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Tehran, April 18 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met here with visiting Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, calling for expanding cooperation between their two countries in all areas.

Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Iran is fully prepared to expand its relations with Saudi Arabia in all fields and extend bilateral cooperation to other Islamic countries, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

He also welcomed the establishment of joint working groups in various political, economic, and security areas, emphasising that Iran and Saudi Arabia could coordinate to resolve many of the problems in the region, without the need for foreign intervention, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Saudi Defence Minister, for his part, described his meetings with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri earlier on Thursday as "very useful, positive, and constructive".

He called Iran and Saudi Arabia "two main pillars of the region," stressing their strong relations could be an effective model for convergence and synergy in the Muslim world.

"We discussed our bilateral relations and topics of mutual interest," the Saudi Defence Minister wrote on X.

"Our belief is that the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia is beneficial for both countries," Iranian state media cited Khamenei as saying in the meeting on Thursday.

"Ties between the Saudi and Iranian armed forces have been improving since the Beijing agreement," Baqeri said after the meeting, according to Iranian state media.

Saudi Arabia has welcomed Iran's nuclear talks with the US, saying it supported efforts to resolve regional and international disputes.

Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in a 2023 deal brokered by China to re-establish relations after years of hostility that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf region and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.

The Saudi Defence Minister's trip coincided with a visit to Iran by the UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, who warned that the US and Iran were running out of time to reach a deal.

Iranian and US delegations are set to gather in Rome on Saturday for a second round of Omani-mediated negotiations, a week after the longtime foes held their highest-level talks since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord during his first term in 2018.

Since re-entering the White House in January, Trump has revived his so-called "maximum pressure" policy, imposing punishing economic sanctions against Iran and threatening military action if Tehran does not agree to a deal.

Iran and Saudi Arabia formally declared in April 2023 the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.

The attacks followed Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shia cleric.

--IANS

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Jerusalem, April 18 (IANS) Israel has extended its missile warning time for long-range threats from Yemen by three to five minutes, the military's Home Front Command said.

The updated system, which took effect on Thursday, aims to give civilians more time to reach shelters and safe rooms amid renewed missile attacks by Houthi forces, following Israel's resumption of its air and ground assault on Gaza in March.

Until now, Israelis had about one minute to reach shelter upon receiving a siren warning for long-range missiles, Xinhua news agency reported.

For short-range rockets fired from Gaza, warning times vary by location, ranging from about 15 seconds in communities near the enclave to nearly one minute in the Tel Aviv area.

Under the new protocol, a preliminary alert will be issued via the Home Front Command's mobile app in areas at risk, using a notification sound instead of the standard rising and falling siren.

"In addition, an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) message will be distributed, stating that missile fire from Yemen toward Israel may occur in the coming minutes and that the public must follow the instructions of the Home Front Command," the military said in a statement.

The purpose of the advance warning is to "allow advance preparedness, enabling civilians to move to nearby shelters and receive updates from official sources," the statement added.

Starting on Thursday, in the event of missile fire from Yemen, the Home Front Command said it will send out an early warning on its app to those in areas under potential threat. This alert will give people three to five minutes to prepare to seek shelter before sirens sound.

The IDF said the early alert does not require people to seek shelter immediately, and it is intended to give them more time to prepare and feel safer.

The early alert will be distributed to a wide area under potential threat, but the sirens may only sound in certain specific areas. The military said there may be cases where people receive an early alert, but no sirens sound in their area.

The new update to the Home Front Command app comes after several weeks of trials, staff work, and feedback from the public, it said.

Since October 2023, Houthi forces in Yemen have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks toward Israel, citing solidarity with the Palestinians amid Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Iran has also carried out two retaliatory attacks, firing about 400 missiles and drones, according to Israeli figures.

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United Nations, April 18 (IANS) The United Nations views the second round of negotiations between the US and Iran on Saturday as "a good sign," and hopes it will yield positive results, a UN spokesman said.

The second round of US-Iran indirect negotiations will be held in Rome on Saturday, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The two sides will discuss Tehran's nuclear issues and Washington's sanctions, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We very much hope that the dialogue between the US and the Islamic Republic of Iran yields a positive outcome, which we're seeing the lowering of tensions in the Gulf region, in the Middle East, and between the two countries," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said at a daily briefing.

"We understand that there will be a second round from what I've seen, I think this weekend, which in itself is a good sign," he said.

"We will obviously be following it very closely."

In early March, US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders, proposing negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme, while Iran later agreed on indirect talks.

The first round of US-Iran indirect talks was held in the Omani capital of Muscat last week.

The White House said in a statement that the discussions were "very positive and constructive".

