Iran Wants To Build the World's Longest Tunnel Across the Gulf To Qatar, Five Times the Length of the Channel Tunnel Connecting UK and France
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Iran has big plans, including the world's longest undersea tunnel to neighboring Qatar. Without looking back to the ongoing nuclear negotiations in Vienna, Iran transport officials are in Qatar proposing a tunnel that would be five times as long as the Channel Tunnel that crosses the English channel between France and Britain. And that's before sanctions are removed.
An investigative group looked at the files of the Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, and revealed large amounts of money kept in secret accounts by many of the Middle East's leading figures. Most of the accounts are old and their holders deceased, such as Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said, but accounts belonging to King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan were also revealed.
The United States is working with its allies in the Middle East to create a fleet of 100 unmanned boats to protect the seas. The United Arab Emirates wants help, a collective effort, to combat drone attacks. Qatar and Iran signed energy agreements as Iran's President Ibrahim Raisi became the first Iranian top leader to visit Qatar in 22 years.
And Iran returned 820,00 doses of coronavirus vaccines because they were made in the United States.
News from Saudi Arabia's Aramco, Kuwait, Russia, Bahrain, Israel, and More.
Iranian officials are reported holding talks in Qatar this week to build what would be the world's longest tunnel connecting the two countries across the waters of the Gulf.
Media reports said Iran's roads minister, Rostam Qasemi, is discussing the projects with Qatari officials in Doha. The tunnel would run 190 kilometers from the Iranian port town of Deyyar to an unnamed point in Qatar. The large costs involved would have to be mostly paid by Qatar, and approval is being sought for initial feasibility studies.
Ali Akbar Safaei, managing director of Iran's ports, suggested that Iran would want a new tunnel to accommodate both road and rail traffic, although a road connection is considered unlikely, given the distance involved. The world's longest road tunnel is in Norway and runs 24.5 kilometers.
The proposed Iran-Qatar tunnel would be three times longer than the current longest transport tunnel, a 68-kilometer section of the Chengdu metro in southwest China.
In Japan, the Seikan tunnel connecting the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido has an undersea portion of 23.3 kilometers.
Forbes, Iran says it wants to build the world's longest tunnel, across the Gulf to Qatar.
A data leak from Credit Suisse bank revealed the private wealth of Middle East leaders, including Jordan's King Abdullah. The Jordan monarch was reported holding six Swiss bank accounts, one with more than $224 million. His wife, Queen Rania, had one account of $40 million. The Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan issued a statement, saying there had been no "unlawful or improper conduct" in relation to the bank accounts. Most of the money in King Abdullah's largest account was from the sale of an aircraft for $212 million, and the rest was his "personal wealth" and was inherited and invested.
The bank data showed that the deceased leader of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, had two accounts of $126 million and $57 million. The secret bank information was revealed to news organizations by the group Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
New York Times, Arab rulers and spy chiefs stashed millions in Swiss bank.
Jordan's royal palace said leaks about money held by King Abdullah had "inaccurate, old, and misleading" information. "These recent reports are being used to smear His Majesty and Jordan and distort the truth," a statement said. The palace said the bank accounts were independent of state or public funds and were administered by the Privy Purse, a department responsible for royal expenses established 70 years ago.
Reuters, Leaks about Jordanian king's Swiss bank accounts misleading, says palace.
The National, Jordan's royal court says king held bank accounts for private use.
The United States and allies plan use a fleet of 100 unarmed vessels to patrol Middle East waters. The aim is to improve deterrence of attacks such as those delivered by Iran, the U.S. Fifth Fleet commander said. "By the summer of next year,100 advanced unmanned surface vessels would be patrolling the waters around this region,"
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper said. "No navy acting alone can protect against all the threats in this region. The region is simply too big. We must address this in a coordinted way."
Reuters, U.S. eyes 100-stong Mideast sea drone fleet with security partners.
Marine Technology News, US eyes 100-strong Mideast sea drone fleet.
Telegraph, U.S. Navy plans launch of Mideast drone force alongside allies.
