DUBAI: The United States will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran, the US Iran envoy said on Thursday as Arab leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss what they see as the threat from Tehran amid rising tensions.
But US Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, said US actions taken so far in the Gulf region, which include repositioning military assets, have had the “desired deterrent effect on the (Iranian) regime’s risk calculations.”
The US military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, to the Middle East in a move that US officials said was made to counter “clear indications” of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.
Hook was speaking to reporters by phone ahead of emergency summits of Arab leaders in the Saudi city of Makkah due on Thursday to discuss drone strikes on oil installations in Saudi Arabia and attacks on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the UAE coast earlier this month.
Hook said the US was waiting for results of the investigation into the tanker attacks off the UAE coast before discussing a proper response
Tehran has denied involvement in either attack.
The US is pursuing what it calls a “maximum pressure campaign” of sanctions against Iran to reduce its revenue streams from oil and other economic activities, in an attempt to curb what it sees as Tehran’s disruptive policies in the region.
Responding to a question about China and India importing Iranian oil and whether it was possible for them to keep importing small amounts, Hook said there would be no more exceptions granted to sanctions against Iran oil imports.
“There will be no more oil waivers granted,” he said, adding that any oil imported by any country beyond waiver limits that ran from November last year to May, would be subject to sanctions.
Trump also said that Iran’s economy is suffering from US sanctions and that the country is becoming a “weakened nation.”
As tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, Trump claims Iran wants to make a deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says, however, that negotiating with the US would bring nothing but harm.
He said Wednesday that his country will not negotiate on issues related to its military capabilities. He insists that Iran isn’t looking to acquire nuclear weapons — not because of sanctions or the United States, but because they are forbidden under Islamic Sharia law.
At the White House on Thursday, Trump told reporters: “If they want to talk, I’m available.”
Meanwhile, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Thursday that the threat from Iran is not over but quick action from the United States has helped deter it.
“I don’t think this threat is over, but I do think you can make at least a conditional claim that the quick response and the deployment and other steps that we took did serve as a deterrent,” Bolton told reporters during a visit to London.
Asked whether he was at odds with President Donald Trump, who said earlier this week that the US was not looking for regime change in Iran, he said: “The policy we’re pursuing is not a policy of regime change. That’s the fact and everybody should understand it that way.”
Bolton said there was some prospect that evidence Iran was behind attacks this month on oil tankers in the Gulf would be presented to the United Nations Security Council next week.
“I don’t think anybody who is familiar with the situation in the region, whether they have examined the evidence or not, has come to any conclusion other than that these attacks were carried out by Iran or their surrogates,” he said.
US will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran: Brian Hook
US will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran: Brian Hook
- Hook says US waiting for results of investigation into tanker attacks off UAE coast before discussing proper response
- The Iran envoy said the US repositioning of military assets has had desired deterrent effect on Iranian regime
Financial transactions easier with fintech, but there are obstacles, says expert
- Rapid development of global markets makes corruption a major threat, Saudi business leader warns
- Investors should fund crime-fighting technologies, Arab Forum of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Financial Intelligence Units told
RIYADH: Financial transactions have been made easier by rapid and accelerating growth in technologies, but there are still obstacles to overcome, said Nabil Koshak, CEO of the Saudi Venture Capital Company.
“Investors should fund the development of technologies that help fight these obstacles and crimes,” said Koshak, a panelist at the Arab Forum of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Financial Intelligence Units on its second day on Thursday in Riyadh.
With the interconnectedness and rapid development of global markets, corruption represents a major threat and carries significant risks for investors.
Discussing ways in which businesses and financial institutions manage the dangers of market corruption, Koshak said: “Investing in this sector attracts capital from the world’s top venture capital and financial firms. These firms noticed a significant gap and difficulty that the authority, financial institutions, and governments face; as a result, as technology advances, investors will have more and bigger opportunities to invest.”
Based on the effects of corruption, and its repercussions on economic stability and sustainable development, there is an increasing trend among corporate and institutional investors to adopt proactive methods to confront these risks directly, he said.
“In 2016, Saudi Vision 2030 emphasized the importance of sectoral investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship, particularly among developing companies and small and medium-sized organizations. In 2023, funding and venture investment in the Kingdom were increased, and from 2018 to today it became the top Middle Eastern country to invest. The Saudi Venture Investment Company’s initiative prompted over 50 investment funds to invest in technology and emerging companies in general,” he added.
By prioritizing anti-corruption measures and integrating them into decision-making frameworks, investors are reshaping the standards of responsible investment and demonstrating a commitment to ethical business conduct.
