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The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) strongly condemned the Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Riyadh and Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia, describing the escalation as a grave violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the safety of civilians and regional stability.GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said in a statement that the GCC states stand united with Saudi Arabia and fully support all measures it takes to safeguard its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.He called on the international community to adopt a firm position to put an end to the repeated Houthi attacks. Source link
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday that Tehran had offered Washington a plan that would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened to maritime navigation within seven days once agreed. Araghchi met for talks on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, and previously set out conditions for ending the war and reopening the vital energy shipping channel. “Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” Araghchi said at the UN yesterday. “The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats, or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure. “I can tell you if there is seriousness in the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared.” Earlier media reports suggest the new plan calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon. It also reportedly calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated to be worth at least $12bn, as well as the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran. On the seventh day of the truce, Iran would reopen Hormuz. Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran’s demands. Source link
Turkish Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu meets with Saudi Arabia’s Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence…
Iran and the United States remain far apart on how to end their war but diplomacy must continue, a senior Iranian official told Reuters yesterday, after Iran’s president told the UN General Assembly that Tehran would never surrender to US pressure. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in his speech in New York, condemned what he called “signs of a bullying mentality” from US President Donald Trump, who had used the same forum on Tuesday to threaten to “annihilate” Iran. The duelling speeches at the annual UN gathering bookended the first shuttle talks between the US and Iran for months, though they appeared to have yielded no concessions in the public stance of either side towards ending the war. The senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran was reviewing Washington’s response to its peace proposals, which prioritise lifting a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. “There are still many differences between the Iranian and US positions, but diplomacy is continuing,” the official said. To Page 10US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters yesterday that a deal with Iran would involve hard work over a period of time, adding that Trump also had military options. The US has also said it will impose so-called secondary sanctions against any country that allows Iranian flights. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told state TV Iran would ensure neighbouring countries’ airports could not function if they stop Iranian flights. In his address to the 193-member General Assembly, Pezeshkian homed in on the US blockade of Iranian ports and on the Strait of Hormuz, conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war.“It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway. The permanent deployment of hostile fleets and the expansion of the war will not lead to peace,” he said. “The Iranian people will not bow to pressure,” he added.Oil prices were up almost 2% yesterday in choppy trade as traders weighed the comments of Pezeshkian and Trump. Iranian and US officials held their first known indirect talks on Tuesday since a ceasefire collapsed in July, with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicating through mediators. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had conveyed conditions during a two-hour exchange of messages with Washington via a Qatari mediator. These included an end to the war on all fronts, a halt to US “acts of aggression” and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The diplomatic contact in New York caused a backlash in Iranian media associated with hardliners. An opinion piece run by the semi-official Tasnim news agency, associated with the Revolutionary Guards, said Araqchi was wrong to have contacts with Witkoff and Kushner, “a major gift to Trump”, as Iran had already conveyed its terms. Iranian sources told Reuters the delegation had been ordered not to meet the Americans face-to-face by the Supreme National Security Council, a body that includes figures selected by Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader. Khamenei has yet to appear in public since replacing his father, who was killed on the war’s first day. Despite near-daily attacks, traffic through the strait has picked up in recent weeks. Oil producers pay shipping companies fees of as much as a quarter of a cargo’s value to take the wartime risk of sailing through the strait with transponders switched off, before transferring crude to other vessels on the far side.Exports from the United Arab Emirates have already recovered to pre-war levels, and Saudi Arabia has sold 60mn barrels of Gulf oil for both this month and next, to be delivered beyond the strait off the coast of Oman.Nevertheless, a third of Gulf oil is estimated to be missing from global supplies. Source link
The League of Arab States (LAS) and the Global Carbon Council (GCC) will jointly host the Arab Climate Pavilion at COP31 in Antalya, Turkiye, from Nov. 9-20, 2026. Designed as a platform for regional and international engagements, the pavilion will bring together governments, institutions, businesses, and climate practitioners to exchange knowledge, build partnerships and support practical climate implementation in line with COP 31’s focus on turning ambition into action. The COP31 collaboration builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2025 between LAS and the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) to advance cooperation on climate action, decarbonization, energy transition and environmental sustainability. The agreement also identified areas including Article 6 capacity building, carbon markets, renewable energy, energy efficiency and the exchange of knowledge and best practices. The Arab Climate Pavilion will provide a platform to carry this cooperation forward at COP 31 through regional engagement and knowledge exchange to the global climate stage.With an Arab identity and an international outlook, the Arab Climate Pavilion will serve as a meeting point for stakeholders from across countries and sectors throughout COP31. It will highlight regional climate priorities and experiences alongside international perspectives, creating opportunities to strengthen partnerships and support