Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-UAE statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the UAE, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

The islands - Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb - are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, which is now allied with Washington.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjp4NGO6ryGAxVTcWwGHa8LBO4QxfQBKAB6BAgEEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-opens-registration-for-presidential-candidates-to-replace-ebrahim-raisi-727151" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-opens-registration-for-presidential-candidates-to-replace-ebrahim-raisi-727151&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjp4NGO6ryGAxVTcWwGHa8LBO4QxfQBKAB6BAgEEAE">Iran opens registration for presidential candidates to replace Ebrahim Raisi</a>

"Iran's objection to the Chinese support of baseless claims in a shared UAE-China statement has been expressed to the Chinese ambassador in Tehran," state media said. 
 
China has been one of Iran's biggest trading partners for the past decade.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjp4NGO6ryGAxVTcWwGHa8LBO4QxfQBKAB6BAgFEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/second-preliminary-report-into-iran-president-raisis-helicopter-crash-rules-out-sabotage-726931" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/second-preliminary-report-into-iran-president-raisis-helicopter-crash-rules-out-sabotage-726931&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjp4NGO6ryGAxVTcWwGHa8LBO4QxfQBKAB6BAgFEAE">Second preliminary report into Iran President Raisi`s helicopter crash rules out `sabotage`</a>

"Iran's foreign ministry emphasises that the three Islands are an eternal part of the country's soil and we expect China to mend its position on the issue,"&nbsp;state media added. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-UAE statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the UAE, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

Iran's foreign ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-UAE statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the UAE, Iranian state media reported on Sunday. The islands - Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb - are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the UAE, which is now allied with Washington. Also read: Iran opens registration for presidential candidates to replace Ebrahim Raisi "Iran's objection to the Chinese support of baseless claims in a shared UAE-China statement has been expressed to the Chinese ambassador in Tehran," state media said. China has been one of Iran's biggest trading partners for the past decade. Also read: Second preliminary report into Iran President Raisi`s helicopter crash rules out `sabotage` "Iran's foreign ministry emphasises that the three Islands are an eternal part of the country's soil and we expect China to mend its position on the issue," state media added. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran summons Chinese envoy in Tehran over joint statement with UAE on Gulf Islands

Dubai received a year's worth of rain in a day. Dubai International Airport runway submerged.

Dubai: Heavy rains & flash flood warnings sweep the Gulf

An aged couple residing in a district in northern Kerala is experiencing distressing times, worrying about the safety of their son who is currently on board a cargo vessel linked to Israel, which has been seized in the Gulf region. They are praying for the safe return of their son. Shyamnath, their son, is one of the 17 Indians who were on the Israeli-associated cargo ship 'MSC Aries' when it was captured by the Iranian military near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday (April 13). Vishwanathan and Shyamala, the parents of Shyamnath, are still grappling with the shock and situation. They mentioned that they managed to speak to him on Saturday, before the seize.

Later that day, they got a call from the Mumbai office of the shipping company, who informed them about the surprising turn of events.

"We are going through tough times...we have great concerns about the safety of our son. The company authorities said they could not contact the ship crew after the seizure," Vishwanathan told the media.

Originally from Velliparamba in this northern district, Shyamnath served as a second engineer aboard the 'MSC Aries' for the past decade. His parents told PTI&nbsp;that his last visit home was in September of last year.

Viswanathan mentioned that, aside from Shyamnath, two individuals from the neighbouring districts of Palakkad and Wayanad were also part of the crew. According to him, crew members from the Philippines, Pakistan, and Russia were also aboard the ship, to the best of their knowledge.

Shyamnath's mother tried to speak with the media but was overcome with tears. Despite the distress, the family remains hopeful that the government's efforts will lead to the swift and safe return of their son and his fellow crew members.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-irgc-seizes-israeli-affiliated-vessel-with-indian-nationals-onboard-710873">Also read |&nbsp;India in touch with Iranian authorities to ensure release of 17 Indian nationals aboard seized vessel: Sources</a>

<h2>Government intervention and company response</h2>

Official sources reported&nbsp;that India has engaged Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels in Tehran and Delhi, urging for the welfare and prompt release of the 17 Indian crew members detained aboard the 'MSC Aries'.

The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) stated that they are closely collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure the well-being of all 25 crew members and the vessel's return.

The United States has demanded that the ship be released right away.&nbsp;"We call on Iran to release the vessel and its international crew immediately. Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps," said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.

Also watch |&nbsp;Iran attacks Israel | Iran's nuclear facilities on&nbsp;target?

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The ship's seizure comes during increased tensions in West Asia. Iran has threatened retaliation for an airstrike on its embassy in Damascus, Syria, where seven people, including two generals, were killed nearly two weeks ago. Iran claims the ship is connected to Israel in the Gulf. Tracking websites confirm the ship's last reported position was in the Gulf.

(With inputs from agencies)

An aged couple residing in a district in northern Kerala is experiencing distressing times, worrying about the safety of their son who is currently on board a cargo vessel linked to Israel, which has been seized in the Gulf region.

An aged couple residing in a district in northern Kerala is experiencing distressing times, worrying about the safety of their son who is currently on board a cargo vessel linked to Israel, which has been seized in the Gulf region. They are praying for the safe return of their son. Shyamnath, their son, is one of the 17 Indians who were on the Israeli-associated cargo ship 'MSC Aries' when it was captured by the Iranian military near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday (April 13). Vishwanathan and Shyamala, the parents of Shyamnath, are still grappling with the shock and situation. They mentioned that they managed to speak to him on Saturday, before the seize. Later that day, they got a call from the Mumbai office of the shipping company, who informed them about the surprising turn of events. "We are going through tough times...we have great concerns about the safety of our son. The company authorities said they could not contact the ship crew after the seizure," Vishwanathan told the media. Originally from Velliparamba in this northern district, Shyamnath served as a second engineer aboard the 'MSC Aries' for the past decade. His parents told PTI that his last visit home was in September of last year. Viswanathan mentioned that, aside from Shyamnath, two individuals from the neighbouring districts of Palakkad and Wayanad were also part of the crew. According to him, crew members from the Philippines, Pakistan, and Russia were also aboard the ship, to the best of their knowledge. Shyamnath's mother tried to speak with the media but was overcome with tears. Despite the distress, the family remains hopeful that the government's efforts will lead to the swift and safe return of their son and his fellow crew members. Also read | India in touch with Iranian authorities to ensure release of 17 Indian nationals aboard seized vessel: Sources Government intervention and company response Official sources reported that India has engaged Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels in Tehran and Delhi, urging for the welfare and prompt release of the 17 Indian crew members detained aboard the 'MSC Aries'. The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) stated that they are closely collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure the well-being of all 25 crew members and the vessel's return. The United States has demanded that the ship be released right away. "We call on Iran to release the vessel and its international crew immediately. Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law, and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps," said National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson. Also watch | Iran attacks Israel | Iran's nuclear facilities on target? The ship's seizure comes during increased tensions in West Asia. Iran has threatened retaliation for an airstrike on its embassy in Damascus, Syria, where seven people, including two generals, were killed nearly two weeks ago. Iran claims the ship is connected to Israel in the Gulf. Tracking websites confirm the ship's last reported position was in the Gulf. (With inputs from agencies)

Kerala man aboard Israel-linked ship seized by Iran; parents await safe return

Gulf nations are testing the waters for possible investment in Iraq. Baghdad which is slowly recovering from years of conflict will be hosting the Arab league summit next year. It is a chance for the country to prove it is now safe, and in control.