Iranian Foreign Ministry described their talks as "constructive".

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said talks between Iran and the US are at a "crucial stage" and warned they have limited time to resolve their years-long standoff.

"There is a possibility of a good outcome but nothing is guaranteed," Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in comments recorded during a visit to Tehran on Thursday.

"We are multiplying our efforts to facilitate this process."

Grossi's visit comes days after the US and Iran held their first talks aimed at striking an agreement over Tehran's nuclear program.

The stakes for global security and the oil market are high. US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Iran if a deal isn't reached in the coming weeks.

Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, made a rare high-profile visit to Iran on Thursday and met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Prince Khalid delivered a message from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman addressed to Khamenei, IRNA said, without giving details on its contents. He is the highest-level Saudi royal to visit Iran in years and his trip signals that Arab states are keen to avoid a new conflict in the region.

The IAEA's Grossi said he has been in contact with the US's top Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to see how the watchdog can "serve as a bridge between Iran and the US and help achieve a positive outcome," according to the IRNA.

While the US and Iran are set to meet for a second round of talks on Saturday in Rome, they’ve already hit a stumbling block over the Trump administration’s position on Tehran’s ability to enrich uranium.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week that US has sent conflicting messages and these need to clarified when they meet again on Saturday.

Witkoff said on Tuesday that Iran had to eliminate its uranium-enrichment program all together, rather than restrict it. He was back tracking on earlier comments that suggested Iran could still enrich to a low level for civilian uses.

Iran has said its ability to produce the fissile material is non-negotiable and says it's allowed to enrich uranium under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The 2015 nuclear deal that Trump abandoned during his first term imposed strict limits on the extent to which Iran was allowed to enrich uranium, in terms of both purity and quantity.

Iran started to breach those caps after Trump exited the accord in 2018 and placed stricter sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

--IANS

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Washington, April 17 (IANS) Multiple victims were reported in a shooting at the Florida State University (FSU) in Florida state on Thursday.

WFTV9, an Orlando-based news station, reported that five people were killed and four injured, the fatalities citing unidentified law enforcement sources, who also put the number of alleged shooters at two, one of whom is dead and the other is in custody.

These numbers had not been announced by authorities yet.

"An active shooter has been reported in the area of the Student Union," the university's alert system said in an alert.

US President Donald Trump, who is a resident of Florida but was in the White House at the time, said he had been briefed and called the shooting a "shame".

"Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding," Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis wrote in a post on X.

The Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI) had also responded to the incident.

"My team and I have been briefed on the tragic shooting at Florida State and our FBI Jacksonville team is on the ground assisting. We will provide full support to local law enforcement as needed," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote in a post on X.

"Please keep the FSU community in your prayers."

"I did see them carry out one student in what looked like on a stretcher and kept them in the road until an ambulance was able to pick them up," Daniella Streety, a student told NBC news.

"Directly across from me there's a building about 50 feet outside of the window... There was a student injured there as well and they had to transport them in a desk chair to the road to then be transported via ambulance."

The US has had many incidents of shooting at schools and colleges and the worst of them took place in a Florida high school in 2018 leaving 17 students and members of the staff dead.

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Dhaka, April 17 (IANS) Bangladesh on Thursday raised the issue of financial claim to the tune of USD 4.32 billion from Pakistan as a fair share from the assets of undivided Pakistan before 1971 besides also seeking a formal apology for the genocide committed by the Pakistani armed forces during the Liberation War.

The issues were raised during the Foreign Secretary-level Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) held in Dhaka between the two countries after a gap of 15 years.

Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin led the Bangladesh delegation while the Pakistani side was represented by its Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.

During the meeting, Bangladesh also demanded USD 200 million - the foreign aid from countries and agencies to East Pakistan - during the extremely deadly Bhola cyclone.

“We said that as a friendly neighbour of Bangladesh in South Asia, we seek Pakistan's cooperation in building a strong, welfare-oriented and forward-looking relationship with Pakistan by resolving the existing historical unresolved issues at the earliest and we emphasise on working together towards this end," Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the talks.

"These issues need to be resolved for having a solid foundation of our relations," he added.

Interestingly, the local media reported that the Pakistani side refused to comment on the outcomes of the meeting.

During her visit, Baloch held separate meetings with Bangladeshi interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain, where they discussed issues of mutual interest.

During his meeting with the visiting Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Yunus called for strengthening ties with Pakistan to boost mutual cooperation and explore trade and business potentials.

"There are certain hurdles. We have to find ways to overcome those and move forward," Yunus said after Baloch called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna.

Referring to the past, Baloch said Bangladesh and Pakistan must find ways to "harness the potentials between the two countries".

