ABU DHABI, 3rd June, 2026 (WAM) -- H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed the United Arab Emirates' full solidarity with the Kingdom of Bahrain and its support for measures taken by the Bahraini security authorities to arrest 15 operatives carrying out inciting directives issued by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
US House Speaker says Trump focused on reopening Hormuz US House Speaker Mike Johnson says he spent three hours at the White House with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as efforts continue to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump is working on “that final piece” needed to restore commercial traffic through the waterway, Johnson told reporters at the Capitol. “I am, all of us, are calling on our allied nations and friends — the Arab states in the region, and NATO partners and everyone else,” the Republican lawmaker said.
(Photo credit: Danielle Parhizkaran-Imagn Images) Despite visa delays, the Iranian national team will travel to Mexico this weekend to prepare for the World Cup. Iran's participation in this summer's tournament in North America has been in some doubt since the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against the nation in late February.
KUWAIT CITY, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Wednesday summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, expelled two Iranian diplomats and reduced the size of Iran's diplomatic mission in the country, reiterating its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country.
Lebanon has emerged as a key obstacle to negotiations between Tehran and Washington, as Israel says it will continue striking Hezbollah and Iran insists that any ceasefire must apply across the region.
Eight Muslim countries denounce Israeli incursions at Al-Aqsa Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 06/03/2026 - 16:22 Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia also call for recognition of Jordan's custodianship A Muslim man prays outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Friday noon prayers in the Old City of Jerusalem, 10 April 2026 (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP) Off The foreign ministers of Qatar , the UAE , Jordan , Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israeli settler incursions at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque and called for the acknowledgement of Jordan's jurisdiction over the holy site. In a statement posted by Qatar's foreign ministry on social media on Wednesday, the ministers said the incursions, which were conducted under the protection of Israeli forces, constitute “a clear violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the historical and legal status of the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem”. The ministers further rejected Israeli attempts to alter "the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites," and urged the recognition of Jordan's historic custodianship the Al-Aqsa compound.
(260603) -- ANKARA, June 3, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses an event for renewable energy investments in Ankara, Trkiye on June 3, 2026. Erdogan on Wednesday warned about the negative impacts of the ongoing crisis involving Iran and the United States, while emphasizing the importance of securing energy supplies.
British MP asks government to clarify stance on Jordanian custodianship of Al-Aqsa Submitted by Imran Mulla on Wed, 06/03/2026 - 15:31 Leicester MP Shockat Adam asked for UK government position on reports that US and Israel plan to strip Jordan of oversight role Muslim devotees with their children gather at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on 27 May 2026, to mark the start of Eid al-Adha (AFP) Off Shockat Adam, the Independent MP for Leicester South, has written to the British foreign secretary urging the government to "unequivocally" oppose attempts by the US and Israel to remove Jordan's custodianship over Al-Aqsa Mosque. The comments come after Middle East Eye reported last week that the US and Israel are conspiring to strip the Jordanian royal family of its historic custodianship of Al-Aqsa, which is enshrined in a long-standing status quo agreement. A US official has denied the report, but under the plan described to MEE by American, Jordanian and Palestinian officials, Israel would gain control over the appointment of imams and senior mosque officials.
Egyptian-born doctor and Gaza volunteer wins New Jersey Democratic primary Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Mon, 06/01/2026 - 16:31 Adam Hamawy is now all but guaranteed to become a US congressman after the November midterms Adam Hamawy, right, gives an interview to Agence France Presse in Washington, DC on 14 June 2024 after returning from a medical mission in Gaza (Drew Angerer/AFP) Off Adam Hamawy, an Egyptian -American surgeon who gained national attention for his harrowing 2024 medical mission to Gaza , is now all but assured a congressional seat in Washington next year after he handily won the Democratic primary in New Jersey’s 12th district on Tuesday. With more than 93 percent of the vote counted at nearly 10am local time on Wednesday, Hamawy secured more than 28 percent of ballots, far ahead of his nearest opponent. The 12th district, which encompasses the elite Princeton University, has been a solid blue district for at least 15 years, meaning voters will most likely be sending Hamawy to the US Congress when he runs against his Republican opponent in November’s midterms.
As Tehran reviews US proposals and influential figures increasingly speak openly in favor of negotiations, developments on the ground are pulling Iran and the United States in the opposite direction.