Will Iraq pass the Gulf investment test?

Marcos Commandos from C-130 aircraft took over the Arbian Sea's sky as Indian Navy conducted airborne insertion operations. The operation is in response to the hightened tensions in the Gulf region.

Indian Navy conducts airborne insertion operations over Arabian Sea

Hawra Al Jufairi's story is one of hope. She broke barriers in Bahrain and became the Gulf state's first female sailor. But her journey was not so easy. She faced multiple hurdles, from her family to society. Ghadi Francis tells you more.

Bahrain's first woman sailor

A recent study suggests that the Gulf Stream system, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc), could collapse as early as 2025, posing catastrophic climate impacts.

Researchers had previously identified Amoc as being at its weakest point in 1,600 years due to global heating.

In 2021, warning signs of a tipping point were observed. The new analysis estimates a potential collapse between 2025 and 2095, with the central estimate being 2050 if global carbon emissions continue unabated, reported the Guardian.

Past collapses have resulted in temperature changes of up to 10 degree&nbsp;Celsius&nbsp;within a few decades, although those instances occurred during ice ages, reported the Guardian.&nbsp;

While some scientists believe the assumptions and uncertainties surrounding the tipping point's timing are too significant for a precise estimate, all agree that the prospect of an Amoc collapse is deeply concerning and should drive immediate reductions in carbon emissions.

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<h2>Tipping point warning: Amoc's weakening and past collapses</h2>

Amoc plays a crucial role by carrying warm ocean water northwards, cooling, and sinking it, which drives the Atlantic's currents. However, the influx of freshwater from melting Greenland's ice cap and other sources is increasingly stifling these currents.

A potential Amoc collapse would have disastrous consequences globally, severely disrupting rainfall patterns in regions like India, South America, and West Africa, upon which billions of people depend for food.

It would lead to more storms and colder temperatures in Europe, cause rising sea levels on the eastern coast of North America, and further endanger the Amazon rainforest and Antarctic ice sheets.

Professor Peter Ditlevsen from the University of Copenhagen, who led the study and spoke to The Guardian, expressed significant concern about the potential impact, noting that Amoc has not experienced a shutdown in the last 12,000 years.

Amoc has historically collapsed and restarted during ice age cycles from 115,000 to 12,000 years ago. Today, it remains one of the most concerning climate tipping points as global temperatures continue to rise.

Recent research suggests that five dangerous tipping points may have already been crossed due to the 1.1 degree&nbsp;Celsius of global heating experienced so far.

The study, published in Nature Communications, utilised sea surface temperature data since 1870 as a proxy for Amoc strength changes over time. Researchers mapped this data onto the path of systems approaching a specific type of tipping point, known as a "saddle-node bifurcation." The analysis showed a close fit between the data and the tipping point path, allowing for an extrapolation to estimate the likely timing of the tipping point.

Also watch |&nbsp;Italy: Global warming hurting crops

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<h2>Urgent need for reduction in carbon emissions&nbsp;to mitigate Amoc collapse</h2>

The scenario assumed a continuation of greenhouse gas emissions at their current rate. If emissions begin to decline as intended by climate policies, the world would have more time to prevent global temperatures from surpassing the Amoc tipping point.

While uncertainties persist among scientists regarding the tipping point's precise location and timing, the findings have prompted an urgent call for further research and immediate action to reduce carbon emissions. Multiple approaches have led to similar conclusions, emphasising the gravity of the risk that we must strive to avoid.

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A recent study suggests that the Gulf Stream system, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc), could collapse as early as 2025, posing catastrophic climate impacts.

A recent study suggests that the Gulf Stream system, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc), could collapse as early as 2025, posing catastrophic climate impacts. Researchers had previously identified Amoc as being at its weakest point in 1,600 years due to global heating. In 2021, warning signs of a tipping point were observed. The new analysis estimates a potential collapse between 2025 and 2095, with the central estimate being 2050 if global carbon emissions continue unabated, reported the Guardian. Past collapses have resulted in temperature changes of up to 10 degree Celsius within a few decades, although those instances occurred during ice ages, reported the Guardian. While some scientists believe the assumptions and uncertainties surrounding the tipping point's timing are too significant for a precise estimate, all agree that the prospect of an Amoc collapse is deeply concerning and should drive immediate reductions in carbon emissions. Also read | Exquisitely preserved fossil forest from late Miocene epoch found in Japan Tipping point warning: Amoc's weakening and past collapses Amoc plays a crucial role by carrying warm ocean water northwards, cooling, and sinking it, which drives the Atlantic's currents. However, the influx of freshwater from melting Greenland's ice cap and other sources is increasingly stifling these currents. A potential Amoc collapse would have disastrous consequences globally, severely disrupting rainfall patterns in regions like India, South America, and West Africa, upon which billions of people depend for food. It would lead to more storms and colder temperatures in Europe, cause rising sea levels on the eastern coast of North America, and further endanger the Amazon rainforest and Antarctic ice sheets. Professor Peter Ditlevsen from the University of Copenhagen, who led the study and spoke to The Guardian, expressed significant concern about the potential impact, noting that Amoc has not experienced a shutdown in the last 12,000 years. Amoc has historically collapsed and restarted during ice age cycles from 115,000 to 12,000 years ago. Today, it remains one of the most concerning climate tipping points as global temperatures continue to rise. Recent research suggests that five dangerous tipping points may have already been crossed due to the 1.1 degree Celsius of global heating experienced so far. The study, published in Nature Communications, utilised sea surface temperature data since 1870 as a proxy for Amoc strength changes over time. Researchers mapped this data onto the path of systems approaching a specific type of tipping point, known as a "saddle-node bifurcation." The analysis showed a close fit between the data and the tipping point path, allowing for an extrapolation to estimate the likely timing of the tipping point. Also watch | Italy: Global warming hurting crops Urgent need for reduction in carbon emissions to mitigate Amoc collapse The scenario assumed a continuation of greenhouse gas emissions at their current rate. If emissions begin to decline as intended by climate policies, the world would have more time to prevent global temperatures from surpassing the Amoc tipping point. While uncertainties persist among scientists regarding the tipping point's precise location and timing, the findings have prompted an urgent call for further research and immediate action to reduce carbon emissions. Multiple approaches have led to similar conclusions, emphasising the gravity of the risk that we must strive to avoid. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Gulf stream in peril: Study suggests collapse possible as early as 2025

The effects of climate change are drastically affecting oceans around the world. According to a new study, the ocean circulation in the North Atlantic is likely to collapse sooner than expected, as a result of climate change. This can cause further disruptions in weather patterns around the globe. Scientists suggest the Gulf Stream system could collapse as early as 2025.

Gulf Stream Atlantic oceanic currents could collapse as early as 2025: Study

The US Navy said that Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized a commercial ship in the Gulf, media reports said. This incident occurred just a day after the US accused Iranian forces of two similar attempts off Oman.

Such incidents have become more frequent since 2018, when former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed severe sanctions on Iran, leading to heightened tensions. While talks to revive the accord have resumed with Oman's mediation, the progress has been slow.

