Russia: Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are new partners in BRICS

Russia: Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are new partners in BRICS

    Friday, November 15, 2024   No comments

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin revealed that Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have become partners in the BRICS bloc.

Pankin explained during a joint meeting of foreign and trade ministers of APEC member states that the BRICS summit held in Kazan "demonstrated the desire of the global majority to create a fair world order, with a focus on reforming international institutions and strengthening equal economic relations."

He also pointed out that "the summit resulted in a set of important agreements in the fields of trade, investment, artificial intelligence, energy, climate and logistics."

Pankin pointed out that "the share of the economies of the Asia-Pacific region in Russia's foreign trade has reached 70%, while about 90% of payments are made in national currencies."

In a related context, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed that his country continues to secure stable supplies of energy resources to the APEC countries.

It is noteworthy that the BRICS summit, which was held in Kazan between October 22 and 24, was attended by the heads of state of the group.

After a call between Pezeshkian and Bin Salman, the armies of the two countries discuss increasing military cooperation

After a call between Pezeshkian and Bin Salman, the armies of the two countries discuss increasing military cooperation

    Sunday, November 10, 2024   No comments

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Iran "wants to deepen and expand relations between the two countries in all areas."

Pezeshkian believed that the Riyadh summit scheduled to be held tomorrow, Monday, to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, will have "effective and tangible results in stopping the crimes of the Zionist entity and the war and bloodshed in Gaza and Lebanon."

For his part, bin Salman confirmed to Pezeshkian that Iranian-Saudi relations "are going through a historic turning point," expressing his hope "to raise bilateral relations to the highest levels and in all areas."

The Saudi Crown Prince added, "I will seize the opportunity of your first deputy being in Riyadh and hold talks with him."

In a related context to enhancing cooperation between the two countries, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Mohammad Bagheri, announced that "cooperation between the Iranian and Saudi armed forces can be increased given the commonalities and many capabilities between the two countries."

He added during his reception of the Chief of the Saudi General Staff, Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, today, Sunday, in Tehran, that "Iran is interested in the participation of the Saudi Navy in Iranian exercises and naval maneuvers next year with the presence of floating units or as an observer."

For his part, Al-Ruwaili stressed "the improvement in the level of cooperation in various fields between the armed forces of the two countries," noting that "the Beijing Agreement is a good basis for increasing bilateral cooperation between the two countries and we consider this agreement a strategic opportunity."

The Chief of Staff of the Saudi Armed Forces arrived in Tehran on Sunday afternoon at the head of a high-level delegation, and the two sides are scheduled to discuss bilateral relations and defense relations.

It is noteworthy that Bagheri had held telephone talks with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman in December 2023, which addressed regional developments and raising the level of defense cooperation between the Iranian and Saudi armed forces.

BRICS Calling for a ceasefire in Gaza: We condemn Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Syria

BRICS Calling for a ceasefire in Gaza: We condemn Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Syria

    Wednesday, October 23, 2024   No comments

The BRICS group of countries stressed the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, expressing its condemnation of the Israeli occupation's targeting of humanitarian operations and aid distribution centers in the Strip.

In a statement issued by the summit held in Russia on Wednesday, BRICS expressed its support for granting occupied Palestine full membership in the United Nations.

In addition, the group's countries confirmed that they consider the occupation's bombing of pagers in Lebanon a violation of international laws, expressing their condemnation of Israel's targeting of Iranian diplomatic buildings in Damascus.

In the statement, BRICS urged all parties to resume the Iranian nuclear agreement, calling for strengthening the "non-proliferation regime and establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East."

Regarding the war in Ukraine, BRICS countries welcomed "good offices proposals on the Ukrainian settlement."

They also called for accelerating "the development and adoption of a comprehensive agreement to combat international terrorism within the framework of the United Nations," expressing "deep concern about the negative impact of unilateral sanctions on the global economy and other areas," and stressing the group's "leading role in the process of improving the global financial system."

