News Highlights – Thursday, December 3, 2020

News Contents COVID-19 Pandemic...... 3  Africa aims to vaccinate 60% of population against COVID-19 in 2-3 years 3 Ethiopia...... 3  Ethiopia, UN Discuss Ways To Restore Infrastructure Services In Tigray ... 3  Defense Forces Found Arms Depot in Mekelle...... 4  Russia Backs Ethiopia’s Efforts To Enforce Law And Order...... 4  Reuters: Ethiopia's war still churns, but relief aid coming...... 4  House Approves Agreement Between Ethiopia, Russia On Peaceful Nuclear Energy Use...... 6  Ethiopia, World Bank Sign Over $512m Financing Agreement ...... 6 Horn of Africa and IGAD Region...... 6  TPLF Junta Plays Negative Role In South Sudanese Peace Process: Amb.... 6  SPLM-IO accuses government forces of ceasefire violations ...... 7  Sudan’s investigation committee summons military over bloody attack...... 8  FFC, Hamdok discuss formation of Sudan’s second transitional cabinet...... 8  Puntland parliament strips legal immunity from 8 MPs...... 9  Kenya-Somalia diplomatic tiff throws miraa talks into disarray...... 9 Gulf Region and the Middle East...... 10  Report: Egypt seeks to host Palestine-Israel peace summit...... 10  10 political figures to be prosecuted for sending Sudan youth to fight in Libya...... 11  Iran ready to show goodwill if U.S., Europe abide by nuclear deal: Zarif ...12  US: Biden willing to return to Iran nuclear deal...... 13  US official: Israel behind Iranian scientist's killing...... 13 Emerging Powers...... 13  Pompeo rebukes Turkey at NATO meeting...... 14  Russia orders U.S. rights worker to leave on national security grounds - spokeswoman ...... 15 COVID-19 Pandemic Region Infections Deaths Recoveries Globe 65.03 million 1.5 million 45.1 million Africa 2.215 million 52,683 1.877 million Ethiopia 110,984 1,715 76,067 Follow live updates on worldometers.info/coronavirus/  Africa aims to vaccinate 60% of population against COVID-19 in 2-3 years - CGTN Africa aims to have 60% of the continent’s population vaccinated against the coronavirus within the next two to three years, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Thursday. “We hope that for this to be meaningful, our 60% must be reached in the next two to three years. We should be deliberate in this,” said John Nkengasong, director of Africa CDC, adding that, “If the delay takes us to four to five years then the virus will be endemic in our communities.” Nkengasong said that there were logistical problems to overcome in Africa, including how to keep vaccines cold. “We have a window from now to January and February to keep strengthening our systems, which is the refrigeration,” said Nkengasong. 2.2 million out of Africa’s 1.3 billion people have been infected by COVID-19, according to a Reuters tally. Some European countries expect to start rolling out vaccination campaigns in the next few weeks, but the control group said that vaccinations were unlikely to start in Africa until midway through next year. ______Ethiopia  Ethiopia, UN Discuss Ways To Restore Infrastructure Services In Tigray - Fana Taye Atske Selassie, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN, held a meeting with Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Head of UNOCHA. The meeting focused on the agreement signed between Ethiopia and the UN for enhanced coordination mechanism for humanitarian access in Ethiopia. The two exchanged views on the operationalization of the agreement and the need for the maintenance and restoration of basic infrastructure services in the Tigray region. It is to be recalled that Ethiopian and the UN yesterday signed an agreement that seeks to enable unimpeded, sustained and secure access for humanitarian personnel and services to areas under the control of the Federal Gov’t in Tigray, the bordering areas of Amhara and Afar regions.  Defense Forces Found Arms Depot in Mekelle - ENA The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) has found a weapons depot that the TPLF junta has been using during a search by the army in the city of Mekelle. Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Ahmed said that leaders of the Northern Command of the defense force have no knowledge of its existence. He said the TPLF junta was powerless to survive the law enforcement operation and forced to retreat leaving the ammunitions behind. Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq further stated that there is a possibility to find out more weaponry depots in Mekelle and other areas in the region. He confirmed that the army will continues the search to ensure that such weapons don’t fall in the hands of criminals.  Russia Backs Ethiopia’s Efforts To Enforce Law And Order - Fana Demeke Mekonnen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia yesterday held a phone conversation with Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister. Demeke commended the long-standing and friendly relationship that exists between the two countries and underlined the need to further strengthen it, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Regarding Tigray, Demeke said the law enforcement operation has successfully been completed, carefully avoiding civilian casualties, with Mekelle now fully under the control of the national defense forces. The government will apprehend the leaders and cliques of the TPLF junta, he said, adding that some have begun to surrender to the government. Demeke said the government is now engaged with reconstruction and rehabilitation, and law and order restoration activities in the region. The government is working in close consultations and collaboration with the interim government of Tigray that has been active in holding public discussions and organizing regional executive organs. Sergei Lavrov, on his part, thanked Demeke for the briefing and affirmed that Russia respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. Appreciating what the Ethiopian government is doing to protect the rights of civilians and provide humanitarian assistance to affected people, he said Russia believes that ensuring peace in Ethiopia is indispensable to let peace reign in the Horn of Africa. He said the government of Ethiopia has got the right to enforce law and order in the country without the interference of external parties since the matter is the internal affair of the country. He further added that Ethiopia and Russia should strive more to scale up their bilateral relations and cooperation in multilateral fora.  