UN nuclear inspectors leave Iran
'An IAEA team of inspectors today safely departed from Iran to return to the agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict,' the agency said in a post on X.
'IAEA director general Rafael Grossi reiterated the crucial importance of the IAEA discussing with Iran modalities for resuming its indispensable monitoring and verification activities in Iran as soon as possible,' it added.
Iran officially suspended its co-operation with the IAEA on Wednesday, when President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a law passed by parliament on June 25, the day after a ceasefire ended a 12-day aerial war with Israel.
The law aims to 'ensure full support for the inherent rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran' under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with a particular focus on uranium enrichment, according to Iranian media.
Diplomats who spoke to Reuters said the number of IAEA inspectors in Iran was reduced to a handful after the start of the war. Some also expressed concern about the inspectors' safety since the end of the conflict, given fierce criticism of the agency by Iranian officials and media, the agency reported.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Iran's future dealings with the IAEA would only be through its Supreme National Security Council, while also reiterating the country's commitment to remain a party to the non-proliferation treaty.
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The National
43 minutes ago
- The National
UAE Minister of Family outlines vision for boosting nation's fertility rates
The establishment of a national fertility strategy is about improving the lives of young Emiratis rather than boosting population numbers, said the UAE's Minister of Family. Plans for the strategy were discussed at last week's meeting of the Federal National Centre (FNC) during which it was confirmed feasibility studies were under way. The project is being launched against a global backdrop of reduced fertility rates, and the UAE is no different. The FNC session heard that there was an 11 per cent drop in births among Emiratis between 2015 and 2022, while non-Emirati residents had experienced a 5 per cent increase during the same period. There were 30,889 Emiratis born in 2022 and 65,762 expatriates. 'Fertility rates are declining globally, and the UAE is not immune,' said Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, Minister of Family, in a statement sent to The National. 'But where others may see a looming challenge, we see a chance to lead – by placing family back at the centre of policy, in ways that are meaningful, modern, and uniquely preservative of our Emirati identity.' This is now a 'strategic priority' according to Ms Suhail, who added the first phase of a national assessment has been launched. Numerous government agencies are now involved in the creation of the strategy. 'The very fact that this topic has become part of our national dialogue is a powerful sign of foresight,' she said. 'Population trends are not abstract statistics. They are the story of who we are becoming. 'Behind every data point is a young couple making decisions about marriage … A working mother balancing ambitions with nurturing. A father wanting to give more time but stretched by economic pressures. These are not only social realities – they are policy challenges, and more importantly, national opportunities.' The move to boost the number of Emiratis born in the UAE is part of a wider plan to improve the quality of life of citizens in the Emirates. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, last year approved the Emirati Family Growth Programme 'to enhance family stability and reinforce community cohesion'. Part of the Abu Dhabi Family Wellbeing Strategy, it also aims to empower youth to build stable families and enhance the family as a main driver of economic and social development in the emirate. 'We are taking a multidimensional approach. Not just revisiting child allowances or housing policies – although these matter – but rethinking how we empower young Emiratis to build families with confidence,' said Ms Suhail. 'We've heard clearly that many young people feel torn between personal ambition and starting a family. We acknowledge that social media narratives sometimes distort the beauty and value of family life. And we recognise that the lived experience of parenting in today's world demands more inclusive, responsive, and human-centred support. "As we shape the National Strategy for Family Growth and Fertility, we do so with full commitment to collaboration, transparency and respect for the unique fabric of Emirati society.' Changing times Doctors in the UAE are also seeing a marked change in the profile of fertility patients. Dr Waleed Sayed, group medical director of Burjeel Medical City, a consultant who has worked in the country for nearly two decades, said a growing number of women are now seeking egg-freezing and fertility preservation services, often before marriage. 'Ten years ago, most of our patients were under 35 and already married,' he said. 'Today, we see women in their late thirties and early forties coming in to freeze eggs – not necessarily because they have fertility issues, but because they're not ready to marry. They're busy with work or studies.' Delayed marriage is a major driver of the trend, he said, along with lifestyle-related health problems. 'Even among younger patients, we're seeing low ovarian reserves, obesity, diabetes and poor nutrition. These all impact fertility. We're also seeing a sharp rise in secondary infertility among men, often linked to smoking or the use of unregulated performance-enhancing substances.' Smaller family size is also becoming the norm, said Dr Waleed. 