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New York Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
A U.S. Attack on Iran Would Show the Limits of China's Power
When China helped negotiate a peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023, it hailed the breakthrough as a victory for Chinese diplomacy and a sign that America's chief geopolitical rival had emerged as a major power broker in the Middle East. But as President Trump openly ponders deploying American forces to join Israel in attacking Iran, the limits of China's clout in the region are coming into focus. China has much to lose from a runaway conflict. Half of the country's oil imports move in tankers through the Strait of Hormuz on Iran's southern coast. And Beijing has long counted on Tehran, its closest partner in the region, to push back against American influence. But despite those strategic interests, China, which has little sway over the Trump administration, is unlikely to come to Iran's defense militarily, especially if the United States gets involved. 'The reality is they don't actually have the capability to insert Chinese forces to defend Iran's installations,' said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. 'What they would prefer to do is very quietly provide some material support, some rhetorical support and maybe some humanitarian aid.' Though China favors stability in the Middle East, it could also gain if the United States gets roped into a prolonged war there, which might divert American troops, ships and other military resources away from Asia. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Arab News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Jordan FM holds talks with French, Irish, Slovak counterparts on Gaza crisis, Iran tensions
AMMAN: Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi held a series of discussions on Thursday with European counterparts from France, Ireland, and Slovakia, focusing on efforts to end the escalating crises in the Middle East and revive diplomatic paths toward peace. In Paris, Safadi met with French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, with the two ministers stressing the urgent need to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Iran and resume negotiations as 'the only way to protect the region from the expansion of the war and its dangerous repercussions.' Safadi welcomed talks planned for Friday in Geneva between France, Germany, the US, and Iran, expressing hope they would give diplomacy a chance to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, the Jordan News Agency reported. Both he and Barrot also called for intensified international efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and ensure the immediate and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid. Safadi said the inhumane reality in Gaza, marked by massacres, starvation, and collective suffering, must end, and warned that illegal Israeli measures in the West Bank are further eroding chances of a viable two-state solution. He reiterated Jordan's backing of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative and called for international recognition of the state of Palestine, saying such a move affirms the 'inevitability' of the two-state solution as the only path to a just peace. Safadi also praised France's 'key' role in co-leading efforts, alongside Saudi Arabia, to organize an international conference on the two-state solution, which had been postponed due to the recent Iran-Israel escalation. The ministers also addressed the situation in Syria, highlighting the need for a unified approach that supports Syria's sovereignty, eliminates terrorism, ensures refugee return and lays the groundwork for reconstruction. They reaffirmed their commitment to Lebanon's stability and the wider humanitarian mission in Gaza. In a separate phone call with Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Harris, Safadi discussed similar themes, with both stressing that ending the war and resuming nuclear negotiations with Iran were essential to resolving broader regional instability. They called for enhanced UN humanitarian access to Gaza and warned against actions in the West Bank that could jeopardize the two-state solution. Safadi thanked Ireland for its longstanding support of Palestinian statehood and rights in line with international law. Later in the day, Safadi also held talks with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar. The pair echoed concerns over regional escalation and underlined the urgency of a ceasefire in Gaza. Safadi and Blanar also explored ways to deepen ties and expand cooperation between Jordan and the EU, reaffirming a shared commitment to regional peace and security.
Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Here's how to teach controversial history
'The repeated refusal by Palestinian groups to accept the existence of Israel is a major obstacle to peace,' says a teenager passionately. 'There cannot be a negotiation when one side refuses to accept the other's existence.' Half an hour later, the same boy is arguing with what sounds like equal conviction that 'Israel has to be accountable for its actions. Until then, there will be no peace, just a surrender, and the people of Palestine will never accept surrender disguised as diplomacy.' He is not a boy who doesn't know what he thinks, but a pupil at Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS), speaking in a debate between 13 to 15-year-olds from five schools in England, Scotland and Spain on which side is to blame for the failure of the Middle East peace process. In order that they should learn that the world is more complicated than good-and-evil narratives suggest, and that there is usually something to be said for the other person's point of view, pupils make both sides of each argument. Two teams of pupils take opposite sides in a debate and then swap causes after a break. The debates are organised by Parallel Histories, a charity set up by Mike Davies. When we shared a house at university, I would not have fingered him as a catalyst for social change. He was absurdly good looking and more into rowing than studying. But as a Quaker partly brought up in Belfast, he was interested in questions of peace and conflict. And he did like a good argument. After a successful business career, he became a history teacher at LRGS at 41. He taught feudalism by making a pile of desks, chairs and children to illustrate how uncomfortable it is at the bottom of the social hierarchy, and reconstructed the Battle of Hastings with a horse as a prop. But what he really wanted to teach was the historical roots of modern conflicts. So he organised a trip to Northern Ireland, where pupils met ex-IRA and ex-UVF fighters, and one to Israel/Palestine, where they talked to militants on both sides and played football in a refugee camp. Mike went back to Israel on a Winston Churchill fellowship to find out how history was taught. He realised it was impossible to teach a neutral history. Every event could be seen from both points of view. 'Our voters and future leaders,' he wrote in an article, 'need to understand there are always competing narratives, and to pick apart the propaganda and the facts.' He set up Parallel Histories to make that happen. Mike died last year, but Parallel Histories is flourishing. Now run by a former Labour minister, Bill Rammell, it works with 1,700 schools, training teachers, organising debates and providing materials, such as official documents and eye-witness accounts. Most are in Britain, but nearly 400 are in America. It offers pupils a rare chance to learn about contested subjects such as the Middle East, Northern Ireland and the British Empire. Schools tend to avoid such difficult topics. By providing the materials and the framework, Parallel Histories makes them safe. It has organised debates on the Middle East between Jewish and Muslim schools and about Northern Ireland between Protestant and Catholic schools. Watching that debate this week, I felt something was happening that could help counteract the polarisation pulling people apart. Conflicts become intractable because both sides are convinced their point of view is the only legitimate one. Seeing the argument from the other side is essential to resolving any conflict. That's what Parallel Histories teaches participants to do. So a girl from O Castro, an international school in Spain, argues that Israel cannot make peace with Palestine's corrupt and chaotic leadership — and then, swapping sides, that Israel's illegal settlements mean it is not an honest negotiating partner. Her classmate points to Hamas's electoral victory in 2006 as evidence Palestinians are not interested in peace; then making the opposite argument, he quotes an incendiary comment from Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and asks how the Palestinians can negotiate with people who think like that. The aim is not to change pupils' minds but it sometimes happens. 'Because of my family background,' said Adnan, a pupil at LRGS, when I talked to pupils after the debate, 'I grew up 100 per cent supporting the Palestinians. I still have more sympathy for them, but I can now see where the Israelis are coming from.' Ben's journey took him in the opposite direction. 'I used to think Israel was in the right, but I've come to understand it's very complex. They've both done stuff to each other over the years.' Although it was conceived before social media became the main source of news for young people, the programme helps counter some of its effects. 'It's very easy to get brainwashed on TikTok,' says Lewis, from South Molton Community College in Devon. His classmate Taylor agrees. 'It's all from the Palestinian perspective.' Pupils are encouraged to question sources — essential in an era of fake news. I listened to a detailed argument between pupils from Farlington, an independent school in Sussex, and O Castro about the trustworthiness of each other's material. Pupils learn useful skills too. Debating is tough: you've got to marshal facts, structure an argument and look people in the eye. 'I wasn't that comfortable with public speaking,' says Alex, another Devonian. 'It's really built my confidence.' Some arguments are intense, but they're all polite: participants disagree agreeably. Parallel Histories may not bring about world peace, but teaching teenagers to see things from somebody else's point of view is a good start. Well done, Mike.
