DUBAI: The United States will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran, the US Iran envoy said on Thursday as Arab leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss what they see as the threat from Tehran amid rising tensions.
But US Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, said US actions taken so far in the Gulf region, which include repositioning military assets, have had the “desired deterrent effect on the (Iranian) regime’s risk calculations.”
The US military has sent forces, including an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers, to the Middle East in a move that US officials said was made to counter “clear indications” of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.
Hook was speaking to reporters by phone ahead of emergency summits of Arab leaders in the Saudi city of Makkah due on Thursday to discuss drone strikes on oil installations in Saudi Arabia and attacks on four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the UAE coast earlier this month.
Hook said the US was waiting for results of the investigation into the tanker attacks off the UAE coast before discussing a proper response
Tehran has denied involvement in either attack.
The US is pursuing what it calls a “maximum pressure campaign” of sanctions against Iran to reduce its revenue streams from oil and other economic activities, in an attempt to curb what it sees as Tehran’s disruptive policies in the region.
Responding to a question about China and India importing Iranian oil and whether it was possible for them to keep importing small amounts, Hook said there would be no more exceptions granted to sanctions against Iran oil imports.
“There will be no more oil waivers granted,” he said, adding that any oil imported by any country beyond waiver limits that ran from November last year to May, would be subject to sanctions.
Trump also said that Iran’s economy is suffering from US sanctions and that the country is becoming a “weakened nation.”
As tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, Trump claims Iran wants to make a deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says, however, that negotiating with the US would bring nothing but harm.
He said Wednesday that his country will not negotiate on issues related to its military capabilities. He insists that Iran isn’t looking to acquire nuclear weapons — not because of sanctions or the United States, but because they are forbidden under Islamic Sharia law.
At the White House on Thursday, Trump told reporters: “If they want to talk, I’m available.”
Meanwhile, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton said on Thursday that the threat from Iran is not over but quick action from the United States has helped deter it.
“I don’t think this threat is over, but I do think you can make at least a conditional claim that the quick response and the deployment and other steps that we took did serve as a deterrent,” Bolton told reporters during a visit to London.
Asked whether he was at odds with President Donald Trump, who said earlier this week that the US was not looking for regime change in Iran, he said: “The policy we’re pursuing is not a policy of regime change. That’s the fact and everybody should understand it that way.”
Bolton said there was some prospect that evidence Iran was behind attacks this month on oil tankers in the Gulf would be presented to the United Nations Security Council next week.
“I don’t think anybody who is familiar with the situation in the region, whether they have examined the evidence or not, has come to any conclusion other than that these attacks were carried out by Iran or their surrogates,” he said.
US will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran: Brian Hook
US will respond with military force if its interests are attacked by Iran: Brian Hook
- Hook says US waiting for results of investigation into tanker attacks off UAE coast before discussing proper response
- The Iran envoy said the US repositioning of military assets has had desired deterrent effect on Iranian regime
Hajj Ministry sets April 13 as final Umrah entry date
RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has designated April 13 as the final date for those performing Umrah to enter Saudi Arabia, with April 29 set as the deadline for departure in preparation for the upcoming Hajj season.
The ministry emphasized that staying beyond this date will result in statutory penalties and urged individuals as well as Umrah companies and institutions to comply with regulations and instructions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Companies and establishments serving pilgrims and Umrah performers that fail to report any delays to the relevant authorities could face fines of up to SR100,000 ($26,600), along with legal action being taken against those responsible.
Fines will be multiplied depending on how many individuals have violated the departure deadlines, according to the SPA.
On Monday, the Ministry of Interior said Hajj and Umrah service companies and establishments must adhere to all relevant rules and guidelines.
Dubai crown prince arrives in India on first state visit
- With over $3 billion in foreign direct investment, India was Dubai’s top investor in 2024
- Dubai crown prince will also take part in a business roundtable meeting in Mumbai
NEW DELHI: The crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for his first state visit to India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of his cabinet.