'In the past, most Emirati families had five or more children. Now, most couples want two or three. It may seem reasonable, but if you compare it to previous generations, the demographic impact is significant,' Dr Waleed said. 'Too many patients come to us too late. We need official platforms that people can trust, where they can learn when to seek help and how to protect their fertility early on.' In the Middle East, infertility rates are significantly higher than the global average,' said Majd Abu Zant, managing director and chief executive of Global Fertility. 'Globally, around 10 per cent of couples face infertility. In our region, it's closer to 15 per cent.' The shift is especially urgent for Emiratis, given the country's small national population. 'This is why reversing the birth rate decline has become a priority for the government. But the solution is not singular – it's multifactorial,' he said. One of the biggest challenges across the region is that there simply aren't enough fertility clinics to meet the growing demand for treatment. 'That's why we established our company – to invest in building the largest network of fertility clinics across the region. But capacity alone isn't enough,' he said. Improving outcomes, he explained, means investing in research, innovation, and technology. 'Governments and providers must continuously improve results through evidence-based care and constant innovation,' said Mr Abu Zant. As fertility access and education demand is rising across the region, start-ups like Ovasave are stepping in to meet growing demand with tech-driven solutions and help translate the region's policy reforms into real-world access. 'We're seeing a surge in interest from both individuals and employers who want to make fertility care part of routine health benefits,' said Ovasave co-founder and chief executive Torkia Mahloul. 'By launching mass screening awareness we're making fertility support a practical reality for more women, earlier in their lives.'
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Brics leaders meet under pressure from tariffs, oil shocks and climate rifts
When the leaders of the Brics group of developing countries gather on Sunday for their 17th annual summit, the backdrop is one of the most geopolitically volatile the bloc has faced in years, with trade tension, regional conflicts and energy instability all converging at once. Three forces will shape the mood in the room at the two day summit. First, US President Donald Trump's 'liberation day' tariff blitz, which has landed across the Brics. China struck a trade truce with the US recently, reducing steep levies. But India still faces duties of up to 27 per cent on exports bound for the US, while South Africa is grappling with a 31 per cent levy. Brazil has been hit with a 10 per cent baseline tariff. While these measures were paused for 90-days, that window closes on July 9, so the threat of fresh trade disruption looms large. Wars and oil Second, there's the instability in the Middle East, following a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Oil markets have already felt the impact: Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, surged nearly 12 per cent after Israel's mid-June strike, driven by fears that further escalation could disrupt ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Prices have since cooled, but the stakes remain high. Any new conflict would hit oil importers, such as China and India, while a plunge would hit revenue for major Brics producers such as Russia and Brazil. That brings us to the third pressure point: the upcoming Opec+ meeting in Vienna on July 10. Russia remains a key player in the oil cartel, shaping production policy in tandem with Saudi Arabia, which is not a Brics member. Brazil joined Opec+ last year, although without binding production targets, while India and China (as major importers) closely watch the cartel's quota decisions, which influence global prices. Yet in practice, most Brics members are still price-takers rather than setters, highlighting the bloc's internal imbalance and its limited influence over global energy governance. Climate policy adds another layer of friction. While the EU continues to press for faster emissions cuts, the US has retreated from climate leadership under Mr Trump. Within Brics, positions vary: Russia is intent on protecting its fossil fuel revenue, while Brazil, India and China favour a more gradual transition that aligns with their development needs. Diverging views on climate policy point to a broader issue facing Brics: as the bloc positions itself as a champion of a more 'balanced' or 'multipolar' global order, how much actual influence does it have? Global impact Comparisons with the G7 — the bloc of industrialised nations that continues to shape global policy — are hard to avoid, given Brics' efforts to position itself as a voice for emerging economies. Yet, the group has struggled to match the G7's coherence or influence on the global stage. For example: China generates about 70 per cent of the original bloc's economic output, meaning the now expanded group (which includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE) lacks the scale and co-ordination needed to match the G7 in any meaningful way. Divisions within the bloc are not confined to economics either; they extend into diplomacy and security as well. The Middle East remains a key source of tension. Russia has taken a more assertive diplomatic line in support of Iran, particularly during its recent standoff with Israel. But other Brics members, especially