Iran voices truce doubts as UN watchdog issues nuclear warning
Iran warned the Middle East that the threat of war have not yet passed, and expressed 'serious doubts' over whether a ceasefire with Israel will hold.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on Sunday spoke to Iran's army chief Maj Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi in a push for 'security and stability', the Saudi Press Agency said.
According to Iranian state media, Maj Gen Mousavi voiced 'serious doubts about the enemy's commitment to its obligations, including the ceasefire'. He said Iran's armed forces are prepared to deliver a firm response "if aggression is repeated.'
The head of the UN's nuclear inspections agency, Rafael Grossi, said Iran could resume enriching uranium 'in a matter of months'. He warned in a CBS News interview broadcast on Sunday that 'one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there'.
Israel mounted a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, killing senior commanders and firing missiles at military and government sites. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones, before the conflict culminated in a US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran's attack on Al Udeid, an American airbase in Qatar. A ceasefire has held since then.
In a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the UN Security Council to declare Israel and US as 'initiators of the act of aggression', making them liable for compensation.
He called the war a 'brazen assault on the very foundations of international law'. The US holds veto power on the council, making any such resolution unlikely. President Donald Trump has defended the unprecedented bombing of Iran as a decisive blow against its alleged nuclear weapons programme, although there are doubts over how much damage was caused.
Iran denies it is developing an atomic weapon, but talks with the US on limiting its nuclear activities had failed to produce a deal before Israel took military action.
The UAE has urged Iran to restore trust with Gulf states after last week's attack on Al Udeid airbase in Qatar.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, said on Saturday that Gulf states 'took a strong and influential stand against the Israeli war on Iran' and had sought to de-escalate tension.
'Despite this, Iran targeted the sovereignty of the sisterly state of Qatar, a targeting that affects us all,' he said. 'Today, as we turn the page on the war, Tehran remains called upon to restore trust with its Gulf neighbours, which was damaged by this aggression.'
A ceasefire in Gaza, meanwhile, remains elusive. Nine children were among 20 Palestinians reported dead when an air strike hit a group of people near a school on Saturday night.
Mr Trump urged negotiators to 'make the deal in Gaza' in a social media post early on Sunday. The US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to broker a truce since an earlier arrangement collapsed in mid-March.
Israel blockaded aid to Gaza for more than two months, worsening a humanitarian crisis. Aid deliveries via the privately run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have been marred by chaotic scenes and allegations of killings.
The foundation on Sunday denied claims by Gaza authorities that opioid pills were found in bags of flour delivered to Palestinians.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Trump to sign executive order lifting Syria sanctions
US President announced during his visit to Riyadh last month that he would be giving Syria near-total sanctions relief President Donald Trump on Monday will sign an executive order to lift US sanctions on Syria. Mr Trump announced during his visit to Riyadh last month that he would be giving Syria near-total sanctions relief. But unwinding the US laws and designations is a complex process and requires Congressional action in some cases. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the executive order reaffirms the President's "belief that the Syrian people deserve a future of safety and prosperity". "This policy, reflects the President's conviction that American leadership can unlock new paths to regional stability," Ms Bruce told reporters. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order will remove sanctions on Syria while maintaining sanctions on former president Bashar Al Assad. "His associates, human rights abusers, drug traffickers, persons linked to chemical weapons activities, ISIS and their affiliates, and Iranian policies" will remain under sanctions, she said.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Syria's Hollywood: Qatari investors back $1.5bn Damascus Gate project
Syria hopes to attract artists and filmmakers under a $1.5 billion deal with Qatari investors to build a creative quarter known as Damascus Gate. The deal between Syria's new rulers and Qatari company Al Maha International is the latest in a series of foreign investments since US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions last month. The aim is to establish a "production city" for the media, film and tourism industries. The plan is "in line with the strategic state policies to attract unique development projects', Information Minister Hamza Al Mustafa said during a signing ceremony at the People's Palace in Damascus. President Ahmad Al Shara, who is pushing for foreign investment to help repair Syria's economy after 14 years of civil war, was among the guests. Mr Al Mustafa said the project, whose full title is City of Damascus Gate, will cover about two million square metres across the Damascus and Damascus Countryside governorates. It will feature outdoor studios designed to replicate the 'historical architecture of Arab and Islamic cities', as well as indoor studios equipped with 'the latest broadcasting and production technologies'. The project aims to become a global production site, including for Syrian and Arab TV channels. It is tipped to create more than 4,000 direct jobs and 9,000 seasonal positions. Sanctions relief The lifting of US sanctions on Syria, once a global pariah, is drawing interest from international investors eager to gain a foothold in its economy. Following the US move, the EU also sought to start lifting economic sanctions. Despite uncertainty over how long it will take for all sanctions to be lifted, with some restrictions waived for only six months, major companies have already stepped in. Announcements include a $7 billion energy deal led by Qatar's UCC Holding and a $6.5 billion aid pledge from international donors. Al Maha chairman Mohammed Al Anzi urged 'everyone in the Gulf and other countries to take part in this initiative and invest in Syria, where there are real opportunities and generous facilities that can be utilised'. He said he expects the project to be fully completed within five to seven years. US President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions during his Gulf tour last month, a day before a historic meeting with Mr Al Shara in Riyadh. Mr Trump said he wanted to give the new authorities in Damascus a 'chance at greatness'. Outbreaks of sectarian violence have called into question the new regime's efforts to stabilise Syria. More than two dozen people were killed in a Damascus church bombing this month, the capital's worst such attack in years.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Syria's Hollywood: Qatari investors back $1.5bn 'Damascus Gate' project
Syria hopes to attract artists and filmmakers under a $1.5 billion deal with Qatari investors to build a creative quarter known as "Damascus Gate". The deal between Syria's new rulers and Qatari company Al Maha International is the latest in a series of foreign investments since US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions last month. The aim is to establish a "production city" for the media, film and tourism industries. The plan is "in line with the strategic state policies to attract unique development projects', Information Minister Hamza Al Mustafa said during a signing ceremony at the People's Palace in Damascus. President Ahmad Al Shara, who is pushing for foreign investment to help repair Syria's economy after 14 years of civil war, was among the guests. Mr Al Mustafa said the project, whose full title is City of Damascus Gate, will cover about two million square metres across the Damascus and Damascus Countryside governorates. It will feature outdoor studios designed to replicate the 'historical architecture of Arab and Islamic cities', as well as indoor studios equipped with 'the latest broadcasting and production technologies'. The project aims to become a global production site, including for Syrian and Arab TV channels. It is tipped to create more than 4,000 direct jobs and 9,000 seasonal positions. Sanctions relief The lifting of US sanctions on Syria, once a global pariah, is drawing interest from international investors eager to gain a foothold in its economy. Following the US move, the European Union also sought to start lifting economic sanctions. Despite uncertainty over how long it will take for all sanctions to be lifted, with some restrictions waived for only six months, major companies have already stepped in. Announcements include a $7 billion energy deal led by Qatar's UCC Holding and a $6.5 billion aid pledge from international donors. Al Maha chairman Mohammed Al Anzi urged 'everyone in the Gulf and other countries to take part in this initiative and invest in Syria, where there are real opportunities and generous facilities that can be utilised'. He said he expects the project to be fully completed within five to seven years. US President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions during his Gulf tour last month, a day before a historic meeting with Mr Al Shara in Riyadh. Mr Trump said he wanted to give the new authorities in Damascus a 'chance at greatness'. Outbreaks of sectarian violence have called into question the new regime's efforts to stabilise Syria. More than two dozen people were killed in a Damascus church bombing this month, the capital's worst such attack in years.
