English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May01/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 28/16-20: “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 30-May 01/2025
Devils, Scribes, Pharisees, and Trojans Tarnish the Reputation of Monsignor Mansour Labaki/Elias Bejjani/April 29/2025
Aoun and Al Nahyan Pledge to Strengthen Ties as Lebanon Seeks Regional Support
Lebanese army dismantled ‘over 90 percent’ of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel:
Press Releases/U.S. Embassy in Lebanon
Lebanon Urges US Military to Put Pressure on Israel to Withdraw
Lebanese Druze chief urges community in Syria to reject ‘Israeli interference’
What’s Behind the UNIFIL Attacks?
US dispatches senior military official to Beirut to support Lebanon ceasefire efforts
Civil society platforms push for Lebanese women to reach parliament
Burying Infants and Hezbollah’s Weapon/Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/April 30/2025
Why this year’s Spring Meetings were unusual/Dr. Khalil Gebara/Arab News/April 30, 2025
Shifting power in Lebanon revives hopes for Beirut port blast accountability/ANAN TELLO/Arab News/April 30, 2025
Lebanese women learn to shoot for self-defense, apply for gun licenses
UK Military Launches Airstrikes with US Targeting Yemen's Houthis

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 30-May 01/2025
Israel says strikes Syria to shield Druze as clashes spread
Switzerland to Enact Hamas Ban from May 15
Israel says it carried out operation against gunmen attacking Druze fighters in Syria
Israel says it hit ‘extremists’ in Syria to protect Druze
Minutes to leave: Syria's Alawites evicted from private homes at gunpoint
Fake Audio Sparks Deadly Sectarian Clashes Near Damascus
Qalibaf: Any Aggression Against Iran Would Cause Regional Explosion
Iran, UK, France, Germany to Hold Nuclear Talks on Friday
US targets Iran with fresh sanctions ahead of next nuclear talks
Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel
Iran blasts French ‘threats’ of new sanctions
Iran says next round of nuclear talks with US set for Saturday in Rome
US imposes sanctions to curb Iran oil despite ongoing nuclear talks
Turkey’s Erdogan dismisses Kurdish calls for Syria decentralization as a ‘dream’
UAE using AI, space tech to revolutionize, ramp-up cloud seeding operations
Israel defense minister orders army to deploy forces to control fire near Jerusalem
US tells World Court that Israel is not required to work with UN Palestinian refugee agency
UK military launches airstrikes with US targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels
Britain, U.S. attack Houthi drone manufacturing targets in Yemen
Jordan jails 4 for 20 years in case linked to Muslim Brotherhood
Pakistan says it has 'credible intelligence' India will attack within days
Trump says Canada’s Carney to visit ‘in next week’

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on April 30-May 01/2025
'Stupid Intelligence' Is Threatening Trump's Nuclear Negotiations with Iran/Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/April 30/2025
The ‘Arab Spring’ belongs to another era/Oussama Romdhani/Arabiya/30 April ,2025
The road ahead: Why US-Iran nuclear talks are getting more difficult/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabiya/30 April ,2025
Will US solve the Iran nuclear conundrum?/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/April 30, 2025
The Most Dangerous Aspect of Abdel Nasser’s Recordings/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
Have Islamists Become a Mere Security Incident?/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 30-May 01/2025
Devils, Scribes, Pharisees, and Trojans Tarnish the Reputation of Monsignor Mansour Labaki
Elias Bejjani/April 29/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142855/
Enough with the populism, leftist hypocrisy, immorality, and Trojan betrayal. Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at Monsignor Mansour Labaki.—shameless accusers! We are truly living in an age of moral collapse… a time ruled by devils, lawbreakers, and the profane.

The Vile and Lewd Attack by Hezbollah's Thuggish Street Mobs and Their Mouthpieces to Terrorize and Silence Director Youssef El Khoury
Elias Bejjani/April 28, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142815/
"Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ". (Galatians 01/01-24)
There is no doubt that President Aoun’s tenure, is expected to properly see that the Lebanese judiciary is not biased and execute its role with fairness in accordance to the laws, and is thus put to the test — either to confront the terrorist Hezbollah’s filthy judicial and media assaults targeting patriotic citizens who speak the truth, or to turn a blind eye and succumb.
The judiciary’s true stance will be judged by the way it handles the satanic and fabricated schemes aimed at intimidating and silencing director Youssef El Khoury and at crushing the will of sovereign and honorable voices.
Will the judiciary, in its so-called new form, possess the courage and integrity to confront and end the depravity and shamelessness of Hezbollah's Trojins and hired gung propagandists?
In this context, we condemn the injustice and the dirty, street-level slander to which the writer and director Youssef  Yaacoub El Khoury is being subjected, and we repeat what the Lord Jesus Christ said to the scribes and Pharisees who demanded that he silence the shouts of the believers as he entered Jerusalem: "If these keep silent, the stones will cry out." (Luke19/40)

Aoun and Al Nahyan Pledge to Strengthen Ties as Lebanon Seeks Regional Support
This is Beirut/April 30, 2025
Aoun and Al Nahyan agreed to deepen and expand bilateral relations during a summit held on Wednesday in the UAE capital. ©Photo from the Presidency of the Republic’s X account. President Joseph Aoun and Emirati President Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is also the Emir of Abu Dhabi, agreed to deepen and expand bilateral relations during a summit held on Wednesday in the UAE capital. Aoun arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday to begin a two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates. Upon his arrival, he held a high-level meeting with Sheikh Al Nahyan, where discussions focused on regional cooperation and the role of the Lebanese expatriate community. During the summit, President Aoun expressed his appreciation to the UAE for hosting approximately 190,000 Lebanese nationals. He praised their contribution to Emirati society, calling them “a vital bridge between the two countries.”
He added, “We are grateful for the hospitality extended by the UAE. Our citizens living here are contributing to the country’s prosperity, and their work is a real force behind Lebanon’s ongoing renaissance.”Aoun reiterated this sentiment in a subsequent interview with Arab media outlets, emphasizing the importance of the Lebanese community abroad. “Nearly 190,000 Lebanese in the UAE live in safety and dignity. They continue to support their families in Lebanon financially,” he said. The President also held discussions with Sheikh Al Nahyan on the domestic political and economic landscape, and the state’s renewed efforts to control arms within its borders. Aoun acknowledged the difficulties Lebanon is facing but stated that “the past is behind us today.” He said the Lebanese state is gradually restoring its sovereignty and governance capacities. “Lebanon, after a long period of crisis, is regaining its equilibrium. We are working together for a better future,” he added, emphasizing the importance of cooperation among all state institutions.
Talks on Embassy Reopening
Aoun also emphasized the inseparable link between Lebanon’s internal stability and that of the wider Arab region. “We are part of a greater Arab family. If one member suffers, we all suffer,” he said, reaffirming the principle of regional solidarity as key to Lebanon’s future. In turn, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan reiterated his country’s firm support for Lebanese sovereignty and institutions. He highlighted the importance of preserving Lebanon’s unity and territorial integrity, stating, “The Emirates will continue to support Lebanon in its quest for stability, peace and development. We firmly support Lebanon’s unity and the security of its borders.”The Emirati President also voiced his solidarity with the Lebanese people amid the country’s continuing challenges and emphasized the role of Arab cooperation in addressing shared crises. “Lebanon, with its rich heritage and exceptional human potential, deserves to regain its position among the prosperous nations of the region,” he said. The reopening of the Emirati Embassy in Beirut, which has been closed since 2021, was also on the summit agenda. Sheikh Al Nahyan expressed a desire to restore diplomatic relations on a solid foundation. “We believe that reopening the embassy will signal our commitment to Lebanon and our willingness to help it overcome its difficulties,” he stated.
Weapons and Sovereignty
President Aoun briefed his host on Lebanon’s ongoing efforts to reassert full sovereignty, particularly in South Lebanon. Speaking later to the Arab Media Group in Abu Dhabi, Aoun emphasized that Lebanon had made an irreversible decision to limit weapons possession exclusively to state institutions. “The withdrawal of weapons will extend across all Lebanese territory, but our top priority remains dismantling paramilitary structures in the south,” he said, in reference to Hezbollah’s arsenal and in line with the ceasefire arrangement with Israel. He also addressed the issue of arms held by Palestinian groups, calling for the surrender of all medium and heavy weaponry. Aoun noted that the Lebanese Army now controls approximately 80 to 85% of southern Lebanon but said its full deployment is still blocked by Israel’s occupation of five strategic border points. He appealed to Lebanon’s allies to help resolve this standoff through diplomacy. “The Lebanese are exhausted by war. Our only path forward is through diplomacy, even if it takes time,” he insisted. Aoun revealed that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Beirut soon, with the question of Palestinian weapons on the agenda. “This is a critical issue that cannot be overlooked,” he said. Closing his remarks, the president affirmed that all his actions are guided by conscience and national interest. “Civil peace is the key to everything. Any internal conflict must be resolved through dialogue and within the framework of the state,” he said, stressing his coordination with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in addressing Lebanon’s internal files.

Lebanese army dismantled ‘over 90 percent’ of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel:
AFP/April 30, 2025
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army has dismantled “over 90 percent” of Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border with Israel since a November ceasefire, a security official said Wednesday. “We have dismantled over 90 percent of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani,” the official, who requested anonymity as the matter is sensitive, told AFP. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meanwhile said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that the army was now in control of over 85 percent of the country’s south. The November truce deal, which ended over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, was based on a UN Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and United Nations peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon. Under the deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south. Much of Hezbollah’s robust underground infrastructure in the south was “filled and closed” by the army, the official said. Soldiers have also reinforced their control of crossing points into the area south of the Litani “to prevent the transfer of weapons from the north of the river to the south.”Aoun, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, said the Lebanese army was “fulfilling its role without any problems or opposition. ”He said the single obstacle to the full deployment of soldiers across the border area was “Israel’s occupation of five border positions.”Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but its troops remain in five positions that it deems “strategic.”The security official meanwhile said that Hezbollah has been cooperating with the army. “Hezbollah withdrew and said ‘do whatever you want’... there is no longer a military (infrastructure) for Hezbollah south of the Litani,” the official said. The official added that most of the munitions found by the army were either “damaged” by Israeli bombing or “in such bad shape that it is impossible to stock them,” prompting the army to detonate them.

Press Releases/U.S. Embassy in Lebanon
Emergency Information for American Citizens
Introducing Major General Leeney to Join the Mechanism as Full Time Senior Military Lead in Beirut
April 30, 2025
Major General Jasper Jeffers, Chairman of the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism, met with Lebanese and UNIFIL leadership in Beirut, accompanied by Major General Michael Leeney. Major General Leeney is joining the Mechanism to provide a full-time senior U.S. military leader in Beirut to continue the strong relationship between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and U.S. military. Major General Leeney stated, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this important mission and am very optimistic for the future. The LAF is well known as a capable force and my meetings have shown just how dedicated they are to ensuring peace and stability.” Major General Leeney will work closely with LAF, UNIFIL, France and the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon to enable the LAF to provide security and fully safeguard Lebanese sovereignty. Recognizing the importance of the Cessation of Hostilities, Major General Jeffers will stay involved in Lebanon while fulfilling his role as the commander of U.S. Special Operations forces in the Levant, Arabian Gulf, and Central Asia.

Lebanon Urges US Military to Put Pressure on Israel to Withdraw
Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who met with a US military delegation Wednesday, urged it to pressure Israel to withdraw from areas it still controls in the country and to release Lebanese prisoners. The delegation was headed by US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, the Co-Chairman of the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism. Aoun told the American delegation that the Lebanese army is carrying out its work along the border with Israel, where troops have been confiscating weapons and preventing armed presence.
A statement released by Aoun’s office said that Jeffers, who had held the post since before the Israel-Hezbollah war ended in late November, will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Michael J. Leeney. It added that Leeney also attended Wednesday’s meeting.

Lebanese Druze chief urges community in Syria to reject ‘Israeli interference’
Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Wednesday urged members of the minority community in Syria to reject “Israeli interference” following Israeli threats against Damascus authorities if they harm the Druze. “Preserving the (Druze) brothers (in Syria) involves rejecting Israeli interference,” Jumblatt said following a meeting with Druze figures in Beirut to discuss sectarian violence that erupted in Syria this week. Clashes near Damascus between security forces and local Druze fighters have reportedly killed 39 people in two days. The violence followed the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous.AFP was unable to confirm the recording’s authenticity. The Israeli military said its troops were instructed to “prepare to strike” Syrian government targets “should the violence against Druze communities continue.”“A stern message was conveyed to the Syrian regime – Israel expects them to act to prevent harm to the Druze community,” said a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Jumblatt accused Israel of seeking to drag the Druze into an “endless war against Muslims,” accusing Israeli Druze chief Mowafaq Tarif of supporting Israeli objectives. The Druze, an esoteric offshoot of Islam, live mostly in Lebanon, Israel and Syria, including the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Israel, which sees the forces that ousted longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December as “extremists,” has previously threatened to attack should the Druze be harmed. Syrian Druze leaders had rejected the Israeli warning and declared their loyalty to a united Syria. With AFP

What’s Behind the UNIFIL Attacks?
Beirut: Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
Efforts to restore state authority across Lebanon and enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701 - which mandates a zone free of unauthorized weapons south of the Litani River - have been met with fresh hostilities targeting UN peacekeepers in the country’s southern border areas. In recent days, attacks on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have resurfaced, echoing tactics previously used by Hezbollah to send political messages. The latest incident occurred on Tuesday in the southern town of Bint Jbeil, where local residents reportedly blocked a UNIFIL patrol from entering without a Lebanese army escort. On Friday, two young men in the town of Tayr Debba obstructed an armored UNIFIL convoy, forcing it to withdraw. A widely circulated video showed one of the men stating: “They’re not allowed to enter without the Lebanese army.”Sources at the Presidential Palace told Asharq Al-Awsat that President Joseph Aoun raised the issue during a recent meeting with UNIFIL Commander Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro. The president underscored the need for close coordination between UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to avoid friction with residents. The army, the sources added, is actively addressing such incidents to prevent escalation. Government officials condemned the attacks as “unacceptable,” recalling Aoun’s firm stance two months ago when UNIFIL forces were assaulted near Beirut airport. At the time, Aoun described such acts as “reprehensible and condemned.”Investigations into the Beirut airport incident led to the arrest of 25 individuals, of whom 19 were later released, while six remain under military court jurisdiction.
“Any grievances should be relayed to the army, which is deployed in these areas,” a senior source told Asharq Al-Awsat. The source warned that repeated disruptions could strain the vital relationship between peacekeepers and the local community. “Residents benefit from UNIFIL not only in terms of security, but also through social and humanitarian services,” the source added. Political undertones are also suspected. Despite unified pledges from Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to uphold Resolution 1701 and stabilize the south, the nature of the attacks suggests a deliberate attempt to undermine these efforts. “It’s puzzling,” the source said. “Clearly, a certain party is working to disrupt the relationship with UNIFIL - it’s as if someone is singing a different tune.”Asked whether such incidents could hinder UNIFIL’s operations, the source responded: “The peacekeepers know these acts are not state-sanctioned. The Lebanese government is dealing with them. But if they continue, participating countries might reconsider their involvement.”Riad Kahwaji, head of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), squarely blamed Hezbollah for orchestrating the confrontations. “Hezbollah has long used civilians to harass UNIFIL as a form of messaging,” Kahwaji told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It’s a tactic to assert dominance, especially now that Lebanese leaders are signaling a shift toward disarming the group. These are Hezbollah’s reminders that it still controls the ground.”“No one in these villages acts without Hezbollah’s directives,” he added, dismissing claims of spontaneous civilian protests as a cover.Kahwaji warned that unless the government acts swiftly to detain perpetrators and prevent further escalation, the attacks may intensify and even target the Lebanese army, which is expanding its presence in the south. UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, responding to Friday’s incident, reaffirmed that the peacekeeping force is operating in close coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces to support the Lebanese government’s implementation of Resolution 1701 during this critical period.

