Last Saturday I went to an Iranian super store, near my house. I bought a box of معمول and نادي. Plus a few more things like pickled cucumbers.

Islam is fundamentally incompatible with a free society. It does not belong in the West, in Saudi Arabia, in Iran, or anywhere else on the planet. Many people believe the state should step in and eradicate this ideology from every corner of daily life. But is a massive and overreaching government really the answer? When we ask the state to solve all our cultural problems, we invite authoritarianism into our own homes. Here is how we actually win this fight without sacrificing our liberty. ⚖️ The Strict Limits of the State: Governments and laws must be used solely to completely remove Islam from politics. That is where state intervention must begin and immediately end. 🧠 The Trap of Thought Policing: Could empowering the state to ban ideas ultimately backfire on us? If you grant the government power to police thoughts, they will eventually use that power against you. Once you open the door to state censorship, you can never close it again. 🛡️ The Responsibility of Civil Society: Eradicating bad ideas from everyday life is our job as citizens. We must stop asking for a nanny state and take personal responsibility on the cultural battlefield of ideas. Fighting radical ideologies requires a strategic and highly disciplined approach. We must use the law to enforce a strict separation of religion and state, and we must use our own voices to win the cultural war. Are you ready to dive deeper into geopolitical analysis and the strategies needed to fight radicalism? Join the Liberty Politics community and discussion group today. We break down complex global conflicts, regime tactics, and military strategy. Talk to us in our group calls! 📅 Check the Schedule & Join Here: https://www.skool.com/libertypolitics/calendar

Oil prices jumped and UK stocks fell sharply after reports that Iran will pause peace talks with the US in protest at Israel’s strikes in Lebanon. Brent crude, the international benchmark, has jumped by more than 5 per cent to around $96 a barrel over concerns a breakdown in talks will lead the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. A fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports usually pass through the waterway. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 in London both dropped 0.8 per cent. Iran has pulled out of talks with the US in protest for Israel’s bombing of Lebanon, according to Tasnim news agency. Stocks in Europe and on Wall Street also fell while bond markets also suffered a sell-off. The yield on 10-year gilts, a proxy for what the UK Treasury pays to borrow money in financial markets, leapt from 4.81 per cent to 4.88 per cent. The pound slumped by 0.2 per cent against the dollar to $1.343 as investors turned to the US currency, which is considered a safe haven in times of turmoil.

Donald Trump has said “going silent” would be “very good” following reports of a pause in talks between the US and Iran. The president told NBC: “I ‌think we’ve been talking too much if you want to know the truth. I think going silent would be very good, ⁠and that ​could be that could be ​for a long ‌time.” His comments follow Iran’s withdrawal from peace talks with the US after continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon. Mr Trump also said he has not heard from Iran since state media reported the pause in talks. He added: “It’s an appropriate thing to say, because they’re better negotiators than they are fighters. It doesn’t mean we’re going to go and start dropping bombs all over there.” The US president also insisted he feels no pressure to reach a peace deal quickly, adding: “I think I can wait as long as they want. They’re losing a fortune.”