India and Brazil, are likely to proceed with caution, unwilling to risk damaging relationships with the US and other western partners that are vital to their economic interests. With such differing interests, a unified stance on geopolitical crises, economic coordination, or energy policy remains unlikely. The summit is likely to deliver broad, cautious statements rather than any meaningful joint strategy. De-dollarisation? That same fragmentation is reflected in Brics' push to move away from dollar dependence — not by replacing the US currency altogether, but by reducing exposure to western-controlled financial systems. The broader aim of so-called de-dollarisation is to create alternative frameworks for trade and reserves that are less vulnerable to sanctions and less reliant on payment networks like SWIFT. However, de-dollarisation remains a distant goal. China 's renminbi is still closely managed against the greenback, the Russian rouble lacks stability, and currencies such as the Brazilian real and South African rand have little international traction. The idea of a shared BRICS currency has been raised by some leaders, but it remains more symbolic than substantive. With no common fiscal framework or monetary co-ordination among members, even developing a unified trading platform would face big obstacles. One area where Brics countries can make meaningful progress is at home. As global co-operation weakens, the way countries compete is changing. Strength now comes not only from what they sell abroad, but from the institutions they build and the connections they maintain with nearby markets. In a fragmented world, countries that combine domestic strength with access to nearby markets are holding up best. Switzerland tops the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking not only for its internal stability, but because it trades freely with the EU next door. Singapore, too, thrives not in isolation but by anchoring itself in South-East Asia's regional economy. For Brics, the deeper challenge is coherence. In a world drifting towards bilateralism, the group's ability to act with one voice remains in doubt. These tensions are not theoretical. The Iran crisis will test its diplomatic unity. Trump's tariffs will test its economic resolve. Opec+ will test its energy coordination. The Brics summit arrives, then, with limited expectations. The real test is not the declarations made this weekend, but the degree to which these countries can shape — rather than simply react to — the emerging world order.
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
From sanctuary to scrutiny: Afghans in America face the weight of Trump's immigration clampdown
Sayed Naser was due to attend a family wedding in September 2023 when the Taliban killed his brother, he says, forcing him into hiding and eventually prompting him to flee Afghanistan. Mr Naser says he worked with US forces during the country's two-decade war, as a translator and logistics contractor at several military bases. This made him and his family a target for reprisal attacks after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and fall of Kabul. Fearing for his life, Mr Naser escaped to Iran before obtaining a humanitarian visa for Brazil. He travelled to the country in 2024 and, from there, made the treacherous overland journey through the Darien Gap to Mexico, covering thousands of kilometres. Advocates for Mr Naser say he was paroled into the US legally at San Ysidro using the CBP One app, a mobile tool developed by the US Customs and Border Protection to schedule appointments for non-citizens seeking to enter the US at designated spots along the country's southern border. The app has since been made defunct by the US administration of President Donald Trump as part of the government's clampdown on immigration. Mr Naser applied for asylum when he arrived and also has a continuing case for a Special Immigrant Visa, which gives a way to permanent residency for foreign nationals who have worked with the US government and face serious threats because of their service. When Mr Naser attended a court hearing for his asylum case in San Diego on June 12, he was detained by two masked agents with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Footage of the arrest shows Mr Naser being handcuffed while he explains his situation to the officers. 'For more than three years I worked with the US military back in my home country," he tells them. 'I worked in a very dangerous part of Afghanistan … I have all the evidence.' Advocacy groups backing Mr Naser say an immigration judge dismissed his asylum case, granting a motion by the Department of Homeland Security that it was 'improvidently issued'. Shawn VanDiver, who was in the US Navy and is president of AfghanEvac, an organisation helping to relocate and resettle Afghan allies of the US, told The National that Mr Naser is now at serious risk of being deported to a country where he faces an uncertain future. 'With one stroke of a pen, Sayed was thrust into a secretive, fast-track deportation pipeline that offers no courtroom and no lawyer," Mr VanDiver said. 'That could see him flown out of the country within days – possibly not even to Afghanistan, but to any third nation President Trump picks.' The US Supreme Court in a recent ruling allowed the Trump administration to deport migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show harm they could face, handing the President another win in his pursuit of mass deportations. That case was filed after the administration tried to send a group of primarily South-East Asian migrants to politically unstable South Sudan. Reports suggest officials are also considering sending migrants to Libya, despite previous US condemnation of that country's treatment of those detained. Brian McGoldrick, a lawyer working for Mr Naser, told The National his client was 'very dejected' on learning that his asylum case had been dismissed. If he is not immediately deported, he could spend the foreseeable future in detention while authorities come to a ruling. 