The United States on Sunday singled out Iran as responsible for the deadly attack on an Israeli operated oil tanker off the coast of Oman and vowed a “forthcoming” response, illustrating Washington’s rapidly dwindling patience with Tehran over several recent provocations and the lack of progress in negotiations to restore the nuclear deal.
“Upon review of the available information, we are confident that Iran conducted this attack, which killed two innocent people, using one-way [unmanned aerial vehicles], a lethal capability it is increasingly employing throughout the region,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement regarding the attack on the Mercer Street.
“There is no justification for this attack, which follows a pattern of attacks and other belligerent behaviour. These actions threaten freedom of navigation through this critical waterway, international shipping and commerce and the lives of those on the vessels involved.”
The statement is the latest warning in the Joe Biden administration’s increasingly assertive line against Iran in recent weeks, all while Tehran has paused the indirect talks in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal for more than a month.
During that pause, the Biden administration issued similarly strong warnings following Tehran’s crackdown on mass anti-government protests and its attempted abduction of a US-based journalist as well as a kinetic response to Iran-backed militias’ ongoing attacks on US forces stationed in Iraq.
Mr Blinken’s condemnation of the Mercer Street attack marks the first time that a Biden administration official has publicly commented on the clandestine, high seas warfare between Iran and Israel. It came after he spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid by phone on Saturday to discuss “appropriate next steps.”
Iran and Israel have targeted each other’s vessels in international waters since 2019. But Thursday’s attack was particularly notable as it resulted in two casualties, killing one British and one Romanian national.
As part of his condemnation of the attack, Mr Blinken vowed that the United States would consult with “governments inside the region and beyond on an appropriate response, which will be forthcoming.”
Axios cited Israeli and British diplomats indicating that they would try to convene a meeting regarding Iran at the UN Security Council.
The US outrage over the attack comes several days after State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a separate statement condemning Iran’s use of lethal force against protesters as demonstrations that began several weeks ago to protest water shortages in the Khuzestan region started to spread throughout major Iranian cities last week.
“The Iranian people have a right to voice their frustrations and hold their government accountable, but we have seen disturbing reports that security forces fired on protesters, resulting in multiple deaths,” said Mr Price.
“We condemn the use of violence against peaceful protesters. We support the rights of Iranians to peacefully assemble and express themselves without fear of violence and detention by security forces.”
Still, the Biden administration remained silent on the protests for the first several weeks since they started on July 15. Mr Price’s statement happened to come out mere hours after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the “obstinate” US stance for the impasse in the talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.
The talks aim for both the United States and Iran to return to compliance with the 2015 deal in an agreement that would see the lifting of crippling US sanctions in exchange for the scaling back of Iranian nuclear activities.
But Mr Khamenei’s recent hardline remarks cast renewed scepticism on the ability of both sides to come to an agreement. Iran is demanding that the Biden administration lift additional sanctions that former president Donald Trump imposed after he withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 on top of the broad sectoral sanctions that the United States lifted as part of the accord.
Iran has not agreed to meet since the sixth round of talks convened in June shortly before the election to replace outgoing president Hassan Rouhani.
Tehran has vowed it would not return to the negotiating table until hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi takes office as president. His inauguration is set for August 3.
Amid the impasse, the US Justice Department charged four Iranian officials with a conspiracy to kidnap US-based dissident Masih Alinejad and return her to Iran “where the victim’s fate would have been uncertain at best.”
The White House forcefully condemned the alleged plot and Mr Blinken spoke at length by phone with Ms Alinejad, who works for Voice of America’s Persian TV service.
Following the call, Ms Alinejad tweeted that Mr Blinken takes Iran’s threats “very, very seriously” and noted that he told her that “the US would hold the regime accountable for this plot.”
And while Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani in June reportedly appealed to Iraqi militias under Tehran’s influence for calm amid the nuclear negotiations, Iran continues to bankroll and support the paramilitary groups which nonetheless continued launching attacks on US forces.
A drone attack on the US consulate in Erbil in June prompted President Biden to retaliate with strikes against the Iran-backed groups stationed in Iraq and Syria, resulting additional strikes from the militias.
The Iran-backed militias have launched more than 20 attacks on US forces since April, a significant uptick from Mr Biden’s early months in office.
But the United States appears mostly concerned with the precision drone attacks.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told The National that Mr Biden’s retaliatory strikes in June were in response to five drone attacks on US forces since April – the same weapon of choice used more recently in the Mercer Street attack.
Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series
Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Superpower%20
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
RIDE%20ON
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Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
PLAY-OFF%20DRAW
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
STAGE 4 RESULTS
1 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 4:51:51
2 David Dekker (NED) Team Jumbo-Visma
3 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
4 Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
5 Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 12:50:21
2 Adam Yates (GBR) Teamn Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:43
3 Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:03
4 Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:43
5 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
ENGLAND%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGoalkeepers%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pickford%20(Everton)%2C%20Pope%20(Newcastle)%2C%20Ramsdale%20(Arsenal)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDefenders%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chilwell%20(Chelsea)%2C%20Dier%20(Tottenham)%2C%20Guehi%20(Crystal%20Palace)%2C%20James%20(Chelsea)%2C%20Maguire%20(Man%20United)%2C%20Shaw%20(Man%20United)%2C%20Stones%20(Man%20City)%2C%20Trippier%20(Newcastle)%2C%20Walker%20(Man%20City)%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMidfielders%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBellingham%20(Dortmund)%2C%20Gallagher%20(Chelsea)%2C%20Henderson%20(Liverpool)%2C%20Maddison%20(Leicester)%2C%20Mount%20(Chelsea)%2C%20Phillips%20(Man%20City)%2C%20Declan%20Rice%20(West%20Ham)%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EForwards%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFoden%20(Man%20City)%2C%20Grealish%20(Man%20City)%2C%20Kane%20(Tottenham)%2C%20Rashford%20(Man%20United)%2C%20Saka%20(Arsenal)%2C%20Toney%20(Brentford)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
