DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ US easing Venezuela oil sanctions after election deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Matt Spetalnick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at the Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela June 12, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Wednesday broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil and gas sector in response to a 2024 election deal reached between the Venezuelan government and the country's opposition. Treasury is prepared to amend or revoke the authorizations at any time if representatives of President Nicolas Maduro fail to follow through on their commitments in the deal with the opposition, it added. The changes include the issuance of a six-month general license for the oil and gas sector in Venezuela and another general license authorizing dealings with Minerven – the Venezuelan state-owned gold mining company. The frontrunner in an opposition primary scheduled for Sunday, Maria Corina Machado, is barred from office for 15 years as of June.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Ebrahim Raisi, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Biden, Minerven, Maria Corina Machado, Donald Trump, Maduro, Matt Spetalnick, Marianna Parraga, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Josie Kao, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Venezuelan, U.S . Department of, Treasury, Treasury Department, U.S . State Department, Reuters, Washington, Biden, Thomson Locations: Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela, Venezuelan, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a group of people and firms based in Iran, China, Hong Kong and Venezuela, tied to the development of Iran's ballistic missile and drone programs. The penalties come as the United Nations' restrictions on Iran missile-related activities under a Security Council Resolution are set to expire, as well as the E.U. A UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone. President Joe Biden's administration maintains that Iran is providing Russia with drones and materials to build a drone manufacturing plant east of Moscow as President Vladimir Putin's government invades Ukraine. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran remain high, despite the release of five American detainees from Iran in September in exchange for the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

Persons: Jaber Reihani, Brian Nelson, Joe Biden's, Vladimir Putin's, Raisi Organizations: WASHINGTON, United Nations, Treasury's, Foreign Assets, Islamic, Guard, Ministry of Defense, Armed Forces Logistics, Defense, General Assembly, U.S Locations: Iran, China, Hong Kong, Venezuela, United States, Treasury's, U.S, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine

[1/2] Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi at the Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela June 12, 2023. It was not immediately known how soon the U.S. might act or how far it could go with sanctions relief. U.S. sources have also said any relaxation of sanctions would be reversible if Maduro fails to meet his election commitments. Maduro, president since 2013, is expected to run for re-election but has not yet formalized his candidacy. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela to punish Maduro's government following a 2018 election that Washington considered a sham.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Ebrahim Raisi, Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Joe Biden's, Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, Jorge Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Gerardo Blyde, Machado, Maduro's, Washington, Deisy Buitrago, Vivian Sequera, Matt Spetalnick, Julia Symmes Cobb, Will Dunham, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union and United Nations, Reuters, U.S, Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Miraflores, Caracas, Venezuela, Rights CARACAS, WASHINGTON, U.S, Washington, Maduro, Barbados, Qatar, Houston

☆ Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza may not be a ‘full invasion,' says ex-U.S. ambassador
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An Israeli tank at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 15, 2023. Menahem Kahana | Afp | Getty ImagesIsrael's ground offensive into the Gaza Strip may not be a full scale invasion, but will likely unfold in phases, according to a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. Israel has been preparing for a ground operation into the Gaza Strip after amassing troops at the border last week. Despite Israel's constant air attacks on Gaza, Hamas has continued to fire rockets at Israeli cities — thanks to a labyrinth of elaborate tunnels and bunkers underneath the Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, the sophisticated underground system holds electrical generators, intelligence rooms and supplies for Hamas' underground army.

