Dubai, Nov 3 (AP) Iran’s chief negotiator says it’s up to the United States to prevent renewed war after what he described as a “firm and rational response” to Washington. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf did not elaborate. His comments came after the US conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Tuesday. Read our full coverage here.
Iranian parliament speaker says the ball is in the US court to prevent renewed war
———————————————————————————————-
Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker says the ball is now in the US court to prevent new fighting after Tehran delivered what was a “firm and rational response” to the US, state TV reported.
In an address to parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran remained ready “for battle with its finger on the trigger.”
He did not elaborate and it was unclear what “response” he referred to. His comment came after a US official said the military conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the official, the strikes targeted Iranians using surface-to-air missiles. The official wasn’t authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island.
Ghalibaf said: “If Washington makes another strategic miscalculation, it should know that this time it will face a new battlefield and will find itself even more desperate than it is today, searching for a way out.”
Iran plans to train 1 million paramilitary volunteers
———————————————————-
Iran opened its third military training centre in Tehran as authorities announced plans to train 1 million paramilitary volunteers nationwide, amid fears of renewed conflict with the United States and Israel.
Members of the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, attended the inauguration, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported. Two similar centres previously opened in Tehran in August and September.
Iran’s “Janfada,” or “sacrificials,” campaign began registering volunteers in March and includes military training, emergency relief and logistical support. Courses cover urban defence, weapons handling, air defence, rescue operations, firefighting and navigation.
UN says displaced Yemeni women and children are losing services
————————————————————————
Women and children displaced by the fighting in Yemen are losing access to essential services, including maternity care and protection from violence, the UN said.
Renewed fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government forces has displaced some 300,000 people over the past few months. The conflict, which is mainly concentrated in the west coast and southern province of Taiz, broke a four-year truce and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in one of the Arab world’s poorest countries.
Francesco Galtieri, the UN Population Fund’s representative in Aden, said fighting had escalated to levels not seen since 2020. It has led to limited access to services, leaving women and girls increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence, sexual violence and exploitation.
In the besieged city of Taiz, Galtieri warned of a “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation,” with life-saving services increasingly out of reach for more than 147,000 women and girls of reproductive age. Of the city’s 27 emergency maternal and neonatal hospitals, only five remain operational.
UNFPA estimates that more than 13,000 pregnant women are currently without access to essential maternal healthcare.
China calls for dialogue to resolve disputes
————————————————–
Amid prospects of renewed US attacks on Iran, China called on all the parties to resolve their disputes through dialogue and negotiations.
“China believes that military means do not help resolve problems and will only exacerbate tensions and escalate the situation,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular briefing in Beijing.
China announced on Monday that it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November as part of Beijing’s efforts to promote regional peace.
(PTI News)
