TEHRAN: Iran is ready to start nuclear negotiations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York if “other parties are willing,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday in a video published on his Telegram channel.
The US, under then-President Donald Trump, withdrew in 2018 from a nuclear accord signed in 2015 by Iran and six world powers under which Tehran curbed its disputed nuclear program in return for a lifting of international sanctions.
Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the deal have stalled. Iran is still formally part of the deal but has scaled back commitments to honor it due to US sanctions reimposed on the Islamic Republic.
“I will stay in New York for a few more days than the president and will have more meetings with various foreign ministers. We will focus our efforts on starting a new round of talks regarding the nuclear pact,” Araqchi said.
He added that messages have been exchanged via Switzerland and a “general declaration of readiness” issued, but cautioned that “current international conditions make the resumption of talks more complicated and difficult than before.”
Araqchi said he would not meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken: “I do not believe it would be expedient to hold such a dialogue. There were such meetings before but there is currently no suitable ground for that. We are still a long way from holding direct talks.”
Since the renewal of US sanctions during the Trump administration, Tehran has refused to directly negotiate with Washington and worked mainly through European or Arab intermediaries.
Iranian leaders want to see an easing of US sanctions that have significantly harmed its economy. But Iran’s relations with the West have worsened since the Iranian-backed Palestinian Hamas militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, and as Tehran has increased its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has said the United States is not ready to resume nuclear talks with Iran.
Iran ready for nuclear talks at UN ‘if other parties willing’, foreign minister says
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Iran ready for nuclear talks at UN ‘if other parties willing’, foreign minister says
- Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the deal have stalled
How dried-out wetlands on the Iran-Iraq border threaten the region
- Plans to drill for oil in the receding marshes have galvanised activists to save the mythical wetlands
LONDON: The dust storms that have choked Iranians and Iraqis for weeks and hospitalized thousands, are the canary in the coalmine for a complex environmental disaster unfolding in wetlands straddling the two countries’ border.
The Hoor Al-Hawizeh wetlands, north of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, are drying out and experts warn that continued decline, including in the connected Hoor Al-Azim marshes in Iran, could drive water shortages, migration and even conflict.
“These marshes once acted as natural barriers, trapping fine sediments and maintaining soil moisture,” said Hossein Hashemi, an associate professor of water resource engineering at Lund University in Sweden.
“But their shrinkage, caused by upstream dam construction, wartime destruction, and climate change, has exposed vast stretches of loose, dry sediment,” he said.
“As winds sweep across these barren areas, they lift large quantities of fine dust, leading to more frequent and intense storms.”
The degradation of the wetlands, part of the Mesopotamian Marshes, also threatens unique wildlife, including softshell turtles, birds, fish and water plants.
Hoor Al-Hawizeh is recognized by UNESCO for its biodiversity and cultural heritage, and Iraqi sections are designated wetlands of international importance on the Ramsar List, the world’s largest list of protected areas.
On the Iran side, Hoor Al-Azim is a crucial source of food, water, jobs and tourism to millions of people in the southwestern Khuzestan province. But now it is under threat.
“This brings with it the issue of forced migration, displacement, conflict, poverty, unemployment, hunger and more,” said Kaveh Madani, director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health and a former deputy head of Iran’s Department of Environment.
Data from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran shows that since the early 1970s, Hoor Al-Azim has declined from some 124,000 hectares to 60,650 hectares.
That means nearly half of its original area, including water and reed beds, has disappeared, mainly, scientists say, because of oil exploration, farming, dam building and climate change.
“The degradation has contributed to the displacement of local communities, increased poverty, and reduced agricultural productivity,” said Ali Torabi Haghighi, associate professor of water resource management at the University of Oulu in Finland.
“It has led to severe biodiversity loss, particularly among migratory bird species, native fish populations, and other aquatic and semi-aquatic life,” he added.
In July 2021, one of the largest waves of nationwide protests began in Khuzestan over drought and water shortages. Security forces killed dozens and thousands were arrested, according to the human rights group, Amnesty International.
Those same stresses persist today with temperatures exceeding 55 degrees Celsius in the summer months and drought again stalking the land.
In May, around a thousand people were hospitalized in Khuzestan each day with heart and respiratory illnesses from sand and dust storms.
Madani said urgent action was needed, not least to prevent political tensions flaring with countries accusing each other of not releasing enough water into the wetlands.
