Lebanon was criticised yesterday after 16 members of parliament jumped the queue for coronavirus jabs, putting World Bank vaccination funding in jeopardy by breaking rules for a fair rollout.

Oman announced yesterday that it was suspending entry for arrivals from 10 countries — Sudan, Lebanon, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Ethiopia, Guinea, Sierra Leone — for 15 days from Thursday in view of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet decided in its meeting yesterday to close the country’s land and sea borders, with the exception of shipping operations and workers in the neutral zone, from tomorrow, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

Iran must refrain from any provocation as Washington steps up efforts to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, the head of US forces in the Middle East told AFP.

A wave of air strikes by government ally Russia killed at least 21 Islamic State group militants in the Syrian desert over the past 24 hours, a monitor said Saturday.

Iran will "immediately reverse" actions in its nuclear programme when US sanctions are lifted, its foreign minister said on Friday, reiterating Tehran's position on Washington's offer to revive talks.

A first batch of coronavirus vaccines, enough to inoculate 1,000 people, arrived in Gaza yesterday, Palestinian and Israeli officials said, after Israel blocked a shipment earlier this week.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded “action, not words” from the United States if it wants to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, challenging new President Joe Biden to take the first step toward a thaw.

Hamas yesterday blasted Israel’s refusal to allow some 2,000 coronavirus vaccine doses destined for Gaza health workers through its blockade of the territory as a “violation” of international law.

Iran’s armed forces yesterday launched a joint naval drill with Russia in the north of the Indian Ocean designed to “enhance security” of maritime trade, state television reported.

An offensive by Yemen’s Houthi group to take Marib city, the last stronghold of the internationally-recognised government, threatens to displace hundreds of thousands and complicate a renewed diplomatic push to end the war, UN officials say.

A volley of rockets targeting an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded five others and a US soldier, the US-led coalition said.