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‘US, India Putting Together a Different Vision of Tech’

Imagine a future without that disease, hospitalizing and taking the lives of people around the world,” Garcetti said…reports Asian Lite News

Ambassador Eric Garcetti has said that the US and India are putting together a different vision of technology that connects us, protects us, detects for us some of the biggest challenges, and addresses them.

Speaking at the “TechSurge: India’s Deep Tech Transformation” conference, organised by Celesta Capital and US-India Business Council, Garcetti cited an example of how the US is funding a company in India through its USAID agency. The company, Garcetti said, is developing an application that can detect tuberculosis (TB).

“…as an Indian, you can cough into the phone and send a recording of that cough – and, with 85 per cent (and growing) accuracy, detect whether you have TB – from any of village, any town, anywhere in India,” he said.

“Something that will help us reach the goal of the Prime Minister here to get rid of TB by 2025. And something that’s in America’s interest, selfishly, as well, because 25 per cent of the world’s TB cases are here in India. And if we don’t work with India to eradicate tuberculosis here, we will never have an America without tuberculosis as well,” Ambassador Garcetti said.

He cited another collaboration between the two countries in the healthcare sector.

“Recently I was at an Indian company. A technological breakthrough in healthcare: we were able to develop a vaccine for dengue fever, all four strains! In the past, we could get a vaccine for one strain, but it doesn’t protect you from the other three; very difficult to commercialize. We had the innovation, but we knew that the America probably couldn’t do the delivery. And so, given the three different Indian companies, one which is now about to start its third-phase clinical trials within a year or two – maybe three – we can have a vaccine that deals with all four strains of dengue fever. Imagine a future without that disease, hospitalizing and taking the lives of people around the world,” Garcetti said.

Later in his address, Garcetti equated the relationship between the two countries as multiplicative, and not additive or arithmetic.

“An exponential relationship. It’s not U.S. plus India, it’s U.S. times India. And when it comes to technology, I really do believe in my heart that, as we showed during the G20, with India’s leadership and empowering the voice of the Global South, and America’s leadership among our allies and the developed world that, when we speak each other’s languages, we can actually translate to the world our ambitions, our ambitions for peace, prosperity, for our planet and our people,” he said. (ANI)

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US Embassy Warns Gaza Residents of Limited Opening at Rafah Crossing

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is the only remaining outlet to get people out of the enclave and supplies into it…reports Asian Lite News

The US Embassy in Israel on Monday warned Gaza residents who were hoping to evacuate using the Rafah Crossing Point — the Hamas-controlled enclave’s border crossing with Egypt — that if the crossing opens, then it might be only for a “limited time”.

In an advisory, the embassy said that the Rafah crossing will open at 9 a.m. on Monday, citing media reports.

“We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable and it is unclear whether, or for how long, travelers will be permitted to transit the crossing. 

“If you assess it to be safe, you may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing — there may be very little notice if the crossing opens and it may only open for a limited time,” the advisory added.

On Sunday after his talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said that “Rafah will be open”.

The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is the only remaining outlet to get people out of the enclave and supplies into it.

But it remained closed for much of the past week.

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US, Qatar deny Iran access to $6 billion from prisoner deal

Last month, the United States and Iran swapped prisoners. Iran released five US nationals held in the country and the United States also released five Iranians….reports Asian Lite News

Following the attack by Hamas on Israel that killed at least 1,300, the United States and Qatar have agreed to deny Iran access to $6 billion that were unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap deal, according to reports.

Last month, the United States and Iran swapped prisoners. Iran released five US nationals held in the country and the United States also released five Iranians. As part of the deal, the United States also released $6 billion-worth of Iranian funds kept in South Korean banks. The deal involved transfer of that amount to a bank in Qatar from where Iran could access those funds for humanitarian purposes.

The decision as part of the prisoner swap to make the funds accessible to Iran has come under criticism, particularly from the Republican Party, after the Hamas attack on Israel. Hamas has long been backed by Iran and it has been argued that once these funds became accessible to Iran, it was bolstered as its other funds were freed to be used against its adversaries like Israel.

The New York Times reported that there was no formal agreement as such on blocking the funds but there was a “quiet understanding” between the United States and Qatar to disallow Iran from accessing the funds for now.

“Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury secretary, told House Democrats on Thursday that Iran would no longer have access to the funds, according to a person familiar with the matter…U.S. officials did not describe the money as frozen permanently but said that case-by-case applications to spend it under the current arrangement will be denied for the foreseeable future,” reported NYT.

