Region

DOHA — Chief negotiators from the United States and Iran began indirect talks in Qatar on Tuesday, bidding to remove obstacles that have stalled attempts to revive a landmark nuclear deal.

The indirect negotiations headed by US special envoy Robert Malley and Iran's Ali Bagheri come after more than a year of European Union-mediated talks in Vienna on a return to the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers.

The Doha talks also come just two weeks before US President Joe Biden's first visit to the region since taking office, when efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions will be high on the agenda.

"Indirect messages have been exchanged between the parties involved," a diplomat in the region told AFP.

Iran's state news agency IRNA published a photo of Bagheri meeting with the European Union's coordinator for the talks, Enrique Mora.

EU Foreign Affairs spokesman Peter Stano said earlier that the Doha discussions were the start of a process to "unblock" the long-running Vienna negotiations that have stalled since March.

"We managed to unblock the process and we are going to move forward, and as a first step at this stage we have these proximity talks," he said in Brussels.

The 2015 deal gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme to guarantee that Tehran could not develop a nuclear weapon — something it has always denied wanting to do.

The deal has been hanging by a thread since 2018, when then US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it and began reimposing harsh economic sanctions on America’s arch-enemy.

Separate rooms 

The delegations are in separate rooms and communicating via intermediaries. The US and Iran do not have diplomatic relations.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has sought to return to the agreement, saying it would be the best path ahead with the Islamic republic, although it has voiced growing pessimism in recent weeks.

Malley earlier met Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss “joint diplomatic efforts to address issues with Iran”, the US embassy in Doha tweeted.  Bagheri meanwhile met Qatar’s foreign ministry secretary general, Ahmad Bin Hassen Al Hammadi, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.

Sheikh Mohammed also discussed the Iran talks with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in a phone call on Tuesday, the official Qatar News Agency said.

Qatar hopes the indirect talks will culminate in “positive results that contribute to the revival of the nuclear deal signed in 2015”, the foreign ministry said.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said during a visit to Tehran on Saturday that the Iran-US talks would be held in a Gulf country to avoid confusion with the broader talks in Vienna.

Qatar, which has better relations with Iran than most Gulf Arab monarchies, also hosted US-Taliban talks before the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan last year.

‘Moment of reckoning’ 

The Vienna talks began in April 2021 but hit a snag in March following differences between Tehran and Washington, notably over Iran’s demand that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be removed from a US terror list.

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran programme at the Washington-based Middle East Institute think tank, called the Doha talks a “moment of reckoning” for the nuclear process.

“The Iranians and the Americans both seem to believe the talks in Doha represent a sink-or-swim moment for US-Iran nuclear negotiations,” he wrote in an analysis.

The timing appears good, with Iran likely to want a deal before US congressional elections in November, where Biden’s Democrats are predicted to lose seats and possibly lose interest in the nuclear talks, Vatanka said.

High oil prices and the lack of spare capacity were also an opportunity for Iran to push for relief from its crippling economic sanctions, he added.

US sanctions imposed since 2018 have extended to Iran’s oil exports, but Biden and the EU are keen to see a dramatic fall in energy prices after they were sent surging by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group think tank, tweeted: “Having the two key protagonists in one place is a necessary ingredient for diplomacy to succeed.

“But a breakthrough is far from assured.”

CAIRO — An Egyptian court on Tuesday sentenced a man to death for the murder of a student after she rejected his advances, a judicial source said, in a case that sparked widespread outrage.

The court found the defendant Mohamed Adel guilty of the “premeditated murder” of university student Nayera Ashraf after he confessed to the crime in court, according to the source.

The verdict, handed down in Mansoura north of Cairo two days after the trial opened on Sunday, will now be referred to the grand mufti, Egypt’s top theological authority — a formality in death penalty cases.

A video that went viral appeared to show Ashraf being stabbed outside her university earlier this month.

Adel had “stabbed her several times” according to the prosecution, which found “messages threatening to cut her throat” on the victim’s phone.

Ashraf had previously reported her fears of attack to the authorities, according to her father and witnesses.

The verdict was met with celebrations in front of the courthouse in Mansoura, videos published by local media showed.

The crime has triggered widespread anger in Egypt and beyond, and was followed by a similar campus shooting in Jordan a few days later. 

Jordanian police said Monday that the man suspected of the murder of student Iman Irshaid had “shot himself” after refusing to turn himself in.

Social media users have drawn comparisons between the two cases, decrying incidents of femicide in the Arab world.

Some called for the perpetrators to be sentenced to death, while others said men must “learn to take no for an answer”.

Egypt carried out the third highest number of executions in the world in 2021, according to Amnesty International.

Nearly eight million Egyptian women were victims of violence committed by their partners or relatives, or by strangers in public spaces, according to a United Nations survey conducted in 2015.