Persons: Menahem Kahana, Daniel Kurtzer, Kurtzer, Daniel Abraham, There's, Ebrahim Raisi Organizations: Afp, Getty, Israel Defense Forces, Palestinian, CNBC, Middle East, Studies, Princeton University, Israeli Defense Forces, IDF, Israel Locations: Israeli, Gaza, U.S, Israel

☆ Japan's Foreign Minister Arranging Call With Iranian Counterpart
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa is in the final process of arranging a telephone discussion with her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on Tuesday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. Japan maintains a friendly relationship with Iran. In September, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in New York and told that Japan will continue its diplomatic efforts toward easing tensions and stabilizing the situation in the middle east. U.S. President Joe Biden will make a high-stakes visit to Israel on Wednesday as the country prepares to escalate an offensive against Hamas militants that has set off a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and raised fears of a broader conflict with Iran. (Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Persons: Yoko Kamikawa, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Hirokazu Matsuno, Fumio Kishida, Ebrahim Raisi, Joe Biden, Kaori Kaneko, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Japan's, Hamas Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Iran, New York, U.S, Israel, Gaza

☆ Iran's Khamenei says Israel must halt assault on Palestinians in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a graduation ceremony for armed forces officers at the Imam Ali academy in Tehran, Iran October 10, 2023. "No one can confront Muslims and the resistance forces if the Zionist regime's (Israel) crimes against Palestinians continue. "The world is witnessing the Zionist regime's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza," he said to chants of "Death to Israel". Israel, which Tehran refuses to recognise, has long accused Iran's clerical rulers of stoking violence by supplying arms to Hamas. "We must respond, we must react to what is happening in Gaza," Khamenei said.

Persons: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali, Khamenei, Ali Fadavi, Fadavi, Ebrahim Raisi, Parisa Hafezi, Christina Fincher, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Iran's, Iranian, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Revolutionary Guards, Zionist, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, Rights DUBAI, Gaza, Israel, Islamic Republic, Fars

☆ Iran says 'preemptive action' by resistance front expected in coming hours
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Iran's top envoy said that a "preemptive action" could be expected in the coming hours, state TV reported on Monday, adding that Israel will not be allowed to take any action in the Gaza Strip without facing consequences. "Leaders of the Resistance will not allow the Zionist regime to take any action in Gaza. "The resistance front is capable of waging a long-term war with the enemy (Israel)... in the coming hours, we can expect a preemptive action by the resistance front," he said, without elaborating. Earlier on Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that while Tehran supported the Palestinian cause, the resistance front against Israel made its own independent decisions. Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Leslie Adler and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, Parisa Hafezi, Leslie Adler, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Hamas, Islamic Republic

Iran, which backs Hamas, refers to regional countries and forces opposed to Israel and the United States as a "resistance front." Diplomatic efforts have concentrated on getting aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, the sole route out that is not controlled by Israel. While tens of thousands have fled south, the United Nations says there is no way to move so many people without causing a humanitarian catastrophe. According to the United Nations, a million Gazans have already been driven from their homes. The Kremlin readout of the call did not include any mention of the ceasefire Russia was trying to achieve by putting forward a resolution in the United Nations Security Council.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Israel Russia's Putin, Israel's Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, gunning, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, Netanyahu, Biden, Adrienne Watson, Khaled Meshaal, Vladimir Putin, Moscow, Putin, Abu Dahoud, Nidal al, Bassam Massoud, Nuha Sharaf, Ari Rabinovitch, Dan Williams, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, James Mackenzie, John Davison, Parisa, Humeyra Pamuk, Hatem Maher, Ahmed Tolba, Omar Abdel, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Katharine Jackson, Michelle Nichols, David Brunnstrom, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Diplomats, Gaza, U.S, Tel Aviv . Iranian, Zionist, Israel, National Security, Hezbollah, Nations, United Nations, Pentagon, United Nations Security Council, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Gaza, GAZA, JERUSALEM, WASHINGTON, Israel, Tel Aviv, Iran, Hamas, Israel's, Jerusalem, United States, Lebanon, Tehran, Egypt, Cairo, Rafah, Washington's, Syria, Lebanese, Russian, Russia, Dubai, Razek, Washington