Wildfires exacerbate the pollution. In early May, thousands of hectares of Hoor Al-Azim caught fire, local media said.
Earlier this year, smoke and pollution from fires on the Iraqi side of the wetlands engulfed villages in Khuzestan, forcing schools and offices to shut for days.
As well as climate effects, human activities are degrading the marshes. Around 80 percent of Iran’s oil production is in Khuzestan and a 2021 study found that since the early 2000s, oil exploration projects have caused “significant damage.”
Hamidreza Khodabakhshi, a water planning expert and environmental activist in Khuzestan, said oil exploration had caused parts of the wetlands to dry up.
“Road construction and pipeline installation have not only damaged the ecosystem, but also blocked the natural flow of water,” he said.
In February, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad told a meeting in Ahvaz, the main city in Khuzestan, that the government took responsibility.
“We are the ones who dried up the wetland, and we are the ones who hurt the people of Khuzestan — now we need to prioritize the employment needs of locals,” he said.
The Hoor Al-Hawizeh marshes are fed by water from the Tigris River in Iraq and the Karkheh River in southwest Iran — sources that have sometimes become a point of conflict.
Iran, Iraq and Turkiye have constructed dams upstream that scientists say have significantly harmed Hoor Al-Hawizeh.
Since 2009, the marsh has also been effectively divided by a 65-km dyke built along the border by Iran to keep water inside its territory.
Haghighi said tensions also flared over water allocation.
“In many cases, maintaining ecological water flows is given lower priority compared to agricultural, hydropower and municipal uses, resulting in severe consequences for wetland health,” he said.
Scientists hope to raise the case of Hoor Al-Azim at the next meeting of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in Zimbabwe in July.
“Sand and dust storms and wildfires are examples of the complex problems that are going to require complex solutions through diplomacy and cooperation,” Madani said.
Aoun, Abbas agree Lebanon will not be used as launchpad for strikes against Israel
- ‘Era of weapons outside the authority of the Lebanese state has ended,’ presidents say
- Leaders also call for ‘just and lasting peace in the region’
BEIRUT: The Lebanese and Palestinian presidents have agreed that Palestinian factions will not use Lebanon as a launchpad for any attacks against Israel.
The two sides also agreed on Wednesday to remove weapons that are not under the authority of the Lebanese state.
The announcement came at the start of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ three-day visit to Lebanon.
Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed their “commitment to the principle of exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese state and to ending any manifestations that fall outside the framework of the Lebanese state.”
In a joint statement they highlighted “the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and their belief that the era of weapons outside the authority of the Lebanese state has ended — especially since the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples have for many decades borne heavy losses and made great sacrifices.”
They said also that the Palestinian side “affirmed its commitment not to use Lebanese territory as a launchpad for any military operations and to respect Lebanon’s declared policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries and avoiding regional conflicts.”
Both sides agreed the need to reach “a just and lasting peace in the region that would allow the Palestinian people to establish their independent state following relevant international legitimacy resolutions, while also ensuring that all countries and peoples in the region obtain their rightful and legitimate rights.”
The statement condemned the “ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the resulting severe human losses and unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” and called on the international community “to take immediate and serious action to stop it and to provide full protection for Palestinian civilians.”
Abbas arrived at Beirut airport at about 1 p.m. and immediately headed to the presidential headquarters. A presidential source said the talks focused on the issue of “Palestinian weapons in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the extension of full Lebanese state authority over these camps and the implementation framework for the plan.”
Aoun and Abbas underscored “the urgent need to strengthen the role of the UN and its institutions in safeguarding the Palestinian people, upholding international law and ensuring the enforcement of the resolutions of international legitimacy.”
They condemned the “repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon” and called on “the international community, particularly the US and France, to pressure Israel to follow the agreement reached under their auspices in November 2024. The agreement stresses a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal from Israeli-occupied hills and the release of Lebanese prisoners.”
Implementing such measures was “essential for allowing the Lebanese army to complete its deployment to the internationally recognized borders, following Resolution 1701, to which Lebanon remains fully committed,” they said.
The two sides highlighted the need to “enhance coordination between official Lebanese and Palestinian authorities to maintain stability within and around the Palestinian camps” and their commitment to “strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism and to ensuring that the camps do not serve as safe havens for extremist groups.”
On the issue of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, they stressed the importance of “continued support for UN agency UNRWA, the continuation of its services to refugees and increasing its financial resources to enable it to fulfill its obligations.”
