Benjamin Netanyahu called a meeting of Israel’s expanded emergency cabinet as a show of unity, and then the Israeli military prepared to go into the Gaza Strip to hunt out Hamas, whose deadly assault across Israeli border communities startled the world. “Hamas was under the impression that we would be destroyed. He stated that those listening to him would be the ones to bring down Hamas.

“The responsibility for the possible opening of new fronts of resistance in the region and any escalation of today’s war directly falls on the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel),” Hossein Amirabdollahian said after he met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar. During their meeting, the two men discussed the group’s deadly attack in Israel “and agreed to continue cooperation” to achieve the group’s goals.

Earlier, in a phone chat with his counterpart in France, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi urged France to assist in “preventing oppression” of Palestinians. He was speaking with Emmanuel Macron.

According to a comment attributed to Ebrahim Raisi, who was speaking in reference to Israel, “The situation will become more complicated… if the crimes committed by the Zionist regime, including the killing of people and the blockade of Gaza, are not stopped.”

This comes at a time when approximately 2.3 million inhabitants in Gaza confront a growing struggle for food, water, and safety as they prepare for an oncoming assault. Israel has issued orders for residents of roughly the northern half of the territory to evacuate, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to comply with those orders.

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The Israeli military has stated that it will not target a particular route south for the next several hours, and has once again urged Palestinians to leave the northern areas in large groups. The day before, the military also provided two passageways in addition to a lengthier window of opportunity.

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The closure is part of stepped-up measures taken against women and businesses who violate the Islamic republic’s stringent dress code in recent months.

Since Sunday evening, the Mojhaye Khoroushan water park has been closed, according to complex superintendent Mohammad Babaei, as quoted by the Fars news agency.

Babaei said authorities have proclaimed the park’s closure due to people’s “ignoring chastity and hjiab” rules.

In Iran, women are required to cover their head and neck since 1983, following the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Babaei insisted that the park has “adhered to the law” and routinely reminded female visitors to observe hijab regulations.

Babaei told Fars that about 1,000 people who work at the park are afraid about losing their jobs.

The Mojhaye Khoroushan complex, which is more than 70,000 square yards big, is one of the world’s biggest indoor water parks.

It is on the edge of Mashhad, a holy city in the northeast where the shrine of the eighth Imam of Shiite Islam is located.

Since the death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody on September 16 of last year, which led to a lot of protests, women in Iran have broken the dress code more and more.

Mahsa Amini, an Iranian Kurd, was arrested because she broke the rules about how to dress.

In the past few months, the ban has been enforced by closing companies that don’t follow the rules and putting cameras in public places to watch for violations.

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In July, state media said that there were more police searches to catch people breaking the law.

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China’s involvement in the issue was highlighted in an article published by the Global Times, a Chinese government-affiliated news outlet. The publication urged the international community to refocus on the Palestinian issue, emphasizing the collective responsibility to assist the Middle East in achieving peace and stability.

Seven persons were injured in a recent Palestinian suicide attack in Tel Aviv, carried out by a 20-year-old Palestinian, which highlights the urgency of mediation. Hamas, a Palestinian political organization, described the assault as a “first response to Israeli crimes against Jenin residents.” This incident and a succession of events that have escalated have increased the need for external intervention to de-escalate tensions.

Significantly, China’s attempt to mediate follows Israel’s extensive operation in Jenin involving drones and helicopters, which resulted in the largest assault in the northern West Bank in more than two decades.

The operation resulted in the death of at least ten Palestinians, the injury of eighty others, and the flight of thousands from the affected refugee camp. In response, Palestine severed all contacts, meetings, and security coordination with the Israeli government, vehemently condemning its brutal West Bank raids.

During a June 27 meeting of the UN Security Council, the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, emphasized the significance of breaking the cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.

He emphasized the importance of upholding international law, halting unilateral actions that alter the status quo, honoring political commitments, and advancing the two-state solution. Zhang Jun’s comments demonstrate China’s desire to play a significant role as a regional arbitrator.

The expanding role of China in mediating conflicts is not limited to the Palestine-Israel conflict. The recent success in facilitating the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran has emboldened China to pursue additional diplomatic efforts as a mediator in international disputes involving Gulf states and beyond.