US dispatches senior military official to Beirut to support Lebanon ceasefire efforts
Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
The United States has deployed a full-time senior military official to Beirut as part of its efforts to support the Lebanon ceasefire monitoring mechanism and strengthen military ties with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), the US Embassy in Beirut said on Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Michael Leeney, deputy commander of US Army Central (ARCENT), arrived in Beirut this week and was introduced to senior Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, on Wednesday. According to the US Embassy, Leeney will work closely with the LAF, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), France, and the Military Technical Committee to bolster LAF security operations and support Lebanese sovereignty. His presence is intended to solidify Washington’s military partnership with Lebanon and ensure continued coordination during the fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. While Maj. Gen. Leeney will assume a lead role on the ground, Maj. Gen. Jasper—who has headed the ceasefire monitoring mechanism since the truce was reached last November—will remain involved, shifting focus to his primary duties as commander of US Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT). “The LAF is well known as a capable force and my meetings have shown just how dedicated they are to ensuring peace and stability,” Leeney said. During the Wednesday meeting, Aoun assured US officials that the LAF is fully engaged in securing the Israeli-Lebanese border, noting the confiscation of weapons and ammunition in recent operations. However, concerns remain about the LAF’s ability to meet the demands of its dual mission: maintaining border security and overseeing Hezbollah’s disarmament. Bilal Saab, senior managing director at TRENDS US and a former Pentagon official, emphasized the need for enhanced military assistance. “I’m glad to see the US commitment at the leadership level. Now we have to complement that with the means the LAF needs to step up and take the Hezbollah disarmament issue to the finish line,” Saab told Al Arabiya English. The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a stern warning to the LAF earlier this month, urging the LAF to accelerate the implementation of the US-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel or face a potential reassessment of American military aid to Beirut. Under the current ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah is required to withdraw its fighters and weapons at least 20 miles north of the Israeli border. In exchange, Israel must vacate the remaining Lebanese territories it occupies, allowing the LAF to assume control. Despite this, Israel maintains its hold on five positions along the border, citing Hezbollah’s incomplete disarmament. Lebanon’s president has repeatedly told advisors and ministers in the government that he has taken full responsibility of the issue to ensure Hezbollah hands over its weapons and will directly deal with the group. Yet, Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets have continued, including recent attacks in Beirut, which Israel claims are in response to ceasefire violations. Hezbollah has not retaliated but has criticized the Lebanese state, accusing it of failing to prevent the strikes. Intelligence assessments suggest that a majority of Hezbollah’s arsenal, including precision-guided missiles and drones, has been destroyed in Israeli operations over the past year. In Wednesday’s meeting, Aoun called on the US and France, as key members of the monitoring mechanism, to pressure Israel to halt its attacks, withdraw from the occupied positions, and return Lebanese prisoners captured during the war with Hezbollah.

Civil society platforms push for Lebanese women to reach parliament
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/March 01, 2022
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Feminist Civil Society Platform has released a list of demands addressed to male and female candidates in the parliamentary elections scheduled for mid-May as the country continues to reckon with its low rates of female political representation. The platform called on candidates to commit to “achieving full equality between women and men, include that in their priorities as future parliamentarians and work seriously to ensure full participation of women in decision-making levels.”The candidates were also asked that all decisions they make are free of all forms of violence or discrimination. The details were reiterated at a press conference held on Monday with 15 days left until the door closes on applications for candidacy in the upcoming elections. There are just five female candidates registered on the lists of the Ministry of Interior throughout Lebanon.Claudine Aoun, head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, said: “Women in Lebanon are present in all the economic, cultural and scientific fields, and their percentage in the judiciary and some private professions is close to or more than 50 percent.”She added: “But the percentage of women in parliament does not exceed 4.7 percent and does not exceed 6 percent in municipal councils, and in the government, it is reduced to one minister.” Her remarks came as the commission held a meeting with representatives from political parties in Lebanon within the framework of the implementation of the national action plan for UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, security and peace, which was approved by the Lebanese government. The commission — with the support of UN Women — has called for the increase of women’s participation in representative bodies across the country and in leadership positions in the public and political sectors.
Last October, parliament rejected the amendment of a text in the electoral law to include a quota for women, which angered the only female MP in the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
She withdrew from the session and said: “They refused even to discuss the proposal at a time when they talk daily about the role of women and the necessity of their participation in public political life. They have failed us.” Lebanese women obtained the right to vote and run as candidates in 1953.Mirna Al-Bustani was the first woman to serve in the Lebanese parliament after she took charge of representing her father Emile Al-Bustani’s parliament seat upon his death in 1963. Other women entered parliamentary work, succeeding either brothers or husbands, or taking over the position due to having children. These female MPs include Nohad Saeed, Nayla Moawad, Solange Gemayel, Bahia Hariri, Strida Geagea and Nayla Tueni. Parliament is composed of 128 MPs, including six women MPs who won parliamentary seats out of 86 candidates on the lists that competed in 2018. The total number of women who have held a parliamentary seat since the establishment of the Lebanese Parliament is only 14. The candidate for Beirut’s second district, Kholoud Wattar, is one of the first candidates to raise a banner in one of Beirut’s neighborhoods that read, “I chose you, my country,” announcing that she will run again for parliament after she failed in the previous session. Wattar told Arab News: “The parties in power are not concerned with the presence of women in public affairs, so how if the woman is running in elections from outside this system and is independent and no one supports her, even if she is active on the ground.”Wattar, who specializes in international negotiation and political sociology and who previously worked with Women Political Leaders global network, said: “The electoral situation is in crisis, especially in Beirut. People are frustrated. “I am the only candidate for a seat in Beirut, as neither a man nor a woman from the Sunni sect has yet announced their candidacy. It’s confusing.”She added: “The psychological state of people is tainted by despair. I submitted my application, but on which list I will be, this matter is premature. “We are 15 days away from closing the candidacy door, and all things are still ambiguous.”Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi reaffirmed on Monday that “the parliamentary elections will take place on time.”

Burying Infants and Hezbollah’s Weapon
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/April 30/2025
A Lebanese army officer shows to Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam an Israeli military positon on the horizon, in the southern village of Khiam near the border with Israel, on February 28, 2025, after the withdrawal last December of Israeli forces from the area under a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. Israel stepped up its campaign in south Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges begun by Hezbollah in support of Hamas following its Palestinian ally's October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. A ceasefire came into effect on November 27.
Lebanon is locked in a cycle of paralysis, and no debate exemplifies this more than the endless, sterile argument over Hezbollah’s arms — a debate that has long since ceased to be political and become existential.
In recent weeks, Hezbollah and its supporters have returned to their familiar refrain: that their weapons are “clean”, immune from the stipulations of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. They ignore the fact that this resolution — negotiated and signed with the approval of Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who also represents Hezbollah — demands the disarmament of all non-state actors.
Contrary to the mythology promoted by Hezbollah and its allies, it was the party itself — not Israel — that sued for the latest ceasefire. Through backchannels and direct appeals to U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, Hezbollah sought de-escalation under terms clearly favorable to Israel. Far from a show of strength, this episode marked the collapse of a decades-long Iranian military project disguised as “resistance.”
Waste thirty minutes listening to Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem and you’ll come away with one stark conclusion: the party and its regional axis are utterly detached from reality. Their talk of victory, steadfastness, and deterrence is not just delusional — it’s dangerous. It reveals either a pathological denial of facts or a cynical willingness to lie. Both are equally corrosive.
Hezbollah insists that their arms are legitimate because they were once used against Israel — and because, they claim, they enjoy a “cross-sectarian national consensus.” But today, this justification is no different from the ancient tribal practice of burying newborn daughters alive — a horrifying tradition once seen as honorable in patriarchal societies. Like Hezbollah’s arsenal, it was once accepted in its community. And like that practice, it is now indefensible.
Hezbollah’s weapons no longer belong to the present. Not simply because Israeli strikes have eliminated many of the party’s senior figures — including, reportedly, its secretary-general — but because the weapon itself, rooted in sectarianism and subservience to Tehran, has become a crime against Lebanon. It is the very people who once embraced the party — those in the South and the suburbs — who have paid the price: displacement, destruction, humiliation.
And in their time of need, Hezbollah offered no protection. Instead, it was the party’s Lebanese political opponents who provided shelters, aid, and refuge. Hezbollah, once the self-proclaimed shield of Lebanon, became its most reckless liability.
Today, the question of Hezbollah’s arms is not a “national dialogue” issue, as President Joseph Aoun has suggested. It is a national trauma. What we are witnessing — particularly among the party’s base — is not resilience, but a kind of collective psychological collapse. The most telling moment came during an Israeli airstrike on a Hezbollah weapons depot. From a distance of 300 meters — the range instructed by Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee — party supporters gathered not in protest, but in celebration, firing bullets into the air to rejoice over the destruction of their own neighborhoods.
How does one explain this to friends abroad? Why would young men celebrate the bombing of their homes?
This is not politics. It is pathology. And like the pre-Islamic tribes who buried their daughters and insisted it was noble, Hezbollah’s base — and its shrinking leadership — insists on the legitimacy of a weapon that has long since become an act of collective suicide.
Lebanon now faces two stark choices: either bury Hezbollah — politically and militarily — or continue to be buried by it. The country cannot emerge from its current abyss while it remains shackled to a weaponized ideology from another time, another place, and another war.
Until then, Lebanon remains suspended in a new kind of jahiliyya (The Age of Ignorance) — one no less cruel, no less absurd, than the one we thought we had left behind.
*This article originally appeared in Nidaa al-Watan
Makram Rabah is the managing editor at Now Lebanon and an Assistant Professor at the American University of Beirut, Department of History. His book Conflict on Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh University Press) cover collective identities and the Lebanese Civil War. He tweets at @makramrabah

Why this year’s Spring Meetings were unusual
Dr. Khalil Gebara/Arab News/April 30, 2025
For many, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s Spring Meetings might seem like routine calendar fixtures — occasions where finance ministers, central bank governors and senior executives convene to address global economic concerns. But this year’s meetings stood out, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which appeared to be steering the world toward trade or currency wars, posing the risk of long-term damage to the international economic order.
Few institutions are more central to that order than the IMF and the World Bank. Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, these institutions were tasked with reorganizing the global financial architecture — promoting fiscal discipline, enabling coordinated monetary responses and encouraging economic integration, particularly in times when retaliatory tariffs or competitive devaluations were seen as triggers for conflict and even global wars.
Lebanon is no stranger to these gatherings. In fact, its delegations — typically comprising officials from various ministries and the offices of the president and prime minister — have been regular participants. This institutional diversity reflects the cross-cutting nature of Lebanon’s challenges and a deeper structural reality: the country’s fragmented and often incoherent decision-making process. In many ways, the makeup of the Lebanese delegation mirrors the sectarian power-sharing arrangement at the heart of the Lebanese state — where representation in international forums often prioritizes political inclusion over strategic relevance.
Lebanese representatives reiterated their interest in reaching a comprehensive reform agreement with the IMF
At this year’s meetings, held last week, Lebanese representatives reiterated their interest in reaching a comprehensive reform agreement with the IMF in exchange for financial assistance. This marks the third time a government has pursued such a deal since Lebanon’s economic collapse in October 2019. While the international community continues to detect resistance from entrenched political and economic elites and internal divergences within the delegation, there may now be slightly improved prospects. A broad consensus appears to be emerging among international actors: securing an IMF agreement is indispensable to unlocking financial support for a country ravaged by a financial crisis estimated to exceed $80 billion — an implosion that wiped out the savings of both Lebanese and non-Lebanese depositors. Adding to these losses is the burden of the most recent conflict, with the World Bank estimating damages at $14 billion. An agreement would signal a long-overdue commitment to fiscal discipline and structural reform — after decades of economic mismanagement. What stood out in this year’s meetings was the participation of Syria — Lebanon’s deeply intertwined neighbor. Despite the many challenges and the complex relationship between the two countries, their trajectories inevitably overlap and intersect. Syria’s return to the international stage was among the most significant developments of this year’s meetings.
For the first time in decades, an official Syrian delegation — including the ministers of foreign affairs and finance and the newly appointed central bank governor — attended the meetings. They held side discussions with representatives of international financial institutions to explore avenues for economic recovery and postwar reconstruction.
This reengagement would not have been possible without Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s support, as they paid $15 million on behalf of the Syrian government to settle long-standing arrears with the World Bank, effectively opening the door to future grants and technical assistance. As a direct outcome of the Syrian delegation’s participation, the IMF appointed a new mission chief for Syria. The challenges facing Syria are daunting. The list of urgent needs is long and prioritizing them is no easy task. Questions about the features of the potential economic model, the scope and function of the public sector and the role of the private sector remain unresolved. Syria’s return to the international stage was among the most significant developments of this year’s meetings
However, reconstruction in Syria is not merely about rebuilding physical infrastructure. It also entails reviving a collapsed economy, restoring public services, reinvesting in human and social capital and addressing the deep societal trauma and mass displacement caused by the conflict. Financial estimates vary, but the price tag is consistently staggering: from $180 billion just to return to preconflict gross domestic product levels to broader recovery costs ranging between $250 billion and $400 billion.
A persistent item on the Syrian agenda is the demand for relief from international sanctions. Any effort to secure aid or reintegrate into the global financial system is constrained by sanctions, which remain one of the most significant barriers to postconflict stabilization. For example, the implementation of the UN Development Programme’s $1.3 billion aid plan for Syria is already constrained by the existing sanctions regime.
Sanctions are typically intended as tools for influencing political outcomes. However, in Syria’s case, their ongoing presence risks preventing the very conditions needed for any viable political resolution. Sanctions prolong instability by obstructing economic recovery, impeding the restoration of services and sowing uncertainty. This environment empowers spoilers, deepens grievances and diminishes the prospects of a sustainable peace or a functional state. They also hamper meaningful dialogue with Syria’s neighbors on the return of refugees — an issue critical to easing the political, social and economic burdens placed on host countries.
Lebanon and Syria are both seeking to reintegrate into the international economic system, while facing the urgent need to rein in their cash-based economies and dismantle entrenched patterns of illicit trade, money laundering and extortion networks that have flourished in the absence of effective governance. As both countries navigate the fragile path from collapse to recovery, this year’s Spring Meetings served as a powerful reminder that international engagement is essential — not only for economic stability but also for saving lives. Neither country can confront the magnitude of its challenges without the sustained support of committed international partners.
**Dr. Khalil Gebara is a Lebanese academic and public policy expert. X: @gebarak