Blinken said after lengthy talks with Netanyahu that Biden will reaffirm solidarity with Israel, which has widely been expected to launch a ground assault in Gaza. Earlier, Iran's foreign minister said Israel would not be allowed to act in Gaza without consequences, warning of "preemptive action" in the coming hours. ... All options are open and we cannot be indifferent to the war crimes committed against the people of Gaza." Iran refers to regional countries and forces opposed to Israel and the United States as a "resistance front." Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that while Tehran supported the Palestinian cause, the resistance front against Israel made its own independent decisions.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Biden, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Netanyahu, , Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Nidal al, Bassam Massoud, Nuha Sharaf, Ari Rabinovitch, Dan Williams, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, James Mackenzie, John Davison, Parisa, Humeyra Pamuk, Hatem Maher, Ahmed Tolba, Omar Abdel, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, Katharine Jackson, Michelle Nichols, David Brunnstrom, Howard Goller, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas U.S, Israel, Wednesday, Israeli, Iranian, Zionist, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, GAZA, JERUSALEM, WASHINGTON, Tel Aviv, U.S, Iran, United States, Lebanon, Tehran, Jerusalem, Dubai, Razek, Cairo, Washington

☆ Israel-Hamas war: Diplomatic aid efforts ramp up for 'strangled' Gaza as regional conflict fears grow
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Helen Regan Kareem El Damanhoury Eyad Kourdi Abeer Salman Abbaggini | Helen Regan | Kareem El Damanhoury | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“We all know water is life – Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life. People walk amid the destruction of houses and streets in Khan Younis, located in the southern Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Hamas is believed to be holding some 150 Israeli and foreign nationals hostage in the warren of tunnels underneath Gaza. It is also unclear if water is now flowing into southern Gaza. Israeli soldiers gather on and around a tank near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel on October 15.

Persons: ”, ’, Joe Biden, Philippe Lazzarini, ” Lazzarini, “, Marwan Jilani, Khan Younis, Mohamed Zaanoun, Dominic Allen, ” UNRWA’s Lazzarini, Isaac Herzog, Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis, Ravina Shamdasani, doesn’t, ” Shamdasani, Herzog, Antony Blinken, Benjamin, Netanyahu, Sunday Blinken, China’s, Wang Yi, Israel, Zhai Jun, Jacquelyn Martin, Jordan, United States Michael Herzog, Stéphane Dujarric, Jonathan Conricus, Emmanuel Macron “, Ebrahim Raisi, Warthogs, Ronen Zvulun, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Israel’s, UN, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, “, CNN, Crescent, Getty, Population Fund, Sunday, Palestinian Health Ministry, UN Human Rights, Reuters, CNN Israel, CNN Sunday, Water Authority, East Sunday, CBS Sunday, US National Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, Khan, Guterres, Cairo, Jordan, nonfunctional, United States, Israeli, Iran, Syria, Israel’s, Lebanon

☆ China says Israel's actions in Gaza are 'beyond self defense' as U.S. races to avert wider conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Children crying because of Israeli raids on October 15, 2023 in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Many Gazan citizens have fled to the south following warnings from the Israeli government to do so. Israel has sealed off Gaza and launched sustained retaliatory air strikes, which have killed at least 1,400 people with more than 300,000 displaced, after a large-scale attack by Hamas. Israel's actions have gone beyond self-defense and it should heed the call of the international community. "As I said in Tel Aviv, as President Biden has said, the way that Israel does this matters.

Persons: Ahmad Hasaballah, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Wang, Hakan Fidan, Wang's, Blinken, Ebrahim Raisi, Emmanuel Macron, Biden Organizations: Getty, Getty Images, U.S, United, Turkish Locations: Khan Yunis, Gaza, Israel, Getty Images China, East, Kippur, Jewish, Wang Yi Chinese, United Nations, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Cairo, Tel Aviv

