The Nation Newspaper

Category: Foreign

  • Iran-Israel war: ‘A fire no one can control’, UN warns

    Iran-Israel war: ‘A fire no one can control’, UN warns

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the ongoing violent conflict between Iran and Israel is “a fire no one can control” and risks spiralling out of control.

    Guterres also warned that the world stood on the edge of catastrophe as Israel’s military campaign inside Iran intensified and strikes on nuclear facilities threatened to trigger a catastrophe.

    The regional fallout is expanding, with missiles from Yemen’s Houthi forces targeting Israel and occupied Palestinian territory, while armed groups in Iraq are reportedly mobilising.

    In an address to the UN Security Council on Friday, Guterres made an urgent plea for de-escalation, calling the spiralling confrontation a defining moment for the future of global security.

    “We are not drifting toward crisis, we are racing toward it,” he said adding ,“This is a moment that could shape the fate of nations”.

    “The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire no one can control,” he stressed, warning of widespread panic and destruction.

    The Secretary-General’s remarks came amid a mounting civilian toll in both Israel and Iran, and as several nuclear sites in Iran have come under direct military assault.

    Over 100 targets have reportedly been struck across Iran, including military and nuclear infrastructure such as the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities and the Khondab heavy water reactor.

    Iranian officials reported over 224 civilian deaths, with some estimates twice as high and more than 2,500 have been reportedly injured.

    Read Also: China accuses Trump of fuelling Iran-Israel conflict

    Major cities like Tehran have seen mass displacements, fuel shortages and widespread panic.

    Iran has responded with its own barrage of missile strikes on Israel, hitting cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba.

    Critical civilian sites, including the Soroka Medical Center and the Weizmann research institute, have been damaged.

    No fewer than 24 Israelis were confirmed dead, with more than 900 injured.

    Guterres urged both parties to give diplomacy a chance.

    He reiterated the need for full Iranian cooperation with the UN nuclear energy watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

    (NAN)

  • Vladimir Putin: Open Dialogue is a Step Toward Forming a New Global Growth Model

    Vladimir Putin: Open Dialogue is a Step Toward Forming a New Global Growth Model

    On June 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Among the key topics, he noted the importance of developing a fair and open platform for global growth and emphasized the special role of the Open Dialogue held at the National Centre “Russia.” This initiative brought together participants from more than 100 countries and became one of the important steps toward creating a new model of international cooperation.

    “Russia invites partners to contribute to forming a new global growth model. Together we can ensure the prosperity of our countries and stable development of the entire world for many years to come. This is exactly why we held the Open Dialogue in Moscow this year, which was attended by representatives from more than one hundred states. We intend not only to make this format regular but also to build an entire ecosystem around it for discussing, developing, and implementing breakthrough ideas. The global challenges facing the modern world require an unconditional and global response. Solving problems alone, especially at someone else’s expense, is simply impossible. This is an illusion,” stated Vladimir Putin.

    The session “Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth” based on the results of the Open Dialogue of the National Centre “Russia” opened the SPIEF business program on June 18. The session was moderated by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation Maxim Oreshkin.

    International experts from Russia, Cameroon, Spain, Azerbaijan, and Canada participated in the discussion, as well as authors of the best essays from the first Open Dialogue. Participants discussed new approaches to economic development, the potential of Global South countries, demographic trends, and the impact of future technologies.

    Special attention was paid to the report prepared by the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise “Third Rome” based on the results of the Open Dialogue. The conclusions of the session formed the foundation for the entire SPIEF-2025 business program.

    The first Open Dialogue at the National Centre “Russia” became a platform for discussing the future in four areas: “Investment in People,” “Investment in Technologies,” “Investment in Environment,” and “Investment in Connectivity.” Experts from different countries wrote essays on these topics, and authors of the best works were invited to Moscow and presented their own ideas. The Open Dialogue format will become annual.

  • Chidomere Ndubuisi headlines sales masterclass Global CEO retreat in Qatar

    Chidomere Ndubuisi headlines sales masterclass Global CEO retreat in Qatar

    In a groundbreaking event that brought together Africa’s most visionary entrepreneurs, Chidomere Ndubuisi, Founder of Pamtech Group, delivered a masterclass that ignited minds and shifted perspectives at the highly anticipated Global CEO Business Retreat hosted by Dr. Stephen Akintayo and the Gtex Team.

    Held in the vibrant city of Doha, Qatar, this retreat was more than a luxury getaway. It became a transformational experience for every aspiring global business leader present.

    The opening session, led by Chidomere, set the tone with a profound theme: “Finding Your Voice and Becoming the Bridge Builder.”

