Middle East

Iran Chief Negotiator Vows 'Crushing' Response if U.S. Resumes Attacks

This is Beirut 15:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's chief negotiator on Saturday warned of a "crushing" response if U.S. President Donald Trump resumed attacks on the country, saying Tehran had rebuilt its armed forces during the six-week-long ceasefire in the Middle East war. "Our armed forces have rebuilt themselves during the ceasefire period in such a way that if Trump commits another ...

Iran Weighs Peace Proposal, Accuses U.S. of 'Excessive Demands'

This is Beirut 12:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Tehran accused the United States of "excessive demands," Iranian media said on Saturday, as U.S. media reports raised the prospect that Washington was mulling new strikes and leaders of the Islamic republic considered the latest peace proposal. Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday to bolster mediation, and U.S. President ...

Pakistan Army Chief in Tehran as Iran Weighs U.S. Peace Offer

This is Beirut 01:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday as diplomacy around the Middle East war gathered pace, with Iran weighing a new US peace proposal while warning that deep divisions still stand in the way of a deal. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that the visit did not mean "we have reached a ...

EU Expands Iran Sanctions Over Strait of Hormuz Navigation Threats

This is Beirut 22/05 14:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The Council of the European Union on Friday expanded its sanctions framework against Iran to include individuals and entities involved in actions deemed to threaten freedom of navigation in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the Council said the amended legal basis would allow the EU to impose restrictive ...

Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as Washington Expands Pressure on Hezbollah’s Institutional Network

This is Beirut 22/05 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Iran on Friday strongly condemned new U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian Ambassador-designate to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani, as well as several Lebanese political, military, and security officials accused by Washington of supporting Hezbollah. In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury ...

Khamenei Orders Iran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile to Remain Inside Country: Report

This is Beirut 21/05 15:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a directive that the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remain inside Iran, according to two senior Iranian sources cited by Reuters on Wednesday. The directive directly challenges one of the key American and Israeli demands in the talks: the removal of Iran’s ...

Iran Media Say Mediator Pakistan's Army Chief Due in Tehran

This is Beirut 21/05 10:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iranian media reported that Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir was due in Tehran on Thursday, with Islamabad mediating as Iran examines the latest US proposal to end the Middle East war. Iran's ISNA news agency said Munir's visit was aimed at continuing "talks and consultations" with Iranian authorities, but did ...

Lebanon Pursuing State “Free From Illegal Weapons,” Foreign Minister Says Amid Talks With Israel

This is Beirut 20/05 18:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said Wednesday that Lebanon had taken what he described as a “courageous decision” to enter direct negotiations with Israel in pursuit of a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and the establishment of a state “free from occupation and illegal weapons.” The remarks, ...

UAE Urges Iraq to Prevent Attacks Launched From Its Territory 'Immediately'

This is Beirut 20/05 18:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The UAE demanded on Wednesday that Iraq "immediately" prevent further attacks from its territory, following an accusation by Abu Dhabi that a drone targeting a nuclear plant was launched from there. The foreign ministry, in a statement, called on "Iraq to prevent all hostile acts originating from its territory urgently and without ...

Iran Claims U.S. Seeking to ‘Start a New Round of War’ and Threatens ‘Forceful Response’

This is Beirut 20/05 17:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of seeking to reignite the regional war, after President Donald Trump renewed threats of military action against Tehran while Washington continues tightening its naval blockade around Iranian shipping routes. The escalation came as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had forced 90 commercial ...

Iran Guards Say Allowed 26 Ships to Transit Hormuz Since Tuesday

This is Beirut 20/05 16:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy on Wednesday said they allowed over 25 vessels, including oil tankers, to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours. Iran has largely blocked shipping through the strait, a vital global energy conduit, since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28. Iran, which has been under ...

NATO Considers Securing Hormuz Shipping Routes

This is Beirut 20/05 09:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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As tensions continue to disrupt global shipping lanes, NATO is weighing the possibility of escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should the strategic waterway remain blocked beyond early July, according to a senior NATO official cited by Bloomberg. The issue is expected to dominate discussions during a meeting of NATO leaders ...