- The Guardian
- Issue #2183
OMAN: Oman has declared that it has no intention to join Trump’s “Board of Peace.” “We affirm our solidarity with the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as with Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon … We will not normalise relations with Israel and we will not join ‘The Board of Peace,’ ” Oman’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The decision, taken at the most crucial moment of the US-Israeli war against Iran, clearly demonstrates support for Iran. The move also serves Oman’s interest in becoming a stable and safe place for capital – not involved in military alliances.
YEMEN: Yemen has taken the decision to support Iran, an Ansar Allah Political Bureau member said. The leader of the movement, Sayyed al-Houthi, accused leaders of the United States and Israel of openly discussing plans to reshape West Asia in favour of the “Greater Israel” project. The Yemeni leader said the Islamic world is currently facing a direct confrontation with the “tyrants of the era,” represented by the Americans, zionists, and global powers seeking domination over the region. Yemen witnessed massive demonstrations on International Quds Day, reaffirming Yemen’s solidarity with Iran. The demonstrations also extended support for Islamic Resistance in Lebanon and Iraq.
BRITAIN: The UK has accepted a US request to use its military bases to strike Iran. “The only way to stop the Iranian threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots, or to destroy the launchers, which are used to fire the missiles. The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request,” Starmer said. He added that he would send experts from the UK and Ukraine to the Gulf states to help the military shoot down Iranian drones. Iran’s response was quick – Ukraine has become a legitimate target as it is directly involved in the conflict.
HUNGARY: Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his political opponent Peter Magyar called their supporters onto the streets of the capital for a show of strength before the election next month. Tens of thousands of Hungarians flooded the streets of Budapest. Orban’s supporters marched under the slogan “We will not be a Ukrainian colony”. The Orban government has long opposed the EU’s policy of arming and funding Ukraine against Russia. Foreign Minister Peter Sziijarto, who was also present at the rally, claimed that Brussels and Kiev wanted to overthrow Orban’s government “because they want Zelensky to form a government in Hungary as well”.
GHANA: Ghana plans to submit a UN resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade a ‘grievous’ crime against humanity and demanding reparations. The initiative has the backing of 40 African Union (AU) member states. The West African country has become one of the most vocal advocates for slavery reparations, “taking into account slave trade scale, duration, legalisation and enduring consequences.” As the Ghanaian president said: “The truth about the story of the transatlantic slave trade must be told.”
KOREA: The USA is planning to move part of its anti missile systems from South Korea to the Middle East. The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD was first installed in South Korea in 2017. South Koreans protested at the time, saying it made them a target. The move comes as Iranian missiles are straining the USA’s military stocks. Early in March Iran destroyed the radar of a THAAD system in Jordan. A THAAD unit costs US $1bn and requires 100 personnel to operate.