As per the terms of the deal, these funds could only be used after furnishing bills for humanitarian purchases, such as of food and medicine. Even in such cases, however, critics have said that it would mean that the funds that would have gone for food or medicine purchases previously have now been freed up for nefarious purposes, such as to be used against Israel.

So far, however, the entire sum of $6 billion sits untouched in a bank in Qatar. It has also been pointed that the Joe Biden administration did not ‘give’ this money to Iran as it was Iranian money which was sitting in a South Korean bank and Iran was not able to access it because of sanctions. It is not US money.

Explaining the transfer of these funds, Jennifer Griffen of Fox News wrote that the US Department of Treasury would need to approve any Iranian request to access those funds after it is provided with verifiable bills for humanitarian purchases. In a series of tweets, she wrote that the Biden administration’s action was an extension of decision taken during former President Donald Trump’s term.

She said, “This was Iranian money that even the Trump administration had agreed could be used by Iran for humanitarian reasons as long as those purchases for food and medicine were verified. The release of this money as part of the recent Biden admin hostage deal was not to Iran. So politicians who are saying this $6 billion somehow may have been transferred to Iran for use in this Hamas invasion are wrong. There is no evidence any of that $6 billion has left the Qatari account as of yet, according to US officials who served both administrations.”

The New York Times reported that the action, even if temporary, would certainly “infuriate Iran’s leadership after a painstaking prisoner swap that took many months to construct and weeks more to complete”.

ALSO READ: Iran Has A Ominous Warning For Israel

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Gaza Mediation Talks Supported by U S, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey

Hamas on Saturday launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip, prompting Israel to launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza…reports Asian Lite News

Regional mediation talks are being reportedly held to provide a safe passage for the evacuation of foreigners from the Gaza Strip and bring urgent aid into the Palestinian enclave via Egypt.

The mediation talks were led by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, and have had support from Saudi Arabia and the US, a Palestinian source told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.

The source, who requests anonymity, said that the regional move aimed to provide safe passage with the possibility of declaring a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings in order to evacuate foreigners through the Rafah crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Palestinian enclave.

Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, and other regional countries are pressing for the entry of humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the Gaza Strip to avoid a severe humanitarian disaster threatening its population, said the source.

According to the source, Hamas and the Palestinian factions agreed to the mediation, while the American administration and Arab countries are pressuring Israel to accept this in order to proceed with its implementation as soon as possible.

Hamas on Saturday launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza Strip, prompting Israel to launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza.

As of Wednesday, more than 2,000 people have been killed and thousands more injured on both sides.

After the Hamas attack, Israel cut off its power supply to the Gaza Strip and ordered a complete siege on the Palestinian enclave.

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US, allies offer ‘united support’ to Israel

The United States, Germany, France and Italy have issued a joint statement condemning the “appalling act ” by Hamas and extended their “steadfast and united support” to Israel…reports Asian Lite News

The United States, Germany, France and Italy have issued a joint statement condemning the “appalling act ” by Hamas and extended their “steadfast and united support” to Israel.

“Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage,” said the statement by President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

“All of us recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike. But make no mistake: Hamas does not represent those aspirations, and it offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed,” the leaders said.

“Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region,” they said.

“We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned,” the statement issued on Monday (local time) read.

Earlier White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that US has no intention to join Israel’s war against Hamas. “There is no intention to put US boots on the ground,” Kirby said.

In a stern warning to Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that “though Israel did not start this war” but “will finish it”.

Netanyahu’s warning followed after Hamas said it would execute an Israeli captive for every civilian house bombed without warning.

Israeli military said that it has imposed a “complete siege” of the Gaza strip.

President Joe Biden said 11 Americans have been killed and the US has moved its biggest aircraft carrier and other warships closer to Israel in a show of support, was working with its key ally on “hostage recovery efforts”.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on Monday said that its emergency shelters in Gaza are at 90 per cent capacity with more than 137,000 people taking cover from Israeli strikes.

More than 680 Palestinians have died and more than 3,700 were injured, according to Gaza’s health ministry cited by the CNN.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the United Nations to take immediate action against the continued “Israeli aggression” toward Palestinians.

Abbas made the remarks on a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Guterres acknowledged the UN’s continued efforts to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza and said that the UN is actively liaising with pertinent international stakeholders to curb the current escalation, WAFA reported.

At least 900 Israelis were killed and over 2,616 people injured after the Hamas attack on Israel.

A war update shared by Israel Defence forces (IDF) on X, said that about 30 hostages have been held by Hamas in Gaza. It also shared that about 4,500 rockets have been fired from Gaza on Israel after which the Israeli defence forces retaliated and hit 1290 Hamas targets in Gaza.

