A nuclear weapon-free zone must be established to ensure stability and security across the Middle East, a senior regional official has said.
“Nuclear weapons pose a serious threat to our planet,” Dr Nayef Al Hajraf, Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, told the annual Manama Dialogue on Sunday.
"This is the gravest danger ever encountered. We have to prohibit the possession, proliferation and development of such weapons."
The event was hosted by the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
A UN treaty to ban nuclear weapons is set to come into force on January 22, just over 75 years after they were used for the first time at the end of the Second World War.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons requires that all ratifying countries “never under any circumstances develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices", Dr Al Hajraf said.
It also bans any transfer or use of nuclear weapons, and the threat to use them, and requires parties to promote the treaty to other countries.
The international community must ensure a nuclear-free world while at the same “recognising the right of all countries to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes", Dr Al Hajraf said.
The GCC official said Iran’s nuclear programme continued to pose a threat to regional and international stability.
He called for a new deal that would prevent Tehran from possessing weapons and missiles.
In 2015, Iran signed a nuclear deal with world powers, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
But the fate of the pact has been in doubt since President Donald Trump withdrew the US from it in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Any amendments to the deal with Iran have to preserve non-proliferation and continue efforts aimed at making the Middle East a zone free of mass destruction and nuclear weapons, Dr Al Hajraf said.
"Iran is still violating UN Security Council resolutions, particularly the JCPOA, and still destabilising the region,” he said.
"The GCC should be part of any negotiation of a revised JCPOA.
"From now on, we legitimately demand to be part of any discussions surrounding the regional security architecture."
Britain, France and Germany have declared Iran to be in breach of the 2015 pact and have launched a dispute mechanism that could send the matter back to the Security Council and lead to the reimposition of UN sanctions.
The nuclear pact has been at the heart of escalations between Washington and Tehran, which have led to retaliatory military confrontations in Iraq since the start of this year.
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
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Rating: 3.5/5
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Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
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