Sheikh Hamdan is on a two-day visit to New Delhi and Mumbai, leading a delegation of ministers, senior government officials and business leaders.
India’s economic ties with Dubai have been growing rapidly, following the 2022 UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which has eliminated trade barriers, lowered tariffs and eased business operations, making it easier for companies in both countries to access each other’s markets.
“Dubai has played a key role in advancing the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This special visit reaffirms our deep-rooted friendship and paves the way for even stronger collaboration in the future,” Modi said on X after the meeting.
Trade volume between Dubai and India was worth around $45.4 billion in 2023, up from $36.7 billion in 2019, data from the emirate’s media office showed.
India was Dubai’s top investor in 2024, with over $3 billion in foreign direct investment across various sectors, such as business services, software and IT services, consumer products, food and beverages, and real estate.
As of last year, more than 70,000 Indian companies have joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.
The most populous of the UAE’s seven emirates is also home to the majority of India’s 4.3 million diaspora in the country.
“It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote on X.
“Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE–India ties, which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting prosperity.”
Sheikh Hamdan, who serves as UAE’s Defense Minister, also held meetings with both his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
On the sidelines of his visit, representatives of the Dubai Chambers were presiding over a business forum in Mumbai to explore “new trade and investment prospects” with around 200 industry leaders, the Dubai Media Office said in a statement.
After Delhi, Sheikh Hamdan will continue his trip to Mumbai, where he will take part in a roundtable meeting with top business leaders from India and Dubai.
Saudi Arabia rolls out $533m water, sewerage projects as part of Vision 2030
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched water and sewerage projects worth $533 million in the Riyadh region as part of its efforts to expand public utility services and meet the growing demand.
According to a press release from the National Water Co., work has begun on 30 projects covering nearly 2,000 km across Riyadh city and its surrounding governorates. The goal is to expand service coverage and enhance system efficiency.
This initiative aligns with the government’s Vision 2030 plan, which aims to boost infrastructure investment and improve the quality of life as population and economic activity continue to grow.
Of the 30 projects, 16, valued at over SR1 billion ($266 million), are focused on expanding water services.
These include the construction of 18 reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 85,000 cubic meters, the installation of more than 1,192 kilometers of new pipelines, and the development of pumping stations with a daily capacity of 247,000 cubic meters.
These include parts of the Al-Taawun, Al-Janadriyah, Laban, Al-Diriyah, and Dyrab neighborhoods in Riyadh. Other affected areas include Al-Quway’iyah, Afif, and Al-Dawadmi.
They also cover parts of Al-Muzahimiyah, Al-Rayn, and Al-Kharj, as well as Hotat Bani Tamim, Al-Hariq, and Al-Majma’ah. Additionally, the list includes Al-Zulfi, Thadiq, and the Al-Uyaynah and Al-Jubayla centers.
The remaining 14 initiatives target sewerage infrastructure in areas such as Al-Munsiyah and Al-Zulfi, adding 763 km of pipelines and lift stations with a total daily capacity of 117,000 cubic meters. These projects are valued at SR902 million.
The latest project package follows two significant announcements from last year—46 projects worth SR1.6 billion in May and 20 projects costing nearly SR1 billion in August—highlighting the ongoing investment in the sector.
These initiatives, according to the company, are aimed at strengthening water distribution, addressing environmental challenges, enhancing sustainability, and supporting national objectives under Vision 2030.
In March, the Saudi Water Authority and National Water Co. signed an agreement to build and operate 16 decentralized purification plants across the Kingdom.
This partnership also seeks to improve the availability of drinking water and advance sustainable groundwater desalination technologies.
The plants are expected to produce over 18,000 cubic meters of water daily, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Currently, Saudi Arabia treats and reuses 21 percent of its wastewater, with plans to increase this to 70 percent by 2030. The new facilities align with this goal, contributing to environmental sustainability and enhancing service delivery.