joint action.Commenting on the collaboration, Dr. Yousef M. Alhorr, Founding Chairman, GORD & GCC, said: “Addressing climate change requires cooperation that reaches across borders and brings together diverse capabilities and perspectives. Our collaboration with the League of Arab States (LAS) reflects a shared commitment to advancing climate action in support of sustainable development. As COP31 places greater emphasis on implementation, the Arab Climate Pavilion will provide an important platform to connect regional priorities with practical cooperation on carbon markets, climate finance and theenergy transition. Through the pavilion, we aim to strengthen the connections between regional ambition and international cooperation, helping build the partnerships needed for lasting progress.”Highlighting the pavilion’s role in strengthening regional and international engagement, HE Ambassador Dr. Ali Ibrahim Al Malki, Assistant Secretary General and Head of Economic Affairs, League of Arab States, said: “The Arab Climate Pavilion will provide a forum for Arab countries to bring forward regional priorities, share experiences and engage with the wider international community at COP 31 to exchange experiences, identify areas of common interest and strengthen cooperation across countries and institutions. Together with the Global Carbon Council, we look forward to welcoming partners from around the world and supporting constructive dialogue that strengthens cooperation on environmental and climate objectives.” Related Story Source link
Iran engaged with the United States through a Qatari mediator in New York and conveyed conditions including an end to the war on all fronts and a halt to what Tehran called US “acts of aggression,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state news agency IRNA.Baghaei said Iran’s conditions also included an end to the naval blockade and economic warfare, and the release of Iranian assets, IRNA reported. Source link
An Israeli airstrike killed at least two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, local health officials said.Medics said the two men were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle in western Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave. Two other people were wounded, they added. A spokesperson for the Israeli military confirmed the strike, saying it had struck a militant and that more information would be released later. No Palestinian militant group claimed the two dead men.Palestinian authorities say more than 73,000 people have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza. A US-brokered ceasefire agreed last year calls for the eventual reconstruction of the territory, but little progress has been made as negotiators have failed to agree terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops. Israeli airstrikes have continued. At least 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the territory’s health officials, while the Israeli military says four Israeli soldiers have been killed Source link
Syrian President Ahmad Al Sharaa said Syria is laying the foundations for a new phase of state-building, with efforts focused on establishing new institutions, reshaping the country’s political and legal framework and restoring its place in the region.Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in New York, President Al Sharaa said Syria is building a new army and state institutions, reviewing existing laws, and drafting a new constitution.The Syrian President noted that Israel continues to carry out attacks, incursions, arrests, and bombardments inside Syria, stressing that the Golan is Syrian territory and that Damascus has chosen the diplomatic path to address these violations.Addressing the foreign military presence in Syria, Al Sharaa said the number of Russian bases has been reduced from around 170 bases to two, with the remaining bases converted into training facilities for the Syrian army. He added that the Turkish military presence was being regulated within legal frameworks.Al Sharaa also discussed Syria’s relations with the United States and regional countries, as well as issues related to reconstruction, economic recovery and investment. He stressed the importance of lifting sanctions and creating the conditions necessary for Syria to re-engage with the regional and international community. Related Story Source link
The Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has won the FM Implementation in Large-Scale Projects award at the fifth edition of the MEFMA Awards of Excellence in Facilities Management (FM), organized by the Middle East Facilities Management Association (MEFMA).Kahramaa said the award reflects its leadership in adopting international best practices in facilities and asset management, while highlighting its success in harnessing digital transformation and institutional innovation to enhance operational efficiency and drive sustainability.The award recognized Kahramaa's Asset Tracking System project, which uses barcode technology and is integrated with the corporation's maintenance management system within its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The project spans more than 600 operational sites, including administrative buildings, power stations, water plants, customer service centers, data centers and other vital facilities. The system incorporates a verified database of more than 77,000 assets, helping streamline asset management, accelerate response and maintenance operations across Kahramaa's facilities, and advance the corporation's efforts to achieve operational sustainability. Kahramaa's General Services Department said the award reflects the collective efforts and advanced capabilities the corporation has developed in managing its facilities and assets. It added that the recognition strengthens Kahramaa's presence in specialized industry forums and demonstrates its ability to develop innovative operational models built around digital transformation, enhanced efficiency and operational sustainability.The award carries particular significance as the MEFMA Awards of Excellence in FM are a leading regional platform recognizing innovation, leadership and measurable impact in facilities management. The fifth edition, held in Dubai on September 17, featured 16 categories and recognized a record 35 winners and highly commended recipients from across the region. Source link
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi discussed GCC-European relations in New York with European Union Special Representative for the Gulf region Luigi Di Maio, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.During the meeting, the two sides discussed several issues of mutual interest, including the latest preparations for the second summit between the leaders of the GCC states and the leaders of the European Union, scheduled to be held next month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.They also discussed related matters, progress in implementing the outcomes of the first GCC-EU summit, and the mechanisms for carrying them out in a way that strengthens the strategic relationship between the GCC and the European Union.The two sides also exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments. Related Story Source link