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an interview with China Media Group anchor Wang Guan at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, in this image released October 16, 2023. Putin spoke to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by telephone, the Kremlin said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Putin that the situation was escalatory, that Israeli army actions were "indiscriminate" and that the risk was that Israel would begin a ground operation against Gaza. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the conflict between Israel and Hamas with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing ahead of a visit by President Vladimir Putin to China. "The United Nations Security Council must take action, and the major powers should play an active role," Wang told Lavrov, according to a Chinese transcript of the meeting.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wang Guan, Sergei Bobylev, Putin, Syria Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, Bashar al, Assad, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, Russia's, Xi, Yuri Ushakov, Sergei Lavrov, Wang Yi, Wang, Lavrov, Guy Faulconbridge, Ed Osmond Organizations: China Media Group, Kremlin, Sputnik, MOSCOW, Gaza, UN Security Council, United Nations Security Council, West Bank, Russian, Chinese Foreign, United Nations Security, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Israel Russia, China, Israel, United States, Israeli, Russian, Washington, Ukraine, CHINA, RUSSIA, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Beijing

☆ Putin Pushes Need for Talks in Calls With Israeli, Arab and Iranian Leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

The Kremlin said Putin expressed Russia's willingness to work towards "ending the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation and achieving a peaceful settlement through political and diplomatic means". But Putin briefed Netanyahu on conversations with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Syria and the Palestinian Authority in which the Kremlin said earlier that this had been discussed. He also told Netanyahu about "the steps Russia is taking to help normalize the situation, prevent further escalation of violence and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip". Iranian state media said President Ebrahim Raisi told Putin in their conversation that supporting the Palestinians was Iran's foreign policy priority but "resistance" groups made their own independent decisions. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Putin that the situation was worsening and Israeli army actions were "indiscriminate".

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW, Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Moscow, Putin, Netanyahu, Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Bashar al, Assad, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah al, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, Mark Trevelyan, Parisa, Rod Nickel Organizations: Israeli, Kremlin, United Nations Security Council, Palestinian Authority, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Ukraine, Moscow, Israel, Cairo, East, London, Dubai

☆ France's Macron warns Iran over escalation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

French President Emmanuel Macron, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and officials arrive at the site after a teacher was killed and several people injured in a knife attack at the Lycee Gambetta-Carnot high school in Arras, northern France, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Oct 15 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron warned his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in phone call on Sunday against any escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Macron's office said. "The president of the republic warned President Raisi against any escalation or extension of the conflict, especially to Lebanon," Macron's office said in a statement. "Given its relations with Hezbollah and Hamas, Iran has a responsibility in this respect. Iran must do everything possible to avoid a regional flare-up," it added.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Gerald Darmanin, Lycee Gambetta, Carnot, Pascal Rossignol, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, Leigh Thomas, Jan Harvey Organizations: Lycee, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Arras, France, Israel, Lebanon, Iran

☆ Netanyahu Vows to Demolish Hamas, as Israel Urges Gazans South
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Israel has urged Gazans to evacuate south, which hundreds of thousands have already done in their Hamas-controlled enclave that is home to 2.2 million people, about half in Gaza City. Renewed clashes on Israel's border with Lebanon on Sunday morning with Hezbollah militants, backed by Israel's regional foe Iran, underscored the dangers of regional spillover. Israel's military said 279 of its soldiers had died. On Sunday, Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters launched a missile at an Israeli border village, killing one person and wounding three others. The Israeli military said it was striking in Lebanon in retaliation.

Persons: Nidal, Emily Rose, –, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gazans, Antony Blinken, Israel, Abdel Fattah al, Ebrahim Raisi, Netanyahu, Israel's, Um Muhammed Al, Laham, Daniel Hagari, Abu Dawoud, Hussam Abu Safiya, Kamal, Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Iran's Raisi, France's Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Gaza, Hamas, Authorities, Palestinian Health Ministry, World Health Organization, Reuters, Saudi Crown, Zionist Locations: Emily Rose GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, East, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Israel's

