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US willing to accept EU invitation for nuclear talks with Iran: State Department

The United States is willing to accept an invitation from the European Union for talks with Iran over its nuclear program, a State Department spokesman said Thursday."The United States would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran’s nuclear program," Ned Price said in a statement.Enrique Mora the EU’s Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs tweeted hours earlier that he was ready to make the move.“The #JCPOA at a critical moment. Intense talks with all participants and the US. I am ready to invite them to an informal meeting to discuss the way forward,” Mora said on his Twitter account.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US willing to accept EU invitation for nuclear talks with Iran: State Department

US committed to helping Saudi Arabia defend borders, defense sec. tells Crown Prince

United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III called Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to assisting the Kingdom in defending its borders, the Pentagon said on Friday.Austin condemned the recent cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and thanked the Crown Prince for the Kingdom’s commitment to a political settlement for Yemen’s six-year conflict, which the United Nations says has created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“[The Secretary] underscored Saudi Arabia’s role as a pillar of the regional security architecture in the Middle East and the importance of sharing the responsibility of regional security and stability. Secretary Austin noted US and Saudi shared commitment to countering Iran’s destabilizing activities and defeating violent extremist organizations in the region,” the Pentagon’s statement added.US President Joe Biden’s administration revoked a terrorist designation of the Houthis introduced by former President Donald Trump in January.Saudi Arabia maintained that it will continue to treat the Houthis as a terrorist organization regardless of whether the United States decided to designate the group as such, according to the Kingdom's permanent representative to the UN.Biden also announced in February ending US support for the offensive operations of the Arab Coalition which intervened in Yemen 2015.The Arab Coalition supports the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Houthis.Yemen’s Houthis have recently escalated aerial attacks on civilian areas in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh said a Houthi drone attack caused a fire in a civilian aircraft at an airport in Abha last week.- With AgenciesRead more:Saudi Arabia will continue to treat Yemen’s Houthis as terrorists: Saudi UN rep.UN envoy: Yemen’s Houthis threaten peace, but US offers ‘new opportunity’Saudi Arabia says Houthi drone used in Abha airport attack a replica of Iranian UAVAfter Biden freezes F-35 sale to UAE, Otaiba: We expected a review under new US admin
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US committed to helping Saudi Arabia defend borders, defense sec. tells Crown Prince

US eases restrictions on Iranian diplomat's movements in New York imposed by Trump

The United States said Thursday it was easing draconian restrictions imposed by Donald Trump's administration on movements of Iranian diplomats accredited at the United Nations, headquartered in New York City, as part of a bid to reduce tensions."The idea here is to take steps to remove unnecessary obstacles to multilateral diplomacy by amending the restrictions on domestic travel. Those had been extremely restrictive," a State Department official told reporters.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.As part of his maximum pressure campaign on Iran, Trump in 2019 barred Iranian diplomats from all but a few blocks around the United Nations and their mission, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif saying he was even prohibited during a UN visit from visiting a colleague in a New York hospital.The State Department said that Iranian diplomats would still be subject to restrictions on diplomats applied to nations with poor relations with the United States, such as North Korea, who need authorization to go beyond a 25-mile (40-kilometer) radius from Midtown Manhattan.President Joe Biden's administration also said Thursday it was ready to meet with Iranian officials under EU auspices to jumpstart diplomacy and reversed Trump’s widely derided contention that the United States snapped back UN sanctions against Iran.Read more:Biden withdraws Trump ‘snapback’ claim on UN sanctions against IranUS willing to accept EU invitation for nuclear talks with Iran: State DepartmentUS, UK, France, Germany 'unite' against Iran developing a nuclear weaponIran responds to E3, US nuclear deal warning: Remove cause if you fear effect
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US eases restrictions on Iranian diplomat's movements in New York imposed by Trump