Are Iran nuclear deal talks at risk?
Plus: Lebanese minister resigns, Mosul complains, first genocide verdict against an Islamic State member, and much more.
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Iran nuclear deal talks
Talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have been resumed on Monday, three years after former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement.
However, the United States and Iran both sounded pessimistic on Thursday about the chances of reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had little cause for optimism.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said Iran had delivered two drafts to the Europeans, one on sanctions removal and nuclear limitations.
On Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran started producing enriched uranium with advanced centrifuges.
Iran wants to enrich uranium for civil uses. The deal restricts such enrichment to 3.67%, far below the 90% required to build nuclear weapons. But at the current time, Iran is enriching uranium at various levels (the highest is around 60%).
However, the talks on salvaging teetered on the brink of the crisis on Friday as they broke off until next week, with European officials expressing dismay at the demands of Iran's new hardline administration.
According to Reuters, the Iranian delegation has proposed radical changes to the text of an agreement negotiated in previous rounds. Read more on Reuters.
Lebanon
Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi has announced his resignation today, December 2. His criticism about the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen against the Houthi rebels sparked a diplomatic crisis. Lebanon is trying to resolve the dispute with Gulf countries. Read more about Kordhai's resignation on Al-Jazeera. If you want to learn more about the economic implications of Lebanon-Gulf row, read my article for Deutsche Welle here.
Islamic State
Taha Al-Jumailly, 29, was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity resulting in death, war crimes, aiding and abetting war crimes, and bodily harm resulting in death after joining the so-called Islamic State group in 2013. This is the first genocide verdict against an ISIS member.
Prosecutors say Al-Jumailly and his now ex-wife "purchased" a Yazidi woman and child as household "slaves" while living in then IS-occupied Mosul in 2015. Prosecutors accused Al-Jumailly of chaining the five-year-old girl to a window outdoors in high temperature as a punishment for wetting her mattress, leading her to die of thirst. Read the full story on France24.
Iraq
Civilians in the Iraqi city of Mosul complain about the power of the militias who freed them from the clutches of the terror group Islamic State but turned to occupiers later on. Read the full report by Judit Neurink on Al-Monitor.
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates
After talks between President Tayyip Erdogan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates signed accords for billions of dollars of investments on Wednesday. The UAE announced a $10 billion fund to support mainly strategic investments in Turkey, including health and energy fields. The agreements highlight the countries' pivot towards partnership after a battle for regional influence since the Arab uprisings erupted a decade ago. Read more on Reuters.
Egypt
On Monday, an Egyptian court convicted Hossam Bahgat, a prominent human rights advocate and lawyer, of spreading false news and insulting a government authority. The penalty imposed on Bahgat was relatively modest, but the prosecution was just the latest chapter in a legal odyssey that has brought him to near ruin. This month, five activists and politicians, including a former member of Parliament, were sentenced from three to five years in prison. Read the full reporting by Mona El-Naggar on The New York Times.
Syria
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a four-star general to review a 2019 strike in Syria that caused civilian casualties, the Pentagon said on Monday. Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that the US strike in Baghuz, Syria, killed up to 64 women and children during the battle against Islamic State.
Libya
The son of Libya's longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi has been given the go-ahead to run in the country's upcoming presidential election. His lawyer said, a week after being disqualified for what Libyan authorities said were war crimes committed the uprising against his father more than ten years ago.
That's all for this week. The main goal of Inshallah is hosting the best of journalism to give you the sharpest information about what is happening in the Middle East and not let you behind.
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About me
My name is Dario Sabaghi, a freelance journalist. I am interested in human rights and international news focusing on the MENA region.
Check out my work at dariosabaghi.com.
You can follow me on Twitter: @DarioSabaghi
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Cover photo: AFP/Getty Images