“The digital economy is a strong regulatory framework for Saudi Arabia. Even to stimulate investment in technologies related to the field of combating digital crimes, we are proud of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurs and investors. Participation of startups and entrepreneurs to establish companies that contribute to developing technologies in combating crimes, such as Mozoon Company, Amwal Company, and others,” Koshak said.
He said that the significant changes that took place in this sector did not come out of nowhere. Vision 2030 was focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and small and medium enterprises.
Koshak said that it is important to continue supporting and empowering entrepreneurs and innovators in order to find innovative solutions that keep pace with the challenges.
He added that It is critical to recognize that as the digital economic transformation accelerates, new and different challenges will emerge.
Innovation and creativity are important tools to find solutions that keep pace with this accelerating digital transformation in various sectors, the most important of which is the fight against financial crime, Koshak said.
Saudi Arabia moves to localize mining sector professions
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is on track to boost the localization of professions related to the mining sector thanks to a new agreement signed by the Human Resources Development Fund.
Inked with the Saudi Arabian Mining Co., also known as Ma’aden, the memorandum of understanding aims to enhance cooperation and partnerships between the two parties to develop human capital in the sector, according to a statement.
This move falls in line with the common goals of the two sides and aligns well with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in developing human capabilities and enabling them to get promising job opportunities.
It also reflects the accelerating growth of the mining sector in Saudi Arabia and globally. Under the terms of the newly signed MoU, the two sides will work to support the training and empowerment of suppliers in Ma’aden’s local content program, Tharwa, in accordance with the controls approved by the fund.
The mining firm launched Tharwa in 2022. It encompasses the company’s vision to create a wealth of resources in the Kingdom.
The deal will also see both sides ensure that trainees receive appropriate support solutions and motivation plans.
Additionally, the agreement entails studying the possibilities for achieving sustainability in the mining and mineral wealth sector, which is vital to strengthening the national economy.
The two parties agreed to form a joint working group that includes specialists to activate areas of cooperation as well as work to prepare unified periodic reports that outline the progress in the agreed upon areas.
Ma’aden is an important figure in the field as it is the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East. Its manufacturing capabilities include producing phosphate fertilizers, aluminum metal, and gold.
In January, the firm secured international recognition with a certificate for producing 614,000 tonnes of ultra-low carbon ammonia, the largest quantity acknowledged globally.
The endorsement from Det Norske Veritas at the time signified a substantial stride in Ma’aden’s plans to expand and transform its operations, aspiring to become an environmental, social, and governance role model in the Kingdom.
This accreditation, which was received at the time, also highlighted the mining firm’s commitment to operational excellence and expanding its product range.
Greek defense team says 9 Egyptians accused of causing deadly shipwreck were misidentified as crew
- The nine are due to go on trial in Kalamata on May 21 on a series of charges, including migrant smuggling, participation in a criminal organization and causing a deadly shipwreck
- They face multiple life sentences if convicted
ATHENS: The legal defense team for nine Egyptian men due to go on trial in southern Greece next week accused of causing one of the Mediterranean’s deadliest shipwrecks said Thursday they will argue that Greece has no jurisdiction in the case, and insisted their clients were innocent survivors who have been unjustly prosecuted.
The nine, whose ages range from early 20s to early 40s, are due to go on trial in the southern city of Kalamata on May 21 on a series of charges, including migrant smuggling, participation in a criminal organization and causing a deadly shipwreck. They face multiple life sentences if convicted.
The Adriana, an overcrowded fishing trawler, had been sailing from Libya to Italy with hundreds of asylum-seekers on board when it sank on June 14 in international waters off the southwestern coast of Greece.
The exact number of people on board has never been established, but estimates range from around 500 to more than 700. Only 104 people survived — all men and boys from Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and two Palestinians — and about 80 bodies were recovered. The vessel sank in one of the Mediterranean’s deepest areas, making recovery efforts all but impossible.
The Greek lawyers who make up the defense team spoke during a news conference in Athens on Thursday. They maintained their clients’ innocence, saying all nine defendants had been paying passengers who had been misidentified as crew members by other survivors who gave testimonies under duress just hours after having been rescued.
The nine “are random people, smuggled people who paid the same amounts as all the others to take this trip to Italy aiming for a better life, and they are accused of being part of the smuggling team,” lawyer and defense team member Vicky Aggelidou said.
Dimitris Choulis, another lawyer and member of the legal team, said that Greek authorities named the defendants as crew members following testimonies by nine other survivors who identified them for having done things as simple as handing bottles of water or pieces of fruit to other passengers.
“For nearly a year now, nine people have been in prison without knowing what they are in prison for,” Choulis said.
“For me, it is very sad to visit and see people in prison who do not understand why they are there,” he added.
