Qatar re-opens airspace
24 June 2025 01:49
DOHA (AFP)Qatar on Tuesday announced the re-opening of its airspace, the Qatari aviation authority said.
"The General Civil Aviation Authority announces the resumption of air traffic in the airspace of the State of Qatar and the return of the atmosphere to normal," it said in a statement on X.
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The National
23 minutes ago
- The National
How Nato can play a positive role in the Middle East
For Nato, the past three years have been consumed by its focus on responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Although the war has been a priority for the alliance, this week's Nato summit in The Hague has already been largely overwhelmed by the repercussions of Israel's unilateral attack on Iran. And with the Saturday follow-up bombing of Iran by the Americans, the largest Nato member state has only deepened this diversion in focus. However, this shift in Nato's strategic focus is prompting a long-overdue consideration of how the bloc should address security challenges in the Middle East. Although any discussion of a role for Nato in the Middle East would challenge perceptions of the alliance's geographical and operational limits as a defensive force, Nato has emerged as much more than a North Atlantic bloc. For several years now, it has embarked on a more ambitious – but much-needed – campaign of 'out-of-area operations'. These have included elements of crisis response, peacekeeping and counterterrorism, each of which was more about meeting the needs of a changing security environment than simply seeking a wider mission or mandate for Nato. Such out-of-area operations have also reflected a broader and more sophisticated Nato focus on the Mediterranean as well as the Middle East and North Africa, and a deepening of Nato's Partnership for Peace engagement with countries across the former Soviet space. In this context, Nato is no longer limited to the North Atlantic. Looking to today's daunting security landscape in the Middle East, currently driven by the Israel-Iran conflict but also defined by the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, the imperative for Nato is to respond to security challenges and reject the strict constraints of geography. Nato engagement in the Middle East should not – and most likely cannot – take the form of a new military alliance. Rather, Nato should emphasise local self-sufficiency and capability in addition to forging and fostering regional co-operation among the Middle Eastern states themselves. Although the Israeli and American military strikes against Iran would seemingly challenge this opening for Nato, the need for de-escalation and the necessity to climb down from the focus on military responses to Iran's nuclear programme does offer an opportunity. Even for Iran, such Nato engagement would broaden the context away from co-ordinated Israeli-American pressure to possible multilateral diplomacy by bringing in European Nato members. And even for the US, such Nato involvement would help to address the security concerns about a future restart of a nuclear programme by an emboldened Iran by beefing-up compliance and enforcement of subsequent proliferation safeguards. For the future of security and stability in the Middle East, it is the largely European Nato member states (with a pronounced Turkish role) that will be key to driving Nato engagement The most obvious and natural pool of candidate nations for such Nato engagement comprises those countries with long-standing partnerships with the US, which Washington would be more inclined to support. A key partner in this project of Nato engagement would be Jordan, given the already-robust support for the alliance from King Abdullah II. In fact, the most recent sign of an opportunity for Nato in the Middle East came from Amman, when Jordan agreed earlier this month to establish and host a Nato liaison office in its capital. That decision, which followed a preliminary agreement between Jordan and Nato in July last year, marks the first Nato diplomatic presence in the Middle East. More broadly, Nato engagement would seek to counter sources of regional instability in the Middle East, with a focus on de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict and a smarter approach in finding a lasting resolution to the Palestine-Israel conflict. However, the current situation regarding Iran offers more peril than promise. As The National 's US affairs columnist Hussein Ibish recently warned in these pages, 'if [US President Donald] Trump joins Israel in striking Iran, the US will enter another forever war', adding that Mr Trump's 'alarming trajectory for his administration's policies' towards Iran, as well as Israel, does nothing to inspire confidence in Washington's management of this crisis. In fact, the US has been moving closer to the Israeli position in recent days, with Mr Trump's rhetoric more aligned with the Israeli leadership's hardline narrative. As much as Israel's attack on Iran was calculated to undermine Washington's diplomatic negotiations with Tehran, it was also designed to force the hand of Mr Trump into supporting the Israeli offensive. And given Mr Trump's decision to bomb Iran, it is now clear that this Israeli gambit was successful. Thus, for the future of security and stability in the Middle East, it is the largely European Nato member states (with a pronounced Turkish role) that will be key to driving Nato engagement. The timing of Nato's entry into the Middle East would be critical, in three distinct ways. First, it would follow a significant decline in power and influence of Iran's proxy forces, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen. This further bolsters the chance for empowering these inherently fragile states after the demise and decline of local Iranian proxies. Second, it would come amid the strategic shifts in the Middle East's geopolitical landscape that began in December last year with the fall of Bashar Al Assad's government in Syria and which continues with the possibility of abrupt change within Iran. It is this context that reveals the game-changing nature of the current Middle East, although the volatility and unpredictability of such geopolitical changes present as many threats as opportunities. The third consideration of timing is rooted in the uncertainty regarding the US. With new questions hanging over America's commitment to its own security obligations, both to individual Nato allies and the alliance itself, Nato engagement in the Middle East would also be a response to a dangerous security vacuum. And the unilateral, 'go it alone' nature of the recent American military attack on Iran only demonstrates the danger of blind reliance on the US's commitment to Nato. As already demonstrated by the Trump administration's erratic 'America first' approach to Ukraine, Nato leadership has increasingly become more of an exercise in European strategic thinking, not because of the Americans but despite them. More broadly, Nato now faces a daunting vacuum, whereby geopolitics, like nature, abhors and resists any vacuum in power.
