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Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg

Deterring Iranian aggression a priority at UN General Assembly

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As it happened: UN General Assembly day one

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The first day of debates at the 74th UN General Assembly is under way at UN headquarters in New York. (AP)
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Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said investigations show Iran conducted the recent attacks on Aramco facilities and will consider a military response once its investigation is complete during a Council on Foreign Relations panel on the sidelines. (Twitter: @KSAmofaEN)
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US President Donald Trump addressing the audience. (Reuters)
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El-Sisi stressed the importance of finding a solution to the Palestinian issue and condemned the attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities. (AP)
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The Saudi Arabian delegation among the dignataries in the audience includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan. (Screenshot/UN TV)
Updated 24 September 2019
Arab News
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As it happened: UN General Assembly day one

  • The first day of debates at the 74th UN General Assembly is under way at UN headquarters in New York
  • President Donald Trump took center stage with a strong message to Iran
Updated 24 September 2019
Arab News

NEW YORK: President Donald Trump took center stage at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to deliver a strong defense of nationalism while exhorting the world to act against Iran's “bloodlust” and rising aggression.

The president called on the global leaders seated before him to join the US in further isolating Tehran, pushing them to use economic sanctions to pressure Iran to give up its nuclear program and stop attacks that are rattling the Middle East.

“Not only is Iran the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, but Iran's leaders are fueling the tragic wars in both Syria and Yemen,” Trump said. "All nations have a duty to act. No responsible government should subsidize Iran's bloodlust.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's minister of state for foreign affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said investigations show Iran conducted the recent attacks on Aramco facilities and will consider a military response once its investigation is complete during a Council on Foreign Relations panel on the sidelines.

“We want to mobilize international support, and we want to look at all options - diplomatic options, economic options and military options - and then make the decision,” Al-Jubeir said at a conference on the sidelines of the UNGA. “We want to avoid war. But at the same time we have to signal to the Iranians that ‘your behavior cannot continue’,” he added. For a full round-up of Al-Jubeir's comments, click here.

Also on Tuesday Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh El-Sisi said that a concerted effort was needed to stop militias taking control of Libya and to prevent external actors from intervening there.

The Palestine-Israel situation was also a topic of discussion, something King Abdullah II of Jordan raised during his address, saying that regional stability will always remain fragile if the two parties do not agree, the occupation was a "human tragedy" and that Palestinians deserve their full rights.

To follow how day one unfolded, scroll below...

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21:30 - That is a wrap on Arab News coverage of day one, make sure to come back tomorrow for more live coverage of the second day of debates.

21:00 - It is not just all about the debates at the UN headquarters, there are all sorts of events on the sidelines - and Saudi Arabia's foreign minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf attended such an event, seen here at a joint KSRelief and UNWRA event.

20:00 - French president Emmanuel Macron's turn to address the audience, and he says the attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities "changed the situation" in the Middle East. He adds that the time is now for the US and Iran to pursue new negotiations, and it must include the JCPOA nuclear deal parties and other regional nations.

19:20 - Saudi Arabia's Al-Jubeir is speaking on the sidelines of the UNGA with the Council on Foreign Relations and is speaking about Iran's involvement in the Saudi Aramco attacks, saying investigations show the weapons used originated from Iran. He also said the Islamic Republic is suffering under US sanctions.

He said the Arab coalition is fighting in Yemen to stabilize the region and to prevent the Houthis taking full control and the spread other militia affiliated to Iran.

Al-Jubeir also raised the issue of Qatar's funding of terrorist groups, saying that although the state was a neighbor it had to alter its policies of funding malign groups in the region which started in 1996. He also said Saudi Arabia was constantly strengthening its defense systems and had stopped hundreds of drones from attacking the Kingdom. 

18:40 - Jordan's King Abdullah II uses his address to the audience to highlight the plight of the Palestinian people and expresses his wish for a peaceful solution between Palestine and Israel, adding the occupation is an ongoing "human tragedy" - urging the global community to allow Palestinians to get their full rights.

