DUBAI: Iran will not retreat from its “rightful and logical” stance in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear pact, President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday, state television reported.
Iran refuses to hold direct talks with its arch-foe, the United States, and the last indirect meeting between them, in the Middle East nation of Qatar last month, failed to produce any breakthroughs.
“Americans say Iran should return to the nuclear pact, but the Islamic Republic never left the deal and it was Washington that violated the treaty,” Raisi added.

JERUSALEM: US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday for his first trip to the Middle East since taking office.

He will hold talks with Israeli, Palestinian, and Saudi Arabian officials during the four-day trip.

The president was received at Ben Gurion Airport by Israeli officials including Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, and alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

LONDON: US President Joe Biden wants to use his Middle East trip this week to deepen Israel’s integration in the region and will be working toward “progress and momentum” on discussions surrounding relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the White House said on Monday.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said any normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia was likely to take a long time, but that Biden would be looking to make progress on that front during his trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week.

JEDDAH: US President Joe Biden will sign an agreement with Israel this week pledging that both countries will use “all elements of national power” to ensure that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, Israeli officials said on Tuesday.

The declaration of a joint stance against Iran’s nuclear program and regional aggression will be the centerpiece of Biden’s visit to Israel this week, after which he will travel to Saudi Arabia.

MUSCAT: Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman will pay an official visit to Germany beginning on Wednesday, the Oman News Agency reported.