Latest news with #MiddleEastDiplomacy
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iranian FM from Beirut: We Respect Lebanon's Internal Affairs
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that considering the regional developments, Iran is keen on opening a new chapter in its relations with Lebanon, assuring that his country respects Lebanon's internal matters and does not meddle in them. Araghchi, who arrived on Tuesday in Beirut coming from Egypt where he convened with senior officials, met with his Lebanese counterpart Youssef Rajji at the foreign ministry's headquarters in Downtown Beirut. Araghchi said he has meetings scheduled with Lebanese President Jospeh Aoun, PM Nawaf Salam and his Lebanese counterpart. 'My trip to Lebanon comes as part of my tour in the region', the state-run National News Agency quoted Araghchi as saying after he arrived at the airport. 'We respect Lebanon's internal matters; we do not interfere in them. We also support Lebanon's sovereignty during difficult times just like we did before', he stated, noting that Iran attaches great importance to Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and unity. 'I hope there would be a new leaf of relations with Lebanon based on mutual respect', he added. A Visit with Political Goals According to sources who spoke to Asharq al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the Iranian diplomat's visit has political goals as it coincides with a new round of US-Iran nuclear talks that reports say still faces hurdles amid Tehran's insistence that they are strictly for peaceful purposes. The visit was not coordinated in advance with the Lebanese state but came at the Iranian minister's request, the source added, noting that Araghchi seeks to meet senior Lebanese officials to discuss matters of key importance for his country.
News24
28-05-2025
- Business
- News24
Trump says he warned Netanyahu against striking Iran
Trump confirms he asked Netanyahu to delay action against Iran amid ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks. Trump says talks with Tehran are progressing well and a deal could be close. Iran signals possible openness to US inspections if an agreement is reached. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off from striking Iran as he voiced optimism about nuclear talks his administration is holding with Tehran. Iran said that it may consider allowing Americans to inspect its facilities as part of the United Nations nuclear watchdog if a deal is reached. Trump, asked if he had told Netanyahu in a call next week not to take any action that could disrupt the diplomacy, said: 'Well, I'd like to be honest, yes I did.' Pressed on what he told the Israeli premier, Trump replied: 'I just said I don't think it's appropriate, we're having very good discussions with them.' He added: 'I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we're very close to a solution. I think they want to make a deal, and if we can make a deal, save a lot of lives. Tehran and Washington have in recent weeks held five rounds of talks focused on the issue - their highest-level contact since Trump in 2018 withdrew from a previous deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama. Trump on a visit to Qatar earlier in May voiced optimism at reaching a new agreement with Iran that avoids military conflict. Israel sees cleric-ruled Iran, which supports Hamas militants in Gaza, as its top enemy. Israel has repeatedly threatened strikes on its nuclear facilities, after pummelling Iranian air defenses in rare direct combat. 'Reconsider accepting Americans' Iran denies Western charges that it is seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its programme is solely for peaceful, civilian purposes. Trump, withdrawing from the Obama-era deal in 2018, imposed sweeping sanctions that include pressuring all countries not to buy Iranian oil. 'Countries that were hostile to us and behaved unprincipledly over the years - we have always tried not to accept inspectors from those countries,' Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami told reporters, referring to staff from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Tehran 'will reconsider accepting American inspectors through the agency' if 'an agreement is reached, and Iran's demands are taken into account,' he said. President Masoud Pezeshkian, currently on an official visit to Oman, thanked the Gulf state for its mediation efforts between the longtime adversaries, which have had no formal diplomatic ties since 1979. Iranian Foreign Minister and top negotiator Abbas Araghchi, who is accompanying Pezeshkian in Oman, said that 'the date for the new round of negotiations will probably be clarified within the next few days.' While welcoming the negotiations, Iranian officials have repeatedly declared uranium enrichment 'non-negotiable.' Trump administration officials have publicly insisted that Iran not be allowed to enrich any uranium - even at low levels for civilian purposes, as allowed under Obama's 2015 deal. 'The continuation of enrichment in Iran is an inseparable part of the country's nuclear industry and a fundamental principle for the Islamic Republic of Iran,' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters. 'Any proposal or initiative that contradicts this principle or undermines this right is unacceptable.' Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60% - the highest level of any non-nuclear weapons state. That rate is still below the 90% threshold required for a nuclear weapon, but far above the 3.67% limit set under the 2015 deal.
