Standoff: Gulf States Insist On Yemen Talks in Riyadh, Rebel Houthis Won't Attend
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The Gulf countries won't move their planned Yemen peace conference out of Saudi Arabia, Yemen's Houthi militias won't attend, and the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council may be planning a roadmap without a road. The GCC is headquartered in Riyadh and insists that the meeting must be held in the Saudi capital. The Houthis say Saudi Arabia is their enemy and they won't go there, so deadlock so far. Earlier expectations that more-neutral Oman or Kuwait might be a place to meet have been scrapped. The meeting is on and is planned later this month or early next, and in Riyadh.
Japan’s prime minister called Saudi Arabia’s crown prince after earlier talking oil with the United Arab Emirates. Fumio Kishida clearly wants more oil production, but will only say they discussed the subject, not confirming that he directly asked. Kishida's requests came in phone calls, and he received the same responses British Prime Minister Boris Johnson did this week when he visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in person -- stabilizing the global oil economy, but no commitments for increased production. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues to cite the OPEC+ agreement as a model, but the OPEC limited monthly production increases don't begin to lower soaring gasoline prices.
And news from Iran, Kurdistan and Iraq (which wants Turkey to divert more water) and from Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, and More.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will hold its Yemen discussions in Saudi Arabia between March 29 and April 7, and the rebel Houthis say they won't attend any talks in "enemy countries." The six-nation GCC bloc of Gulf countries is sticking to its decision to have the discussions in Riyadh and "we hope that everyone will participate and not miss their opportunity,” Nayef al-Hajraf, secretary general of the group that is based in Riyadh, says. "The solution to the crisis is in the hands of Yemenis."
Associated Press, Saudi-based GCC to hold Yemen talks; rebels decline invite.
The National, GCC to host Yemen consultations in Riyadh.
AFP, Gulf bloc says Saudi to host Yemen talks despite rebels' rejection.
"We will accept any invitation to dialogue that does not take place in an enemy country." That message from Yemen's Houthis reiterated they will not take part in a planned Gulf state conference on the Yemen war, to be held in the Saudi Arabia capital, Riyadh, later this month or early April.
AFP, Yemen rebels say no talks with govt in 'enemy countries.'
Infobae, Yemen rebels refuse to participate in peace dialogue in Saudi Arabia.
The European Union blacklisted the Houthis in Yemen and froze their assets. The action followed a decision by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers to classify the Houthis as a terrorist entity and, in February, by the United Nations Security Council in a resolution that labeled the rebel group as a terrorist organization and imposed an arms embargo. The EU's decision adopts the UN resolution and requires all member states to enforce the embargo. The EU cited Houthi attacks on shipping, cross-border terrorist attacks targeting civilians, sexual abuse against women activists, and child recruitment.
Asharq Al-Awsat, EU blacklists Yemen's Houthis, freezes group's assets.
The United Arab Emirates welcomed the EU's sanctioning of Houthi militias and called on states to guard against weapons exports to the rebel group. The UAE said the only solution to fighting in Yemen is to reach a political agreement under the auspices of the United Nations.
Khaleej Times, UAE welcomes EU Council's sanctioning of Houthi militias.
The United States may de-list Iraq's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization if Iraq reins in the elite force. Reports said Washington hasn't decided what an acceptable commitment from Iran would be, but is considering making the offer. A U.S. source said the terrorist designation could be removed "in return for some kind of commitment and/or steps by Iran with respect to regional IRGC activities."
The IRGC is a powerful faction in Iran that controls a business empire as well as elite armed and intelligence forces. The U.S. has accused the group of carrying out a global terrorist campaign. The Trump administration blacklisted the group in 2019, the first time the United States had labeled a part of a sovereign government as a terrorist group.
Reuters, U.S. weighs dropping Iran's IRGC from terrorism list - source.
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman says it's "impossible to imagine" an Iran nuclear agreement without American prisoners being released. As talks in Vienna appear to be nearing an end, Sherman indicated one of the main sticking points remains the detained U.S. citizens, which she said is "separate and apart" from the nuclear agreement . "It is a high priority for this administration to bring them home, to make sure they're safe and secure." She declined to comment on reports that the United States is considering removing its terrorist label from Iran's IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Al Arabiya, 'Impossible to imagine' nuclear deal if Iran doesn't release Americans: Sherman.
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Iran fired a barrage of missiles at a building in Erbil it believed to house Israeli operatives, but didn't tell the Kurdish government about any threat. The Kurdistan Regional Government said it didn't know about the civilian site attacked by Iran, saying allegations of Erbil hosting foreign military were "baseless." Iraq's prime minister, Musfafa Al-Kadhimi, and Kurdistan's prime minister, Masrour Barzani, toured the site, and Barzani called for an "international committee" to investigate the Iranian attack.
Kurdistan 24, Iran did not inform Erbil of attacked residency's supposed threat: KRG minister.
Four rockets struck Iraq's largest military airbase north of Baghdad. The Katyusha rockets struck Balad Air Base, which is in Salahudin province 90 kilometers from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The attack caused no casualties, with three of the rockets hitting a building, causing minor damage, and the fourth landing in an empty area. The rockets were reported fired from Diyala, a neighboring province. Balad Air Base houses Iraq-s F-16 fighters. A US technical team withdrew from the base after earlier attacks by unidentified militias.
ANI, 4 rockets hit Iraq's largest air base.
Reuters, Rockets fell in Iraq's Balad air base leaving no damage.
