Lebanon

The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and 'Development, said 'on Thursday that the widening U.S. -Iran conflict is a threat... to economic growth. But the impact will depend on the length of the conflict. Odile Renaud Basso, EBRD President, said in an interview with the Istanbul press that conflict can "reduce risk capital" in the region. However, he added that the fallout has been contained so far - except for Lebanon. She said that the risk was on the downside. The EBRD estimated growth in the 41 countries that it covers as 3.6% this year, and 3.7% in...

Lebanese Army said that they had achieved their goal of a monopoly on arms in the south. They said this was done in an "effective" and tangible manner. However, there is still more work to do to remove unexploded ordnances and tunnels from the area. The army set a deadline of year's end to remove?non state weaponry? from the southern Lebanon bordering Israel before moving to other areas. It claimed to have extended its operational control over the southern areas, except those still occupied with Israeli troops. The statement did not mention the Lebanese Hezbollah armed group, which fought an...

The top official of the U.S. Treasury Department said that the United States is looking to seize a "moment in Lebanon" to cut off Iranian funding for Hezbollah, and to press the group into disarming. John Hurley said in a late-Friday interview that Iran managed to send about $1 billion this year to Hezbollah despite the Western sanctions which have ravaged its economy. The U.S. is waging a campaign of "maximum pressuring" on Tehran to reduce its uranium-enrichment program and regional influence. This includes in Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah has also been weakened since Israel destroyed its military strength...

Naim Qassem, the Hezbollah leader, urged Saudi Arabia on Friday to "turn a new page" and put aside past disputes in order to create a united front against Israel. This comes after years of hostility which strained Riyadh’s ties to Lebanon. Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf States designated Shi'ite Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in 2016. Riyadh, Washington, and Hezbollah rivals in Lebanon have been pressing the Lebanese Government to disarm Hezbollah, which has been severely weakened since last year's conflict with Israel. Qassem, in a Friday televised speech, said that regional power should view Israel and not Hezbollah...

His press secretary warned reporters Friday, ahead of Saturday's talks between U.S.-Iran delegations. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump's "ultimate goal is to ensure that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapons" and that Trump believed in diplomacy. However, she added that "all options" are available if diplomatic attempts fail. "He's made it clear to the Iranians and his team of national security will do the same, that all options were on the table and Iran had a choice. The president believes that if you don't agree with President Trump's demands, there will be hell to pay. Leavitt...

Saudi Arabia's. foreign minister stated on Tuesday he did not see Donald Trump's. new administration increasing the danger of an IsraelIran. dispute, attending to a problem the area has actually feared since the. start of Israel's war in Gaza. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud also stated in Davos that he. hoped President Trump's method to Iran would be consulted with a. willingness by Tehran to favorably engage with the U.S. administration and address the problem of its nuclear programme. Certainly a war in between Iran and Israel, any war in our. area is something we ought to try to...

A United Nations resolution that ended the last round of lethal dispute in between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 is viewed as the cornerstone of a brand-new ceasefire being worked out by the United States. Adopted in August 2006, the 19-paragraph resolution was key to ending the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 and leading the way for long-lasting stability along the border. The resolution mandated an instant cessation of hostilities, with both celebrations consenting to stop battling. While important, the ceasefire dealt with challenges and violations throughout the years, but it laid the structure for ending open...

Gulf states are lobbying Washington to stop Israel from attacking Iran's oil sites since they are concerned their own oil facilities could come under fire from Tehran's proxies if the conflict intensifies, 3 Gulf sources informed Reuters. As part of their efforts to prevent being caught in the crossfire, Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are likewise declining to let Israel fly over their airspace for any attack on Iran and have actually conveyed this to Washington, the 3 sources close to government circles stated. Israel has guaranteed Iran will pay for its missile attack...

With a rifle by his side, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared in public on Friday for the very first time since Iran's most current rocket attack on Israel, describing the strike as genuine punishment for what he called Israeli crimes. Providing his very first Friday prayers preaching in almost 5 years, Khamenei said resistance versus Israel in the region would not pull back even with the killing of its leaders. Every so often his hand grasped the barrel of a rifle that stood to his left. Khamenei periodically speaks in public with a rifle at his side, a practice...

Israel ought to not be allowed to attack countries in the Iranaligned Axis of Resistance one after the other, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday. Israel stated it had bombed Houthi targets in Yemen on Sunday, broadening its confrontation with Iran's allies in the area after killing the Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday in an intensifying dispute in Lebanon Pezeshkian, in remarks carried by state media, stated Lebanon. need to be supported. Lebanese fighters need to not be left alone in this fight so that the Zionist routine (Israel) does not assault Axis of Resistance nations one...

Lebanon would struggle to satisfy even a portion of its help needs if fullscale war with Israel emerges, a senior official said, as it seeks increased donor support in the middle of relentless border clashes. Nasser Yassin, the minister managing contingency preparation for a broader conflict, told Reuters Lebanon would require $100. million month-to-month for food, shelter, healthcare and other needs in. a worst-case scenario. A little fraction, even 10 to 15 percent of that, would be. substantial for the government. We will need donors to step up, Yassin. stated. International help is already falling short. Lebanon has. gotten only...

Poland has actually launched an investigation into multi-million-dollar cash losses by Polish refiner Orlen's Swiss unit and claims that its former CEO had ties to terrorist. organisations, Warsaw chief prosecutor Malgorzata Adamajtys. said on Tuesday. Polish site Onet had actually reported on Monday that the. former CEO of Orlen Trading Switzerland, described just as. Samer A. due to local personal privacy laws, was believed by Orlen's. internal security system of having had contacts with Lebanon's. powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Samer A., the ex-CEO of Orlen's Swiss subsidiary OTS,. rejected in an interview with Polish private radio RMF on Tuesday....