CAIRO — The World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) held a regional dialogue on diaspora engagement in health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

They highlighted the shortage in the health workforce, especially of the most skilled and qualified health professionals that is being driven by migration in low-income countries in the region as a result of low wages, poor working conditions and lack of professional development opportunities, instability and security concerns in some countries of the Region.

Such shortages, resulting in a significant lack of a well-trained and experienced health workforce, have long been a major development concern, and the migration and mobility of healthcare workers has only been exacerbated by protracted crises in the region, the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing demand for health professionals in developed countries. 

This trend is expected to continue, and it is estimated that by 2030 there will be a global shortage of 18 million health workers. 

The mass migration of health workers in the Eastern Mediterranean region means that the region can serve as an important source of data and research in order to understand the consequences of the health workforce diaspora and develop solutions to address health workforce challenges.

Carmela Godeau, IOM’s Middle East and North Africa regional director said, “Today, we applaud and honour all the migrant health heroes who have worked around the clock to face the deadly impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and save lives. “

“While we celebrate the heroic efforts and successes achieved by the migrant health workforce, we are alarmed by the impact of the mass migration of healthcare workers from low-income countries in the Region that has created significant shortages in the health workforce.” She added that this was an issue that could be addressed through Skills Mobility Partnerships — an initiative that promotes a sustainable approach to skilled migration and mobility with the idea of building skills both for the benefit of countries of origin and destination.

Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said:“Diaspora health professionals can bring a wealth of skills and experience back from abroad, and mechanisms should be put in place to engage them effectively. 

Engagement in the diaspora of healthcare workers needs to be well-coordinated and supported by governments to achieve a sustainable impact. 

Clear and robust plans, resilient to any unpredicted changes are needed. These plans can extend into preparedness, response and recovery phases in countries facing emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. 

And while health professionals choosing to remain in their countries of origin are eager to support and contribute to the development of the health sector they need to be provided with adequate structures and ongoing professional development opportunities. 

We need to protect and invest in our health work force to ensure health for all by all”.

The event “Regional dialogue on diaspora engagement”, was hosted in WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and was attended by representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, policy-makers, academia and partner organisations. 

KHARTOUM — Sudan said on Monday it will recall its ambassador to Addis Ababa for "consultations" following accusations the Ethiopian army executed seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian, a charge which Ethiopia denied.

"In an act that contravenes all laws and customs of war and international humanitarian law, the Ethiopian army executed seven Sudanese soldiers and a citizen who were their captives," the Sudanese armed forces said.

Ethiopia denied its forces were responsible, saying the casualties were the result of a skirmish inside its territory with a local militia and voicing regret over the loss of life.

Tensions have risen in recent years, sparking sporadic armed clashes, over the Al Fashaqa border strip which is close to Ethiopia's restive Tigray region.

A Sudanese military official who requested anonymity told AFP the soldiers were detained from a border area close to Al Fashaqa.

Sudan's foreign ministry said it "will immediately recall its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations" and lodge a complaint with the UN Security Council.

“The Ethiopian ambassador to Khartoum will also be summoned to inform him of Sudan’s condemnation of this inhumane behaviour,” the ministry said.

Ethiopia said it rejected the “misrepresentation of facts” and that the incident was “deliberately concocted” to undermine relations between the two countries.

A foreign ministry statement said it took place “within Ethiopian territory after incursions by a Sudanese regular army unit supported by elements of the terrorist TPLF”, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

It said the government “regrets the loss of life as a result of a skirmish between the Sudanese army and a local militia”, adding that an investigation would be carried out.

Ethiopia urged Sudan to refrain from “any escalation” and to take measures to “de-escalate the situation”.

Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan visited sites in Al Fashaqa on Monday, and instructed soldiers “to not allow any new movements or encroachments on Sudanese lands and against its citizens”.

Relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa have soured over Al Fashaqa, a fertile strip long cultivated by Ethiopian farmers but claimed by Sudan, sparking sporadic deadly clashes between the Sudanese and Ethiopian sides.

Tensions were heightened further after fighting erupted in Tigray in November 2020, sending tens of thousands of refugees fleeing into Sudan.

Khartoum and Addis Ababa have since been locked in a tense war of words, trading accusations of violence and territorial violations.

The border dispute feeds into wider tensions in the region, including over Ethiopia’s controversial Blue Nile dam.

Sudan and Egypt, both downstream countries, have been opposed to the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and pushed for an agreement on the filling of its reservoir and the operation of the dam.

In February, Khartoum and Cairo slammed Addis Ababa for unilaterally deciding to start power generation at the dam.

Sudan has been roiled by economic and political turmoil since Burhan led a military coup last year that upended a transition to civilian rule installed following the 2019 ouster of president Omar Al Bashir.

MANAMA — The United States, Israel and four Arab countries agreed to closer cooperation and annual foreign ministers' meetings on Monday, two weeks before President Joe Biden's first visit to the Middle East.

Bahrain, host of the six-way talks, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco all opened ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, while Egypt made peace with Israel  in 1979.

