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Iran's government said no talks with the United States are happening, despite President Trump's claim that negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz (a key oil shipping route) would begin Monday; Iran says it has only spoken with Oman, and it executed two more men accused of spying for Israel. Meanwhile, Chinese companies keep supplying Iran with satellite and drone parts and keep buying its oil, helping fund Tehran's war without China fighting directly. In Europe, German fact-checkers say Russia is behind fake posts targeting candidates in four upcoming state elections, and EU interior ministers meet Tuesday to decide whether a migration surge at Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, justifies bringing back border checks across the EU's normally open-border Schengen area.
Monday's stories split between Iran's financed and denied war, and Europe's parallel fights over disinformation and migration.
Iran's War, Financed and Denied
Chinese companies supply Iran with satellite reconnaissance and drone components while Beijing keeps buying Iranian oil, sustaining Tehran's war footing without any direct Chinese military involvement — the same pattern China has used to back Russia's war (more).
Iran denies any talks with the US are underway, contradicting President Trump's claim that Strait of Hormuz negotiations would start Monday afternoon; Tehran says it has only been talking to Oman. The same day it executed two more men accused of spying for Israel (more).
Europe: Disinformation and Migration
Tagesschau's fact-checking desk documents dozens of fabricated posts targeting candidates ahead of state elections in Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Lower Saxony, and attributes the campaign to Russia (more).
EU interior ministers meet Tuesday to decide whether to reimpose Schengen-wide border checks over the Ceuta migration crisis, a formal escalation beyond earlier bilateral criticism of Spain; von der Leyen is pushing Madrid toward physical barriers first (more).
The Brief 
