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Image posted, Reuters
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told the BBC that “America is back” and is fully committed to helping solve problems like the pandemic, climate change and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
And in his first international interview, Blinken highlighted the importance of vaccination against Covid-19 around the world.
He also criticized China for its lack of transparency in revealing how the Corona virus emerged.
This is a break with the “America First” policy of former US President Donald Trump.
Blinken’s remarks came in conjunction with the meeting of leaders of the Group of Seven major industrialized countries in an online session.
What did Blinken say about vaccines?
The United States has decided to donate $ 4 billion to the Kovacs vaccination program, which aims to provide more than 2 billion doses to people in 190 countries in less than a year.
Blinken said: “Unless everyone in the world is vaccinated, and until they are vaccinated, no one is completely sure, because if the virus is present and continues to spread, it will mutate again.
He added: “And if it mutates, it will come back and infect people everywhere.”
The United States has so far vaccinated more than 27 million of its population. However, in many poor countries, vaccination has not yet started.
Blinken also accused China of not sharing information that could shed light on the origins of the Corona virus.
A team of researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) spent four weeks in China on a fact-finding mission in early 2021. However, two experts from the WHO team later said that China refused to fully share the data. requested.
The Foreign Minister said a better health security system is needed to control epidemics before they fully spread.
“It requires countries to be transparent. It requires that they share information. It requires that they have access to international experts at the beginning of the outbreak, which, unfortunately, we have not seen in China.”
Did Blinken indicate a change in attitude toward Iran?
Yes. Under Donald Trump, the United States withdrew from the agreement in which international powers relaxed stifling economic sanctions on Iran, in exchange for restrictions on its sensitive activities, to show that it is not developing nuclear weapons.
The United States is now considering whether to rejoin the agreement. President Biden said on Friday that the United States should work with other major powers to curb what he described as Iran’s “destabilizing” nuclear ambitions.
Blinken told the BBC that the United States and its European partners were “on the same page again” regarding Iran.
President Biden was clear a while ago: If Iran returns to its obligations under the nuclear deal, the United States will do the same.
He added that the United States would then work with other countries to confront Iran on other issues, including its influence in the region and its ballistic missile program.
In response to a question from BBC correspondent Yalda Hakim on how he would respond to allegations that the United States made concessions to Iran, he said the previous approach had failed.
He said: “We had a policy in recent years of so-called maximum pressure on Iran that did not produce results. In fact, the problem has worsened. Iran is now much closer to being able to produce enough materials, in a short time.” , for a nuclear weapon. “
What about Rights Human والممرة لطيفة؟
Blinken was also asked about the case of Princess Latifa, daughter of the ruler of Dubai, whose family has been accused of holding her hostage since she tried to flee in 2018.
In secretly recorded videos obtained by the BBC, the princess said she feared for her life. The story prompted international calls for a United Nations investigation, and the United Nations human rights agency asked the United Arab Emirates to provide proof that the princess is still alive.
The US Secretary of State said the United States will closely monitor the issue, adding: “In all areas, with adversaries, competitors, partners and allies alike … we take human rights seriously, and the President does. has put in the center. of our foreign policy, and countries also expect us to follow up on the issue. “
On Friday, the Dubai royal family said through the UAE embassy in London that Princess Latifa was “being cared for at home.”
However, no video or photo of the princess was released in the family statement, which could have served as evidence that she is still alive. The statement also did not provide details about his condition.
