US Says Commitment to Security in the Middle East is Strong

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to Defense Department personnel during a visit by US President Joe Biden at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria//File Photo
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to Defense Department personnel during a visit by US President Joe Biden at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria//File Photo
TT

US Says Commitment to Security in the Middle East is Strong

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to Defense Department personnel during a visit by US President Joe Biden at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria//File Photo
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to Defense Department personnel during a visit by US President Joe Biden at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US, February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria//File Photo

America's top defense official vowed Saturday to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and said President Joe Biden's administration was committed to the region.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's comments in Bahrain at the annual Manama Dialogue appeared aimed at reassuring America's Gulf Arab allies as the Biden administration tries to revive the nuclear deal, which limited Iran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

“The United States remains committed to preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon. And we remain committed to a diplomatic outcome of the nuclear issue,” Austin told an event put on by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

“But if Iran isn’t willing to engage seriously, then we will look at all of the options necessary to keep the United States secure,” he said.

"Let's be clear: America's commitment to security in the Middle East is strong and sure," Austin added.



Kuwait Revokes Record Number of 930 Citizenships in One Day

The Supreme Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Citizenship has decided to revoke and annul the Kuwaiti citizenship of 930 individuals. (KUNA)
The Supreme Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Citizenship has decided to revoke and annul the Kuwaiti citizenship of 930 individuals. (KUNA)
TT

Kuwait Revokes Record Number of 930 Citizenships in One Day

The Supreme Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Citizenship has decided to revoke and annul the Kuwaiti citizenship of 930 individuals. (KUNA)
The Supreme Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Citizenship has decided to revoke and annul the Kuwaiti citizenship of 930 individuals. (KUNA)

The Supreme Committee to Investigate the Kuwaiti Citizenship has taken a significant step by revoking and annulling the citizenship of 930 individuals, in preparation for presenting their cases to the Cabinet.
The Ministry of Interior announced that the Committee convened on Thursday and made the decision to revoke the Kuwaiti citizenship of 930 individuals. This action is subject to final approval and will be submitted to the Cabinet for further review.
On October 31, the committee revoked the citizenship of 489 individuals, setting a new record for the largest single nationality revocation, surpassing the previous record set on September 20, when 112 individuals had their citizenship annulled.
No official statistics are available on the total number of nationality revocations since the committee began its work in early March, when Kuwaiti authorities launched a campaign aimed at revoking citizenships for various reasons, primarily related to fraud. By the end of September, unofficial estimates suggested that over 2,000 individuals had lost their citizenship, with some cases still pending formal decrees.
Kuwait’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf, emphasized that the nationality revocations are aimed at individuals and their dependents who obtained citizenship without fulfilling the legal requirements, particularly those who never received an official decree. He pointed out that some members of previous governments had bypassed legal procedures by approving citizenship applications without awaiting the formal decree.
In a statement to a local newspaper, Sheikh Fahad Yusuf explained that those whose citizenships were revoked did not contest the committee’s decisions, as they were based on clear evidence and proper documentation. He emphasized that the process of nationality revocation would continue, stating: “We are still at the beginning,” and assured that revocations would proceed only after thorough examination and verification of all cases.