large, Tier-one Land Position: More than 40,000 hectares across British Columbia’s Bulkley and Toodoggone Porphyry Belts, plus a newly acquired copper-gold porphyry project in Idaho, USA.
- Flagship Discovery at Stars: Drill intercepts of 0.466 percent copper over 195.1 m confirm a fertile porphyry copper-molybdenum system with over 30 km of untested intrusive contacts.
- Multiple Copper Systems: Canadian portfolio includes Stars, Stellar, Rip (earn-in up to 80 percent) and Thane, each offering district-scale potential in proven belts.
- Idaho Acquisition: The Nekash copper-gold porphyry project in Lemhi County, Idaho, is a milestone acquisition aligned with its strategy to build a portfolio of highly prospective copper assets across North America.
This Copper Quest Exploration profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
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Investor Insight
With a growth-oriented strategy, Golconda Gold is positioning itself as one of the highest-torque junior gold producers in the sector with assets in prolific gold districts in South Africa and the US. For investors bullish on gold, Golconda is a unique opportunity: a profitable producer with meaningful growth ahead, exposure to both gold and silver, and the discipline to deliver shareholder value in a capital-efficient way.
Overview
Golconda Gold (TSXV:GG;OTCQB:GGGOF) is an unhedged gold producer and explorer with operations in South Africa and the United States. The company is focused on optimizing its current mining and processing operations, reducing costs, and growing organically while pursuing accretive acquisition opportunities.
Its growth story is underpinned by two cornerstone assets: Galaxy Gold, the company’s cash-flowing, long-life South African operation; and Summit, a high-grade silver-gold project in New Mexico poised for a restart. Galaxy provides a steadily growing, self-funded production base, while Summit is positioned as the next major catalyst for Golconda, broadening investor exposure to silver and US operations. These assets enable Golconda to deliver meaningful production growth without dilution, providing investors direct leverage to gold prices at a time when juniors remain undervalued relative to commodity prices.
With strong insider ownership and a disciplined approach to capital, Golconda offers investors a unique combination of operating stability, near-term growth and upside exploration potential.
Company Highlights
- Significant Production Growth: On track to triple production over three years at Galaxy while bringing Summit online in Q2 2026.
- Summit Restart and Spin-out: Fully permitted past-producing mine in New Mexico, expected to restart in Q2 2026 and spin out as a standalone US-focused gold-silver producer in Q4 2026.
- No Dilution Strategy: Growth funded through operating cash flow rather than equity raises, ensuring torque to gold without shareholder dilution.
- Insider Alignment: Management and insiders control more than 40 percent of shares, aligning leadership directly with shareholder interests.
- Jurisdictional Strengths: Operations in South Africa’s Barberton Greenstone Belt (long history of gold mining, strong infrastructure) and in the US southwest.
- Exploration Upside: Both Galaxy and Summit hold substantial untested upside with additional ore bodies and underexplored zones.
Key Projects
Galaxy Gold Mine
Galaxy is Golconda’s cornerstone asset and currently the company’s sole producing mine. Situated in the Barberton Greenstone Belt, one of South Africa’s most prolific gold districts with nearly 150 years of mining history, the mine benefits from established infrastructure, sealed-road access and proximity to skilled mining services. The property hosts a large resource base of 941,000 oz of gold in the measured and indicated categories grading 2.79 grams per ton (g/t), plus 1.37 million oz (Moz) inferred at 2.62 g/t.
Snapshot of Galaxy Gold Mine Operations
The operation is an underground, trackless mechanized mine, currently producing at a run rate of ~12,000 oz/year, with a multi-stage ramp-up plan to 25,000 oz/year by 2027 and up to 45,000 oz/year by 2028. Ore is processed through a 50,000 tonnes per month (tpm) crush-mill-float plant, which was refurbished with a new mill, concentrate tanks, and a filter press. The plant is already capable of handling the full ramp-up capacity, allowing it to expand with minimal capital outlay.