Designed to serve over 80,000 people, the purification plants will be supported by integrated water treatment and distribution systems, aimed at improving supply reliability in resource-limited regions. This represents a crucial step toward bolstering essential services.
Given the Kingdom’s ongoing challenges with water scarcity due to its arid climate and limited natural resources, these initiatives are key to fostering innovative solutions in water production, management, and distribution.
Macron tours Egypt aid outpost for Gaza
- Macron was in El-Arish, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip
- The French president said he would meet with sick Palestinians and medical professionals in El-Arish
EL-ARISH: French President Emmanuel Macron visited Egypt’s port city of El-Arish on Tuesday, a key transit point for Gaza-bound aid, to call on Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian access to the war-battered Palestinian territory.
An AFP journalist said Macron was in El-Arish, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, along with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Macron, who arrived in Cairo on Sunday, has said he would meet with sick Palestinians and medical professionals in El-Arish, an “outpost of humanitarian support for the civilian population of Gaza.”
The French leader is also expected to tour Red Crescent warehouses and meet with UN and aid representatives.
In a symbolic stop on his Egypt tour, Macron will call for “the reopening of crossing points for the delivery of humanitarian goods into Gaza,” a presidency statement said.
Israel cut off aid to Gaza in early March, during an impasse in negotiations to extend a truce with Hamas, whose October 7, 2023 attack triggered the war.
Later in March, after a two-month truce, Israel resumed intense bombardment across the Gaza Strip and restarted ground operations.
In Cairo, Macron, El-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II called for an “immediate return” to the ceasefire.
The three leaders met on Monday to discuss the war and humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s 2.4 million people, the vast majority of whom have been displaced at least once during the war.
In a joint statement on Monday, the heads of several UN agencies said many Gazans are “trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck” outside of the besieged territory.
Saudi tourism license applications up 390% after World Cup announcement: vice minister
RIYADH: Tourism license applications in Saudi Arabia have surged nearly fourfold since the Kingdom secured hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a senior official has revealed.
Speaking at a panel discussion during the Sports Investment Forum in Riyadh, taking place from April 7 to 9, the Kingdom’s Vice Minister of Tourism, Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud, said applications had surged by 390 percent — highlighting the growing interest of international tourists and boosting economic growth, according to local broadcaster Al-Ekhbariya.
The increase comes as Saudi Arabia ramps up investments in sports infrastructure as part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s strategic framework to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil.
It also aligns with the growing recognition that sports tourism is a key driver of economic development, accounting for 10 percent of global tourism expenditure and projected to grow by 17.5 percent by the end of this decade.
“Sports tourism has no limits. The number of tourists who came solely to attend sporting events reached 14 million by last year, spending nearly SR22 billion ($5.86 billion),” Princess Haifa said, according to a post on Al-Ekhbariya’s X account.
“In 2018, visitors from 70 nationalities visited the Kingdom to attend sporting events, and today the number has exceeded 160 nationalities, thanks to various facilities,” she added.
During the session, the vice minister emphasized the role of the broader tourism ecosystem in supporting the Kingdom’s sporting ambitions and contributing to sustainable economic development through public-private collaboration.
In November, experts told Arab News that Saudi Arabia could expect a gross domestic product boost of between $9 billion and $14 billion from the 2034 FIFA World Cup, as well as the creation of 1.5 million new jobs, and the construction of 230,000 hotel rooms developed across five host cities.
For Saudi Arabia, key cost drivers include $378.4 million for television operations, $273.8 million for workforce management, and $124 million for transport as well as $111.1 million for team services, and $99.5 million for IT and telecommunications, according to a report released by the world football governing body in December.
The inaugural edition of the three-day Sports Investment Forum sees local and international leaders, officials, investors, and entrepreneurs exploring opportunities in the Kingdom’s evolving sports landscape.
The forum aims to expand the scope of sports investment in Saudi Arabia by fostering effective partnerships, attracting capital, and launching initiatives to drive growth across the sector.