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Iran-US nuclear talks end with no agreement but ‘possibility of progress'
Talks between Iran and the US on whether Iran will be allowed to continue to enrich uranium inside the country have ended without an agreement, but apparently without the feared breakdown. The indirect talks between the two sides were mediated by Oman and held in Rome. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said late on Friday: 'I hope that in the next one or two meetings we can reach solutions that will allow the negotiations to progress. With Oman's solutions to remove obstacles, there is a possibility of progress, but the negotiations are too complex to be resolved in one or two meetings.' The Oman foreign ministry said in a statement: 'We hope to clarify remaining issues in coming days to allow us to proceed towards a common goal of reaching a sustainable and honourable agreement.' The talks are being held against the backdrop of repeated threats by Israel to strike Iran's nuclear sites. Israel has long feared Iran is preparing to build a nuclear bomb, and is not, as it claims, pursuing a civil nuclear programme. Donald Trump has been told by Gulf states that they do not want a further conflict in the Middle East that would be sparked by an Israeli attempt to bomb Iran, and the US president has shown a surprising willingness to reach an agreement with Tehran. Before the talks the US said it was a red line to prevent Iran undertaking any domestic enrichment, while Iran has insisted that as a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty it cannot be singled out by preventing it from continuing with a programme of domestic uranium enrichment. It has offered to put strict limits on the size of its stockpile and the purity of the uranium. The starkness of the public differences on both sides concerning enrichment led observers to fear that this fifth round of talks would lead to a collapse with unpredictable consequences for the Middle East. But although Oman did not immediately set a date for the next talks, there seemed to be a consensus that a further round would occur. Oman's foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, said on X there had been 'some but not conclusive progress'. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates that have a small nuclear programme based on imported uranium have suggested Iran could follow this example by importing the required uranium, but Iran regards its position as different since it has had to undertake so much sacrifice in the form of US economic sanctions to pursue what it says is a peaceful civil nuclear programme. It believes it has a sovereign right to enrich uranium, and points out Israel has an undeclared nuclear weapon that the US does not demand it relinquish. Some mediators suggested as an alternative that Iran could pause enrichment for a fixed period, or that in addition to enriching domestically it could form a civil nuclear consortium with Saudi Arabia, so providing extra reassurance and knowledge about the nature of its domestic programme. For reasons not yet clear, Steve Witkoff, the US chief negotiator, left the meeting early, and the US, unlike Iran, issued no immediate statement on the talks. Before the meeting Witkoff had met Israeli officials, including the head of Mossad, David Barnea, as he had in the context of previous negotiating sessions with Iran.
New York Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Shrugs Off Netanyahu on Gulf Tour
When President Trump shook hands with Syria's new leader and promised to lift sanctions on his country at the Saudi royal palace this week, it was a vivid demonstration of how the president's Middle East diplomacy has all but sidelined Israel. 'Tough guy, very strong past,' Mr. Trump said about President Ahmed al-Shara, who once had ties with Al Qaeda. Mr. Trump said he was ending the sanctions, many of which had been imposed on Syria's previous government, 'to give them a chance at greatness.' In doing so, Mr. Trump was effectively shrugging off the views of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government calls Mr. al-Shara a 'jihadist.' Israel's military has bombed Syria hundreds of times since December, when rebels led by Mr. al-Shara ousted President Bashar al-Assad from power. In recent decades, under U.S. presidents from both parties, Israel has largely enjoyed a special place at the center of American foreign policy in the region. Mr. Netanyahu, who has been in power for much of the past two decades, was always an essential player in the Middle East debate, even as he sometimes infuriated his American counterparts. There is no indication that the United States is abandoning its historic ties with Israel, or will stop its military and economic support for the country. During his flight on Air Force One from Riyadh to Doha, Mr. Trump dismissed concerns about sidelining Israel. 'No not at all,' he told reporters. 'This is good for Israel, having a relationship like I have with these countries, Middle Eastern countries, essentially all of them.' But Mr. Trump's five-day tour through the Middle East this week underscored a new dynamic, one in which Israel — and Mr. Netanyahu, in particular — is something of an afterthought. In Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Trump has sought to negotiate peace deals in Iran and Yemen and cut trillion-dollar business deals with the wealthy nations of the Persian Gulf. He did not make a stop in Israel. 