Reuters: Ethiopia's war still churns, but relief aid coming - Reuters Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared victory over the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) after federal forces captured the regional capital Mekelle at the weekend. However, TPLF leaders have dug into surrounding mountains in what appears to be an emerging guerrilla strategy. One aid worker in touch with Tigray told Reuters that fighting continued to the north, south and west of the highland city of 500,000 people. Diplomats following the crisis and in touch with sources on all sides say thousands of combatants and civilians appear to have died since Abiy’s offensive began on Nov. 4 after a TPLF attack on a military base was the last straw in their feud. More than 45,000 refugees have crossed into neighbouring Sudan, while many more have been displaced within Tigray. One refugee, who gave his name only as Abraham, said he fled heavy fighting in the Tigrayan town of Humera and saw corpses in civilian clothes as he walked towards the border with Sudan. “Nobody can bury them, they were outside on the road,” he recounted from Hamdayet, a Sudanese border transit point. Ethiopia’s government and the TPLF have both accused each other of targeting civilians - and both denied that. Reuters has been unable to verify claims from all sides as access to the northern Tigray region has been largely blocked and communications mainly down, although internet and phone services were returning to some towns this week. In Qadarif, also in Sudan, the mother of a newborn baby recounted how she had fled Tigray even though she was more than eight months pregnant. “While I was frightened and running away, that’s when the pain started, right in the middle of the street,” said Atikilti Salem, breast-feeding her 22-day-old baby Abeyam. “I found a small village and gave birth in the hospital ... I wanted to call her Africa, but I instead named her after the doctor who delivered her ... When the war is over and we can go back home, I’m going to tell her the story of how she was born.” After a clamour from aid agencies, Abiy’s government and the United Nations agreed to allow humanitarian aid into areas of Tigray controlled by federal forces. Some 600,000 people relied on food handouts even before the fighting. Food stocks are nearly empty for 96,000 Eritrean refugees in Tigray, aid agencies say, while medics in Mekelle are short of painkillers, gloves and bodybags. “Aid is needed now as there’s an acute shortage of food, medicine and other relief,” tweeted Norwegian Refugee Council head Jan Egeland, saying relief convoys were ready to go. Tigray’s new government-appointed leader Mulu Nega said help was on its way to areas of west Tigray including Humera. First video from Mekelle since its capture on Saturday, from state-run ETV, showed people shopping and sitting on stools. “Life is getting back to normal ... Everything is, as you can see, very peaceful,” one man said in the footage which Reuters could not independently verify. Tigrayans have in the past strongly supported the TPLF and seen them as war heroes from the 1991 overthrow of a Marxist dictatorship. Analysts fear that Abiy’s much-vaunted political opening, after he took office in 2018, could be set back by the Tigray conflict and his tougher line against foes including some jailings of opposition figures earlier this year. He became prime minister after nearly three decades of TPLF-led government that had become increasingly repressive. Abiy, who comes from the larger Oromo and Amharic ethnic groups, reduced Tigrayans from government and security posts, saying they were over-represented for a group making up 6% of the population. The TPLF accuses their ex-military comrade and government coalition partner of trying to increase his personal power over Ethiopia’s 10 regions. Abiy denies that, calling them criminals who mutinied against federal authority.  House Approves Agreement Between Ethiopia, Russia On Peaceful Nuclear Energy Use - Fana

In its 6th year 5th regular session, the House of Peoples Representatives has approved resolution on the agreement signed between Ethiopia and Russia on cooperation in the use of Nuclear Energy for peaceful purposes. The House also approved a resolution referred to Legal, Justice and Democratic Affairs Standing Committee to regulate collective and individual power and functions of regional states of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal government. Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Peace Standing Committee of the House, Dr. Negeri Lencho said, while presenting the proclamation on the agreement between Ethiopia and Russia on peaceful use of Nuclear Energy, said the deal is crucial to knowledge and experience sharing between the two countries and ensure protection of intellectual properties. The agreement enables Ethiopia to have alternative power source, build professional capacity, exchange best practices and upgrade knowledge and skills in the sector, Dr. Negeri said. Dr. Negeri added that the agreement between Ethiopia and Russia will be implemented as per standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and will a paramount role in improving productivity in research study, intrustructure, industry, medicine and agriculture, among other sectors.

