04 Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Middle East / Africa NEWS Libya rivals agree IN BRIEF Iran says scientist return to ceasefire Tunisia to reopen land, talks, says UN sea, air borders jailed in US flying home at end of June AFP peatedly violated. TRIPOLI Neither side immediately TUNIS: Tunisia plans to commented on the UN state- reopen its borders at the A US court had in November cleared Asgari of charges of stealing trade secrets in 2016 THE United Nations’ Libya ment. end of June, after more mission said Tuesday the coun- Haftar’s rapid advance on than three months of being AFP try’s warring parties had agreed Tripoli last year stalled to a closed due to the Covid-19 TEHRAN to restart talks aimed at reach- bloody stalemate on the edges pandemic. ing a lasting ceasefire, after a of the capital. After a meeting of the IRANIAN scientist Sirous three-month suspension. In recent weeks, GNA forces National Committee to Asgari has flown out of the In a statement, UNSMIL buoyed by Turkish drones and Combat Covid-19, the gov- United States after being re- “welcomed” moves by the Gov- air defence systems have taken ernment announced late on leased from prison and will ernment of National Accord and back a string of coastal towns Monday that the land, sea return to the Islamic repub- forces backing eastern-based and a key airbase, Haftar is sup- and air borders will reopen lic on Wednesday, the for- military commander Khalifa ported by neighbouring Egypt starting from June 27. eign ministry said. Haftar to accept “restarting ne- and the United Arab Emirates The government also A US court had in No- gotiations on a ceasefire and the as well as Russia. decided that travel be- vember cleared Asgari of related security arrangements”. The UN mission urged tween cities will be re- charges of stealing trade se- Pro-Haftar forces have been “states backing either of the bel- sumed from Thursday. The crets in 2016 while he was battling since April last year to ligerents to respect what was North African country has on an academic visit to Ohio seize the capital Tripoli from the agreed at the Berlin conference” recorded 1,084 infections from Tehran’s Sharif Univer- UN-recognised GNA, in fight- in late January, where world and 48 deaths from the sity of Technology. ing that has left hundreds dead leaders committed to ending all novel coronavirus. (DPA) The 59-year-old told Brit- and forced 200,000 to flee their foreign meddling in Libya and ish newspaper The Guardian homes. to uphold a much-violated arms in March that the Immigra- A military commission embargo. Mali teachers tion and Customs Enforce- made up of five GNA loyalists UNSMIL also voiced hopes strike over virus ment (ICE) agency was and five Haftar delegates held that the resumption of talks by holding him at a Louisiana talks in February, but the dia- the joint military commission concerns as detention centre without ba- logue was suspended. would be “the start of a truce on schools reopen sic sanitation and refusing to A January truce brokered the ground and a humanitarian let him return to Iran despite by GNA backer Turkey and key truce to provide the opportunity BAMAKO: Teachers in the his exoneration. A photo shows a view of heavy traffic in Tehran. Iran’s top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif posted a message Haftar ally Russia has been re- to reach a final ceasefire deal.” West African state of Mali “Good news, a plane car- on Instagram announcing that Dr. Sirous Asgari has taken off from America and on his way to Tehran. (AFP) went on strike Tuesday, rying Dr. Sirous Asgari has the first day schools reo- taken off from America. January when Iran fired a pened after being closed Congratulations to his wife IRAN BEMOANS ILL-DISCIPLINE barrage of missiles at US for two months, over fears and family,” Iran’s top diplo- AS VIRUS CASES CREST AGAIN troops stationed in Iraq in of inadequate protection mat Mohammad Javad Zarif retaliation for a US drone against coronavirus. wrote Tuesday in an Insta- TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday lamented that people were ignoring strike that killed Qasem Details of the number gram post. social distancing rules as it reported more than 3,000 new Soleimani, a top Iranian gen- of students affected were Foreign ministry spokes- coronavirus infections in a second cresting wave. eral. unavailable, but seven man Abbas Mousavi said “The fact that people have become completely careless re- But Trump refrained teachers’ unions are later on state television that garding this disease” was of great concern, said Health Minister from taking any military ac- striking, officials said, in Asgari was