DUBAI: Bahraini lawmakers voted Tuesday to change the constitution to allow civilians to be tried in military courts, further empowering its security forces amid a crackdown on dissent at level unseen since its 2011 Arab Spring protests.
The decision by the 40-seat Council of Representatives, the elected lower house of the tiny Gulf nation’s National Assembly, comes after a royal decree a month ago restored the power of its domestic spy service to make some arrests. Limiting the power of the National Security Agency was a key reform recommended after authorities put down the 2011 demonstrations.
Bahrain’s government declined to comment as the bill had yet to be approved by the full National Assembly.
The bill revises a portion of Bahrain’s constitution by removing limitations on who military courts can try. During the council’s session, Brig. Gen. Yussef Rashid Flaifel, the head of the country’s military courts, told lawmakers the change is needed as the nation is “fighting terrorism.”
Lawmakers voted 31-1 to pass the constitutional amendment, with three members on hand not voting. The bill now heads to the 40-member Consultative Council, a body appointed by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet and an under-construction British naval base.
In January, Bahrain executed three men found guilty of a deadly bomb attack on police.
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Bahrain lawmakers approve military trials for civilians
Bahrain lawmakers approve military trials for civilians
Iran open to compromises to reach nuclear deal with US, minister tells BBC
- A US delegation, including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will meet with the Iranians on Tuesday morning
LONDON: Iran is ready to consider compromises to reach a nuclear deal with the United States if Washington is willing to discuss lifting sanctions, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC in an interview published on Sunday.
Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions including missiles.
Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that a second round of nuclear talks would take place on Tuesday in Geneva, after Tehran and Washington resumed discussions in Oman earlier this month.
“(Initial talks went) more or less in a positive direction, but it is too early to judge,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC.
A US delegation, including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will meet with the Iranians on Tuesday morning, a source had told Reuters on Friday, with Omani representatives mediating the US-Iran contacts.
Iran’s atomic chief said on Monday the country could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for all financial sanctions being lifted. Takht-Ravanchi used this example in the BBC interview to highlight Iran’s flexibility.
The senior diplomat reiterated Tehran’s stance that it would not accept zero uranium enrichment, which had been a key impediment to reaching a deal last year, with the US viewing enrichment inside Iran as a pathway to nuclear weapons.
Iran denies seeking such nuclear weapons.
During his first term in office, Trump pulled the US out of a 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the signature foreign policy achievement of former Democratic President Barack Obama.
The deal eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program to prevent it from being able to make an atomic bomb.
Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions including missiles.
Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that a second round of nuclear talks would take place on Tuesday in Geneva, after Tehran and Washington resumed discussions in Oman earlier this month.
“(Initial talks went) more or less in a positive direction, but it is too early to judge,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC.
A US delegation, including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will meet with the Iranians on Tuesday morning, a source had told Reuters on Friday, with Omani representatives mediating the US-Iran contacts.
Iran’s atomic chief said on Monday the country could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for all financial sanctions being lifted. Takht-Ravanchi used this example in the BBC interview to highlight Iran’s flexibility.
The senior diplomat reiterated Tehran’s stance that it would not accept zero uranium enrichment, which had been a key impediment to reaching a deal last year, with the US viewing enrichment inside Iran as a pathway to nuclear weapons.
Iran denies seeking such nuclear weapons.
During his first term in office, Trump pulled the US out of a 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the signature foreign policy achievement of former Democratic President Barack Obama.
The deal eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program to prevent it from being able to make an atomic bomb.
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