Shifting power in Lebanon revives hopes for Beirut port blast accountability
ANAN TELLO/Arab News/April 30, 2025
LONDON: On Aug. 4, 2020, the biggest non-nuclear explosion ever recorded tore through Lebanon’s Port of Beirut, devastating entire neighborhoods and leaving hundreds dead or wounded. Almost five years on, no one has been held to account for the blast. In a rare breakthrough in the long-stalled inquiry into the explosion, presiding judge Tarek Bitar was recently able to question two former security chiefs — including one who was appearing in court for the first time since his 2020 summons. This development on April 11 signaled a renewed momentum after years of obstruction and political interference, brought about in part by the election of a new technocratic government and the weakening of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. According to four judicial and two security officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, Bitar questioned Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, head of the General Security Directorate from 2011 to 2023, and former State Security chief Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba. The momentum continued the following week when Bitar summoned former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk. Days later, he interrogated former Prime Minister Hassan Diab for more than two hours and remanded him for further questioning. Lebanon’s judiciary has long been plagued by interference and a political culture resistant to accountability, particularly when powerful groups such as Hezbollah are involved.
Observers say the blast, which killed more than 218 people, remains a painful emblem of Lebanon’s systemic dysfunction. Fadi Nicholas Nassar, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, described the Beirut port blast as “a reflection of everything that pushed Lebanon to the brink: militia control, a political class beholden to Hezbollah, a weakened judiciary, and corruption at every level — all made worse by the obstruction of justice.” “How Lebanon handles the investigation now will be the defining moment: a turn toward accountability, or a confirmation that impunity still rules,” he told Arab News. The investigation into the Beirut port blast ground to a halt in late 2021 after Hezbollah’s then-leader, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Bitar of political bias and called for his replacement. “The targeting is clear, you are picking certain officials and certain people,” Nasrallah said at the time. “The bias is clear,” he added, demanding that Bitar be replaced with a “transparent” judge. This public condemnation marked a turning point in what many viewed as a calculated effort to derail the investigation and shield powerful figures from prosecution. The list of those questioned includes former prime ministers, cabinet ministers, security chiefs, and customs and port authorities — many of whom reportedly have ties to Hezbollah and its allies, including the Amal Movement. Diab himself was nominated to lead the government in 2019 by Hezbollah and its allies. Yet the specific charges against these figures remain undisclosed, underscoring the secrecy that has surrounded the investigation since it began. Critics say the attack on Bitar was part of a broader campaign to undermine the probe.
FAST FACTS
• The Beirut port blast had a force equivalent to 1,000-1,500 tons of TNT, or 1.1 kilotons.
• It registered as a 3.3-magnitude earthquake, with shockwaves disrupting the ionosphere.
• Felt over 200 kilometers away in Cyprus, causing damage to buildings up to 10km from the port.
Makram Rabah, an assistant professor at the American University of Beirut, says Hezbollah and its allies “have tried to implode it through using red tape, through trying to rig and play the system.”In recent months, however, shifting political dynamics may have reopened the path to justice. Hezbollah’s influence has waned since its 2023-24 conflict with Israel, while the appointment of President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has fueled hopes for progress. “The new government will definitely empower Tarek Bitar to pursue justice,” Rabah told Arab News, adding that his optimism stems not from the government’s technocratic makeup, “but because it’s a normal functioning government.”Mohammed Chebaro, a London-based political analyst and researcher, echoed Rabah’s optimism. “Since the defeat of Hezbollah in the latest war — and what I would describe as a regime change — we’ve seen a series of developments that have been broadly welcomed by most Lebanese, and by any sovereign nation,” he told Arab News.
Hezbollah suffered a major blow during its war with Israel, which resulted in the killing of Nasrallah and other top officials, the destruction of much of its military hardware, and the draining of its finances. Forced to accept a ceasefire deal brokered by the US, the group has since ceded most of its positions south of the Litani River to the Lebanese army, leaving its future uncertain. Chebaro said the election of Aoun as president in January and the appointment of Salam as prime minister signaled a shift. “Both leaders appear to be free from foreign influence, whether Syrian or Iranian,” he said, adding that the weakening of Hezbollah’s grip on the country has “automatically paved the way for many initiatives to be relaunched.”With political space opening, Chebaro believes Bitar now has the latitude to act. “At the moment, Judge Bitar has a free hand — and he will likely continue to have one. The real question is whether the investigation can extend to apprehending and questioning figures with political protection.” He cited Machnouk as an example. “He’s part of the (Third) Independence Movement, and individuals from this group have generally acted within the law and have been willing to cooperate. Even if they were implicated, they wouldn’t resist presenting themselves for questioning.”But “the real test,” Chebaro added, “lies with members of the military establishment who served under the Hezbollah-aligned governments of Diab and Najib Mikati.”“A turning point would be seeing those military officials stand before Bitar — especially if they are backed by political patrons in what’s known as the Shiite Duo alliance of Hezbollah and Amal,” he said. “These are the same individuals who previously rejected the investigation and even accused Judge Bitar of treason for summoning them.”
That puts the new government in a delicate position. “How far are they willing to go?” Chebaro asked. “This is sensitive terrain. Will they pursue full justice, even at the risk of destabilizing the political system, or move more cautiously while rebuilding rule of law?”
Chebaro believes Salam’s government has little choice but to act. “A crime as devastating as the Beirut port explosion would inevitably be a priority for a government seeking to reassert sovereignty and demonstrate to the world that Lebanon has an independent judiciary capable of uncovering the truth.”The Beirut port blast occurred when a fire ignited 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored in a warehouse since 2014. The resulting explosion, widely blamed on years of government negligence and corruption, killed at least 218 people, injured more than 7,000, displaced some 300,000, and caused property damage estimated at over $15 billion. In the face of a stalled investigation, the families of victims and rights groups began pushing for international intervention. They “called for a UN-backed, independent factfinding mission that would determine the truth and clearly delineate responsibility for the disaster,” said Nassar of the Middle East Institute. Lebanon’s new leadership now has an opportunity to reset the course “by backing the call for a UN-backed factfinding mission, ensuring the local investigation moves forward free from obstruction, and letting the truth bring justice to the victims of the Beirut blast,” he added. In July 2024, a coalition of Lebanese and international groups, survivors, and victims’ families urged members of the UN Human Rights Council to support a resolution establishing an independent factfinding mission into rights violations tied to the explosion.
The call reflected a broader crisis of accountability in Lebanon, where major crimes have routinely gone unpunished.
Lebanon has a long history of political assassinations and violence — including the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and the 2012 murder of intelligence chief Wissam Al-Hassan — that have largely evaded accountability. Investigations have repeatedly been derailed by political interference and a judiciary weakened by corruption and partisan control. However, Nassar pointed to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as a rare exception. “The STL was the rare moment when truth broke through Lebanon’s entrenched obstruction and violence, even in the face of the assassination of Wissam Eid, a Lebanese intelligence officer who gave his life to expose the truth,” he said. However, “since then, international diplomacy has consistently prioritized short-term stability over accountability. “The STL’s findings, which confirm Hezbollah’s responsibility in Rafic Hariri’s assassination, remain an enduring truth. As Lebanon now faces the probe into the Beirut blast, it has a chance to break from its past.
With the Hezbollah militia's armed might reduced to ruins in its war with Israel, there may be hope that the quest for justice for victims of the Beirut port blast would finally prosper. “Only by committing to truth and accountability can Lebanon begin to undo the forces that have held it hostage for so long.”Echoing that concern, Middle East expert Chebaro warned that while hope for justice in the Beirut port case remains, the reality is far more complicated. “Many in Lebanon already have a clear idea of who controls the state,” he said. “As much as I hope impunity won’t prevail, the outcome remains uncertain.” Chebaro said that while those responsible for the storage of the explosive material could, in theory, be identified and prosecuted, the greater challenge lies in whether Lebanon’s political elite is willing to face the consequences.
“Balancing the pursuit of justice with the stability of the current regime — and the future of Lebanon — will ultimately determine how deep this investigation is allowed to go,” he said. Still, he noted that the resumption of the probe is a positive sign. “The fact that things are moving again is, at least, encouraging,” Chebaro said. That cautious optimism is shared by Rabah of the American University of Beirut. While skeptical that Bitar can uncover the full truth on his own, Rabah said the investigation is a step in the right direction. “I don’t believe that Tarek Bitar on his own will be able to actually know what really happened, because the way he’s going about it is only exploring the technical aspect,” he said. “But in all cases, we do have reason to be optimistic, be it in the investigation of Tarek Bitar or any other one.”

Lebanese women learn to shoot for self-defense, apply for gun licenses
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/April 30, 2025
BEIRUT: The number of civilian women applying to the Ministry of Defense for licenses to possess firearms in Lebanon is on the rise.Gun ownership in Lebanon is a phenomenon that dates back to before the civil war in the 1970s, and its complexities continue to have an impact due to the misuse of weapons and the consequences that follow. While this phenomenon has been associated with masculinity, the participation of women in bearing arms alongside men in the military and security forces over the past two decades has broken this exclusivity. It seems to have opened the door widely for civilian women to dare to acquire firearms and even train in their use for security-related reasons. Cynthia Yaacoub, 33, a Lebanese firearms instructor, said: “In Lebanon, we have a gun culture — and I do not mean a culture of weapon collectors — but we lack training on how and when to use firearms properly and safely, and what the consequences are of using them incorrectly, both technically and legally.”In an interview with Arab News at the shooting range of the Lebanese General Security in Beirut, Yaacoub said: “Lebanese people from my generation — those in their 30s and 40s — are learning to shoot from YouTube, and even children have learned about guns through the game PUBG and have developed a fondness for firearms. As for those in their 50s, they are divided into two groups: one that has already experienced gun possession and used weapons during the civil war, and another that rejected firearms and still fears them and fears for their children.
“There are many reasons why Lebanese women acquire firearms,” she continued. “According to the women who request shooting training, the number one reason is self-defense. Some of them have husbands who work abroad and need to protect themselves. Others view shooting as a hobby, just like practicing any other sport. There are also women in their 50s and 60s who feel they have fulfilled their roles as mothers and now want to explore adventure and do things they did not do in their youth — so they turn to more extreme sports like horseback riding, shooting, and skydiving.”
Hanan Demian decided to learn shooting “after seeing instructor Cynthia doing it on social media. I believe this hobby enhances focus and self-confidence, and I love adventure.”Based on over six years of training experience, Yaacoub says: “Lebanese women possess a high level of focus and calmness, which enables them to master shooting more quickly. When they leave the club, they experience a significant sense of empowerment, even if they are not carrying a weapon. They gain greater self-confidence and a sense of authority, which I also experience. Since I learned to shoot and became an instructor, no one has dared to disrespect me, despite my non-violent nature and the fact that I do not carry a gun.”
Yaacoub added: “Some husbands bring their wives with them to practice shooting. I have an entire family who trains in shooting. The clubs do not accept trainees under the age of 18.”But is shooting not a means to master the act of killing, rather than to appreciate the value of life, particularly in Lebanon where firearms are often used for trivial reasons and many fall victim? “Certainly, it serves as a method for all those who train in shooting to understand human value,” Yaacoub said. “They ask me, ‘how can one kill another?’ We train to shoot at a piece of paper and feel its terror, so how can one shoot at humans and animals? Part of shooting training is to educate the person to think carefully before shooting, except in the most extreme cases, where the choice is between life and death. During the training sessions I conduct in Beirut and Doha at the request of a shooting club there, we have a lawyer and a psychologist present to explain the consequences of gunfire.”Previously, Yaacoub organized training sessions for Mother’s Day and International Women’s Day under the theme “Empowering Women.” Additionally, for Valentine’s Day, couples participated, and during Christmas, she issued vouchers that sold exceptionally well, “as people found them to be an unconventional gift compared to traditional options like perfume and gold.”
At a sports club in Beirut, Yaacoub organized training sessions for children on shooting with pellets “to teach children discipline and refined shooting skills, so they do not grow up to harm one another.”
Yaacoub also promotes training courses in Poland on social media. “I trained at an academy in Poland, which was a distinct experience. The shooting takes place outdoors, and one can earn a certification that opens up job prospects in security agencies or enhances one’s career, potentially leading to becoming a trainer. Thus far, women who learn shooting tend to view it merely as a hobby akin to kickboxing. I have yet to meet a girl who has transitioned to professionalism or expresses a desire to do so. In this regard, I miss having a female partner to train with, someone whose advice I can hear as she hears mine.”

UK Military Launches Airstrikes with US Targeting Yemen's Houthis
Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
The British military launched airstrikes with the United States targeting Yemen's Houthi militias, officials said early Wednesday, their first involvement with America's new intense campaign targeting the Iran-backed group. The United Kingdom offered a detailed explanation of its reason to launch the strike. The UK's Defense Ministry described the site attacked as “a cluster of buildings, used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, located some 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Sanaa.”
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s took part in the raid, dropping Paveway IV guided bombs, the ministry added. “The strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced yet further,” the ministry said.
The British offered no information on the damage done in the strike, nor whether it believed there were any casualties. “This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation,” said John Healey, the UK's secretary of state for defense. “A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fueling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the UK.” The Houthis reported several strikes around Yemen's capital, Sanaa. Other strikes hit around Saada. President Donald Trump ordered the intensification of US strikes on Yemen last month, with his administration saying it will continue assaulting the Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea shipping. The British have taken part in airstrikes alongside the US since the Biden administration began its campaign of strikes targeting the Houthis back in January 2024. However, this new strike is the first to see the British involved in the campaign under Trump. The US military said over the weekend it has struck over 800 targets since mid-March.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 30-May 01/2025
Israel says strikes Syria to shield Druze as clashes spread
AFP/April 30, 2025
DAMASCUS: Israel struck the Syrian Arab Republic on Wednesday in what it called a “warning” against attacks on the Druze minority, in a military intervention that came as sectarian clashes spread near Damascus. The sectarian violence, and Israel’s intervention, present huge challenges to the Islamist authorities who overthrew longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December, and follow massacres last month in Syria’s Alawite coastal heartland. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “carried out a warning action and struck the organization of an extremist group preparing to attack the Druze population” in Sahnaya. Deadly sectarian clashes erupted overnight in Sahnaya, a town home to people from Syria’s Druze and Christian minorities southwest of the capital. Israel had previously warned Syria’s Islamist rulers against harming the Druze, who follow an offshoot of Islam and make up about three percent of Syria’s population. “A stern message was conveyed to the Syrian regime — Israel expects them to act to prevent harm to the Druze community,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office. State news agency SANA, citing the health ministry, said 16 people were killed and an unspecified number wounded “after outlaw groups targeted civilians and security forces” in the Sahnaya area overnight. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said two local fighters were killed in Sahnaya during “clashes between gunmen linked to the authorities and local Druze fighters.” The night before, 13 people including eight Druze fighters and nine gunmen linked to the authorities were killed in Jaramana, a mainly Druze and Christian suburb southeast of the capital, the Observatory said.
Jaramana and Sahnaya are surrounded by Sunni-majority areas.
The violence was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous. AFP was unable to confirm the recording’s authenticity. In Sahnaya, activist Samer Rafaa said that “we didn’t sleep... right now mortar shells are falling on our homes.” “The authorities are absent... we beg them to do their part,” Rafaa told AFP, adding that “people are dying.” The interior ministry said authorities would “strike with an iron first all those who seek to destabilize Syria’s security,” SANA reported. It said security forces launched an operation to arrest “outlaw gangs” in the area. Syria’s new Islamist authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network, have vowed inclusive rule in the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country but must also contend with pressures from radical Islamists within their ranks. Israel, which sees Syria’s new forces as jihadists, has launched hundreds of strikes on military sites in Syria since Assad’s downfall and ground incursions to keep forces away from its border. It has also sent troops into the demilitarised buffer zone of the Israeli-annexed Syrian Golan Heights and voiced support for Syria’s Druze.
The Druze are mainly divided between Lebanon, Israel and Syria.
Key Syria backer Turkiye has accused Israel of stirring up divisions and turning minorities against Damascus. Citing a security source, SANA said that “outlaw groups” in Sahnaya attacked a checkpoint overnight while other groups fired at vehicles elsewhere. The Observatory also said Druze gunmen targeted checkpoints, adding a curfew was imposed and local officials discussed ways to restore calm. Druze fighter Karam, declining to provide his full name due to the security situation, told AFP that clashes began outside Sahnaya “and spread to its outskirts.”“The sound of fighting has not stopped since last night,” said Karam, 27, as gunfire rang out in the background, adding that “there is a body on the road ahead of me... restoring calm will require great effort.”Information ministry official Ali Al-Rifai told journalists the dead included five security personnel targeted by “sniper” fire. The six others, from the southern province of Daraa, were inside a vehicle that was targeted, Rifai added. Armed factions were dissolved and have been integrating into the defense ministry after Assad’s ouster. General Security, formerly the chief security agency in rebel-held northwest Syria, is now the most influential such body. In Jaramana, calm returned on as Syria’s government promised Druze leaders to try those responsible for the violence, which it blamed on “gunmen.”An AFP photographer said mourners raised Druze flags at the funeral Wednesday for seven fighters from Jaramana. Druze representatives have declared their loyalty to a united Syria amid Israeli warnings. Last month’s massacres on the coast, where the Observatory said security forces and allied groups killed more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites, were the worst bloodshed since the December ouster of Assad, who is from the minority community. The government accused Assad loyalists of sparking the violence by attacking security forces, and has launched an inquiry.

