I’m having some problems posting – yesterday it was images, today it’s tags. There might be a slightly affected service until it’s resolved.
ed: Suspect that it’s a misconfigured network with a big and stupid caching company involved that most definitely shouldn’t be.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Iran is not seeking a ceasefire but a complete end to the war across the region, stressing that any resolution must include guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages, Anadolu reports.
He said contacts with the US do not constitute negotiations, but are limited to the exchange of messages — directly or through regional intermediaries.
Araghchi told Al Jazeera he continues to receive messages from US envoy Steve Witkoff, as in the past, but stressed that it should not be interpreted as formal negotiations.
He said the messages are conveyed through the Foreign Ministry, with some communication between security bodies, adding that there are no talks with any specific entity inside Iran.
READ: Iranian president slams EU stance, warns ‘intervention’ in war would have ‘serious consequences’
Araghchi indicated that the exchange of messages is conducted within an official government framework under the supervision of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
He added that the messages include warnings and mutual perspectives, delivered through specific channels.
Addressing reports that Iran had responded to 15 US proposals, Araghchi said no response has been sent, and Tehran has not submitted any proposals or conditions to date.
He said no decision has been made on negotiations and emphasized that the Iranian people cannot be threatened, urging the US president to address Iran with respect.
On maritime security, Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open and would only be restricted to parties engaged in hostilities against Iran, adding that measures have been taken to ensure safe passage for vessels of friendly countries.
READ: Trump says war against Iran will not last ‘much longer’: Report
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The UK will deploy more troops and air defense systems to the Middle East to help the allies against Iranian attacks, the country’s defense secretary said Tuesday, Anadolu reports.
On a trip to the Gulf nations, John Healey said extra air defense teams and systems would be deployed to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait, along with an extension of the use of Typhoon jets in Qatar, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
It noted that as part of the UK’s action in the “collective defense of allies,” without getting drawn into the wider war, the Healey is visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain.
“Defence Secretary John Healey MP held detailed discussions on the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, and further UK-Gulf cooperation on regional security as the war enters its second month,” said the statement.
During his visit to the UK Armed Forces at the Dukhan base in Qatar, Healey confirmed that the UK has extended the deployment of UK Typhoon jets to Qatar.
“My message to Gulf partners is: Britain’s best will help you defend your skies,” said the defense secretary.
In Saudi Arabia, he also confirmed to his Saudi counterpart Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud his decision to deploy Sky Sabre there.
READ: UK prepares mine-clearing vessel for possible Strait of Hormuz deployment
The statement noted that the UK’s Lightweight Multirole Launcher is now in Bahrain, as the defense secretary also announced earlier Tuesday, supported by a team of UK experts who will help integrate the short-range air defense system into Bahraini defenses.
Healey has been visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain as the government announced the deployment of further systems, and associated teams, for each of the three nations, as well as for Kuwait.
Separately, the Defense Ministry said in its daily update that Britain’s Royal Air Force jets operating in a high-threat area successfully downed multiple Iranian drones overnight.
The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation.
READ: Spanish defense minister says US, Israel cannot dictate global order
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The UN human rights chief urged Israel on Tuesday to revoke its death penalty law, warning against legislative steps targeting Palestinians in violation of international law, Anadolu reports.
Volker Turk encouraged Tel Aviv to step back from the controversial law, which applies “almost exclusively to Palestinians.”
“It is deeply disappointing that this bill has been approved by the Knesset,” he said, highlighting that it is patently inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations, including in relation to the right to life.
“It raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed,” said Turk.
Noting that the controversial law provides that the death sentences, once imposed, must be carried out within 90 days, Turk warned that it is a violation of international humanitarian law.
READ: UN condemns Israeli death penalty law for Palestinians as ‘particularly cruel’
“The death penalty is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity, and it raises the unacceptable risk of executing innocent people,” he added.
Turk noted that its application to residents of the occupied Palestinian territory “would constitute a war crime.”
The UN human rights chief also expressed alarm at proposals in another bill before the Knesset to establish a Special (Military) Court exclusively to prosecute crimes committed during and in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian armed groups.
Israel’s Knesset passed the law Monday, making the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of lethal attacks against Israelis.
More than 9,300 Palestinians, including 350 children and 66 women, are being held in Israeli prisons, according to prisoner rights groups and the Israeli Prison Service.
READ: Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners
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A group of European nations as well as the EU on Tuesday strongly condemned all recent attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling on Israel to avoid widening the conflict, including through a ground operation, Anadolu reports.
In a joint statement, foreign ministers of Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK, the Greek Cypriot administration and the EU foreign policy chief reaffirmed that Lebanon’s territorial integrity must be respected.
Condemning Hezbollah attacks, which they called “in support of Iran against Israel,” the foreign ministers said these attacks “must cease immediately.”
“We call on all parties to immediately de-escalate and to revert to the cessation of hostilities agreement and UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006),” said the statement.
READ: Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon
It also called for the protection of the civilian population, humanitarian personnel, peacekeepers, and civilian infrastructure, including airports, ports and bridges across the country, in line with international humanitarian law.
“We reaffirm our concern regarding the forced displacement of over 1 million people in Lebanon,” said the statement.
The foreign ministers also called on Israel to avoid a further widening of the conflict, including through a ground operation on Lebanese territory.
It added: “We strongly condemn all recent attacks on UNIFIL contingents, which provoked unacceptable casualties among peacekeepers in recent days.”
Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2.
Lebanese authorities said at least 1,247 people have since been killed and 3,690 injured in Israeli attacks.
READ: Israel military issues evacuation warning to six villages in Lebanon’s western Bekaa