Oman

2025-05-31

وكالاتقال وزير الخارجية الإيراني عباس عراقجي، إن وزير الخارجية العماني بدر البوسعيدي، قام بزيارة طهران، اليوم السبت، لنقل اقتراح من الجانب الأمريكي.وأكد عراقجي، في منشور على حسابه الرسمي بمنصة "إكس"، أن إيران ستقوم "وفقًا للمبادئ والمصالح الوطنية وحقوق الشعب الإيراني"، بتقديم الرد المناسب على المقترح الأمريكي. My dear brother , distinguished Foreign Minister of Oman, paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran. وفي سياق منفصل، أكد رئيس منظمة الطاقة الذرية الإيرانية محمد إسلامي، اليوم السبت، أن هناك بعض التقدم في المفاوضات غير المباشرة مع الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.وأشار إسلامي، إلى أن الحديث عن تصفير التخصيب هو حديث وكلام ينطبق بالأغلب على إسرائيل، وفقًا لوكالة الأنباء الإيرانية "إرنا".ونوه إلى أن إيران تمتلك محطة للطاقة النووية بقدرة 1000 ميجاواط في بوشهر، والتي أنتجت 7.3 مليار كيلوواط/ساعة من الكهرباء في العام الماضي وحده، لافتًا إلى أنه وبحلول نهاية الخطة التنموية السابعة، ستصل قدرة محطة الطاقة النووية في البلاد إلى 3000 ميجاواط، وأنه تم إعداد الأرض لبناء محطتين للطاقة النووية في جنوب وشمال البلاد. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-30

On April 20, the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, welcomed the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, to Istanbul. Official statements announced that they met to discuss humanitarian assistance to Gaza and the sanctions that Turkey had recently announced against Israel, but the rumor mills were churning out a quite different story. Reports in the media suggested that this Ankara meeting was the result of a breakdown in relations between Hamas and Qatar. Hamas’s political hierarchy has been based in Qatar since 2012, where the Gulf kingdom has housed them in luxury hotels. More recently, together with the US and Egypt, Qatar has taken on the role of mediator between Hamas and Israel. On the day of the Erdogan-Haniyeh meeting, The Wall Street Journal, citing an Arab official, reported that Qatar believes its role as a trusted mediator is being to conclude a hostage-for-truce deal, and that it has threatened Hamas leaders with expulsion from Qatar if they do not. Other reports, noting that the truce talks have stalled and perhaps assuming that Hamas will remain intransigent, state that Hamas’s political chiefs are actively exploring moving their base of operations out of Qatar. The WSJ says Hamas has recently contacted two regional countries about having its leaders live there. One of them is Oman (which has denied the story). The other, one media report suggests, could be Iran. Or, it now appears, it might be Turkey. If the Hamas leadership does leave Qatar, the long-standing Hamas-Qatari relationship could be severed, mediated negotiations would certainly be disrupted, and any slim chance of a deal to free dozens of the Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza would go on the back burner. Israel’s options to rescue the hostages would be reduced to the long-anticipated Rafah operation and a military defeat of Hamas. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian meets with Palestinian group Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh in Doha, Qatar December 20, 2023. (credit: IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY)/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS) On April 17, Democratic US Congressman accused Qatar of failing to exert sufficient pressure on the Palestinian group to accept a ceasefire proposal. He went so far as to accuse Qatar of “siding with Hamas.” If they failed to persuade Hamas to accept a deal, he said that Washington would reevaluate its ties with the Gulf country. This prompted Qatar to release a statement, expressing surprise at Hoyer’s threat. “We share his frustration that Hamas and Israel have not reached an agreement on the release of the remaining hostages,” the statement ran, “… but Qatar is only a mediator – we do not control Israel or Hamas.” Qatar, along with the US and Egypt, has been trying to mediate a deal from the start of the Gaza war. Despite Hoyer’s criticism, the Gulf kingdom has gained considerable praise for its efforts, particularly its success in brokering the temporary ceasefire that took effect from November 24 to 30, and included the release of 50 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel. On November 27, the Qatari foreign ministry announced that a two-day extension to the ceasefire had been agreed in which 20 Israelis and 60 Palestinians would be released. Close to the end of the first extension another one-day extension to the truce was agreed by both sides, but it broke down on December 1, and shortly afterward hostilities were resumed. Since then no amount of mediation has succeeded in gaining agreement on the terms of a further truce and hostage release. The negotiations have stalled. And Qatar is unhappy, not only at its failure to persuade Hamas to accept any kind of deal, but also at the criticism it is facing as a consequence. On April 17, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani announced that Qatar is reevaluating its mediation role in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. “Qatar is proceeding with a complete reevaluation of its role,” he said, complaining, without naming Hoyer, about “the exploitation by some politicians who are trying to conduct their electoral campaigns by defaming the State of Qatar. There are limits to this role and limits to the ability to which we can contribute to these negotiations in a constructive way.” Perhaps the limits were reached when all efforts to replicate the truce-for-hostage deal – successfully concluded in November – were blocked by Hamas intransigence. So perhaps the media reports are accurate. Perhaps Qatar has lost patience, and is showing Hamas the door. Although Hamas has denied that it is seeking a new base, the Haniyeh-Erdogan meeting, followed by a trip to Doha, Qatar’s capital, by Hakan Fidan, the Turkish foreign minister, may indicate something different. As a side issue, some in the Israeli government go along with Congressman Hoyer, and regard the Gulf kingdom as too biased to be impartial. Some would actually welcome Qatar abandoning its mediator role, in the hope that if Qatar steps aside, Cairo will take over. “Egypt should have been the main mediator from the beginning,” a member of the hostage negotiation team in Israel told the Daily Telegraph. “They don’t align with the Muslim Brotherhood mentality, and have no vested interests with Hamas like Qatar and Turkey do.” The Israeli negotiator has a point. Qatar and Erdogan’s Turkey have both supported Hamas for years, and they share the Sunni Islamist ideology it promulgates. Egypt, on the other hand, has banned the Muslim Brotherhood and declared it a terrorist organization. On April 22, HuffPost reported that, in rare extensive interviews last month, two prominent Hamas leaders separately spoke of flexibility on their . They spoke shortly after a Hamas delegation had returned from a lengthy visit to Iran. As a consequence, some experts saw Tehran as a possible next base for the organization, a scenario that would leave the US with far less access to, or leverage over, Hamas. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’s politburo in Gaza, explained that if Qatar decided to withdraw its hospitality, the organization was quite prepared to move. “Hamas leadership is used to [moving] from place to place,” he said. But Hamas is increasingly concerned with projecting a confident image and challenging the idea it is becoming more isolated. So when the HuffPost contacted Naim again on April 21, he had somewhat changed his tune. He pointed to a statement he had recently issued rejecting the WSJ article as “complicit with the Israeli misleading propaganda.” Claims that Hamas “is considering leaving Qatar for another country,” he said “have no basis.” Time will tell. The writer is the Middle East correspondent for Eurasia Review. His latest book is Trump and the Holy Land: 2016-2020. Follow him at: www.a-mid-east-journal.blogspot.com. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-21