Switzerland to Enact Hamas Ban from May 15
Asharq Al Awsat/April 30, 2025
A new Swiss law banning Hamas and related organizations will come into force on May 15, the government said on Wednesday, aiming to prevent the Palestinian militant group from using Switzerland as a safe haven by making entry bans or expulsions easier to arrange.
The law, which was approved by parliament last December and came in the wake of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, gives Swiss authorities "the necessary tools to take action against Hamas activities or support for the organization in Switzerland," the government said, according to Reuters. The Gaza war started after Hamas' attack which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's offensive on the enclave has killed more than 52,000, according to local Palestinian health officials. The Swiss law enables preventive police measures such as entry bans or expulsions, and also makes it more difficult for Hamas to use Switzerland as a financial hub for its activities.

Israel says it carried out operation against gunmen attacking Druze fighters in Syria
Omar Albam And Omar Sanadiki/The Associated Press/April 30, 2025
SAHNAYA, Syria — Israel said Wednesday that it carried out an attack in Syria on a group targeting members of a minority sect as a new round of clashes left at least 11 people dead, most of them members of the country’s security forces. The clashes on the edge of the town of Sahnaya, south of the capital Damascus, came a day after a heavy exchange of fire between pro-government gunmen and Druze fighters left 10 people dead in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana. A statement released by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel's military carried out a warning operation and attacked “an extremist group that was organizing to continue attacking the Druze population” in Sahnaya. It didn't give details about the warning operation. The statement said “a serious message was also conveyed to the Syrian regime,” adding that Israel expects it to act to prevent harm to the Druze. The Syrian Information Ministry said in a statement that 11 members of the country’s security forces were killed in two separate attacks and that others were wounded, triggering the clashes. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said that 22 people were killed, of whom 16 were members of the security forces while two were Druze residents of Sahnaya. It added that government forces are sending reinforcements toward Sahnaya. The Israeli military said Wednesday night that three Syrian Druze who were wounded in the fighting were taken to Israel for treatment. On March 1, Israel’s Defense Ministry said that the military had been instructed to prepare to defend Jaramana, asserting that the minority it has vowed to protect was “under attack” by Syrian forces. On Wednesday afternoon, a deal was reached between Druze dignitaries and officials representing the government after which security forces and pro-government gunmen entered Sahnaya and the situation became quite after Druze gunmen withdrew from the streets. The Druze religious sect is a minority group that began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. Rayan Maarouf, editor-in-chief of the activist media collective Suwayda24, said that the clashes broke out Tuesday night when security forces began attacking Ashrafiet Sahnaya. Maarouf, who is a Druze, said that since Tuesday night, residents have been contacting them to say that residential areas were being targeted. The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen said in a statement that he is deeply concerned “at unacceptable violence in Syria,” adding that he is alarmed at reports of civilian casualties and also casualties among security personnel and the potential for further escalation of an extremely fragile situation. “He is also alarmed at reports of Israeli attacks. These attacks must stop,” Pedersen's statement said. Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, the largest Druze political group in the country, said former leader Walid Joumblatt contacted the political leadership in Damascus as well as officials in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, adding that an agreement had been reached on a ceasefire that went into effect. Since the downfall of President Bashar Assad in December, Israel has pushed its forces into southern Syria to create a demilitarized buffer zone. “Israel will not allow harm to the Druze community in Syria out of a deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who are connected by family and historical ties to their Druze brothers in Syria,” the statement released by Netanyahu said.

Israel says it hit ‘extremists’ in Syria to protect Druze
Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
Israel said it carried out a strike in Syria against “extremists” who attacked members of the Druze community, following through on a promise to protect the minority group as sectarian violence spread near Damascus on Wednesday. It appeared to be Israel’s first military action in support of Syrian Druze since Bashar al-Assad was toppled, reflecting its deep mistrust of the authorities who replaced him and posing a further challenge to President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to establish control over the fractured nation. A Syrian interior ministry source told Reuters Israeli drone strikes targeted government security forces, killing one of their members, in the mainly Druze town of Sahnaya on Damascus’ outskirts. The Druze adhere to a faith that is an offshoot of Islam and have followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military had carried out “a warning operation and struck an extremist group” as it prepared to continue an attack on Druze in Sahnaya. “At the same time, a message was passed on to the Syrian regime – Israel expects it to act in order to prevent harm to the Druze,” they said. Since al-Assad was ousted in December, Israel has seized ground in the southwest, vowed to protect the Druze, lobbied Washington to keep the neighboring state weak, and blown up much of the Syrian army’s heavy weapons in the days after he was toppled. Al-Sharaa, who was an al-Qaeda commander before renouncing ties to the group in 2016, has repeatedly vowed to govern Syria in an inclusive way. But incidents of sectarian violence, including the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, have hardened fears among minority groups about the new authorities. The sectarian violence began on Tuesday with clashes between Druze and Sunni gunmen in the predominantly Druze area of Jaramana. It was ignited by a voice recording cursing the Prophet Mohammed and which the Sunni militants suspected was made by a Druze. More than a dozen people were reported killed on Tuesday, before the violence spread to Sahnaya on Wednesday. In a statement on state news agency SANA, the director of security for the Damascus countryside said a ceasefire was reached in Jaramana but outlaws had escalated attacks in the Sahnaya area on Wednesday, killing 16 members of the security forces. The interior ministry has said it is investigating the origin of the audio recording. Grand Mufti Sheikh Osama al-Rifai, appointed Syria’s top Muslim cleric in March, said in a recorded statement that the spilling of any Syrian blood was forbidden. Residents of Sahnaya reported intense street fighting throughout Wednesday. The new leadership in Damascus has called for all arms to fall under their authority, but Druze fighters have resisted, saying Damascus has failed to guarantee their protection from hostile militants. The Israeli government reiterated its pledge to defend Syrian Druze in March after the attacks on Alawites – bloodshed that was sparked by deadly attacks on government security forces and blamed by Damacus on al-Assad loyalists. Israel has a small Druze community and there are also some 24,000 Druze living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day war. Israel annexed the territory in 1981, a move that has not been recognized by most countries or the United Nations. The spiritual leader of Druze in Israel, Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, said late on Tuesday he was “closely monitoring” developments in Syria and had discussed them with Israel’s defense minister. Israel struck Syria regularly when it was governed by al-Assad, seeking to curb the role of his ally Iran. With Reuters

Minutes to leave: Syria's Alawites evicted from private homes at gunpoint
Amina Ismail/Reuters/April 30, 2025
DAMASCUS- Early one evening in late January, 12 masked men stormed the Damascus home of Um Hassan's family, pointed AK-47 assault rifles in their faces and ordered them to leave. When they presented ownership documents, the men arrested Um Hassan's oldest brother and said they could only have him back once they had moved out. The family surrendered the house 24 hours later and picked him up, battered and bruised, from the local General Security Service headquarters, said Um Hassan, giving only her nickname for fear of reprisals. Her family is part of Syria's minority Alawite community, an offshoot of the Shi'ite faith and the sect of former strongman Bashar al-Assad. Their story is not unique. Since Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa seized power in December, hundreds of Alawites have been forced from their private homes in Damascus by the security forces, according to Syrian officials, Alawite leaders, human rights groups and 12 people with similar accounts who spoke to Reuters. "We're definitely not talking about independent incidents. We are talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of evictions," said Bassam Alahmad, executive director of human rights group Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ). The mass evictions of Alawites from privately owned homes have not been previously reported. For more than 50 years, Assad and his father before him crushed any opposition from Syria's Sunni Muslims, who make up more than 70% of the population. Alawites took many of the top positions in government and the military and ran big businesses. They now accuse supporters of Sharaa, who once ran an al Qaeda affiliate, of systematically abusing them as payback. In March, hundreds of Alawites were killed in Syria's western coastal region and sectarian violence spread to Damascus in apparent retribution for a deadly ambush on Syria's new security forces by armed Assad loyalists. Two government officials said thousands of people had been kicked out of homes in Damascus since Assad was toppled by Sharaa's rebel force, with the majority being Alawites. The officials said most resided in government housing associated with their jobs in state institutions and, since they were no longer employed, they had lost their right to stay. But hundreds more, like Um Hassan, were evicted from their privately owned homes simply because they are Alawites, Reuters interviews with multiple officials and victims show. The interior ministry, which oversees the GSS, and Sharaa's office did not respond to requests for comment.
'WAR SPOILS COMMITTEE'
Sharaa has vowed to pursue inclusive policies to unite a country shattered by a 14-year sectarian civil war and attract foreign investment and aid. But Alawites fear the evictions are part of systematic sectarian score settling by Syria's new rulers. An official who declined to be named at the Damascus Countryside Directorate, which is responsible for managing public services, said they had received hundreds of complaints from people who had been violently evicted. An Alawite mayor in a Damascus suburb, who also asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said in March that 250 families out of 2,000 there had been evicted. The mayor shared with Reuters a call recorded in March with someone claiming to be a member of the General Security Service (GSS), a new agency made up of rebel fighters who ousted Assad. The GSS official demanded the mayor find an empty house for a family relocating from the north. When the mayor said there were no apartments for rent, the official told him to, "empty one of those houses that belong to one of those pigs", referring to Alawites. Muslims consider pigs unclean and impure and calling someone a pig is highly offensive. According to three senior GSS officials, the new authorities have established two committees to manage properties belonging to individuals perceived to be connected to the previous regime. One committee is responsible for confiscations, the other addresses complaints, the people said. Reuters was unable to determine to what extent Sharaa was aware of how homeowners were being evicted, or whether his office had oversight of the committees.
They were created as Sharaa's forces closed in on Damascus in December and were modelled on a similar entity known as the "War Spoils Committee" in his former stronghold Idlib, the GSS sources said. "These evictions will certainly change the demographics of the city, similar to the changes that Assad implemented against his opponents in Sunni areas. We are talking about the same practice, but with different victims," said Alahmad at STJ. On April 16, STJ filed a complaint with the Damascus Suburbs Directorate, calling for an end to "sectarian-motivated" property violations and the return of looted properties.
TWO MINUTES TO LEAVE
Assad's father Hafez al-Assad moved Alawites from coastal areas to urban centres to help cement his powerbase. Assad set up military installations and housing units for troops and their families around Damascus, where Alawites, who were over-represented in the army, made up a significant portion of the population, according to Fabrice Balanche, a Syria expert and an associate professor at the University of Lyon 2. Balanche estimated that half a million Alawites have moved to coastal areas after being evicted from the capital, Homs, Aleppo, and other parts of Syria following Assad's fall. In the Alawite neighbourhood of Dahyet al-Assad, civil servant and mother of four Um Hussein said two armed masked men came to her privately owned home on January 16 and identified themselves as GSS members. The newly created GSS deployed by Sharaa seems to be an extension of the security force that ruled Idlib province, said Syria expert Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. The GSS now seems to be the Police, FBI, CIA and national guard, all rolled into one, he said. Um Hussein said the men gave her 24 hours grace to leave, because of her son's dependence on a wheelchair. She appealed to numerous government bodies to keep her home, and received some assurances. The next day at about 10 a.m., the men returned and gave her two minutes to leave. Um Hussein said they also confiscated a shop her family owned in the neighbourhood and were renting out. "We have been living in this house for more than 22 years. All our money and savings have been invested in it. We cannot afford to rent elsewhere," said Um Hussein. Reuters spoke with two members of the security forces at the private homes they had occupied. One had seized two houses - including Um Hussein's - after evicting the owners. Hamid Mohamed, meanwhile, said his unit had taken over four empty homes belonging to Shabiha, a notorious pro-Assad militia.He said the security forces had not seized anything that wasn't theirs and recalled angrily that his home in a Damascus suburb was destroyed during the civil war. Mohamed said he moved to the capital after Assad's fall and had nowhere else to stay.
'TRANSITIONAL INJUSTICE'
On February 12, the Damascus governor called on citizens who say property has been unjustly confiscated to submit complaints at directorates. Reuters visited one in March where the official who declined to be named confirmed a pattern: armed individuals evicted people without a court order, prevented them from taking their belongings - and then moved in. The majority of confiscations targeted low- to middle-income Syrians who had lost their jobs and lacked the resources to pay their way out of the situation, the sources said. Another official in another Damascus directorate said the evictions happened overnight without due process. "It's chaotic, but there is a method to the madness, which is to terrify people and to let the whole world know that Alawites are no longer (in power)," said Landis. "There is no transitional justice. There's only transitional injustice."Seven armed men came to Rafaa Mahmoud's apartment on February 20 and threatened to kill her and her Alawite family unless she handed over the keys to the property they had bought 15 years earlier, she said. Mahmoud shared a 2 minute 27 second video with Reuters showing her standing behind her door, desperately arguing with the men, who warned the family to leave by nightfall. The men, who identified themselves as state security agents, called Mahmoud and her family "infidels and pigs".
When Mahmoud asked for a court order, the men replied: "We only do things verbally here."

Fake Audio Sparks Deadly Sectarian Clashes Near Damascus
Damascus: Asharq Al Awsat/April 30, 2025
Twelve people were killed in clashes that erupted early Tuesday near the town of Jaramana, a Druze-majority area on the southern outskirts of Damascus, amid rising sectarian tensions, residents and local sources said. In a statement, residents of Jaramana condemned what they described as prior “sectarian incitement” that preceded the violence. They warned against “falling into the trap of sedition, which serves only the enemies of Syria and its unity.” The statement, which denounced the sectarian rhetoric, called on authorities to launch an “immediate and transparent investigation” and to hold accountable “all those who took part in, incited, or orchestrated this crime.”The deadly clashes followed a wave of unrest triggered by a voice recording that circulated late Sunday into Monday, purportedly featuring Sheikh Marwan Kiwan from Sweida making derogatory remarks about Islamic holy figures. The recording sparked anger and sporadic unrest in university dormitories in both Damascus and Homs, raising fears of wider sectarian strife. Sheikh Kiwan later appeared in a video denying the voice was his and said the recording was fabricated to fuel sectarian division. His denial was backed by an investigation from the Syrian Ministry of Interior, which called on the public to “respect public order and avoid any individual or collective actions that could endanger lives, property, or public security.”
Violent clashes in the southern outskirts of Damascus left at least five people dead and several others wounded. Fighting broke out near the town of Jaramana after a hardline armed group launched a mortar attack from the direction of Maliha, targeting the al-Naseem checkpoint, residents said. Armed local groups in Jaramana responded, sparking several hours of clashes. According to preliminary reports, five young men from Jaramana were killed and eight others injured. Similar clashes erupted in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, another Druze-majority area, where local sources reported injuries among residents. In response to the violence, authorities imposed a curfew in Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, amid heightened security deployments and growing fears of further unrest. The Syrian authorities could take meaningful steps toward transitional justice even before a dedicated commission is formed, including arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in human rights violations, the head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights said. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Fadel Abdul Ghany said the government has the ability to “pursue and detain those implicated in rights abuses as a preparatory step toward accountability.”He cautioned against misconceptions about launching transitional justice efforts without adequate planning, saying, “One of the key mistakes made recently was the demand to begin the transitional justice process immediately, without first identifying the necessary procedural steps to ensure the process is independent from the executive branch and inclusive of all segments of society.”To guarantee such independence, Abdul Ghany said the Transitional Justice Commission must be established by a legislative body, with clearly defined standards for appointing competent and impartial members. He added that the commission must operate under the judicial system, which itself must be independent. “This requires time,” he said, “because it involves setting clear criteria for forming a Supreme Judicial Council and a Constitutional Court that are completely independent from the executive authority.”

