The Guardian, Times, Telegraph and Financial Times all give prominent coverage to Foreign Secretary William Hague’s announcement yesterday in the House of Commons that tentative steps are being taken towards restoring diplomatic ties with Iran. The UK embassy in Tehran was evacuated and closed in 2011 after it was stormed by a mob and Iranian diplomats were subsequently asked to leave the UK. However, Hague said that in light of encouraging signs that Iranian President Rouhani and his government are “presenting…their country in a much more positive way,” a non-resident charge d’affaires has been appointed by both countries to oversee the possible re-establishment of diplomatic links. However, Hague cautioned that trust and cooperation would need to be built in order for progress to be made.

The Guardian, Independent, Independent i and the online edition of the Financial Times cover a report released yesterday by the World Bank which claimed that Israeli restrictions on Palestinian movement and access in the West Bank is significantly stifling Palestinian economic growth. The report points in particular to restrictions in Area C of the West Bank, which is under full Israeli control, unlike other sections of the West Bank which are administered by the Palestinian Authority. However, the Independent notes that the report also said that there has been an easing of restrictions by Israel over recent years.

The Telegraph online covers comments made by United Nations’ Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who warned that the international team sent to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons faces “unprecedented danger.” Meanwhile, the Independent online says that a second team of chemical weapons experts will be sent to boost the effort to disarm the Syrian chemical stockpile.

The Guardian online says that hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood protestors demonstrated yesterday against Egypt’s military rulers at Cairo University and other campuses. The demonstrations follow extreme violence at weekend protests which resulted in the deaths of dozens of supporters of ousted premier Mohammed Morsi.

Both the Times and the Independent include obituaries of the revered Israeli religious leader and mentor to Shas and the wider Sephardi community, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef who died in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

In the Israeli media, the aftermath of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s death is still the main item, with several reports on the crowds of people who have flocked to the mourner’s tent in Jerusalem at the family home and to the graveside itself. Yediot Ahronot’s headline notes “People throng to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s grave,” while Israel Hayom’s headline states “They came in their masses to say thank you.” The future of Shas as a movement and a political force also comes into focus. An Israel Hayom headline says that there is “uncertainty” in Shas while a Maariv story says that associates of former Shas political head Eli Yishai have accused his successor Aryeh Deri of cynically taking control of Rabbi Yosef’s funeral for his own political ends.

Israel Radio news covers interviews given by Finance Minister and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid in the US media, during which he said that Israel does not need Palestinian recognition as a Jewish state, in contrast to the position posited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Haaretz says that Netanyahu has rejected a request by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to advance the timetable for releasing Palestinian prisoners.

Maariv includes a report suggesting that despite the work of an international team dismantling Syria’s chemical weapons, the Assad regime may have smuggled an amount of its chemical stockpile out of the country. Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot reports that Noam Glick, the nine-year-old girl shot by a gunman in the West Bank on Saturday evening has returned home.