 Ethiopia, World Bank Sign Over $512m Financing Agreement - Fana

The World Bank has provided $512.5 million in loan and grant to enhance the implementation of Strengthen Ethiopia’s Adaptive Safety Net Project (SEASN). Of the total, $312.5 million is a grant, while the remaining amount is a loan. Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide and World Bank Country Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ousmane Dione, signed the agreement here today. This financing will allow for more geographic coverage, enable better service delivery, and is an important next step in modernizing Ethiopia’s productive safety net program (PSNP). SEASN benefits people living in extreme poverty in rural areas and those areas affected by drought.

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Horn of Africa and IGAD Region South Sudan  TPLF Junta Plays Negative Role In South Sudanese Peace Process: Amb - Fana South Sudan blamed TPLF junta for the failure of peace talks held between opposing parties to produce the desired results. South Sudanese peace talks that was led by TPLF junta’s senior member, Seyoum Mesfin, did not bring the desired outcomes due to his biased stance between opposing parties, the country’s Ambassador to Ethiopia said. Ambassador James Pita Morgan told The Ethiopian Herald yesterday that he was delighted over Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed’s remark about the TPLF’s negative role in South Sudanese peace talks in his parliamentary address on Monday. The 2015 peace agreement signed by South Sudanese warring parties in Addis Ababa was not materialized due to the clear favouritism Seyoum had held, Ambassador Morgan said. He said Seyoum was taking a clear side and after a brief time, the whole thing collapsed in 2016. According to the Ambassador, the peace process did not bring the intended solution for the conflict. Expressing delight by Premier Abiy’s statements on the issue, he indicated that the government of South Sudan has refrained from exposing TPLF’s ill-intention in the peace talks publicly with a view not to harming the two countries longstanding and cordial relations. “South Sudan believes in one leadership that is the leadership of Abiy Ahmed,” Morgan said, adding that Ethiopia has a rich experience of handling and solving internal problems. The ambassador further highlighted that the two countries relationship has reached at the highest stage at political, economic and people-to-people frontiers and they share common stance in regional and international issues of mutual importance. South Sudan has a firm belief that Ethiopia will overcome the current challenge and smoothly continue its development projects.  SPLM-IO accuses government forces of ceasefire violations - Sudan Tribune South Sudan’s armed opposition (SPLM-IO) leader and the country’s First Vice President, Riek Machar has accused government forces of violating the ceasefire deal. Speaking during the 6th SPLM-IO national conference in Juba on Monday, Machar said violating the cessation agreement shows government’s unwillingness to implement the revitalized peace accord. “These violations are clear demonstration of lack of political will in commitment to the implementation of transitional security arrangement,” he said. Machar also cited the president’s appointment without consulting other members of the coalition government and the delays to dissolve the country’s transitional national assembly as setbacks to the timely implementation of the revitalized peace agreement. Separately, South Sudan’s Petroleum minister, Puot Kang Chol told reporters that the conference agreed that nine states governments be formed, including counties administrations across the country. He further said the SPLM-IO shall submit its lists for appointments, except for Upper Nile state, where a governor is to be appointed. According to Chol, the conference also recommended that the national legislature be reconstituted, further recommitted itself to the Rome Initiative and its team in the government delegation will travel to Rome for talks with South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOMA). Members of the SPLM-IO Political Bureau, National Liberation Council (NLC) and SPLM-IO nominees to the various levels of the revitalized peace agreement are attending the conference under the theme, “Building and Sustaining Peace through Implementation of R-ARCSS” from December 1-5. The peace deal brokered by the regional bloc (IGAD) reinstates SPLM-IO leader as the First Vice-President of South Sudan. The accord also provides for 35 ministries, 10 deputy ministers and 550 legislators during the transitional period. Under the terms of the September 2018 peace deal, the previous government retained 20 ministries, the SPLM-IO has nine ministries, the opposition alliance were allocated three ministries, SPLM-FDs got two ministries and other political parties took one ministry.