In June, President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine visited China, where President Xi Jinping proposed a three-point settlement for the Palestinian issue. President Xi emphasized the urgency of addressing the unresolved issue, which has caused the Palestinian people significant distress for decades.

The visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to China, scheduled for later this month, is anticipated by Chinese leaders. Although the trip has not yet been officially confirmed, experts and academics believe that Netanyahu’s visit could be instrumental in advancing a peaceful resolution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.

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According to some experts, Netanyahu’s decision to engage with China reflects Israel’s desire to remind the United States that other diplomatic options exist.

China seeks to facilitate the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel in addition to mediating the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Western nations, and the United States in particular, have yet to determine how they will respond to China’s newfound willingness to mediate in complex international issues.

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“The Government of the Republic of Maldives welcomes the Joint Trilateral Statement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the People’s Republic of China announcing that an agreement has been reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, including an agreement to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries and reopen their embassies and missions, as well as the affirmation of respect for the sovereignty of the Republic of Maldives.” In light of these positive and welcome developments, the Government of Maldives has decided to reestablish diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to a government statement.

The Maldives severed political ties with Iran on May 17, 2016, while former President Abdullah Yameen was in office.

After China-led mediation talks, Saudi Arabia and Iran reestablished diplomatic ties. The two nations reaffirmed their respect for state sovereignty and their policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.

Included in the agreement is the reopening of their embassies and missions. This significant development follows years of tensions between the two countries, including an attack attributed to Tehran on the heart of the kingdom’s oil production that was devastating.

In accordance with the trilateral agreement under which China would host and sponsor talks between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, “due to their shared desire to resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy, and in light of their brotherly ties.”

The three nations expressed their eagerness to make every effort to advance regional and global peace and security.

The Saudi and Iranian delegations expressed their appreciation and gratitude to Iraq and Oman for hosting dialogue rounds between the two countries in 2021 and 2022.

The two parties also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the leadership and government of the People’s Republic of China for hosting and sponsoring the negotiations, as well as for the efforts it made to ensure their success.

It is pertinent to note that ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran were severed in 2016 following the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran during a dispute between the two nations over the execution of a Shi’ite Muslim cleric by Riyadh.

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Iran, the leading Shi’ite Muslim state in the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia, the region’s largest oil exporter and Sunni Muslim power, have supported opposing sides in proxy wars in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere.

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After seven years of tensions between the Mideast rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on Friday to restore diplomatic relations and reopen embassies. The significant diplomatic breakthrough reached with China reduces the likelihood of armed conflict between the nations, both directly and through proxy conflicts in the region.

The agreement, reached this week in Beijing during the National People’s Congress, represents a significant diplomatic victory for China, as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States to be gradually withdrawing from the greater Middle East. Diplomats have also been attempting to end the years-long conflict in Yemen, in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are profoundly entrenched.

The two countries issued a joint statement regarding the agreement brokered by China. The agreement was not promptly reported by Chinese state media.

Iranian state media published images and video of the meeting, which they claimed were captured in China. It depicted Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, with Saudi national security adviser Musa bin Mohammed al-Aiban and China’s most senior diplomat, Wang Yi.

“After the resolution is implemented, the foreign ministers of both countries will meet to prepare for an ambassadorial exchange,” Iranian state television reported. The statement added that the negotiations lasted four days.

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The joint statement calls for the reestablishment of diplomatic relations and the restoration of embassies “within two months at the most.”

In the footage broadcast by Iranian media, Wang could be heard congratulating the two nations on their “wisdom.”

He stated, “Both factions have demonstrated sincerity.” “China endorses this agreement completely.”

China, which recently hosted the hard-line president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, is also one of the leading purchasers of Saudi crude. President Xi Jinping, who was just granted a third five-year tenure as president on Friday, travelled to Riyadh in December to attend meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations vital to China’s energy supply.

Shamkhani was quoted by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency as describing the discussions as “clear, transparent, comprehensive, and constructive.”

Shamkhani was quoted as saying, “Removing misunderstandings and adopting future-oriented perspectives in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will undoubtedly lead to an improvement in regional stability and security, as well as an increase in cooperation between nations of the Persian Gulf and the Islamic world in addressing current challenges.”