Qalibaf: Any Aggression Against Iran Would Cause Regional Explosion
London: Asharq Al Awsat/April 30, 2025
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Tuesday that any Israeli attack against his country “means igniting a powder keg that will explode the entire region.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday repeated calls for Iran's entire nuclear infrastructure to be dismantled, as Washington and Tehran engage in talks for a nuclear accord. Netanyahu said that he had told US President Donald Trump that any nuclear agreement reached with Iran should also prevent Tehran from developing ballistic missiles. Speaking at an open parliamentary session in Tehran, Qalibaf said, “We consider these positions to be merely worthless rhetoric to influence the process of Iran-US indirect negotiations, and we do not take it (the rhetoric) seriously.”However, he added, the Zionist regime will not engage in any act of adventurism or foolishness without the permission of the United States. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Netanyahu was “dictating what President Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran.”“Israel’s fantasy that it can dictate what Iran may or may not do is so detached from reality that it hardly merits a response,” Araghchi said. His remarks came two days after Iranian and US delegations met in Oman for a third round of high-level talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, with both sides reporting progress. Netanyahu said the only “good deal” between the US and Iran would be one that removed “all of the infrastructure” akin to the 2003 agreement that Libya made with the West that saw it give up its nuclear, chemical, biological and missile programs. Meanwhile, France said it will not think twice about reimposing United Nations sanctions on Iran if negotiations to reach a deal over its nuclear program do not succeed, its foreign minister told the UN Security Council late on Monday. France, Britain and Germany - the “E3” - are parties to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that expires in October and have the power to initiate its mechanism for reimposing sanctions, called snapback, at the Security Council. “It goes without saying that when the Iranian nuclear deal expires in a few weeks, if European security interests are not guaranteed, we will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions that were lifted 10 years ago,” Jean-Noel Barrot said. “These sanctions would then permanently close off Iranian access to technology, investment, and the European market, with devastating effects on the country's economy. This is not what we want, and that is why I solemnly call on Iran to take the necessary decisions today to avoid the worst,” Barrot added. Speaking alongside Barrot, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi stressed that an agreement with Iran was crucial. “There is a very important effort between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. I'm in constant contact with Ambassador Witkoff, of course, at the same time consulting with Foreign Minister Araghchi in order to provide the technical support and capabilities and monitoring potential that the IAEA should be able to exercise,” he said. Later on X, Grossi wrote that “Iran’s expanding nuclear program remains a serious issue.”He said, “To be noted are the intense diplomatic efforts and meetings between the US and Iran over the past few weeks; these are important. I am engaging closely and actively with both sides and am encouraged by their commitment.”

Iran, UK, France, Germany to Hold Nuclear Talks on Friday
Asharq Al Awsat/April 30, 2025
Iran will hold nuclear talks in Rome on Friday with Britain, France and Germany, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday, with the aim of improving strained ties at a time of high-stakes nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
The meeting will precede a fourth round of nuclear talks this weekend between Iran and the United States, also to be held in Italy. "In my opinion, the three European countries have lost their role (in the nuclear file) due to the wrong policies they have adopted. Of course, we do not want this and are ready to hold talks with them in Rome," Araqchi told state media. Reuters reported on Monday that Tehran had proposed meeting the European countries, collectively known as the E3, which are parties to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that US President Donald Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. E3 political directors confirmed they would meet with Iran on Friday. Trump has threatened to attack Iran unless it agrees to a new nuclear deal. Iran has far exceeded the 2015 agreement's curbs on its nuclear program since the United States withdrew, and the European countries share Washington's concern that Tehran could seek an atomic bomb. Iran says its program is peaceful. A UN Security Council resolution ratifying the 2015 accord expires in October, and France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that Paris would not think twice about re-imposing international sanctions if negotiations fail to reach a deal.
"These sanctions would permanently close off Iranian access
to technology, investment, and the European market, with devastating effects on the country's economy," Jean-Noel Barrot said. Iran's UN representative responded: "If France and its partners are truly seeking a diplomatic solution, they must stop threatening."
On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on what it described as a network based in Iran and China accused of procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.Araqchi said US sanctions during negotiations sent the "wrong message". Trump has said he is confident of clinching a new pact that would block Iran's path to a nuclear bomb.

US targets Iran with fresh sanctions ahead of next nuclear talks
Daphne Psaledakis/Reuters/April 30, 2025
WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on entities it accused of being involved in the illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals ahead of a new round of U.S.-Iran negotiations on Saturday, as Washington seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement it was imposing sanctions on seven entities based in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Iran that it accused of trading Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products. Two vessels were also targeted.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a separate statement that the action targeted four sellers and one buyer of Iranian petrochemicals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Wednesday's action is the latest move targeting Tehran since Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive its oil exports to zero and help prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. "The President is committed to driving Iran’s illicit oil and petrochemical exports - including exports to China - to zero under his maximum pressure campaign," Rubio said.
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The action comes as the United States has relaunched talks with Iran over its nuclear program. U.S. and Iranian negotiators will reconvene in Rome on Saturday. In his first 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions. Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment. Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes.

Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel
Reuters/30 April ,2025
An Iranian man convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel was executed on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported, at a time of high-stakes nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has put to death many individuals it accuses of having links with Israel’s Mossad intelligence service and facilitating the latter’s operations in the country, notably assassinations or acts of sabotage meant to undermine its nuclear programme. According to Iran’s judiciary media outlet Mizan, the defendant identified as Mohsen Langarneshin was accused of involvement in several cases, including the death of a Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps colonel in 2022. “During his two years as a spy (...) he was responsible for important actions, including supporting terrorist operations and being present at the scene of the assassination of Sayad Khodai,” state media said. It said the defendant also provided operational support for an attack on an industrial center in Isfahan, affiliated with the Ministry of Defense. The state media reports said Langarneshin had confessed to the charges. Reuters was not able to reach a representative for comment. Earlier this week, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of seeking to derail Iran-US nuclear talks, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the idea of limiting Tehran’s uranium enrichment via a deal and pushing for the full dismantlement of its nuclear infrastructure.

Iran blasts French ‘threats’ of new sanctions
AFP/30 April ,2025
Iran’s UN mission has slammed “threats” by France to reimpose sanctions lifted under a landmark 2015 deal on Tehran’s nuclear program, media in the Islamic Republic reported on Wednesday. France on Monday said that along with Germany and Britain, it “will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions” scrapped a decade ago if European security is threatened by Iran’s nuclear activities, as Tehran and Washington are engaged in negotiations for a new agreement. “Resorting to threats and economic blackmail is entirely unacceptable,” Iran’s mission to the UN said in a letter carried by the country’s ISNA news agency. France, Germany and Britain, along with China and Russia, are parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, which the United States withdrew from three years later during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.
Under the agreement, the parties can trigger the “snapback” mechanism, which would automatically reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its non-compliance, an option that expires in October. Longtime foes Iran and the United States have been engaged since April 12 in their highest-level talks in years targeting a new deal that would stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons -- an objective it denies pursuing -- in return for relief from sanctions. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said last week he was willing to visit Germany, France and Britain for talks. The Iranian UN mission said in its letter that “genuine diplomacy cannot proceed under threats or pressure.”“If France and its partners are truly interested in a diplomatic resolution, they must abandon coercion.”

Iran says next round of nuclear talks with US set for Saturday in Rome
AFP/30 April ,2025
Iran and the United States will hold a fourth round of talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program in Rome on Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister said. The longtime adversaries have held three rounds of talks aiming for a deal on the program, which the West believes is intended to develop nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran denies. The talks, which began on April 12 and are mediated by Oman, are the highest-level contact in years between the two sides. “The next round of negotiations will take place in Rome,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The top diplomat said Iranian officials would also meet on Friday with representatives from Britain, France and Germany -- all parties to the 2015 nuclear deal. The deal called for the lifting of sanctions in exchange for curbing Iran’s nuclear activities, but fell apart when Washington withdrew from it in 2018 during Donald Trump’s first term as US president. After France threatened that the European trio could reimpose sanctions, Iran’s UN mission said that “threats and economic blackmail" were “entirely unacceptable.”
“Genuine diplomacy cannot proceed under threats or pressure,” the diplomatic mission said in a letter carried Wednesday by Iran’s ISNA news agency. Trump sent a letter in March to Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused. Since he returned to office in January, Trump revived his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign, mirroring his approach during his first term. Tehran has insisted that the ongoing talks should be solely focused on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions. During the last round in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday, both sides reported progress.

US imposes sanctions to curb Iran oil despite ongoing nuclear talks
Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
The United States said Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on seven companies involved in selling Iranian oil, tightening pressure despite new nuclear talks between the adversaries. The United States said it was targeting five trading companies based outside Iran that sold Iranian-origin petrochemical products to third countries, along with two firms involved in shipping. “So long as Iran attempts to generate oil and petrochemical revenues to fund its destabilizing activities, and support its terrorist activities and proxies, the United States will take steps to hold both Iran and all its partners engaged in sanctions evasion accountable,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. The move comes just after Iran announced a fourth round of talks with President Donald Trump’s administration to take place Saturday in Rome. Iran is seeking sanctions relief as part of a deal on its contested nuclear program. Trump’s business friend and globe-trotting envoy Steve Witkoff has been leading the talks and voicing optimism for a deal, with Trump seeking to avoid an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites.
In his first term, Trump tore up an earlier agreement with Iran negotiated by former president Barack Obama and Washington’s European allies. He imposed sweeping sanctions, including trying to ban Iran from selling oil to all other countries – with China the key market. The sanctions remain in place, although enforcement levels have varied.With AFP

Turkey’s Erdogan dismisses Kurdish calls for Syria decentralization as a ‘dream’
Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed demands by Syrian Kurdish groups for Syria to adopt a decentralized system of government, saying these were “nothing more than a dream” and had no place in the neighboring country. Rival Syrian Kurdish parties, including the dominant Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast, agreed at a meeting on Saturday on a common political vision for the country’s Kurdish minority. The call for a decentralized structure was rejected by Syria’s new leaders. “The issue of a federal structure is nothing more than a raw dream. It has no place in the reality of Syria. I advise (Kurds) not to dream of a federal structure or make decisions that will threaten the region, but rather take steps that will serve the stability of the region,” Erdogan told reporters on a return flight from Rome. “We will not allow any forced structure right beyond our borders other than a unified Syria,” he said in reference to the 911 km border Turkey and Syria share, according to a text of his comments published by his office on Wednesday. The US-backed SDF is viewed as a terrorist organization by Turkey. The group signed a deal with Damascus in March on merging Kurdish-led governing bodies and security forces with the central government. Ankara, seen as the closest ally to Damascus, has welcomed the deal but said its implementation must ensure the disbandment of the YPG militia that spearheads the SDF. Erdogan also said recent attacks by Israel inside Syria were unacceptable provocations meant to harm the positive atmosphere there after the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad in December. He said he would meet US President Donald Trump face-to-face “at the first opportunity,” adding that he believed they “understand each other” regarding policies in Syria. “On issues we think differently, our search for a compromise on a reasonable basis will surely continue,” he said, praising their previous contacts as “sincere, fruitful and friendly.”With Reuters

UAE using AI, space tech to revolutionize, ramp-up cloud seeding operations
Jennifer Bell, Al Arabiya English/30 April ,2025
The UAE is revolutionizing its cloud seeding program from experimental technology into a data-driven operation using AI and space tech that forms a critical component of the nation’s water security strategy, according to experts at the country’s leading space technology company. In a region receiving less than 100 millimeters of rainfall annually and facing growing water scarcity concerns, the UAE is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and Earth Observation (EO) technologies to maximize the effectiveness of its weather modification efforts. “AI and satellite imagery have turned the UAE’s cloud seeding efforts from guesswork into a precise, data-driven tool for weather modification,” Dr. Prashanth Marpu, Chief Technology Officer at Bayanat Smart Solutions, which operates under Space42, the UAE’s national space technology company, told Al Arabiya English. The advancements come one year after unprecedented rainfall caused significant flooding across parts of the UAE, highlighting both the potential and risks associated with weather modification technologies. The UAE has conducted cloud seeding operations for more than two decades – with as many as 300 cloud-seeding missions carried out across the country in 2024, according to the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science – National Center of Meteorology (UAEREP-NCM) – but recent technological developments have elevated these efforts to new levels of sophistication and effectiveness. “What was once a nascent practice is now guided by predictive analytics, real-time modelling, and advanced environmental monitoring,” Marpu said. Space42 integrates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and high-resolution optical sensors to provide continuous monitoring of atmospheric and ground conditions. GIQ, the company’s AI-powered platform, processes these inputs, which forecasts cloud behavior, wind dynamics, and terrain saturation.
The system operates in three phases, explained Marpu.
“First, our Foresight SAR Constellation provides high-resolution, all-weather imaging, complemented by ongoing High Altitude Platform Stations monitoring. Second, GIQ aggregates and analyzes these data streams. Third, the platform generates actionable insights that guide authorities in deploying targeted weather modification efforts.”The UAE’s intensified focus on water security comes amid rising water usage across the arid country. In 2022, the total quantity of water consumption in UAE was approximately 1.75 billion cubic meters – rising from 1.37 billion cubic meters in 2010, according to research company Statista. The UAE’s Water Security Strategy 2036 has set targets for reducing water demand by 21 percent and increasing the reuse of treated water to 95 percent. “In the UAE, where per capita water consumption ranks among the highest globally and over 80 percent of freshwater comes from desalination, water security has become a national priority,” said Marpu. “The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 sets out clear goals to reduce overall demand, diversify sustainable water supplies, and enhance emergency preparedness.”As part of this goal, cloud seeding has evolved from an experimental approach to what Marpu described as an operational capability driven by data, precision, and measurable impact.
Learning from 2024 floods
Last April’s extreme rainfall event – the highest-ever recorded rainfall in more than 75 years – which caused widespread disruption across the UAE, served as both a challenge and an opportunity for the country’s weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities. Space42’s systems were put to the test during the 2024 floods. “Digital Twin simulations predicted high-risk zones ahead of the storm, giving authorities time to prepare,” Marpu said. “As the storm unfolded, SAR satellites provided real-time imagery through dense cloud cover, while GIQ processed the data instantly.”This real-time intelligence enabled emergency teams to deploy resources rapidly, prioritize evacuations, and plan supply routes once the storm passed, according to Space42. The company claims similar technology has been applied to sandstorm forecasting. “During the Touz sandstorm in April 2025, Space42’s customized dust monitoring model tracked dust emission, transport, and deposition, delivering early alerts that allowed governments to issue public health warnings and mitigate the storm’s peak impact,” Marpu explained. These applications demonstrate how the same technologies being deployed for cloud seeding can be repurposed for broader climate risk management.
AI-led cloud seeding missions
A key advantage of AI-driven cloud seeding is the technology’s ability to learn from each mission, creating a continuously improving system. “With every seeding mission, we collect new data that strengthens future predictions and seeding plans,” said Dr. Marpu. “Over time, this builds a smarter, more cost-effective program that can support national goals for water security and climate resilience.”This feedback loop is transforming cloud seeding from a static intervention into what Space42 describes as a “continuously responsive system.”The current approach uses a combination of satellite data, weather forecasting, and AI to identify optimal cloud seeding windows, ensuring efforts are targeted and effective while reducing waste. “Our AI platform, GIQ, integrates real-time satellite imagery, weather data, and ground-level information to forecast environmental conditions,” Marpu said. “It helps identify the optimal cloud seeding windows, ensuring efforts are targeted and effective, reducing waste and improving results.” AI is expected to take on an even more prominent role in weather modification operations. “AI is set to make weather modification smarter, faster, and more adaptive. What is emerging today will become standard practice within the next decade,” Marpu predicted. “In the near term, AI will coordinate end-to-end cloud seeding missions, detect optimal atmospheric conditions, chart flight paths, and direct unmanned aerial vehicle-based payload releases with minimal human input.”This automation is expected to reduce response times, increase precision, and improve overall mission efficiency. The long-term vision is even more ambitious. “Looking further ahead, AI systems will become self-learning. Drawing on live atmospheric data, seasonal climate trends, and mission histories, these models will adjust deployment strategies in real-time, modifying seeding efforts mid-flight based on evolving conditions,” said Marpu. This evolution would represent a significant advancement in weather modification technology, potentially making such operations more economically viable and environmentally responsible.
Beyond cloud seeding
The technologies being deployed for cloud seeding have applications that extend far beyond weather modification, according to Space42. “Advanced Earth Observation and AI technologies open new frontiers in climate risk management,” Marpu said. “Our combination of SAR satellite imagery, HAPS monitoring, and AI-powered analytics supports a range of climate-related applications. Beyond optimizing cloud seeding, these systems help forecast floods, monitor drought conditions, and model long-term environmental changes such as sea-level rise.” Space42 is also expanding into marine conservation through partnerships with government entities and other organizations. “One example is our partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, OceanX, and M42 to support marine biodiversity and fisheries conservation,” said Marpu. “By deploying Digital Twins and GIQ, we help map ocean ecosystems, monitor environmental conditions, and provide a clearer picture of marine life, supporting informed conservation strategies and sustainable marine resource planning.”While the technologies supporting cloud seeding operations have advanced significantly, measuring the precise impact of these interventions remains challenging. Research from the National Center of Meteorology has suggested that cloud seeding can increase rainfall by 15–30 percent in a clean atmosphere, and by up to 14 percent in a dusty atmosphere. However, isolating the effects of cloud seeding from natural rainfall variability requires sophisticated modeling and long-term data collection. Space42’s systems aim to address this challenge by providing more comprehensive monitoring before, during, and after cloud seeding operations. “Our system models real-time environmental conditions, pinpoints the most effective cloud seeding windows, and tracks water distribution outcomes, ensuring each intervention contributes meaningfully to national water security,” Marpu said.