    “To lead in sales, you must first lead in spirit.”

    He introduced an unconventional yet unforgettable concept: Every CEO must become a ritualist.

    * Have an altar where daily practices meet spiritual intention.

    * Make sacrifices in the form of consistent action.

    * Be guided by a chief priest — a mentor, a coach, or an inner compass.

    “When you find yourself and become, you don’t just show up online to make sales. You show up to give value — and give it for free. You get connected, and everything else falls into place.”

    This foundational teaching reminded every entrepreneur in the room: clarity of purpose precedes clarity in business.

    Read Also: A glimpse inside the trailblazing Journey of Engr. Chidomere Ndubuisi, Pamtech Oil

    Chidomere’s keynote, themed “From Data to Deal: How Storytelling Closes Sales”, was a standout moment of the retreat. Using a dynamic framework inspired by the transition from raw data to persuasive narrative, he taught participants how to convert scattered information into structured, emotion-driven sales strategies.

    “Data doesn’t close deals — clarity does. And clarity comes from turning your product into a powerful story,” he said, as he walked CEOs through a 5-step system: Data → Sorted → Arranged → Visualized → Story.

    From his signature analogy of sales being like “Lego bricks” to his passionate insights on selling fuel, real estate, and mechanics as experiences, not products, Chidomere left the audience inspired to rebuild their sales engines from the inside out.

    In his reflection, Chidomere emphasized the value of changing your environment to elevate your vision:

    “When you step outside Nigeria’s chaos and breathe the air of structure, silence, and scale — your thinking shifts. Qatar gave me that pause. And from that pause came clarity.”

    Learning in Doha wasn’t just about geography; it was about immersion, access, and shared ambition.

    Being surrounded by equally hungry entrepreneurs created a sense of accountability and forward motion rarely replicated in day-to-day business life.

    With his team members — the iconic “Prodigal Sons” Akay and Jegolion and his fondly called Billionaire Daughter, Julie Ibekwe by his side, Chidomere brought community, culture, and authenticity to the retreat. Their presence highlighted a deeper message:

    “No one builds global alone. You grow faster when you grow together.”

    This reinforced one of the retreat’s core beliefs: growth in groups accelerates success.

    Chidomere extended heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Stephen Akintayo for curating such a timely, transformational event:

    “Thank you for giving us this stage, this space, and this spark. The Gtex Team’s excellence in execution was unmatched. I’m honored to have shared the floor and the future with this network.”

    As the dust settles on Doha, eyes now turn toward Singapore, November 2025 — the next Global CEO Retreat destination. If Doha changed lives, Singapore promises to change destinies.

  • Owolabi Salis, first Nigerian Astronaut in desert camp preparatory training 

    Owolabi Salis, first Nigerian Astronaut in desert camp preparatory training 

    Astronauts scheduled for space exploration under the Blue Origin mission are set to take off on June 21.

    Among them is renowned U.S.-based lawyer and politician, Chief Owolabi Salis, who will make history as the first Nigerian to journey into space. 

    The astronauts are currently undergoing intensive desert camp training to prepare for the unique conditions of space travel.

    The experience is expected to enhance their capacity for impactful research in their respective fields.

    Read Also: Lagos AD guber candidate Owolabi Salis loses mother

    “For me, spiritual research is the subject that irresistibly tickles my fancy,” said Salis, who also serves as the Spiritual Leader of Soul Makers Ministry Worldwide.

    Blue Origin has unveiled a symbolic trademark patch for the mission, officially codenamed N-33.

    According to a statement by Blue Origin, the travel trajectory is accessible to all members of the public to watch on-line.

    The launch window opens at 8.30 a.m. CDT/13.30. U.T.C,while the webcast on BlueOrigin will start at T-30 minutes.

    Each symbol is connected to the Crew Capsule by a thin green line, representing each crew member’s motivation and unique identity

    There are two green lines circling the earth.The first represents the horizon, while the second represents the Karman line.

  • Tuggar to ECOWAS: detach from colonial masters

    Tuggar to ECOWAS: detach from colonial masters

    • Regional ministers converge in Abuja for talks on trade, tariff, others

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has stressed importance of members of Economic Community of West African States to avoid neo-colonialism.

    Tuggar stressed the need to detach from colonial masters.

    This is as ECOWAS Foreign Affairs Ministers converge on Abuja to discuss issues on trade, industry and investment, with the aim of strengthening regional market and economic integration.

    Speaking at the opening of the  94th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Council of Ministers,  Tuggar said the meeting is another milestone in the region’s journey towards attaining objectives of the regional economic community.