Shortly after the Iranian declaration, Saudi state media began to publish the identical statement.

High tensions exist between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In 2016, the monarchy severed ties with Iran after protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic posts there. A prominent Shiite cleric was executed by Saudi Arabia several days prior to the demonstrations.

The execution occurred during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ascent to power, when he was a deputy. Prince Mohammed, the son of King Salman, once compared Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolph Hitler and also threatened to strike Iran.

Since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement with world powers in 2018, tensions have risen dramatically throughout the Middle East. Since then, Iran has been blamed for a succession of attacks, including one in 2019 that temporarily halved Saudi Arabia’s crude oil output.

Although Yemeni Houthi rebels backed by Iran initially claimed responsibility for the assault, Western nations and experts have since placed the blame on Tehran. Iran has long denied initiating the assault. It has also denied involvement in subsequent attacks attributed to the Islamic Republic.

According to Kristian Ulrichsen, a research scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute who has long studied the region, Saudi Arabia’s agreement with Iran followed the United Arab Emirates’ agreement with Tehran.

“This tension reduction and de-escalation has been ongoing for three years, and it was precipitated by the Saudis’ admission that without unconditional U.S. support, they were unable to project power against Iran and the rest of the region,” he said.

Ulrichsen added that Prince Mohammed, who is currently concentrated on massive construction projects in his own country, is also likely to seek an end to the Yemen war.

“Uncertainty could cause significant injury to his plans,” he said.

In September 2014, the Houthis captured Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and drove the internationally recognised government into exile in Saudi Arabia. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition equipped with U.S. weapons and intelligence joined the conflict on the side of Yemen’s exiled government. Years of inconclusive fighting have created a humanitarian crisis and driven the poorest nation in the Arab world to the edge of famine.

The longest cease-fire of the war in Yemen, lasting six months, expired in October despite diplomatic efforts to extend it. This led to concerns that the conflict could escalate again. During the fighting in Yemen, over 150,000 people have been slain, including over 14,500 civilians.

In recent months, negotiations have taken place in Oman, a longstanding mediator between Iran and the United States. Some had hoped for an agreement before the observance of Ramadan, the holy Muslim month of fasting, which will commence later in March. In recent years, Iran and Saudi Arabia have held intermittent discussions, but it was unclear whether Yemen was the impetus for this new detente.

Recent seizures by the U.S. Navy and its allies include a number of shipments of weaponry from Iran destined for Yemen. Iran denies arming the Houthis, despite the fact that captured firearms match those seen in rebel hands on the battlefield. A United Nations arms embargo prohibits nations from supplying the Houthis with weaponry.

However, it remains unclear what this signifies for America. After its tumultuous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Washington’s intentions are no longer viewed as ensuring the energy security of the Middle East by regional leaders. The State Department of the United States did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the announced agreement.

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We have seen earlier also that people have come out on the streets against the government of different countries. Rebellion has taken place and power has changed in many places. The Arab Spring is the biggest example of this, in which the protests that started with the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouzizi in Tunisia changed the regime in many countries of the Middle East.

Even at this time public anger is being seen against the government in different countries of the world. Hundreds of people have taken to the streets against corruption in Mongolia, while in India’s neighboring country Bangladesh, people are protesting against Sheikh Hasina’s government and demanding her resignation. At the same time, in Shia-majority Iran, protests have been going on for months over the issue of forced hijab. Let us know the situation of all the three countries one by one.

Trying to put pressure on the Mongolian government by demonstrating anti-corruption

Anti-corruption demonstrations have been taking place for the 10th consecutive day on December 14 at Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Demonstrators with several banners and slogans are demanding that the government of Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Lovsansaray expose the “coal mafia”. This movement is one of the second largest peaceful protest movements in Mongolia since 1991.

The protests, which began on December 5, have continued despite freezing temperatures of up to -30 degrees Celsius. The youth are constantly putting pressure on the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice regarding their demands. As the protest progressed, more people came in support. Apart from exposing the coal mafia, many issues and complaints also became part of the protest. These include issues such as air pollution, high taxes, lack of job opportunities, coal shortages, corruption, and inequality.