It has never been more obvious that the has no alternative strategy for dealing with the Iranian threat. Despite reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Tehran is in violation of uranium enrichment regulations, and despite Iranian behavior that directly harms American interests in the Middle East as Iran wages war in Iraq and Yemen through terror militias loyal to it, the US government continues to rely on secret meetings brokered by various countries in the region to discuss issues with Iran. According to recent US reports, an was recently held through the mediation of Oman and focused exclusively on the issue of lifting Western sanctions against Iran. According to the US, the dialog was also about stopping attacks by the Houthi group Ansar Allah in the Red Sea. The media reports need no further confirmation than the extension of the decision to ease sanctions against Iran so that it can benefit from the frozen assets of more than 10 billion dollars, which confirms the unchanged position of the Biden administration, despite the events of recent months and days. Since taking office, the Biden administration has attempted to engage in a dialog with Iran, hoping to contribute to a breakthrough on other issues. While this approach has led to diplomatic disaster for the US, the White House is sticking to it in the absence of an alternative strategy for dealing with Iran. The request to Iran to help stop the , officially confirmed, reveals the failure of the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition that the US hastily formed to repel the attacks and protect the Red Sea trade corridor.It also confirms the correctness of the position of the countries that did not participate in this coalition, not only because it did not achieve its goal, but also because Washington, as has been its custom in recent years, abandoned its allies and conducted a solitary dialog with Iran without discussing with them or considering the impact of such an approach on their interests and security. The actions of President Biden’s administration undoubtedly reinforce Iran’s strategic advantages in the Gaza war. Moreover, it solidifies Iran’s role as a regional driver of events, rather than confronting that role and restraining Tehran and its proxies. Moreover, a dialogue with Iran on ending the Houthi attacks is a recognition that legitimizes Tehran’s armed relationship with the Houthi terrorists - an American admission of a fait accompli that limits the effectiveness of deterrence. US PRESIDENT Joe Biden looks on during a presidential campaign event in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this week. ‘Mr. president, I believe you carry within you a deep emotional and spiritual commitment to the Jewish people and the State of Israel,’ says the writer. (credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters) On the other hand, it helps to reinforce the Iranian regime’s sense of strength and victory and its ability to achieve its strategic goals in the Middle East. Also, this American behavior undermines Israel’s own security and reflects the inability of the US to protect Israel other than through dialogue with Tehran. The issue also affects the credibility and reputation of the US. At a time when President Biden was addressing the American people in his State of the Union address to deter Iran and end its threat through confrontation with the Houthi terrorist militias, his representatives were negotiating with the Iranians on a deal that would allow them to achieve that same goal. The Iranian-American dialog has not been interrupted since President Biden took office. But right now, given the circumstances and the regional environment in which it is taking place, it seems to be very revealing. However, it seems that President Biden is fully convinced of how difficult it is to counter the Iranian threat by means other than dialog. This helps encourage Tehran to continue its behavior without fear or concern. Without a capable American deterrence strategy for dealing with Iran, the US will not be able to contain terrorist militias. The writer is a UAE political analyst and former Federal National Council candidate. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-20

