Abdollahian Points to ‘Initiatives’ to Resume Nuclear Negotiations

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Al-Busaidi received his Iranian counterpart and his accompanying delegation, in Muscat on Wednesday. (Oman News)
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Al-Busaidi received his Iranian counterpart and his accompanying delegation, in Muscat on Wednesday. (Oman News)
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Abdollahian Points to ‘Initiatives’ to Resume Nuclear Negotiations

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Al-Busaidi received his Iranian counterpart and his accompanying delegation, in Muscat on Wednesday. (Oman News)
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Al-Busaidi received his Iranian counterpart and his accompanying delegation, in Muscat on Wednesday. (Oman News)

Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Hossein Abdollahian announced on Wednesday that his country had heard ideas regarding negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal on Iran, expressing his gratitude for the constructive role of the Sultan of Oman and its sincere intentions in this regard.
 
On the second day of his visit to Oman, which he concluded on Wednesday before heading to Beirut, Abdollahian said that Muscat “always plays a constructive role” in the nuclear talks, adding: “We have held the necessary consultations in this context.”
 
Later on Wednesday, the Omani News Agency quoted Abdollahian as saying that the Sultanate has “serious initiatives” regarding the Iranian nuclear program that “will contribute” to the revival of negotiations.
 
Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Omani and Iranian foreign ministers discussed a number of regional and international issues, and stressed the continuation of “consultation and support for all efforts aimed at consolidating security and stability in the region and encouraging dialogue and peaceful ways to resolve differences.”
 
The Iranian minister pointed to the role of Oman in facilitating the Iranian-Saudi talks and praised its efforts in mediating regional dialogues.

He also welcomed the constructive efforts made by Oman with regard to Yemen, expressing hope that those would lead to the consolidation of peace in the region.
 
Abdollahian continued: “The Islamic Republic of Iran, within the framework of its neighborhood policy and its respect for the principle of good neighborliness, welcomes the restoration of relations with Saudi Arabia and considers this matter to serve the interests of the region.”
 
The two sides also discussed the security developments in the region.

“We have made great progress in the field of energy and cooperation… as well as in trade, economy and investment. Very good matters have happened, and we hope that we will be able to complete them during the upcoming visit of the Sultan of Oman to Tehran,” the Iranian minister said.
 
Iranian sources expect Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who received an invitation from the Iranian president, to visit Tehran in May. In June 2022, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi paid a one-day visit to Muscat.



Hurricane Simon Expected to Become Major Hurricane off Mexico Coast

A member of the Mexican Army stands on the Malecon waterfront during the implementation of Plan DN-III-E, a disaster relief plan, as waves crash ashore ahead of Hurricane Simon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Ruano
A member of the Mexican Army stands on the Malecon waterfront during the implementation of Plan DN-III-E, a disaster relief plan, as waves crash ashore ahead of Hurricane Simon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Ruano
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Hurricane Simon Expected to Become Major Hurricane off Mexico Coast

A member of the Mexican Army stands on the Malecon waterfront during the implementation of Plan DN-III-E, a disaster relief plan, as waves crash ashore ahead of Hurricane Simon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Ruano
A member of the Mexican Army stands on the Malecon waterfront during the implementation of Plan DN-III-E, a disaster relief plan, as waves crash ashore ahead of Hurricane Simon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Christian Ruano

Hurricane Simon is expected to become a major hurricane on Sunday near ‌the ‌west-central coast ‌of Mexico ⁠and move very close ⁠to the coast on Monday, ⁠the US National ‌Hurricane Center ‌said.

Simon was ‌located ‌about 60 miles (96.56 km) west-southwest of Manzanillo, ‌Mexico, early Sunday morning, ⁠packing ⁠maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, NHC said in its latest update.


Russia Says It Has Captured Four Settlements in Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: Smoke billows from Yandex's Sasovo hub, one of the company's five large data centers, after a fire following a drone strike forced the suspension of operations at the site, which hosts tens of thousands of servers, Sasovo, Russia, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video on October 8, 2026. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS.
FILE PHOTO: Smoke billows from Yandex's Sasovo hub, one of the company's five large data centers, after a fire following a drone strike forced the suspension of operations at the site, which hosts tens of thousands of servers, Sasovo, Russia, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video on October 8, 2026. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS.
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Russia Says It Has Captured Four Settlements in Ukraine

FILE PHOTO: Smoke billows from Yandex's Sasovo hub, one of the company's five large data centers, after a fire following a drone strike forced the suspension of operations at the site, which hosts tens of thousands of servers, Sasovo, Russia, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video on October 8, 2026. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS.
FILE PHOTO: Smoke billows from Yandex's Sasovo hub, one of the company's five large data centers, after a fire following a drone strike forced the suspension of operations at the site, which hosts tens of thousands of servers, Sasovo, Russia, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video on October 8, 2026. SOCIAL MEDIA/via REUTERS.

The Russian defense ministry said on Sunday ‌that ‌Russian troops ‌had ⁠captured the villages of Kupyne ⁠and Riznykove in ⁠Ukraine's ‌Kharkiv region, ‌as well ‌as Novotroitske ‌and Davydovske in the ‌Donetsk region, news ⁠agency Interfax reported.

Reuters ⁠could not immediately verify the battlefield reports.


109 Migrants Dead, 116 Missing after Boat Capsizes off Djibouti, Says UN

Migrants give signals to NGO Proactiva Open Arms Uno rescue boat in central Mediterranean Sea, August 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Migrants give signals to NGO Proactiva Open Arms Uno rescue boat in central Mediterranean Sea, August 17, 2022. (Reuters)
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109 Migrants Dead, 116 Missing after Boat Capsizes off Djibouti, Says UN

Migrants give signals to NGO Proactiva Open Arms Uno rescue boat in central Mediterranean Sea, August 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Migrants give signals to NGO Proactiva Open Arms Uno rescue boat in central Mediterranean Sea, August 17, 2022. (Reuters)

At least 109 migrants were killed, including 15 children, and some 116 were missing after a boat sank off the shores of Djibouti overnight on October 8-9, a UN agency said Sunday.

Survivors said the vessel -- which was carrying 350 people from Djibouti to Yemen -- capsized north of the Djibouti town of Obock, according to a statement from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), whose teams are on the ground alongside local authorities to provide emergency aid.