US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that Washington remains committed to a diplomatic resolution to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons but warned if that failed the military was ready to go “deep” and “big”.
US and Iranian diplomats opened indirect talks on Saturday in Oman in an effort to resolve western concerns about Iran's nuclear programme.
Mr Hegseth on Sunday described the first, tentative contacts involving US envoy Steve Witkoff in Oman as “productive”.
“These were productive talks yesterday. I don’t want to get ahead of our skis – Steve Witkoff does a fantastic job – but it was a good step, and they’re going to go at it again on Saturday,” Mr Hegseth said in an interview with Fox News.
“But he’s also dead serious that if we can’t figure this out at the negotiating table, then there are other options – to include my department – to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear bomb.”
He told CBS that while Mr Trump hoped to never have to resort to a military option, “We've shown a capability to go far, to go deep and to go big”.
“Again, we don't want to do that, but if we have to, we will, to prevent the nuclear bomb in Iran's hands.”
Mr Trump said on Wednesday that military action was “absolutely” possible, in conjunction with Israel, if the talks in Oman failed.
The talks began on Saturday with delegations from the US and Iran meeting in Oman. The teams were led respectively by US Middle East envoy Mr Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“If it requires military, we're going to have military,” Mr Trump told reporters. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that, be the leader of that.”
That followed a blunt warning in late March that “if they don't make a deal, there will be bombing”.
Iran had agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 with Britain, Germany, France, the US, Russia and China. It enabled sanctions against Tehran to be lifted in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.
However, in 2018, during Mr Trump's first term as president, Washington withdrew from the agreement, prompting Iran to gradually withdraw from its nuclear commitments.
Iran has always claimed that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, despite officials increasingly hinting at the possibility of developing nuclear weapons amid escalating tension with the US over sanctions.
Analysts say Iran may now be just weeks away from producing a deliverable nuclear weapon though Tehran denies it is building such arms.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Results
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Quick%20facts
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
The years Ramadan fell in May
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
'O'
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
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Sweet%20Tooth
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