scheduled to ar- Saeed Namaki. tion in response. a move that will hit public rive in Iran on Wednesday. “They either have total confidence in us or think the coro- The two have at times primary and second- “Mr. Asgari was strand- navirus has gone. The latter is not true at all,” the ISNA news swapped prisoners despite ary schools, as well as ed in America for a while agency quoted him as saying. having no formal diplomatic teacher-training colleges. because of (being infected His remarks came as health ministry spokesman Kianoush relations. The government shut with) the coronavirus and Jahanpour said 3,117 new cases were confirmed in Iran in the Iran exchanged Wash- schools to curb coronavi- the situation with flights,” he past 24 hours. ington Post reporter Jason Fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of rus in late March. These added. This had brought the overall caseload to 157,562, he added. Rezaian in January 2016 National Accord (GNA) are pictured during clashes with forces loyal to reopened on Tuesday, Mousavi denied Asgari’s Infections have been on a rising trajectory in the Islamic for seven Iranians held in strongman Khalifa Haftar in an area south of Tripoli on Monday. (AFP) but only for final year release was part of a pris- republic since hitting a near two-month low on May 2. the US, on the day the nu- students who are facing oner exchange and said “he They were at their highest on March 30 after hitting 3,186. clear agreement entered into exams. was freed after being exoner- Jahanpour said the virus had claimed another 64 lives in the force. Sambou Diadie Fofa- ated”. past day, raising the overall death toll to 7,942. In December, Iran freed na, the general secretary ICE’s database was still The latest caseload was close to the highest daily count for Xiyue Wang, a US academ- Rwanda genocide suspect of Mali’s National Union showing Asgari’s status as the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of COVID-19. ic, in exchange for scientist of Secondary School “in custody” in the state of The government has largely lifted the restrictions it imposed Massoud Soleimani and said lawyers push for French trial Teachers, told AFP that Mississippi on Tuesday. to stem the outbreak that first emerged in mid-February. (AFP) it was open to further swaps. the strike was triggered The State Department Americans and dual na- AFP Paris on May 16 after years on by a “lack of measures has yet to respond to an AFP tionals currently known to be PaRIS the run. (taken) in schools to pro- request to comment on his nationals back as they would Tensions between Tehran held by Iran include US Navy His lawyers have already tect everyone”. apparent release. have us all believe,” he add- and Washington escalated in veteran Michael R. White, LAWYERS for Rwandan gen- told a Paris appeals court, Authorities have re- However Ken Cuccinelli, ed, noting that there were 10 2018, after President Donald Siamak Namazi along with ocide suspect Felicien Kabuga which must rule on Wednes- corded 1,351 coronavirus the acting deputy secretary other Iranians currently in Trump unilaterally withdrew his father Baquer, Morad have called on UN prosecu- day on the validity of the ar- cases in the country to of US homeland security, ICE custody. the US from a landmark nu- Tahbaz, Gholam Reza Sha- tors to end their international rest warrant for Kabuga, that date, with 78 fatalities. said on Twitter that the US The Islamic republic is clear agreement and reim- hini, and Karan Vafadari. case and allow him to be tried he wants to be tried in France. Mali’s education had been “trying to deport holding at least five Ameri- posed crippling sanctions on Most of the Iranians in France where he was ar- In the letter, lawyer Lau- ministry did not immedi- Asghari since last year” but cans and the US had 19 Ira- Iran. held in the United States are rested. rent Bayon says his 84-year- ately respond about the that it had been “stalled eve- nians in detention prior to The sworn enemies have dual nationals charged with Described as Africa’s most old client should stay in number of students and ry step of the way by the Ira- Asgari’s release, according to also appeared to come to evading sanctions by either wanted man, Kabuga is ac- France because of his age, teachers who returned to nian government”. a list compiled by AFP based the brink of a direct conflict exporting goods to Iran cused of financing the 1994 health and the alleged lack of school on Tuesday. (AFP) “We wish Iran was so on official statements and twice in the past year. or using the US financial Rwanda genocide and was impartiality of international enthusiastic to get its illegal media reports.