The Fifth Fleet of the US Navy, based in Bahrain, stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had "forcibly" taken control of a commercial vessel suspected of being involved in smuggling activities. The US forces monitored the situation in international waters but decided that no further action was necessary.

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The statement released by the US Navy did not provide details about the specific commercial ship involved.

However, it emphasised that US forces are committed to safeguarding the rights of lawful maritime traffic in the crucial waters of the Middle East.

In recent years, both Washington and Tehran have exchanged accusations regarding a series of incidents in the tense Gulf region, which plays a significant role in global oil trade.

<h2>Previous attempts&nbsp;</h2>

A day before, the US Navy said that it had prevented two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters near Oman.

In one instance, the Iranians even fired shots. However, in both cases, the presence of a US destroyer prompted the Iranians to retreat.

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According to Iran's maritime services, one of the tankers involved, the Bahamian-flagged Richmond Voyager, had collided with an Iranian vessel, resulting in serious injuries to five crew members and causing damage and flooding on the Iranian ship.

Iran claimed that the Richmond Voyager had disregarded international maritime regulations and continued its course, and as a result, a court order was issued for Iran's navy to seize the tanker.

Watch | Russian expert claims the US is working on weaponising asteroids against enemies

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The tanker altered its route before entering Oman's territorial waters, media reports said.&nbsp;

<h2>Iran's actions&nbsp;</h2>

Iran reported the last incident to Oman, which it considers a friendly country and a mediator between Iran and the United States. Iran requested the seizure of the vessel.

It is worth noting that Iran had previously seized two tankers within a week in regional waters during April and early May.

In one of those incidents, Iranian navy commandos descended onto the deck of an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag, the Advantage Sweet, in the Gulf of Oman.

Furthermore, Iran faced accusations of launching a drone attack against an Israeli-owned tanker in November 2022, which further escalated tensions with the United States.

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The US Navy said that Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized a commercial ship in the Gulf, media reports said. This incident occurred just a day after the US accused Iranian forces of two similar attempts off Oman.

The US Navy said that Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized a commercial ship in the Gulf, media reports said. This incident occurred just a day after the US accused Iranian forces of two similar attempts off Oman. Such incidents have become more frequent since 2018, when former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and imposed severe sanctions on Iran, leading to heightened tensions. While talks to revive the accord have resumed with Oman's mediation, the progress has been slow. The Fifth Fleet of the US Navy, based in Bahrain, stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had "forcibly" taken control of a commercial vessel suspected of being involved in smuggling activities. The US forces monitored the situation in international waters but decided that no further action was necessary. Also Read | US: Man found guilty of raping, impregnating 9-year-old girl gets life sentence The statement released by the US Navy did not provide details about the specific commercial ship involved. However, it emphasised that US forces are committed to safeguarding the rights of lawful maritime traffic in the crucial waters of the Middle East. In recent years, both Washington and Tehran have exchanged accusations regarding a series of incidents in the tense Gulf region, which plays a significant role in global oil trade. Previous attempts A day before, the US Navy said that it had prevented two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters near Oman. In one instance, the Iranians even fired shots. However, in both cases, the presence of a US destroyer prompted the Iranians to retreat. Also Read | Hong Kong police arrest four men for allegedly aiding overseas activists According to Iran's maritime services, one of the tankers involved, the Bahamian-flagged Richmond Voyager, had collided with an Iranian vessel, resulting in serious injuries to five crew members and causing damage and flooding on the Iranian ship. Iran claimed that the Richmond Voyager had disregarded international maritime regulations and continued its course, and as a result, a court order was issued for Iran's navy to seize the tanker. Watch | Russian expert claims the US is working on weaponising asteroids against enemies × The tanker altered its route before entering Oman's territorial waters, media reports said. Iran's actions Iran reported the last incident to Oman, which it considers a friendly country and a mediator between Iran and the United States. Iran requested the seizure of the vessel. It is worth noting that Iran had previously seized two tankers within a week in regional waters during April and early May. In one of those incidents, Iranian navy commandos descended onto the deck of an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag, the Advantage Sweet, in the Gulf of Oman. Furthermore, Iran faced accusations of launching a drone attack against an Israeli-owned tanker in November 2022, which further escalated tensions with the United States. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seize commercial ship in Gulf after two similar attempts

The Iranian Navy Commander declared the plan to join a naval Alliance during a televised programme, albeit the specifics of the alliance are unknown. Iran is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia and three other Gulf nations as well as on the formation of a naval alliance.

Iranian commander announces plan to form joint Naval force

Iran’s army has said it seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it collided with an Iranian boat, injuring several crewmen, state media reported.

Iran seizes oil tanker 'trying to flee' in Gulf waters

An Iranian official says Iran’s navy obliged a US submarine to surface as it entered the Gulf “violating its border” in the latest report of an apparent confrontation between Iranian and US forces in the region.

Iran says its navy forced US submarine to surface in Gulf waters

#Gravitas | The brother of Qatar's emir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani has submitted a $6 billion bid to acquire Manchester United, as per Bloomberg. The proposed club takeover will be the biggest in football's history. | @mollygambhir explains

Gravitas: Are gulf states using football clubs for geopolitics?

A stampede&nbsp;near Jaza’a Al Nakhla Stadium in the southern Iraqi city of Basra ahead of a football match killed two, and left over 60 injured,&nbsp;according to an AFP report.&nbsp;The stampede took place hours ahead of the Gulf Cup final between&nbsp;Iraq and Oman. Thousands of supporters had gathered without tickets outside the stadium attempting to gain entry ahead of the&nbsp;7 PM kickoff (16000 GMT) of the final match of&nbsp;the first international soccer tournament held in the country in four decades.

"There have been two&nbsp;deaths and dozens are injured," a medic was quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp;

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reportedly urged the residents to avoid the area near the stadium until the situation is resolved.&nbsp;

According to local media reports,&nbsp;Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is holding urgent meetings to assess the situation.&nbsp;

Despite the stampede, the&nbsp;Iraqi Football Association said the match will go ahead.&nbsp;

“The match between the Iraqi and Omani national teams will take place as scheduled.&nbsp;We call on honorable fans to refrain from coming to the match stadium because the stands are completely full.”

Incidentally, this was the first time that Iraq had been granted the hosting duties for the Gulf Cup since 1979. The tournament was an opportunity for Iraq to show that it can be entrusted with the hosting duties as four decades of conflict have kept football away from the country.&nbsp;

The tournament started on January 6 with Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates as the eight participants.&nbsp;

The stadium stampede in Iraq comes months after over 130 were killed in Indonesia&nbsp;at the Kanjuruhan stadium in&nbsp;one of the worst sporting disasters in modern history.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trial-begins-in-the-indonesia-stadium-disaster-that-killed-over-130-553137">Read more:&nbsp;Trial begins in the Indonesia stadium disaster that killed over 130</a>

(With inputs from agencies)

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A stampede near Jaza’a Al Nakhla Stadium in the southern Iraqi city of Basra ahead of a football match killed two, and left over 60 injured, according to an AFP report.