    Tuggar, who chairs ECOWAS Council of Ministers, stressed  that “if you stay alone and isolated from your neighbours, you remain dependent on the former colonial master, forever consigning yourself to being an exporter of agricultural cash crops and raw materials to the metropolis.

    “Conversely, if you trade freely with your neighbours and develop infrastructure jointly to strengthen trade, you develop indigenous industries, collective self-reliance and take control.

    “Given that we have a youthful population, I feel it is necessary to remind ourselves that ECOWAS and Regional Integration in Africa was borne out of our yearning for economic decolonisation.”

    He said deliberations “will consider and reflect on reports and proposals on thematic and sectoral matters central to development and stability of our region.

    “These include critical issues on economic integration, infrastructure, health, education, agriculture and institutional matters aimed at strengthening our community.”

    Read Also: Kaduna has no reason to vote against Tinubu in 2027 – Speaker Abbas

    Tuggar stressed “the agenda before us is extensive and multifaceted, reflecting complex realities of our region and institutional demands of our integration process.”

    He ended by saying members should approach the talks with collegiality, compromise and flexibility with a vision for a united regional economic community…’’

    “This session should be defined not only by the depth of our deliberations, but also by the courage of our decisions. I encourage us all to engage in open, constructive and foresighted discussions. Let us draw on our diverse expertise, share best practices and work collaboratively to ensure that the decisions we make here will translate into meaningful outcomes for our member states and the citizens of our community.”

    On his part, ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Alieu Omar Touray listed the areas of discussions before the ministers, which according to him bothers on very key sectors.

    He noted that the discussions will also consider the turning issue hindering trade and investment within the region.

    The non-tariff issues like trade liberalisation and the rest, he said, the regional body must do everything possible to remove the barrier.

    Touray said: “Your excellencies, the non-tariff barriers have become a perineal obstacle to boosting regional trade, investment, industrialisation, competitiveness and economic growth of our region. Despite numerous initiatives, including the Presidential Tasks Force on Trade Liberation Scheme, the problem persists.”

    Citing his personal experience traveling through the land borders in May, Touray said, “I travelled by road from Lagos to Cotonou to see the situation along the regional corridor and the joint border post established at the Seme/Krake border between Nigeria and Benin. I saw first hand the challenges posed by non-tariff barriers along the corridor.

    “We must do everything to put an end to this and facilitate economic exchange across the region.”

    He therefore  urged ECOWAS Regional  Competition Authority (ERCA) and member states on the implementation of Competition and Consumer Protection Rules within ECOWAS and requested member states to take necessary measures for its  signature by the end of June 2025.

    He said: “Furthermore, the Ministers of Trade and Industry have considered the Cooperation Agreement between ERCA and member states on the implementation of Competition and Consumer Protection Rules within ECOWAS and requested member states to take necessary measures for its signature by the end of June 2025. The ministers also approved the Trade and Investment Promotion Strategy and urged member states to accelerate the ratification of the WTO Fisheries Subsidy Agreement and the AfCFTA.

    “With regard to our Inter-regional and international trade, the Ministers also reviewed the West Africa – European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (WA-EU EPA) and recommended further national consultation with key stakeholders, in particular the private sector to propose a way forward. On the new US tariff policy, the ministers discussed the need to develop a regional response.”

  • Israel’s airstrikes to wreck Khamenei’s rule, say sources

    Israel’s airstrikes to wreck Khamenei’s rule, say sources

    Israel’s airstrikes aims to do more than destroy Iran’s nuclear centrifuges and missile capabilities. It seeks to shatter foundations of Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei’s, government, Israeli, Western and regional officials have said.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants Iran weakened enough to be forced into concessions on abandoning its nuclear enrichment, its ballistic missile programme and its support for militant groups, they said.

    He also wants to leave Khamenei’s government debilitated. The campaign is about “exhausting the regime’s ability to project power and maintain internal cohesion,” one senior official said.

    Iran’s Islamic government faces an existential crisis unlike anything since 1979 Revolution – not even the brutal 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war posed such a direct threat to clerical rule. Israel, Middle East’s most advanced military, can strike anywhere in Iran with drones and advanced F-35 fighter jets, assassinations by Mossad operatives, and cyberwarfare technology.

    In recent days, Israel has broadened its targets to include government institutions like the police and state television headquarters in Tehran. Netanyahu’s government is planning for at least two weeks of intense airstrikes, according to four government and diplomatic sources, though the pace depends on how long it takes to eliminate Iran’s missile stockpiles and launch capacity.

    Dennis Ross, former Middle East envoy and advisor to several U.S. administrations, believes Iran is feeling the pressure and may be inching toward the negotiating table after the strikes eliminated much of Khamenei’s inner circle, damaged nuclear infrastructure and missile sites, and killed top security figures.

