Iran and world powers have made some progress on how to revive the 2015 nuclear accord that the United States pulled out of in 2018, with an interim deal possibly being a way to gain time for a lasting settlement.
“We are on the right track and some progress has been made, but this does not mean that the talks in Vienna have reached the final stage,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said.
This comes as Israeli ministers have expressed concern about the ongoing indirect negotiations taking place to bring back Tehran and Washington into full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). An Israeli source, who was present at a security cabinet meeting earlier this week, claimed that while the Biden Administration is aware of Israel’s positions, it does not seem to be taking them into consideration.
US President Joe Biden, who took office in January pledging to rejoin the JCPOA, has said that his administration is ready to remove “all sanctions that are inconsistent” with the accord, but has not specifically spelled out which restrictions.
Complicating the White House’s aim of rejoining the deal, the Islamic Republic last week started enriching uranium to 60 percent purity at its main Natanz nuclear facility. The JCPOA limited Tehran from enriching uranium beyond 3.67 percent purity.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin held a rare phone call to mark the beginning of Ramadan.
“The president expressed his best wishes to Abbas for Ramadan, and the two discussed regional affairs,” according to a statement released by Rivlin’s office.
The two leaders reportedly last spoke in March 2020 during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. “The world is dealing with a crisis that does not distinguish between people or where they live,” Rivlin reportedly told Abbas at that time, adding that, “the cooperation between us is vital to ensure the health of both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Abbas also spoke with Rivlin in 2019, following the death of the Israeli president’s wife.
Israel has signed an agreement with Pfizer to purchase millions of additional coronavirus vaccine doses for 2022, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein jointly announced. In addition, the arrangement includes an option for Jerusalem to buy more doses as needed.
Local media also reported that Israel had inked a deal with Moderna to purchase 7.2 million vaccine doses from the company at a cost of about half a billion shekels.
The Jewish state has already fully vaccinated 55 percent of its population, administering more than 10 million doses. Some 4.9 million people have had both jabs. As a result of the country’s successful vaccination drive, the number of daily coronavirus cases has plummeted by 97 percent — enabling the government to almost completely reopen the economy.
On Sunday, authorities lifted the requirement to wear masks outdoors.
Nevertheless, Israel’s coronavirus commissioner, Prof. Nachman Ash, predicted that people will likely need a third dose or booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine within the next six months to two years.
Sudan has abolished a decades-old Israel-targeted boycott law; this, as part of ongoing efforts to normalize relations with the Jewish state. The move to annul the 1958 legislation was confirmed by Sudanese Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari. The decision was made following a joint session between the ruling sovereignty council and the cabinet.
The law had barred the establishment of diplomatic ties with Jerusalem and forbade any business dealings with Israel. Penalties for those who violated its stipulations, such as trading with Israelis, included up to 10 years in prison.
Moreover, Sudanese citizens will moving forward be permitted to visit relatives living in Israel. There are at least 6,000 Sudanese residing in the country.
Meanwhile, Bahrain, another signatory to the Abraham Accords, announced that it would begin offering direct flights between Manama and Tel Aviv on June 3. It is the latest in a series of moves geared towards deepening relations between Israel and the Gulf state since full diplomatic ties were established under the agreement brokered by former US president Donald Trump.
In addition to Sudan and Bahrain, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates have also signed onto the Abraham Accords.
Recommended Reading
- Antisemitism Is Inseparable from Khomeinism (Efran Fard, Algemeiner)
- Her Brother Was Killed in Cold Blood, But His Killers Still Walk Free (Matthew Kynaston, Vice)
- In Student Governments, Jews and Zionists Need Not Apply (Zev Hurwitz, Jewish News Syndicate)
- The Changing Middle Eastern Tide (Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, Newsweek)
- 9 Israeli-Founded Companies Reach Unicorn Status in 1st Quarter of 2021 (Eliyahu Korn and Ayelet Slasky, NoCamels)