'The overall sense is of shifting attention and perception of interest, mainly to the Gulf States, where the money is,' said Itamar Rabinovich, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States. Mr. Rabinovich said that Mr. Trump appears to have lost much of his interest in working with Mr. Netanyahu to resolve the war in Gaza, because of 'a sense that there's no point. Netanyahu has his position, he doesn't move from it. Hamas doesn't move from its position. It seems like a hopeless stalemate.' Omer Dostri, Mr. Netanyahu's spokesman, denied any serious rift in relations between the two countries, citing Mr. Netanyahu's two visits to the White House in the last several months and Mr. Trump's recent comment that 'we are on the same side on every issue,' referring to the Israeli prime minister. But the change in diplomatic fortunes has been hard to miss during the last few weeks, as Mr. Trump took action on one issue after another — without involving Mr. Netanyahu. Earlier this month, Mr. Trump surprised many in Israel by abruptly announcing a cease-fire with the Houthi militants in Yemen, even as the group continued to fire missiles into Israel. When Israel failed to intercept one missile, it struck the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, disrupting flights for weeks. Days later, the Trump administration secured the release of Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, without Israel's involvement. Nadav Shtrauchler, a former adviser to Mr. Netanyahu, said that the prime minister still has a relationship with Mr. Trump, but it is different from the one he has had with previous American presidents. 'With Biden, Netanyahu could postpone decisions,' he said. 'In Trump's case, as soon as that happens, the decisions are made over Netanyahu's head. This is a change that worries many people in Israel.' Throughout his Middle East visit, Mr. Trump has repeated his desire for a deal with Iran that would avoid the need to use military force against its nuclear facilities. In Qatar on Thursday, he said the United States was in 'very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace,' adding that it would be 'fantastic' if they reached a deal. That is also the opposite of what Mr. Netanyahu has said he wanted. The Israeli prime minister has urged the Trump administration to support, or even participate in, military strikes against Iran. So far, Mr. Trump has gone the other way, though he has repeatedly held open the possibility of large-scale strikes if negotiations fail. 'More than anything else, the heart of the story is Iran,' Mr. Shtrauchler said. 'Netanyahu's legacy is at stake.' The decision on how to deal with Iran is not unlike the president's decision to lift sanctions on Syria. There is deep suspicion in Israel that Mr. al-Shara's new government will turn out to be another anti-Israel, extremist force. Israeli officials say the strikes are meant to destroy the weapons from the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, which Mr. al-Shara overthrew, and limit its presence near Israel's northern border. By contrast, Mr. Trump's announcement about sanctions is an endorsement of Mr. al-Shara's promises to be different, and will throw him a desperately needed economic lifeline. Taken together, the president's actions are a stunning turnaround, even from Mr. Trump's own first term, when he visited Israel during his first foreign trip abroad. One of his first official acts on that trip was to announce that the United States would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a symbolic show of solidarity with Mr. Netanyahu by his side. The shift has shaken Israelis. Reports in Israeli newspapers and international headlines blared the hand wringing: 'Bypassed by Trump, Israel dismayed but silent'; 'Trump's Snubs: What Netanyahu's Declining Global Prowess Means for His Fortunes at Home'; 'White House signals fatigue with Netanyahu'; 'Trump's Middle East trip leaves Netanyahu watching from the sidelines again.' For now, Mr. Trump appears unlikely to reverse course, even as his aides insist that his relationship with Mr. Netanyahu remains strong. The president is no longer treating Israel like the indispensable nation in the Middle East or the lone democracy in a sea of autocracy. Militarily, the United States relies on vast bases in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to project force in the region, including the sprawling Al Udeid Air Base just outside of Doha. Mr. Trump has sought to deepen relations with Turkey, a NATO member that has harshly criticized Israel's war in Gaza, which have escalated to personal insults between Mr. Netanyahu and the Turkish president. Economically, Mr. Trump views the Gulf nations as reliable — and reliably wealthy — places to do business. Mr. Trump wants Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords in a normalization deal with Israel but appears to have recognized it will not happen while the war in Gaza is still raging. Instead, he has focused on business deals with the crown prince. In a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday, Mr. Trump heralded the 'bright future of the Middle East' and praised the leaders of 'a modern and rising' region. 