Briefly

IRAN

Rouhani urges US to return to nuclear deal

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that a 2015 international nuclear agreement is "alive and well" with the end of Donald Trump's presidency, emphasizing the new US administration must fulfill its commitments for Teheran to fulfill its own. Iran is ready to "very quickly" solve the existing issues if the US government shows political will sincerely, Rouhani said in televised remarks to his cabinet. During his four-year term, Trump led a campaign of "maximum pressure "against Iran, pulling Washington out of the landmark deal with Teheran in 2018 and reimposing punishing sanctions. The sanctions targeted Iran's vital oil sales and international banking ties, plunging its economy into a recession.

EGYPT

Cairo agrees to resume diplomatic ties with Doha

Egypt has agreed to resume diplomatic relations with Qatar, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. The decision came days after Egypt signed a declaration at the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, which ended a boycott on Qatar by the Arab quartet, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. They cut ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of being too close to Iran, a charge denied by Doha. On Monday, the first Egyptian flight to Qatar in more than three years took off from Cairo.

Xinhua - Agencies