Galaxy produces a refractory gold concentrate sold directly to Ocean Partners, eliminating the need for BIOX or other complex high-capex processing routes. This low-risk sales model enables Galaxy to operate profitably and reinvest cash flow into mine development. The mine plan leverages both the Princeton and Galaxy ore bodies, with development into additional levels and ore bodies among the 21 known mineralized zones on the property. Over its history, Galaxy (formerly, the Agnes mine) has produced more than 1.3 Moz of gold, with current exploration drilling continuing to identify significant upside at depth and along strike.
Economically, Galaxy is highly accretive: at $3,000/oz gold, the operation generates an after-tax NPV5 percent of US$201 million, with life-of-mine free cash flow exceeding US$270 million on conservative assumptions. The operation has a projected all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of ~US$1,000/oz once ramp-up is complete, positioning it competitively within the global cost curve.
Summit Gold-Silver Mine and Banner Mill
The Summit mine, located in the Steeple Rock Mining District of southwestern New Mexico, is a high-grade past-producing underground operation. The New Mexico portfolio also includes the Banner mill, a 240 tpd flotation facility located 57 miles from Summit via paved highways and sealed roads. Golconda acquired the project from Waterton in 2021, along with a streamlined land package totaling ~4,000 acres of patented and unpatented claims.
Summit Mine and Banner Mills snapshot
Summit hosts a defined resource of 1.4 Moz silver and 26,000 oz gold in measured and indicated categories, plus 5.1 Moz silver and 74,000 oz gold inferred. The mine is fully permitted and is expected to restart in Q2 2026, with first concentrate production within 9 to 12 months. The restart strategy is fully funded internally from Galaxy cash flows, ensuring no dilution to shareholders.
The planned annual production profile targets ~10,000 oz gold and 444,000 oz silver at steady state, with an average AISC of US$1,600/oz gold equivalent. At $3,000/oz gold and $35/oz silver, Summit delivers an after-tax NPV5 percent of US$105 million, with cumulative free cash flow of ~US$135 million over its mine life. The project is structured to be spun out into a standalone US-only gold-silver producer by Q4 2026, broadening investor appeal and potentially unlocking a higher valuation multiple.
The Banner Mill 240-tpd flotation facility 57 miles from the Summit mine
Exploration upside at Summit is significant. The Billali Zone, northwest of the main deposit, has returned historical intercepts including 681 g/t silver and 9.38 g/t gold over 4.4 m and hosts a 1992 historical resource of 288,000 tonnes grading 121 g/t silver and 3.67 g/t gold. The nearby Mohawk Area features a 2,000 ft IP anomaly with drill intercepts including 1.5 m at 437.5 g/t silver and 9.34 g/t gold at depth. Both zones remain open and underexplored, providing clear potential to extend mine life and scale production.
Summit’s restart and planned spin-out will give Golconda a second producing asset in a Tier 1 jurisdiction, diversify its commodity mix with silver exposure, and broaden its investor base, while maintaining the company’s no-dilution philosophy.
Management Team
Ravi Sood – Chairman and CEO
Ravi Sood has more than 25 years of experience in capital markets and operations. He is the founder and former CEO of Navina Asset Management, and director of Elemental Altus Royalties and Sparq Systems. He founded and/or co-founded multiple companies in mining, energy and renewables.
Andrew Bishop – Chief Financial Officer
A chartered accountant with more than 22 years of financial and mining experience in Africa and North America, Andrew Bishop brings strong financial discipline and operational insight to Golconda. He was previously with Aureus Mining, Avesoro Resources and Golden Star.
Wayne Hatton Jones – Chief Operating Officer
Wayne Hatton Jones is a mining professional with 38 years of experience in Africa, Asia and Europe. He previously worked at Goldridge, Avocet, Randgold and Harmony. His expertise includes mine development, metallurgy and operations.
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Cartier Resources Inc. (″ Cartier ″ or the ″ Company ″) (TSXV: ECR,OTC:ECRFF; FSE: 6CA) is pleased to announce it has awarded the contract to Soutex, a firm specializing in mineral processing and metallurgy, to carry out the first advanced and comprehensive metallurgical sampling and testwork program for the Main Sector of its Cadillac Project.
Key Objectives of the Program
- Defining expected gold recovery rates and improving upon historical results from the Chimo deposit.
- Establishing first-time metallurgical recovery data for the East Chimo and West Nordeau satellite deposits, where no previous data exists.