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took his first phone call from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as Riyadh tries to prevent a broader surge in violence across the region. "Normalisation was already considered taboo (in the Arab world) ... this war only amplifies that," Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said. Asked about Raisi's call with the crown prince, a senior U.S. State Department official said Washington was in "constant contact with Saudi leaders". "The Saudis are still convinced the region, and Saudi Arabia itself, needs to shift toward regional cooperation and economic development.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, Normalisation, Aziz Alghashian, Abraham, Jake Sullivan, Washington, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Antony Blinken, Alex Vatanka, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, Edmund Blair Organizations: Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, U.S, Hamas, normalisation, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, U.S . National Security, White, Saudi Foreign, Reuters, U.S . State Department, Middle East Institute, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Iran RIYADH, Israel, Palestinian, Iran, Riyadh, U.S, East, Gaza, Gulf, Iranian, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanese, Tehran, Washington

While a Hamas spokesman told the BBC that Iran did assist in the attack, officials in Tehran have denied responsibility while praising the outcome. "If you had a large end-of-year bonus payment coming your way, might you start spending more money in the meantime? “This money belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told NBC News. While the Biden administration renewed talks with Iran to reenter the pact, the discussions have led nowhere and U.S. negotiators publicly walked away. Though not believed to be directly connected, some analysts have speculated that the Biden administration move to free up the $6 billion could have been an incentive to continue talking even as Tehran slowed the pace of development of a nuclear weapon.

Persons: Trump, State Anthony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Richard Goldberg, Matthew Kroenig, Joe Biden, Nikki Haley, Ebrahim Raisi, ”, Biden, Adrienne Watson, Aaron David Miller, Obama, –, Donald Trump Organizations: White, Hamas, Biden, BBC, Treasury Department, “, ”, State, Israeli, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Wall, Georgetown University, GOP, NBC News, Former State Department, –, Trump, U.S Locations: Israel, Iran, Tehran, South Korea, Qatar, Tel Aviv, Gaza, Islamic Republic of Iran, Washington, U.S

☆ Russia can gain from Middle East turmoil — but it could backfire if the war spirals out of control
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Putin likely wanted to show that Moscow is still important in the Middle East by visiting Iran, said John Drennan of the U.S. Institute of Peace. It could present an opportunity for them but also could present a very, very disastrous outcome for their influence in the Middle East too if the conflict spirals out of control," Ramani said. Analysts also believe Russia will use the war in Israel and Gaza to sow disinformation about Ukraine and discord among its allies. As such, the war between Israel and Hamas also provides Russia with an opportunity to flex its diplomatic muscles in the Middle East, after something of a hiatus from the global stage. So this shows that Russia is not isolated in the Middle East, and Russia still maintains the same array of diplomatic partnerships that it had before the war," he noted.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, Putin, John Drennan, Sergei Savostyanov, Samuel Ramani, Ramani, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden, Jim Watson, Volodymy Zelenskyy, Sergei Karpukhin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Maxim Shemetov, They've, they've, Bashar al, Assad Organizations: Getty, Palestinian, Hamas, U.S . Institute of Peace, AFP, Royal United Services Institute, CNBC, Kremlin, Ukraine, Analysts, White, U.S, Congress, NATO, Afp, International Energy Agency, Russia, Israeli, Iraqi Locations: Sochi, Russia, Israel, Gaza, Moscow, Iran, Ukraine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, U.S, Europe, Washington ,, Brussels, Russian, OPEC, Turkey, Egypt, Tehran

☆ Iranian, Saudi Leaders Speak by Phone
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed the conflict in a phone call Wednesday, according to state media in both countries, marking the first such call since diplomatic ties were restored in March. The Saudi Press Agency reported that Mohammed said Riyadh was making a “maximum effort” to engage with regional and international parties and prevent a further escalation. Asked about the call, a U.S. official said it was important that Iran not act on the current situation. “With the detente of Saudi Arabia and Iran formalized in March, I assume the crown prince thought this was an apt moment,” the official said. “We’re asking all our partners to work with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.”