A stampede near Jaza’a Al Nakhla Stadium in the southern Iraqi city of Basra ahead of a football match killed two, and left over 60 injured, according to an AFP report. The stampede took place hours ahead of the Gulf Cup final between Iraq and Oman. Thousands of supporters had gathered without tickets outside the stadium attempting to gain entry ahead of the 7 PM kickoff (16000 GMT) of the final match of the first international soccer tournament held in the country in four decades. "There have been two deaths and dozens are injured," a medic was quoted as saying by AFP. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reportedly urged the residents to avoid the area near the stadium until the situation is resolved. According to local media reports, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is holding urgent meetings to assess the situation. Despite the stampede, the Iraqi Football Association said the match will go ahead. “The match between the Iraqi and Omani national teams will take place as scheduled. We call on honorable fans to refrain from coming to the match stadium because the stands are completely full.” Incidentally, this was the first time that Iraq had been granted the hosting duties for the Gulf Cup since 1979. The tournament was an opportunity for Iraq to show that it can be entrusted with the hosting duties as four decades of conflict have kept football away from the country. The tournament started on January 6 with Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates as the eight participants. The stadium stampede in Iraq comes months after over 130 were killed in Indonesia at the Kanjuruhan stadium in one of the worst sporting disasters in modern history. Read more: Trial begins in the Indonesia stadium disaster that killed over 130 (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iraq: Two dead, over 60 injured in stampede outside stadium ahead of football match

he gulf states have traditionally been U.S. allies. But recently they seem to be looking after their own interests. Ghadi Francis tells you more on The West Asia Post

The West Asia Post | Are gulf nations moving away from the U.S.?

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have seized a foreign vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 757,000 litres of diesel out of the country, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

The unnamed vessel's seven crew members, who are foreign nationals, have been handed over to legal authorities, IRNA reported without elaborating on the nationalities of the ship or its crew.

Iran, which has some of the world's cheapest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states.

The Guards have detained several ships in the past few months for smuggling fuel in the Gulf.

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&nbsp;

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have seized a foreign vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 757,000 litres of diesel out of the country, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards have seized a foreign vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 757,000 litres of diesel out of the country, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday. The unnamed vessel's seven crew members, who are foreign nationals, have been handed over to legal authorities, IRNA reported without elaborating on the nationalities of the ship or its crew. Iran, which has some of the world's cheapest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states. The Guards have detained several ships in the past few months for smuggling fuel in the Gulf. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Iran's Revolutionary Guards seize foreign ship smuggling 757,000 litres of diesel

The Gulf nations are embracing Nuclear power, a move to transition from fossil fuel to cleaner energy. The countries say, it is for peaceful purposes. WION tells you more in this report.

West Asia uses Nuclear power to shift to cleaner energy

Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates leaders have declined to take calls from US President Joe Biden. Biden has been trying to gather international support for Ukraine in a bid to arrest the rising oil prices. Saudi officials have been quite critical of the US and its policy in the Gulf amid the deteriorating relationship under the Biden administration.

Saudi Arabia, UAE decline calls with US amid fears of oil prices spike

Gulf envoys stressed Monday that women must be able to work and go to school, in talks with the Taliban foreign minister as Afghanistan's hardline Islamic rulers made a new bid to unblock foreign aid.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, a key member of the Taliban leadership that took over Kabul six months ago, met in Doha with ambassadors from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the first full day of his latest mission, where he is also to hold talks with European envoys.

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The Taliban have been struggling to unfreeze billions of dollars of assets abroad and get sanctions lifted as it faces pressure over its treatment of women and supporters of the Western-backed government toppled last year.

The Taliban tweeted pictures of the smiling foreign minister entering Monday's meeting with representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But diplomats said no promises were made by Afghan officials inside.

Arab envoys emphasised the need to help Afghanistan's "urgent humanitarian needs" as the country confronts widespread hunger caused by drought as well as an economic crisis that has driven up chronic unemployment, said a GCC statement.

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While highlighting that there should be "non-interference" in Afghanistan's affairs, they "stressed" the importance of a national reconciliation plan that "takes into consideration the interests of all components of society and respects basic freedoms and rights, including women's right to work and education".

The ambassadors also raised fears that "terrorist groups may be able to launch attacks from Afghanistan's territory against other countries".&nbsp;

They insisted that the country must not be exploited to fuel the illegal drugs trade.

Muttaqi, who is to hold a key meeting with European nations and other international representatives on Wednesday, made no comment after the meeting.&nbsp;

No country has yet recognised the Taliban government and the latest talks came only days after President Joe Biden said that $7 billion held in US banks would be split between a fund to aid Afghanistan and to compensate victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

European governments and international finance institutions are also holding back billions in aid.&nbsp;

Gulf envoys stressed Monday that women must be able to work and go to school, in talks with the Taliban foreign minister as Afghanistan's hardline Islamic rulers made a new bid to unblock foreign aid.

Gulf envoys stressed Monday that women must be able to work and go to school, in talks with the Taliban foreign minister as Afghanistan's hardline Islamic rulers made a new bid to unblock foreign aid. Amir Khan Muttaqi, a key member of the Taliban leadership that took over Kabul six months ago, met in Doha with ambassadors from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the first full day of his latest mission, where he is also to hold talks with European envoys. Also read | Taliban, Al Qaida and LeT, JeM links concerning: TS Tirumurti The Taliban have been struggling to unfreeze billions of dollars of assets abroad and get sanctions lifted as it faces pressure over its treatment of women and supporters of the Western-backed government toppled last year. The Taliban tweeted pictures of the smiling foreign minister entering Monday's meeting with representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But diplomats said no promises were made by Afghan officials inside. Arab envoys emphasised the need to help Afghanistan's "urgent humanitarian needs" as the country confronts widespread hunger caused by drought as well as an economic crisis that has driven up chronic unemployment, said a GCC statement. Also read | Taliban detain 29 women and their families in Kabul, claims US diplomat While highlighting that there should be "non-interference" in Afghanistan's affairs, they "stressed" the importance of a national reconciliation plan that "takes into consideration the interests of all components of society and respects basic freedoms and rights, including women's right to work and education". The ambassadors also raised fears that "terrorist groups may be able to launch attacks from Afghanistan's territory against other countries". They insisted that the country must not be exploited to fuel the illegal drugs trade. Muttaqi, who is to hold a key meeting with European nations and other international representatives on Wednesday, made no comment after the meeting. No country has yet recognised the Taliban government and the latest talks came only days after President Joe Biden said that $7 billion held in US banks would be split between a fund to aid Afghanistan and to compensate victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. European governments and international finance institutions are also holding back billions in aid.

Arab states stress women's rights to Taliban in aid talks

Foreign ministers from 4 Gulf nations are visiting China. Their talks are expected to cover energy and west Asian power plays. Can China draw Gulf nations away from America? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Top Gulf diplomats visit China

According to state media reports, UAE has issued its first civil marriage licence to a non-Muslim couple.

A country of about 10 million, around 90 per cent of the UAE’s total population are foreigners.

Until now, marriages and divorces in the UAE have been conducted in accordance with Islamic law.

The new move is aimed at showing itself as a modern nation in the largely conservative Gulf region.

The official news agency, WAM, said a Canadian couple were the first to marry under a new law on the personal status of non-Muslims in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi.

The move “contributes to the consolidation of Abu Dhabi’s position as a world-leading destination for skills and expertise from around the world,” WAM said.

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Civil marriage in West Asia, the birthplace of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, is uncommon and usually conducted under a religious authority of one of the three monotheistic beliefs.

Civil marriages are allowed in Tunisia and Algeria.

