Latest World News: Interviews

Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Interviews Nigerian Minister of State and Saudi Deputy Defense Minister in Riyadh (SPA)

Nigeria Nears Military Agreements with Saudi Arabia to Boost Security, Combat Terrorism

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, told Asharq Al-Awsat that his country is close to signing military agreements with Saudi…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Yemeni Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Mohsen al-Daeri (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Yemen Defense Minister: Houthi Attacks May Persist Even After Gaza War Ends

Yemen’s Defense Minister, Lt. Gen. Mohsen al-Daeri, does not expect Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea to stop even if the Gaza war ends…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Imran Riza, the UN’s Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)

UN Deputy Special Coordinator to Asharq Al-Awsat: Humanitarian Situation in Lebanon is ‘Catastrophic’

One of the UN’s top humanitarian officials in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has warned that the situation will worsen if the conflict continues, calling for an…

Nazeer Rida (Beirut)
Interviews Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Brazil’s Foreign Minister: Relations with Saudi Arabia Have Grown Stronger

Saudi-Brazilian relations have strengthened, particularly in political and economic cooperation, since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office as Brazil’s…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ethan Goldrich during the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat

Goldrich to Asharq Al-Awsat: No US Withdrawal from Syria

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Ethan Goldrich has told Asharq Al-Awsat that the US does not plan to withdraw its forces from…

Rana Abtar (Washington )

Interviews Girls carrying food containers in a temporary camp in Rafah, near the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. (AFP)

ICRC to Asharq Al-Awsat: Israel, Hamas Do Not Allow Us to Visit Detainees

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that since Oct. 7, 2023, the Israeli authorities have suspended visits to Palestinian detainees in its…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during his interview with Asharq Al-Awsat in Cairo (Photo: Abdel Fattah Farag)

Somali President to ‘Asharq Al-Awsat’ : No Talks with Sisi on War Declaration against Ethiopia

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, played down the possibility…

Khaled Mahmoud (Cairo)
Interviews Phillipe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Photo: UN

Lazzarini Warns Via Asharq Al-Awsat of Imminent Famine in Gaza

Famine in Gaza is “imminent,” warns UNRWA, if the international community does not step up its aid to more 2.2 million Palestinian civilians in the Strip. …

Ali Barada (Washington )
Interviews Yemen Oil Minister Dr. Saeed Al-Shammasi (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Yemeni Oil Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Plan to Establish Refineries in Shabwa, Hadramout

Yemeni Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saeed Al-Shammasi, expressed the government’s full readiness to resume the export of crude oil and liquefied…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein

Iraqi FM: Iran Can't Strike Israel, Yet Targets Friendly Ally

Hours before Iraq lodged a complaint against Iran at the UN Security Council, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein criticized Iran’s attack on Erbil, calling it an …

Najlaa Habriri (Davos )
Interviews Protesters commemorate the children killed in Gaza during a demonstration in New York City on December 28 (AFP)

James Zogby to Asharq Al-Awsat: Arab Americans ‘Fearful,’ Won’t Vote for Biden

James Zogby, head of the American-Arab Institute in Washington, disclosed to Asharq Al-Awsat that President Joe Biden’s popularity has significantly dropped…

Interviews Sudan’s National Umma Party Chairperson Fadlallah Baramah (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Baramah to Asharq Al-Awsat: Sudan War Lacks Clear Purpose or Justification

The leader of Sudan’s National Umma Party, Fadlallah Baramah, described the signing of the “Addis Ababa Declaration” between the Civil Democratic Forces…

Ahmed Younes (Addis Ababa )
Interviews Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli raid on a house in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Thursday. (Reuters)

Al-Dardari to Asharq Al-Awsat: Gaza Regressed 21 Years in Human Development

Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Regional Director for Arab States, Abdullah Al-Dardari, said that numbers published in the media “cannot…

Mohammed Khair al-Rawashdeh (Amman)
Interviews Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Deputy FM of Azerbaijan to Asharq Al-Awsat: Relentless Efforts for Comprehensive Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yalchin Rafiyev stressed Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in enhancing security and stability in the region, and…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak (Saba News Agency)

