Iran, US nuclear talks end in Oman, next round to be announced

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 11 May 2025
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Iran, US nuclear talks end in Oman, next round to be announced

  • Iran said “indirect talks were difficult but useful to better understand each other’s positions”
  • Senior Trump administration official said discussions lasted more than three hours

DUBAI: Fresh talks between Iranian and US negotiators to resolve disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program ended in Oman on Sunday with further negotiations planned, officials said, as Tehran insisted in public on continuing uranium enrichment.

Though Tehran and Washington both have said they prefer diplomacy to resolve the decades-long nuclear dispute, they remain deeply divided on several red lines that negotiators will have to circumvent to reach a new nuclear deal and avert future military action.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the latest round of “indirect talks were difficult but useful to better understand each other’s positions.”

In a post on the X platform, he added that the time and venue of the next round of negotiations would be announced by Muscat.

A senior official from President Donald Trump’s administration said Sunday’s “direct and indirect” discussions had lasted more than three hours.

“We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future,” the official said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held the fourth round of talks in Muscat through Omani mediators, despite Washington taking a tough stance in public that Iranian officials said would not help the negotiations.

On Thursday, Witkoff told Breitbart News that Washington’s red line is: “No enrichment. That means dismantlement, no weaponization,” requiring the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.

“If they are not productive on Sunday, then they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route,” Witkoff said about the talks.

TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST VISIT

The fourth round of talks took place ahead of Trump’s Middle East visit. Trump, who has threatened military action against Iran if diplomacy fails, has restored a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran since returning to the White House in January.

Reacting to Witkoff’s comments, Araqchi said on Sunday Iran would not compromise on its nuclear rights, which include uranium enrichment.

Tehran is willing to negotiate some curbs on its nuclear work in return for the lifting of sanctions, according to Iranian officials, but ending its enrichment program or surrendering its enriched uranium stockpile are among “Iran’s red lines that could not be compromised” in the talks.

A senior Iranian official close to the negotiating team said that US demands for “zero enrichment and dismantling Iran’s nuclear sites would not help in progressing the negotiations.”

“What the US says publicly differs from what is said in negotiations,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.

Moreover, Iran has flatly ruled out negotiating its ballistic missile program and the clerical establishment demands watertight guarantees Trump would not again ditch a nuclear pact.

Trump exited Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact with six world powers in 2018 during his first term and reimposed tough sanctions that have devastated Iran’s economy.

Iran, which has long said its nuclear program is peaceful, has breached the 2015 pact’s nuclear curbs since 2019, including “dramatically” accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60 percent purity, close to the roughly 90 percent level that is weapons-grade, according to the UN nuclear watchdog.


Syria condemns Israeli incursion into Damascus countryside

Updated 6 sec ago
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Syria condemns Israeli incursion into Damascus countryside

  • Atrack undermines Syria’s efforts to achieve stability and reconstruction, Foreign Ministry said
  • Israeli forces entered Beit Jinn in Qatana area killing one civilian and detaining others

LONDON: The Syrian Arab Republic condemned an overnight incursion by Israeli forces into its southern territory, resulting in the death of a civilian and the detention of scores of residents.

“(The) escalation represents a clear violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including the 1974 Disengagement Agreement,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Thursday.

It added that the attack undermines Syria’s efforts to achieve stability and reconstruction and called on the UN Security Council “to take decisive steps to halt those repeated attacks and ensure respect for international law, in order to preserve regional security and stability.”

Syria’s Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that the Israeli forces killed one civilian and “kidnapped seven others during a raid in the town of Beit Jinn, (in the) Damascus countryside” overnight.

The Israeli forces, comprised of tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry vehicles, along with reconnaissance drones, entered Beit Jinn in the Qatana area in the country’s southern territory, 12 km from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

“These practices cannot lead to stability in the region and will only lead to further tension and unrest,” the Ministry of Interior said.

Israeli forces took the detained Syrians into the territories it controlled following the fall of the Assad regime in December, and their fate remains “unknown,” the ministry added.


