Iran’s nuclear program has received a significant economic blow that Tehran claims is “politically biased” thanks to the UN Security Council’s decision to end all economic sanctions on Iran.
By a vote of 4 to 9, a resolution to halt the sanctions was approved by the Security Council on Friday, which means that if no significant agreement is reached in advance, European sanctions will be reinstated by September 28.
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Nine UNSC members voted against sanctions relief, while nine of them voted against them being lifted. Two nations voted not in.
The E3 launched a 30-day process to reinstate sanctions unless Tehran fulfills its demands in late August, and the vote followed.
Iran claims that Europeans are “using the JCPOA mechanism.”
Iranian officials accuse the European trio of violating the 2015 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which enables the application of sanctions through a “snapback mechanism.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh claimed that the actions taken by Europeans are “politically biased and politically motivated.” “They are wrong on many levels by trying to use the mechanism that is contained in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), “.
If Iran restored access to UN nuclear inspectors and started discussions with the US, the Europeans offered to delay the snapback for up to six months.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, asserted that Tehran had put forth a “reasonable and actionable plan” and that it is still committed to the NPT.
Tehran is accused by the E3 of breaking nuclear agreements, including putting up more than 40 times the JCPOA’s permitted uranium stockpile. Iran’s nuclear watchdog board at the UN’s request in June also led to a ruling that violated international nuclear safeguards.
The “clock is ticking for high-level diplomacy”
According to Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays, who reports from the UN, the UNSC vote that allows sanctions to be lifted does not imply the parties have reached a final agreement after just over a week of negotiations.
The high-level diplomacy between Iran and, particularly the three European countries, is made possible by the week’s leaders gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly’s high-level meeting, according to Bays. However, “the clock is ticking and this high-stakes diplomacy is about to end.”
Tehran agreed to curtail its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief under the JCPOA, which Iran, the United States, China, Russia, and the EU all signed. However, the agreement broke down in 2018 when US President Donald Trump stepped down and reinstituted unilateral sanctions.
Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran earlier this summer, with Israeli and US forces striking a number of nuclear facilities, which further raised the tensions.
The Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) Joint Defence Council held an emergency session in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday, to discuss urgent regional security measures in response to the recent Israeli strike on a Hamas office in Qatar’s capital, which killed six people.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi said the attack on the State of Qatar can be considered an attack on all GCC countries.
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AlBudaiwi said member states would activate joint defence mechanisms, enhance intelligence sharing, coordinate aerial positions, activate an early-warning system against ballistic missiles and carry out joint training exercises, including a regional air force drill.
Qatar is the seventh country Israel has bombed since the start of this year.
(Al Jazeera)
Which countries make up the GCC, and what do they spend on their militaries?
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic bloc which was formed in 1981. It brings together six Arab states on the Arabian Peninsula:
Bahrain
Kuwait
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The GCC was established to promote cooperation on security, economics and politics, and it often coordinates positions on regional and international issues.
In 2023, GCC countries collectively spent $114.5bn on their militaries. Saudi Arabia accounted for the largest share, budgeting for at least $69bn and ranking as the world’s seventh-largest military spender, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at $20.7bn, Qatar at $9.02bn, Kuwait at $7.77bn, Oman at $6.5bn and Bahrain at $1.4bn, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Military Balance 2024.
(Al Jazeera)
Where are the US military bases in the Middle East?
The US has operated military bases in the Middle East for decades.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the US operates a broad network of military sites, both permanent and temporary, across at least 19 locations in the region.
Of these, eight are permanent bases in five of the six GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – as well as in Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
(Al Jazeera)
The strategic partnership between Qatar and the US
Al Udeid Air Base was established in Qatar in 1996 and is the largest US military base in the Middle East. Covering an area of 24 hectares (60 acres), the base accommodates almost 100 aircraft as well as drones. This base, which houses some 10,000 troops, serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command (CENTCOM) and has been central to operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
Following Israel’s attacks on Doha, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Qatar, arriving the day after he attended meetings in Israel.