The political leadership mulls moving its base of operations out of Qatar, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. It is understood the Gulf state is increasingly pressurizing the terror chiefs to accept a hostage-for-truce deal with Israel. The report quoted an unnamed Middle Eastern official as saying the Hamas poliburo chiefs were mulling a move to Oman. “The talks have already stalled again with barely any signs or prospects for them to resume any time soon, and distrust is rising between Hamas and the negotiators,” the source was quoted as saying. “The possibility of the talks being upended entirely is very real,” said another Arab official told WSJ. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-20

Despite reports that is considering continuing its role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, the Hamas leadership is considering leaving the country, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. According to the report, sources in the Arab world said that in recent days, Hamas has been holding talks with two Arab countries and noted that one of them is Oman. As you may recall, in recent years, with the accession of Arab countries to the , Israel has also had contacts with Oman, and last year, Muscat approved Israeli flights to pass through its airspace. However, this decision was canceled with the outbreak of war on October 7th. If the leadership of Hamas leaves Qatar, there is a fear that the crisis in relations will cause the collapse of the contacts for the release of Israeli hostages from the captivity of Hamas, in which Qatar serves as a central mediator. Earlier this week, as mentioned, the Prime Minister of Qatar, , announced that his country is "re-examining its position as a mediator between Israel and Gaza." Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani makes statements to the media with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Doha, Qatar, October 13, 2023. (credit: Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters) "Our position is being misused by politicians for their own purposes," said Al-Thani, his words come a few days after Hamas announced once again that the current outline for the hostage deal is not acceptable to it. Al-Thani also said, "We had extensive contacts with Tehran and Washington to prevent any escalation. We hear from all the parties in the region that they do not want war - the best way to reduce the escalation in the region is to stop the war in Gaza." Last Sunday, it was reported that Hamas's response to the mediators' proposal included a willingness to release only about 20 abductees in exchange for a six-week ceasefire - about half the number of abductees that the outline originally included, an Israeli official said. The Israeli official pointed out that Hamas is using the answer he gave to the mediators with "ridiculous excuses" to explain the reduction in the number of abductees he is willing to release in the first phase of the deal. For example, Hamas claims that some of the abductees included in this part of the deal - women, men over the age of 50, and men in serious medical conditions - are not alive or are not in its hands. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-20

The political leadership mulls moving its base of operations out of Qatar, The Wall Street Journal reported. It is understood the Gulf state is increasingly pressurizing the terror chiefs to accept a hostage-for-truce deal with Israel. The Wall Street Journal quoted an unnamed Middle Eastern official as saying the Hamas poliburo chiefs were mulling a move to Oman. Meanwhile Ismail Haniyeh, the top Hamas official in Qatar, will meet with Turkey’s Islamist president Recep Tayyip Erdogan later on Saturday.   🚨Alert sirens sound in northern Israel   Both Israel and U.S. deny being behind overnight strikes on Iraq. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-18

is grappling with the aftermath of a historic rainstorm that deluged the nation on Tuesday, causing unprecedented flooding and disruptions.  Dubai International Airport, a pivotal global travel hub, is struggling to manage a backlog of flights due to a flooded runway. Major roads remain inundated, severely affecting traffic and daily operations. Recorded as the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, the storm has effectively brought much of the UAE to a standstill.  major thoroughfares were reduced to a crawl, with some vehicles, including buses, nearly submerged underwater. Social media footage displayed dramatic scenes of malls and homes overwhelmed by water leaks. Emergency services were stretched, with firefighters using trucks to pump waist-deep water from flooded streets while stranded drivers navigated around abandoned vehicles. The main road connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi was also shut down, adding to the chaos. A man uses his mobile as he walks on a flooded road after a rainstorm, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, April 17, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/RULA ROUHANA ) The airport faced significant challenges in resuming operations, with ongoing delays and diversions affecting thousands of travelers.  Emirates, the largest carrier at the airport, had to suspend check-in services on Wednesday, further complicating the situation. have linked the rainstorm, which initially hit neighboring Oman, to global warming. This points to a broader trend of extreme weather conditions exacerbated by inadequate local infrastructure. President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered a comprehensive assessment of the damage and directed support for those affected by the storm. As the UAE begins its recovery, the focus is also turning to improving resilience against such rare but increasingly likely weather events. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-17

Heavy thunderstorms and rainfall across the Gulf region resulted in flood alert warnings being issued across the area. In Oman 19 people died, at least one was reported in the United Arab Emirates and Dubai's main airport was partially out of service. The freak weather event began in Omon on Sunday, with high winds and heavy rain, an area that was quickly flooded swept away 10 schoolchildren in a vehicle with an adult driver, in addition to another eight deaths and others still missing. Still on Tuesday, Oman's national emergency authority said rain was expected to continue. While similar weather plagued neighboring Gulf countries. Heavy thunderstorms dumped over a year and a half's worth of rain on Dubai, according to The Associate Press. Central highways and the international airport were documented as flooded and mostly out of service. In Ras al-Khaimah, police said one 70-year-old man died when his vehicle was swept away by floodwater. In the UAE, the downpour began late Monday and 0.79 inches of rain was recorded at Dubai International Airport, while the storms only intensified on Tuesday with hail and rain. By Tuesday night, 5.59 inches were recorded in a single day compared to the 3.76 experienced in average cross an entire year. The metro saw disruptions, most schools were shut, and the Dubai International Airport ended up halting arrivals. This post can't be displayed because social networks cookies have been deactivated. You can activate them by clicking manage preferences. “Recovery will take some time,” the airport informed its travelers on X, explaining flight crews were unable to reach the aircraft and limited transportation options were available. Heavy rain also fell in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Some of whom experienced flooding, and forecasts expecting the rain to continue into Wednesday. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-12