President Biden further condemned the Hamas attack in Israel and said that the Hamas terrorists have massacred families in their homes, killing over 200 young people enjoying a music festival, and kidnapping civilians.

“In recent days, the world has watched in horror as Hamas terrorists massacred families in their homes, slaughtered over 200 young people enjoying a music festival, and kidnapped elderly women, children, and entire families, who are now being held as hostages,” it added.

He further extended support to Israel, so that it fights against the injustice and atrocities being done to the country.

Biden reassured, “Our countries will support Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities. We further emphasize that this is not a moment for any party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to seek advantage.”

Moreover, he highlighted that the US and other countries support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

“All of us recognize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people and support equal measures of justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike. But make no mistake: Hamas does not represent those aspirations, and it offers nothing for the Palestinian people other than more terror and bloodshed,” the statement said. (ANI)

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India Raises Concerns Over US Envoy’s PoK Visit

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome recently paid a six-day visit to Gilgit-Baltistan during which he visited different areas and met local representatives and officials…reports Asian Lite News

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that India’s position regarding the entire Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of the country is well known and New Delhi has raised its concerns with US side regarding US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s recent visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 

“Our position on the entire Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India is well known. We would like to urge the international community to respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during the weekly media briefing here. 

The MEA spokesperson was asked about Blome’s visit and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti’s remarks regarding the visit. 

“We have raised our concerns about that visit by the US Ambassador of Pakistan with the US side and with regards to Garcetti’s comment, we don’t think the two situations are equivalent,” Bagchi said. 

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome recently paid a six-day visit to Gilgit-Baltistan during which he visited different areas and met local representatives and officials, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. 

Queried about United Kingdom MP Andrew Gwynne’s visit to PoK and the remarks he made there on September 26, Bagchi reiterated that India will request international community to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

“I think I would just repeat what I have been saying about visitors. We would request the international community to respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity. You know our position on the areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and how we look at the entire Union terroritory as integral part of India. That would be my comment,” Bagchi said. 

“I don’t have anything particular as you said the video has just come out. I don’t know if our mission has taken it up but we convey our concerns on such things on regular basis whenever we see such developments,” he added. 

On September 26, US Ambassdor to India Garcetti said that US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s visit to Gilgit-Baltistan is a matter which should be “resolved between India and Pakistan, not by any third party including the US.” 

Garcetti had said: “It’s not my place to react to the US Ambassador in Pakistan but I know he’s been before and we have had obviously parts of our delegation in Jammu and Kashmir during the G20 as well.”

“We’ll stay engaged but it has to be something that is resolved between India and Pakistan, not by any third party including the US,” he said.

Earlier in September, India lashed out at Pakistan after the country’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar predictably raised the Kashmir bogey in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

In its right of reply, the First Secretary at United Nations for the Second Committee of UNGA, Petal Gahlot said that Pakistan should vacate occupied areas of India and stop cross-border terrorism. She asked Pakistan to stop human rights violations against minorities in Pakistan.

Petal Gahlot said, “In order for there to be peace in South Asia, the actions that Pakistan needs to take are threefold first stop cross-border terrorism and shut down its infrastructure of terrorism immediately. Second, vacate Indian territories under its illegal and forcible occupation. And third stop the grave and persistent human rights violations against the minorities in Pakistan.”

Indian diplomat reiterated that union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh are integral parts of India and Pakistan has no “locus standi” to make statements regarding India’s domestic matters.

“We reiterate that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India. Matters pertaining to the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are purely internal to India,” Petal Gahlot said.

“Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on our domestic matters. As a country with one of the world’s worst human rights records, particularly when it comes to minority and women’s rights, Pakistan would do well to put its own house in order before venturing to point a finger at the world’s largest democracy,” she added. (ANI)

US Rejects Reports Claiming Deteriorating India Ties

The US Embassy in India has dismissed the claims of a US media outlet that India-US ties may get worse amid the ongoing India-Canada diplomatic standoff saying that Ambassador Eric Garcetti is working hard to advance partnership of US with India.

A US-based politics focused newspaper, Politico, had reported that “US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has told his in-country team that, because of the diplomatic spat with Canada, relations between India and the US could get worse for a time”.

Dismissing these reports, the US Embassy said that Ambassador Garcetti is working hard every day to “deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India”.

“Garcetti also has said the US may need to reduce its contacts with Indian officials for an undefined period of time,” the Politico report added.

The US Embassy added that as the personal engagement and public schedule of Ambassador demonstrates, that the US Mission to India and Garcetti are working “every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India”.

