Iran media reports ‘massive' blast in Bushehr province, home to nuclear reactor
Iranian media reported that a 'massive explosion was heard' Sunday in Bushehr province, home to Iran's only nuclear power plant, hours after the US bombed nuclear sites across the country.
Shargh news agency reported the blast, while the Fars agency said two locations in the city were attacked by Israel. Iranian news agencies also reported strikes in Yazd province. The UN's nuclear watchdog warned the day before that striking the Bushehr plant would trigger a 'a very high release of radioactivity.'
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Arab News
22 minutes ago
- Arab News
Gender equality in politics remains a distant prospect
Ahead of Tuesday's International Day of Women in Diplomacy, let us look at the status of women in politics and diplomacy. According to the 2024 Women in Diplomacy Index, only 21 percent of ambassadors and permanent representatives to the UN are women, a slight increase from 20.5 percent in 2023. Progress, yes, but at a very slow pace. Similarly, the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 released this month showed that gender parity in political empowerment increased slightly from 22.5 percent in 2024 to 22.9 percent. Gender parity in political empowerment remains far behind the three other dimensions measured by the index, which found economic participation is at 61 percent, educational attainment at 95.1 percent and health at 96.2 percent among 148 countries. However, across the 19 editions of the index, political empowerment has seen the most improvement, from 14.3 percent in 2006, but at the current pace it will take 162 years to fully close the gap. Globally, women remain significantly underrepresented in the political sphere, including legislative bodies, where they represent fewer than a third of parliamentary speakers. A 2025 report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union revealed that women held an average of 27.2 percent of parliamentary seats. Women are also underrepresented in Cabinet portfolios. In addition, there is the 'implementation gap,' whereby gender equality laws are not backed by the infrastructure needed to enforce them. Adopting high legal standards alone is not enough, there has to be robust implementation mechanisms to translate policy into outcomes. Looking at the Middle East and North Africa region in particular, it ranks last among the eight regions in the Global Gender Gap Index. Although it ranks fifth globally in educational attainment and sixth in health, women's economic participation is a great challenge for the region at 42.4 percent, while it also continues to trail in political empowerment, with the lowest global score of 10.5 percent. But its regional average has more than tripled since 2006. In terms of ambassadorial roles, the region again ranks last, falling well below the world average at 10 percent, according to the Women in Diplomacy Index. It also ranks last in terms of women in parliament, with an average of 16.7 percent, putting it below the global average. Saudi Arabia ranked 132nd in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index and seventh in the MENA region, but it is among the fastest-moving countries in terms of the speed of its progress, especially in economic participation and political empowerment. In educational attainment and health, it is very close to gender parity. Saudi women have been working at the Foreign Ministry since the early 2000s and in international and regional organizations since the 1970s, reaching leadership positions. The first female ambassador, Princess Reema bint Bandar, was appointed in 2019 and the Kingdom now has five female ambassadors. There has been a steady increase in the number of women in leadership positions in politics during the past few years, including in the Shoura Council and in ministries with roles in international relations. In Saudi Arabia, there has been a steady increase in the number of women in leadership positions in politics during the past few years. Maha Akeel Research indicates several obstacles to women's presence and advancement in politics and diplomacy, especially as they are areas that require travel or relocation, which can be a challenge for women, who are considered to be primary caregivers. In addition to balancing family life and career, they also have to deal with being in the public eye and the sexism and harassment that can come with that, from both inside and outside of foreign ministries. It is also one of those gendered stereotypical perceptions that such roles are generally done by men. Research suggests that foreign ministries should ensure a fair recruitment process, provide mentorship and coaching, and introduce policies that reduce the challenges of being posted abroad. According to the Arab Barometer Gender Report 2024, women across the region have suffered a setback in terms of views on gender equality in politics in recent years. In six of the seven countries surveyed, there was an increase in how many people agreed with the statement: 'In general, men are better at political leadership than women.' This increase brings the level back to that observed a decade ago. Interestingly, this increase in perception that men are better at politics is found among both men and women. However, in every country, women are far more likely to disagree than men. On the other hand, a majority of citizens surveyed by the Arab Barometer think there should be Cabinet positions and parliamentary seats reserved for women. Moreover, most citizens also think that having women in positions of political power advances women's rights, which is why it is important to have female representation. A majority of the citizens surveyed believed that having female political leaders advances women's rights to a great or medium extent, although there is still a significant gap between men and women. Support for women's role in politics is more prevalent among citizens who are engaged in politics through political parties, which indicates greater confidence in women's abilities and willingness to promote women's participation in the political arena. The survey also found that citizens who have working female relatives are less likely to agree that men are better political leaders, which again indicates that women being in the workforce increases the positive perception of their abilities and political leadership skills. With everything going on in the world today, from wars to humanitarian suffering, would having greater female representation in political decision-making circles make a difference? Research shows that diversity of opinion and female involvement in conflict resolution and foreign policy do have a positive impact.
