The Iranian foreign minister has called on the United Nations to condemn the US and the Israeli regime for waging an illegal war on the Islamic Republic and hold the regimes accountable for their crimes.

Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in a phone conversation on Thursday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the sides discussed the latest developments and the atrocities that the invading coalition is committing against Iran.

Araghchi urged the UN to take serious action and adopt decisive and clear positions towards honoring its inherent duty to protect international peace and security by denouncing the aggressors and bringing them to account.

Referring to the brutal US-Israeli attacks on civilian sites, including schools, hospitals, cultural and historical monuments, public places and residential areas, the top Iranian diplomat reminded the UN of its responsibility to pursue the flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law.

He further criticized those who are calling for Tehran to show restraint or end the war.

“The fact should not be ignored that it was the United States and the Zionist regime, which launched the military aggression against Iran and imposed the war on the region and the world, betraying diplomacy once again and endangering security and interests of all regional countries,” he said.

The criminal US-Israeli aggression on Iran began on February 28 with airstrikes that assassinated senior Iranian officials and commanders.

The Iranian armed forces have responded by launching almost daily missile and drone operations targeting locations in the Israelioccupied territories as well as US military bases and assets across the region.

They have also blocked the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers affiliated with the adversaries and those cooperating with them.

Araghchi said that insecurity in the strategic waterway, lying between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, is the direct result of the American-Zionist aggression against Iran.

“Transit prohibition for vessels belonging or linked to the enemies and their allies is the legal right of Iran as a coastal country. Related authorities of the Islamic Republic have taken necessary measures to provide maritime security and safety in the waterway.”

He also emphasized Iran’s resolve to continue the legitimate defense of its national security and sovereignty, as well as territorial integrity.

Guterres, for his part, stressed the UN’s principled position on the need for respecting countries’ national sovereignty and territorial integrity, expressing concerns about the continuation of the war and killings in the region.

VIENNA: A headscarf ban for girls under 14 in Austrian schools has stirred unease, anger and fears of further targeting of Muslims in the EU member state.

Austrian lawmakers in December approved the measure, which is set to take effect from the new school year in September.

With anti-immigration sentiment running high, the conservative-led government argues the law is aimed at protecting girls from “oppression”.

But rights groups and experts say it is discriminatory, risks deepening social division and is likely unconstitutional.

“It’s my decision… No one can force me to wear a headscarf, and no one can force me to take it off,” a 12-year-old student told AFP at a protest against the ban in Vienna last month, declining to give her name.

‘Legal consequences’

The government estimates around 12,000 girls would be affected by the new law, but this projection has been questioned as too high.

Roughly 8% of Austria’s nine million residents are Muslim, according to 2021 government statistics.

The education ministry sent out information to all schools several weeks ago on how to enforce the new law.

It contains illustrations of different Islamic head coverings.

“Every teacher who observes a violation must instruct the student to remove her headscarf. If she does not immediately comply, the teacher must report the violation to the school administration without delay,” the instructions state.

“The school administration must immediately hold a meeting with the student and her legal guardians.”

For repeated non-compliance, parents can face fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros ($175 to $930).

Failure to report those in violation of the law could also have “legal consequences” for teachers and school managements, the instructions warn.

One Vienna schoolteacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP she was not planning to enforce the law.

“It’s a populist measure” that fails to address “the real problem when parents of any religion use violence or psychological violence against children,” she said.

‘Deeply rooted racism’

Last month, hundreds gathered at a central Vienna square to protest the ban before marching to the chancellery.

Malika Mataeva, co-founder of the Muslim Women Network, decried “years of systematic, deeply rooted racism in Austria.”

“It’s simply another step that makes us say, ‘Enough is enough,'” she told AFP, adding “guaranteed freedoms” were not being respected.

Austria has long drawn immigrants, as well as asylum seekers fleeing conflict. But anti-immigration sentiment is strong.

In the 2024 elections, the far-right Freedom Party won for the first time even though it failed to form a government.

Muslims in Austria suffered the highest rates of racism and discrimination in the EU, according to a 2024 report by Europe’s FRA rights agency.

Past ban struck down

The IGGOe, the body which officially represents the country’s Muslim communities, is set to challenge the ban in court.

Austria introduced a similar ban on headscarves in primary schools in 2019, but the constitutional court struck it down.

“It is clear that we consider this law… to be unconstitutional in Austria, given its focus on a specific religious item of clothing,” the Ombud for Equal Treatment told AFP.

At the Vienna protest, an 11-year-old, who only gave her name as Hadiya, said she is the only student in her class of 27 who wears a headscarf.

“I’m angry…. I find it (the ban) is without reason,” she said.

A mother of two girls, aged 11 and 13, also said the ban has weighed heavily on her family, with her daughters not wanting to take off their headscarves.

“It’s supposed to be for their protection, but they’ve been suffering for months now and are worried about what to do,” she told AFP at the protest.

DUBAI: A powerful storm system swept across the United Arab Emirates overnight, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and near-constant lightning that lit up the night sky for more than two hours, residents said.

Flashes were so bright in some areas that parts of the country appeared “like daytime in the dark,” with booming thunder waking residents around 11pm local time.

The storm affected multiple emirates, including Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi. Fujairah recorded 47.9mm of rainfall, while Ras Al Khaimah saw flooding on sections of Emirates Road caused by overflow from Al Beeh and Qada’a valleys, prompting authorities to advise motorists to take alternative routes.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issued a flash flood alert after midnight as the storm moved from western regions into Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

Dubai Police and the Ministry of Interior also issued public advisories, including messages in Urdu, urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel, maintain safe distances on roads, and stay away from pools of water or fast-moving rivers to prevent vehicles from skidding. Hail and reduced visibility in some areas were reported.

Dubai Airports warned travellers to allow extra time for journeys to DXB and DWC airports as adverse weather might cause delays. Authorities also announced the temporary closure of Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah due to hazardous conditions.

The UAE Government and NCM said unstable weather, including heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, and occasional hail, is expected to continue through Friday before gradually easing from Saturday, with clearer skies and cooler temperatures forecast. Officials urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with authorities to stay safe.