US warns Iran over support for Houthis, asks UN Security Council for stricter arms embargo

Protesters hold weapons, during a demonstration of predominantly Houthi supporters to condemn US strikes in Yemen, in Sanaa.
Updated 5 min 15 sec ago
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US warns Iran over support for Houthis, asks UN Security Council for stricter arms embargo

  • American envoy Dorothy Shea says Iranian support allows Houthis to threaten Israel, Gulf countries, and broader regional stability
  • ‘This council must not tolerate Iran’s repeated violations of its resolutions,’ she tells fellow members

NEW YORK CITY: The US sharply criticized Iran on Thursday over its backing of the Houthis in Yemen, accusing Tehran of violating UN arms embargoes and enabling attacks against Arab nations and Israel.

Speaking during a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Yemen, the acting US ambassador, Dorothy Shea, said Iranian support is allowing the Houthis to threaten Israel, Gulf countries, and broader regional stability.

“This council must not tolerate Iran’s repeated violations of its resolutions,” she told fellow members.

Shea condemned the Houthis for ongoing cross-border attacks, including missile strikes on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, and threats of air and naval blockades targeting Port of Haifa, as well as human rights abuses within Yemen itself.

“Israel has the right to defend itself,” she said. “We stand with Israel against Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including the Houthis.”

The US envoy also highlighted what she described as evidence that the Houthis were acquiring dual-use technology from Chinese sources, specifically the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company, which is linked to China’s military and Communist Party leadership.

In addition, she called for closer scrutiny of the Houthis’ expanding ties to Somalian insurgent group Al-Shabaab, including an investigation by expert UN panels.

Shea highlighted the important role of the UN’s Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen as a critical tool for preventing illicit arms shipments to the Houthis, and praised recent interceptions of containers headed for rebel-controlled ports. She urged member states to increase funding for the mechanism and provide naval assets so that it can fully enforce its mandate.

Shea also reiterated that even vessels cleared by the mechanism might still face consequences under US law, given that Washington has designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and warned that any form of aid to the group could violate US antiterrorism statutes.

The ambassador condemned the Houthis for the prolonged detention of employees of the UN and nongovernmental organizations, and diplomatic personnel, including Americans, for more than a year on “fabricated espionage charges,” and called for their immediate and unconditional release.

“The Houthis bear overwhelming responsibility for the deterioration in the well-being and safety of the Yemeni people,” Shea added, as she accused the group of terrorizing civilians, obstructing humanitarian aid, and profiting from illicit commercial activities.

The briefing came as UN efforts to address Yemen’s protracted conflict and humanitarian crisis continue, with the organization’s special envoy to the country, Hans Grundberg, and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya on Thursday calling on council members to put pressure on the Houthis for a peace agreement and the release of all detainees.


UAE president, Pakistani prime minister discuss cooperation, regional developments

Updated 59 min 8 sec ago
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UAE president, Pakistani prime minister discuss cooperation, regional developments

  • Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties and broadening partnership
  • Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif commended Abu Dhabi for promoting dialogue and seeking common ground in diplomatic conflict resolution

LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met with Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at Qasr Al-Shati in Abu Dhabi to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

The leaders exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings on Thursday and focused their meeting on cooperation in the economic, investment, and development sectors. They reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties and broadening the partnership between their countries.

They discussed various regional and international issues and highlighted the necessity of supporting global initiatives to promote regional and global peace, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Sharif commended Abu Dhabi for promoting dialogue and seeking common ground in diplomatic conflict resolution, along with its continuous support for Pakistan’s development initiatives, the WAM added.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and national security adviser, as well as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs. They were joined by other senior Emirati and Pakistani officials.


UN urges Security Council to pressure Houthis for peace and release of detainees

The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg. (@OSE_Yemen)
Updated 12 June 2025
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UN urges Security Council to pressure Houthis for peace and release of detainees

  • With Yemen’s economy in free fall and millions in need amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, they say time is running out to turn ‘hope into progress’
  • A year after dozens of UN and other humanitarian workers were arbitrarily arrested, the UN’s envoy for Yemen says: ‘Their continued imprisonment is shameful’

NEW YORK CITY: Top UN officials on Wednesday warned the Security Council that there is a risk the fragile situation in Yemen could rapidly deteriorate, as they called for both intensified diplomatic efforts and increased humanitarian funding to stave off further instability and ease human suffering.