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Sudan  Sudan’s investigation committee summons military over bloody attack - Sudan Tribune The media advisor of the Sudanese army commander in chief confirmed Wednesday that the remembers of the dissolved Transitional Military Council (TMC) would appear before the investigation committee within two weeks. On Monday, Chems al-Din Kabbashi a member of the Sovereign Council and former TMC spokesman said he had not been summoned by the investigation committee into the bloody attack on the pro-democracy protesters outside the army headquarters on 3 June 2019. The day after, the head of the committee investigation Nabil Adib deplored Kabbashi’s statement and announced that he had received an official summons to appear before his committee. To cut short further developments on this sensitive issue in Khartoum, Brigadier General al-Tahir Abu Hajjah issued a statement Wednesday announcing that all the former TMC members have been summoned to appear before the committee. "The commission of investigation into the dispersal of the sit-in requested the Sovereign Council, in the second half of November, that all members of the Military Council appear before it," said Abu Hajjah who is the media adviser of Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the Sovereign Council. "The (investigation) committee has set December 16 for the TMC members to appear, and the request has not yet been notified to the members," he stressed. The military official was keen to stress that the summons was for all the TMC members and not Kabbashi alone. The spokesman of the former military body has a bad image in the Sudanese street and often criticized by the youth who took part in the revolution that led to the collapse of the al-Bahir regime. Independent groups say some two hundreds of peaceful sit-inners were killed by the security forces. But the health ministry claimed that only 85 people had been killed. Recently, the attorney general discovered mass grave sites near the Al-Markhiyat Mountains northwest of Omdurman. Adib committee has to identify the military involved in the 3-June attack on the peaceful protesters.  FFC, Hamdok discuss formation of Sudan’s second transitional cabinet - Sudan Tribune The Central Council of the Forces for Freedom and Change and Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok on Wednesday discussed the formation of the second transitional government after the signing of a peace agreement with the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF). Sudanese Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok holds talks at the US Capitol in a landmark visit to Washington (AFP Photo JIM WATSON)A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that the ruling coalition renewed its confidence in the Prime Minister and called on him to continue leading the transitional government. The FFC leadership further discussed with him the formation of the new cabinet and agreed on the need to evaluate the performances of the transitional government during the past period since its establishment last year. The purpose of the evaluation is "to ensure that the priorities of the next phase are carefully considered," further stressed the statement. For his part, Hamdok underscored that the signing of a peace agreement and the presence of the signatory groups in Khartoum provides an opportunity to inject new blood into his government to achieve democratic transformation. There were media reports about an agreement recently reached by the FFC groups about the distribution of ministries in the new government. However, the spokeswoman for the FFC Central Council, Amina Mahmoud, denied such agreement between coalition forces on the upcoming government. Mahmoud that the Central Council did not allocate any ministry to any party, noting that the selection of new ministers is based on competence, not political affiliation. She said that the coalition discussed on Tuesday the structure of the Council of Ministers, which includes the dismantling of some ministries and the addition to the creation of two ministries, one for peace and the other for communications and digital transformation. Under the peace agreement of 3 October, the SRF will participate with 25% of the total members of the executive body. Mahmoud said that FFC did not recommend keeping or removing any minister, noting that they requested a report on the ministries ’performance during the past year, and then they would consult with the prime minister about the formation of the new cabinet. ______Somalia  Puntland parliament strips legal immunity from 8 MPs - Hiiran Puntland's regional parliament voted to strip legal immunity from 8 of its members after being accused of violating the standing orders of parliament. A wide margin passed the vote with 35 MPs backing the motion, while only one MP rejected. There was a single abstention vote as well. Puntland Attorney General Mohamud Hassan Aw-Osman announced on Thursday that the embattled MPs may now face legal action, adding that he would refer the case to Puntland's High Court. It is reported that the lawmakers have been directed not to leave Puntland.  