Rubio hopes Lebanon-Israel talks will produce action plan US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he hopes ongoing talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington will result in a joint statement and an action plan. The latest round of negotiations, facilitated by the US and aimed at ending fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and advancing a longer-term agreement, began on Tuesday and is expected to conclude today. Rubio has previously described the talks as a “historic opportunity” and said they could help establish a framework for future progress.
President Trump said that he had been “perturbed” in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and said he hoped to meet with Iran’s supreme leader.
Starmer accuses Farage of inciting rage in wake of Southampton riot Submitted by Oscar Rickett on Wed, 06/03/2026 - 15:15 Prime minister tells Reform UK leader he is ignoring wishes of family of murdered 18-year-old Henry Nowak Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks in parliament on 3 June 2026 (Screenshot) Off British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of ignoring the wishes of a murdered 18-year-old boy’s family by calling for “rage” in response to his death. Starmer’s comments, delivered in parliament on Wednesday, came after a riot on Tuesday night in Southampton, a city on England’s south coast, which saw far-right protesters and known neo-Nazis clash with police. The riot was sparked in part by inflammatory rhetoric in response to the case of Henry Nowak, 18, who was stabbed to death in Southampton in December last year by Vickrum Digwa, a 23-year-old British Sikh man.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who also acts as Iran’s special representative for China affairs, held a meeting with senior economic officials to coordinate policies and advance Tehran’s relations with Beijing.
Exclusive: How Britain is moving towards a ban on Israeli settlement goods Submitted by Imran Mulla on Tue, 06/02/2026 - 14:06 MPs across different parties tell MEE the government must take action in line with other European countries Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under pressure to change course on Israel (AFP) Off The UK could soon impose a ban on the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements, according to MPs from various different parties, including from the ruling Labour Party, who are pressing for stronger action. A significant shift in British policy now appears highly plausible in the near future – even likely – the sources told Middle East Eye. According to several people close to the government, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer told Labour MPs late last year that a ban on settlement goods is desirable.
Trump says Iran has agreed to not have a nuclear weapon US President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed not to have a nuclear weapon and that he would probably meet with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khameneiat at some point if things "work out". "They've already agreed they're not going to have a nuclear weapon," Trump told Pod Force One in an interview broadcast on Wednesday, while speaking about Iran. Asked about Khamenei's involvement in talks with the US on ending hostilities, Trump said: "He's involved, absolutely...
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Claims by the US president that Iran is moving toward approving negotiations with Washington are false, as Tehran has not provided any response to the US regarding a proposed draft understanding in recent days and has suspended the exchange of messages through intermediaries.
President says he would ‘like to meet’ Mojtaba Khamenei, who US officials have previously said was injured in attacks, and says Iran has said it will not have a nuclear weapon Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. Donald Trump has claimed Iran has agreed it will not have a nuclear weapon and that the country’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is involved in negotiations with the US. One person was killed and several people were injured in an Iranian drone attack that targeted Kuwait’s airport, according to authorities and state media.
'Attack on our democracy': Inside an Israeli influence campaign in France's local elections Submitted by Pauline Ertel on Wed, 06/03/2026 - 11:11 The electoral interference by Israeli company 'BlackCore' took many by surprise and stirs fears ahead of 2027 presidential vote France Unbowed member of parliament Francois Piquemal on the rooftop of the National Assembly in Paris, France, on 5 May 2026 (Benoit Tessier/Reuters) Off A foreign influence campaign in French local elections by an Israeli firm earlier this year presents an unprecedented attack on France's democracy, victims of the operation and people familiar with it told Middle East Eye. Earlier this month, Reuters revealed that the French authorities were examining whether an alleged smear campaign against three mayoral candidates from the left-wing, pro- Palestinian party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed - LFI) ahead of March's municipal elections was carried out by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore. The operation's broad outlines were first exposed by newspaper Le Monde in March, when Viginum, a digital interference detection service within the French prime minister's office, revealed a "foreign digital interference" scheme with "limited" reach targeting a "French political party" and its candidates in Marseille, Toulouse and Roubaix.
Slovenia reportedly blocks Israeli flight for political reasons An Israir Airline flight headed to the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, was forced to divert to Zagreb, Croatia, after Slovenian authorities denied permission to the Israeli plane to land, Ynet has reported. Ynet quoted Israir as having said that the decision was politically motivated. Uri Sirkis, the airline's chief executive, said: “The Israir flight scheduled for Ljubljana had to land in Zagreb because the authorities in Ljubljana are refusing Israeli carriers to land, due to their firm political opposition to the route operated by the Israeli government.