While the Adriana was sailing in international waters, the area was within Greece’s search and rescue zone of responsibility. Greece’s coast guard had been shadowing the vessel for a full day without attempting a rescue of those on board. A patrol boat and at least two merchant ships were in the vicinity when the trawler capsized and sank.
In the aftermath of the sinking, some survivors said the coast guard had been attempting to tow the boat when it sank, and rights activists have accused Greek authorities of triggering the shipwreck while attempting to tow the boat out of Greece’s zone of responsibility.
Greek authorities have rejected accusations of triggering the shipwreck and have insisted the trawler’s crew members had refused to accept help from the nearby merchant ships and from the Greek coast guard.
A separate investigation being carried out by Greece’s naval court hasn’t yet reached any conclusion, and the defense team hasn’t been given any access to any part of it.
The Egyptians’ defense team also argues that because the shipwreck occurred in international waters, Greek courts don’t have jurisdiction to try the case, and the defense will move to have the case dismissed on those grounds when the trial opens in Kalamata next week.
Greece lies along one of the most popular routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. While most of those cross into the country’s eastern Aegean Sea islands from the nearby Turkish coast, others try to skirt Greece altogether and head from north Africa to Italy across the longer and more dangerous Mediterranean route.
On Thursday, Greece’s coast guard said that 42 people had been rescued and another three were believed to be missing after a boat carrying migrants sent out a distress call while sailing south of the Greek island of Crete.
Officials said they were alerted by the Italian coast guard overnight about a boat in distress 27 nautical miles (31 miles or 50 kilometers) south of Crete. Greece’s coast guard said that 40 people were rescued by nearby ships, and another two were rescued by a Greek navy helicopter.
A search and rescue operation was underway for three people reported by survivors as still missing. It wasn’t immediately clear what kind of vessel the passengers had been on, or why the boat sent out a distress call.
Turkiye convicts former pro-Kurdish party officials over Kobani protests
- Yuksekdag was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison
- The court has not yet ruled on the HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas
ANKARA: A Turkish court convicted former leading officials from the pro-Kurdish HDP party, including co-leader Figen Yuksekdag, on Thursday for instigating 2014 protests triggered by a Daesh attack on the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani.
The verdict was likely to fuel political tensions in Turkiye around the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which is facing potential closure in a separate court case and has been succeeded in parliament by another pro-Kurdish party.
In total, Yuksekdag was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison. The court has not yet ruled on the HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas.
Thirty-seven people died in the 2014 protests, which were triggered by accusations that Turkiye’s army stood by as the ultra-hard-line Daesh militants besieged Kobani, a Syrian border town in plain view of Turkiye.
Those convicted were among 108 defendants, including senior HDP figures, charged with 29 offenses including homicide and harming the unity of the Turkish state. The HDP denied the charges.
Makkah scouts train to use digital quick-response tech to help pilgrims
- Scouts trained on smart application that provides route planning, navigation and guidance to pilgrims at holy sites
- Digital approach helps to protect the environment by eliminating the need for paper maps and signs
RIYADH: Saudi scouts are being taught how to use digital technology and quick-response codes on their smartphones to better help Hajj pilgrims with guidance, on-site navigation and route planning at the Kingdom’s holy sites.
The course, run by the Ministry of Education through the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association, began a 10-day training program in Makkah on Wednesday for scouts to help pilgrims during the annual Hajj, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Thirty-two trainees from four scout vanguards are currently enrolled to receive training.
A smart application that provides route planning, navigation and guidance to pilgrims at the holy sites will be used.
Explaining the benefits of using digital technology and QR codes during scout trips to holy sites, scout leader Abdullah Alharthi said that this approach helps to protect the environment by eliminating the need for paper maps and signs, and avoiding visual clutter in sacred spaces.
Additionally, the digital system ensures the encryption of scouts’ messages.
SASA, which works with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to help pilgrims each year, plays an important role during Hajj season when, every year, scouts from all corners of the Kingdom gather to assist pilgrims during Hajj.
Regardless of age or gender, these volunteers devote their time and energy to enable pilgrims to fulfill the Hajj rituals with ease.
The scouts affiliated with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah primarily focus on assisting lost pilgrims by providing guidance and directions, ensuring they reach their designated camps safely.
Last year, according to SASA, 3,500 scouts were stationed around the holy sites in Makkah.
The SASA volunteers told Arab News they are classified into two age groups: the advanced scout category and the ranger category. The advanced scout category is made up of scout members aged between 15 and 17. The ranger category comprises those from 18 to 22, including scout leaders (150 of whom last year were women) and friends and pioneers of SASA.
