Middle East Experience

The ceremony is said to be the first of its kind.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israel, Kosovo establish diplomatic ties over Zoom

Burqin, a town in the northern West Bank, is home to one of the oldest churches in the world, the Church of the Ten Lepers, where Jesus Christ is said to have performed a miracle of healing lepers who were confined in the church’s cave.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: One of the world’s oldest churches sits in small town in the West Bank

Iran is months, or possibly even weeks, from being able to build a nuclear weapon, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in his first televised interview since he took office.In an interview with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell, Blinken said Iran was months away from being a nuclear threat.“It is a problem that could get more acute because if Iran continues to lift some of the restrains imposed by the agreement, that could get down to a matter weeks,” he said.“The bottom line is they are getting closer to the point where they would either be a threshold nuclear power - or actually a nuclear power.”After Donald Trump pulled the US from the nuclear accord with Iran and imposed crippling sanctions in 2018 as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign, Tehran began enriching uranium to levels that exceed allowed limits.Iran said the US has to remove key economic sanctions and return to full compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal before any talks on resetting Tehran’s atomic program.US President Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the deal if Iran returns to complying with it.The US “cannot return to the nuclear accord with one signature in the way that they left with one,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a press conference in Tehran on Monday.The statement is a clear signal to the Biden administration that Iran expects relief from sanctions, and the full restoration of the United Nations resolution that underpins the deal before it starts scaling back its nuclear activities. It also illustrates the major gulf between the longtime rivals.Last week, Blinken said Iran needs to act first and any US return to the accord may take a while.“We’re waiting for US action to effectively undo sanctions, give us access to our own funds, permit easy oil exports and allow the transfer of oil revenue, shipping and insurance,” Khatibzadeh told reporters, referring to billions of dollars of payments for oil exports that are trapped overseas because of banking sanctions.Khatibzadeh said there won’t be any direct bilateral talks with the US until it first returns to the original bloc of six powers that brokered the accord. Washington can then join discussions over Iran’s nuclear work but within the existing mechanism that’s outlined within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.The stalemate raises questions over whether the crisis can be resolved before the Islamic Republic hits a deadline later this month to secure sanctions removal, or else end voluntary international nuclear inspections. Moderates in Iran are also hoping for a boost from the lifting of some sanctions ahead of presidential elections set for June.Read more:Iran tells US that one mere signature will not fix nuclear dealIran will not reverse nuclear steps until US lifts sanctions: Zarif Priority for US is dealing with Iran moving closer to nuclear weapon: Official
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran possibly close to enough material for a nuclear bomb: US Secretary of State

The United Arab Emirates’ Hope probe is only one week away from arriving to Mars’ orbit, making it the first-ever Arab interplanetary mission. The probe is expected to arrive on Mars on February 9 at 7:42 p.m. local UAE time, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM).For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The unmanned spacecraft will explore Mars’ climactic dynamics in daily, and seasonal timescales for a full Martian year – which equates to 687 earth days. The mission has never been completed previously, WAM said. The mission will make the UAE the fifth country in the world to reach the planet after the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the European Space Agency and India, WAM reported. UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on Monday to review the final preparations of the Emirates Mars Mission team.The country’s leaders invited the citizens and residents of the UAE, and Arabs around the world to celebrate the historic mission that represents the region’s breakthrough in space exploration. “We are 9 days away from the arrival of UAE’s Hope probe to Mars in the first Arab interplanetary mission. The UAE will be the 5th nation to reach the Red Planet. The probe has a 50 percent success rate in entering Mars’ orbit, but we achieved 90 percent of our goals in building new knowledge,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said on Monday. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan shared a video of the probe’s historic journey and said, “The Hope Probe is nearing Mars. Congratulations to everyone on the occasion of the historic Emirati Mission to Mars.”“The UAE’s arrival to Mars was the dream of the late UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Our investment in the human capital proved worthwhile as we see our youth capable of reaching the stars,” the Crown Prince said. The probe’s complex maneuver next week will be the most critical part of the mission as the spacecraft will have to swiftly reduce its speed from 121,000km/h to 18,000km/h to enter Mars’ orbit.After completing the seven-month journey, the probe will provide the first-ever complete picture of the Martian atmosphere.The Hope probe took off from Tanegashima Island in Japan on July 20, 2020, traveling a 493 million kilometer distance to reach the planet.Read more:Watch: UAE launches Hope Probe in landmark space mission to MarsWatch: The UAE’s Emirates Mars Mission Hope Probe route through space
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Countdown begins as UAE’s Hope probe nears Mars in first Arab interplanetary mission

