The Guardian reports that Iran has voiced optimism regarding the future of the JCPOA after talks between President Emmanuel Macron and President Hassan Rouhani. Macron and Rouhani spoke for two hours by telephone, as Paris continued its diplomatic initiative to salvage the deal. “Fortunately the points of views have become closer on many issues and now technical discussions are being held on ways to carry out the Europeans’ commitments,” said government spokesman Ali Rabiei. Reuters reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has stated that Iran would further reduce its commitments under the JCPOA if European parties failed to shield Tehran’s economy from US sanctions. “It is meaningless to continue unilateral commitments to the deal if we don’t enjoy its benefits as promised by the deal’s European parties”, Zarif said.

The Guardian and Reuters report that an Iranian judo athlete could seek asylum in Germany after he ignored orders from his national federation to pull out of the world championships to avoid a potential final against an Israeli. The International Judo Federation (IJF) said that Saeid Mollaei was pressurised by Iranian authorities to drop out before his quarter-final to avoid the prospect of fighting Israel’s Sagi Muki in the final. Mollaei said in an IJF statement: “Even if the authorities of my country told me that I can go back without any problems, I am afraid. I am afraid of what might happen to my family and to myself”.

The Telegraph and Times report that the IDF faked injuries to its soldiers to convince Hezbollah that it had caused casualties after firing anti-tank missiles at an Israeli base on the Israel-Lebanon border. The military staged a helicopter evacuation of “wounded” troops. The trickery appears to have achieved its goal of convincing Hezbollah that it wounded Israeli troops and therefore did not need to launch further attacks. Raf Sanchez contends that the stagecraft “reflects a reality about the standoff between Hezbollah and Israel: neither side wants a full-blown war but both sides have to be seen to retaliate to the other’s provocations”. Reuters reports that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has stated that Sunday’s episode had launched a “new phase” in which the group no longer has red lines. In a televised speech, Nasrallah said the group would focus on targeting Israeli drones that enter Lebanon’s airspace.

In BBC News, Jonathan Marcus claims that the most recent clash between Israel and Hezbollah may or may not be over, but the signs point to a potentially catastrophic conflict ahead: “The fuse has been snuffed out now on multiple occasions. But each time when it is re-lit, it gets ever shorter”.

The Independent reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the boycott of one of Israel’s most popular television channels for producing what he has termed an “antisemitic” TV series. Netanyahu made the call in a Facebook post late on Friday, hours after a bid to stop Channel 12 from airing leaked material associated with the criminal investigations into his alleged wrongdoings. Channel 12’s owner, Keshet, also co-produced the highly controversial HBO series titled ‘Our Boys’ that covers the events leading up to the war in Gaza in 2014.

BBC News and the Times report that US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has declared that the US would withdraw 5,400 troops from Afghanistan within 20 weeks as part of a deal “in principle” with Taliban militants. Khalilzad revealed details of the long-awaited deal for the first time in a TV interview after briefing Afghan leaders on the agreement, though final approval rests with US President Donald Trump. A huge blast rocked Kabul as the interview aired. The Taliban said it was behind the attack, which killed at least 16 with another 119 wounded taken to hospital. It said foreign forces were the target. The attack highlights fears that US negotiations with the Taliban will not end violence in Afghanistan.

The Financial Times and Reuters report that Saudi Arabia has removed Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih as chairman of Saudi Aramco and replaced him with Yasir al-Rumayyan, head of the country’s sovereign wealth fund and a close ally of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, ahead of a planned stock market listing.

Reuters reports that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Harir has stated that Lebanon will declare an economic emergency and the government has begun work on a plan to accelerate public finance reforms. Hariri said the policy of keeping the Lebanese pound stable, which is pegged to the dollar, would continue. Cabinet ministers, politicians and lawmakers who met on Monday reached consensus on an outline for a plan that would put public finances and the economy on a more sustainable path.

Reuters reports that Yemeni rescue workers have begun searching for bodies two days after air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition hit a prison complex, killing more than 100 people. Yemeni Red Crescent workers placed corpses in white bags while bulldozers and other heavy equipment moved through the rubble to retrieve bodies in Dhamar, southwest Yemen.