While some countries in the region allow civil unions based on certain conditions, some only recognise civil marriages conducted abroad and others not at all.

The UAE has taken measures in the past year to make its economy more attractive to foreign investment and talent, including introducing longer-term visas.

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It has also&nbsp;revised laws&nbsp;regarding cohabitation before marriage, alcohol and personal status laws.

Earlier this month, UAE&nbsp;announced&nbsp;all government entities will adopt a new Western-style work-week schedule consisting of four-and-a-half days with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend.

(With inputs from agencies)

According to state media reports, UAE has issued its first civil marriage licence to a non-Muslim couple. A country of about 10 million, around 90 per cent of the UAE’s total population are foreigners.

According to state media reports, UAE has issued its first civil marriage licence to a non-Muslim couple. A country of about 10 million, around 90 per cent of the UAE’s total population are foreigners. Until now, marriages and divorces in the UAE have been conducted in accordance with Islamic law. The new move is aimed at showing itself as a modern nation in the largely conservative Gulf region. The official news agency, WAM, said a Canadian couple were the first to marry under a new law on the personal status of non-Muslims in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi. The move “contributes to the consolidation of Abu Dhabi’s position as a world-leading destination for skills and expertise from around the world,” WAM said. Also read | PM Modi to be in UAE on January 6; no visit to Kuwait Civil marriage in West Asia, the birthplace of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, is uncommon and usually conducted under a religious authority of one of the three monotheistic beliefs. Civil marriages are allowed in Tunisia and Algeria. While some countries in the region allow civil unions based on certain conditions, some only recognise civil marriages conducted abroad and others not at all. The UAE has taken measures in the past year to make its economy more attractive to foreign investment and talent, including introducing longer-term visas. Also read | India, UAE, US and Israel 'West Asian Quad' meet in next few weeks: EAM Jaishankar It has also revised laws regarding cohabitation before marriage, alcohol and personal status laws. Earlier this month, UAE announced all government entities will adopt a new Western-style work-week schedule consisting of four-and-a-half days with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend. (With inputs from agencies)

UAE grants first civil marriage licence to non-Muslim Canadian couple

Saudi crown prince MBS is on a whirlwind Gulf tour, adding to a flurry of diplomacy seeking to resolve long-simmering regional tensions. This comes as leaders in West Asia are on a diplomatic spree. They are ending regional rifts that have defined the region for over a decade. On The West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis tells you what this tour means for West Asia.

The West Asia Post | Saudi MBS on a gulf tour | Beirut blast probe resumes

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is slated to visit 5 Gulf states ahead of this month's GCC meeting. Is MBS wary of the UAE's rising diplomatic clout? What explains the Saudi-UAE soft rivalry? Palki Sharma explains.

Gravitas: MBS embarks on whirlwind Gulf tour

Plans are afoot for connectivity from the Mediterranean to India via the Gulf. The plans involve countries like Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia and India.

The foreign ministers of India, Israeli, Egyptian, Cyprus, Greece and others are expected to meet in Dubai at the 12th edition of the Sir Bani Yas Forum to further discuss the plan.

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The forum will meet from 12th to 14th November.

WION has learnt that the project focuses on building a corridor that connects India to the Gulf and West Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean, which will link the region to Europe and be a game-changer.

The foreign ministers' face-to-face meeting is expected to eliminate the roadblocks in this&nbsp;connectivity project, which currently is in the preliminary stages.

It is important to understand that three key countries in West Asia; Saudi Arabia, Israel and UAE who will also be a part of the discussion of the project, already have a close relationship with New Delhi.&nbsp;

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Several trilateral projects are also underway between India, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;

The Abraham Accords of 2020, saw the normalisation of ties between Israel and UAE and since then both sides have increased engagements with each other including the presence of the Israel pavilion at the ongoing Dubai Expo.

India has been taking a lead in several connectivity initiatives, from the Chabahar port project in Iran that links it to Central Asia and beyond; to the Kaladan Multimodal project in the east that connects it to ASEAN countries.&nbsp;

Chabahar is also key to the International north-south transport corridor connecting Mumbai to Moscow.

Plans are afoot for connectivity from the Mediterranean to India via the Gulf. The plans involve countries like Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia and India.

Plans are afoot for connectivity from the Mediterranean to India via the Gulf. The plans involve countries like Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia and India. The foreign ministers of India, Israeli, Egyptian, Cyprus, Greece and others are expected to meet in Dubai at the 12th edition of the Sir Bani Yas Forum to further discuss the plan. Also read | Infra projects, Buddha link, rights of Tamils dominate Shringla's Sri Lanka visit The forum will meet from 12th to 14th November. WION has learnt that the project focuses on building a corridor that connects India to the Gulf and West Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean, which will link the region to Europe and be a game-changer. The foreign ministers' face-to-face meeting is expected to eliminate the roadblocks in this connectivity project, which currently is in the preliminary stages. It is important to understand that three key countries in West Asia; Saudi Arabia, Israel and UAE who will also be a part of the discussion of the project, already have a close relationship with New Delhi. Also read | UK wants trade, security pact with India, says Foreign Secretary Liz Truss Several trilateral projects are also underway between India, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. The Abraham Accords of 2020, saw the normalisation of ties between Israel and UAE and since then both sides have increased engagements with each other including the presence of the Israel pavilion at the ongoing Dubai Expo. India has been taking a lead in several connectivity initiatives, from the Chabahar port project in Iran that links it to Central Asia and beyond; to the Kaladan Multimodal project in the east that connects it to ASEAN countries. Chabahar is also key to the International north-south transport corridor connecting Mumbai to Moscow.

Plans afoot for connectivity from Mediterranean to India via Gulf

The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday become the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel, as its envoy hailed the trade and investment opportunities that closer ties would bring at a flag-raising ceremony also attended by Israel's president. 
 
Brought together by shared unease about Iran, the UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel last year under the "Abraham Accords" crafted by the administration of then-US&nbsp;President Donald Trump 
 
Sudan and Morocco have since also moved to establish ties with Israel.

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The opening of the UAE embassy, which is situated in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, followed the inauguration of Israel's embassy in the UAE last month. 
 
"Since the normalisation of ties ...we have seen for the first time discussions on trade and investment opportunities," UAE ambassador Mohamed Al Khaja said, after raising his country's flag outside the building. 
 
"We signed major agreements across various fields, including economy, air travel, technology and culture." 
 
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the opening of the embassy "an important milestone in our journey towards the future, peace prosperity and security" for the Middle East. 
 
"Seeing the Emirati flag flying proudly in Tel Aviv might have seemed like a far-fetched dream about a year ago," he said. "In many ways nothing could be more natural and normal." 
 
In the UAE last month to inaugurate Israel`s temporary embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said bilateral trade since normalisation exceeded $675 million and he expected more deals. 
 
The regional rapprochement has been deplored by the Palestinians, who want their demands for statehood free of Israeli occupation addressed first. 
 
The UAE has said last year's US-brokered accords, which challenged a decades-old allegiance to Palestinian ambitions as a major driver of Arab policy, would ultimately benefit the Palestinians.

The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday become the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel, as its envoy hailed the trade and investment opportunities that closer ties would bring at a flag-raising ceremony also attended by Israel's president.