Iran has signaled to Washington that it will respond to Israel's attack on its Syrian embassy in a way that aims to avoid major escalation and it will not act hastily, as Tehran presses demands including a Gaza truce, Iranian sources said. Iran's message to Washington was conveyed by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during a visit on Sunday to the Gulf Arab state of Oman, which has often acted as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, the sources said. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on any messages from Iran but said the United States has communicated to Iran that it was not involved in the strike on the embassy. Iran's foreign ministry was not immediately available to comment. The Omani government did not immediately respond to emailed questions for comment, sent during the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. A source familiar with US intelligence was not aware of the message conveyed via Oman but said Iran has “been very clear” that its response to the attack on its Damascus embassy compound would be “controlled” and “non-escalatory” and planned “to use regional proxies to launch a number of attacks on Israel.” Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks on during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, April 3, 2024. (credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS) The diplomatic messaging points to a cautious approach by Iran as it weighs how to respond to the April 1 attack in a way that deters Israel from further such actions, but avoids a military escalation that could suck in the United States. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Israel "must be punished and it shall be," saying it was tantamount to an attack on Iranian soil. Israel has not confirmed it was responsible, but the Pentagon has said it was. The attack, which killed a top Iranian general, marked a big escalation in the violence that has spread through the region since the Gaza war began. Tehran has carefully avoided any direct role in the regional spillover, while backing groupswhich have waged attacks from Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. Iranian-backed Shiite Muslim militias have not attacked US troops in Syria and Iraq since early February. One of the Iranian sources did not rule out the possibility that members of the Iran-backed Axis of Resistance could attack Israel at any moment - an option analysts have flagged as one possible means of reprisal. The sources said Amirabdollahian, in his Oman meetings, signaled Tehran's willingness to de-escalate on condition demands are met, including a permanent Gaza ceasefire - something Israel has ruled out as it seeks to crush Hamas. The sources said Iran also sought the revival of talks over its disputed nuclear program. Those talks have been stalled for nearly two years, with both sides accusing each other of making unreasonable demands. And Tehran also sought assurances that the United States would not get involved in the event of a "controlled attack" on Israel by Iran - a demand which the United States rejected in a response delivered via Oman, the sources said. Iran’s retaliatory strikes would be “non-escalatory” toward the United States “as they don’t want the U.S. to get involved,” said the source familiar with US intelligence, indicating Iran would not direct its proxy militias in Syria and Iraq to target US forces in those countries. The source added that Iran-directed strikes on Israel would likely prompt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond. US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that Iran was threatening to launch a "significant attack in Israel," and that he had told Netanyahu "our commitment to Israel security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is iron-clad." Israel has said it would answer any attack from Iran. “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a post on the X messaging platform in Farsi and Hebrew on Wednesday.  Experts on Iranian diplomacy said such tough demands from Tehran were typical of the hard-nosed approach it takes in negotiations. But the contacts nevertheless pointed to its interest in warding off major conflict. Eurasia group analyst Gregory Brew said Khamenei was "trapped in a strategic conundrum." "Iran must respond to restore deterrence and maintain credibility among its Resistance Front allies. But on the other hand, retaliating to restore deterrence would likely bring an even greater, and more destructive Israeli response, likely with U.S. assistance, as the U.S. is committed to assisting Israel if it comes under attack," he said. Ali Vaez of International Crisis Group said: "A (Gaza) ceasefire can give Iran a face saving way out, as it can argue that its direct military threat against Israel was the missing ingredient to make it happen." "But neither the odds nor the timing could align." The Iranian sources said the US had askedIran to exercise restraint and allow space for diplomacy, cautioning Tehran that in the event of a direct attack it will stand by Israel. The Iranian sources said Iran believes Netanyahu aims to draw Tehran into a war, therefore its retaliation could be a restrained one that avoids direct strikes on Israeli territory and may draw on Tehran's allies. The US Middle East envoy has called the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Iraq to ask them to deliver a message to Iran urging it to lower tensions with Israel, a source with knowledge of the situation said. Crisis Group's Vaez said Iran’s dilemma was "to figure out how to retaliate in a way that it saves face without losing its head." "Israel is much more unpredictable than the US is. Thus the risks are higher," he said. "The Supreme Leader is clearly concerned that rather than delivering the deterrent effect he might hope to achieve, an attack on Israel may only fuel a counter-escalation he might have hoped to avoid." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-11