They also agreed to form a joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee to monitor the situation in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon and work to improve the living conditions of refugees, “while respecting Lebanese sovereignty and adhering to Lebanese laws.”
During his visit, Abbas is scheduled to hold meetings with parliament speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and other senior officials and representatives of Palestinian factions from the refugee camps.
Also, the Hani Fahas Academy for Dialogue and Peace will honor Abbas with the 2025 Peacemakers Award at a ceremony on Thursday in Beirut, “in recognition of his efforts to promote Lebanese-Palestinian reconciliation.”
This is not the first time the issue of weapons in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon has been raised. The matter was included as a clause in the 2006 Doha Agreement and was discussed during the Lebanese National Dialogue in 2008, chaired by former President Michel Suleiman.
The discussion focused on the need to disarm Palestinian factions in refugee camps and in politically protected Palestinian communities.
The clause was not enforced however, leading to clashes in the Nahr Al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp between the Lebanese army and Palestinian factions supported by the former Syrian regime.
The issue was tackled again during Abbas’ visit to Lebanon in 2013. In a meeting with Suleiman he said Palestinians were “guests in Lebanon and are subject to the law.”
“The Palestinian presence in Lebanon is temporary and the Lebanese territory’s unity and sovereignty are a sacred matter for us. We count on the Lebanese government to protect the safety of Palestinian refugees and ensure their well-being,” he said.
Ain Al-Helweh — the biggest and most populated Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon — witnessed armed clashes in 2013 between the Jund Al-Sham and Fath Al-Islam factions, resulting in the death of 16 Lebanese soldiers.
Abbas also visited Lebanon in 2017 and held talks with former President Michel Aoun. The following year, bloody clashes erupted within Ain Al-Helweh between the Fatah Movement and armed extremists, resulting in rifts between Palestinian factions there.
Further clashes took place in 2023 between members of Fatah and individuals affiliated with extremist groups close to Hamas.
According to a 2017 census by the Central Administration of Statistics in Lebanon and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 174,422 Palestinian refugees were living in camps and other pockets across Lebanon.
There were also Palestinian military centers affiliated with Palestinian factions loyal to the Syrian regime located outside the Palestinian camps, specifically in Bekaa, which were handed over to the Lebanese army following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime.
The Palestinian arms crisis reached its peak following the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in November last year, when members of Hamas repeatedly launched rockets toward the Israeli side from southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese army pursued and apprehended several suspects but four evaded capture and went into hiding in Palestinian refugee camps in Tyre. Three were later surrendered by Hamas following pressure from the Lebanese government on its leadership, while the fourth, reportedly a religious figure, remains at large.
Haitham Zaiter, a member of the Palestinian National and Central Council, said in a statement that Abbas’ visit carried “a message of support for Lebanon.”
“During the meetings, it will be emphasized that Palestinians are guests on Lebanese territory, respect sovereignty and abide by Lebanese laws until their return to their homeland. This is a right that cannot be waived and does not expire with time,” he said.
“Discussions will also address issues related to the living, social and civil rights of refugees, as well as the right to work and own property in Lebanon, which require amending some laws. It will also be emphasized that Palestinians in Lebanese territory are subject to the law.”
Rubio steers clear of branding Putin ‘war criminal’
- “Crimes have been committed in the war on Ukraine, and there will be accountability for that,” Rubio said
- Keating accused Rubio of being “inconsistent” and “equivocating“
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday steered clear of calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal,” saying the priority was negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict.
In a fiery congressional hearing, Democratic Representative Bill Keating recalled Rubio’s heated criticism of Putin’s record when the top US diplomat served as a senator, and asked him if he still believed Putin is a “war criminal.”
“Crimes have been committed in the war on Ukraine, and there will be accountability for that, but our goal right now is to end that war,” Rubio said.
“Because let me tell you, every single day that that war goes on, people are killed, more people are maimed and, frankly, more war crimes are being committed,” he said.
Keating accused Rubio of being “inconsistent” and “equivocating.”
Rubio later responded to a fellow Republican by saying there was a value in speaking to Russia.
“If there had not been communications between the US and Russia in 1961,” Rubio said, “the world could have ended during the Cuban Missile Crisis.”
President Donald Trump spoke Monday by telephone to Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his latest effort, so far unsuccessful, to end the war.
