Regional Updates: Iran “not looking for war” but will retaliate fiercely to any Israeli attack
Iranian leadership vows strong retaliation if Israel attacks Iran as Hezbollah kills eight Israeli soldiers and destroys 3 tanks while...Geostrategy
Iran says will not send forces to confront Israel
An Israeli strike on Beirut Friday killed Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has been...Geostrategy
Yemen savors a quiet day of Ramadan truce
A UN-brokered two-month truce took effect in Yemen Saturday, the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and...The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led military coalition have both agreed to observe the ceasefire
Yemen's war has killed hundreds of thousands directly or indirectly and displaced millions, triggering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations
Iran says agreement in paused Vienna nuclear negotiations ‘close’
Iran has been engaged in negotiations to revive the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),...Iranian and US delegations in Vienna do not communicate directly, but messages are passed through other participants and the European Union, the talks' coordinator.
The talks were halted last month, after Russia demanded guarantees that Western sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine would not damage its trade with Iran.
Imran Khan outwits rivals, gets national assembly dissolved
Pakistan will go to the polls to elect a new government within three months after Prime Minister Imran Khan foiled...On a day of high drama, the assembly deputy speaker refused to accept a motion of no confidence in the government
The move appeared to blindside the opposition, who had confidently predicted they had enough votes to boot Khan from office
UAE, Israel cooperate to advance maritime transport sector
The MoU is said to be in the field of maritime transport, exchange of experiences, and strengthening strategic partnership.The MoU aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of transport, especially maritime
It is also expected to help exchange experience and knowledge to serve the future directives for the next 50 years
Iran slams US for ‘preventing entry’ of Iranian singer
The US government, "by imposing new sanctions and preventing the entry of an Iranian singer, once again showed that... it...Border patrol officers of the US interrogated Iranian singer Alireza Ghorbani at Toronto Airport in Canada and prevented him from traveling
Ghorbani was travelling to California to perform at a concert celebrating the Persian new year, Iran's news agency IRNA reported
Ukraine claims Kyiv region as Russia pullback reveals aftermath
Ukrainian authorities said Saturday the body of a well-known photographer, Maks Levin, had been found near a village in the...In Bucha, 16 of the 20 corpses found on one street were lying either on the pavement or by the verge
Three were in the middle of the road, and another lay on his side in the courtyard of a destroyed house
Russia continues to batter Ukraine amid rescue efforts
Peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow resumed via video amid evacuations from Ukraine, but the Kremlin warned that what it...Mariupol has faced weeks of Russian shelling, with at least 5,000 killed, say local authorities
The estimated 160,000 residents who remain face shortages of food, water and electricity
US allies agree to tap emergency oil reserves again
IAE repeated its warning that the prospect of large-scale disruptions to Russian oil production "is threatening to create a global...A ministerial meeting of IEA chaired by US Energy Secretary decided to tap its emergency oil reserve fifth times since 1991 to calm soaring energy prices
IEA members had already vowed to release 62.7 million barrels of oil encouraged members to support Ukraine in the supply of oil products
Jordan, US discuss ways to enhance strategic partnership
Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the new MoU for the strategic...A new MoU between the two countries frames the US aid for Jordan, replacing the current memorandum, which expires in September 2022
According to the current MoU, the US has provided Jordan with annual support over the past four years, which amounted to 1.65 billion in 2021
Pentagon commits extra $300m in security aid to Ukraine
The package includes laser-guided rocket systems, drones, ammunition, night-vision devices, tactical secure communications systems, medical supplies and spare partsThe package includes laser-guided rocket systems, drones, ammunition, night-vision devices, tactical secure communications systems, medical supplies and spare parts
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed "additional capabilities" to help the Ukrainian military