In response to the public outcry, the Mongolian cabinet has taken a major decision. The cabinet passed an emergency resolution to declassify nine projects implemented by state-owned mining company Erdens Tavan Tolgoi (ETT) due to coal industry corruption.

As far as the demand of the protesters to reveal the names of the coal mafia, the Justice Ministry of the government says that we do not have the legal authority to reveal the names of middle and high-level ‘thieves’. Our work and principle is to strengthen the legal, justice system of Mongolia.

In an interview with Zuv.mn on Facebook Live, a young female protester said that the current government’s actions will not be enough. This is not a real solution to Mongolia’s corruption.

The protester further asked the country’s government why he and his comrades were struggling to live in present-day Mongolia despite their higher education and foreign language skills. He asked, whether he has been abandoned by his government to lead a restless life. In a country where other people are stealing lakhs. Mongolians want the Oyun-Erdene administration to end the corrupt system that has protected these mining groups, especially state-owned enterprises. Mongolians do not want to hear political rhetoric, they want clear action against corruption from the Ministry of Justice and the Prime Minister of the country.

How is the situation in Bangladesh

Similar to Mongolia, protests are continuing in Bangladesh as well. Demonstrations against Sheikh Hasina’s government are continuing here under the leadership of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The BNP is demanding Prime Minister Hasina’s resignation in order to hold fresh elections under a caretaker government instead of the ruling Awami League. The party has raised doubts that the Sheikh Hasina administration may rig the elections. The next general elections in Bangladesh are to be held in 2024.

Earlier, before the BNP’s Dhaka rally, there was a police clash with the party’s angry workers, in which one person died and many others were injured. Two days later BNP leaders were also arrested. Overall, the situation there is still uncontrollable.

Hijab issue in Iran

Controversy has been going on in Iran for the past several months regarding the hijab. The government of Iran has hanged another protester for his involvement in this controversy. Majid Reza Rainward, 23, was hanged just 23 days after his arrest. This whole controversy started with the death of 22 years old Iranian girl Mehsa. Actually, Iran’s police detained Mahsa because she was not wearing hijab properly. Mahsa died mysteriously in police custody. After this, the anger of women erupted all over Iran. Demonstrations started on the streets and soon it turned into a big movement.

After which women from all over the world took part in this movement through social media. Iranian women openly burn their hijabs on the streets and demand freedom from this suffocation. This movement is still going on in Iran.

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In Iran, 1200 students fell ill after consuming poisonous food. These students belong to Kharazmi and Ark University, who were to participate in anti-government protests from Wednesday. Victims of food poisoning, these students complained of vomiting, body pain and dizziness immediately after eating food. The National Student Union has accused the administration of deliberately giving poisonous food to the students.

Apart from Iran’s Kharazmi and Ark universities, students from four other institutions also made similar complaints after having food at the university. In protest against this, now students of many universities in Iran are boycotting the cafeteria food.

Canteen food thrown on the streets

Students of four other institutions, including Kharajmi and Arak University, boycotted the food served in the universities and threw it on the streets.

The National Student Union said in a statement that similar incidents had happened at Ifahan University, where food containing food poisoning was given to children on a large scale. But the administration has told bacteria the reason for food poisoning.

Medical clinics have been closed in many universities or the stock of medicines to treat diseases related to dehydration and food poisoning has run out. Which indicates that this may be a deliberate attempt to crush the anti-government protests in Iran.

Nationwide strike of students in Iran from Wednesday

A three-day nationwide strike was to take place in Iran from Wednesday. But a night before this, there has been a panic due to the ill health of the students who took part in these demonstrations on a large scale after consuming poisonous food.

Meanwhile, the Iranian government denied reports of disbanding the Morality Police. The Morality Police have been accused of killing 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Iran’s Morality Police is part of the country’s police system, which ensures the implementation of Islamic laws and DES code in the country. It is also called BASIJ. It is actually a group of people who are loyal to the government of Iran and present themselves as paramilitary forces. In Iran, Basij has been playing an important role in eliminating any dissent against the government for the last two decades.

Please tell that 22-year-old Iranian girl Mehsa Amini was arrested by the Morality Police for not wearing the hijab properly. Mahsa Amini died in police custody. The Morality Police were accused of Amini’s death. After this, demonstrations started against the government and the hijab across the country. Students are actively participating in these demonstrations.

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