Israel defense minister orders army to deploy forces to control fire near Jerusalem
AFP/30 April ,2025
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military on Wednesday to deploy troops to support firefighters battling rapidly spreading wildfires near Jerusalem, calling the situation a “national emergency”. “We are facing a national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilized to save lives and bring the fires under control,” Katz said in a statement released by the defense ministry. Israel’s rescue agency MDA reported hundreds of civilians were currently at risk from the fires. Israeli police closed the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by blazes a week ago. Communities located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Jerusalem were evacuated, Israeli media reported, airing images of firefighting teams battling fierce flames. High temperatures and strong winds have allowed the fires in wooded areas to spread quickly, prompting evacuations from at least five communities, the police said in a statement. Emergency services provider Magen David Adom said in a statement that “at this stage, there are no reported casualties.”“Ambulance teams, intensive care units and immediate response vehicles are providing medical support for firefighting operations,” it added. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel’s fire department, said in a statement that he was heading to the affected area, which often sees wildfires at this time of year.When fires broke out in the same area last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called for increased measures to douse the flames and said they must be stopped before reaching Jerusalem, which was eventually the case.

US tells World Court that Israel is not required to work with UN Palestinian refugee agency
Molly Quell/The Associated Press/April 30, 2025
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The United States told the International Court of Justice Wednesday that Israel must provide aid to Gaza, but the country does not have to work with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. The top court of the United Nations is holding a week of hearings on what Israel must do to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, following a request for an advisory opinion from the U.N. General Assembly last year. The U.S. said Israel had legitimate concerns about the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, also known as UNRWA, the largest provider of aid in the beleaguered Gaza Strip. “In sum, there is no legal requirement that an occupying power permit a specific third state or international organization to conduct activity in occupied territory that would compromise its security interests,” Josh Simmons, a legal advisor from the State Department, told The Hague-based court. Simmons suggested other organizations could fulfill UNRWA’s mission. In January, Israel banned the agency from operating on its territory. Israel alleges that 19 out of UNRWA’s approximately 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in Hamas’ attack in southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and set off the war in Gaza. UNRWA said it fired nine staffers after an internal U.N. investigation concluded that they could have been involved, although the evidence was not authenticated or corroborated. Israel later alleged that about 100 other Palestinians in Gaza were Hamas members, but never provided any evidence to the United Nations.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hit back at the case. “I accuse UNRWA, I accuse the U.N., I accuse the secretary-general and I accuse all those that weaponized international law and its institutions in order to deprive the most attacked country in the world, Israel, of its most basic right to defend itself,” he told a news conference in Jerusalem. Israel is not participating in the hearings, but it did submit written arguments. The Russian Federation, which spoke directly after the United States, said that UNRWA’s work was crucial for the Palestinian people and the agency was supported by the majority of the international community. “The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. Gaza balances on the brink of famine. Hospitals lie in the ruins. Millions of Palestinians in the (Gaza) strip, as well as in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face existential despair,” Maksim Musikhin, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the court’s 15 judges. Musikhin then suggested UNRWA deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for its work. The hearings are underway as the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is nearing collapse and ceasefire efforts remain deadlocked. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other humanitarian supplies since March 2. It renewed its bombardment on March 18, breaking a ceasefire, and seized large parts of the territory, saying it aims to push Hamas to release more hostages. The World Food Program said last week its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Many families are struggling to feed their children. On Monday, the Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ammar Hijazi, accused Israel of breaching international law in the occupied territories. “Israel is starving, killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations trying to save their lives,” he told the court.

UK military launches airstrikes with US targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels
Jon Gambrell/The Associated Press/April 30, 202
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The British military launched airstrikes with the United States targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, officials said early Wednesday, their first attack in Washington's new intense campaign targeting the Iran-backed group.
The United Kingdom offered a detailed explanation for launching the strike, in a departure from the U.S., which has offered few details about what it says are more than 1,000 targets it has hit since beginning its campaign on March 15. The campaign, called “Operation Rough Rider,” has been targeting the rebels as the Trump administration negotiates with their main benefactor, Iran, over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
UK strike hits near Yemen's capital
The U.K. Defense Ministry described the site attacked as “a cluster of buildings, used by the Houthis to manufacture drones of the type used to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, located some 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Sanaa.”Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s took part in the raid, dropping Paveway IV guided bombs, the ministry added. “The strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced yet further,” the ministry said. The British offered no information on the damage done in the strike, nor whether they believed anyone had been killed. The U.S. military's Central Command didn't acknowledge the strike. “This action was taken in response to a persistent threat from the Houthis to freedom of navigation,” U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said. “A 55% drop in shipping through the Red Sea has already cost billions, fueling regional instability and risking economic security for families in the U.K.”The Houthis reported several strikes around Yemen's capital, Sanaa, which the group has held since 2014. Other strikes hit around Saada. The British have taken part in airstrikes alongside the U.S. since the Biden administration began its campaign of strikes targeting the Houthis back in January 2024. However, this new strike is the first to see the British involved in the campaign under U.S. President Donald Trump.
UK strike comes after US allegedly hit prison
The joint U.K.-U.S. strike follows an alleged U.S. airstrike on Monday that hit a prison holding African migrants, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others. The U.S. military said it was investigating. On April 18, an American strike on the Ras Isa fuel port killed at least 74 people and wounded 171 others in the deadliest known attack of the U.S. campaign. The U.S. is conducting strikes on Yemen from its two aircraft carriers in the region — the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea and the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, targeting the Houthis because of the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on Israel. The Houthis are the last militant group in Iran’s self-described “Axis of Resistance” that is capable of regularly attacking Israel. The rebels began their attacks over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli decision to block the flow of aid to Palestinians. The American strikes have drawn controversy in the United States over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the unclassified Signal messaging app to post sensitive details about the attacks.

Britain, U.S. attack Houthi drone manufacturing targets in Yemen
Darryl Coote/UPI/April 30, 2025
April 30 -- British warplanes have attacked Houthi targets in Yemen, joining ally the United States in its airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed militia. Britain's Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the joint operation occurred Tuesday, targeting a cluster of buildings in Yemen identified as having been used by the Houthis to manufacture drones like those the rebels have been using to attack ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The targets were located about 15 miles south of the Houthi-controlled capital of Sanaa. Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s were used in the strike, along with air refueling support from Voyager tankers. Paveway IV precision-guided bombs were dropped on the buildings, the ministry said, adding that only after "very careful planning had been completed to allow the targets to be prosecuted with minimal risk to civilian or non-military infrastructure.""As a further precaution, the strike was conducted after dark, when the likelihood of any civilians being in the area was reduced yet further," it said. "All our aircraft subsequently returned safely."The United States has yet to comment on the operation, but its military has been conducting near-daily attacks against the Houthis since mid-March, when President Donald Trump ordered an expanded campaign against the rebels. The Trump administration has been seeking -- through military strikes and sanctions -- to dismantle a military blockade the Houthis erected in mid-November 2023, a month after Israel launched a full-scale war against Hamas, another Iran-proxy militia, in Gaza. The Houthis have attacked hundreds of ships transiting the important trade route, including U.S. military vessels, claiming they are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, tens of thousands of whom have been killed in Israel's war. Britain said its Tuesday attack in Yemen aligned with long-standing government policy put in place in response to the Houthis' blockade. London and Washington conducted multiple joint attacks in Yemen during the early months of the blockade. Together with Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, they launched Operation Prosperity Guardian in December 2023 in response to the Houthi maritime shipping attacks.

Jordan jails 4 for 20 years in case linked to Muslim Brotherhood
AMMAN: A Jordanian court sentenced four people to 20 years in prison on Wednesday over plans to “target national security,” in a case linked to the recently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. Earlier in April, the kingdom’s intelligence service announced it had arrested 16 suspects and “foiled plans aimed at targeting national security, sowing chaos and sabotaging within Jordan.”Jordan then announced last week that it was banning the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist movement, accusing it of manufacturing and stockpiling weapons and planning to destabilize the kingdom. On Wednesday, Jordan’s state security court said in a statement that it had sentenced four of the 16 defendants to 20-year jail terms and unspecified fines. The four were convicted of “possession of explosives, weapons and ammunition with the intent to use them illegally and commit acts that would disrupt public order and threaten social safety and security, in violation of the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Law,” it said. The statement did not specify whether they were members of the Muslim Brotherhood, but state television had previously broadcast what it described as confessions from three of the 16 suspects admitting they were members of the Islamist group. The Brotherhood later issued a statement distancing itself from the individuals and saying they acted on their own motives. Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya announced on April 23 that the government had decided to “ban all activities of the so-called Muslim Brotherhood and to consider any activity (carried out by it) a violation of the provisions of the law.”The Muslim Brotherhood has continued to operate in Jordan despite a ruling by the country’s top court dissolving it in 2020, with authorities turning a blind eye to its activities.

Pakistan says it has 'credible intelligence' India will attack within days
Prabhjot Gill, Sheikh Saaliq And Munir Ahmed/April 30, 2025
ATTARI, India — Pakistan said Wednesday it had “credible intelligence” that India is planning to attack it within days, and vowed to respond “very strongly,” as soldiers exchanged gunfire along borders and Pakistanis heeded New Delhi’s orders to leave the country following last week’s deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India has moved to punish Pakistan after accusing it of backing the attack in Pahalgam, which Islamabad denies, driving tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals to their highest point since 2019, when they came close to war after a suicide car bombing in Kashmir. The region is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety.
Calls for de-escalation
Pakistan said the intelligence shows that India plans military action against it in the next 24 to 36 hours “on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement.” There was no immediate comment from Indian officials. However, Indian government officials said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “given complete operational freedom to the armed forces to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the Pahalgam massacre.” They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations. Last week’s attack that killed 26, most of them Indian tourists, was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a homegrown freedom struggle. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to “avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and “emphasized the need for both sides to continue working together for peace and stability in South Asia," according to a Pakistan statement. Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told reporters that “I have made it very clear, on behalf of the government and the nation, that Pakistan will not be the first one to resort to any escalatory move. However, in case of any escalatory move by the Indian side, we will respond very strongly.”The army spokesman, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, added, "If they think that aggression is the path forward, our message is only this: We are ready, don’t test it.”Pakistan didn't elaborate on the “credible intelligence” it cited.
Pakistanis forced to leave
The deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave India, with exceptions for those with medical visas, passed on Sunday, but many families were still scrambling to the border crossing in Attari town in northern Punjab state. Some arrived on their own. Others were being deported by police. “We have settled our families here. We request the government not to uproot our families,” said Sara Khan, a Pakistani who was ordered back without her husband, Aurangzeb Khan, who holds an Indian passport. She carried her 14-day-old child and said she had been living in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 2017. “They (Indian authorities) told me you are illegal and you should go,” said Khan, while waiting on the Indian side of the border crossing. Other tit-for-tat diplomatic measures have included the cancellation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border with Pakistan shut. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines. India late Wednesday announced the closure of its airspace to all Pakistani aircraft until May 23. Cross-border exchanges of gunfire between soldiers have increased along the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the two rivals.
Fire along the frontier
On Wednesday, India and Pakistan accused each other of initiating the gunfire. Pakistan’s state-run media said Indian forces violated the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control by initiating fire with heavy weapons. According to Pakistan Television, Pakistani troops returned fire after coming under attack overnight in the Mandal sector of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Indian army said it responded to “unprovoked” small arms fire from Pakistan in the Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor sectors of Indian-controlled Kashmir. The incidents could not be independently verified. In the past, each side has accused the other of starting border skirmishes in the Himalayan region. India’s cabinet committee on security, headed by Modi, met Wednesday, its second since the attack.
Witness accounts
At least three tourists who survived told The Associated Press that the gunmen singled out Hindu men and shot them from close range. The dead also included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator. Aishanya Dwivedi, whose husband was killed, said a gunman approached the couple and challenged him to recite the Islamic declaration of faith. Her husband replied that he was Hindu, and the attacker shot him “point blank in the head,” she said. “He was on my lap. I was soaked in his blood,” Dwivedi said.