18:20 - While Bolivia's president speaks and we wait for Jordan's King Abdullah II, some of the leaders and dignitaries have broken for a lunch break, with Secretary General Guterres dining with Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel...

17:40 - Read Arab News columnist Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg's thoughts on why deterring Iranian aggression is a priority at UN General Assembly...

Opinion

This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)

17:00 - As the presidents of Nigeria and Maldives speak, and we await an address from Jordan's King Abdullah II later this afternoon, you can read more Arab News stories from the UN General Assembly 2019, including analysis on the US and Iran appearing to be on a collision course at UN.

READ MORE: Trump calls on world to stand up to 'Iran's bloodlust'

Protesters urge Trump to reject compromise with Iran

16:20 - Next to address the General Assembly is Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who uses his address to remind them of the humanitarian cost of Syria's civil war and called for an end to the nearly nine-year-old war, adding that many of the 3.6 million asylum seekers residing in Turkey are Syrian.

16:15 - El-Sisi stresses the importance of finding a solution to the Palestinian issue, with its own state and East Jeruslaem as its capital. Also condemns the attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities, reiterating the need for nations to combat terrorism and extremism through tolerance and dialogue.

15:55 - Next to speak is Egyptian president El-Sisi, who arrived earlier at the UN Headquarters...

15:30 - Donald Trump uses part of his address to urge the world community to stop "subsidizing Iran's bloodlust" and says all nations have a duty to act on Iran's aggression in the Middle East. He also reiterates his belief that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon, while confirming the US decision to tighten sactions on Iran's central bank and sovereign wealth fund following attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities.

14:55 - US President Donald Trump has arrived ahead of his address, where he plans to tell the UNGA that the US "does not seek conflict with any other nation" as tensions with Iran rise.

14:30 - The Saudi Arabian delegation among the dignitaries in the audience includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan.

14:15 - Secretary General Antonio Guterres opens proceedings by outlining the work of the United Nations since last year's assembly. He spoke about the newly drafted Syrian constitution and called the attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in the Kingdom "totally unacceptable" urging all countries to push for "reason and restraint."

14:00 — Good afternoon. The big names speaking on day one of the debates include US president Donald Trump, UK prime minister Boris Johnson and French president Emmanuel Macron. And from the Middle East - Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

(With Agencies)

Topics: UN General Assembly UN UN General Assembly 2019

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Singapore says 3 men detained since October for seeking to join Mideast conflict

Updated 4 sec ago
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Singapore says 3 men detained since October for seeking to join Mideast conflict

Updated 4 sec ago
SINGAPORE: Singapore said on Thursday it had detained three men since October last year who were preparing to travel to the Middle East to fight against Israel.
The Home Affairs Ministry said in a statement the three Singaporean men were not linked to one other and had been “radicalized” online, but there was no indication others had been recruited.
It was not immediately clear why the ministry announced the detention on Thursday.
Following their arrest in October, they were detained under Singapore’s Internal Security Act, which allows suspects to be held for lengthy periods without trial.
The three were a director of a digital marketing company, a lift mechanic, and a security guard, aged 41, 21, and 44, respectively.
One of the men had visited a shooting range in Thailand to learn to operate firearms, while two planned to visit shooting ranges in Indonesia, it said.
The ministry said restrictions were placed on two other Singaporeans in June and July last year under the security law, related to the conflict in Gaza.
More than 46,000 people have been killed in the Gaza war, according to Palestinian health officials.
Much of the enclave has been laid waste, and most of the territory’s 2.1 million people have been displaced multiple times and face acute shortages of food and medicine, humanitarian
agencies say.