A week of Iran’s threats to attack Israel has caused social media to lurch from one theory to another about when Iran’s supposed attack may come. to “punish” Israel since it accused Israel of an April 1 strike on Damascus that . On the evening of April 10, there were rumors that Iran had closed its airspace and told commercial flights to avoid Tehran. There were also stories about Iran testing a missile near Qom and that it was activating new air defenses. Hen, there were more rumors about how Iran would carry out its strike at exactly 1:20 am because this is when the US killed IRGC Quds Force head Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad Airport in 2020. There was more scrambling as well. Iran’s Foreign Minister called counterparts in Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.  clearly, this was the prelude to Iran’s claims it would attack Israel. Iran’s own Fars News media on April 11 made the calls seem routine. Amir Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan held a telephone conversation on Wednesday during which they stressed the necessity of continued consultations between Tehran and Riyadh over bilateral ties and regional and international developments,” Fars News said. The Iranian top diplomat also called UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  The Iranian diplomat referred to the continuation of Israeli crimes in the month of Ramadan, especially during Eid Al-Fitr, against the fasting Palestinian people in the blockaded territory and the West Bank,” Fars News said. Mir Abdollahian called Fuad Hussein and Hakan Fidan in Iraq and Turkey. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a parliament meeting in Tehran, Iran, January 22, 2023. (credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS) On the one hand, the Iranian foreign minister is working overtime.  e had been in Oman and Syria over the last seven days.  e has been making a lot of phone calls.  However, the Iranian foreign minister is rarely aware of Iran’s military plans in advance. Iran’s former foreign minister, Javad Zarif, was often cut out of whatever the IRGC and the military brass were planning. It could be that the current top diplomat has been made aware that Iran intends to make a big move this week.  It is less likely he knows much about it, and more likely he has been told to shore up some things with his counterparts and hear them out regarding US views on Iran’s actions. The US is also making a full-court press not to have Iran respond and plunge the region into more escalation. Therefore, the real story of Iran in the last few days has been that it wants to test Israel and also see Israel’s response. Iran has increasingly sought to threaten Eilat using in Iraq, for instance.  These groups have made numerous claims of using drones to target Eilat and also to target other areas of Israel.  In addition, Iran puts out different pieces of propaganda about its alleged threats to Israel, including videos that circulate online that Iran will target “Haifa airport.” Which airport exactly? It is a very famous Israeli airport in Haifa. the Iraqi militias also claim to have targeted this airport. How do Iran and its militias invent stories about this? Because it has to invent stories about something that gives it plausible deniability and cannot be verified. It may well come to pass that Iran and its militias attempt to target Israel. Iran has built this up over the last week, so climbing down now would make it look weak.  However, Iran also likes to sow confusion, and this is one of the modus operandi of Iran. It is important to understand that Iran is excellent at the rumor game and that its media and propaganda arms and various social media accounts in the region, as well as accounts on Telegram and elsewhere, know how to operationalize information and use it as a psychological weapon.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-02

