Middle East

Iran Says Final Deal Still Far Off as Hormuz Strait Shuttered

This is Beirut 08:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Lebanon Gulf Hezbollah Israel

The strategic Strait of Hormuz was again closed on Sunday in the stand-off between Iran and the United States, with Iran's powerful parliament speaker signalling a final peace deal remained "far" off despite some movement in negotiations. As mediation efforts continued following high-level talks in Pakistan that failed to reach a deal, Iran said ...

Qassem Affirms Hezbollah’s Rejection of Ceasefire Deal

This is Beirut 00:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah Ceasefire Donald Trump Lebanon Israel

Secretary-General of Hezbollah, accused Washington on Saturday of dictating the terms of the recently announced ceasefire agreement to the Lebanese government, sharply criticizing what he described as official Lebanese acquiescence to U.S. pressure. His remarks come as the terrorist organization continues to reject direct negotiations between ...

UN Peacekeeper Killed in Southern Lebanon Attack, France Points to Hezbollah

This is Beirut 18/04 15:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah UNIFIL Lebanon France Iran Israel Ceasefire

France on Saturday accused Hezbollah of being behind a deadly attack on United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon after a French soldier was killed and three others wounded in what the UN described as a “deliberate attack.” French President Emmanuel Macron said that “everything points to Hezbollah being responsible,” ...

No Date Set for Next Round of Iran-U.S. Talks: Iran Deputy FM

This is Beirut 18/04 15:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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No date has been set for the next round of Iran–U.S. peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday. "Until we agree on the framework, we cannot set a date," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists on the sidelines of an annual diplomatic forum in Turkey's southern Antalya ...

Trump Says Deal Is Days Away, Iran Accuses Him of ‘Lies’

This is Beirut 18/04 13:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump said that a deal with Iran could be reached “within days” and that negotiations have “no sticking points,” while Iranian officials on Saturday rejected his claims and said key issues remain unresolved. Trump said talks with Iran could resume as early as this weekend, possibly in Islamabad, and ...

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz, Blames U.S. Blockade

This is Beirut 18/04 10:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Iran on Saturday closed the Strait of Hormuz again after briefly reopening it, saying the move is a response to the ongoing US naval blockade. Tehran accused Washington of breaking its commitments and warned that traffic through the strait will remain restricted until the blockade is lifted. The potential for the resumption of transit had lifted ...

Iran Says Its Enriched Uranium 'Not Going to be Transferred'

This is Beirut 18/04 03:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's foreign ministry on Friday said the country's stockpile of enriched uranium would not be transferred "anywhere", denying an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic had agreed to hand it over. "Iran's enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere," Iranian foreign ...

AnalysisFrom War To Business Suits: What Peace with Israel Could Mean for Lebanon's Economy

Ralph Atrach 17/04 23:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Nawaf Salam Gulf Hezbollah

As Lebanese and Israeli officials met face to face in Washington for the first time in decades, the war with Hezbollah dominated headlines, but the prospect of future economic ties between Jerusalem and Beirut came into view. Following the meeting, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter brought up the potential windfalls of peace. “The ...

Leaders Signal Next Phase for Lebanon

This is Beirut 17/04 21:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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A tentative shift began to take shape today as Presidents Donald Trump, Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed their visions for what comes next in Lebanon following the announcement of a ceasefire and the launch of direct talks. While the pause in fighting has created space for diplomacy, each leader made clear that the ...

Trump Hails Tehran's Move to Open Strait of Hormuz, Blockade on Iranian Ports to Continue

This is Beirut 17/04 16:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Tehran Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed Iran’s announcement that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would remain open to maritime traffic for the duration of a ceasefire, signaling a potential easing of tensions in one of the world’s most critical corridors. “THANK YOU!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding ...

Syrian President Considers Negotiations With Israel Over Golan Heights

This is Beirut 17/04 14:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Friday he is considering “long-term negotiations” with Israel over the Golan Heights, provided the two countries reach a security agreement guaranteeing Israel’s withdrawal from recently occupied Syrian territories. “Israel is violating the 1974 disengagement agreement, and today we are working to ...

Amal Leader Condemns Gunfire in Beirut

This is Beirut 17/04 13:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, leader of Lebanon’s Amal party, voiced support on Friday for national unity, condemning incidents of celebratory gunfire in Beirut last night as the Shia political community navigates its first day of the ceasefire since March 2. Berri said that indiscriminate gunfire in the capital was ...