Putin, who had faced international isolation during former president Joe Biden’s administration, has rebuffed US calls backed by Ukraine for a 30-day ceasefire.
Tens of thousands have died, mainly civilians, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Early in the war, dozens of civilians were found dead in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha following a months-long occupation by Russian forces.
Putin faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over the transfer of children from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia.
Israel supreme court rules security chief sacking ‘unlawful’, Netanyahu barred from naming new one
- The ruling is the latest twist in a judiciary and political affair
- Wednesday’s ruling noted “irregularities” in the process that led to Bar’s sacking
JERUSALEM: Israel’s supreme court on Wednesday ruled as “unlawful” the government’s decision to fire domestic security chief Ronen Bar in March, a move which had triggered mass protests in the country.
“The Supreme Court ruled that the government’s decision to terminate the head of the Shin Bet’s tenure was made through an improper and unlawful process,” the court ruling said.
The ruling is the latest twist in a judiciary and political affair that shook Israel since the government’s decision to sack Bar in March, which the supreme court froze.
Israel’s government said in late April it had canceled its decision to fire Bar, a day after he announced he would stand down following weeks of tension with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wednesday’s ruling noted “irregularities” in the process that led to Bar’s sacking, as well as “a disregard for fundamental principles regarding internal security.”
Israel's attorney general on Wednesday barred Netanyahu from appointing the next head of the domestic intelligence agency after the court decision.
“The court ruled that the prime minister acted in a situation of conflict of interest,” Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said, adding that “as a result, he must refrain from any action related to the appointment of a new head of the Shin Bet until legal guidelines are established to ensure the integrity of the process.”
However, Netanyahu said his government would appoint a new chief for the Shin Bet agency despite the attorney general's announcement.
The move to sack Bar sparked large protests across Israel led by the opposition, which saw it as a sign Netanyahu’s government’s was slipping toward autocracy.
Netanyahu had argued that the government was allowed to sack Bar, whom he blames for the security failure that allowed Hamas’ deadly October 7, 2023, attack to unfold.
Noting Bar’s decision to quit the job, the supreme court ruling said that “this announcement puts an end to the (legal) procedure.”
UK FM facing calls to recognize Palestine statehood
- Labour’s chair of foreign affairs committee says recognition would be ‘first step’
- Major conference promoting two-state solution will be co-hosted by Saudi Arabia in June
LONDON: The governing Labour Party chair of the foreign affairs committee is pushing for UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to recognize Palestine as a state, the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
MP Emily Thornberry said the move would be a “first step” if Lammy announced British recognition next month at a high-level conference co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
It follows Lammy’s halting of trade talks with Israel and the summoning of the country’s ambassador in response to Tel Aviv’s renewed Gaza offensive.
Labour’s manifesto at the last general election said the party was “committed” to recognizing Palestine within the context of a two-state solution.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long vowed to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Thornberry told the Telegraph: “I think Britain and France should recognize Palestine at the New York conference chaired by Saudi Arabia in June.
“The two signatories of the 1916 Sykes-Picot agreement, which created the borders of the Middle East as we see today, would be very powerful.
“It would be a first step in working multilaterally to update Oslo, build on the Arab Deal and create a new peace deal proposal.”
The conference in the US will be held from June 17-20, and aims to galvanize support for the two-state solution.
French diplomats have said the event will likely lead to more countries recognizing Palestine as a state.
David Cameron, who served as foreign secretary in the previous Conservative government, said last year that Britain was weighing whether to recognize Palestine.
In the UN, 139 of 193 member states recognize Palestine, while Israel is recognized by 165. In 2021, the UK abstained in a UN General Assembly vote that granted Palestine “non-member observer” status.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell said: “With the imminent catastrophic loss of life through starvation and military operations, the government must hesitate no longer in fully recognizing the state of Palestine.
“The reprehensible actions of the Israeli government must be held to account, so full sanctions and ceasing all arms sales must also take place immediately.”
Lammy, speaking in the House of Commons this week, condemned Israel’s expansion of the Gaza war as an “affront to the values of British people.” He added: “History will judge them.”
Lammy outlined a series of sanctions against Israeli settlers who are targeting Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.
“Blocking aid, expanding the war, dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible and it must stop,” he said.
Some MPs say the government should take further action over the Gaza war, such as a complete arms embargo on Israel and sanctions on senior members of its government, including Netanyahu.
