France threatens sanctions on Iran, and Lebanon receives response on Hezbollah
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The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Rubio condemns French decision to recognise Palestinian state, as policy gap widens between US and Europe
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron that his country will recognise a Palestinian state, calling it a "reckless decision". Mr Rubio described the move as a setback for peace and said it was an affront to the victims of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the Gaza war. Mr Macron said on Thursday that France intended to recognise a Palestinian state in September at the UN General Assembly, adding that he hoped it would help bring peace to the Middle East. The announcement widens a rift between Europe and the US on policy towards Palestine, after Washington's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said in June that he did not think an independent Palestinian state remained a US foreign policy goal. "This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace," Mr Rubio said. "It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7." About 140 countries now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, but France would become the biggest European power to do so, and the first G7 state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the move, saying it "rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became". "A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launchpad to annihilate Israel, not to live in peace beside it," he added. However, there was widespread praise for the French decision. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry called it historic. "The kingdom reiterates its call for all countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to take similar positive steps and adopt serious positions that support peace and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people," it said. Lack of food hindering injured Gazans' recovery Jordan's Foreign Ministry also commended Paris. "This is a step in the right direction towards the realisation of the two-state solution and the end of the occupation," ministry spokesman Sufyan Qudah said in a statement. Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein Al Sheikh praised the move, saying it "reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state". In Europe, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country already recognises Palestine, welcomed the announcement. "Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy," said Mr Sanchez, an outspoken critic of the conflict in Gaza. "The two-state solution is the only solution." Hamas, meanwhile, also welcomed the decision as a "positive step in the right direction towards doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination". "We call on all countries of the world, especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine, to follow France's lead," it said. France will join Norway, Ireland and Spain in recognising Palestine. To date, only nine EU members have taken the step, making France's move significant, especially given its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Mr Macron's move comes as anger mounts over the death toll in the Gaza war and the growing number of people starving in the enclave. 'The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved,″ the French President said. In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would hold an "emergency call" on Friday with France and Germany on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urging a ceasefire and steps towards Palestinian statehood. "We will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace," he said in a statement. "A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis." Mr Starmer said the situation in Gaza had "reached new depths and continues to worsen". He added that the "suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible".
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Nuclear discussions with Europe will continue, says Iranian minister after Istanbul talks
Iran and European powers held talks in Istanbul over Tehran's nuclear programme but appeared to make no concrete decisions before a deadline to reimpose UN sanctions in September. "Both sides came to the meeting with specific ideas, the various aspects of which were examined," Kazem Gharibabadi, one of Iran's deputy foreign ministers and nuclear negotiators, said in a post on X after the meeting. "It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue." Representatives from the foreign ministries of the UK, France and Germany met Mr Gharibabadi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi, another deputy foreign minister, at the Iranian consulate in the Turkish city. There was no immediate comment from European parties to the talks. These were the first in-person discussions between Iran and the European countries, known as the E3, since the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June and subsequent US air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The negotiations centred on the so-called snapback mechanism. As part of the 2015 nuclear deal's dispute resolution clauses, it allows remaining parties to the accord to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran that are due to expire in the autumn. They include arms embargoes, asset freezes and restrictions on Iran's missile and nuclear programmes. The US cannot use the mechanism because President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 agreement in his first term. The E3 have until mid-September to decide whether or not to use the snapback mechanism, which must be triggered 30 days before the UN sanctions are set to expire on October 18. But the apparent lack of progress in Friday's talks further tightens the window of opportunity for a negotiated solution. Iranian officials have claimed repeatedly that European nations do not have the right to reimpose UN sanctions because they breached commitments under the 2015 deal and adopted what Tehran saw as pro-Israeli stances during the war in June. "We explained our principled positions, including on the so-called snapback mechanism," Mr Gharibabadi said in his statement on Friday. Last Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign ministers from the E3 that they have no grounds to reactivate UN sanctions after they threatened to do so unless there is progress in nuclear talks. If the snapback process is not used and UN embargoes expire in October, Iran could in theory advance its nuclear programme without international restrictions, although remaining US sanctions would probably still complicate any such efforts. Clock ticking on sanctions Analysts and diplomats have said European powers could offer Iran an extension to the deadline. That could allow time for negotiations between Tehran and Washington to reach a replacement deal to the 2015 accord, imposing limits on Iran's nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. Such a move would probably come in exchange for commitments from Iran to co-operate with international nuclear inspectors and re-engage in talks with the US. "A snapback extension remains a difficult means to an even more difficult end – securing new US-Iran negotiations and a new nuclear deal," Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in an analysis on the mechanism this week. "But Europeans need to be fully invested in this process." But Iranian officials have voiced scepticism over an extension. 