'It's already been a long process for him," Mr McGoldrick said. The department did not respond to a request for comment on Mr Naser's case. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the DHS, told PBS: 'We were working with the Pentagon and we found there was no verifiable information that Mr Naser worked with the US government while he was in Afghanistan.' His advocates say her comments are untrue, and that he was vetted through the CBP One app and his application for work authorisation in the US. 'Broadly, the Department of Defence didn't keep records,' Mr VanDiver said. 'The record-keeping was on the Afghan wartime allies themselves.' Democratic senator Chris Coons of Delaware called Mr Naser's detention 'one of the most heartbreaking betrayals of the Trump administration.' 'He should not be facing imminent deportation," Mr Coons said. Mr VanDiver added: 'Masked ICE agents, like the Gestapo, are snatching people up and throwing them in jail. They stood with us in war. This is the thanks they get. People are absolutely terrified … they don't know what to do.' 'No other option' On a hot and humid day in the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia, Abdullah Zarify is rolling out handmade rugs in the city's Watan Market, a business he built himself after escaping to the US as the Taliban seized Kabul. Mr Zarify worked with an American defence contractor during the US war and, along with several members of his family, was among the tens of thousands of Afghans who were evacuated on military planes as the militants entered Kabul in 2021. 'We didn't have any other option', he told The National. Mr Zarify, 29, secured an SIV through his employment and has since obtained permanent residency in the US, where he now lives with his wife, three children, two brothers and mother. His two sisters remain in Afghanistan and his father has died. 'I want a peaceful life', Mr Zarify said. 'We had to leave our country to save ourselves and save our children … nothing is guaranteed there.' As part of the continuing clampdown on immigration, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced in May that the US government would suspend Temporary Protected Status – an immigration classification granted to people from certain countries facing unsafe conditions – for Afghans. 'Afghanistan has had an improved security situation," Ms Noem said in a statement, which noted that allowing Afghans to stay in the US was against the national interest. 'Its stabilising economy no longer prevents them from returning to their home country.' TPS is set to end for Afghans on July 14. It comes as the State Department continues to advise against all travel to Afghanistan with its highest warning of 'Level 4: Do not travel', because of civil unrest, terrorism and kidnapping across the country. 'US citizens are advised not to go to Afghanistan," Mr Zarify says. 'If [Ms Noem] says it is safe … why do you give an advisory to US citizens? I know my country's situation and I know my people don't deserve to be deported.' While Mr Zarify's status in the US is considerably safer than those on TPS, he sympathises with fellow evacuees under threat of deportation, saying he has heard of cases in which Afghans have been tortured by the Taliban for speaking out about their rights. He is also a vocal critic of the group's stance on women. The Taliban has barred women from travelling without a male guardian and stopped girls from attending high school. 'Who wants their children to be uneducated?' Mr Zarify asks. 'I have a daughter and I want her to go to school. Uneducated means blind … do you want to raise your children blind?' 'Amnesty for all' The Taliban has urged Afghans hoping to live in the US to return to Afghanistan, with Prime Minister Hasan Akhund promising to protect those who worked alongside US forces. 'For those who are worried that America has closed its doors to Afghans … return to your country … you will not face trouble,' he said in a speech that was broadcast on state media to mark Eid Al Adha. In June, Afghanistan was included in a US travel ban on citizens from 12 countries, in what Mr Trump says is a move to protect America from 'foreign terrorists'. That came as an Afghan national who was evacuated amid the fall of Kabul and moved to Oklahoma, Nasir Ahmed Tawhedi, 27, pleaded guilty to plotting an election day terrorist attack in the US on behalf of ISIS. Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has, according to Mr Akhund, 'granted amnesty for all". Mr VanDiver has rejected the idea that it is safe for Afghans to return to their country. 'The folks that served alongside us are marked for death by the Taliban … we get pictures all the time of Afghans who are killed," he says. 'Sure, the Taliban has all this propaganda out there … we know what's really happening and we know it's not safe. I have some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you if you believe the Taliban has an amnesty.' Mr Naser, who is being held at the Otay Mesa detention centre in southern California, has indirectly addressed Mr Trump since being detained. 'Please don't turn your back on us', he said in a message delivered by Mr VanDiver during a press conference. 'Keep your promises, let me live in peace with my family in this country that I love.'