Gulf Cooperation Council countries are experiencing a wave of immigration , with people of European origin as well as Arab immigrants who recently obtained European passports deciding to move to the Gulf. Official statistics indicate an increase in the number of European citizens by more than 30% in some Gulf countries. The number of European immigrants began to increase in 2023 and the beginning of 2024. Some immigrants had previously been living in Gulf countries before moving to Europe and chose to leave Europe after failing to integrate. Struggles in integrating had to do with religious rituals, Islamophobia, anti-Arab racism, and LGBT acceptance. Others left European countries due to economic problems and high taxes, seeking the luxurious lifestyles available in the Gulf. GCC countries are attractive to many immigrants because of the ease of doing business there and major ongoing economic projects in the countries. Many of the countries offer “golden visas,” which provide residency for investors, entrepreneurs, and highly skilled workers. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia skyline (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Laws in , the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar grant “golden residency” to prospective migrants with advanced degrees, the creative and talented, local property owners, and those with a monthly income exceeding $10,000. Migrants who fall into one of these categories are granted renewable permanent residency for 10 years. Official population statistics in showed a 3% to 5% increase in foreigners. Migration from Asian countries such as India and Bangladesh fell, while migration from other nationalities increased. Mustafa Ibrahim, a Swiss citizen of Iraqi origin, ended up living in Oman after moving to Europe. “I was working in the Sultanate of Oman, but I could not obtain Omani citizenship,” he told The Media Line. “Therefore, I went to live with my sister in Switzerland and obtained Swiss citizenship. Now I am returning to work in the Sultanate of Oman again.” Ibrahim said he moved back to Oman after facing difficulty living as a Muslim in Switzerland. “I have a son and a daughter,” he said. “I could not raise them there according to Islamic traditions. My daughter was subjected to racism repeatedly because she wore the hijab and was expelled from more than one school because she refused to wear a swimsuit, which is considered forbidden in front of men in the Islamic religion.” Ibrahim, who works as a mechanics professor, said that he receives a lower salary in Oman than he did in Switzerland. “But life here is better,” he said. “The Omanis are like me.” Bassem Al-Taie, a German citizen of Syrian origin, had been living in Germany since 1993, working as a civil engineer. Facing an insufficient salary and a tax rate of 40%, he recently chose to leave Germany for Dubai. “I have German citizenship. No one can ask me to leave, and if that happens, I can live in Germany again,” he told The Media Line. “Here, I can save at least 30% of my salary and live in luxury. There is only value-added tax here.” Muhammad Rafi, another German citizen of Syrian origins, also experienced increased quality of life after moving to the Gulf. “In Germany, you cannot get rich, nor live in great luxury,” he told The Media Line. “The regime seeks for everyone to be at a certain income level.” “I opened my own pharmacy in Saudi Arabia, and I only pay some taxes, such as value-added taxes or high electricity, but with the income I achieve monthly, I can live with great luxury,” he said. He also noted that his Saudi Arabia neighborhood is safer than his old neighborhood in Germany, where crime and drug use were widespread. Robert, a Scottish citizen and news presenter who asked not to be identified by his full name, has been living in Bahrain for 30 years and is taking advantage of the low tax rates. “I do not intend to return to Scotland,” he told The Media Line. “The atmosphere here is beautiful, life is simple, and I do not have to pay high taxes to live.” He noted that his sister also lives in Bahrain and works as an engineer. “She gets a lower salary than she gets in Scotland, but she owns a car and does not pay taxes, and she can live freely,” he said. “Living here is better,” Robert said. “It is true that the climate is hot, but you can adapt to it, and in any way, it is better than the cold of Scotland.” Yazan Al-Sayed, a Swedish citizen of Palestinian origins, left Sweden after developing health problems. “There we do not see the sun, and I contracted many diseases,” he told The Media Line. “Here I see the sun, and I can use the air conditioner in the extreme heat.” A general view of Dubai Downtown showing world's tallest building Burj Al Khalifa, in Dubai United Arab Emirates, December 31, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/Abdelhadi Ramahi) He no longer has access to the social security he had in Sweden, but his income from the financial services company he established is sufficient, he said. “I will certainly not receive a retirement salary, but the money I have saved can provide me with a decent life after I reach 60 years old,” Al-Sayed said. “My five children also live a luxurious life here and have adapted to society.” Saudi economist Mohammad Al Sabban told The Media Line that Gulf countries’ immigration policies are welcoming to foreigners. He noted that more than half of the residents in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman are foreigners. In Saudi Arabia, he said, approximately one-third of residents are foreigners, and in Qatar and the UAE, more than 85% are. “Most of those who returned to live in the GCC are experienced people, and they enjoy great privileges,” Al Sabban said. “Many foreign companies, whether European or Asian, operate in the Gulf countries and they are certainly looking for such expertise.” While many African and Asian migrants to Gulf countries save more than 80% of their salaries to send back to their home countries, migrants from European countries often spend more than 70% of their income, Al Sabban said. Basil Rahman, a German lawyer of Syrian origin, told The Media Line that the legal consequences of this phenomenon are still unclear. While there is currently no penalty for immigrants to Europe who choose to live in Gulf countries, that may change, he said. “The trend in European countries is toward the extreme right, which rejects Arabs and immigrants,” Rahman said. “Laws may be issued to withdraw nationalities and return immigrants to their countries.” He said that laws may change to no longer provide European citizenship to children of Europeans who are born abroad, or to exclude new immigrants or citizens who don’t pay taxes from social security or even basic government services. “All of this is expected, but so far, there is nothing,” Rahman said. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-24

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) updated on incidents in the Red Sea area over the past day, reporting on a Houthi attack against a Chinese oil tanker. According to the statement, the Iranian-backed Houthis fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the Red Sea "in the vicinity" of the Chinese-owned and operated Panamanian-flagged M/V Huang Pu. About 12 hours later, a fifth ASBM was fired toward the M/V Huang Pu and the ship issued a distress call but did not request assistance. According to the CENTCOM statement, the Chinese oil tanker suffered minimal damage and no casualties were reported, though there was a fire on board but it was extinguished within 30 minutes. "The Houthis attacked the MV Huang despite previously stating they would not attack Chinese vessels," CENTCOM pointed out, referring out what were previously reports of the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group  that their vessels would not be harmed and even ratifying the agreement in Oman. In addition, CENTCOM said , including USS Carney, preemptively engaged six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the southern Red Sea area and five crashed into the sea, while the last "inland into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen." "It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," the CENTCOM statement posted on X concluded. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-17

The Iranian-backed Houthis appear to be increasing their influence through their continued attacks on ships in the Red Sea. This is because they have not been deterred, and their attacks have become increasingly deadly and serious. in October, first targeting Israel and then targeting ships. They have increased the range of the attacks and expanded the number of ships they threaten. The US and allies such as the UK have responded with airstrikes. However, the Houthis continue to attack. Last week, Iran, Russia, and China began a joint naval drill. This may influence the Houthis because Iran backs them and has refrained from attacking Iranian and Chinese vessels. The Houthis are thus part of a broader global shift in which Iran, Russia, and China work together and seek to reduce US power. The three countries also benefit from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine that Russia launched in 2022. On March 16, between 7:50 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command says that  “Iranian-backed Houthis launched two unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAV) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the . United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully engaged and destroyed one UAV, and the other is presumed to have crashed into the Red Sea. There were no reports of damage or injuries from ships in the vicinity.” There were more attacks in the evening. The US spotted unmanned surface vessels, or naval drones, and destroyed them. “It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US Navy and merchant vessels.” An Iranian military ship takes part in an annual drill in the coastal area of the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz, Iran (credit: REUTERS) New reports claim Iran held secret indirect talks with the US in Oman. The US wants Iran to reduce the Houthi attacks. Iran wants a ceasefire in Gaza in order to save Hamas. This would make it appear the Houthi threats have succeeded by creating a new front. Now, if Iran agrees to reduce the Houthi attacks, it gets a quid-pro-quo. This is a win for Iran and the Houthis. Iran can then operationalize them again when it wants to wring concessions. Another report says the Houthis met with Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas, , and the PFLP. The Houthis have said in the past that they already had a “joint operations” room in Yemen back in late October. Therefore, this coordination is not entirely new, but the reports about it show how the Houthis have regional pretensions for power. Al-Ain media in the UAE reported over the weekend about the US desire to stop arms smuggling to Yemen. The smuggling fuels the Houthis war. Smuggling comes from Iranian ports, such as Bandar Jask. The focus of Al-Ain media shows how this is an important issue. Another report over the weekend also suggests Iran is using European ports to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah. While this isn’t directly related to the Houthis, it is related to oceangoing vessels and cargo. It is part of the broader Iranian naval strategy that is linked to backing the Houthis, smuggling to the Houthis, and the naval drill with Russia and China. All of this gives the Houthis more leverage after five months of war in Gaza.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-14

