US President Donald Trump is attempting to build trust with Iran to avoid an armed conflict, Washington's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview released late on Friday.
On March 7, Mr Trump said he had sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging a resumption of negotiations about the Iranian nuclear programme. He also warned of potential military action.
“It roughly said: 'I'm a president of peace. That's what I want. There's no reason for us to do this militarily. We should talk,'” Mr Witkoff told right-wing political commentator Tucker Carlson.
Mr Khamenei, in a televised speech on Friday, said: “The Americans should know threats will get them nowhere when confronting Iran.”
Mr Witkoff said Mr Trump has the military upper hand and it would be more natural for the Iranians to push for a diplomatic solution. “Instead, it's him doing that.”
He said the US is continuing discussions with Iran through “back channels, through multiple countries and multiple conduits”.
Mr Trump is “open to an opportunity to clean it all up with Iran, where they come back to the world and be a great nation once again … He wants to build trust with them,” he said.
Ties between Washington and Tehran have been strained further by the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza this week and US strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen after they threatened to resume attacks on international shipping through the Red Sea.
Mr Witkoff also spoke about the war in Gaza and attempts to revive the ceasefire that he helped to broker between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
He did not give details on what Mr Trump’s plan for Gaza is, but he said the priority was achieving “stability in Gaza” and that this “could mean some people come back. It could mean some people don’t come back.”
If Hamas wants “to stay there till the end of time and they want to rule Gaza” that would be “unacceptable” to the Trump administration, Mr Witkoff said.
Instead, Washington is aiming for the group disarm – if they agree then they could “stay there a little bit, be involved politically”, he said.
But the US “can’t have a terrorist organisation running Gaza, because that won’t be acceptable to Israel”.
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
