War in the Middle East

U.K. Denies U.S. Use of Diego Garcia for Potential Iran Strikes

This is Beirut 19/02 23:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United Kingdom United States Iran Military Diego Garcia

Britain said Thursday it would not grant the United States permission to use U.K.-based military facilities to launch potential strikes against Iran, signaling London’s reluctance to be drawn directly into any escalation with Tehran. One of the U.K. bases, Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands of the Indian Ocean, is a key strategic asset to ...

Trump Announces $10 Billion Gaza Pledge as Board of Peace Holds Inaugural Meeting

This is Beirut 19/02 18:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Board of Peace Donald Trump United States Gaza

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would pledge $10 billion to the Board of Peace initiative aimed at supporting reconstruction and development in Gaza. Trump commented that “that number is a very small number when you look at that compared to the cost of war” He also stated that other countries have allocated $7 ...

Israel's Netanyahu Says No Reconstruction of Gaza Before Demilitarisation

This is Beirut 19/02 17:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday there would be no reconstruction of war-shattered Gaza before the disarmament of Hamas, as the "Board of Peace" convened for its inaugural meeting in Washington. Around two dozen world leaders and senior officials met for the first meeting of the board, which was set up after ...

Iran Will Face Response it 'Cannot Imagine' if it Attacks Israel: Netanyahu

This is Beirut 19/02 16:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Israel Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that Israel would retaliate forcefully against Iran if it launched an attack, after U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted at possible military action against Tehran. "If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine," ...

Israel Says U.S.-Iran Nuclear Diplomacy in Doubt, Conflict May Break Out Soon

This is Beirut 18/02 20:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel United States Iran Nuclear Talks

Israeli officials have expressed doubt about the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, believing that the outbreak of a conflict is imminent, according to Al Arabiya. According to the report, U.S. officials sent a briefing to Israel acknowledging that nuclear dialogue has reached an impasse, and that Iran may not consider making concessions on the ...

Iran, Russia to Conduct Joint Drills in the Sea of Oman

This is Beirut 18/02 16:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Russia Hormuz

Iran and Russia will conduct naval manoeuvres in the Sea of Oman on Thursday, following the latest round of talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva, Iranian media reported. On Monday, the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military, also launched exercises in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a challenge to US naval ...

Iran 'Drafting Framework to Advance' Future US Talks: FM Tells IAEA Chief

This is Beirut 18/02 16:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Iran United States Nuclear Talks Abbas Araghchi

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran was "drafting" a framework to advance future talks with Washington, during a phone call with the UN nuclear watchdog. In the call with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, Araghchi "stressed the Islamic Republic of Iran's focus on drafting an initial and coherent ...

U.S. Official Tells TIB that Iran Talks Still Possible After Geneva, but Major Gaps Remain

This is Beirut 17/02 21:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Iran Nuclear Talks Geneva

In a statement to This is Beirut, a U.S. senior official stated that there is still a diplomatic path with Iran after Tuesday’s dialogue in Geneva, but many key points on the nuclear issue remain unresolved. The official stated that “today’s Geneva talks showed that a diplomatic path still exists, but it will move forward only ...

Iran President Says Open to 'Verification' Tehran Not Seeking Nuclear Weapon

This is Beirut 17/02 20:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Masoud Pezeshkian Iran Nuclear Issue

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran was open to "verification" that it is not seeking an atomic weapon, as the Islamic republic resumed nuclear talks with the United States on Tuesday. "We are absolutely not seeking nuclear weapons," Pezeshkian said in an interview published on Tuesday. "If anyone wants to ...

Iran Says U.S. Stance on Nuclear Issue 'More Realistic'

This is Beirut 16/02 16:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran United States Nuclear

Iran said Monday that the US position on Tehran's nuclear programme "has moved towards a more realistic one" ahead of a second round of talks. "A cautious assessment is that, from the discussions that have taken place in Muscat to date, at least what we have been told is that the US position on the Iranian nuclear issue has ...

Trump Warns of 'Traumatic' Future for Iran as U.S. Increases Naval Presence

This is Beirut 14/02 03:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Middle East USA

President Donald Trump stated his renewed position regarding Iran on Friday as he green-lit the transfer of a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. When asked about regime change in Iran, Trump commented that it “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” Earlier on Friday, the Trump administration ordered the ...

Report: Trump to Unveil Multi-Billion Dollar Gaza Reconstruction Plan

This is Beirut 13/02 13:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Palestine Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas USA

President Donald Trump is set to launch a multi-billion-dollar initiative to rebuild Gaza and deploy a U.N.-authorized stabilization force, according to a report by Reuters citing senior U.S. officials. The announcement will take place at the inaugural meeting of Trump’s Board of Peace next week. The officials said the fund for Gaza will ...