Saudi crown prince, French president discuss Israel-Iran developments
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call on Sunday from French President Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They discussed developments in the region and the repercussions of continued Israeli attacks on Iran as well as the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US in strikes on Sunday morning.
Prince Mohammed affirmed the Kingdom's position, while calling for all efforts to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and resolve all disputes through diplomatic means, SPA added.
More to follow...
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump dismisses reports US is weighing up to $30 billion civilian nuclear deal for Iran
US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed media reports that said his administration had discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program. CNN reported on Thursday and NBC News reported on Friday that the Trump administration in recent days had explored possible economic incentives for Iran in return for its government halting uranium enrichment. The reports cited sources. CNN cited officials as saying that several proposals were floated and were preliminary. 'Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that 'President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.' Never heard of this ridiculous idea,' Trump wrote on Truth Social late on Friday, calling the reports a 'HOAX.' Since April, Iran and the US have held indirect talks aimed at finding a new diplomatic solution regarding Iran's nuclear program. Tehran says its program is peaceful and Washington says it wants to ensure Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon. Trump, earlier this week, announced a ceasefire between US ally Israel and its regional rival Iran to halt a war that began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran. The Israel-Iran conflict had raised alarms in a region already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. The US struck Iran's nuclear sites over the last weekend and Iran targeted a US base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation, before Trump announced the ceasefire. Israel is the only Middle Eastern country widely believed to have nuclear weapons and said its war against Iran aimed to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons. Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. The UN nuclear watchdog, which carries out inspections in Iran, has said it has 'no credible indication' of an active, coordinated weapons program in Iran.
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanon to US: Hezbollah Arms Move to North Litani Region if Israel Pulls Back from South
Lebanon has formally proposed a trade-off to the United States: Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, and in return, Hezbollah will pull its heavy weapons to north of the Litani River, a senior Lebanese official told Asharq Al-Awsat. US officials have been informed that Lebanon cannot meet demands to disarm Hezbollah in the south without reciprocal steps from Israel, including troop withdrawals, a halt to hostilities, and the return of Lebanese prisoners. The official said the country has effectively entered what he called a 'dead-end equation' with Israel over the disarmament of Hezbollah, adding that Lebanon will not be able to act unilaterally without reciprocal steps from Tel Aviv. They likened the situation to the classic 'chicken or egg' dilemma: should Hezbollah pull its weapons first, or should Israel first withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory? Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Israel is required to withdraw from all areas south of the Litani River. However, Israel continues to demand that Hezbollah disarm - at least of its heavy weapons - across all of Lebanon. The official told Asharq Al-Awsat that Beirut has formally informed the US administration that reciprocal Israeli concessions, including troop withdrawals, an end to hostilities, and the return of prisoners, could offer a path to resolving the crisis. The official said Lebanon is seeking strong American backing to pressure Israel into action. In return, he added, Lebanon is prepared to take meaningful steps in line with President Joseph Aoun's inaugural address, which emphasized that the state must hold the exclusive right to possess arms. The official revealed that Aoun asked US envoy Tom Barrack to help advance the disarmament process, stressing that any move to withdraw weapons must be preceded by Israeli steps in that direction. According to the source, the Lebanese army has drawn up a detailed action plan and budget, which it presented to US officials. The plan outlines Lebanon's commitments in response to each Israeli measure, whether related to troop withdrawals or other issues. Lebanon believes that Israel's continued military presence and cross-border attacks are preventing the full deployment of Lebanese troops south of the Litani River and hampering efforts to secure the border. The official said Lebanon directly requested US guarantees for these steps in exchange for a commitment to begin withdrawing Hezbollah's weapons north of the river. The source also said that talks between Aoun and Hezbollah, suspended due to the recent Iran-Israel war, are expected to resume. He stressed that Lebanon 'has both the vision and the will' to address Hezbollah's arms nationwide. Aoun has reportedly spoken directly with Hezbollah lawmaker Mohammad Raad, urging the group to hand over its heavy weaponry to the Lebanese army, which would either store or destroy the arms based on national security needs. 'This weaponry has lost its strategic role and usefulness after the recent war in Lebanon,' the source said. 'It is no longer viable for use.' Lebanese leaders are working to finalize a unified position in response to a US proposal delivered by Barrack, ahead of a key meeting on Saturday. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have agreed on a draft response, which Salam will present to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. If consensus is reached, the proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval and then delivered to Barrack upon his return to Beirut in less than two weeks. Berri is expected to lead negotiations with Hezbollah on behalf of the Lebanese government. The proposal, dubbed the 'ideas paper,' outlines four key components: A plan for Hezbollah's gradual disarmament. A step-for-step mechanism with Israel, where Israel demands Lebanon take the first move, while Beirut insists that the initial step must come from Israel as the occupying power. A section on economic reforms and Lebanon's cooperation with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. A framework for managing unresolved issues with Syria, including border demarcation and the return of refugees. The US proposal, known as the 'ideas paper,' includes several key elements, foremost among them a plan for the withdrawal of Hezbollah's weapons and Lebanon's strategy to begin the disarmament process. The second point outlines a 'step-for-step' mechanism with Israel. While Israel insists that Lebanon take the first move, Beirut maintains that the initial step must come from Israel, which it regards as the occupying power. The third component addresses Lebanon's economic reform agenda and its cooperation plan with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The fourth and final element focuses on Lebanon's relations with Syria and ways to resolve outstanding bilateral issues between the two countries. Information Minister Paul Morcos said Friday that the government is ready to act immediately if political contacts progress. 'Israel must first withdraw from occupied areas and halt its aggression so that we can fulfill our commitments,' he said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Thousands Mourn Top Iranian Military Commanders, Scientists Killed in Israeli Strikes
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of downtown Tehran on Saturday for the funeral of the head of the Revolutionary Guard and other top commanders and nuclear scientists killed during a 12-day war with Israel. The caskets of Guard's chief Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others were driven on trucks along the capital's Azadi Street. Salami and Hajizadeh were both killed on the first day of the war, June 13, as Israel launched a war it said meant to destroy Iran's nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities. Over 12 days before a ceasefire was declared on Tuesday, Israel claimed it killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, while hitting eight nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure sites. More than 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group. Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that got through caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people. Saturday's ceremonies were the first public funerals for top commanders since the ceasefire, and Iranian state television reported that they were for 60 people in total, including four women and four children. Authorities closed government offices to allow public servants to attend the ceremonies.