Despite warnings by human rights groups, the previous US administration designated Yemen’s Houthis a terrorist organization, which locals fear will only add to their misery.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: US terror designation of Houthis: a fresh ordeal in Yemen

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6 percent effective against symptomatic COVID-19, according to an analysis published in The Lancet on Tuesday that independent experts said allayed transparency concerns over the jab, which Moscow is already rolling out.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.The preliminary findings show that the two-dose Sputnik V “has shown high efficacy” and was well tolerated for participants over 18 in final-stage clinical trials, said co-lead author Inna Dolzhikova of Russia’s Gamaleya National Research center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.Read more:Sputnik V vaccine explainer: Everything you need to know after UAE approvalCoronavirus: UAE approves Russia’s Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine for emergency useCoronavirus: Pfizer or Sputnik? Immunization race prompts calls for choice
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine 91.6 pct effective: Lancet

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif doubled down on his stance that the United States must relieve sanctions first but suggested the EU could coordinate mutual steps.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Iran suggests European Union ‘choreograph’ return to nuclear deal

The United Arab Emirates will begin to enforce harsher punishments against COVID-19 regulation rulebreakers amid a spike in case numbers, said the country’s crisis management authority.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.A three-pronged strategy of new restrictions, a mass vaccination campaign, and reprimanding violators will bring about a “return to normal life,” said the National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) in a tweet on Tuesday.This comes days after new regulations were brought in which included bars and pubs in Dubai closing for the month of February, and new limits on crowd numbers in public places.“Precautionary & preventive measures, the national vaccination campaign, & enforcing violations came within a thorough framework to ensure a safe environment & a step to return to normal life,” said the NCEMA in a tweet.“We will witness more stringent procedures against violators in the coming period.”The UAE’s case rate of around 354 per million is far higher than its neighbours Saudi Arabia, with 7 per million, or Oman, with 33 per million, even as the UAE boasts the second highest level of vaccinations to population on the planet.Despite this, the country is moving ‘steadily and confidently’ towards containing the COVID-19 pandemic, said NCEMA.The authority added that the UAE has balanced curbing the spread of the virus with keeping key sectors open for business, including promoting ‘safe tourism,’ just days after a travel ban to the Gulf nation was enforced by the British government after weeks of record numbers of new COVID-19 cases.“The UAE is moving steadily and confidently towards containing the current pandemic and moving forward through the recovery planning phase with competence and ability through its institutions and members of society, both citizens and residents,” said the NCEMA.“UAE has remarkable services that any visitor or tourist can enjoy and has succeeded in providing a "safe tourism" experience for visitors of different nationalities, enhancing its reputation and position among the best tourist destinations around the world,” it added.The director general of the Dubai Health Authority, Humain al-Qutami, was replaced by Awad Saghir al-Ketbi, as announced on Sunday, with no official explanation given.With ReutersRead more: Dubai tightens coronavirus restrictions: Closes bars, reduces mall, hotel capacityUpdated rules: Dubai ramps up coronavirus restrictions amid rising cases in UAECoronavirus: Entertainers, hospitals react to Dubai’s new restrictions
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE to enforce ‘more stringent’ punishments for COVID-19 rulebreakers: NCEMA

Images of skiers partying on the slopes have angered ordinary Turks obeying coronavirus restrictions as vaccination efforts roll out.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Parties at ski resorts outrage Turks in lockdown