"We have huge intra regional markets on our own rights. We should use it. We can’t miss the bus every time," Baloch said.

Following the FOC talks held for the first time between the two nations since 2010, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary confirmed that Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is scheduled to pay an official visit to Dhaka on April 27-28.

Dar's visit will be the first by a Pakistani Foreign Minister to Bangladesh since 2012.

The interim government has formed a working group with the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka to finalise the agreements that will be signed during the Pakistani Foreign Minister's visit.

--IANS

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Cairo, April 17 (IANS) Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Osama Rabie has said that there is a slight improvement in navigation through the canal during March.

The number of ships passing through the canal in March increased by 2.4 per cent compared to January, Rabie announced on Wednesday during a ceremony in Ismailia Governorate in northeast Egypt, celebrating the achievements made by the canal over the past few years, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that the waterway recorded an 8.8 per cent increase in revenues compared to January.

The SCA chief also noted that 264 ships adjusted their routes to pass through the Suez Canal instead of the Cape of Good Hope since the beginning of February.

"The US is currently attacking the Houthis in Yemen, and it remains unclear whether these US attacks have weakened the Houthis' ability to target shipping in the Red Sea," Rabie told Xinhua news agency.

Egypt, which relies heavily on revenue from the Suez Canal, has repeatedly called for calm following a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

In March, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that due to the regional turmoil -- including attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthis -- the Suez Canal was losing nearly $800 million in revenue each month.

The US military has resumed airstrikes on Houthi-held areas in northern Yemen since March 15 in a bid to deter the group from attacking Israeli targets, the US Navy, and international shipping lanes in the region.

However, the Houthi group responded by affirming its unwavering support for Gaza.

It has resumed attacks on Israeli targets and US military vessels in the Red Sea, as Israel ended a January ceasefire with Hamas and restarted military operations in Gaza.

The project would need governmental approvals and would be funded through the SCA's investment budget, to avoid "placing any additional burdens on the state's general budget," a statement added.

Rabie said it could raise the competitiveness of the canal and allow it to take more and bigger ships.

--IANS

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Doha, April 17 (IANS) Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met here with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to discuss bilateral cooperation, particularly in the fields of energy, economy, and investment.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the administrative office of the Qatari emir, both sides affirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations to advance shared interests and promote regional stability and development.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, Aoun expressed his gratitude for Qatar's ongoing support to Lebanon across various sectors, while the emir pledged Qatar's continued support to Lebanon in areas such as electricity, energy, and the Lebanese Army.

In a post on his official X account, the Qatari emir described the meeting as an opportunity to reaffirm the "deep-rooted relationship between our two brotherly countries," which he said was always marked by "cooperation, understanding, and mutual respect".

"Qatar remains committed to standing with Lebanon and supporting its aspirations for recovery, prosperity, and development," he said.

A separate statement from Lebanon's presidency said that the emir stressed Qatar's willingness to enhance its support for Lebanon following the election of Aoun and the formation of a new government, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We want to see Lebanon stable," Sheikh Tamim was quoted as saying.

"There are favourable conditions internally and externally for this, and Qatar is prepared to offer whatever Lebanon needs, especially in electricity, energy, and continued support for the Lebanese army."

Aoun reaffirmed the Lebanese army's full commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in southern Lebanon.

He said, however, that repeated Israeli violations and the ongoing Israeli occupation were hindering full army deployment in the area.

Aoun also noted that the army had continued to confiscate illegal weapons found in tunnels and hideouts and was in ongoing discussions to ensure that all arms are brought under state control.

The leaders also addressed Lebanese-Syrian relations, stressing the importance of maintaining stability along the shared border.

Aoun briefed the emir on recent coordination between the two countries' defence ministries and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's recent visit to Damascus.

The meeting concluded with a review of mechanisms to boost Lebanese-Qatari relations across all sectors.

This is the Lebanese President's first visit to the Gulf country since he assumed office in January.

In February, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reiterated Qatar's unwavering support for Lebanon's reconstruction efforts during his meeting with Aoun in Beirut.

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Ankara, April 17 (IANS) A total of 175,512 Syrians have voluntarily returned to their country from Turkey since December 9 last year, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

According to Yerlikaya on Wednesday, the number of Syrians who have returned from Turkey since 2017 has now reached 915,515.

These returns, comprising 33,730 families, have been carried out in what authorities describe as a "voluntary, safe, dignified, and orderly" manner, Xinhua news agency reported.

Yerlikaya stressed that the return process is managed transparently, with oversight from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

To facilitate the process, Turkey has introduced measures allowing authorized exit and re-entry and has deployed migration representatives in Syria to monitor and support returnees on the ground.