Zelensky meets Meloni for talks in Rome

Updated 14 min 58 sec ago
AFP
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Zelensky meets Meloni for talks in Rome

  • Meloni “reiterated the all-round support that Italy ensures and will continue to provide to the legitimate defense of Ukraine... ,” her office said
  • She also “expressed solidarity for the victims of the recent Russian bombings“
Updated 14 min 58 sec ago
AFP

ROME: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks in Rome Thursday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after meeting other allies in Germany.
Meloni “reiterated the all-round support that Italy ensures and will continue to provide to the legitimate defense of Ukraine... to put Kyiv in the best possible condition to build a just and lasting peace,” her office said.
She also “expressed solidarity for the victims of the recent Russian bombings,” it said in a statement, as the grinding war nears the three-year mark.
Zelensky had earlier Thursday joined a meeting of about 50 allies at the US air base Ramstein in Germany — the last such gathering before Trump takes office on January 20.
The US president-elect has criticized the large amount of US aid for Kyiv and vowed to bring the war to a swift end, without making any concrete proposals for a ceasefire or peace agreement.
In Germany, Zelensky said Trump’s return to the White House would open a “new chapter” and reiterated a call for Western allies to send troops to help “force Russia to peace.”
In a post on X, Zelensky thanked Italy for its “unwavering support,” saying: “Together, we can bring a just peace closer and strengthen our collective positions.”
He and Meloni discussed “strengthening security, addressing global developments, and preparing for this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Rome,” he said.
Meloni, who has led NATO and EU member Italy since October 2022, has strongly supported Ukraine in its fight against Russia, but is also politically close to Trump.
At a press conference in Rome earlier, Meloni — who visited Trump at his Florida home last weekend — said she did not believe the president-elect would abandon Kyiv.
“Frankly I don’t foresee a disengagement,” she said, adding that Trump had previously “said precisely because we want peace, we will not abandon Ukraine.”
She added that she would support options for peace that Ukraine would support.
NATO and EU member Italy has sent arms and aid to Ukraine to help fight off Russia’s invading forces, but has refused to allow Kyiv to use its weapons inside Russian territory.
Zelensky’s spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov said the Ukrainian president would meet Friday with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, the country’s largely ceremonial head of state.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also in the Italian capital on Thursday for separate talks with European counterparts on Syria. It was not clear if he planned to meet Zelensky during his trip.
US President Joe Biden had also been due to visit Rome in what was expected to be his final overseas trip in office, but canceled to focus on the federal response to wildfires raging across Los Angeles.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

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Scotland leader refuses to be drawn on Lockerbie bombing inquiry

Updated 09 January 2025
Arab News
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Scotland leader refuses to be drawn on Lockerbie bombing inquiry

  • John Swinney would not speculate on backing public inquiry into 1988 attack while criminal case against suspected bomb maker underway in US
  • Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over UK that killed 270 people blamed on Libyan intelligence officials
Updated 09 January 2025
Arab News

LONDON: Scotland’s first minister has refused to be drawn on whether he supports a public inquiry into the 1988 bombing of a passenger plane blamed on Libyan intelligence officials.

The downing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie killed 270 people and remains by far the most deadly terror attack on British soil.

Libyan intelligence officer Abdel Baset Ali Al-Megrahi was jailed in 2001 for his role in the plot to place the bomb on board the flight. Al-Megrahi, who died in 2012, always insisted he was innocent and doubts have been raised about his conviction.

A television series released last week in the UK, which tells the story of the investigation by one of the victim’s fathers, has renewed interest in the case, as has an upcoming court case in the US of the alleged bomb maker, the Libyan Abu Agila Masud.

A member of the Scottish Parliament, Christine Grahame, asked First Minister John Swinney on Thursday if he supported a UK inquiry into the bombing given the “remaining concerns for some, including myself, about the credibility of the conviction” of Al-Megrahi.

She also highlighted what she described as the resistance of the UK Government to releasing relevant documents in relation to the bombing, the Daily Record reported.

Swinney said that while there was a criminal case underway in the US, “I would prefer not to speculate on possible inquiries.”

Al-Megrahi is the only person to have been convicted for the attack and there has been no public inquiry in the UK.