Kenya-Somalia diplomatic tiff throws miraa talks into disarray - Hiiran Negotiations for resumption of miraa exports to Somalia have been thrown into disarray following escalation of the diplomatic tiff between Nairobi and Mogadishu. The turn of events came after the Somalia government last Sunday recalled its envoy and expelled Kenya's ambassador claiming interference of the country’s elections. Somalia suspended exports of miraa in March as efforts to stem spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the matter has over the past few months taken a political twist as farmers and traders accuse the government of doing little to resolve the issue. Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi has called for calm and patience among farmers and traders, saying he had spoken to Foreign Affairs ministry, which had assured him that talks would resume soon. Speaking after a consultative meeting with miraa stakeholders on Tuesday, Mr Murungi said the government was committed to talks that would allow resumption of the exports. He said before the escalation of the diplomatic tiff, the two countries had already drafted an agreement on how miraa exports would resume. “The agreement also covered a range of other trade pacts including how Somalia would export their products to Kenya. The MOU was sent to Mogadishu last week and we were waiting for their response so that a signing ceremony would be arranged,” he said. “But we were shocked to hear that the ambassador had been expelled. “The Foreign Affairs ministry has assured us that there are no such allegations of interference with the elections and officials are already dealing with the situation,” he added. The meeting was a follow up of another one held in Nairobi last month when Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i promised the matter would be resolved in two weeks. Also present were deputy governor Titus Ntuchiu, Trade, Tourism and Cooperatives CEC Maingi Mugambi and several MCAs. The chairman of the committee Moses Lechoro said they had met several leaders across the sector and were confident that the issues would be addressed. ______Gulf Region and the Middle East Egypt  Report: Egypt seeks to host Palestine-Israel peace summit - MEMO Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi is looking to host a summit that brings together Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss peace between the two sides, Russia Today reported, citing Israeli sources. The sources added that Netanyahu was seeking "to send positive signals to the new American administration", noting that the recent anti-Netanyahu protests in Israel had suspended the move. On Monday, deputy leader of Palestine's Fatah movement, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, said a committee which includes Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian officials has been formed to coordinate the Palestinian call for holding an international peace conference. Al-Aloul explained that there is a need for a greater effort to correct the imbalance caused by the administration of the US President Donald Trump. ______Libya  10 political figures to be prosecuted for sending Sudan youth to fight in Libya - MEMO Legal adviser to the Sudanese victims of the Emirati Black Shield Company Omar Al-Obaid announced on Tuesday that he is preparing to file regional and international lawsuits against ten prominent Emirati, Sudanese and Libyan personalities for human trafficking. Al-Obaid stated at a press conference in the capital, Khartoum: "We have contacted Human Rights Watch (HRW) about the misleading practices carried out by the Emirati Black Shield Company against Sudanese citizens, and we have received calls from the United Nations (UN) committee of experts on the Libyan file, saying that this case will be included in its report that will be released on 10 January." He noted that ten prominent Emirati, Sudanese and Libyan figures, including Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed, General Khalifa Haftar, officers from the three countries, the owners of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Black Shield Company and a Sudanese travel agency are defendants in the case. Al-Obaid added: "No criminal proceedings have been brought before the Sudanese courts, and we are working to initiate regional and international prosecutions because we are facing cross-border and organised crimes that violate the anti-human trafficking charters of the United Nations, the African Union (AU) and Arab countries." The lawyer asserted: "The Sudanese government is supposed to prosecute the suspects, but its position is very passive, and I represent the interests of the victims," while indicating that the defence committee has resorted to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Al-Obaid stressed that the case is not being filed against the UAE, but rather against people who trafficked and deceived Sudanese citizens into fighting in Libya.  US companies to reconstruct Libya's infrastructure and economy - MEMO Several US company owners have expressed their eagerness to invest technical expertise and financial resources to help rebuild the infrastructure and economy in Libya. This came during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Libya (AmCham Libya), with the participation of Washington's Ambassador to Tripoli Richard Norland, according to a statement issued by the US embassy. As per the statement issued on Wednesday, the meeting aimed to: "Exchange views regarding the evolving political process in Libya and prospects for improving the business climate for US investment." During the meeting, business leaders noted that: "Boosting investment in Libya requires long-term political stability, transparent economic decision-making and an agreement on long-term revenue