The US held indirect negotiations with Iran, asking them to their attacks on maritime trade in the Red Sea area in January, US and Iranian officials told the Financial Times on Wednesday. According to the report, the talks took place in Oman and also addressed Iran's nuclear program. The US delegation in the talks was led by the White House’s Middle East adviser Brett McGurk and Iran envoy Abram Paley. Iran sent deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani to the talks. The two sides spoke only with Omani mediators and not directly with each other. A person familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that US officials see the indirect channel of communications as "a method for raising the full range of threats emanating from Iran," including conveying "what they need to do in order to prevent a wider conflict, as they claim to want." A second round of talks was supposed to be held in February but was delayed due to attempts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. A child holds a pistol as demonstrators, predominantly Houthi supporters, rally to show support to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, February 16, 2024 (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS) While the talks were the first public discussions between Iran and the US since September, the US has been working behind the scenes to get Iran to pressure the Houthis to stop their attacks. In January, US President Joe Biden told reporters that the US had "delivered [messages] privately" to Iran concerning the Houthi attacks, adding, "We’re confident we’re well prepared." Additionally, in January, the Financial Times reported that the US had asked China to pressure Iran into getting the Houthis to stop attacking ships. According to the report, the issue was raised in several discussions with Chinese officials, but there was little evidence that China had to pressure Iran on the matter. Reuters later reported that Chinese officials had asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly been conduct their assaults on international maritime trade, including by providing intelligence and advising the Houthis. Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), told 60 minutes in February that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is "inside Yemen and serving side by side with the Houthis, advising them and providing them with target information." "They're resupplying them as we sit here right now at sea," added Cooper. "We know this is happening. They're advising them, and they're providing target information. This is crystal clear." The IRGC is also providing intelligence to the Houthis gathered by the MV Behshad surveillance vessel, according to US reports. The ship has traveled in circles around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent months. In February, NBC News reported that the vessel was targeted by a US cyberattack. Shortly after the alleged cyberattack, vessel tracking sites showed the vessel temporarily moved away from the area before returning. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-02-29

