Switzerland temporarily closes Iran embassy, UK withdraws embassy staff
'In view of the intensity of military operations in Iran and the highly unstable situation on the ground, the FDFA has decided to temporarily close the Swiss embassy in Tehran,' the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the UK said it had withdrawn its embassy staff from Iran on the eighth day of the war with Israel, as the US mulled whether to enter the conflict.
'Due to the current security situation, we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely,' the foreign ministry said in a statement.
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Jordan's King Abdullah, Trump discuss Gaza and Syria in phone call
AMMAN: Jordan's King Abdullah II spoke on the phone on Saturday with US President Donald Trump to discuss regional developments, with a particular focus on the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the situation in Syria, the Jordan News Agency reported. According to a statement from the Royal Court, the king stressed the urgent need to end the war on Gaza and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip to ease what he described as a 'tragic and alarming' humanitarian crisis. King Abdullah also commended US efforts, and President Trump personally, for working to de-escalate tensions across the region. He reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to working closely with the US and other international partners to achieve a just and lasting peace that ensures the security and stability of the entire region. On Syria, the king highlighted the effectiveness of Jordanian-US coordination in helping to de-escalate the situation there, underlining the importance of safeguarding Syria's stability and territorial integrity. The leaders also discussed ways to deepen the strategic partnership between Jordan and the US and explore opportunities for enhanced economic cooperation.


Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Turkiye stands to gain from waning Western support for Israel
Turkiye, which has historically relied on US-made fighter jets, had been for some time working on a deal to acquire Eurofighter Typhoon jets as part of its long-term goal to modernize and expand its air force. This week, those efforts finally bore fruit. Turkiye has reached preliminary agreements with both the UK and Germany for the potential purchase of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. British Defense Secretary John Healey heralded the agreements as bringing Turkiye 'one step closer to a fully comprehensive agreement' that would bolster the air capabilities of both Ankara and NATO. The signing of these deals has raised deep concerns in Israel, as opposition parties have criticized the Israeli government for failing to prevent the deal from moving forward. Some analysts and policymakers in Washington have also voiced discomfort with the deal, saying that it contradicts the German government's previous decision to block the sale based on Turkiye's support for some groups that threaten Western strategic interests. The Eurofighter Typhoon, produced by a consortium comprising the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, had long been out of Turkiye's reach. The deal had stalled for years, primarily due to Germany's persistent concerns regarding Turkiye's foreign policy. Therefore, the recent development is far more than a simple military procurement transaction; it reflects a broader recalibration of European priorities at a time NATO recalibrates its approach in the face of potential future threats from Russia. So, it is not only about modernizing Turkiye's air force, but also about establishing Turkiye as a more deeply integrated player within Europe's evolving defense framework. The move can also be interpreted as a message to the US that Washington must reconsider its position on excluding Turkiye from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, from which Ankara was expelled in 2019 after its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system. From Turkiye's point of view, Ankara is clearly preparing for a long game. Turkiye is still exploring avenues to rejoin the US-led F-35 program, but the signing of these deals will accelerate Turkiye's arms buildup in a way that could eventually challenge Israel's military edge in the region. Israel's recent military actions, including its 12-day confrontation with Iran, Turkiye's immediate neighbor, and airstrikes in the Syrian Arab Republic, have deeply concerned Turkish policymakers. According to several senior Turkish officials and commentators, there is now a belief that Turkiye could be the next regional target of Israeli military assertiveness. The broader perception in Ankara is that Israel is pursuing a destabilizing military policy in the region, and Turkiye must prepare accordingly. Moreover, Ankara has made clear that it will oppose any future NATO military collaboration with Israel until it ends its assault on Gaza. Turkiye, as a NATO member, holds veto power over alliance decisions — a powerful tool it has exercised in the past. For instance, Turkiye previously blocked Israel's bid for observer status within NATO, a decision it only reversed temporarily during a short-lived reconciliation era in 2023. Now, Turkish leaders are openly signaling their position to use that veto power again to isolate Israel within NATO's framework. The perception in Ankara is that Israel is pursuing a destabilizing policy in the region, and Turkiye must prepare accordingly. 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An internal report recently found indications that Israel has violated its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a 25-year-old legal framework governing the political relationship and trade cooperation between the two sides. But so far the EU has taken no action to suspend such ties. Full or partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement requires a unanimous agreement by all 27 members of the EU. Although such unity is hard to achieve, the talks over this signals shifting sentiment within EU corridors. Thus, the Eurofighter deal with Turkiye is a test of European priorities and the cost of their support for Israel. Germany, which has long maintained its backing for Israel, has recently sharpened its tone, signaling greater discomfort with the war in Gaza. European capitals are reassessing their long-term approach as the political cost of unconditional support for Israel rises. The unfolding humanitarian catastrophe has shifted public opinion and forced many Western governments to reevaluate their approach toward Israel. Amid this, diplomats from Germany, France, and the UK met with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi in Istanbul on Friday to try to restart negotiations on Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Israel's war in Gaza, coupled with its operations in Syria and Iran, is generating rising discomfort in European capitals. Given that Turkiye is hosting these critical talks between the West and Iran, and having signed the Eurofighter deals, it is becoming evident that the waning of Israel's exceptionalism in Western strategic calculations is to Ankara's benefit.


Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
Modi's UK visit shows Europe is warming to India
It was not many years ago that Narendra Modi's reputation in Europe, and much of the rest of the world, was dogged by controversy surrounding his political past. However, the Indian prime minister is now widely feted internationally. This factor was highlighted, most recently, during Modi's state visit to the UK. Modi was accorded all the pomp that the UK state could muster, including a meeting with King Charles. The political icing on the cake was the signing with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the newly agreed India-UK trade deal that will boost bilateral trade on goods and services which was estimated at around £41 billion ($55 billion) in the 12 months through to September 2024, according to the UK government. The huge lure of India for the EU and much of the rest of the West is not just economic, tantalizing as the prospect is of a market projected, according to Morgan Stanley, as being on a pathway to surpass Japan and Germany to become the world's third-largest economy in coming years. This includes a middle-class consumer market expected to reach about 95 million by 2035, a number larger than the current population of every EU nation, including Germany. In addition, India is widely perceived in the West as a relatively friendly, long-term geopolitical ally. During the Cold War, India was aligned with the Soviet Union, and had a protectionist economy moving away from the colonial era. Yet, European and wider Western leaders regularly highlight that today there is a shared commitment to a rules-based global order, effective multilateralism, and sustainable development. There are also converging interests around shared defense mechanisms, including for maritime security in the Indian Ocean, where around 40 percent of bilateral trade passes. In the US, President Donald Trump would welcome a tariff and wider trade deal with Modi. However, it may be Europe that has been pushing hardest of any region for agreements with New Delhi. In March 2024, a trade agreement was signed by the four-member European Free Trade Association — Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. This will trigger EFTA investment in India of about €95 billion ($111 billion) in a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, machinery, and manufacturing. The deal arrived after almost 16 years of negotiations and will see India lifting key import tariffs on industrial goods from the four countries. The political icing on the cake was the signing with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the newly agreed India-UK trade deal. Andrew Hammond Next in line is the UK, which under several recent prime ministers, including Rishi Sunak and Starmer, has pushed hard for the deal that has now materialized. Of course, London and New Delhi have long had a unique relationship dating back to the British Empire and today's Commonwealth. What the new deal seeks to deliver is entrenching this in the context of a modern trade deal which can boost key UK sectors, including defense manufacturing, international investment — via the City of London — and technology, including telecoms. With the EFTA nations and the UK getting a deal done, the EU is also doubling down to secure an agreement with India. The seriousness with which Brussels takes India's economic opportunity was shown by the visit earlier this year of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the rest of the College of 27 Commissioners to India for the talks. This remarkably rare display of European political commitment to 'advance trade, economic security, and resilient supply chains, along with a common tech agenda and reinforced security and defense cooperation' helped kick-start resumption of India-EU negotiations on a proposed trade agreement. The massive EU market is India's largest single trading partner, with trade in goods valued at €124 billion in 2023, an increase of almost 90 percent in the past 10 years. About 6,000 European companies are located in India, providing 1.7 million jobs. One of the goals of the proposed new India-EU trade deal goal is enhancing collaboration on economic opportunities including digital transition and green technologies, including digital public infrastructure, and resilience of key value chains. What is remarkable in the current big European push toward trade deal-making with India is how much previous EU and UK concerns about human rights have been de-emphasized. Economics has come to dominate bilateral relations in a way that has been condemned by some nongovernmental organizations. To be sure, the Indian prime minister is now widely acclaimed not just in Europe, but in much of the wider world, too. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, for instance, even likened him to rock musician Bruce Springsteen at a Sydney event in 2023. This is much removed from the time when Modi's reputation was dogged by controversies surrounding his political past, especially in the period before he became prime minister. This includes treatment of religious minority groups by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. More recently, Modi has also been walking a diplomatic tightrope between India's historical ally Russia and the West over the Ukraine war. He has, so far, declined to condemn the 2022 invasion by Moscow, while India snaps up discounted Russian oil that was previously consumed by European nations. Moreover, Russia continues to be one of India's largest arms suppliers. However, such controversies are likely to continue to be de-emphasized while the EU remains focused on its trade agreement with India. Following EFTA and the UK, Brussels now perceives a political window of opportunity for a deal to deliver deeper economic and geopolitical collaboration.