Arab News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's deputy PM to attend OIC meeting in Istanbul, call for Israel-Iran ceasefire
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will attend a meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul this weekend and call for an immediate Israel-Iran ceasefire to help restore peace in the Middle East, the foreign office said on Thursday. The 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers is expected to focus on coordinated efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two regional rivals, along with the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The meeting comes at a time of heightened volatility for the bloc, following Pakistan's brief but intense military standoff with India last month and Iran's escalating confrontation with Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. "During the plenary session, the DPM/FM will share Pakistan's perspective on the developments in South Asia following the ceasefire arrangement between Pakistan and India and the situation in the Middle East after Israel's recent aggression against Iran and other regional states," the foreign office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, said in a statement. He added that Dar would advocate for peace in the Middle East and highlight the need for humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza during the meeting on June 21 and 22. Beyond the Middle East, Dar is also expected to address broader issues of concern to the Muslim world, urging the international community to "combat the escalating tide of Islamophobia" by addressing rising extremism and militancy, as well as the growing threat of climate change. He will also reaffirm Pakistan's commitment to the principles and objectives of the OIC in addressing challenges faced by Muslim nations globally. Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states on the sidelines of the conference. According to the foreign office, he will participate in an award ceremony honoring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the 'OIC Youth Forum Grand Youth Award.' The high-level meeting is taking place amid media reports that the United States is weighing options, including potentially joining Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran launched retaliatory missile attacks last week after Israeli forces bombed sites linked to its nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13. Tehran says more than 224 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the strikes. Israel has also reported over two dozen civilian deaths.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Israel-Iran conflict: US Congressmen see potential expansion of Abraham Accords
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.] There could potentially be an expansion of the Abraham Accords once this ongoing military conflict between Iran and Israel ends, according to visiting senior US officials. In an interview with Khaleej Times on Wednesday, Nebraska congressman Don Bacon (Republican), said there is a 'small interruption' but also potential for 'expansion' in the Abraham Accords which gives access to Gulf leaders access to Israeli leadership. 'The UAE has great access to Israel's leaders because of the Abraham Accords, and they've been able to work with the Israelis on providing aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. Abraham Accords allows the leadership (in the region) direct access to the Israeli leaders. That's a positive thing. But maybe once this conflict is done and Iran's nuclear capabilities have been minimised, the Abraham Accords may actually speed up and expand. This could be a positive thing in the long run,' said Bacon. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Brokered by US President Donald Trump during his first tenure, the UAE was the first country to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel followed by Bahrain in 2020. A delegation of US Congressmen consisting of Democrat representatives Brad Schneider and Jimmy Panetta and Republican Congressmen Don Bacon and Zach Nunn, is visiting the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Israel. The visit is sponsored by the N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Talpins Foundation and the Atlantic Council. Schneider is also co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus, which encourages deeper partnership among the existing Abraham Accords countries – Israel, UAE and Bahrain. Schneider said they believe in the prospects and the promise of the Abraham Accords with the path to a better, more secure, more prosperous future for the Middle East. 'This trip was to visit UAE, Bahrain Israel — signatories to the Abraham Accords – as well as Saudi Arabia, and better understand how we might do more to strengthen, reinforce and expand the Abraham Accords in the future, and better understand the issues today affecting the countries that are a part of that future.' 'In a bipartisan spirit of Congress, we would like to see all the Gulf states including Kuwait and Qatar — as well as eventually Iran — being able to have a normalised relationship with Israel. The result will clearly be an economic success for the Middle East... We expect that leaders in the Middle East are going to stand up and define their own future,' added Nunn. GCC doesn't want further escalation On Friday, June 13, Israel launched an attack on Iran, killing its senior military leadership and also targeting its nuclear and military installations. The war entered its sixth day on Wednesday with US President Donald Trump asking Iran to surrender, but Iranian leadership rejected the call. Don Bacon added that the representatives of the Gulf countries they met showed 'deep concern about Iran gaining a nuclear weapon that is considered an existential threat. Whether through peaceful means or combat, Iran should not or cannot have a nuclear weapon. What I heard from many of the leaders is that they would rather see this done peacefully. I do see that the potential for the Abraham Accords can be extensive once this conflict is done.' On Tuesday, the UAE reiterated its call for prioritising diplomacy and peaceful resolution of Iran-Israel conflict amid growing concerns over a widening confrontation in the Middle East. Jimmy Panetta said the Gulf states and the US are worried this potential conflict will not escalate beyond what's going on right now. Congressman Zach Nunn of Iowa stressed that a congressional delegation that made it a priority to come to the Middle East in the middle of an active hot zone so that it could highlight how important not only the Abraham Accords have been, but who else could be a potential member. Jimmy Panetta of California said the Gulf leaders they met with were 'obviously worried about this conflict and potential escalation.' He added that the leaders in the region 'hope not just a non-nuclear Iran, but a region in which Iran no longer threatens the stability of this area.' The US congressmen said they want to see peace and asked Iran to respond to President Donald Trump proposal. 'This is not just good for the US, Iran or Israel and Iran, but for the entire Middle East. The Arab leaders that we've talked to also want to see de-escalation and meaningful but verifiable peace within Iran,' said Zach Nunn from Iowa. He added that Iran should step forward and show willingness 'to work with its Arab and American partners, and ultimately de-escalate with Israel. We can see a very successful Iran for the Iranian people.' Brad Schneider elaborated that President Trump has been clear that Iran can come to the negotiating table, allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country, willing to get rid of their stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, abandon its efforts at enrichment, and commit to the compliance with the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Treaty. 'That's the starting point. One thing we've heard long before we came on this trip is that Iran with a nuclear weapon is a threat to all of the countries in this region, the US and rest of the world,' he said.