A United States navy veteran who was jailed in Iran for nearly two years has sued the Iranian government for $1 billion. Michael White said he was kidnapped, held hostage, and tortured in Iran, and his lawsuit said he suffered behind bars, was beaten and punched, whipped on his feet, deprived of food and drink, and pressured to confess falsely that he was a U.S. spy.
White wrote a 156-page manuscript while imprisoned, and it is the basis for his 31-page legal complaint.
The lawsuit said White was lured to Iran in 2018 by a woman he considered his girlfriend so that he could be kidnapped by Iranian government agents and put in prison. He was charged with insulting Iran's Supreme Leader and sentenced without trial to 10 years in prison. The U.S. State Department arranged for his release in 2020 in a deal reducing prison time for an Iranian-American doctor convicted in the U.S. of sanctions violations.
Associated Press, US vet jailed in Iran sues for $1 billion, alleges torture.
Two dual-national British-Iranians jailed in Iran for more than five years have returned to Britain. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker, and retired civil engineer Anoosheh ASshoori arrived by government-chartered aircraft at the Brize Norton air force base in Oxfordshire. The British government said a third detainee in Iran, Morad Tahbaz, who holds U.S., British, and Iranian citizenship, was released from prison in Iran and is on furlough as part of the same agreement.
Associated Press, Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Ashoori back in Britain after Iran deal.
Iraq is suffering from water shortages and wants Turkey to release more water. Iraqi officials asked Turkish authorities to adopt a fair plan that will benefit both countries and ensure shares of water. The Euphrates-Tigris water basin, shared between Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, has seen altered river flows because of unilateral irrigation plans in the countries. The problem has existed since the 1960s and has strained relations among the countries.
Bas News, Baghdad urges Ankara to release more water towards Iraq.
The United Arab Emirates' foreign minister said in Moscow that the UAE is keen on cooperating with Russia on global energy security. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan held a televised joint press conference in Moscow with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, spotlighting the relationship. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have resisted appeals from the United States to use their spare oil production capacity to help contain rising fuel prices, saying they are committed to a limited production under an agreement of the OPEC+ alliance, which includes Russia.
Reuters, UAE keen to cooperate wit Russia on energy security, says UAE minister.
Japan and Saudi Arabia agreed to cooperate on stabilizing global crude oil markets. Japanese prime minister Fumio Kushida spoke by phone with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and praised Saudi Arabia's "strong leadership." Earlier this week Kishida asked the United Arab Emirates to make "proactive contributions" to stabilize oil markets. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are major oil exporters to Japan.
Kyodo News, Japan, Saudi Arabia to work toward stabilizing crude oil markets.
Japan's Fumio Kishida acknowledged he discussed a possible increase in oil production with Saudi Arabia's crown prince but dodged answering whether he asked the Saudis for more oil.
Kishida, prime minister of Japan, averted responding to a reporter's question -- did he directly ask the crown prince to increase oil production? Kishida would only say that in his conversation with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the two countries agreed to continue ministerial talks.
Reuters, Japan PM Kishida discussed possible oil output increase with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues to stress the importance of the OPEC+ agreement that limits increases in monthly oil production. Saudi state media described his phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as demonstrating his keenness on keeping oil markets balanced and stable. The United States and the United Kingdom have urged Saudi Arabia to increase its output, but the kingdom cites the OPEC+ agreement, which calls for monthly limited increases of 400,000 barrels a day. That level of production helps maintain high fuel prices that have increased from the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Reuters, Saudi crown prince stresses importance of maintaining the OPEC+ agreement - state Saudi media.
The United States is proposing a mechanism for Libya to manage its oil revenue flow during a political crisis as two opposing prime ministers compete for power. U.S. Ambassador Richard Norland said the U.S. is working on a short-term program that would have "enough transparency with everybody producing statements on what's been dispersed and what's been received" so any discrepancies can be accounted for. Libya's oil exports are handled by the state-owned National Oil Corp. (NOC), and rival armed forces have frequently caused oil production to halt.
Libya's production has exceeded 1.3 million barrels a day in recent months, and any threat to output would hit markets already reeling from the Ukraine crisis.
Reuters, U.S. proposes Libya oil revenue mechanism to ease crisis.
Egypt wants to increase its natural gas exports and is looking for a foothold in European markets. European Union states get about 40% of their natural gas needs from Russia, and the supply is endangered by the conflict in Ukraine. Egypt's oil minister, Tarek el-Mulla, said Egypt, with infrastructure and geographical location, can boost its gas exports to Europe.
Al Monitor, Egypt seeks to boost gas exports to Europe as Russia-Ukraine war drags on.
The International Monetary Fund says talks with Lebanon are "progressing well" and a staff mission is planned for this month. An IMF spokesperson in Washington said the fund remains closely engaged with Lebanon, which is suffering from a financial meltdown and currency crash. "Extensive work is needed in the period ahead," the spokesperson said. "Lebanon's challenges are deep and complex."
Reuters, IMF says Lebanon talks progressing, staff mission seen this month.
An IMF staff will visit Tunisia this month for discussions about a possible financing program. An IMF spokesperson said there has been good progress in discussions so far, and the visit will come after several months of consultations on Tunisia's request for an IMF-supported program.
Asharq Al-Awsat, IMF staff to visit Tunisia for talks on possible financing program.
MORE: Saudi Arabia to start construction of $5 bln green hydrogen plant in Neom, Al Arabiya... Lebanon judge arrests central bank head's brother, Al Arabiya... Tunisia's labor union demands dialog, changes to reform proposals, Financial Post... Morocco arrests five pro-ISIS extremists, Asharq Al-Awsat... Egypt faces rising bread costs as Ukraine war halts wheat exports, Daily Sabah.
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