Khaleej Times
27 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Iran says no 'agreement' on ceasefire, signals halt to strikes if Israel stops
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.] Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday Tehran did not intend to continue its strikes if Israel stopped its attacks, hours after US President Donald Trump announced a staggered ceasefire to bring about an "official end" to their conflict. Abbas Araghchi suggested that Iran had already halted its operation at 4am Tehran time (0030 GMT) -- and wanted a simultaneous end in attacks from Israel as well. Trump had said the ceasefire would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations. Israel would follow suit 12 hours later. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Upon the 24th hour, an official end to the 12-day war will be saluted by the world," he said, adding that both sides had agreed to remain "peaceful and respectful" during each phase of the process. Any cessation in hostilities would come as a huge relief to world leaders frantic about an escalation in violence igniting a wider conflagration. There was no immediate confirmation from Israel on ending the conflict that has killed hundreds in Iran and two dozen in Israel. Explosions continued to rock Tehran overnight, with blasts in the north and centre of the Iranian capital described by AFP journalists as some of the strongest since the conflict broke out. Writing on social media, Araghchi said: "The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4am." "As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards," he added. As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO "agreement" on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people noâ�¦ — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025 The adversaries had been swapping missile fire since Israel carried out surprise "preemptive" strikes against Iran on June 13, targeting nuclear and military sites, and prompting Trump to warn of a possible "massive" regional conflict. Strikes on US base The US leader's truce announcement came hours after Iran launched missiles at the largest US military facility in the Middle East -- Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- in a move Trump shrugged off as "very weak." Calling for a de-escalation, Trump said Tehran had given advance notice of the barrage. Iran's National Security Council confirmed having targeted the base "in response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran's nuclear sites and facilities". But it added that the number of missiles launched "was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used" -- a signal that it had calibrated its response to be directly proportional rather than escalatory. "This was calibrated and telegraphed in a way that would not result in any American casualties, so that there is an off ramp for both sides," Ali Vaez, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group, told AFP. The offensive came after the United States joined its ally Israel's military campaign against Iran, attacking an underground uranium enrichment centre with massive bunker-busting bombs and hitting two other nuclear facilities overnight Saturday into Sunday. As international concern mounted that Israel's campaign and the US strikes could ignite a wider conflict, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that "the spiral of chaos must end" while China warned of the potential economic fallout. 'Blatant aggression' Iran said its assault in Qatar wasn't targeting the Middle Eastern neighbour, but the government in Doha accused Tehran of "blatant aggression" and claimed its right to a "proportional" response. Iran's state media quoted the Revolutionary Guard Corps announcing that six missiles had hit Al Udeid, which had been evacuated beforehand, according to the Qataris. The broadside was made up of "short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles," a US defence official said. AFP reporters heard blasts in central Doha and in Lusail, north of the capital, on Monday evening, and saw projectiles moving across the night sky. Iranians gathered in central Tehran to celebrate, images on state TV showed, with some waving the flag of the Islamic republic and chanting "Death to America". Qatar earlier announced the temporary closure of its airspace in light of "developments in the region", while the US embassy and other foreign missions warned their citizens to shelter in place. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry has said. Twenty-four people have died in Iran's attacks on Israel, according to official figures.
Gulf Business
39 minutes ago
- Gulf Business
Israel and Iran agree on ceasefire to end 12-day war: Trump
Image credit: Getty Images US President Donald Trump announced on Monday a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. But there was no confirmation from Israel and the Israeli military said two volleys of missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel in the early hours of Tuesday. Read- Witnesses later heard explosions near Tel Aviv and Beersheba in central Israel, where Israeli media reported a building had been struck. Israel, joined by the United States on the weekend, has carried out attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, after alleging Tehran was getting close to obtaining a nuclear weapon. 'On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR',' Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. Conditions: Halt to cessation of hostilities While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Abbas Araqchi said early on Tuesday that if Israel stopped its 'illegal aggression' against the Iranian people no later than 4:00am. Tehran time (0030 GMT) on Tuesday, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards. There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time. 'The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,' Araqchi added in a post on X. A senior White House official said Trump had brokered the deal in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel had agreed so long as Iran did not launch further attacks. Trump appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran's agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters on Tuesday. US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians, a White House official said. Neither Iran's UN mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters. Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signaled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and had passed the message on to the United States. Netanyahu had told government ministers whose discussions ended early on Tuesday not to speak publicly, Israel's Channel 12 television reported. Markets reacted favorably to the news. S&P 500 futures rose 0.4 per cent late on Monday, suggesting traders expect the US stock market to open with gains on Tuesday. US crude futures fell in early Asian trading hours on Tuesday to their lowest level in more than a week after Trump said a ceasefire had been agreed, relieving worries of supply disruption in the region. Is it the end to the fighting? There did not appear to be calm yet in the region. The Israeli military issued two evacuation warnings in less than two hours to residents of areas in the Iranian capital Tehran, one late on Monday and one early on Tuesday. Israeli Army radio reported early on Tuesday that alarms were activated in the southern Golan Heights area due to fears of hostile aircraft intrusion. Earlier on Monday, Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran's attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes. He said Iran fired 14 missiles at the U.S. air base, calling it 'a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered.' Iran's handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the United States and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can't afford. Tehran appears to have achieved that goal. Iran's attack came after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities at the weekend, joining Israel's air war. Much of Tehran's population of 10 million has fled after days of bombing.