The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday become the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel, as its envoy hailed the trade and investment opportunities that closer ties would bring at a flag-raising ceremony also attended by Israel's president. Brought together by shared unease about Iran, the UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel last year under the "Abraham Accords" crafted by the administration of then-US President Donald Trump Sudan and Morocco have since also moved to establish ties with Israel. Also Read: Israeli officials say cargo ship possibly attacked en route to UAE The opening of the UAE embassy, which is situated in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, followed the inauguration of Israel's embassy in the UAE last month. "Since the normalisation of ties ...we have seen for the first time discussions on trade and investment opportunities," UAE ambassador Mohamed Al Khaja said, after raising his country's flag outside the building. "We signed major agreements across various fields, including economy, air travel, technology and culture." Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the opening of the embassy "an important milestone in our journey towards the future, peace prosperity and security" for the Middle East. "Seeing the Emirati flag flying proudly in Tel Aviv might have seemed like a far-fetched dream about a year ago," he said. "In many ways nothing could be more natural and normal." In the UAE last month to inaugurate Israel`s temporary embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said bilateral trade since normalisation exceeded $675 million and he expected more deals. The regional rapprochement has been deplored by the Palestinians, who want their demands for statehood free of Israeli occupation addressed first. The UAE has said last year's US-brokered accords, which challenged a decades-old allegiance to Palestinian ambitions as a major driver of Arab policy, would ultimately benefit the Palestinians.

In a first for Gulf, UAE opens embassy in Israel, hails trade ties

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday. 
 
Firefighting operations continued on board the ship, which was near the Iranian port of Jask, situated on the Gulf of Oman, the statement said, adding that the vessel was on a training mission. 
 
The statement did not give the cause of the fire. 
 
In April, Iran said one of its vessels, the Saviz, had been targeted in the Red Sea, after media reports, the ship had been attacked with limpet mines. 
 
It was the latest in a reported series of attacks on Israeli- and Iranian-owned cargo ships since late February in which the two arch-enemies accused each other of responsibility. 
 
Last year, an Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others. 
 
The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday.

A fire broke out in an Iranian navy vessel near the mouth of the Gulf, but the entire crew was able to safely disembark, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a navy statement as saying on Wednesday. Firefighting operations continued on board the ship, which was near the Iranian port of Jask, situated on the Gulf of Oman, the statement said, adding that the vessel was on a training mission. The statement did not give the cause of the fire. In April, Iran said one of its vessels, the Saviz, had been targeted in the Red Sea, after media reports, the ship had been attacked with limpet mines. It was the latest in a reported series of attacks on Israeli- and Iranian-owned cargo ships since late February in which the two arch-enemies accused each other of responsibility. Last year, an Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others. The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area. (With inputs from agencies)

Fire on Iran navy ship at mouth of Gulf, crew evacuated: Report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said.&nbsp;

The two leaders also discussed a possible visit by Netanyahu to Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions would allow it, it said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The Bahraini regent also stated that he was interested in examining the possibility of Bahrain joining an investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant that is planned to be established in Israel together with other countries," the statement said.&nbsp;

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on September 15, in a US-sponsored deal forged in part over shared concerns about Iran. The deal angered the Palestinians, who have long demanded statehood before any such regional rapprochement.&nbsp;

Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election on March 23, said on Wednesday he was in talks with the heads of Pfizer and Moderna to open facilities in Israel. Neither company responded to Reuters requests for comment.&nbsp;

Israel has been importing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc Covid-19 vaccines.&nbsp;

Israel expects trade with Bahrain to be around $220 million in 2021, not including possible defence and tourism deals.&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on Thursday discussed the Gulf state's possible involvement in establishing a vaccine plant in Israel, Netanyahu's office said. The two leaders also discussed a possible visit by Netanyahu to Bahrain once coronavirus restrictions would allow it, it said in a statement. "The Bahraini regent also stated that he was interested in examining the possibility of Bahrain joining an investment in a vaccine manufacturing plant that is planned to be established in Israel together with other countries," the statement said. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on September 15, in a US-sponsored deal forged in part over shared concerns about Iran. The deal angered the Palestinians, who have long demanded statehood before any such regional rapprochement. Netanyahu, who is seeking re-election on March 23, said on Wednesday he was in talks with the heads of Pfizer and Moderna to open facilities in Israel. Neither company responded to Reuters requests for comment. Israel has been importing Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Inc Covid-19 vaccines. Israel expects trade with Bahrain to be around $220 million in 2021, not including possible defence and tourism deals.

Israel, Bahrain leaders discuss vaccine plant, Netanyahu visit to Gulf state

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.”

But Friday, the formal announcement that the Biden administration was seeking a return to nuclear negotiations with Iran, after the collapse of the 2015 agreement under President Donald Trump, did not provoke a sharp backlash — not just in Jerusalem, but also in the Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which also oppose too generous a rapprochement with Iran.

The muted response from Iran’s regional antagonists may mask a strong undercurrent of pessimism and behind-the-scenes pushback against the Americans’ decision. Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates remain wary of Iran’s intentions, and have signaled that they would be open to a deal only if it went well beyond the previous one — reining in Iran’s ballistic missile program, its meddling in other countries and the militias it supports in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, in addition to its nuclear program.

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Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement avoiding direct comment on the U.S. intention to negotiate but noting that Israel was in contact with the United States.

“Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and its position on the nuclear agreement has not changed,” the statement said. “Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal.”

Western diplomats and former Israeli officials said that the Israelis had accepted the need to engage constructively with Washington instead of dismissing the negotiations out of hand.

Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s minister for community affairs, said the Israeli government was not intrinsically opposed to negotiations. But the talks had to yield a better deal than the one in 2015, which Israel and the Gulf countries condemned because its restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities would expire in a decade and a half and because it did nothing to restrict Iranian military activity across the Middle East.

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“We would like the negotiations to emphasize what the world would like to see: an agreement for a longer time — for at least 50 years, if not more,” Hanegbi said in an interview. “It has to be an agreement that will be valid for generations. Anything else will not achieve the goal of preventing a nuclear Iran.”

Saudi and Emirati officials, for their part, were silent Friday. Watching the Biden administration’s outreach to Tehran with resignation, the two Gulf states — which were outraged at being excluded from the last negotiations — can only hope that the United States will keep its promises to consider Gulf interests in the talks, analysts said.

“We just have to trust the new administration,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist. “We don’t have any option. They really are determined to reach out to Iran, so there’s no way that anybody could stop them.”

But he acknowledged there could be something to gain, saying, “If the end result is less confrontation with Iran, a less aggressive Iran, a less expansionist Iran, it’s a dream of a sort.”

The Israeli government’s reticence reflects a less combative approach to the Biden administration’s policymaking than with President Barack Obama’s, at least initially, said Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence.

“Practically, they will not confront the Biden administration directly,” he said. “They will wait a little bit to see whether the Iranians are reacting and how the negotiations develop.”

But behind the scenes, Israel is already lobbying the United States for an agreement that is much tougher on Iran. Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and a team of experts will soon travel to Washington to brief senior American officials about what they see as the threats still posed by Iran, hoping to persuade the United States to hold out for harsher restrictions on Iran in any deal, two senior Israeli officials said.

Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran has blatantly violated the terms of the original nuclear deal and is still taking steps to develop a nuclear warhead, the officials said, claims that Iran denies.

In Europe, Russia and China, which supported the original deal and opposed Trump’s withdrawal from it, the reaction was positive.