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ebrahim Raisi, Mohammed, “ We’re, ” Organizations: Saudi Press Agency, U.S, Hamas Locations: Saudi, Riyadh, Iran, Saudi Arabia

☆ Israel Gaza war: Growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel forms war cabinet and prepares hospitals as troops mass
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Nada Bashir Kareem El Damanhoury Ali Younes Mohammed Tawfeeq Rhea Mogul | Nada Bashir | Kareem El Damanhoury | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Gaza’s only power station stopped working on Wednesday after running out of fuel, the head of the Gaza power authority Galal Ismail told CNN. So death was a blessing,” he told CNN, his voice broken, tears streaming down his tired, ashen face. Izzat al-Risheq, a senior Hamas official, told CNN on Wednesday that it’s too early to exchange Israeli hostages. “We are extremely worried that what is happening now is totally unprecedented,” Najla Shawa, an Oxfam worker in Gaza, told CNN. “I was sleeping, and then suddenly everything started falling on us,” one little girl waiting in a hospital with blood all over her face, told CNN.

Persons: Jerusalem CNN —, Israel, ’, Israel’s, Yahya Hassouna, Galal Ismail, Karama, “, we’re, Jonathan Conricus, Khan, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Gantz, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, ” Gantz, Abir, Mahmoud Abbas, Antony Blinken, Abbas, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Mohammed Bin Salman, Ebrahim Raisi, Tom Hand, Emily, wasn’t, ”, Izzat, it’s, Risheq, Baz Ratner, Fabrizio Carboni, ” Carboni, Najla Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Palestinian, Getty, Palestinian Health Ministry, United Nations Office, of Humanitarian Affairs, CNN, Israel Defence Force, Reuters, National Unity Party, Alternate, Defence, Chagall State, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, West Bank, Oslo Accords, Israel, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, Saudi Press Agency, Hamas, International IDF, Kibbutz, International Committee, Cross, ICRC, UN, Oxfam Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem, Israel, Gaza City, AFP, Al, Khan Younis, Chagall, Abir Sultan, Amman, Oslo, Doha, Qatar, Egypt, Kibbutz Be'eri, “

☆ Iran's president, Saudi crown prince speak for first time since diplomatic ties restored
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a meeting with the cabinet in Tehran, Iran, October 8, 2023. Iran's Presidency/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 11 (Reuters) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on Wednesday, in the first telephone call between the two leaders since a China-brokered deal between Tehran and Riyadh to resume ties. Raisi and the Saudi crown prince discussed the "need to end war crimes against Palestine," Iranian state media said. The Saudi crown prince, for his part, "affirmed that the Kingdom is making all possible efforts in communicating with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation," Saudi state news agency SPA said. He also reiterated Saudi Arabia's rejection of targeting civilians in any way, SPA added.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Raisi, Chris Reese, Diane Craft Organizations: Iran's, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Saudi Crown, Palestine, Saudi, Dubai, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, China, Riyadh, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Gulf, Yemen, Syria

☆ Saudi Crown Prince and Iranian President Discuss Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed the conflict in Israel and Gaza in a call Wednesday, Iranian and Saudi state media reported Thursday. The Saudi Press Agency reported that Raisi made the call to the Saudi leader, who said Saudi Arabia was making a "maximum effort" to engage with regional and international parties and prevent a further escalation. The crown prince added that the kingdom was opposed to any form of civilian targeting and the loss of innocent lives.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi Organizations: Saudi Press Agency Locations: Saudi, Israel, Gaza, Saudi Arabia

☆ As Israel goes to war, Russia must now decide where its loyalty lies in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Kremlin in Moscow on January 30, 2020. Maxim Shemetov | Afp | Getty ImagesThe outbreak of bloodshed, violence and outright war between Israel and Hamas has put Russia in an awkward position, with Moscow traditionally treading a fine diplomatic line between Israel and its allies in the Middle East. Russia has enjoyed warm and constructive relations with Israel in recent years. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi hold a meeting in Tehran on July 19, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the Kremlin on April 21, 2016.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Maxim Shemetov, Tatiana Stanovaya, Ebrahim Raisi, Sergei Savostyanov, Stanovaya, Saudi Arabia —, Vladimir Putin's, Bashar Assad's, Bashar Assad, Sergei Shoigu, Alexei Nikolsky, Netanyahu, Putin, Mohammed Shia, Al Sudani, Mikhail Svetlov, tellingly, Russia's, Ian Bremmer, Antony Blinken, Petroleum Javad, Erdogan Organizations: Israeli, Kremlin, Afp, Getty, Hamas, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, AFP, Saudi, Russian Defense, Sputnik, AP Putin, Iraqi, . Security Council, Israel, Eurasia Group, ., Ukraine, Ministry of Defence, Institute for, Petroleum, Turkish Locations: Moscow, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Russian, Tehran, Syria, Eastern, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Umayyad, Damascus, U.S, Palestinian, China