'A new generation of leaders is transcending the ancient conflicts of tired divisions of the past and forging a future,' he said, 'where people of different nations, religions, and creeds are building cities together, not bombing each other out of existence.' He mentioned Israel only in passing. Instead, he focused on the Gulf leaders who vastly expanded what he called the 'gleaming marvels of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi' over the past decade. The focus of the speech, and its tone, was a dramatic shift from those delivered by his predecessors. For Israel, and for Mr. Netanyahu, that shift carries long-term implications. But so far, the prime minister has shown little interest in shifting his approach to governing or his conduct of his country's conflicts with Hamas, Iran, Syria or Yemen. Even as Mr. Trump traveled through the Gulf, promising a new future in the region, Israeli forces intensified their attacks in Gaza with a fierce strike aimed at a senior Hamas leader and a response to missile attacks that killed dozens of Palestinians near the northern Gaza city of Jabaliya. In comments during the trip, Mr. Trump acknowledged the threat of starvation in Gaza, even as the Israeli political leadership, including Mr. Netanyahu, have downplayed that concern. But for the most part, the president's main focus throughout the trip was elsewhere.
Free Malaysia Today
16-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Trump caps Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi with dizzying investment pledges
In Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, US President Donald Trump received lavish welcomes and praised the three Arab leaders. (AP pic) ABU DHABI : US President Donald Trump on Friday capped off a Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi that has seen the securing of multi-billion-dollar deals, a US$1.4 trillion investment pledge from the UAE, as well as historic overtures to Syria and renewed optimism over an Iran nuclear deal. On his first foreign tour of his second term, Trump oversaw a US$200 billion order from Qatar Airways for Boeing jets and a US$600 billion investment from Saudi Arabia – including nearly US$142 billion in weapons, which the White House described as the largest-ever arms deal. Trump also expressed optimism over reaching a new agreement with Iran over its nuclear programme, and in a seismic diplomatic shift, decided to lift decades-long sanctions on Syria. In Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, Trump was greeted with lavish welcomes and hailed the three Arab leaders. He said that he and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 'like each other a lot' – in sharp contrast with the frosty Saudi-US relations that marked the start of Joe Biden's term. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed lauded a strong partnership between the two countries that grew under Trump's leadership when he vowed to invest US$1.4 trillion in the US economy over 10 years. On Friday morning, Trump is set to attend a business roundtable and later tour the Abrahamic Family House, according to local media. The complex opened in 2023 and houses a mosque, church and the country's first official synagogue with the aim of promoting interfaith co-existence in the Muslim nation. In 2020, the UAE normalised ties with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords under Trump's first administration, which also saw Israel establish diplomatic ties with Bahrain and Morocco. On Thursday, he held talks with his counterpart President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed after touring the opulent Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque. Earlier in the trip, the White House said that Saudi company DataVolt will invest US$20 billion in artificial intelligence-related sites in the US, while tech firms including Google will invest in both countries. Trump also became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, after removing sanctions on the war-torn country following appeals from Saudi's Prince Mohammed and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. There was no announcement of a breakthrough on the Gaza war, which Qatar has been a key mediator, with Trump repeating claims that Washington should 'take' Gaza and turn it into a 'freedom zone'. But Trump said a deal was close on Iran's nuclear programme that would avert military action, sending oil prices tumbling. He said the trip had resulted in securing 'trillions of dollars' but the Gulf leaders' largesse also stirred controversy, with Qatar offering Trump a luxury aircraft ahead of his visit for presidential and then personal use, in what Trump's Democratic opponents charged was blatant corruption. English-language Emirati newspaper The National has reported that the US and UAE were working on announcing an AI and tech partnership during Trump's visit. The UAE is seeking to become a leader in technology and especially artificial intelligence to help diversify its oil-reliant economy. But these ambitions hinge on access to advanced US technologies, including AI chips that were under stringent, restricted export – which the UAE president's brother and spy chief Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed reportedly lobbied for during a Washington visit in March. Earlier this week, Trump rescinded further controls on AI chips, which were imposed by his predecessor to make it harder for China to access advanced technology.
