LONDON: Senior former Iranian diplomats have slammed Tehran for failing to revive the nuclear deal and supplying drones to Russia in Ukraine, warning that the country risks becoming economically weakened and isolated.

Hamid Aboutalebi, a former political adviser to Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s previous president, tweeted on Monday that “Iranian foreign policy has been captured by extremists.”

PARIS: Some 5,000 people marched Monday to the EU parliament in the French city of Strasbourg in support of Iran’s anti-government protesters as Paris prepared an Eiffel Tower tribute to Mahsa Amini, whose death in September prompted the demonstrations.

CAIRO: Two passengers who arrived at Cairo International Airport are to be prosecuted in separate cases for trying to smuggle in items in violation of customs laws.

The first passenger was held in possession of 45 bladed weapons, while the other was carrying a quantity of tramadol tablets.

The passenger facing legal action over the bladed weapons was on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul. He was stopped by a customs officer at the gate and an inspection of his baggage by the X-ray machine revealed the presence of metallic objects.

AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s parliament has publicly condemned the government’s plan to hike fuel and utility prices, among other revenue-generating methods, the latest in a string of outraged responses to the policies. 

The Leadership Authority of the parliament stated that the government’s decision to increase fuel prices, electricity and water bills did not take into account the worsening economic situation and the miserable living conditions of the population.

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday his government plans to charge ahead with an overhaul of the country’s judicial system, despite fierce criticism from top legal officials and protests against the changes that drew tens of thousands of people.