The United Arab Emirates is calling for a "collective effort" to combat drone attacks, but protecting air space against the small, hard-to-detect, cheap and widespread weapons is difficult. The United Arab Emirates' minister of state for artificial intelligence, Oman bin Sultan Al-Olama, said at a defense conference in Abu Dhabi tha drones are now part of the arsenals of "terrorist groups that use the systems to terrorize civilians," and that allies need to work together "to create a shield." U.S. Army Major Gen. Sean A. Gainey said one way of countering a drone attack is to integrate artificial intelligence in air defense systems. "They can detect a target through some form of AI, track that target, and ultimately defeat that target," he said.
AFP, UAE drone conference warns of rising threat.
The United Arab Emirates and Israel are increasing their security cooperation with joint defense ventures. The two countries, recognizing each other through the Abraham Accords, are working together after missile attacks on Abu Dhabi by Yemen's Houthis, with an emphasis on anti-missile and anti-drone technology. But Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King's College in London, said he expects the bilateral defense cooperation to move into "cyber and information technology." Krieg said Israel was hesitant at first to share technology, but that the escalation from Yemen changed the situation.
Defense News, Iran-backed attacks are further driving UAE-Israel defense tech development.
Qatar said it would provide any assistance for an agreement on an Iran nuclear deal in Vienna. Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, meeting in Doha with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, said he hopes to see "a solution and agreement that satisfies all parties and guarantees the right of states to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy."
Qatar Tribune, Qatar ready to provide any help to bring Iran nuclear talks to an agreement: Amir.
Reuters, Qatar's emir says discussed Vienna nuclear talks with Iranian president.
Iran and Qatar signed bilateral accords including two energy agreements. The agreements came when Iran's president, Ibrahim Raisi, made his first trip to a Gulf country since he took office. It was also the first trip to Doha by any Iranian president in 22 years, and Raisi's third overseas trip since becoming president. No details were released on the agreements.
Reuters, Iran's Raisi, Qatar's emir sign bilateral accords in Doha.
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Iran returned 820,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines because they were made in the United States. The vaccines were returned to Poland, which had donated them, and Mohammed Hashemi, an official in Iran's health ministry, said Poland had donated about one million doses, "but when the vaccines arrived, we found out that 820,000 does of them which were imported from Poland were from the United States." Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected any American or British vaccines entering the country, calling them "forbidden."
Associated Press, Iran returns donated vaccines because they were made in US.
A Russian official said a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran would help settle a number of regional conflicts. "We think that if such major players as Saudi Arabia and Iran manage to bring their positions closer on the settlement of a range of disputed matters, not only in their bilateral relations but on a regional level... it would be a very positive direction for general development." He said he had in mind Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
Tass, Rapprochement of Saudi Arabia's, Iran's position would be useful, says Russian diplomat.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said any rapprochement with Israel will come after a solution on the Palestinian cause. "The priority now is to find an arrangement so that Israelis and Palestinians can sit together and have a peace process that can be worked on," Prince Faisal bin Farhan said. "The integration of Israel in the region will be a huge benefit, not only for Israel itself but for the entire region."
Palestine Chronicle, Saudi FM: Rapprochement with Israel after solving Palestinian issue.
Saudi Aramco's chairman sees more oil demand around the world. CEO Amin Nasser said while the oil supply is close to pre-pandemic levels, there isn't an adequate level of investment in the sector to sustain global demand in the short- to mid-term. He said there are signs of increasing demand particularly in Asia.
Reuters, Saudi Aramco CEO seeing signs of more global demand, especially in Asia.
Bloomberg, Saudi Aramco sees good signs oil demand's rising as shares hit record.
Saudi Arabia's energy minister said focusing only on renewable power sources is a mistake. Prince Adbulaziz bin Salman said "the pandemic and the recovery under way have taught us the value of caution," that a lack of investments had caused energy prices to rise, but that Saudi Arabia continues to invest in oil production capacity.
Reuters, Saudi energy minister says focusing on renewables a mistake.