Robert Malley, a former top Iran adviser in President Barack Obama’s administration, has been appointed as US envoy to Iran, the White House confirmed on Friday. His appointment drew mixed reactions.Malley served on the Obama team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) - an agreement that former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018, imposing crippling sanctions on Tehran as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign.Read more: Iran tells US that one mere signature will not fix nuclear dealMost recently, Malley served as president and CEO of the Washington-based International Crisis Group, a non-profit organization focused on global conflict.On Jan. 20, the Jewish Insider reported that Malley was being considered for a position as special envoy on Iran, sparking a fierce debate online between critics and supporters of Malley.Malley’s arrival has been welcomed by pro-Tehran figures and proponents of the JCPOA, while Iranian dissidents and rights activists, as well as some Republicans, have expressed concern over the appointment.Malley’s critics say he is too lenient with the Iranian regime and worry he would overlook Tehran’s human rights abuses in order to reach agreements, while his supporters say he is the ideal choice for diplomatic re-engagement with Iran.Support for MalleyHesamoddin Ashena, a senior advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, welcomed reports that US President Joe Biden was considering Malley as US Iran envoy, tweeting on Jan. 22: “Robert Malley’s possible appointment carries a clear message about an efficient approach to resolving the conflict quickly and effectively.”In an article published on Jan. 22, Iranian Revolutionary Guards-affiliated news agency Tasnim described Malley’s critics as “anti-Iranian extremists.”Reza Nasri, a Tehran-based foreign policy analyst and a supporter of the nuclear deal, also described Malley’s critics as “anti-Iranian,” tweeting on Jan. 22: “The appointment of Robert Malley [as Iran envoy] seems to create a good atmosphere for diplomacy and a kind of detente.”On Jan. 28, hundreds of supporters of the JCPOA who opposed the previous administration’s “maximum pressure” policy issued a statement of support for Malley.“Those who accuse Malley of sympathy for the Islamic Republic have no grasp of – or no interest in – true diplomacy, which requires a level-headed understanding of the other side’s motivations and knowledge that can only be acquired through dialogue,” the statement, signed by former US officials, academics and Iranian-Americans, read.They claim that Malley is the target of a coordinated smear campaign by proponents of Trump’s “failed” Iran policy.Malley’s criticsCritics of Malley argue that his appointment signals to Tehran that Washington’s main priority is to rejoin the JCPOA, and that issues such as Iran’s human rights abuses and regional activities are less of a priority for the new administration.Read more: UN condemns Iran execution spree, worried about minoritiesOn Jan. 20, a number of Iranian activists and former prisoners in Iran wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging him against appointing Malley as Iran envoy.Malley’s “track record goes counter to an administration that has pledged to promote human rights and democracy … Malley’s appointment would send a chilling signal to the dictatorship in Iran that the United States is solely focused on re-entering the Iran nuclear deal and ignoring its regional terror and domestic crimes against humanity,” the letter read.“During his tenure in the Obama administration, Mr. Malley did not engage Iranian human rights activists nor did he seem at all interested in pursuing a dialogue or consultation. Instead, he focused on consulting former officials of the Islamic Republic,” the letter added.Wang Xiyue, a Chinese-American researcher who was imprisoned in Iran from 2016 to 2019 on espionage charges, is one of the letter’s signatories.“During my imprisonment Mr. Malley was a senior White House official. He played no positive role in facilitating my release, a view shared by present and past hostages and their families. If he is appointed, it’d suggest releasing US hostages from Iran won’t be a priority,” he wrote on Twitter.“More importantly, Malley’s appointment will convey to Tehran that Sec. Blinken’s principled remarks on strengthening the JCPOA, working with regional partners, and standing up for human rights in Iran were merely empty words,” Xiyue added.One Iranian dissident said endorsements for Malley from within Iran are cause for concern.“When higher echelons of power in Iran approve of Malley’s appointment, there’s indeed reason to be worried about,” Vahid Yucesoy, a researcher on Iran and Turkey at the University of Montreal, wrote on Twitter, referring to Ashena’s tweet on Malley.“The Biden administration had promised to prioritize human rights in its Middle East policy. Malley’s appointment means appeasement of dictators, not human rights,” Yucesoy added.Read more:Businessman recently arrested by Iran gov’t while ‘fleeing’ is US citizen: ReportIranian human rights lawyer moved back to notorious prison after surgery: HusbandHundreds of immigrants deported under US President Biden’s administration
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Explained: Two sides of the debate over the new US Iran envoy Robert Malley