- Supporting the development of an integrated process flowsheet .
- Providing critical data for future trade-off studies to guide project development.
‘ The metallurgical program represents a critical de-risking milestone to advance the development of the Cadillac Project. By understanding how the mineralized material responds to conventional processing methods, we can define the most efficient and cost-effective flowsheet. This has the potential to significantly reduce both capital and operating costs, while also improving our environmental footprint. The data generated will directly support optimized project development and enhance our economic models. In short, these test results will strengthen the technical foundation of the project and help unlock greater shareholder value . ‘ – Philippe Cloutier, President and CEO of Cartier.
‘ Following the recent launch of baseline environmental studies, we’re pleased to advance the Cadillac Project with the initiation of our first modern metallurgical test program. With historical data now nearly 30 years old, it was essential for Cartier to generate updated, high-quality data that reflects current standards. This comprehensive program will characterize the mineralized material, gold recovery potential, and validate optimal grind size (key inputs for future engineering and economic studies). Combined with our ongoing 100,000-metre drill program, these initiatives position us to unlock the full value of the Cadillac Project. ‘ – Ronan Deroff, Vice President Exploration of Cartier.
Historical Production Recovery (source: MRNF DV 85-05 to DV 97-01 + internal company reports)
The mineralized material from the Chimo mine (Chimo deposit) was processed by 3 different producers: Chimo Gold Mines (1966-67), Louvem (1984-1989) and Cambior (1989-1997). The flowsheet was focused on gravity separation, flotation and cyanidation of flotation concentrate. Records show that from 1966 through 1997, approximatively 2.4 million tonnes of mineralized material have been processed. During the 15-year period production, the historical average recovery was 90.6% of the contained gold. These numbers appear to underestimate the deposit and should be able to improve, since the first two operators of the Chimo mine (Chimo Gold Mines and Louvem) had good extraction results, around 94%, while the last production period by Cambior showed a significant drop in recoveries with only 89% of the contained gold.
There is no metallurgical information available for the other deposits of the Main Sector like East Chimo and West Nordeau deposits.
Methodology of the Metallurgical Testwork Program
To achieve the program objectives, the testwork will be conducted on NQ-size half-drill core intervals spatially selected to be representative of both the type of mineralization and the average head grade of the resource. A total of 6 composites for 300 kg from the three deposits (Chimo, East Chimo and West Nordeau) will be generated including two 50 kg-composites for each deposit. The composites will be assembled by Cartier geologists.
All composites of the three deposits will be subject to cyanidation tests at three different grind sizes. After these tests, gravimetric concentration separation followed by a cyanide destruction tests of the gravity tails will be done at the grind size showing the best results. In addition to the metallurgical program, comminution test, as well as chemical and mineralogical characterization, will also be performed to define the grindability of the mineralized material and predict his behaviour in the process.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical content of this press release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by Mr. Ronan Déroff, P.Geo., M.Sc., Vice President Exploration, who is a ″Qualified Person″ as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (″NI 43-101″).
About Soutex
Soutex is a consulting firm in mineral processing and metallurgy that offers specialized services, from the initial stages of development on paper to the daily operations of the processing plant. Their designs stem from their solid experience in providing plant operations support. This support is based on their knowledge of fundamental ore processing principles and their in-plant experience. Founded in 2000 and having offices in Canada (Quebec and Longueuil) and Germany (Munich), Soutex comprises more than 40 metallurgists, process engineers, and technicians, making it one of the largest groupings of specialists in the field in Canada. Services have been offered to clients located across Canada and abroad (West Africa, United States, Finland, New Caledonia, Suriname, and Madagascar).
About Cadillac Project
The Cadillac Project, covering 14,000 hectares along a 15-kilometre stretch of the Cadillac Fault, is one of the largest consolidated land packages in the Val-d’Or mining camp. Cartier’s flagship asset integrates the historic Chimo Mine and East Cadillac projects, creating a dominant position in a world class gold mining district. With excellent road access, year-round infrastructure and nearby milling capacity, the project is ideally positioned for rapid advancement and value creation.