During his visit, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, emphasised the country’s strategic relationship with the United States, particularly on defence matters. He added: “We are determined to defend our sovereignty and take measures to prevent any recurrence of such an attack.”
US President Donald Trump gestures on stage as he tours the Al Udeid Air Base on May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar [Win McNamee/Getty Images]
Saudi-Pakistan defence pact
On Wednesday evening, Saudi Arabia signed a “strategic mutual defence agreement” (SMDA) with nuclear-armed Pakistan.
The agreement states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an act of aggression against both.
The pact came just days after nearly 60 member states of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) gathered in Doha in a show of regional solidarity with Qatar in the wake of the recent attack.
A handout picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on September 17, 2025, shows Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ahead of their meeting in Riyadh (AFP)
Which air defence systems do Gulf states rely on?
The six Gulf states have built layered air defence networks combining US, European, Russian and Chinese systems.
Their arsenals range from long-range interceptors to point-defence missiles and anti-aircraft guns.
Long-range systems cover threats beyond 100 km (62 miles), medium-range protect targets 30–100 km (19–62 miles) away and short-range systems defend assets within 1–30 km (0.6–19 miles).
(Al Jazeera)
Saudi Arabia possesses the Gulf’s largest air defence network, anchored by US-made THAAD systems and long-range Patriot PAC-3 batteries.
Its layered arsenal also includes medium-range US-made I-Hawk missiles, short-range French Crotale, Shahine and MICA systems, as well as a large number of American and French point-defence launchers such as Stinger, Avenger, Mistral and MPCV. Complementing these are extensive anti-aircraft guns from several countries, including the US-made Vulcan, Swiss/German Oerlikon, and Swedish Bofors L/70 models.
Saudi Arabia is the only GCC country to deploy the Chinese-made Silent Hunter laser system, which tracks and neutralises low-flying drones and other small aerial threats by emitting a high-energy beam that can disable or destroy them.
(Al Jazeera)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) operates US-made THAAD and long-range Patriot systems, alongside a version of the Israeli-made Barak air defence system.
For medium-range threats, the UAE relies on the South Korean-made Cheongung II.
Its short-range defences include French Crotale and Mistral, Russian Igla and Pantsir-S1, Swedish RBS-70 and British Rapier systems, all supported by a variety of European anti-aircraft guns.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the only two GCC countries which operate the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) system, giving them advanced missile interception capabilities against ballistic threats.
(Al Jazeera)
Qatar has invested in US-made Patriot systems and NASAMS III for long- and medium-range air defence, while its short-range defences feature a mix of Russian Igla, US Stinger, Chinese FN-6 and French Mistral systems, supported by German Gepard and Skynex anti-aircraft guns.
Kuwait fields US-made Patriot PAC-3 batteries for long-range defence, Italian Aspide launchers paired with Skyguard systems for short-range defence and Stinger, Starburst and FIM-92 missiles for point defence, complemented by German Oerlikon GDF anti-aircraft guns.
Bahrain has recently acquired the Patriot PAC-3 MSE system, joining Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait as the GCC countries with advanced long-range, surface-to-air missile capabilities.
For medium- to short-range threats, it relies on US I-Hawk and French Crotale systems, supported by Russian Igla, US Stinger and Swedish RBS-70 point-defence missiles, as well as Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.
A British couple who has been imprisoned for almost eight months on unnamed charges has been released by the Taliban government of Afghanistan.
Following a court hearing on Friday, Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, were released from prison and handed over to Richard Lindsay, the country’s special representative. Following Qatar’s direction, the decision was taken.
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Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, announced on social media that the couple had been detained in February for “violating” Afghan law, but he had not specified what had been done.
Officials from the UK quickly expressed relief and gratitude for the mediating nation.
According to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, “I welcome the release of Peter and Barbara Reynolds from their detention in Afghanistan, and I know that their family will greatly benefit from this long-awaited news.” “I want to pay tribute to Qatar’s crucial role.”
The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Friday afternoon that the couple had arrived in Doha, Qatar’s capital, and would later travel to London. Additionally, it expressed gratitude for the “fruitful cooperation” between British and Afghan officials.
