South Africa urges dialogue to end Israel-Iran conflict
It was South Africa's sincerest hope that President Donald Trump would use his influence and that of the US government to prevail on the parties to pursue a dialogue path in resolving their issues of dispute.
South Africa calls on the United States, Israel, and Iran to give the United Nations the opportunity and space to lead on the peaceful resolution of the matters of dispute, including the inspection and verification of Iran's status of uranium enrichment, as well as its broader nuclear capacity.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
an hour ago
- The National
Hamas set to accept Gaza truce terms but seeks 'assurances'
Hamas has accepted a deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, but is seekingassurances from mediators that some of its additional demands will be met, sources told The National on Friday. US President Donald Trump said earlier in the day that it would probably be known within 24 hours whether Hamas would agree to a 'final proposal' for a ceasefire. He said on Tuesday that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire agreement, during which the parties would work to end the conflict. The sources said Hamas would convey its acceptance of the proposed deal along with a request for assurances from US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators about the implementation of some of its 'unpublicised' clauses. These include the return by Israel of the bodies of some of the group's leaders killed during the Gaza war, including Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammed. They also cover the laying down and storing of the group's arms and the guaranteed return to Gaza of wounded Palestinians, who will be allowed under the deal to leave the strip for treatment abroad, the sources said. The clauses also include the creation of a 1km-deep safe zone on the Palestinian side of the entire Gaza-Israel border, which will be free of human habitation or any economic activity, including farming. According to these clauses, an unnamed Arab nation will supervise the storage of Hamas's weapons, and Israel will be prevented from excluding any area of Gaza from the distribution of badly needed humanitarian resistance. According to a two-page draft text obtained by The National on Friday, the proposed truce will last 60 days, during which Hamas will hand over in stages 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others who died in captivity. This handover will start on the first day of the truce and end on the final day, according to the text. In return, Israel will release more than 1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including scores serving long terms. On the 10th day of the truce, Hamas is expected to provide 'comprehensive information' on the remaining hostages. In return, Israel will provide information on Palestinians it has detained since October 7, 2023, the day the Gaza war began with an attack on southern Israel communities by Hamas and its allies. 'The [US] President is serious about the commitment of the parties to the ceasefire and insists that negotiations begin during the temporary ceasefire,' the draft text reads. 'If successful, the negotiations will lead to a lasting resolution of the conflict.' The deal also provides for the flow of sufficient humanitarian assistance into Gaza, distributed by groups to be agreed upon, including the UN and the Palestinian Red Crescent. It also provides for the two-stage deployment of Israeli forces away from proposed aid delivery routes in the south and north of Gaza, on the first and fifth day of the truce, following the release of eight living hostages and the remains of five others, respectively. Negotiations on a permanent ceasefire and the release of the rest of the hostages will begin on the first day of the truce, according to the text. Final "redeployment" of Israeli forces in Gaza will be part of the negotiations. The mediators will ensure that the negotiations are serious and will be extended past the 60-day truce period if they do not produce a deal by then. 'The President will personally make the announcement of the ceasefire. The United States and President Trump are committed to working towards guaranteeing the continuation of the negotiations in goodwill until a final agreement is reached,' the text states. Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took about 240 hostage during their attack on southern Israel. About 50 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with fewer than half of them thought to be alive. The Hamas attack prompted a devastating military assault by Israel that has so far killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza. The war has displaced the majority of the enclave's estimated two million population, with many having to flee more than once, and destroyed swathes of built-up areas. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the US have been trying in vain since March to broker a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.


TAG 91.1
an hour ago
- TAG 91.1
UAE Foreign Minister meets Israeli opposition leader in Abu Dhabi
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has met with Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid. The meeting in Abu Dhabi focused on the evolving UAE-Israel relations and key developments in the Middle East - with a focus on Gaza. Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the UAE's support for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the safe delivery of aid to civilians. He also stressed the importance of reviving peace talks based on the two-state solution to ensure long-term regional stability. Abdullah bin Zayed meets with Yair Lapid #WamNews — WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) July 4, 2025


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
India ready for trade deals but not to meet deadlines, minister says
India is ready to make trade deals in the national interest, but not just to meet deadlines, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday when asked whether a deal could be reached with the U.S. in time for a July 9 deadline set by Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 26% tariff on all imported Indian goods, among the tariffs due to take effect next week on countries around the world who fail to reach agreements before a deadline he set in April. "Free trade agreements are possible only when there is two-way benefit, it should be a win-win agreement," Goyal told reporters. "National interest will always be supreme. Keeping that in mind, if a good deal can be made, then India is always ready to make a deal with developed countries," he said. "India never does any trade deal on the basis of deadline or time frame…we will accept it only when it is completely finalised and in the national interest." Indian officials returned from Washington this week after an extended visit to iron out lingering concerns on both sides. Trade talks between India and the U.S. have hit roadblocks over disagreements on import duties for auto components, steel, and farm goods. India is resisting opening up its agriculture and dairy sectors while asking for a favourable tariff for its goods entering the U.S. compared to countries like Vietnam and China. Separately, India proposed retaliatory duties against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, saying Washington's 25% tariff on automobiles and some auto parts would affect $2.89 billion of India's exports, according to an official notification. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump had earlier agreed to sign a bilateral trade agreement to expand trade to $500 billion by 2030, up from $191 billion in 2024. (Reporting by Nikunj Ohri Writing by Sakshi Dayal Editing by Mark Heinrich and Peter Graff)