    But, after Tehran offered no concessions during six previous rounds of nuclear negotiations with U.S., Washington will need assurances that its goals, including the permanent abandonment of enrichment, will be met before it will support a ceasefire.

    After Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on social media on Tuesday, Khamenei promised in a televised speech that any U.S. military intervention in Iran would be met with “irreparable damage”.

    Read Also: Ibas defends N1.85trn Rivers 2025 budget in closed session

    Iran’s decades-old playbook – waging war from the shadows via its proxies – collapsed under an Israeli offensive following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Its regional Axis of Resistance crumbled, with Hamas crushed in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon defeated, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ousted by rebels, and the Houthi militia in Yemen on the defensive.

    Russia and China – seen as allies of Tehran – have remained on the sidelines, leaving Iran isolated in the face of Western powers determined to end its regional influence and nuclear ambitions.

    If the conflict does escalate, regional officials fear a collapse of Khamenei’s government would not lead to democracy but to fragmentation – or worse: a civil war, fuelled by Iran’s marginalized minorities – Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, Baha’is, Baluchis and Christians – could erupt in a dangerous power vacuum.

    “And that,” a Gulf source warned, “no one is ready for.”

    The UAE foreign ministry directed Reuters to its statements condemning Israel’s strikes against Iran. Saudi Arabia’s and Qatar government media office did not respond to a request for comment.

    French President Emmanuel Macron echoed that warning at this week’s G7 leaders summit, saying forced regime change in Iran would bring chaos. He cited the failures of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the 2011 NATO-backed intervention in Libya as cautionary examples.

    Vatanka, of the Middle East Institute, warned that shockwaves from the collapse of the government in Tehran would not stop at Iran’s borders.

  • Trump envoy, Iran’s foreign minister hold phone calls

    Trump envoy, Iran’s foreign minister hold phone calls

    United States (U.S.) special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi have spoken by phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis, three diplomats told Reuters.

    According to the diplomats, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, Araqchi said Tehran would not return to negotiations unless Israel stopped the attacks, which began on June 13.

    They said the talks included a brief discussion of a U.S. proposal given to Iran at the end of May that aims to create a regional consortium that would enrich uranium outside of Iran, an offer Tehran has so far rejected.

    U.S. and Iranians officials did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter.

    This week’s phone discussions were the most substantive direct talks since the two began negotiations in April.

    On those occasions, in Oman and Italy, the two men exchanged brief words when they encountered each other after indirect talks were held.

    A regional diplomat close to Tehran said Araqchi had told Witkoff that Tehran “could show flexibility in the nuclear issue” if Washington pressured Israel to end the war.

    A European diplomat said: “Araqchi told Witkoff Iran was ready to come back to nuclear talks, but it could not if Israel continued its bombing.”

    Other than brief encounters after five rounds of indirect talks since April to discuss Iran’s decades-old nuclear dispute, Araqchi and Witkoff had not previously held direct contacts.

    U.S. President Donald Trump wants Tehran to end uranium enrichment on its soil, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Tehran’s right to enrichment is non-negotiable.

    Trump has been keeping his cards close to his chest over whether he will order U.S. forces to join Israel’s bombing campaign that it says aims to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic capabilities. But Trump offered a glimmer of hope that diplomacy could resume, saying Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting.

    Read Also: Kaduna has no reason to vote against Tinubu in 2027 – Speaker Abbas

    He rebuffed President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week when the French leader said Trump had told G7 leaders at a summit in Canada that the United States had made an offer to get a ceasefire and then kickstart broader discussions.

    European officials have been coordinating with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was also at the G7 summit.

    Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3 and party to a 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, held a ministerial call with Araqchi on Sunday. The three countries and the European Union are set to meet him in Geneva today, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei and an EU official said.

    Earlier in the week, both Rubio and Araqchi told the Europeans in separate talks about a possible diplomatic initiative, three diplomats said.

    A senior European diplomat said what emerged at the G7 was that Trump wanted the operations to end very quickly and that he wanted the Iranians to talk to him, while making clear that they had to accept his demands if they wanted the war to end.

  • Sahrawi minister seeks Nigeria’s support against Morocco

    Sahrawi minister seeks Nigeria’s support against Morocco

    Minister of Foreign Relations and African Affairs of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Mohamed Bessat, has called on Nigeria to support Sahrawi’s fight for self-determination and liberation from Moroccan occupation.

    Bessat spoke during a visit to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, in Abuja, where he noted the historical ties between Nigeria and Sahrawi.