“The U.S.A. is giving diplomacy a chance,” Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, wrote on Twitter. “We expressly welcome and support this!”

Maas also warned Iran against taking aggressive measures at a time when diplomatic breakthroughs seemed possible. “Now the Iranian leaders must also show that they are serious,” he said.

In Russia — an ally of Iran and a signatory to the nuclear deal — the Kremlin praised how the White House had also backed away from the Trump administration effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Iran.

“Halting the call for sanctions is a good thing, on its own,” said Dmitry S. Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman. “This is an event that one can probably mark with a plus sign.”

China, which signed a trade and military pact with Iran last year and is another signatory, reiterated Friday that the United States should “unconditionally” rejoin the nuclear deal. It has opposed renegotiating a new agreement in the past.

An unconditional return “is the key to breaking the deadlock,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said at a news conference.

Biden administration officials said Friday that the next move was Iran’s and that they did not intend to offer concessions or incentives for Tehran to join negotiations.

“We don’t anticipate taking additional steps,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden on Air Force One. A senior administration official said that any U.S. actions, such as the removal of sanctions on Iran, would have to be discussed at the negotiating table.

Iranian officials did not formally respond to Biden’s proposal Friday, although several officials said Thursday that Iran would likely join the talks. But they did reiterate their position that the United States must lift sanctions first before Iran would return to its commitments under the nuclear agreement.

“Gestures are fine,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Twitter. But to revive the nuclear talks, he said, the “U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions. We WILL respond.”

In the Persian Gulf, U.S. allies who view Iran as a major threat were gritting their teeth over the possible talks.

Ali Shihabi, a Saudi political commentator who is viewed as being close to the government, said Saudi Arabia had been signaling to the Biden administration for months that it supported reengaging with Iran, but only if the goal was a deal with additional constraints on Iran’s regional behavior.

“The Biden people are making all the right noises,” he said, “but the proof is in the pudding.”

Calling renewed negotiations with Iran “a totally mind-boggling thing to do,” Mohammed Alyahya, editor-in-chief of the English website of Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya, warned that lifting sanctions against Iran would mean relinquishing all the leverage the Trump administration accrued through its maximum-pressure campaign of economic punishment, leaving Tehran to do as it pleased.

“We’ve seen this movie before,” Alyahya said. “Going back to the same deal is going to yield the same exact results that the first deal did: an empowered Iran, an Iran that is going to quickly try to reclaim its regional leverage that it has lost as a result of the maximum pressure campaign. This is not a regime that will act in good faith.”

Yet amid a cooling in U.S.-Saudi relations — Biden officials have said they will recalibrate the relationship after four years of coziness between the Trump administration and the Saudis — Saudi Arabia’s official communications have emphasized the positive in dealings with the Biden administration so far, said Eman Alhussein, a Saudi analyst at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

“They want to be seen as being part of the solution to these problems,” Alhussein said, partly because of the “atmosphere of apprehension” about the kingdom’s uncertain relationship with United States.

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.

When the United States last tried to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, the reaction from the Israeli government was blunt and fierce. In the years preceding Iran’s 2015 agreement with Washington and several other leading powers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel repeatedly called the negotiations a “historic mistake.” But Friday, the formal announcement that the Biden administration was seeking a return to nuclear negotiations with Iran, after the collapse of the 2015 agreement under President Donald Trump, did not provoke a sharp backlash — not just in Jerusalem, but also in the Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which also oppose too generous a rapprochement with Iran. The muted response from Iran’s regional antagonists may mask a strong undercurrent of pessimism and behind-the-scenes pushback against the Americans’ decision. Israel, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates remain wary of Iran’s intentions, and have signaled that they would be open to a deal only if it went well beyond the previous one — reining in Iran’s ballistic missile program, its meddling in other countries and the militias it supports in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere, in addition to its nuclear program. Also read| Probe launched after 17-metre-long whale found dead in Israeli beach Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement avoiding direct comment on the U.S. intention to negotiate but noting that Israel was in contact with the United States. “Israel remains committed to preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and its position on the nuclear agreement has not changed,” the statement said. “Israel believes that going back to the old agreement will pave Iran’s path to a nuclear arsenal.” Western diplomats and former Israeli officials said that the Israelis had accepted the need to engage constructively with Washington instead of dismissing the negotiations out of hand. Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel’s minister for community affairs, said the Israeli government was not intrinsically opposed to negotiations. But the talks had to yield a better deal than the one in 2015, which Israel and the Gulf countries condemned because its restrictions on Iranian nuclear activities would expire in a decade and a half and because it did nothing to restrict Iranian military activity across the Middle East. Also read| Jab but no tab: Israeli bar offers free drinks with vaccines “We would like the negotiations to emphasize what the world would like to see: an agreement for a longer time — for at least 50 years, if not more,” Hanegbi said in an interview. “It has to be an agreement that will be valid for generations. Anything else will not achieve the goal of preventing a nuclear Iran.” Saudi and Emirati officials, for their part, were silent Friday. Watching the Biden administration’s outreach to Tehran with resignation, the two Gulf states — which were outraged at being excluded from the last negotiations — can only hope that the United States will keep its promises to consider Gulf interests in the talks, analysts said. “We just have to trust the new administration,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist. “We don’t have any option. They really are determined to reach out to Iran, so there’s no way that anybody could stop them.” But he acknowledged there could be something to gain, saying, “If the end result is less confrontation with Iran, a less aggressive Iran, a less expansionist Iran, it’s a dream of a sort.” The Israeli government’s reticence reflects a less combative approach to the Biden administration’s policymaking than with President Barack Obama’s, at least initially, said Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence. “Practically, they will not confront the Biden administration directly,” he said. “They will wait a little bit to see whether the Iranians are reacting and how the negotiations develop.” But behind the scenes, Israel is already lobbying the United States for an agreement that is much tougher on Iran. Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and a team of experts will soon travel to Washington to brief senior American officials about what they see as the threats still posed by Iran, hoping to persuade the United States to hold out for harsher restrictions on Iran in any deal, two senior Israeli officials said. Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran has blatantly violated the terms of the original nuclear deal and is still taking steps to develop a nuclear warhead, the officials said, claims that Iran denies. In Europe, Russia and China, which supported the original deal and opposed Trump’s withdrawal from it, the reaction was positive. “The U.S.A. is giving diplomacy a chance,” Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, wrote on Twitter. “We expressly welcome and support this!” Maas also warned Iran against taking aggressive measures at a time when diplomatic breakthroughs seemed possible. “Now the Iranian leaders must also show that they are serious,” he said. In Russia — an ally of Iran and a signatory to the nuclear deal — the Kremlin praised how the White House had also backed away from the Trump administration effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Iran. “Halting the call for sanctions is a good thing, on its own,” said Dmitry S. Peskov, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman. “This is an event that one can probably mark with a plus sign.” China, which signed a trade and military pact with Iran last year and is another signatory, reiterated Friday that the United States should “unconditionally” rejoin the nuclear deal. It has opposed renegotiating a new agreement in the past. An unconditional return “is the key to breaking the deadlock,” Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said at a news conference. Biden administration officials said Friday that the next move was Iran’s and that they did not intend to offer concessions or incentives for Tehran to join negotiations. “We don’t anticipate taking additional steps,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden on Air Force One. A senior administration official said that any U.S. actions, such as the removal of sanctions on Iran, would have to be discussed at the negotiating table. Iranian officials did not formally respond to Biden’s proposal Friday, although several officials said Thursday that Iran would likely join the talks. But they did reiterate their position that the United States must lift sanctions first before Iran would return to its commitments under the nuclear agreement. “Gestures are fine,” Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said on Twitter. But to revive the nuclear talks, he said, the “U.S. must Act: LIFT sanctions. We WILL respond.” In the Persian Gulf, U.S. allies who view Iran as a major threat were gritting their teeth over the possible talks. Ali Shihabi, a Saudi political commentator who is viewed as being close to the government, said Saudi Arabia had been signaling to the Biden administration for months that it supported reengaging with Iran, but only if the goal was a deal with additional constraints on Iran’s regional behavior. “The Biden people are making all the right noises,” he said, “but the proof is in the pudding.” Calling renewed negotiations with Iran “a totally mind-boggling thing to do,” Mohammed Alyahya, editor-in-chief of the English website of Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya, warned that lifting sanctions against Iran would mean relinquishing all the leverage the Trump administration accrued through its maximum-pressure campaign of economic punishment, leaving Tehran to do as it pleased. “We’ve seen this movie before,” Alyahya said. “Going back to the same deal is going to yield the same exact results that the first deal did: an empowered Iran, an Iran that is going to quickly try to reclaim its regional leverage that it has lost as a result of the maximum pressure campaign. This is not a regime that will act in good faith.” Yet amid a cooling in U.S.-Saudi relations — Biden officials have said they will recalibrate the relationship after four years of coziness between the Trump administration and the Saudis — Saudi Arabia’s official communications have emphasized the positive in dealings with the Biden administration so far, said Eman Alhussein, a Saudi analyst at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. “They want to be seen as being part of the solution to these problems,” Alhussein said, partly because of the “atmosphere of apprehension” about the kingdom’s uncertain relationship with United States.

