Latest news with #Iranian-US
AsiaOne
16 hours ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Hundreds of US citizens left Iran in last week, State Dept cable says, World News
WASHINGTON - Hundreds of American citizens have departed Iran using land routes over the past week since an aerial war between the Islamic Republic and Israel broke out, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters on Friday (June 20). While many left without problem, "numerous" citizens had faced "delays and harassment" while trying to exit, the cable said. It said, without giving further details, that one unidentified family had reported that two US citizens attempting to leave Iran had been detained. The internal cable dated June 20 underscores the challenge Washington is facing in trying to protect and assist its citizens in a country with which it has no diplomatic relations and in a war in which the United States may soon get involved. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The cable was first reported by The Washington Post. President Donald Trump and the White House said on Thursday he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the Israel-Iran war. Trump has kept the world guessing on his plans, veering from proposing a swift diplomatic solution to suggesting Washington might join the fighting on Israel's side. The air war began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran and has alarmed a region that has been on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. Israel is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons, and said it struck Iran to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is peaceful, has retaliated with its own strikes on Israel. Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. Potential evacuation The US State Department in a travel alert earlier on Friday urged its citizens wishing to depart Iran to use land routes via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey. Iranian airspace is closed. [[nid:719150]] The US Embassy in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat has requested entry for over 100 American citizens, but the Turkmenistan government has yet to give its approval, the cable said. The Islamic Republic treats Iranian-US dual citizens solely as nationals of Iran, the State Department emphasised. "US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest and detention in Iran," the alert said. Washington is looking at ways to potentially evacuate its citizens from Israel, but it has almost no way of assisting Americans inside Iran. The two countries have had no diplomatic ties since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday said the administration was looking at different ways to get US citizens out. "We're working to get military, commercial, charter flights and cruise ships for evac," he said in an X post, urging US citizens and green card holders to complete an online form. As of Friday, more than 6,400 US citizens filled out that form for Israel, a separate internal department email seen by Reuters said. The form allows the agency to predict an approximate figure for potential evacuations. "Approximately 300-500 US citizens per day would potentially require departure assistance," said the internal email, also dated June 20 and marked "sensitive". The State Department does not have official figures but thousands of US citizens are thought to be residing in Iran and hundreds of thousands in Israel. Israel's strikes over the last week have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Israel says Iranian attacks have killed 24 civilians in Israel. "The US Department of State received no reports of US citizen casualties in Israel or Iran," the second email said.
Qatar Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Oman announces next round of Iranian-US negotiations to be held in Rome on Friday
MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman has announced that the next round of talks between Iran and the United States will be held in the Italian capital, Rome, on Friday. Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted Omani Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, as saying: "The fifth round of Iranian-US talks will be held in the Italian capital, Rome, on May 23." The fourth round, held in Muscat on May 11, witnessed the presentation of a range of proposals and ideas between the two sides, reflecting their shared desire to reach an agreement. Muscat hosted the first round of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program on April 12, before alternating rounds of talks with the Italian capital, Rome.
Kuwait News Agency
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait News Agency
Iranian FM: Uranium enrichment within Iran "non-negotiable right"
TEHRAN, May 11 (KUNA) -- Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran would not back down from uranium enrichment within its borders, saying that such right was non-negotiable. Speaking to the press ahead of departure to Muscat for the fourth round of Iranian-US nuclear negotiations scheduled Sunday, Araghchi said that the Iranian nuclear program was for peaceful purposes and it was monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Araghchi criticized the US "conflicting" stance on negotiations, indicating that it was one of the major obstacles. In a previous statement, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff called on Tehran to dismantle its uranium enrichment facilities and avoid obtaining uranium centrifuges. Witkoff spoke to Breitbart news network and said that if negotiations fell short, the US would take a different course of action. (end)
Saba Yemen
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Witkoff: US wants 4th round of talks with Iran this week
Washington - Saba: US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff revealed on Tuesday that the United States wants to hold a fourth round of negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program this week. Barak Ravid, a correspondent for the American website Axios, quoted Witkoff as saying: "The United States is trying to schedule a fourth round of nuclear negotiations with Iran this week." According to Ravid, Witkoff confirmed that the two sides are making progress in the negotiations. Witkoff said: "If this (meeting) doesn't happen, it will be because of the visit of the US President (Donald Trump) to the Middle East. We are making some progress. The president wants to resolve this issue diplomatically, if possible, so we are doing our best to get that started." Witkoff expressed hope that "there will be progress on a ceasefire in Gaza, before or after Trump's trip to the Middle East this month." US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with NBC News on Sunday that "the goal of negotiations with Iran is to completely dismantle Iran's nuclear program," but expressed his openness to exploring calls for "civilian nuclear energy while ending its nuclear weapons program." The US president explained that he is willing to listen to arguments in favor of allowing Tehran to pursue "civilian nuclear energy" in exchange for ending its nuclear weapons program, saying: "I think I would be open to hearing that... Civilian energy, as it's called, often leads to military wars, and we don't want them to have nuclear weapons... It's a very simple deal." The first round of negotiations between Iran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program began on April 12 in the Omani capital, Muscat. The Omani embassy in Rome hosted the second round of negotiations on April 19, and the third round was held again in Muscat on April 26. Following the conclusion of the third round of Iranian-US negotiations in the Sultanate of Oman, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that "this round was more serious than the previous two," while noting that "there are still differences between the two sides on key issues and details." It is worth noting that in 2015, Britain, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, and France reached an agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear program, which stipulated the easing of sanctions in exchange for restrictions on the nuclear program. Later, during the term of former President Donald Trump, the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Iran responded by announcing a gradual reduction in its commitments under the agreement, specifically abandoning restrictions on nuclear research and uranium enrichment. With Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, Washington reactivated the "maximum pressure" policy on Iran, exacerbating the economic crisis and increasing inflation rates. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Observer
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Trump blocked Israeli plan to strike Iran nuclear sites: report
Washington: US President Donald Trump scuppered an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear sites, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, as Washington attempts to reach a deal to curb Tehran's weapons program. The United States and Iran, which have not had diplomatic relations for more than 40 years, are seeking a new nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of a landmark agreement during his first term. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are due to meet in Rome on Saturday, a week after they held the highest-level Iranian-US nuclear negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 accord. In March, Trump sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging talks but warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal. Trump administration officials revealed to the New York Times that Israel had sought Washington's assistance to carry out an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in May. According to the Times, the plan and its possible maneuvers were under consideration for months. But during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House last week, Trump told the Israelis he would not support an attack. The president instead publicly announced the direct talks with Tehran. Iran has consistently denied that it is seeking nuclear weapons, but has stepped up its nuclear capacities since Trump scrapped the 2015 agreement. The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report noted with "serious concern" that Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, nearing the weapons grade of 90 percent.
