Iran has vowed to respond “decisively” to any attack on its interests after US President Joe Biden said he had decided on how to retaliate against a weekend strike in Jordan that killed three American soldiers.
The warning from Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani follows an announcement by Tehran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah that it is suspending attacks against US troops.
Meanwhile, Houthi rebels in Yemen have continued launching strikes against commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea.
Overnight on Tuesday, American guided-missile destroyer the USS Gravely said it shot down a cruise missile fired towards the Red Sea.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on Wednesday.
The Iran-backed group, which like Kataib Hezbollah says it is acting in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Gaza war, has an arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles that the US and UN say are supplied by Iran.
Mr Iravani's statement came hours after US President Joe Biden said he made a decision on how to retaliate against a weekend strike in Jordan, for which the US accused Iran-backed groups.
Three US soldiers were killed and 40 wounded in the drone strike on a small military base.
Iran “would decisively respond to any attack on the county, its interests and nationals under any pretexts”, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (Irna) reported Mr Iravani as saying.
The Iranian envoy also denied any exchange of messages between his country and US in the past two days, Irna added.
“Such messages have not been exchanged,” he said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps chief Hossein Salami also responded to the warning from Washington.
“We hear threats coming from American officials, we tell them that they have already tested us and we now know one another,” Mr Salami said, according to the IRGC-aligned Tasnim News Agency.
“No threat will be left unanswered."
In January 2020, the IRGC attacked Ain Al Asad airbase in Iraq, where American troops are stationed, after Maj Gen Qassem Suleimani, commander of its elite Quds Force, was killed in a US drone strike in Baghdad.
Mr Biden has blamed Iran for supplying weapons used in Sunday's attack in Jordan.
“I do hold [Tehran] responsible, in the sense that they're supplying the weapons to the people who did it,” the US President said.
“I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That’s not what I’m looking for.”
Kataib Hezbollah suspends operations
Shortly after Mr Biden's statement, Iraqi Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah, which has been the main focus of blame for the attack, announced the suspension of all military operations against US troops.
"We announce the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government," the group's secretary general Ahmad Mohsen Faraj Al Hamidawi, known as Abu Hussein Al Hamidawi, said in a statement.
Analysts and Iraqi Parliament sources said the announcement was intended to prevent a large-scale US escalation against the group.
"Abu Hussein's dramatic turnaround is intended to forestall an imminent US military operation that the Iranian and Iraqi governments wish to avoid," said Michael Knights, an Iraq expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Kataib Hezbollah is one of the three main militias that make up Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-linked groups that have carried out dozens of attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria.
The other two groups, Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada, have not announced they are suspending operations.
Two Shiite politicians close to militias told The National the agreement for Kataib Hezbollah to suspend operations had been reached after extensive discussions between Iran, Iraqi Prime Minster Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and the Co-ordination Framework, the biggest parliamentary bloc in Iraq that includes Iran-backed political factions and militias.
"There was a consensus mainly among the Co-ordination Framework that the resistance factions went too far not only with the killing of three US soldiers but also with opening a new front in Jordan," one of the politicians said.
The other said: "After intense discussions, Tehran and other Shiite factions pressured Kataib Hezbollah to stand down ... to avoid escalation."
Mr Al Sudani is under intense domestic political pressure to force US-led coalition forces to leave Iraq, a decade after their arrival to help fight ISIS.
Foreign forces had previously been in the country during the 2003 to 2011 Iraq War.
Mr Al Sudani's critics say US strikes in Iraq are a breach of Iraqi sovereignty, so more US action could undermine him.
Kataib Hezbollah and other militant groups in Iraq and Syria have carried out numerous attacks on US personnel in the Middle East since October 7, in response to Washington's support for Israel's war in Gaza.
The US has imposed sanctions on Kataib Hezbollah for supporting Iran's IRGC's Quds Force, which arms and trains groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
Pentagon spokesman Maj Gen Patrick Ryder said there had been at least three other Iran-linked strikes in Iraq and Syria since Sunday's attack in Jordan, and more than 160 in recent months.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash
5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