In Reuters, Stephen Kalin and Ghaida Ghantous attempt to explain the divisions within the Saudi-led coalition party to the Yemen conflict: “Saudi Arabia is struggling to hold together a military coalition fighting Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen after local allies turned on each other in a power struggle that has strained Riyadh’s alliance with its main regional partner, the United Arab Emirates”.

Reuters reports that Turkey’s ruling AK Party wants to eject former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and three other lawmakers amid talk of a breakaway movement. Davutoglu has previously criticised AKP policies, government economic management and President Erdogan. At a meeting on Monday, the AKP’s central executive committee demanded that Davutoglu, along with Ayhan Sefer Ustun, Selcuk Ozdag and Abdullah Basci, be dismissed from the party.

Reuters reports that lawyers for a Syrian national accused of war crimes in the Netherlands for allegedly participating in an execution during the Syrian conflict have denied that their client was a member of the Nusra Front. Ahmad al Khedr faces charges of murder and membership of a terrorist group under Dutch universal jurisdiction laws. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty. This is the first time a Syrian national has been charged with war crimes under Dutch jurisdiction laws.

Netanyahu intervened in communications industry policy, according to leaked recording

• Israel’s Channel 13 news broadcast a leaked recording from 2017 of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shouting at Communications Minister Ayoub Kara and intervening in communications industry policy and legislative issues, despite being ordered by Attorney General Mandelblit to resign as communications minister due to the police investigations into Case 2000 and Case 4000.
• Likud figures have accused Kara of recording and leaking the conversation, as revenge for being moved to an unrealistic slot for re-election on the Likud party list.

Hezbollah leader threatens Israel if Hezbollah attacked again

• Hassan Nasrallah said last night that if Israel were to attack targets in Lebanon, targets deep inside Israel would be attacked in response.
• Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of Nasrallah in a video: “The man in the bunker in Beirut knows exactly why he is in a bunker. We will continue to do everything necessary to keep Israel safe — at sea, on the ground and in the air — and we will also continue to work against the threat of the precise missiles.”
• Channel 12 News provided further detail on Israel’s response to Sunday’s Hezbollah attack reporting that the Israeli Air Force had “planes in the air”, ready to bomb many targets linked to Hezbollah’s missile production, and were waiting for a green light from Jerusalem.

Channel 12 News reports that the US and Israel could soon agree a new defence pact.

• US and Israeli officials are discussing the possibility of announcing a new US commitment to Israeli security, which could include a statement of intent to sign a defence pact.
• Haaretz adds, “In recent weeks, there have been intensive talks between some of Netanyahu’s advisers and people close to US President Donald Trump over a potential statement by the American president, in which he could commit to protecting Israel in the future from any existential threat. In addition, Netanyahu is also trying to orchestrate some form of gesture from Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
• The move is being interpreted as the latest attempt to show international support for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s re-election.

 Israeli election campaign intensifies

• Yediot Ahronot reports on the Likud campaign and suggests Netanyahu intends to try and suppress voter turnout in the Arab sector and increase turnout among his potential voters primarily by attacking the media and casting himself as a world-class leader.
• The papers report Netanyahu still hasn’t given up hope of persuading the Jewish Power party to withdraw from the race and in return has promised he would lower the electoral threshold in the next Knesset to ensure that they would win seats in future elections.
• Blue and White leader Benny Gantz promised that if he becomes prime minister he would hold a national referendum before withdrawing from any territory in the West bank.

French President Macron hopes to set up Trump-Rouhani meeting at UN   

• Maariv reports that Iran’s government spokesman said Rouhani may meet with Trump if such a meeting serves Iran’s interests. But Iranian President Rouhani said that Iran’s answer to direct talks with Washington has always been negative.
• The Jerusalem Post quotes a tweet from the Iranian embassy in Paris “After several months of negotiations and contacts at various levels and intensity, talks between #Iran and #France are still ongoing. Today, too, the two delegations met for 10 hours, very intensively.”