It is noteworthy that the activities of the second day of the BRICS Summit 2024 began on Wednesday in the Russian city of Kazan, where a number of leaders, leaders and guests arrived in the city to participate in the summit, which was held in an expanded manner.

During a brief meeting held by Russian President Vladimir Putin with the group’s leaders, he confirmed “the existence of radical changes in a multipolar world,” stressing that his country “seeks to strengthen BRICS’ position in the world and focus on solving global and local problems,” adding that the group’s countries “show responsibility in their dealings with global situations through actions, not words.”

What to expect from BRICS under Russia's leadership

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced today, Wednesday, during a narrow meeting with the leaders of the BRICS group, that there are radical changes in a multipolar world.

During the meeting, Putin stressed that the BRICS countries have enormous economic, scientific, demographic and political potential.

He pointed out that Russia seeks to strengthen the position of BRICS in the world and focus on solving global and local problems, adding that the group's countries "show responsibility in their dealings with global situations through actions, not words."

The Russian president also stressed that "the BRICS countries' share in the global economy by the end of this year will represent 36.7%, which is more than the share of the G7 countries," adding that "the BRICS countries have become the most powerful economic group in the world."

He stressed that using the dollar as a weapon undermines confidence in it, noting that Russia is not abandoning it but is forced to look for alternatives.

Regarding the expansion of BRICS, Putin said: “Of course, it would be wrong to ignore the unprecedented interest of the countries of the Global South and East in strengthening contacts with the group’s countries, as more than 30 countries have already expressed this desire in one form or another,” but at the same time, “it is necessary to maintain balance and prevent a decline in BRICS’ effectiveness.”

During the meeting, the Russian President proposed to form a list of BRICS partner countries and to fix this in the final declaration of the Kazan Summit.

An alternative to SWIFT and de-dollarization.. BRICS expansion pushes towards a new global financial system

With the BRICS summit being held in the Russian city of Kazan with the participation of 36 countries, the group's aims have begun to materialize in practice, as its serious and decisive efforts to expand its membership circle have become apparent, and thus push towards creating a new financial system, far from the SWIFT system, which serves specific economic entities and entrenches economic crises that harm every entity trying to find a place outside the framework of Western hegemony.

The use of the US dollar and the SWIFT system as a weapon by the United States of America, especially after targeting Russia and separating it from the SWIFT system in 2022, has raised deep concerns about the security of the global financial system centered around America, as this exclusion has serious economic consequences, not only for the targeted countries, but for global trade in general.

This situation has highlighted the urgent need for alternatives to SWIFT, and for a financial system less dependent on the dollar to mitigate such risks. In this context, the group has long been discussing the idea of ​​a BRICS currency, which could be a basket of currencies backed by natural resources such as gold, oil and gas. What helps BRICS is that its countries collectively have larger gold reserves than the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank combined, according to the Independent Online website, and it is now seeking to expand its membership.

  

Israel is normalizing the assassination of religious leaders by targeting Sistani

Israel is normalizing the assassination of religious leaders by targeting Sistani

    Wednesday, October 09, 2024   No comments

Channel close to Netanyahu included Sistani on Israeli assassination list. Channel 14 Israel published a photo of the highest Shiite authority in Iraq, Ali al-Sistani, as one of the targets of Israeli assassination plans.

The photo of al-Sistani appeared alongside photos of the leader of the Houthi Ansar Allah group, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Yahya Sinwar, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The Israeli channel, which is close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, broadcast the photos yesterday, Tuesday, with the word “target” over the head of each of the aforementioned figures, without explaining the reasons for placing al-Sistani on the assassination list.

The photos appeared while one of the right-wing channel’s correspondents was talking about the possible Israeli response to the missile attack launched by Iran on Israel last Tuesday.

The correspondent said during his interview accompanying the photos that Israel "has made a decision to strike Iran, but the targets that will be attacked have not yet been determined," and he also indicated that the date of the possible Israeli response has not yet been determined either.

He said that unless a decision is made regarding the determination of targets and the date of the response, all possibilities are possible.