management." The US company owners indicated that investments in Libya also necessitate: "Enabling business environments further, including the Central Bank's timely and consistent approval of letters of credit that Libyan importers need pay to their foreign business partners." Ambassador Norland praised the political process currently underway in Libya, suggesting that it: "Provided a unique opportunity for Libyan political and economic leaders to achieve reforms that will transform Libya into a strong and reliable partner for private sector investment." ______Iran  Iran ready to show goodwill if U.S., Europe abide by nuclear deal: Zarif - Reuters Iran will fully comply with a 2015 deal aimed at preventing it from developing nuclear weapons if both the United States and Europe honour their original commitments, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump quit the pact in 2018, saying it did not do enough to curb Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs or its militant influence in the Middle East. However, president-elect Joe Biden has said he will rejoin it if Tehran first resumes strict compliance. He has also said he would work with allies “to strengthen and extend it”. Addressing a Rome conference via video-link, Zarif said the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) could not be renegotiated but it could be resurrected. “The United States has commitments. It is not in a position to set conditions,” he said. Iran’s Guardian Council watchdog body approved a law on Wednesday that obliges the government to halt U.N. inspections of its nuclear sites and step up uranium enrichment beyond the limit set under the 2015 deal if sanctions are not eased within two months. Zarif said that although the government did not like the law, it would nonetheless implement it. “But it is not irreversible,” he said. “The Europeans and USA can come back into compliance with the JCPOA and not only this law will not be implemented, but in fact the actions we have taken ... will be rescinded. We will go back to full compliance.” Zarif said economic sanctions imposed by the Trump administration had cost Iranians $250 billion and made it impossible to buy medicines and vaccines needed to combat the coronavirus, which has taken a particularly heavy toll on his country. “It is a crime against humanity,” he said, adding that the U.S. measures were preventing European companies from doing business in Iran, dashing hopes of a massive upswing in trade after the 2015 deal was signed. “Europeans say they are in full compliance (with the deal) but they simply are not. ... We don’t see any European companies in Iran, we do not see any European country buying oil from Iran, we do not see any European banks send us our money,” Zarif said. The foreign minister said he hoped that neighbouring Arab states, some of which have recently forged ties with Iran’s arch-enemy Israel, would seek dialogue with Tehran once Trump left office. “We are their neighbors. We will be in this region together. I do not believe that they want to allow Israel to bring the fight to Iran,” Zarif said.  US: Biden willing to return to Iran nuclear deal - MEMO United States President-elect Joe Biden said he is willing to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, stressing that re-joining the deal is the best way to avoid a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. In an interview with the New York Times published yesterday, Biden said without a nuclear agreement with Iran, "we may be facing a situation in which Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and other countries in the region seek to develop nuclear weapons". Asked whether he is ready to return to the nuclear deal, Biden said: "It will not be easy, but yes", adding that "the future administration intends, in cooperation with allies and partners, to participate in negotiations and to develop additional agreements that will strengthen and expand the restrictions imposed on the Iranian nuclear program, as well as on Tehran's missile program." Biden stressed that "building nuclear capabilities in this part of the world is the last thing we want." The President-elect pledged during his election campaign that he would rejoin the agreement during his term. In 2015, Iran and the world powers signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action which aimed to curb Iran's nuclear programme, in return for lifting sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic. However, in 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions previously lifted under the deal.  US official: Israel behind Iranian scientist's killing - MEMO An American official said Israel is behind the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist, CNN reported Wednesday, Anadolu reports. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed Friday on the outskirts of Tehran. The anonymous official from President Donald Trump's administration told the network that Tel Aviv authorities have long pursued the scientist but did not say whether the Trump administration knew about the attack. Speaking about the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" policy against Tehran, the official said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been given full power to continue the campaign and more US sanctions will be imposed on Iran this week and next week. Five top-ranking Iranian nuclear scientists have been the target of assassination attempts since 2010. Iran blames them on Israel. Israel put its embassies and diplomats on high alert for fear of any Iranian retaliation to the killing of Fakhrizadeh. The attack drew anger and outrage across Iran. A large group of protesters gathered outside President Hassan Rouhani's office in Tehran late Friday and demanded retaliation. It is the second high-profile assassination of an Iranian since January after a US airstrike killed Gen. Qassam Soleimani in Baghdad. Iranian officials suspect coordination between Israel and the US in that attack. ______Emerging Powers US - EuroAsia  Pompeo rebukes Turkey at NATO meeting - Reuters At the confidential foreign ministers’ video conference on Tuesday, Pompeo said Turkey was undermining NATO’s security and creating instability in the eastern Mediterranean in a dispute with Greece and non-NATO member Cyprus over gas resources, said the diplomats and officials, who asked not to be named as the discussions were confidential. While the U.S. and other NATO allies have long been odds over Turkey’s military intervention in Syria and Libya, Pompeo’s remarks underscored the depth of tensions at the Western alliance that many experts say dangerously weakens it. Pompeo, who leaves office in January as U.S. President Donald Trump’s term ends, also told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that Turkey was wrong to send paid Syrian fighters to Libya, as the U.S. Defense Department concluded in a report in July, and also to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. That prompted further chiding of Turkey by allies in the meeting, including France, Greece and even tiny Luxembourg, as well as defiant counter-accusations from Cavusoglu, said the diplomats. The meeting tone was described as “measured” but “more confrontational” than is usually the case at NATO. The unity of NATO “was not possible if an ally copied Russian actions”, a diplomat cited French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying in his intervention, referring to Moscow’s fuelling of proxy wars by sending in mercenaries. A U.S. official, speaking on background, said there had been a “frank, closed door discussion” but declined to give details. “The United States has urged Turkey on multiple occasions to resolve the S-400 (Russian weapons system) issue, cease using Syrian fighters in foreign conflicts, and cease provocative actions in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the official said. Turkey’s Cavusoglu said on Thursday he could not comment on a confidential meeting. “I just outlined the differences between the two countries and outstanding issues, he told a public event. “We had to purchase (a weapons system) from Russia because we could not from our allies,” he added. Turkish sources with knowledge of the meeting said that Pompeo made “unjust accusations” and that were was no united front against Turkey. Turkey was also open to talks with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean with no preconditions, they said. European Union leaders will consider sanctions on Turkey, which is host to U.S. nuclear warheads, over the Mediterranean gas dispute on Dec. 10. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg spoke by telephone on Wednesday with French President Emmanuel Macron, whose office said that the pair “had the opportunity to directly and in confidence address the concerns expressed by a growing number of allies in regard to Turkey’s strategic choices”. Tensions threaten to overshadow a new high-level report on NATO’s future that was released this week. Stoltenberg is seeking to address the tensions with Turkey in part by making recommendations to NATO leaders next year on how to make the alliance stronger politically, including creating a code of conduct to bind allies together.  Russia orders U.S. rights worker to leave on national security grounds - spokeswoman - Reuters Russia has revoked the residence permit of a U.S. human rights worker on national security grounds and ordered her to leave within two weeks, a spokeswoman for the organization she heads said on Thursday. Vanessa Kogan, director of the Justice Initiative rights group, an organization that provides legal assistance to rights victims, particularly from the turbulent North Caucasus region, has lived in Russia for 11 years, Ksenia Babich, the spokeswoman, told Reuters. Kogan is married to a Russian citizen, has two children and applied for Russian citizenship several months ago, but was told on Wednesday that the Federal Security Service (FSB) had not approved her application and had also told her to leave. Officials cited legislation allowing them to revoke her residency rights if she had made calls for a “violent change of the constitutional regime” or posed “a danger to Russian national security or its nationals,” Babich said. Kogan, who denies making any such calls, has three days to appeal the order and plans to do so, she added. The FSB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Justice Initiative has offices in the North Caucasus in southern Russia, which includes Chechnya. It helps Russian citizens file cases over rights violations at the European Court of Human Rights. Security officers armed with automatic rifles raided the group’s Moscow offices in August last year. President Vladimir Putin has tightened controls on non-governmental organisations, requiring those with foreign funding to register as “foreign agents” and approving legislation that allows groups seen as “undesirable” to be outlawed.