In Israel and the Gulf, reaction to US push for Iran talks is muted but wary

Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran. Biden aides have indicated that the administration would be keen to re-enter 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. However, they have also cautioned Iran in recent past to not become complacent.

"Goodbye Trump, hello Biden," Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed wrote in the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat.

Like other Gulf commentators, he pointed to concerns over whether the new US administration's policies will mirror those of Barack Obama, for whom Biden served as vice president.

Biden is expected to re-adopt a less confrontational stance towards the Islamic republic, unlike Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" and high tensions.

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The nuclear deal with Iran was struck by USA under Barack Obama along with other world powers. The development was considered to be a landmark achievement and much political capital was spent in securing the deal.

However, Trump unilaterally took the USA out of the deal and applied "maximum pressure" on Iran. Under Trump, America also assassinated Iran's once-untouchable military commander Qasem Soleimani. Trump also cultivated close relations with Gulf monarchies

Saudi Arabia's pro-government Okaz asked whether the Biden administration would stand by Washington's Arab allies or "renew with their enemies".

In Bahrain, the paper Akhbar Al-Khaleej said Trump deserved "thanks and appreciation".

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/widely-praised-joe-bidens-speech-written-by-indian-american-358312">Widely praised Joe Biden's speech written by Indian American</a>

His "policies and positions against Iran have established a new reality in American dealings with Iran, and it will be difficult for the Biden administration to completely bypass them," its columnist Al-Sayed Zahra wrote.

Just across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is a longstanding Western ally and home to the US Fifth Fleet.

Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran.

Print media in Arab states of the Gulf gave a cautious welcome to US President Joe Biden who was sworn in as 46th President of the USA on Wednesday. The caution appeared to be due to USA's yet uncertain stance towards Iran. Biden aides have indicated that the administration would be keen to re-enter 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. However, they have also cautioned Iran in recent past to not become complacent. "Goodbye Trump, hello Biden," Saudi columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed wrote in the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat. Like other Gulf commentators, he pointed to concerns over whether the new US administration's policies will mirror those of Barack Obama, for whom Biden served as vice president. Biden is expected to re-adopt a less confrontational stance towards the Islamic republic, unlike Trump's policy of "maximum pressure" and high tensions. × The nuclear deal with Iran was struck by USA under Barack Obama along with other world powers. The development was considered to be a landmark achievement and much political capital was spent in securing the deal. However, Trump unilaterally took the USA out of the deal and applied "maximum pressure" on Iran. Under Trump, America also assassinated Iran's once-untouchable military commander Qasem Soleimani. Trump also cultivated close relations with Gulf monarchies Saudi Arabia's pro-government Okaz asked whether the Biden administration would stand by Washington's Arab allies or "renew with their enemies". In Bahrain, the paper Akhbar Al-Khaleej said Trump deserved "thanks and appreciation". Also Read | Widely praised Joe Biden's speech written by Indian American His "policies and positions against Iran have established a new reality in American dealings with Iran, and it will be difficult for the Biden administration to completely bypass them," its columnist Al-Sayed Zahra wrote. Just across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is a longstanding Western ally and home to the US Fifth Fleet.

Cautious welcome for Biden in Gulf amid yet uncertain Iran policy

Tensions emerge in the Gulf after Iran seized a South Korean vessel at the Strait of Hormuz. South Korea sends delegation to Tehran but Iran is adamant on one demand. WION tells you what.

Iran demands release of assets in South Korea

Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards unveiled an underground missile base at an undisclosed Gulf location on Friday, Iranian state media reported, at a time of heightened tension between Tehran and the United States.

"The base is one of several bases housing the Guards` Navy`s strategic missiles," the state media quoted the head of the Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, as saying.

Last year, the Guards said Iran had built underground “missile cities” along the Gulf coastline, warning of a “nightmare for Iran’s enemies”.

"These missiles have ranges of hundreds of kilometres, enjoy pinpoint accuracy and huge destructive power, and can overcome the enemy’s electronic warfare equipment," Salami said.

He said the base was "one of several bases housing the Navy’s strategic missiles".

There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the U.S. military, which has accused the Guards’ navy of sending fast attack boats to harass U.S. warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz.

Tensions have been high between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when President Donald Trump exited the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers which limits the Islamic Republic`s nuclear programme and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the country`s economy.

Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards unveiled an underground missile base at an undisclosed Gulf location on Friday, Iranian state media reported, at a time of heightened tension between Tehran and the United States.

Iran`s elite Revolutionary Guards unveiled an underground missile base at an undisclosed Gulf location on Friday, Iranian state media reported, at a time of heightened tension between Tehran and the United States. "The base is one of several bases housing the Guards` Navy`s strategic missiles," the state media quoted the head of the Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, as saying. Last year, the Guards said Iran had built underground “missile cities” along the Gulf coastline, warning of a “nightmare for Iran’s enemies”. "These missiles have ranges of hundreds of kilometres, enjoy pinpoint accuracy and huge destructive power, and can overcome the enemy’s electronic warfare equipment," Salami said. He said the base was "one of several bases housing the Navy’s strategic missiles". There have been periodic confrontations in the Gulf in recent years between the Guards and the U.S. military, which has accused the Guards’ navy of sending fast attack boats to harass U.S. warships as they pass the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions have been high between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when President Donald Trump exited the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers which limits the Islamic Republic`s nuclear programme and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the country`s economy.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards unveil underground missile base in Gulf

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