Using a gold price of US$1,750/oz, a Preliminary Economic Assessment demonstrated the economic viability of a 2-km segment, compared to the 15 km that will be the subject of the 100,000 m drilling program, with an average annual gold production of 116,900 oz over a 9.7-year mine life. Indicated resources are estimated at 720,000 ounces (7.1 million tonnes at 3.1 g/t Au) and inferred resources at 1,633,000 ounces (18.5 million tonnes at 2.8 g/t Au). Please see the NI 43-101 ″Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for Chimo Mine and West Nordeau Gold Deposits, Chimo Mine and East Cadillac Properties, Quebec, Canada, Marc R. Beauvais, P.Eng., of InnovExplo Inc., Mr. Florent Baril of Bumigeme and Mr. Eric Sellars, P.Eng. of Responsible Mining Solutions″ effective May 29, 2023.
About Cartier Resources Inc.
Cartier Resources Inc., founded in 2006 and headquartered in Val-d’Or (Quebec) is a gold exploration company focused on building shareholder value through discovery and development in one of Canada’s most prolific mining camps. The Company combines strong technical expertise, a track record of successful exploration, and a fully funded program to advance its flagship Cadillac Project. Cartier’s strategy is clear: unlock the full potential of one of the largest undeveloped gold landholdings in Quebec.
For further information, contact:
Philippe Cloutier, P. Geo.
President and CEO
Telephone: 819-856-0512
philippe.cloutier@ressourcescartier.com
www.ressourcescartier.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia
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The U.S. secured the release of an American citizen being detained in Afghanistan following months of negotiations on Sunday, Fox News has learned.
The U.S. and Qatar jointly negotiated for the release of Amir Amiry, U.S. Special Envoy Adam Boehler told Fox News on Sunday.
‘When we went to Kabul to pick up George Glezmann six months ago, I asked to see Amir Amiry. He was brought to the airport gate and when he saw us he started to cry. Leaving an American was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life and I promised him that we would come back for him,’ Boehler told Fox.
‘Amir Amiry became a citizen by putting his life at risk fighting for our country and our troops. Today we repay the favor. God bless America and God bless the President,’ Boehler added.
‘Throughout Mr. Amiry’s detention, Qatari diplomats remained in close communication with US officials and carried out regular health checks to ensure his wellbeing,’ a source familiar with Amiri’s detention told Fox News.
‘His release was facilitated by Qatari diplomats in close coordination with the team of the US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, through Qatar’s role as the United States’ protecting power in Afghanistan,’ the source added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio celebrated Amiry’s release, thanking Qatar in an X post Sunday afternoon.
‘Today we welcome home Amir Amiry, an American who was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan. I want to thank Qatar for helping secure his freedom,’ Rubio said. ‘@POTUS has made it clear we will not stop until every American unjustly detained abroad is back home.’
Amiry’s release comes roughly a week after the Taliban released an elderly British couple after eight months in captivity.
Barbie Reynolds, 76, and husband Peter Reynolds, 80, arrived in Qatar on Friday following months of negotiations between Qatar, the Taliban and Britain.
The couple had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, where they ran an education charity. Despite the ordeal, Barbie Reynolds said they would return to Afghanistan if they could. They are both Afghan citizens.
‘God is good, as they say in Afghanistan,’ she added at the Kabul airport.
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report
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Iraq is entering ‘a new phase’ of stability and growth, President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid said in an interview, declaring the country ‘100% safe’ as U.S. troops prepare to draw down after more than two decades on the ground.
While praising the U.S. for helping to defeat ISIS, Rashid stressed that Iraq now intends to stand on its own — maintaining ties with both the United States and neighboring Iran.
‘Americans have helped us in defeating terrorism… and I think Iraq is 100% safe and secure,’ Rashid told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. ‘It’s a new phase in Iraq, really concentrating on improving the infrastructure.’
Those who served in Iraq in the early 2000s — through the War on Terror and a civil war — may not recognize it as the same place, according to Rashid.
‘We have started development in every field of life, and there are good opportunities for number of American companies, American businessmen, to be our partner in improving the situation in Iraq.’
Under this ‘new phase,’ Rashid said he wants Iraq to be defined less by conflict and more by commerce.
