Geopolitics Prime

⚔️ Iraqi resistance group vows to defend Iran against existential threat Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada has pledged to join Iran in fighting US and Israeli forces if the Islamic Republic faces a threat to its existence. 🔊 “If Iran faces a genuine threat to its existence, we will certainly participate in that battle,” the group's Secretary General Abu Ala al-Walai said, stressing that his faction would stay out of a conflict that did not pose such a threat, as it did during the recent war. Walalai described ties with Tehran as deeply rooted in shared religious beliefs and battlefield cooperation, recalling Iran's military and logistical support to Iraqi forces during the fight against Daesh. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime

🗣 Anthropic seeks legal advice to prep AI agents to negotiate on users’ behalf Anthropic is consulting law firms on how its AI agents should bargain on behalf of people to secure better outcomes, the FT reported. Whether settling customer disputes, improving salary offers, or haggling over prices, Anthropic wants to establish clear “negotiation norms” for these encounters. Issues under discussion reportedly include: ➡️ how aggressively should agents pursue their user’s interests when facing counterparts with opposing goals ➡️ how often should agents they pause to seek users’ input and how much freedom should they be given ➡️ how to detect dishonest tactics without becoming excessively suspicious of other agents ➡️ whether users should provide signed instructions that define an agent’s authority and limits The company has already tested these ideas. In a recent internal experiment, employees used Claude agents – with a track record for going sometimes off-script - to buy and sell books on a virtual trading floor, each agent working from a ranked preference list. Agents told to be “ruthless” secured slightly better results, while more cooperative ones sometimes accepted less-preferred books so that every participant ended up with something. However, there is a downside: trials raised concerns that people with access to stronger models could gain a systematic advantage in agent-to-agent negotiations. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime

🇮🇷 Strait of Hormuz to reopen on sixth day if US meets Iran's conditions - FM Araghchi Tehran's seven-day proposal remains on the table, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, stressing that its demands are fair and based on commitments previously made by the US, with negotiations set to resume on the seventh day. The plan calls for Washington to fulfill seven conditions, including lifting its naval blockade, easing oil sanctions, and halting hostilities. Araghchi stressed that the demands are not new but reflect commitments made by the US under the June 17 Islamabad agreement, which collapsed in July amid renewed US strikes on Iran and mutual accusations of violations. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime

🇮🇱 Israeli settlers ambush European diplomats during olive harvest visit in occupied West Bank Seven settlers on ATVs surrounded the convoy of vehicles, carrying European diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland during an olive harvest visit to the Christian Palestinian village of Taybeh, near Ramallah, according to Israeli and Palestinian media. They demanded IDs, threw stones, and smashed the window of a Belgian consulate car. Mayor Bernard Baudoux of the French city of Aulnoye-Aymeries was among those injured. The Cradle cites Amit Orfali, an activist who was part of the delegation, as saying the attackers threatened to kill them. The assault came a day after Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine, a US citizen, was injured in a similar attack by settlers rampaging amid the Palestinians’ traditional olive harvest. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime

🇪🇬Egypt’s National Defense Council pledges full support for Saudi Arabia Egypt’s National Defense Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has decided to provide all necessary and possible support to Saudi Arabia to defend its security, stability, territorial integrity, and Islamic holy sites amid escalating regional attacks. The council also declared full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and agreed to intensify diplomatic efforts with regional and international partners to reduce tensions and resolve regional crises peacefully. 👍 Substack | Chat | @geopolitics_prime