Saudi Arabia wants OPEC+ to stay in its agreement on oil production policies to ensure long-term market stability. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said: "Ask any producer of oil and gas today. If it were not for OPEC+ would they be the chairman and the CEOs of today? And the answer is: they would have vanished."
Oilprice, Saudi energy minister calls for long-term OPEC+ cooperation.
Oil giant Saudi Aramco's chief executive, Amin Nasser, said any further sale of the company's shares will be for the government to decide. He said Saudi Aramco is working on increasing maximum capacity in a sustainable way, and that global regulators and policiy makers need to have much better dialogue with the oil industry.
Alarabiya, Aramco CEO says further share sale is a government decision.
Saudi Arabia said 16 people of different nationalities were injured at an airport after a drone carrying explosives was launched from Yemen and destroyed. The Houthi-fired drone targeted King Abdullah Airport in the southern city of Jizan, near the border with Yemen. Three travelers were reported in critical condition. The attack came less than two weeks after a similar incident caused injuries to 12 people at an airport in Abha, also near the Yemen border.
Associated Press, Saudi Arabia: 16 hurt in airport drone attack from Yemen.
An F-5 fighter jet crashed on a soccer pitch in northwest Iran, killing the two pilots and a civilian. Iran media said the plane crashed in a residential area of Tabriz, a citiy of 1.6 million residents. The jet had been used for training, but suffered a technical problerm on the flight. "Pilots could not reach the runway," Gen. Reza Yousefi, air base commander in Tabriz, said. The pilots guided the aircraft to the soccer pitch, he said, and avoided crashing into the residential area. "The pilots sacrificed themselves, they could have used the ejection system, but they refused to do it." The F-5 fighter is U.S.-made. Iran has an assortment of U.S. aircraft purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Associated Press, F-5 fighter plane crash kills 3 in Iran's northwest.
Israel's Mossad is operating in Bahrain, a Bahraini official said in a rare admission. Bahrain's deputy foreign minister, Abdallah al-Halifa revealed the operation in a panel discussion with Israel's defense minister, Benny Gantz, at the Munich Security Conference..
Jerusalem Post, Israel's Mossad operational in Bahrain, says Deputy FM: report.
Kuwait Airways signed a deal with Airbus for 31 new planes, with the Kuwaiti airline already paying 40% of the purchase price. The agreement adds planes to an earlier order for 28 aircraft, with some removed from the first order. The restructured agreement saves the loss-making Kuwait Airways about $200 million.
Reuters, Kuwait's state carrier restructures Airbus order to add more jets.
Morocco and Israel signs a trade and investment deal expected to create an annual trade volume of $500 million. The amount is an increase over the countries' current $131 million. Israel's economy minister Orna Barbival and Moroccan industry and trade minister Ryan Mezzour signed the agreement in Rabat.
Reuters, Morocco and Israel sign trade and investment cooperation deal.
A United Nations humanitarian expert is in Sudan to verify allegations of violations as thousands of Sudanese continue to take to the streets in protest of a military coup.
Adama Dieng, the UN representative, arrived in the capital of Khartoum, waiting for a month after Sudan's military authorities asked that his visit be postponed. Dieng's mission is to verify allegations of human rights abuses during the protests.
UN expert in Sudan to verify rights violations after coup.
Sudanese authorities released 36 detainees from Soba prison after the arrival of a United Nations human rights investigator. Those released were part of 200 detained, and the Sudanese Lawyers Committee said the move was "a camouflage to mislead" the UN expert, in Sudan on a four-day mission.
Xinhua, Sudan releases 36 detainees from protests amid UN expert's visit.
MORE: Sudan hospital patient killed amid protests against military rule - medics, Reuters... Ethiopia turns on the turbines at giant Nile hydropower plant, Reuters... Morocco creates new military zone along Algeria border, Ahram... UAE economy to grow at faster pace, Khaleej Times... Bahrain starts construction of United States Trade Zone as part of Covid recovery plan, Arabian Business... Lebanon's parliament extends lifting of bank secrecy to audit cenbank, Reuters... US, Egypt launch joint working group ahead of UN climate change summit, The Hill.
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