Trump says Canada’s Carney to visit ‘in next week’
AFP/April 30, 2025
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would visit Washington in the coming week, hailing him as “very nice” despite tensions over Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats. “He’s a very nice gentleman and he’s going to come to the White House very shortly, within the next week or less,” Trump said after the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party secured election victory in part by vowing to stand up to the US president. “I spoke to him yesterday, couldn’t have been nicer and I congratulated him,” Trump told reporters in a cabinet meeting. Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party had been on track to win the vote but Trump’s attacks, combined with the departure of unpopular former premier Justin Trudeau, transformed the race. Carney, who replaced Trudeau as prime minister just last month, convinced voters that his experience managing economic crises made him the ideal candidate to defy Trump. Trump however downplayed any possible tensions with the Canadian — despite repeatedly calling for Carney’s country to become the 51st US state. “I think we’re going to have a great relationship. He called me up yesterday, he said ‘Let’s make a deal’,” Trump said. “They both hated Trump, and it was the one that hated Trump, I think, the least that won. I actually think the Conservative hated me much more than the so-called Liberal.”

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 30-May 01/2025
'Stupid Intelligence' Is Threatening Trump's Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/April 30/2025
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21583/iran-nuclear-stupid-intelligence
Trump argued that the JCPOA failed to address key issues such as Iran's continued research into producing weapons-grade nuclear material, development of ballistic missiles and Tehran's support for Islamist terror groups in the Middle East. Is he repeating their mistake?
Reports emerging from the Omani-mediated talks suggest that, rather than seeking the complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear programme, Trump is instead prepared to settle for a less demanding settlement, one that allows Tehran to continue with its nuclear activities so long as they are not linked to producing nuclear warheads. At this point, that is folly. If Iran is able to enrich any uranium at all, it can easily enrich it to a weapons-grade level of 90 percent within weeks.
Yet, despite compelling evidence that Iran has continued work on its clandestine programme to produce nuclear weapons, American intelligence chiefs such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard continue to insist that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Iran is actively attempting to build nuclear weapons.
This has led to calls for the administration to undertake an immediate reappraisal of Washington's intelligence assessment regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons as a devastating matter of urgency, and for the Trump administration to undertake an urgent reappraisal of Gabbard.
Sadly, the Norwegian Nobel Committee will most likely never reward Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize, no matter how much peace he delivers. To them, a worthy recipient was Yasser Arafat, among other leaders now known more for their failures than for success.
Trump instead would do well to focus on becoming the greatest leader of the 21st Century, another Churchill, by ridding the world of Iran's nuclear weapons threat for once and all, as well as its ballistic missile program and its ability, through its proxies, to keep exporting terrorism.
Despite compelling evidence that Iran has continued work on its clandestine programme to produce nuclear weapons, American intelligence chiefs such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard continue to insist that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Iran is actively attempting to build nuclear weapons. Pictured: Gabbard at a Senate Committee on Intelligence Hearing on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
With the Trump administration seemingly intent on negotiating a new nuclear deal with Iran, it is vital that the White House first makes a realistic assessment of the current state of Iran's nuclear programme, which most Western intelligence experts believe is aimed at producing nuclear weapons.
After US and Iranian officials met for a third round of talks in the Gulf state of Oman at the weekend, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi openly said that Iran remained extremely cautious about the success of the negotiations to resolve a decades-long standoff.
US President Donald J. Trump has invested a substantial amount of political capital in agreeing a new deal with Tehran, aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring its own nuclear weapons arsenal.
Trump, a staunch critic of the original nuclear deal negotiated by in 2015 by President Barack Obama, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), dramatically ended American participation in 2018.
Justifying his decision, Trump argued that the JCPOA failed to address key issues such as Iran's continued research into producing weapons-grade nuclear material, development of ballistic missiles and Tehran's support for Islamist terror groups in the Middle East. Is he repeating their mistake?
After commencing his second term at the White House in January, Trump initially indicated that, by seeking to restart nuclear negotiations with Tehran, his ultimate objective was the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear programme, the only realistic means of preventing the ayatollahs from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Trump initiated the dialogue with Tehran after sending a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 7, making it clear that the US could not allow the Iranians to acquire nuclear weapons.
Trump even went so far as to warn Tehran that it would face direct US military action and further tariffs if it did not abandon its question for nuclear weapons.
"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," was his blunt warning ahead of the opening of talks with Tehran.
Trump's maximalist approach towards the nuclear talks has been dubbed the so-called "Libya model", named after the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who decided to eliminate his country's nuclear weapons programme in 2003 under pressure from the US.
Since the first round of talks opened in early April, concerns have been raised that Trump has now watered down his objectives with regard to his demands on Iran's nuclear programme.
Reports emerging from the Omani-mediated talks suggest that, rather than seeking the complete dismantlement of Iran's nuclear programme, Trump is instead prepared to settle for a less demanding settlement, one that allows Tehran to continue with its nuclear activities so long as they are not linked to producing nuclear warheads. At this point, that is folly. If Iran is able to enrich any uranium at all, it can easily enrich it to a weapons-grade level of 90 percent within weeks.
Trump's decision to take a less confrontational tone to the ayatollahs is due to their insistence that they will never agree to the total dismantling of their nuclear activities, but would instead accept the verification-based approach set out in the JCPOA.
With the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN-sponsored body responsible for monitoring Iran's nuclear programme, warning recently that Tehran already has enough weapons-grade uranium to make six nuclear warheads, Trump's willingness to adopt a more conciliatory tone has alarmed Western intelligence officials who remain convinced that Iran is determined to acquire its own nuclear weapons arsenal to threaten the West and its allies.
Several factors help to explain why Trump has suddenly decided to modify his objectives in the nuclear negotiations, not least the influence a number of anti-Israeli advisors, who have been appointed to key positions in the administration, can bring to bear on the president.
Another important factor that is undermining Trump's efforts to address the threat Iran's nuclear ambitions pose to world peace is that his negotiations are based on out-of-date intelligence provided by Washington's intelligence community.
A recent report by the highly-regarded Institute for Science and International Security, for example, found that Iran has now developed the technology to enrich enough uranium to fuel one nuclear weapon in less than a week, a significant advance given that in 2020 it would take Iran more than five months to achieve the same target.
Yet, despite compelling evidence that Iran has continued work on its clandestine programme to produce nuclear weapons, American intelligence chiefs such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard continue to insist that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Iran is actively attempting to build nuclear weapons.
This is evident from the conclusion reached by this year's Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, which said:
"We continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that [Iranian Supreme Leader] Khamenei has not reauthorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003."
Even though this conclusion fails to acknowledge the conclusions reached by the IAEA and other international bodies, the fact that US intelligence chiefs remain in denial about the true extent of Iran's nuclear activities might at least partially explain why Trump is prepared to take a less confrontational tone in his negotiations with the ayatollahs.
There are also suggestions that Trump might be hoping to be hailed as a president of "peace" -- a word he often tellingly repeats -- and perhaps be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Many thought he had been cheated of it in recognition of his historic Abraham Accords during his first term.
Sadly, the Norwegian Nobel Committee will most likely never reward Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize, no matter how much peace he delivers. To them, a worthy recipient was Yasser Arafat, among other leaders now known more for their failures than for success.
Trump instead would do well to focus on becoming the greatest leader of the 21st Century, another Churchill, by ridding the world of Iran's nuclear weapons threat for once and all, as well as its ballistic missile program and its ability, through its proxies, to keep exporting terrorism.
One former CIA director has described the assessments previously provided on Iran's nuclear programme as "stupid intelligence".
This has led to calls for the administration to undertake an immediate reappraisal of Washington's intelligence assessment regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons as a devastating matter of urgency, and for the Trump administration to undertake an urgent reappraisal of Gabbard.
The assessment also should include all the terrible implications that an Iranian regime with the capability of building and delivering nuclear weapons will have for an inevitable international arms race.
If Trump is to stand any chance of ending Iran's nuclear ambitions, it is essential that the White House has the most up-to-date assessment of the true state of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Failure to do so will simply enable the ayatollahs to fulfil their long-held goal of global hegemony.
*Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
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The ‘Arab Spring’ belongs to another era
Oussama Romdhani/Arabiya/30 April ,2025
The “Arab Spring” truly belongs to another era. But a more cautious approach alone is not enough by itself to keep ghosts of trouble forever at bay.
To avoid renewed unrest, many of the regimes of North Africa and the Middle East have, in varying degrees, learned to adjust their mores.
As protests erupted in south-central Tunisia earlier this month, some wondered if we were witnessing a remake of the December 2010 events which sparked the Arab Spring.
Hundreds of inhabitants took to the streets of Mazzouna, a small city in the same province of Sidi Bouzid where a street vendor named Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire unleashing a wave of unrest which led to the fall of the Zine El Abidine Ben Ali regime, more than 14 years ago.
The catalyst for the protests, this time, was the death of teenagers who were crushed under the weight of the debris of a decaying school wall, which local authorities neglected to repair. Another similarity were the protests by angry crowds which for a few days set tires on fire and blocked city roads to voice their anger. But similarities stopped there; as Tunisia of 2025 was not the Tunisia of 2010. In fact, all the Arab countries, which had witnessed the watershed upheaval of 2011 and even those which did not, have in many ways changed great deal.
All across the region, there was a rude awakening the day after the Arab Spring. Ensuing experiences of civil war, chaos or just stalled transitions offered unappealing models.
In Libya, the institutional vacuum created by four decades of Gadhafi rule, combined with outside interventions and domestic strife, hurled the country into a chaotic situation from which it is yet to recover.
Revolts in Yemen and Syria evolved into full-fledged civil wars brought about by short-sighted and sectarian rulers and unbridled interference of foreign powers, wrecked the two countries.
Tunisia, the poster child of the “Arab spring,” did for a while offer the semblance of an exception. But, as its inept governments engaged in political feuding at the expense of economic reform, the country quickly joined the ranks of failed experiences providing cautionary tales about the consequences of regime change under street pressure.
In most non-oil producing Arab countries, the lack of meaningful reform continued to fuel poverty and unemployment, breeding new contingents of despair.
Populations learned not to believe in the politicians’ promises nor to expect their salvation through elusive democratic change. They ended up pinning more hope on individual solutions, mainly emigration, than on street protests.
To avoid renewed unrest, many of the regimes of North Africa and the Middle East have, in varying degrees, learned to adjust their mores.
In dealing with occasional eruptions of protest, more cohesive and disciplined security forces have mostly abandoned recourse to lethal means while the protesters themselves learned to eschew violence in expressing their grievances.
Drawing the lessons of the slippery path of extreme violence which ended up sealing the fate of “Arab spring” regimes, such policies went a long way towards preventing protests from spinning out of control in more recent years, even if keeping a lid on vicious cycles of violence remained an uphill task in places awash with weapons, such as Libya or Iraq.
The North African countries, which were not engulfed by the 2011 turmoil, were in fact those which had the wisdom to avoid using excessive force in dealing with demonstrators.
Morocco escaped the maelstrom by managing to keep protests peaceful while pointing to the reforms and political overtures it had introduced in the nineties as well as by capitalising on the king’s legitimacy.
Despite mass protests, from December 2010 to January 2012, Algeria, too, avoided bloodshed. It had been immunized by the memory of its bloody decade and was helped by oil revenues it used to cushion social woes.
On the political level, the post-2011 governments of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt learned the hard way that the fallen regimes’ practices of dynastic rule, combined with corruption, were key to eruptions of anger, and hence should be a red-line for all not to cross.
A more cautious form of authoritarianism was born; as rulers realized they should not take their tenure for granted. They were now convinced they had to appease social discontent by introducing reforms or at least taking token measures in the face of looming unrest; even if such palliatives could take their toll on the budgets. Not all regimes seemed to realize that the freedom of expression genie could not be put back in the bottle but no ruler could ignore the fact that social media have widened their reach and were proving, every day, that they were a step ahead of the authorities and of traditional media.
The aftermath of the Arab Spring also led the West to modify its approach to countries of the region. Desire for stability trumped all cards. Regional governments were now meeting the West half-way: while Europe and the US showed a willingness to refrain from democratic proselytism and the advocacy of regime change, the countries south of the Mediterranean accommodated Western calls to fight illegal emigration and curtail cross-border security threats.
In the battle for the hearts and minds, authorities in the Maghreb, in particular, stayed vigilant about the early signs of re-emergence of the “Hogra” mindset among the disenfranchised. Such a mindset, long associated with the feeling by the poor and the marginalized of being disrespected by authorities, had always proven to be a mobilizing battle cry and a harbinger of incoming turbulence.
The Arab Spring truly belongs to another era. But a more cautious approach alone is not enough, by itself, to keep ghosts of trouble forever at bay. There remains the need for meaningful reform in order to revive hope in the future and make sure constituencies of despair start shrinking. Till that happens, too many cadres and underprivileged youth will continue to set their sights on Europe instead of seeking better lives at home.