With Yemen’s economy in free fall and millions in need, they said time is running out to turn “hope into progress.”

The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and deputy emergency relief coordinator, Joyce Msuya, also highlighted the ongoing detention of UN workers and employees of nongovernmental organizations by the Houthis, a year after dozens were arbitrarily arrested.

“Their continued imprisonment is shameful,” said Grundberg. “I call again, in the strongest terms, for their immediate and unconditional release.”

Msuya echoed this condemnation, saying: “Twenty-three UN staff remain detained. I join the special envoy and the (UN) secretary-general in calling for their immediate release.”

The detentions, some dating back as far as 2021, have cast a long shadow over ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive peace agreement in Yemen, where multiple front lines remain active in the civil war and recent regional escalations have complicated a fragile status quo.

The Houthis, the official name for whom is Ansar Allah, have launched missile attacks on Israel in recent weeks, including one that targeted Ben Gurion Airport. Israel in turn struck Houthi-controlled infrastructure, including the destruction of a civilian aircraft at Sanaa International Airport. Grundberg warned that such escalations directly harm ordinary citizens.

“Yemenis living in Ansar Allah-controlled areas are unable to fly commercially from Sanaa Airport to seek medical treatment abroad, to travel for Hajj or visit their families,” he said.

He described the reopening of the airport in May 2022 as a key peace dividend of a now-lapsed truce agreement that year.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen continues to deepen. Msuya described a deteriorating health and food-security situation affecting millions.

“Over 17 million people, or nearly half of Yemen’s population, are acutely hungry,” she told council members.

“Malnutrition affects 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women and 2.3 million children under 5. Without sustained humanitarian support, an estimated 6 million more people could end up in emergency levels of food insecurity.”

Despite the challenges, Msuya noted some progress has been made, including the reopening of a key route between Aden and Sanaa via Al-Dhalea, which had been closed for nearly seven years.

“This development … shows that Yemen is not on a fixed, downhill trajectory,” she said. “With trust and the right tools, there remains hope.”

Grundberg also pointed to this development as a positive sign.

“I commend, again, the local facilitators across the front lines who worked to make this happen,” he said. “Yemen’s economy is in dire need of positive and trust-building steps such as these.”

However, the path forward in the country remains uncertain. Grundberg reported increased tensions around Marib, and troop movements in several governorates, warning that “conditions can change rapidly and unpredictably.”

Both officials reiterated that a long-term solution will require a political settlement and increased support from regional authorities.

Grundberg said he has held talks with the Yemeni government, the Houthis, and regional authorities including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Oman, and noted that there is a shared view that only negotiation can end the conflict.

He urged council members to “use your powerful voices, your diplomatic channels and your influence, to exert maximum pressure” on the Houthis both in the pursuit of peace and to secure the release of detainees.

Msuya concluded her remarks with three direct appeals: “Take the lead of the Senior Officials Meeting in May and follow up with scaled-up, flexible funding; take real action to see that UN and other detained colleagues are released…; (and) maintain your unified support for efforts toward lasting peace.”


Jordanian authorities arrest three individuals attempting to enter country

Updated 12 June 2025
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Jordanian authorities arrest three individuals attempting to enter country

  • Jordan has consistently faced challenges related to illegal infiltration and smuggling, particularly of narcotics
  • Jordan shares a border of 482 km with Israel and a border of 375 km with Syria

LONDON: Jordanian authorities announced that they thwarted an infiltration attempt on Thursday along the country’s extensive borders.

The Northern Military Zone, which is responsible for monitoring the borders with Syria and Israel, announced on Thursday that three individuals were detected attempting to cross the border illegally before being arrested. They have been handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigation.

The Jordanian Armed Forces announced its commitment to preventing all forms of infiltration and smuggling, ensuring the security and stability of the Kingdom, according to the Petra news agency.

Jordan shares a border of 482 km with Israel and a border of 375 km with Syria. The country has consistently faced challenges related to illegal infiltration and smuggling, particularly of narcotics, using both traditional methods and new techniques, such as drones.

Last week, the Northern Military Zone thwarted an infiltration attempt by four individuals who were attempting to illegally cross the border into Jordan from the north.