CNN —Israel has declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas after it carried out an unprecedented attack by air, sea and land on Saturday. Israel has pledged that Hamas will pay a heavy price and may now be preparing a ground incursion into Gaza. There, Hamas gunmen killed hundreds of people, including civilians and soldiers, and took hostages, sometimes from their homes. While Hamas has kidnapped Israelis before, it has never before taken dozens of hostages at once, including children and the elderly. On Monday, however, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said that the Islamic Republic was “not involved in Palestine’s response,” referring to the Hamas attack.

Persons: CNN — Israel, ”, Yoav Gallant, –, Fatah, Amir Cohen, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Oded, Gilad Shalit, Elhanan Tannenbaum, Richard Hecht, Saleh, Arouri, Al, Maya Alleruzzo, “ They’ve, Ebrahim Raisi, Ismail Haniyeh, “, Lloyd Austin, Najib Mikati Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Islamic, IDF, Palestinian Ministry of Health, West Bank, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, Rights, Oslo Accords, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Israel, European Union, US State Department, Biden, United Nations, Hezbollah Locations: Israel, Gaza, Gaza’s, Hamas, Al, Aqsa, Jerusalem, Israeli, “, Egypt, Yom Kippur, Sderot, Oslo, United States, Iran, Tel Aviv, ”, Al Jazeera, Ramat Gan, Washington, Islamic Republic, Palestine, Israel’s, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Lebanese

☆ Israel retaliates after Hamas attacks, deaths pass 1,100
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus said the country had called in around 100,000 soldiers. Iran is an ally of Hamas and while it congratulated Hamas on the attack, its mission to the United Nations said Tehran was not involved in the attacks. Several international air carriers have suspended flight services with Tel Aviv in light of the Hamas attack, saying they are waiting for conditions to improve before resuming. In Gaza, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem condemned the U.S. announcement as "an actual participation in the aggression against our people" and said the group would not be intimidated. The United States led Western denunciations of Hamas' attack, with Biden issuing a blunt warning to Iran and others on : "This is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks."

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Yoav Gallant, Jonathan Conricus, Brent, Ebrahim Raisi, they're, They're, Yoni Asher, Uri David, Mohammed Salem, Attar, Daniel Hagari, Netanyahu, Aaron David Miller, Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Gerald R, Hazem Qassem, Lebanon's, Peacemaking, Ismail Haniyeh, Gazans, Maayan Lubell, Ari Rabinovitch, Nidal, Ammar Anwar, Henriette Chacar, Emily Rose, Dan Williams, Ali Sawafta, Steven Scheer, James Mackenzie, Angus McDowall, Andrew Cawthorne, Matt Spetalnick, Stephen Coates, Michael Perry Organizations: Fighters, United Nations, Nasdaq, Sunday, REUTERS, White, National Security, Islamic, Carnegie Endowment, International, . Defense, Ford Carrier Strike Group, Palestinian, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Jerusalem, United, Biden, Thomson Locations: Gaza, JERUSALEM, GAZA, Israel, Egypt, Yom, Ofakim, Iran, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Lebanon's Iran, Palestine, Gaza City, Palestinian, U.S, Saudi Arabia, United States, Jerusalem, Sderot, Ramallah, Modiin, Washington

Search resuls for: "Raisi"

25 mentions found