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Lebanon: PM Hariri withdraws resignation, business back to normal

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Lebanon: PM Hariri withdraws resignation, business back to normal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Cabinet decided to dissociate from regional conflict

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri has officially announced withdrawing his resignation, what he did while he was in Saudi Arabia on November 4. He announced his decision after Lebanon’s cabinet voted to affirm it’s disengagement from regional conflicts on Tuesday.

According to almanar.com, Hariri read the final statement after the cabinet meeting and asserted that Lebanon remains stick to the “dissociation policy and Taef Accord”.

“The government has unanimously approved a statement pledging compliance with a policy of dissociation, the president’s oath of office in terms of dissociating the country from regional conflicts and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries,” he added.

President Michel Aoun and PM Hariri held a closed door meeting before the cabinet meeting.

Taef  accord was reached in 1989 to provide “the basis for ending of civil war and the return to political normalcy in Lebanon.”  Rafik Hariri, former Lebanese PM and father of Sa’ad Hariri, was once Saudi diplomatic representative who played constructive role in formulating the agreement. Sa’ad Hariri enjoys dual citizenship of both the countries: Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

The Taef accord covered political reform, ending of civil war, establishment of special relations between Syria and Lebanon and a framework for the beginning of complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon.

Sa’ad Hariri had suddenly announced his resignation on November 4 from Riyadh. According to earlier reports Hariri received a telephonic call from Riyadh on November 3 asking him to travel the Kingdom without aides.  On his arrival at Riyadh airport his mobile was confiscated and no official came to receive him. He read his resignation live on Saudi official TV.

At that time, he alleged Iran for interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs and Hezbollah for its involvement in the regional conflicts. Hariri also cited “threats” against his life similar to his father Rafik Hariri who was killed in a bomb explosion in Beirut in 2005.

The resistance group Hezbollah  played important role in crushing IS terrorists in Syria and Iraq on the invitation of the respective governments. The governments of Iran, Iraq and Syria and Lebanon’s Hezbollah along with Russian air power defeated Daesh (IS) in both the countries.

So far, Hariri has not revealed the details of what he went through before announcing his resignation in Riyadh. After the resignation he had a short visit to Abu Dhabi to meet the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on November 7.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun had expressed fear of Hariri’s detention in Saudi Arabia. Reuters had confirmed on November 12 about the shocks Hariri went through immediately after his arrival in Riyadh. His location was kept secret that vindicated Aoun’s fear of Hariri being detained by Saudi authorities.

On November 13, Hariri chose to get himself interviewed by his party mouthpiece Future TV. Saudi authorities did not allow even Future TV crew to travel from Beirut to Riyadh for the conducting the interview. With crew and equipment from Saudi official TV, Hariri declared he was living free in Saudi Arabia. He explained that by resigning he “gave a positive shock” to protect his country from imminent danger and pledged to return to Beirut “within days”.

He travelled to France on November 18  to meet President Emmanuel Macron. He also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fettah el-Sisi  in Cairo  before returning to Beirut on November 21, one day before independence day celebrations on November 22.

However, on his first day in Beirut he met President Micheal Aoun and announced his intention to defer his resignation. He said, “Today, I presented my resignation to the president and he urged me to hold onto it for more dialogue about its reasons and its political underpinnings … and I accepted.”

According to Aljazeera, the Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, Yemen, and Syria are on the winning side of years-long conflicts against Saudi-backed armed groups. Hezbollah has been instrumental in assisting these forces, it said.

The reports also indicate that Hezbollah has agreed to the disassociation policy promising to withdraw its fighters from Iraq once the campaign against Daesh (IS) is declared over.

Recently Lebanese President Michel Aoun, had promised that Hezbollah fighters will return from neighbouring countries once IS was defeated. For now, these guarantees are enough to end Lebanon’s uncertainty, he said.

Aljazeera correspondent from Beirut Zeina Khodr says, “Clearly the political crisis is over. The cabinet met and it’s back in business and this country – which found itself in the middle of a Saudi-Iranian rivalry” is back to the political status quo before Hariri’s resignation.

Analysts believe that with Hariri’s decision to withdraw his resignation after Hezbollah’s commitment to return its fighters once war against Daesh (IS) is declared over, Saudi Arabia’s plot to ignite another war in Lebanon has failed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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