Earlier also the US had said it is “deeply concerned” and is in close coordination with Canada on allegations of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday said that her country wants “private talks with India to resolve a diplomatic dispute” over the killing Nijjar, Reuters reported.

“We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private,” Reuters quoted Joly as saying to reporters.

The statement by Joly comes after a report said India had asked Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats.

Meanwhile, the US State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Vedant Patel on October 3 urged the Indian government to cooperate with the Canadian investigation to ensure that “those responsible are brought to justice”.

A day before Patel’s remarks US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in response to a question related to Nijjar’s killing in Canada said, “We remain in close coordination with our Canadian colleagues on this question,”.

There is a strain in India-Canada relations following Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the Indian government’s ‘potential role’ in the fatal shooting of Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

However, India has out-rightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The country has said it wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations. (ANI)

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US Youths Become First Hindu Swamis in Landmark Ceremony

This occasion symbolised their dedication to living a life of faith, togetherness, and devotion…reports Asian Lite News

In a first-of-its-kind event in the US, over 30 American youths were initiated as Hindu Swamis (monks) by Mahant Swami Maharaj, pledging a life of service, sacrifice, and devotion.

At a historic ‘diksha din’ ceremony held on October 2 at the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, Mahant Swami Maharaj initiated 30 young people who were born in the United States as Hindu Swamis, an official press release of BAPS North American Headquarters read.

This occasion symbolised their dedication to living a life of faith, togetherness, and devotion. These young people, from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds, had helped build Akshardham, and they were now committing their life to selfless service, exemplifying virtues like compassion and humility. They were blessed by Mahant Swami Maharaj, who emphasised their choice to serve God and society.

“Diksha Din is not just an event; it is a testament to the indomitable spirit of these 30 young souls who have pursued diverse fields of study and professions at reputable universities and companies. Among them
are individuals who are the sole children of their parents, indicating the profound sacrifice they and their families have embraced for the greater good,” the release read.

The qualities of humility, compassion, and persistent commitment to improving mankind are exemplified by this holy initiation into the sadhu (swami) fold, a venerated community committed to selfless service. It emphasises the deeply held conviction that through selfless effort, extraordinary accomplishments are possible—achievements that go beyond the individual and have a long-lasting, constructive effect on society.

The release further quoted Mahant Swami Maharaj as saying to the American youth that “it was in your mind to serve God and society, otherwise you would not be sitting here today. There is much work to be done from here on. May you be successful on this spiritual path of attaining God through your service.”

As these young individuals carry the teachings of Akshardham with them on their lifelong journey, they serve as a shining example of the universal messages of love, selflessness, and unity that lie at the core of this sacred place.

In honour of the International Day of Non-Violence, Akshardham sponsored a cultural event later that day called “Celebrating Values and Non-Violence.” Devotees and well-wishers from all around North America met to talk about important Hinduism tenets like equality, honesty, and non-violence.

The International Day of Non-Violence celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s life and legacy as a leader who successfully fought for India’s freedom while advocating non-violent resistance. Hindu shastras, the holy texts guiding the non-violent heart of the Hindu faith, are fundamentally based on these same principles of non-violence and peace.
In his speech, Sadguru Pujya Swayamprakashdas Swami (Doctor Swami) said, “On this day of [Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary], let us take inspiration from his life: success is not achieved through mere words, but through our actions and the purity of character.”
Both events serve as shining examples of how Akshardham promotes togetherness, cultural preservation, and spiritual piety while maintaining and disseminating India’s rich traditions.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey, is a hub for Hindu architecture, culture, harmony, and selfless devotion. (ANI)

ALSO READ-

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Russia, US, China Have Built New Facilities, At Nuclear Test Sites

This comes at a time when tensions between the three major nuclear powers have risen to their highest in decades….reports Asian Lite News

Russia, the United States and China have all built new facilities and dug new tunnels at their nuclear test sites in recent years, satellite images obtained exclusively by CNN show.

This comes at a time when tensions between the three major nuclear powers have risen to their highest in decades.

Though there is no evidence to suggest that Russia, the US or China is preparing for an imminent nuclear test, the images, obtained and provided by a prominent analyst in military nonproliferation studies, illustrate recent expansions at three nuclear test sites compared with just a few years ago, says the CNN report.

One is operated by China in the far western region of Xinjiang, one by Russia in an Arctic Ocean archipelago, and another in the US in the Nevada desert.

The satellite images from the past three to five years show new tunnels under mountains, new roads and storage facilities, as well as increased vehicle traffic coming in and out of the sites, said Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, as per CNN.