Arab News
23 minutes ago
- Arab News
UN Security Council to meet on Iran as Russia, China and Pakistan push for ceasefire
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council will meet Sunday to discuss US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East. It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. The three countries circulated the draft text, said diplomats, and asked members to share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass. The US is likely to oppose the draft resolution, seen by Reuters, which also condemns attacks on Iran's nuclear sites and facilities. The text does not name the United States or Israel. The world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had 'obliterated' Tehran's key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. Iran requested the UN Security Council meeting, calling on the 15-member body 'to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.' Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Israel 'do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday branded the US strikes on Iran as a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.' 'At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,' Guterres said in a statement.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
World awaits Iran's response after Trump says US ‘obliterated' nuclear sites
The world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had 'obliterated' Tehran's key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. With the damage visible from space after 30,000-pound US bunker-buster bombs crashed into the mountain above Iran's Fordow nuclear site, Tehran vowed to defend itself at all costs. It fired another volley of missiles at Israel that wounded scores of people and flattened buildings in Tel Aviv. But perhaps in an effort to avert all-out war with the US superpower, it had yet to follow through on its main threats of retaliation against the United States itself – either by targeting US bases or trying to choke off global oil supplies. Speaking in Istanbul, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would consider all possible responses. There would be no return to diplomacy until it had retaliated, he said. 'The US showed they have no respect for international law. They only understand the language of threat and force,' he said. Trump, announcing the strikes in a televised address, called them 'a spectacular military success.' 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier,' he said. Still, his administration stressed that no order had been given for any wider war to overthrow the hardline Shia Muslim clerical establishment that has ruled Iran since 1979. 'This mission was not and has not been about regime change,' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. 'The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program.' US Vice President JD Vance said Washington was not at war with Iran but with its nuclear program, adding this had been pushed back by a very long time due to the US intervention. In a step towards what is widely seen as Iran's most effective threat to hurt the West, its parliament reportedly approved a move to close the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Gulf where nearly a quarter of the oil shipped around the world passes through narrow waters that Iran shares with Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Iran's Press TV said closing the strait would require approval from the Supreme National Security Council, a body led by an appointee of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Attempting to choke off Gulf oil by closing the strait could send global oil prices skyrocketing, derail the world economy and invite almost certain conflict with the US Navy's massive Fifth Fleet, based in the Gulf and tasked with keeping it open. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a Fox News Sunday interview, warned Iran on Sunday against retaliation for the US strikes, saying such action would be 'the worst mistake they've ever made.' Rubio separately told CBS's 'Face the Nation' talk show that the US has 'other targets we can hit, but we achieved our objective.' He later added: 'There are no planned military operations right now against Iran unless – unless they mess around.' The UN Security Council was due to meet later on Sunday, diplomats said, at the request of Iran, which urged the 15-member body 'to address this blatant and unlawful act of (USS) aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.' Bunker busters Israel, which started the war with a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, has long said its aim was to destroy Iran's nuclear program. But only the United States possesses the massive 30,000-pound bombs – and the huge batwing B2 bombers that drop them – designed to destroy subterranean targets like Iran's uranium enrichment plan at Fordow, built beneath a mountain. Satellite images obtained by Reuters following the attack appeared to show damage both to the mountain above the site and to entrances nearby. The UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said no increases in off-site radiation levels had been reported after the US strikes. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that most of the highly enriched uranium at Fordow had been moved elsewhere before the attack. While it is clear that US airstrikes had hit the Fordow site, it was not yet possible to assess the damage done underground there, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told CNN. Much of Tehran, a capital city of 10 million people, has emptied out, with residents fleeing to the countryside to escape Israeli bombardment. Iranian authorities say over 400 people have been killed since Israel's attacks began, mostly civilians. Iran has been launching missiles back at Israel, killing at least 24 people over the past nine days, the first time its projectiles have penetrated Israel's defenses in large numbers. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had fired 40 missiles at Israel in the latest volley overnight. Air raid sirens sounded across most of Israel on Sunday, sending millions of people to safe rooms. During the past nine days of war, Israel killed much of Iran's military leadership with strikes that targeted bases and residential buildings where senior figures slept. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken openly of the possibility of pressing on until the Islamic Republic's clerical rulers are toppled, while denying that was his primary objective. Trump had veered between offering to end the war with diplomacy or to join it, at one point musing publicly about killing Iran's supreme leader. His decision ultimately to join the fight is the biggest foreign policy gamble of his career. Netanyahu congratulated Trump on a 'bold decision.' Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also praised Trump, saying the world was now a safer place.