'We oppose it,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told state media on Friday, before the talks with the E3. The talks in Istanbul were an opportunity for European countries 'to make up for their previous unconstructive approaches that have tarnished Europe's credibility', he added. At the same time, ministers in Iran have voiced willingness to return to talks with Washington, but want guarantees that the US and Israel will not attack the country again while diplomacy is continuing. Iran and the US held five rounds of negotiations in Rome and Oman this year, before a sixth round was cancelled when Israel attacked Iran in June. The talks had also faltered over Iran's rights to uranium enrichment, which Tehran wants to continue, with possible limits. The US position hardened during the talks and Washington wants to deny Iran any nuclear enrichment capacity under a deal. Tehran has also agreed to host a technical team from the UN nuclear watchdog to discuss future co-operation. The development came after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian this month ended co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and said it could only be restored if the agency addressed Tehran's concerns over perceived bias. Future work with the agency will be co-ordinated by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, whose decisions are only effective once approved by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for strictly peaceful purposes and denies seeking to develop a bomb. But uranium enrichment levels of up to 60 per cent, far exceeding the needs of civilian purposes, have raised suspicions in the West that Iran wants to build a weapon. Speaking in Tehran before Friday's talks, Mr Araghchi said his country's position would be made 'completely clear". "The Islamic Republic of Iran, while advancing its peaceful nuclear programme, has always been ready to adopt confidence-building measures," he added. 'Especially after the recent war, it is important for [the E3] to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran's position remains unshakable, and that our uranium enrichment will continue,' the Tasnim news agency quoted Mr Araghchi as saying.
The National
8 hours ago
- The National
Record backing for Palestinian recognition heaps pressure on Starmer
A record number of 221 British MPs from all political parties have signed a letter urging the government to immediately recognise a Palestinian state. The move adds even greater pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take the step, after France on Thursday announced it would do so. The MPs, from nine different parties, have called on the government to recognise the state of Palestine ahead of the UN conference on Monday co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. Concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire, so desperately needed, into a lasting peace Keir Starmer 'While we appreciate the UK does not have it in its power to bring about a free and independent Palestine, UK recognition would have a significant impact due to our historic connections and our membership on the UN Security Council, so we urge you to take this step,' the MPs said. The letter was co-ordinated by Labour MP Sarah Champion, chairwoman of the international development committee. Ms Champion said she accepted that recognition would not end the suffering in Gaza, but it was 'an important symbolic step on the path to the two-state solution'. 'The broad support, from across the House, that my joint letter has received, shows clearly the strength of feeling from parliamentarians in favour of recognising the state of Palestine without delay,' she added. Ms Champion argued that recognition would 'send a powerful symbolic message' that British MPs support the rights of the Palestinian people 'that they are not alone'. Minutes after the letter was sent, Mr Starmer responded stating that while recognition of Palestine was one of the key steps to a lasting peace it had to be 'part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis'. But he also went further than previously in his criticism of Israel stating that its 'disproportionate military escalation in Gaza' was 'indefensible', as was the blocking of supplies leading to starvation in the enclave and extremist settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Mr Starmer also condemned Hamas for continuing to hold Israeli hostages in the enclave. Mr Starmer will meet President Donald Trump in Scotland on Monday and it is understood that Gaza will be top of the agenda. He will be looking to get American support to put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a peace deal with Hamas, although that received a blow on Thursday after US envoy Steve Witkoff pulled out of the talks. Israel has also recalled its team from the talks, though mediators Qatar and Egypt said on Friday that their efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza will continue. Mr Starmer said he was 'working on a pathway to peace in the region' and that would 'set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace'. The UK leader also on Friday initiated an emergency meeting of the E3 countries – France, Germany and Britain – that produced a joint statement calling on Israel to lift humanitarian aid restrictions on Gaza to allow the UN to 'take action against starvation'. Gaza withdrawal Although the E3 also called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza, it did not go as far as some hoped in condemning its actions or moving towards recognition of a Palestinian state. While France has said it would make that move in September, Germany, a strong ally of Israel, confirmed on Friday that it would not. German recognition of Palestine would be 'one of the final steps' in a Middle East peace settlement, said a statement from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's office.