Monday's meeting follows a foreign ministers' summit in the Negev Desert in March, and comes ahead of Biden's visit to Israel, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia from July 13 to 16.

"We're trying to build a new regional framework... and tangible initiatives that can put flesh on the bones of the Negev forum," said Yael Lempert, the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs.

Working groups will investigate cooperation in six areas, including security, clean energy and food and water security.

A joint statement also expressed the group's support for a negotiated settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“It’s a very holistic approach, towards trying to advance this goal of building a new architecture that really has meaningful results,” Lempert told reporters.

Foreign ministers from the six countries are expected to meet annually and the next ministerial talks should take place later this year, the statement said.

The Manama meeting is part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region ahead of Biden’s visit, which Washington has played up as a boost for regional ties.

His visit to the world’s top oil exporter follows a sharp rise in crude prices since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, causing pain for US voters and economies around the world.

Among the rash of official visits, Saudi’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last week was in Turkey for the first time since Khashoggi’s killing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Iraq’s prime minister was in Saudi Arabia and Iran, and Qatar’s emir visited Cairo for the first time since the countries restored relations following a Saudi-led rift.

On Monday, Egyptian flags fluttered in the Bahraini capital ahead of the visit of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who is expected in the kingdom after a trip to Oman.

The UAE and Bahrain forged ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, brokered by former US president Donald Trump, and later Morocco reestablished relations with Israel.

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Diplomats from the United States, Israel and four Arab countries will convene in Bahrain on Monday, Israeli officials said, three months after they vowed to boost cooperation at a landmark meeting in Israel.

The talks in the Bahraini capital Manama will bring together foreign ministry officials from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco — which all normalised ties with Israel  in 2020 — and from Egypt, which made peace with Israel in 1979.

In March, they met for the first time on Israeli soil in the Sde Boker kibbutz in the Negev Desert, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken joining his counterparts.

The UAE and Bahrain forged ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, brokered by former US president Donald Trump. Morocco then reestablished relations with Israel under a separate Trump-brokered agreement.

The Abraham Accords infuriated the Palestinians, who argued that they marked a betrayal of a decades-old Arab consensus to isolate Israel until it agrees to the establishment of a Palestinian state, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Washington has said it wanted the meeting to be annual and to include the Palestinian Authority and Jordan — another Arab nation that recognises Israel, but which has seen rising criticism over the status of Jerusalem.

Blinken has voiced strong support for the Abraham Accords but cautioned at the Negev meeting that they cannot replace Israeli-Palestinian peace-building.

The meetings aim to deepen cooperation on areas including water, tourism, health, energy, food security and on regional security.

Israel has also found common cause with Gulf Arab states in their tense relationship with Iran’s Shiite clerical state.

Monday’s “meeting will also serve as a milestone ahead of the US president’s expected visit to the Middle East”, the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement.

President Joe Biden will travel to Israel, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Saudi Arabia from July 13 to 16 — his first trip to the Middle East since taking office.

Once there, he will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council summit with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, joined by the leaders of Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, a US official said.

ISTANBUL — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signalled on Saturday that no progress had been made in Sweden's bid to join NATO, urging Stockholm to take "concrete actions" to meet Ankara's concerns, his office said.

In a phone call with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Erdogan reiterated that "Sweden should take steps regarding such fundamental matters as combatting terrorism", the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

Turkey "wanted to see binding commitments on these issues together with concrete and clear action", he added.

Finland and Sweden discussed their stalled NATO bids with Turkey in Brussels on Monday, but Ankara dashed hopes that their dispute will be resolved before an alliance summit next week.

Turkish officials said Ankara does not view the summit as a final deadline for resolving Ankara's objections.

Andersson, who became prime minister late last year, said the conversation with Erdogan went well.

She tweeted that they had “agreed on the importance of making progress ahead of the NATO summit in Madrid next week, where I look forward to meeting President Erdogan and other allied leaders”.

Ankara has accused Finland and in particular Sweden of providing a safe haven for outlawed Kurdish militants whose decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Erdogan told Andersson that Sweden “should make concrete changes in its attitude” toward the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian affiliates, the presidency said.

“In this regard no tangible action aimed at addressing Turkey’s concerns was seen to have been taken by Sweden,” it added.

The Turkish leader also voiced expectations that Sweden would lift an arms embargo against Turkey that Stockholm imposed in 2019 over Ankara’s military offensive in Syria.

He also said he hopes that restrictions on Turkey’s defence industry would be lifted, and that Sweden will extradite several people Ankara has accused of involvement in terrorism.

The phone call comes after Erdogan discussed the two countries’ bid with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.

Erdogan also told Stoltenberg that “Sweden and Finland should take concrete and sincere steps” against outlawed Kurdish militants, the presidency said.

Stoltenberg said he had a “good call” with “our valued ally” Erdogan.

“We agreed to continue the talks in Brussels and Madrid next week,” he tweeted.