‘Our relationship with the United States is a long relationship. We want to make a stronger relationship… on trade, on investment, on energy and water.’
The timing is significant. The U.S.-led coalition that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 and later fought ISIS was scheduled under an agreement last year to begin its final withdrawal this September. That exact timeline is unclear, and the Pentagon has disclosed few details.
The issue is sure to dominate next month’s parliamentary elections, where a swath of Iraqis want the U.S. to adhere to its agreement and leave.
‘This is a hot button political issue,’ said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), ‘with a timetable that was technically — or at least allegedly — already supposed to have started by then, is going to be something that we should be keeping our eyes on.’
American commanders have warned that ISIS cells remain active in rural areas, while Iran-aligned militias have targeted U.S. and Iraqi government facilities with rockets and drones.
Some argue the counter-ISIS mission is not over, and U.S. troops should remain. Others say the U.S. footprint lacks a clear purpose at this point.
‘ISIS is a shell of its former self — the Caliphate collapsed in 2019 and its strikes on Europe have ended since then. The remaining threat can be handled by others, notably the Iraqi government, which is popular at home and capable of carrying the load, along with the Kurdish Peshmerga and other regional states,’ said Will Walldorf, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities.
‘Iran’s influence has waned with the near-total collapse of its regional proxies. Any threats the U.S. might face in the future can be handled from over the horizon.’
‘The deterrent effect of U.S. forces there, I think, could be significant,’ countered Taleblu.
Pressed on concerns, Rashid dismissed talk of Iraq being ‘overrun with Iranian proxies’ as exaggerated and said Baghdad is determined to prevent outside powers from dictating its politics.
‘We want to keep our independence, our decision-making in Iraq as the Iraqis, not to be influenced by outsiders,’ he said.
On reports of militia attacks, Rashid claimed ignorance but insisted such actions would not be tolerated.
‘I’m not really aware of any groups [carrying out attacks]. We will not allow it. And these are against the Iraqi security and Iraqi independence,’ he said.
Still, the perception of Iranian influence remains a flashpoint in Washington.
‘Iranian influence has already taken over Iraq,’ Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital.
Tehran has close ties to Shiite parties that shape government coalitions in Baghdad, and it supports militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces that remain powerful players in the country’s security environment.
Iraq also relies on Iranian electricity and natural gas imports, while Iranian goods fill local markets, making Iraq one of Tehran’s most important trading partners despite international sanctions.
That reach, however, is not uncontested. Iraqi nationalist movements — including many Shiites — have resisted Tehran’s sway, and mass protests in recent years have condemned Iran’s role, sometimes targeting its consulates. Baghdad today remains a space of competing influence.
‘The Islamic Republic benefits from Iraq looking like Swiss cheese,’ said Taleblu, referring to Iranian pockets of influence across the country and its institutions.
‘Iran and Iraq are two neighbors,’ Rashid said, emphasizing that they had friendly relations. ‘We will not allow politicians from either [U.S. or Iraq] to be imposed on Iraqi people.’
Still others say Iran could take note of the Iraqi success story. In less than 20 years, the nation rose from decades of conflict and dictatorial leadership under Saddam Hussein to relative stability and democratic elections.
Rashid confirmed that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government have resolved their dispute over oil exports, paving the way for flows to resume after months of disruption. ‘It’s a big deal,’ said Rashid, who himself is Kurdish by background.
The Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd under an informal power-sharing agreement, while the prime minister is Shi’a Arab and the speaker of the parliament is Sunni Arab.
Rashid also pointed to November’s parliamentary elections as proof of democratic stability.
‘We are going to have elections in two months’ time in November. That’s really an indication of how stable the country is… We want the process to be fully democratic,’ he said.
But the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias, some with close ties to Tehran — are seen by critics as a parallel power structure undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.
Rashid, however, argued that integrating all armed groups under the constitution strengthens, rather than weakens, the state.
And on foreign policy, Rashid tried to position Iraq as a bridge.
He welcomed growing recognition of a Palestinian state, cautiously praised Donald Trump’s push for peace in Gaza, and reiterated that war — whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine — ‘doesn’t solve any problem. It makes the problem more complicated.’
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