Two decades after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, the country is now, for the first time, attracting investments from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including from Saudi Arabia. This is a milestone given past major differences between them over Iraq's. announced that it has multiple investments in various sectors in Iraq valued at more than $5 billion. The largest share is in the real estate sector in the capital, Baghdad. The United Arab Emirates, which was the first Gulf country to invest in Iraq, recently announced that it would be expanding its investments there. After 20 years of limited investments in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, the UAE said it would be expanding its investments to include large real estate projects in Baghdad. Qatar also officially announced investments in Iraq, without revealing their monetary value.   now joins private Qatari investors who previously entered into large real estate investments in Baghdad. The Saudi Public Investment Fund, the economic arm of the Saudi government, officially announced the establishment of a new unit for investment in Iraq, with a capital of $3 billion. The fields of investment will include infrastructure, mining, agriculture, real estate development, and financial services. To assist with these investments, the fund established a branch of the Saudi Arab Bank, the Arabi Bank of Iraq. TRADERS AT work in the Saudi Investment Bank in Riyadh. (credit: REUTERS/FAHAD SHADEED) The fund also established the Saudi-Iraqi Company, part of an initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to establish five regional companies targeting investments in Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, Iraq, and Oman. Official figures and statistics indicate that trade between Iraq and Saudi Arabia grew by 50% between 2021 and 2022, totaling $1.5 billion. Saudi Arabia's largest investment project in Iraq, recently announced by the Saudi ambassador to Iraq, Abdulaziz Al-Shammari, is the “Baghdad Avenue” project near the city's airport. This $1 billion investment includes the largest mall in Iraq, 4,000 apartments, and 2,500 villas.  As part of the UAE's investment efforts, a deposit of $3 billion has been made in a special fund to invest in Iraq while the UAE company Emaar announced new real estate projects in the Iraqi capital. Advertisement “Preparations are being made to announce 10 major real estate projects in Iraq, with Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari investments,” a source in the Iraqi Ministry of Commerce told The Media Line. The projects have an initial estimated value of $15 billion and are located on large areas of land around the Iraqi capital, the source said. He said that “dozens” of trade delegations were traveling between Iraq and Saudi Arabia each week, and that in January Saudi Arabia presented the largest pavilion in a special investment exhibition in Baghdad. The projects are being followed up directly by the Iraqi Prime Minister's Office and are also subject to the Investment Authority, according to the source.  “Many agreements have been signed with Saudi Arabia, and are now being fully implemented on the ground,” he said. Sinan Al-Jaber, a director in the Iraqi Ministry of Housing and Construction, told The Media Line: “Since we discussed trade exchange with Saudi Arabia, we offered them to enter into real estate projects to help in the reconstruction of Iraq, and provide housing units, as there is a major crisis in housing units, and the side agreed.”  He said that the country is planning to offer further investment opportunities to Arab and other countries.  “Land is available, most of it within the borders of the Baghdad Governorate and the rest of the Iraqi governorates, and we will see other projects soon in new governorates,” he said. Al-Jaber, said the recently announced real estate projects “have achieved stability in the Iraqi real estate market, and there is a decline in prices in some areas that witnessed irrational inflation, which is a great benefit for Iraq.” Farouq Ali, an Iraqi who works as a real estate consultant in the Baghdad Avenue project, told The Media Line: "The Iraqi market is thirsty for real estate projects. There is a demand for more than 1.5 million housing units, including 1 million immediately and half a million during the next four years.”  Ali said that in most of the current real estate projects, there is either Iraqi or Turkish investment, mostly implemented by Turkish companies.  “But now, we see the entry of investors from the Gulf countries, which is a major development that will benefit everyone," he said. “What distinguishes real estate projects in Iraq is that they have continuous profits. The government requires the real estate developer to implement the infrastructure and provide electricity, water, and municipal services, and the investor provides these services for a monthly fee, which means that the continued presence of the investor means continued profits for him, unlike projects in other countries.”  Sources said the investment by Gulf companies of large sums of money in Iraq means that they have confidence in the safety and stability of the country.  “Saudi investments came after the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation. Iraq was part of this reconciliation, and these projects are a gift to it," Ibrahim al-Janabi, an Iraqi political analyst residing abroad, told The Media Line. “From my point of view, the militias still control Iraq, and at any moment, they may undertake hostile projects towards Saudi and Gulf investments there, whenever they receive orders from Iran in this regard. There are political messages that Saudi Arabia is trying to send, which is that it controls the countries of the Middle East, and that it is the dominant country, by pumping investments. But this matter is relative and depends on major political consensuses that may change at any moment.” Al-Janabi said Iraqis will benefit from these projects, which are supported by the Coordination Framework government headed by Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani. However, he also cautions that despite succeeding in attracting investments, “the truth is that political stability does not exist, and it is now relative.” he said. “As long as there is the specter of war in the region, and the presence of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian Quds Force less than 100 kilometers from these projects, they will be directly affected by any American strike or any war taking place there," he said. “Perhaps the existence of these projects and their approval by the Iraqi government is an Iranian attempt to gain more allies not to carry out any military operation against Tehran. The interests of Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Qatar will be in danger, and then these countries will put pressure on the American and Israeli sides not to carry out any action, including a military operation against Iran’s interests and presence in Iraq.” Awad Al-Thunayan, a Saudi political analyst, told The Media Line: “Saudi Arabia is now supporting economically exhausted countries, but through projects instead of direct support that is wasted due to corruption. Iraq is currently in a stage of recovery after many wars it has witnessed since the 1980s, and now everyone is aware that economic advancement is the best path. Saudi Arabia will not risk these billions without feasibility studies and political consensus. These projects are real and not just a letter on paper. The militias in Iraq have changed their military path to become a parallel economic path. They are now only protecting their interests, and as long as their economic interests are not harmed, there will be no armed military confrontations,” he said. ...قراءة المزيد

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2023-12-13

The United States and the United Kingdom on Wednesday imposed a on individuals in Turkey and elsewhere linked to the Palestinian Hamas terrorist group, the US Treasury Department said. The sanctions target eight individuals who perpetuate Hamas’s agenda by representing the group's interests abroad and managing its finances, the Treasury said in a statement. "Hamas continues to rely heavily on networks of well-placed officials and affiliates, exploiting seemingly permissive jurisdictions to direct fundraising campaigns for the group’s benefit and funneling those illicit proceeds to support its military activities in Gaza," said Brian Nelson, under secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Several of the targeted were based in Turkey, including one of the group's key financial operatives there, Haroun Mansour Yaqoub Nasser Al-Din, the Treasury said. Hamas supporters take part in a protest in support of the people of Gaza in Hebron, West Bank, December 1, 2023 (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90) Haround Nasser Al-Din has been involved in a network that transferred money from Turkey and Gaza to command center in the West Bank city of Hebron, it said, and helped subsidize Hamas activities to further unrest in the West Bank. Nelson traveled to Oman and Turkey at the end of November to work on US efforts to deny Hamas and other groups the ability to raise and move funds. The United States and Britain earlier imposed three rounds of sanctions on the Palestinian terrorist group after its deadly incursion into Israel on Oct. 7. ...قراءة المزيد

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