
Iran remains committed to nuclear non-proliferation treaty: Araghchi
TEHRAN (AFP)Iran on Thursday affirmed its commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty."Iran remains committed to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) and its Safeguards Agreement," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.

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Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Amnesty says Israel using aid as a weapon to commit genocide in Gaza
Amnesty International (AI) issued a report on Thursday claiming a controversial Israeli- and US-backed system to distribute aid in Gaza uses starvation tactics against Palestinians to continue to commit genocide in the Gaza Strip during Israel's war with Hamas. The UK-based human rights group condemned Israel and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which the US and Israel have backed to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. Gaza's Health Ministry says more than 500 Palestinians have been killed at or near GHF distribution centers over the past month. The centers are guarded by private security contractors and located near Israeli military positions. Palestinian officials and witnesses have accused Israeli forces of opening fire at crowds of people moving near the sites. A child cries as Palestinians gather to receive a hot meal at a food distribution point in the Nuseirat camp for refugees. AFP The Amnesty report said Israel has "turned aid-seeking into a booby trap for desperate starved Palestinians' through GHF's militarised hubs. The conditions have created "a deadly mix of hunger and disease pushing the population past breaking point.' "This devastating daily loss of life as desperate Palestinians try to collect aid is the consequence of their deliberate targeting by Israeli forces and the foreseeable consequence of irresponsible and lethal methods of distribution,' said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty's secretary general. The Israeli army says it has fired warning shots to control crowds and only fires at people it says are acting suspiciously. Palestinians wait for food at a distribution point in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip. AFP The World Food Programme says despite the new Israel-backed initiative, food consumption reached a critical low last month, with food diversity reaching its worst level since the conflict began. "The continued closure of crossings, intensified violence since March, soaring food prices, and extremely limited humanitarian and commercial supplies have severely restricted access to even basic food items,' the WFP said in a June report. Amnesty's report follows a statement earlier this week from more than 165 major international charities and non-governmental organisations calling for an immediate end to the foundation. They say the new mechanism allows Israel to use food as a weapon, violates humanitarian principles and is ineffective. A Palestinian girl waits to collect donated food at a food distribution kitchen in Deir Al Balah, Gaza Strip, on Friday. AP It's the latest sign of trouble for the GHF, a secretive initiative headed by an evangelical leader who is a close ally of President Donald Trump. Last month, the US government pledged $30 million for the group to continue operation, the first known US donation to the group, whose other funding sources remain opaque. GHF started distributing aid May 26 following a nearly three-month Israeli blockade that pushed Gaza's population of more than 2 million to the brink of famine. Palestinian witnesses have describe scenes of chaos around the distribution sites, and two contractors in the operation have told The Associated Press that colleagues fired live ammunition and stun grenades toward crowds of people. Palestinians often must travel long distances to reach the sites. In a statement on Tuesday, GHF rejected criticism of its operations and claimed it has delivered more than 52 million meals to hungry Palestinians. "Instead of bickering and throwing insults from the sidelines, we would welcome other humanitarian groups to join us and feed the people in Gaza,' GHF said. Palestinian children line up to receive a hot meal at a food distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp. AFP GHF has called for Israel's military to investigate the allegations from Gaza's Health Ministry, but last month the organisation said there has been no violence in or around its centers and its personnel have not opened fire. Israel demanded the alternative plan because it accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid. The U.N. and aid groups deny there is significant diversion. Amnesty accused Israel last year of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip during its war with Hamas, saying it has sought to deliberately destroy Palestinians by mounting deadly attacks, demolishing vital infrastructure, and preventing the delivery of food, medicine and other aid. Israel, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic "blood libel.' It is challenging such allegations filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice and has rejected the International Criminal Court's accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister committed war crimes in Gaza. Associated Press


Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
At least 69 killed in Gaza on Thursday, including 39 waiting for aid
Gaza's civil defence agency has said that the number of people killed by Israeli forces on Thursday has risen to 69. Spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 69 people were killed by Israeli strikes, artillery or gunfire across the enclave, including 38 people waiting for humanitarian aid.


The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Iran says it 'remains committed' to nuclear non-proliferation treaty
Iran 'remains committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its safeguards agreement', its Foreign Minister said on Thursday, a day after President Masoud Pezeshkian put into effect a law suspending co-operation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. 'Our co-operation with the IAEA will be channelled through Iran's Supreme National Security Council for obvious safety and security reasons,' Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X. Mr Pezeshkian, who also chairs Iran's Supreme National Security Council, on Wednesday approved a law to suspend co-operation with the IAEA, which had been passed by parliament and approved by the Guardian Council, the country's constitutional watchdog. Iranian leaders have accused the UN agency of providing Israel with grounds for attacking its nuclear facilities after its board censured Iran last month for not complying with its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty, which is intended to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. The IAEA has monitored Iran's nuclear energy programme for years. Tehran claims the programme is for peaceful, civilian purposes, but western powers suspect Iran is seeking to build a bomb. Israel launched air strikes aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear infrastructure on June 13, hours after the IAEA board passed the censure resolution. The US entered the conflict on June 22 by sending B-2 bombers to drop 'bunker-buster' bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites. Israel's attacks and Iran's retaliatory missile strikes ended two days later after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire. An IAEA spokesman told The National on Wednesday that they were aware of reports on suspension co-operation with the agency and were 'awaiting further official information from Iran'. The US State Department condemned Iran's move to stop co-operating with the IAEA, while the UN said the decision was 'obviously concerning'. Secretary General Antonio Guterres 'has been very consistent in his call for Iran to co-operate with the IAEA', his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called on Germany, France and Britain 'to reinstate all sanctions against Iran' under an earlier nuclear deal. Germany said Iran's decision to suspend co-operation with the IAEA sends a 'devastating message'. The extent of damage to Iran's nuclear facilities from the Israeli and US attacks is not fully known. Mr Araghchi told US broadcaster CBS in an interview, part of which was released on Tuesday, that the Fordow nuclear plant had been 'seriously and heavily damaged' by the US bombing, adding that the full picture was still unclear. Fordow was the stronghold of Iran's nuclear energy programme and came to be seen as a symbol of defiance by the ruling regime against the international community, as well as a bargaining chip in diplomacy. The site's extreme fortification made it nearly impossible to attack without advanced bunker-busting weaponry, something only the US possesses.