His trial by a Scottish court sitting in the Netherlands took place more than 11 years after the bombing and followed long negotiations with the then Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi to hand him over along with another suspect.

The recent TV series “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth” stars British actor Colin Firth as Jim Swire, whose daughter was killed on the flight as it flew from London Heathrow to New York City four days before Christmas.

Swire believes that Al-Megrahi, who died in 2012 three years after being released on compassionate grounds, was innocent.

Two-thirds of the victims of the bombing were American and 11 residents in the town of Lockerbie were killed when sections of the aircraft fell on residential areas.

Topics: Lockerbie bombing Pan Am flight 103

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Russia breaches frontline river in east Ukraine, official says

Updated 09 January 2025
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Russia breaches frontline river in east Ukraine, official says

  • The Oskil river is the de-facto front line in parts of the eastern Kharkiv region
  • The major of the local hub, Kupiansk, said the situation was “extremely difficult”
Updated 09 January 2025
AFP

KYIV: Russian forces have established a bridgehead on the Ukrainian-held side of a frontline river in the east of the country, a local official said Thursday, pointing to Kyiv’s mounting battlefield struggles.
The Oskil river is the de-facto front line in parts of the eastern Kharkiv region, with Ukrainian troops entrenched mainly on the western bank and Russian forces moving to capture the eastern side.
Kremlin forces have been launching audacious attempts to cross, and local Ukrainian official Andrii Besedin told state television Thursday they had managed to cross and establish positions.
“The enemy is trying to gain a foothold in the town of Dvorichna, which is already on the right bank of the Oskil, and expand the entire bridgehead,” he said.
Besedin, the major of the local hub, Kupiansk, said the situation was “extremely difficult” and warned that Russian troops could use the bridgehead to flank Ukrainian positions.
He said Russian forces were now just two kilometers (about one mile) outside of Kupiansk, which was one of the main prizes of a Ukrainian counteroffensive in late 2022.
“The enemy is constantly trying to carry out assault operations,” he said.
The advances conceded by the local official come at a precarious time for Ukrainian forces across the sprawling front, where Russian forces have been advancing at their fastest pace in around two years.
If Russia captures more territory around Kupiansk or in the wider Kharkiv area it would undo gains that Ukraine secured in a sweeping 2022 offensive that embarrassed the Kremlin.
Both sides are looking to secure a better position on the battlefield before incoming US president Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration, almost three years after Russia invaded.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Kharkiv Oskil river

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Putin says more needs to be done to clean up Black Sea oil spill

Updated 09 January 2025
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Putin says more needs to be done to clean up Black Sea oil spill

  • The oil leaked from two aging tankers after they were hit by a storm on Dec. 15 in the Kerch Strait
  • One sank and the other ran aground
Updated 09 January 2025
Reuters

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that more needed to be done to clean up an oil spill in the Black Sea, saying efforts so far appeared to have been insufficient to deal with the ecological disaster.
The oil leaked from two aging tankers after they were hit by a storm on Dec. 15 in the Kerch Strait. One sank and the other ran aground.
Approximately 2,400 metric tons of oil products spilled into the sea, Russian investigators said last week, in what Putin on Thursday called “one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in years.”
When the disaster struck, state media reported that the stricken tankers, both more than 50-years old, were carrying some 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total.
Since the spill, thousands of emergency workers and volunteers have been working to clear tons of contaminated sand and earth on either side of the Kerch Strait. Environmental groups have reported deaths of dolphins, porpoises and sea birds.
The Kerch Strait runs between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and separates Crimea’s Kerch Peninsula from Russia’s Krasnodar region.
Putin told a government meeting that the clean-up efforts had been poorly coordinated between regional and federal bodies.
“From what I see and from the information I receive, I conclude that everything being done to minimize the damage is clearly not enough yet,” the Kremlin leader told officials.
He called for a commission to be formed to mitigate the disaster and prevent oil products from leaking from flooded tankers in the future.

Topics: Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin oil spill Black Sea

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