The road ahead: Why US-Iran nuclear talks are getting more difficult
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arabiya/30 April ,2025
The United States and Iran have entered a crucial and complicated phase in their nuclear negotiations. After a period of initial optimism, where the first two rounds of talks were described as “constructive” and “productive” by both sides, the reality is now setting in: the most difficult part of diplomacy is just beginning. The early sessions created the impression that a final deal could be reached swiftly and easily, giving rise to hope among many observers that a breakthrough was imminent. However, a closer look reveals that the true nature of negotiations is far more complex – and that real obstacles are now emerging that could slow or even derail the process altogether.
In any high-stakes negotiation, it is often the case that the first few rounds move relatively quickly and smoothly. These sessions are generally used to establish the groundwork: both parties test the waters, measure the seriousness and intentions of the other side, and see whether it is even worth continuing. In that phase, the discussions tend to remain general, focusing on shared goals like “restoring trust,” “avoiding escalation,” or “securing a peaceful future.” These kinds of broad conversations naturally create a sense of momentum. But once the talks move from broad intentions to specific details – the actual nuts and bolts of any potential agreement – the process invariably becomes slower, more complicated, and more contentious.
Today, the US and Iran have shifted into that technical phase, where every word, number, and technical specification could be a potential stumbling block. Negotiators are no longer discussing ideals; they are trying to hammer out a real, enforceable, and verifiable agreement. This new stage brings a host of highly sensitive and complex issues to the table, each of which touches on national security, sovereignty, and domestic political concerns. Understanding why the negotiations have become harder requires diving into these specific technical issues – because they are at the heart of whether a deal is even possible.
One of the central and most controversial technical issues is uranium enrichment. Iran’s ability to enrich uranium has long been a flashpoint of international tension. Under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran had agreed to limit its enrichment to 3.67 percent purity – suitable for civilian energy use, but far below the 90 percent enrichment level needed for weapons-grade material. Since the United States withdrew from the JCPOA under the Trump administration in 2018, Iran gradually increased its enrichment levels, eventually reaching up to 60 percent. Today, the United States wants Iran not only to scale back but, in many proposals, to halt enrichment altogether and rely on importing nuclear fuel for civilian purposes. For Iran, however, giving it up entirely would be seen as a humiliation and a surrender of sovereignty. This fundamental disagreement over enrichment levels is not easily bridgeable, and it remains one of the most serious obstacles facing the negotiators.
Closely tied to the enrichment debate is the question of who will manage and control Iran’s existing stockpiles of enriched uranium. Even if Iran agreed to limit enrichment moving forward, the fate of the material it has already produced remains a critical concern. Washington’s position is most likely that existing stockpiles – particularly highly enriched material – must be either destroyed or transferred to a neutral third-party country for safe storage. The rationale is clear: to prevent Iran from having enough fissile material on hand for a rapid “breakout” to a nuclear weapon. Iran, however, may view this demand with deep suspicion. Officials in Tehran could argue that surrendering the stockpiles would leave their country vulnerable and dependent on external powers for energy needs. Furthermore, Iran’s leaders fear that handing over its uranium would be politically disastrous at home, where hardliners could easily accuse the government of capitulation. Negotiators must therefore find a solution that addresses both proliferation concerns and pride – a tall order in any diplomatic context.
Another highly technical but essential area of dispute centers around research and development (R&D) in nuclear technology. Even during the JCPOA years, Iran was permitted a very limited amount of R&D under strict supervision. Since the collapse of that agreement, Iran has invested heavily in advancing its nuclear know-how, particularly in developing more sophisticated centrifuges capable of enriching uranium faster and more efficiently. The United States most likely wants to not only freeze but, in some cases, roll back Iran’s R&D progress, arguing that continued technological advancement would make future breakout efforts faster and harder to detect. Iran would likely counter that research and development is a sovereign right and an indispensable part of its scientific and economic future. From Tehran’s perspective, limitations on R&D are not just about nuclear power but about broader technological independence.
Negotiators thus could face the near-impossible task of drawing a line that allows for peaceful research while preventing militarization – a distinction that is often murky and highly political.
Another complicated topic is the question of how long any future agreement should last and whether it should include so-called “sunset clauses.” Under the JCPOA, many of the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities were set to expire after a certain number of years. Critics of the original deal argued that sunset clauses merely delayed the problem rather than solving it, giving Iran a legal pathway to a robust nuclear program in the future. The Trump administration is most likely pressing for a deal without sunset clauses – one that would impose permanent restrictions on Iran’s enrichment activities and stockpile limits.
Tehran would likely argue that permanent restrictions would essentially deny Iran the right to a peaceful nuclear program forever and would treat it as a pariah state indefinitely. Here again, the difference in positions is fundamental, and bridging it will be exceedingly difficult.
Beyond these major topics, there are numerous other technical details that must be hammered out. These include the scope of IAEA inspections, the development of new nuclear facilities such as reactors and heavy-water plants, the conditions under which new centrifuge production might be allowed in the future, and the extent to which Iran must disclose past nuclear activities. Each of these issues is fraught with political, technical, and strategic complexities. In diplomacy, the devil is always in the details – and in this case, there are hundreds of small but crucial details that must be resolved for any deal to be viable and sustainable. Adding to the complexity is the apparent underlying strategic goal of the Trump administration: the pursuit of a “zero enrichment” policy. Some US officials have made it clear, directly or indirectly, that the ultimate aim is to eliminate all of Iran’s indigenous nuclear capability. From Washington’s perspective, this would remove the threat of a future Iranian nuclear weapon entirely, creating a more stable Middle East and a more secure world. However, from Iran’s perspective, such a demand is tantamount to demanding total surrender. Iran sees its nuclear program not only as a source of national pride but also as a critical bargaining chip in its broader regional and global strategy. The idea of giving up enrichment completely is seen as unacceptable by virtually all factions within Iran’s political system – from moderates to hardliners. In conclusion, the US-Iran nuclear negotiations have entered a new, much more difficult phase. While the early rounds of discussions were relatively smooth and optimistic, the real challenge has always been in the details. Now that talks have shifted to the technical specifics of uranium enrichment, stockpile management, research and development, centrifuge deployment, inspection regimes, sunset clauses, and dozens of other thorny issues, the process is inevitably going to slow down and become more fraught. These technical details are not minor; they go to the very heart of each side’s strategic interests and national security.

Will US solve the Iran nuclear conundrum?
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/April 30, 2025
So far, three rounds of indirect US-Iran talks have taken place in Oman and Italy, with more on the way. It is like the two sides are exploring the art of the possible, aiming to strike a deal without a long list of conditions or conclusions — the style of negotiations long favored by Tehran. At the same time, the negotiations seek to avoid putting off a US administration that is light on depth and substance but seems desperate to demonstrate to the world that it is in charge and has what it takes to apply the “art of the deal,” as championed by President Donald Trump. For now, this is proving elusive.
Aside from the consensus that the three rounds of talks have been “positive and productive” and that further rounds will be held to narrow their differences on a range of subjects, last Saturday’s meeting delved into some technical matters, we were told. The technical discussions will resume in the fourth round in the coming days. The highest-level contact between these long-time foes in years is chasing a new deal that would stop Iran developing nuclear weapons — an objective Tehran denies ever pursuing — in return for sanctions relief.
But what would form a good deal for Iran, the US, Israel and the countries of the region and the world that are in a state of flux?
Limiting the enrichment of uranium to 4 percent purity — which is maybe what Iran would acquiesce to, while keeping its ability to ramp up production if needed — would be ideal. Leaving intact its updated centrifuge systems and maybe accepting in return a monitoring and inspections regime would be a victory regardless of what happens to its advanced ballistic missile program. Of course, all sanctions would also have to be lifted. Some of the factors at play are domestic Iranian considerations, while others are international geopolitical factors
A worse deal from Iran’s perspective, but which would keep Israel happy, would be one that removed all of its nuclear infrastructure and all uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. This would be similar to the 2003 agreement that Libya made with the West, under which it gave up its nuclear, chemical, biological and ballistic missile programs in return for total rehabilitation.
Others in the region, namely Arab countries, have long wished for a far-reaching deal that could see Iran end its meddling in neighboring countries’ affairs and use of armed proxy militias to spread its influence. This was an issue that the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal overlooked, meaning it was seen as being in favor of Tehran. Several factors are at play, simultaneously competing and urging such different deals to be concluded. Some of these factors are domestic Iranian considerations, while others are international geopolitical factors that could ensure a deal that ends up being in favor of Iran. That is why Tehran seems to be dangling many carrots, aiming to reduce or neutralize the rhetorical US-Israeli sticks of military destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
On the domestic Iranian level, the crippling sanctions have piled pressure on the regime, whose deliverables to the citizens of Iran have long been shrinking by the day, exposing it to uprisings such as that of 2022, which was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. The deadly explosion on Saturday of what is believed to be a shipment of ballistic missile fuel and chemicals at Shahid Rajaee port does not bode well for a regime that is careful to cultivate a professional image among its people.
This comes on the back of a series of blows suffered since its tit for tat strikes with Israel in support of Gaza last year. These include the routing of Hamas and Hezbollah and the end of the Assad regime, which the Iranian rulers often paraded domestically as a sign of its prowess.
On the wider geopolitical level, Iran is trying to benefit from the influence Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have on Trump, whose second term reached the 100-day landmark this week. Nowhere is this clearer than in Trump and his administration’s adoption and parroting of the Kremlin’s narrative vis-a-vis Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine being the fault of Kyiv.
Iran is trying to benefit from the influence Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have on Trump
Another indication is that the US envoy leading nearly all the White House’s initiatives and talks, Steve Witkoff, has been having regular audiences with Putin in Moscow. These are surely not only focused on the Ukraine war. They could also be touching on the geopolitical flashpoints between the superpowers — and the Iran nuclear file is likely among them. Talking to Iran experts these days, one senses that dangling the carrot of Tehran buying American, and not European, might attract the Trump administration to strike any deal as long as it offers the prospect of an elusive Nobel Peace Prize. This could even come at the cost of US officials ignoring intricate details related to the threat a revitalized, reenergized and replenished Tehran might pose to peace and security in the Middle East and the wider world. It could be sweetened by a promise from Tehran to spend billions of dollars acquiring Boeing airplanes to renew its fleets, while also realigning its oil industry and infrastructure development along US lines of investment. Trump whisperers in the Kremlin and beyond are no doubt encouraging him down that path. But some Iran skeptics in Europe are holding their breath over the eventuality — which is not remote — that Trump rushes to sign a deal that is worse than the original JCPOA. Many observers believe that the world changed as a result of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. It has changed even more since Trump returned to the White House. But I am afraid the Iranian regime’s maximalist approach has not changed even slightly, as it still believes it can have its cake and eat it too. It is refusing to remove its religiously fueled gown of extremism for the benefit of peace and prosperity and less militarism and meddling. Yet why should it, as the world, from America to China, is lurching rightward and toward stringent conservative and populist rhetoric-fueled politics?
**Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years’ experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

The Most Dangerous Aspect of Abdel Nasser’s Recordings
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
A leaked recording of a 17-minute conversation from August 1970 between the late Egyptian President, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Muammar Gaddafi, in which they discuss the conflict with Israel and the Palestinian cause, has discredited ideas and movements that long had fed off “another” version of Abdel Nasser. Yes, there were two sides to Abdel Nasser. As Mr. Mamdouh Al-Muhaini noted in an article on these pages, the sensible Abdel Nasser, whom we hear in the leaked clip, buried the other version of him that stirred emotions and inflamed passions at the time, leading to Arab disaster.
As Mr. Abdulrahman al-Rashed wrote in his article, Abdel Nasser “kept chasing his slogans until he became, in practice, a hostage of the monster he had created, the radicalized street demanding more boisterous speeches and statements.”
Much has been said and will be said about that recording, which shocked Abdel Nasser’s followers. At one point, he tells Gaddafi:
“Leave us alone... When are we supposed to fight and where would we get weapons from? Those who seek war and liberation should go ahead. How are you going to liberate Tel Aviv? The Jews are ahead of us; I’m telling you.”
Abdel Nasser adds that the Israelis “are superior to us on land. And they’re superior in the air. I’m not saying this because I’m defeatist. I’m saying that if we really want to achieve a goal, we must be realistic. How are we going to achieve it?”
“If achieving that goal is unlikely... then we’re stepping away from the whole thing. Leave us be. We support a defeatist peace of surrender. And I can accept that with a clear conscience. Those of you who want to wage a war should go ahead and do that.”
Yes, all of the above is indeed shocking to Nasserists. He himself repeatedly points to this in the recording. Fully aware of the potential repercussions, he was afraid. He was afraid to embark on a peace process and afraid to speak rationally for fear of clashing with the “monster” he had created, as Mr. al-Rashed put it. The most alarming segment of the recording (and this is not to downplay the significance of the statements that shocked his followers) is his apathy about Jordan’s stability. Indeed, says that he hoped the “fedayeen” take over Jordan so everyone could see what King Hussein would do.
He went on to say that if the “fedayeen” were to rule Jordan, they would then have to face the realities of fighting Israel, thereby understanding how difficult it really is to achieve anything through war or armed struggle. I say that this is the most alarming because it reveals how, driven by personal desires, Abdel Nasser engaged recklessly and arrogantly with the regimes. Meanwhile, journalists and intellectuals have romanticized, on weak grounds, the reasoning of the military officers who destroyed Iraq, Syria, and others. Meanwhile, Abdel Nasser was speaking purely out of rivalry, a thirst for power, and contempt for the stability of neighboring states.I say this is the most alarming because anyone who has reflected on the destruction of those countries now finds that Iraq, Syria, South Yemen, and others are no longer part of the region. Those who had once vowed to throw Israel into the sea ended up devastating their own countries and the Palestinian cause. And here we are today. We fear for the viability of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders. Borders that, as Abdel Nasser said in the recording, would cancel out the demands of 1948. Today, the real question is: can a deal that returns to the 1967 border even still be achieved after the events of October 7, 2023? So, where are the ideologues now? Where are those who once celebrated the fall of regimes or supported Yahya Sinwar; what do they have to say about the revelations? Who is willing to learn the lesson?

Have Islamists Become a Mere Security Incident?
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/April 30/2025
The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in Jordan and was listed as an illegal organization after one of its cells was accused of "planning to carry out terrorist attacks." One semi-official characterization circulated by the media was that the group, which is closely linked to Hamas, "endangers the lives of Jordanians."This development coincided with the Syrian Interior Ministry's arrest of Islamic Jihad leaders, as well as revelations about Hamas's responsibility for the rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon, almost certainly with Hezbollah's approval. While Sharaa regime supporters are inclined to label him a "former" Islamist, getting rid of non-Syrian Islamist militants, the most obvious embodiment of the clash between political Islam and the Syrian state and Syrian patriotism, tops the list of demands made of Syria’s de facto ruler.Such developments suggest that a security struggle has come to dominate the scene in the Middle East, and Islamist factions taking heavy blows are making their way in the world as gangs of pure violence that is mixed with only a minimal dose of politics. Traversing national borders and turning countries into conduits for violent operations, an illicit activity by definition, is the core of their political “program.” Arms, possessing arms and using them, ultimately eclipse all their causes and struggles. In Lebanon, the disarmament of Hezbollah is the number one political issue, and the same question is leaping to the forefront of Iraqi political life amid growing demands for clipping the Popular Mobilization Forces’ (PMF) fangs and seizing their weapons. With Iran weakened, this trajectory will probably accelerate.
Dominant language has taken on the task of clarifying everything that this activity has not shed light. Indeed, terms typically associated with border smugglers and outlaws, such as "smuggling,gangs," and "crossings..." are becoming increasingly pervasive in conversations about Islamist militants. Hamas adds "kidnapping," a familiar term in the world of smugglers, to this lexicon- not only because it kidnapped hostages on October 7 but also due to its refusal to release the remaining hostages and thereby render Netanyahu’s genocidal war untenable.
This same approach has also been taken with Iran, which, at least in the eyes of Western states, is seen as a "rogue state." Just last week, the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Iranian ambassador in protest over his tweet about a "conspiracy" to disarm Hezbollah, and he did so after Lebanon banned Iranian flights to its country and as the Lebanese authorities work on imposing their control over its land and sea borders.
In other words, political Islam, with its Sunnis and Shiites, its rulers and subjects, and its leading state and the foot soldiers of its proxies, is cultivating the image of a security concern far more than that of a political phenomenon. While governments have been accused of mainstreaming this image, their job was made easier by the fact that Islamists have never been known for political visions and ideas that go beyond their platitudes about religion, states, and jihad. In turn, "Al-Aqsa Flood" crowned this lack, or it constituted the material incarnation of this lack. In addition, the Islamists- or most of their movements- developed characteristics associated with militias, operating as illicit groups that undermine the state and a peaceful way of life.
With their current responses to everything governments throw at them, all the Islamists are doing is affirming their political vapidity by leaning into security threats. In Lebanon, we see this in the relentless threats of civil war or to "cut off the hands" that reach for Hezbollah's weapons. As for Jordan, a newspaper tied to the ‘Axis’ accused its government of "taking a gamble on stability" with its ban on the Muslim Brotherhood...
"Addressing the nation and galvanizing its people" has been reduced to oratorical hyperbole, which mosquitos are intelligent enough to snub, about the successive victories and achievements of shattered organizations in Gaza, Lebanon, with the most caricatural being the Yemeni Houthis’ announcements of "hitting targets deep inside Israel."Accordingly, we are facing a new phase of Islamist bankruptcy that will become another chapter of erasing the traces of "Al-Aqsa Flood."
So, is a post-political Islam era upon us?
It is too early to give a definitive answer. Islamists are masters of capitalizing on others’ failures, and who knows, we could see some of them proselytize a retreat into open terrorism in frustration, while others might restore Sayyid Qutb, casting societies into a life of “Jahiliyya” (pre-Islamic era, literally translates to ignorance) awaiting salvation at the hands of a "vanguard of believers." In any case, however, security solutions should be the beginning, not the end, or that is what those seeking durable solutions that pave the way for stability aspire to. There is a pressing need for political and intellectual formulations that drain the wastewater of this politics, cultivating a patriotism that fills the void left by Islamism’s atrophy, and putting a lid on sectarian and ethnic struggles that could embrace this or that form of political Islam. Broadening the space for furthering citizens’ interests and safeguarding their rights also remains essential, as does working on a theory which ensures, in the longer term, that politics and legitimacy are liberated from the non-political. All of these objectives call for abandoning the contrarian worldview that has often created fertile ground for Islamist excesses. However, ending Israel’s murderous rampage in Gaza remains a necessary prerequisite for meeting any of the other requisites.