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U.S. NEWS A3
Kerry: US open to ‘new arrangement’ on Iran missile tests
BRADLEY KLAPPER
Associated Press
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) —
The United States suggest-
ed Thursday it was open to
a “new arrangement” with
Iran for peacefully resolving
disputes such as Tehran’s
recent ballistic missile tests, to work on a new arrange-
while America’s Sunni allies
in the Persian Gulf said Iran
must stop sending forces to
Syria and weapons to Ye-
men if it wants to normalize
ties with its neighbors.
Setting the stage for Presi-
dent Barack Obama’s
summit with regional lead-
ers in Saudi Arabia later this
month, U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry met with
the foreign ministers of the
six-nation Gulf Coopera-
tion Council to advance a
series of proposals aimed
at easing Arabs’ concerns
about last year’s Iran nucle-
ar deal and the warming of
ties between the U.S. and
Iran. These include provid-
ing new counterterrorism,
conventional military, mis-
sile defense and cyberse-
curity capabilities.
Kerry raised several other
ideas, including a possible
partnership between the
GCC and NATO to help
stabilize the conflict-rav-
aged Arabian Peninsula.
He pledged $139 million in
new U.S. humanitarian as-
sistance for Yemen to be
doled out over the coming
year, but his most interest-
ing suggestion concerned
the Iranian ballistic missile
activities the U.S. had de-
nounced as violations of a
After Bangladesh slaying, US considers refuge for bloggers
M. PENNINGTON
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
United States condemned
as “barbaric” Thursday the
latest killing in Bangladesh
of an outspoken opponent
of radical Islam and said it
is considering granting ref-
uge to a select number of
bloggers who face immi-
nent danger.
Assailants hacked and shot
United Nations ban.
A moment after declar-
ing America was united
with Persian Gulf countries
against the Iranian missile
tests, Kerry said the U.S. and
its partners were telling Iran
that they were “prepared
ment to find a peaceful
solution to these issues.” He
said Iran first had to “make
it clear to everybody that
they are prepared to cease
these kinds of activities that
raise questions about cred-
ibility and questions about
intentions.” Kerry didn’t
elaborate further.
The foreign ministers also
addressed the fight against
the Islamic State and the
region’s two deadly civil
wars in Syria and Yemen.
But for Saudi Foreign Min-
ister Adel al-Jubeir, the
threat posed by Iran was
clearly the most pressing
concern.
“If Iran wants to have nor-
mal relations,” al-Jubeir
said through an interpreter,
“it has to change its poli-
cies.” He said that includes
no more weapons smug-
gling to countries at peace
or war on the Arabian Pen-
insula, and no more inter-
ference in others’ internal
affairs. “If Iran continues its
aggressive policy,” al-Ju-
beir added, “it will be diffi-
cult to deal with Iran.”
After touring the U.S. Navy
base on the island that
hosts the 5th Fleet and sup-
ports U.S. maritime activities
throughout the Middle East,
Kerry highlighted the role of
to death 28-year-old law
student Nazimuddin Sa-
mad on Wednesday night
on a street in Bangladesh’s
capital, Dhaka.
The unidentified attackers
shouted “Allahu Akbar,”
or “Allah is great,” and es-
caped by motorcycle.
At least five secular blog-
gers and publishers were
killed in similar attacks last
year.
Friday 8 April 2016
Western interdictions of Ira- He cited Iran’s assistance in At a news conference with
nian weapons shipments. securing a truce in Syria be- Kerry earlier in the day,
Four have been stopped tween the Iranian-backed Bahraini Foreign Minister
in the last six months, with government and rebels Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
the U.S., Britain and France supported by Western and said Iran must work as hard
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa and Secretary of State John Kerry
arrive to speak to reporters ahead of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial meeting in
Manama, Bahrain, Thursday, April 7, 2016.
(Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
seizing anti-tank munitions, Arab countries. And he on restoring relations in the
sniper rifles, machine guns called on Tehran to act region as it did on secur-
and rocket-propelled gre- similarly in Yemen. ing the nuclear accord. He
nade launchers. The setting of the meet- decried Iran’s “hegemonic
All were believed intended ing in Bahrain underscored interventions,” yet prom-
for Yemen’s Shiite rebels Arab concerns. The Sunni- ised that his country would
battling Saudi Arabia, help- ruled, Shiite-majority coun- take two steps toward rap-
ing reinforce fears among try is particularly sensitive prochement for every step
the Sunni kingdoms that to Tehran’s actions and by the Iranians.
Iran is threatening their sta- rhetoric, given its geogra- Making the first visit to Bah-
bility. While Kerry vowed phy just across the Gulf, its rain by a top American
to “push back” against demographics and the oc- diplomat since its 2011 up-
such Iranian provocations, casional statements of Ira- rising, Kerry tiptoed over
he also emphasized the nian officials calling for the the sensitive matter of the
Islamic republic’s capac- country’s annexation. Iran kingdom’s human rights
ity to contribute to peace. is a Shiite power. record.q
That has heightened con- ists for their secular beliefs. “unwavering support to the
cern that religious extrem- Karin Deutsch Karlekar of Bangladeshi people in their
ists are getting a foothold PEN America reiterated struggle against violent ex-
in Bangladesh, a Muslim that call to the U.S. and tremism.”
country with traditions of other countries Thursday, He said that humanitarian
secularism and tolerance, saying that Samad’s killing parole for a select number
and that authorities are fail- “is a cruel illustration of the of bloggers who continue
ing to provide protection. costs of inaction.” to be under “imminent
In December, U.S.-based State Department spokes- danger” is one option un-
human rights groups urged man Mark Toner strongly der consideration, but re-
the U.S. to offer “humanitar- condemned the “barbaric ferred questions on it to the
ian parole” for Bangladeshi murder” of Samad and Homeland Security Depart-
writers targeted by extrem- told reporters the U.S. offers ment. q