Looking forward to returning
In July, UN human rights experts called on the Taliban to free them after warning of their “rapid deterioration” in both physical and mental health and stating that they “risiko irreparable harm or even death.”
Before their departure to Doha, the couple pictured together with Richard Lindsay, the country’s special representative, on Friday, with the couple standing at the Kabul airport.
“We received excellent treatment.” Barbara continued, “We are looking forward to seeing our children if we can.”
After getting married in Kabul in 1970, the couple has lived in Bamiyan, Afghanistan’s central province, for almost 20 years, and are now running educational programs. Additionally, they became citizens of Afghanistan.
The Taliban remained in Afghanistan when they reclaimed control of the country in 2021, refusing British officials’ orders.
The Reynolds family in the UK had repeatedly pleaded for their release, claiming that they were being treated unfairly and detained on unspecified grounds.
The UK’s Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan minister, Hamish Falconer, stated in a statement that he was “relieved… their ordeal has come to an end” and that the London government had “worked intensively and has supported the family throughout.”
The release comes after Adam Boehler, Washington’s special envoy to the hostages, made a rare trip to Kabul on Saturday to discuss potential prisoner exchange.
Mahmood Habibi, a citizen of the United States, is incarcerated there.
The government is completely destroyed by Gen Z demonstrations in Nepal.
Curfews are in place. Soldiers patrolling the streets. A prime minister’s resignation forced. Difficulty turned out to be at the protests after a social media blackout and years of corruption charges.
After KP Sharma Oli resigned during the unrest, Nepal’s army is currently in talks with demonstrators to elect an interim leader. What will Nepal do next, and why are there so many young people upset?
South Korea has suggested that problems with United States visas for Korean workers must be resolved before a mooted $350bn investment package can move forward.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Friday that Seoul would work with Washington to address the concerns. Following a high-profile raid by US authorities on a plant in the state of Georgia, South Korea has increased efforts to persuade Washington to resolve disputes over visas and tariffs, illustrating the clash of President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies with his calls for foreign investment.
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“This is not a prerequisite for Korean investment in the US, but it is a very important issue in practice,” Cho told reporters. “We’ll do our utmost to ensure that the visa problem is resolved in some way before substantial investments begin.”
Earlier this month, more than 300 employees at a battery plant under construction in Georgia were detained in an immigration sweep, before being released and sent home.
The incident prompted calls from companies for a new visa category to make it easier for skilled Korean workers to help set up new factories and train US workers.
‘Bewildering’
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called the raid “bewildering” and warned it could deter future investment. He said Seoul was pressing Washington “to ensure that visa issuance for investment-related purposes operates normally”.
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, who returned from talks in Washington this week, said he raised the issue of visa restrictions affecting Korean workers and other obstacles that threaten investment plans.
After the US announced earlier this year that it planned a tariff of 25 percent on South Korean imports, Seoul entered talks and in late July secured an informal agreement to drop the tariffs to 15 percent.
However, the two countries have since been locked in negotiations to resolve outstanding issues and cement that agreement within a wider bilateral trade deal.
Trump said in July that the agreement included a South Korean package worth $350bn for investments “owned and controlled” by the US.
South Korea described the investments as a “fund” to support South Korean companies’ entry into the US, which would be directed at industries where South Korea possesses “strengths”, such as shipbuilding, semiconductors, secondary batteries, biotechnology and energy.
For Seoul, securing fairer terms has become a test of its ability to protect national interests while managing a vital economic relationship with Washington.
Meanwhile, the visa row highlights the contradiction between Trump’s bid to attract foreign capital and the aggressive immigration crackdown.
Images of workers in handcuffs and chains during the arrests caused deep outrage in South Korea, in what many see as a betrayal of an ally.
Protestors in South Korea earlier this month mocked Trump and accused Washington of luring investment only to criminalise workers. One man’s sign read: “You told us to invest, only to arrest us! Is this how you treat an ally?”
After participating in a debate in parliament wearing the colors of the Palestinian flag, Dutch MP Esther Ouwehand was instructed to change her outfit. She later returned in a watermelon print.