    “I am here following invitation from my brother and colleague, Tuggar,” Bessat said.

    Read Also: Ibas defends N1.85trn Rivers 2025 budget in closed session

    “This visit reaffirms the long relations of brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation between Nigeria and Sahrawi.”

    The SADR minister decried Morocco’s occupation of nearly two-thirds of Sahrawi territory, condemning the “brutal and illegal occupation.”

    He accused Moroccan forces of systematic human rights violations and plundering natural resources while obstructing international efforts, particularly by United Nations and African Union to broker a peaceful resolution.

    “In this framework, I came to brief Nigeria – government officials, diplomats, lawmakers, and the media, on the situation in my country,” he said.

  • NDDC decries disruption of projects inauguration in Calabar

    NDDC decries disruption of projects inauguration in Calabar

    The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC has dismissed as bad politics and mischievous, allegation by officials of the Cross River state government that it hijacked projects undertaken by the state.

    Speaking in in Bayelsa State during the inauguration of some projects executed by the Commission, Chairman, Governing Board of the interventionist agency, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, wondered why some people would descent so low as to tell barefaced lies against the commission just to cast it in bad light and score cheap political goals.

    The NDDC boss warned such individuals to leave the Commission out of their dirty politics as the commission was irrevocably committed to the socio- infrastructural development of the Niger Delta region and therefore, has no time for inanities.

    His words: “Last week we were in Calabar to Commission a state office and also some roads in Calabar South local government area and Calabar Municipality but it is very unfortunate that despite the good work and the amount of efforts and energy put into these projects, not just by the contractors but also by the staff who monitored, evaluated and certified them, that people will take it upon themselves to cast us in bad light or ensure that they spin the wrong narrative out there.

    Read Also: Kaduna has no reason to vote against Tinubu in 2027 – Speaker Abbas

    “Yesterday or two days ago, the media was awash with the projects we went to commission in Calabar where they alleged that due process was not followed in the award of the road projects”

    Continuing, Ebie stressed: “The law said that the Chairman and Managing Director shall sign contracts on behalf of the Commission. We only do that when the due process is followed- the procurement process is done, the award letter issued and the bill of engineering measurement also issued.

    “So, how can a mischievous individual sit down and say there was no award letter, there was nothing, and so, how did the contractor go to site? Did he just go there and do whatever it is he wanted to do?

    “Politics is politics, leave your politics aside, do not include the NDDC because this is a new NDDC and we are determined to make a difference.”

    Recall that persons suspected to be agents of the Cross River state government, last week disrupted the commissioning ceremony of NDDC- executed road projects in the capital, Calabar, claiming the projects belonged to the state government.

  • Israel-Iran conflict, regional wars threatening success of 2030 SDGs — Foreign, Nigerian scholars

    Israel-Iran conflict, regional wars threatening success of 2030 SDGs — Foreign, Nigerian scholars

    The Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Professor Clement Adebooye, and foreign dignitaries from the United Kingdom, Canada, and Brazil have said regional conflicts, including the Israel-Iran conflict and the Ukraine-Russia wars, among others, are threatening the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals ahead of 2030.

    The scholars stated this at the 5th International Sustainable Development Dialogue, tagged ‘Sustainable Development in the Age of Crisis: Humanities, Science and a More Equitable World,’ a programme in conjunction with the Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute (GASDI) and Osun State University.

    The scholars blamed the wars on greed, bitterness and lack of patience by leaders, adding that the conflicts cause loss of lives, property, public infrastructure, and affect the green environment.

    Addressing the global scholars, Professor Adebooye highlighted that the world is characterised by crises of different magnitudes and consequences not only at the national level but also at continental and intercontinental levels.

    Read Also: Israel-Iran: Trump, Putin hold talks

    He said that in the last week, the conflict between Israel and Iran, which started like a candlelight, has escalated with far-reaching and severe impacts not just for the immediate region but globally.

    “The various consequential dimensions of this war are manifest in the conspicuous humanitarian crisis and rising casualties, geopolitical instability and regional spill-over, economic disruptions, nuclear proliferation concerns and cyber warfare.”

    Also, Professor Moises Silva from the University of Bahia, Brazil, said the use of nuclear weapons during war has a great negative impact on the SDG conservation agenda, including the disruption of nature.

    He said, “Without nature we cannot live, so this war and others that are happening are really showing us the true face of people that are very greedy and they prefer war to life because every activity of war greatly affects our environment.”

    Similarly, Dr Feng Mao from the University of Warwick, UK, said SDGs cannot be achieved alone but require collaborative efforts from all countries, saying, “We have five more years to the deadline of the SDG and all stakeholders must work together to ensure their attainment.”