Millions of Syrians fled their country following the outbreak of civil war in 2011.

Turkey, sharing a long border with Syria, became a major refuge, hosting more than 3.6 million Syrians at the peak of the crisis, according to UN figures.

The Turkish government, which supports the Islamist-led rebels who toppled the government of former President Bashar al-Assad, is hoping to accelerate the return of refugees to ease the tensions their presence has generated in parts of the country.

Overall, around 400,000 Syrians have returned from neighbouring countries since Assad's fall, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

The agency also said that more than one million Syrians displaced within their country by the conflict had also returned to their homes.

The dramatic shift in Syria’s political landscape began on December 8, 2024, when Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime forces seized control of Damascus, effectively ending Baath Party rule that had lasted since 1963.

On January 29, a transitional Syrian administration was announced under the leadership of Ahmed al-Sharaa, the commander of the opposition forces that ousted Assad.

The new administration dissolved Syria’s constitution, security services, armed factions, the Baath Party, and Parliament — setting the stage for a new political structure.

--IANS

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Belgrade, April 17 (IANS) The National Assembly of Serbia has elected a new government led by endocrinologist Djuro Macut.

A total of 153 members of Parliament voted on Wednesday in favour, 46 opposed, while 51 lawmakers were absent from the session.

The new Cabinet will comprise 31 members, Xinhua news agency reported.

Macut presented his government's programme and cabinet lineup on Tuesday, the first day of the special session of the National Assembly, outlining the key priorities of his administration.

Macut emphasised that his government would focus on domestic stabilisation and strategic foreign policy.

In response to ongoing youth-led protests and institutional disruptions, he pledged to uphold the rule of law and encourage open dialogue while safeguarding the rights of all citizens.

"Protests and expressions of discontent are natural for the youth," Macut said, "but blockades and the denial of others' rights to work, study, or live normally are unacceptable."

He announced the formation of a Council for Youth and Talents, which he will personally oversee.

The council aims to nurture young talent and harness their potential for the country's development.

On international affairs, Macut reaffirmed Serbia's sovereign and balanced approach.

While underscoring Serbia's commitment to the European Union (EU) accession process, he emphasised the country's independence in policymaking.

"Serbia does not approach the EU from a position of pleading, but from one of conviction. This relationship is a partnership founded on mutual respect, not asymmetry," he said.

He also stressed that domestic reforms are guided by national priorities rather than external demands.

"Our reforms are not a response to EU requirements. They are a response to the needs of our citizens," Macut added.

He also reaffirmed Serbia's dedication to broad international cooperation, saying that the country will "extend hands of cooperation to all".

Macut also addressed the Kosovo issue, calling it the highest national priority.

"We do not abandon our principles, but we do not reject dialogue. Peace is impossible without justice," he asserted.

Macut's nomination follows the resignation of former Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, who stepped down on January 28 amid mounting tensions following the deadly canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which resulted in 16 fatalities.

The National Assembly officially confirmed Vucevic's resignation on March 19.

--IANS

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Johannesberg, April 17 (IANS) The South African Department of Health has urged the public to remain vigilant against malaria as the country is seeing a slight increase in cases of the disease, particularly in malaria-endemic provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The department said on Wednesday that it has also noted malaria outbreaks in some neighbouring countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, mainly in Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This poses a threat of possible cross-border transmission of this preventable disease, especially as people travel across the region to various destinations for religious and cultural reasons as part of Easter holidays," department spokesperson Foster Mohale said in a statement.

He said the department will remain on high alert in case of a sudden peak in local malaria transmission.

"The healthcare providers in both endemic and non-endemic provinces have been alerted to maintain a high index of suspicion for malaria in patients with flu-like symptoms and report confirmed cases immediately to support malaria surveillance and response," Mohale added.

"They were also reminded to always inquire about travel history, particularly from high-risk regions, and conduct prompt malaria testing and repeat the tests if symptoms persist despite negative results," the spokesperson added.

"Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to saving lives and preventing further transmission of the disease."

"The Department will remain on high alert in case of sudden peak in malaria local transmission. The disease is primarily transmitted through a bite of an infected female mosquito called Anopheline. Common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea and loss of appetite or vomiting. Therefore, anyone who experiences any of the symptoms should present at the nearest healthcare facility."

According to the statement, malaria is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

The health department advised people travelling during the Easter holidays to take malaria prevention medication, such as doxycycline, which is freely available at all public health facilities.

If any symptoms arise, individuals are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention and always inform healthcare providers of their recent travel history, it added.

--IANS

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