“There are really a lot of hints that we’re seeing that suggest Russia, China and the United States might resume nuclear testing,” he said, something none of those countries have done since underground nuclear testing was banned by the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. China and the US signed the treaty, but they haven’t ratified it.

Retired US Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton, a former intelligence analyst, reviewed the images of the three powers’ nuclear sites and came to a similar conclusion.

“It’s very clear that all three countries, Russia, China and the United States have invested a great deal of time, effort and money in not only modernizing their nuclear arsenals but also in preparing the types of activities that would be required for a test,” he said, as per CNN.

Though Moscow has ratified the treaty, Russian President Vladimir Putin in February said he would order a test, if the US moves first, adding that “no one should have dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.”

The expansions risk sparking a race to modernize nuclear weapons testing infrastructure at a time of deep mistrust between Washington and the two authoritarian governments, analysts said, though the idea of actual armed conflict is not considered imminent, reports CNN.

“The threat from nuclear testing is from the degree to which it accelerates the growing arms race between the United States on one hand, and Russia and China on the other,” Lewis said. “The consequences of that are that we spend vast sums of money, even though we don’t get any safer.” (ANI)

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GCC, US Welcome Diplomacy With Iran

The GCC Ministers and the US have underscored their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and renewed their call for Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency…reports Asian Lite News

The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have welcomed diplomatic engagement by Saudi Arabia and other GCC states with Iran to pursue regional de-escalation and emphasized the importance of adherence to international law, including the UN Charter, by states of the region.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, and the GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi met in New York on Monday.

They celebrated the strategic importance of the historic ties among the countries, as per a joint statement following the ministerial meeting of the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) released by the US Department of State.

During the meeting, the Ministers underscored shared commitment to build upon the achievements of previous ministerial meetings, including the most recent ministerial meeting in Riyadh on June 7, 2023, to strengthen consultation, coordination, and cooperation in all fields.

They reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region and their illegal determination to deter actions at sea or elsewhere that might threaten shipping lanes, international trade, and oil installations in the GCC states.

The Ministers underscored their support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and renewed their call for Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

They once again called on Iran to cease its proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles and other dangerous weapons that pose a grave security threat to the region, as per the release by the US State Department.

Iran barred multiple International IAEA’s inspectors assigned to oversee Tehran’s atomic activities in a move described by the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, as “disproportionate and unprecedented.”

The GCC and the United States reiterated their commitment to work together to deter and address threats to sovereignty and territorial integrity and other destabilizing activities.

The Ministers reiterated their support for the United Arab Emirates’ call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa, through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.

Iran Seeks Lifting of Sanctions

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday demanded an end to US sanctions against the clerical state, after a halt in talks on restoring a nuclear deal.

“These sanctions have not yielded the desired results. It is time now for the United States to bring a cessation to its wrong path and choose the right side,” he told the UN General Assembly.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has ordered the unfreezing of Iran’s $6 billion of oil revenue in an effort to thaw the icy relations between the two countries over the nuclear issue even as a prisoner swap was negotiated successfully,  some of them were on a plane back to US.

The President’s deal comes ahead of a UN meeting here where Biden and Iran’s hardliner president will both speak, unfolding as it does, against a backdrop of nuclear tensions between the two countries.

Five Americans imprisoned in Iran were on a plane Monday along with two family members after being released in a prisoner exchange the Biden administration negotiated with Tehran, media reports said.

As part of the deal, $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil revenues was released by the Biden administration and five Iranians charged or convicted of non-violent crimes were freed by the US, according to US officials.

The exchange is in no way tied to the stalled nuclear talks between the US and Iran, but does come as a move to defuse the increasing tensions that periodically threaten a military confrontation. 

ALSO READ-US releases $6bn of Iran’s oil revenues ahead of UN meet

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UAE, Saudi, US Discuss Efforts to Resolve Yemeni Crisis

The foreign ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the United States reiterated the significance of close cooperation between the three countries and the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen to strengthen the peace efforts led by the UN…reports Asian Lite News

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, have discussed efforts to resolve the Yemeni crisis.

The tripartite meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York, reviewed ways to reach a sustainable political solution to the Yemeni crisis, strengthen the humanitarian response to the Yemeni people and provide the necessary support to Yemen on the economic level.

The foreign ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the United States reiterated the significance of close cooperation between the three countries and the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen to strengthen the peace efforts led by the UN.

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah praised the efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reach a permanent ceasefire in Yemen, which will lead to a comprehensive political settlement of the crisis, reiterating the UAE’s firm approach to standing by the brotherly Yemeni people.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States, and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

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