Yemeni FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Houthis Exploit Red Sea Security for Propaganda Purposes

Yemen’s Houthis are exploiting the security of the Red Sea for internal propaganda purposes, warned Foreign Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak, emphasizing that…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews US Department of State regional spokesman Samuel Warburg. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

State Department to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Look Forward to Riyadh Summits Outcomes, Committed to Release of Hostages

As Israel intensified its strikes on hospitals and schools in Gaza, a US official justified his country’s use of the veto power against a resolution to stop…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki (Photo Credit: Bashir Saleh)

Eritrean President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Partnership with Saudi Arabia will Uplift Region from Underdevelopment Swamp

In a scathing attack, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki criticized the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Iran's Ambassador to Riyadh Ali Reza Enayati (IRNA)

Iran's Ambassador to Asharq Al-Awsat: Ready to Cooperate with Saudi Arabia to Support Palestine

Iran is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia to support the Palestinian people, said Ambassador to Riyadh Ali Reza Enayati. In an interview with…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly speaks to Asharq Al-Awsat in Riyadh (Photo by: Bashir Saleh)

British Foreign Secretary to Asharq Al-Awsat: Serious Work Underway to Avoid Expansion of Gaza War

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has stressed the importance of advancing the Arab initiative and the two-state solution as the Israel-Hamas war…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Ambassador Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Hossam Zaki to Asharq Al-Awsat: The Plan to Displace Palestinians will not be Successful

The Arab League confirmed that an emergency summit, which will be held on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, will express a solid Arab position in support of…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov with Hamas leaders Musa Abu Marzouk and Bassem Naim in Moscow (Reuters)

Hamas Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Briefed Russia on Causes Behind Oct. 7 Attack

Hamas is ready to discuss a deal to release civilian prisoners, said politburo member Moussa Abu Marzouk. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Abu Marzouk…

Raed Jaber (Moscow)
Interviews China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun

Chinese Endeavor to Hold International Conference to Resume Peace Negotiations between Palestinians, Israel

China’s special envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun revealed his country’s endeavor to mobilize international efforts to immediately stop the Israeli war on Gaza…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Roberto Cantone (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Italian Ambassador to Asharq Al-Awsat: Strategic Cooperation with Saudi Arabia is Growing in Light of Vision 2030

Future Investment Initiative (FII7) established a new road map for cooperation between Rome and Riyadh and enhanced the opportunities for strategic and dynamic…

Abdurrahman Youssef (Riyadh)
Interviews Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (Photo by: Abdul Aziz Al-Zoman)

Malaysian Prime Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Stopping War in Gaza is an Immediate Demand

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underlined the importance of the Arab and Islamic role led by Saudi Arabia to stop the ongoing war between the Israeli…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Energy, and his Indian counterpart, during the signing of the agreement between the two countries (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Indian Minister of Renewable Energy: We Seek Deeper Partnership with Saudi Arabia

Indian Minister of Electricity and New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh said that his country was seeking to establish a deeper partnership with Saudi…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews  Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour (AFP)

Mansour to Asharq Al-Awsat: US Logic Grants Israel ‘License to Kill’

Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour has urged the UN Security Council to “immediately intervene” to halt what he called a “genocidal operation”…

Ali Barada (Washington )
Interviews Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Haitham Al-Ghais

OPEC Secretary General: Lack of Oil Investments Threatens Growth

Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Haitham Al-Ghais warned of the danger of ending investment in the oil and gas…

Interviews The Ministry of Local Administration in Yemen aims to enhance decentralization (Saba News)

Yemeni Local Administration Minister Says Pursuing Decentralization Within Legal Frameworks

Yemen’s Local Administration Ministry is committed to achieving decentralization in all provinces without discrimination, affirmed Minister Hussein Abdulrahman…

Ali Rabih (Aden)
Interviews  The trial of Saddam and the senior officers of his regime (Getty)

Allawi Recounts Assassination Attempt, Says They Sneaked into Morgue to Check his Body

In the seventies, two young men left Iraq to escape from then-deputy Saddam Hussein and his murderous security machine. The first is Nouri al-Maliki, a member…

Ghassan Charbel (London)