Israel has not previously spoken about the assassination of Sistani, although a number of its officials have mentioned the names of all the other figures whose pictures were shown on the channel as potential targets on the Israeli assassination list.

Sistani, who was born in 1930, is a religious authority for the fundamentalist Twelver Shiites and resides in the city of Najaf in central Iraq, which is the center of the main religious science schools known as the "Najaf Seminary," and he is one of the most influential figures in the country due to his broad religious authority. His name might have been added to Israel's assassination list due to his statements about the assassination of the Lebanese leader of Hezbollah. Sistani issued a statement, then, saying that "Martyr Nasrallah is a leadership model that is unparalleled in recent decades"

In his official statement he added: "We received with great sorrow and regret the news of the martyrdom of the great scholar, the hujjat al-Islam and Muslims, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and a group of his brothers in the honorable Lebanese resistance, and dozens of innocent civilians in the horrific massacre committed by the Zionist enemy army in the beloved suburb of Beirut."

He added, "The great martyr was a leadership model that was rarely seen in recent decades. He played a distinguished role in the victory over the Zionist occupation by liberating Lebanese lands and supported the Iraqis with everything he could in liberating their country from the ISIS terrorists. He also took great positions in support of the oppressed Palestinian people until he paid his precious life as a price for that." He added, "As we offer our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy to the noble Lebanese people and all oppressed peoples in this great loss and affliction, we implore God Almighty to bestow His vast mercy and satisfaction upon the deceased and to unite him with His saints, Muhammad and his pure family, in the highest heavens, and to inspire his family and all those who are grieving his loss with patience and solace. To God we belong and to Him we shall return."

Iraqi government responds

In the first reactions, the Iraqi government said that it rejects in the strongest terms any infringement on the status of the supreme religious authority.

The spokesman for the Iraqi government, Bassem Al-Awadi, stressed in an official government statement that "after the Zionist entity has gone too far in its genocidal war, committed blatant crimes against humanity, and openly practiced murder and aggression in Gaza and Lebanon, it is the turn of its inciting and racist media, in a cheap attempt to harm the image of the supreme religious authority."

He added, "the Iraqi government rejects in the strongest terms any infringement on the status of our authority, which is appreciated and respected by all the Iraqi people, the Arab and Islamic worlds, and the international community, and warns of the danger of these attempts based on a racist intellectual background, and foundations that have gone too far in disregarding the sanctities of peoples, which encourages the expansion of the circle of aggression and exposes international security and peace to a real threat."

He continued, "the Zionist entity proves, once again, that it is nothing but a criminal group that thrives on fabricating crises, feeding aggression and wars, and its isolation increases day after day, and the popular and international positions in the world rejecting its behavior are nothing but confirmation of this aggressive trend."

Based on these facts, the Iraqi government- according to the statement - "call on the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and all international and UN forums, to reject and denounce everything that affects the feelings of Muslims in the world, and attempts to undermine figures with global influence and respect."

The statement explained that Iraq, government and people, have made every effort to stop the war, but Israel and its extremist government, in addition to the failure of the international community, have caused the situation to worsen, and today it is trying to spread insults to cover up the clear crimes, which we reject in general, and consider it a dangerous aggression that will not change Iraq's firm and principled position on all fateful issues.

CIA: Iran capable of producing a nuclear bomb in a week

CIA: Iran capable of producing a nuclear bomb in a week

    Tuesday, October 08, 2024   No comments

CIA Director William Burns said that Iran is capable of producing a nuclear bomb within a week, but there is no evidence that it has decided to do so.

NBC quoted Burns - during a security conference in Georgia - as saying that Iran has made progress in its nuclear program by accumulating depleted uranium to levels that allow for the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

As a result, Burns continued, Iran may be able to quickly obtain enough fissile material to make an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so, and there will be less time for the outside world to respond.

He added that there is no evidence that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has reversed his decision taken in late 2003 to suspend the nuclear weapons program, and said that American intelligence agencies believe that Iran has suspended its program in accordance with Khamenei's declaration last year.

The US intelligence chief explained that Tehran has developed "conception methods" by building a missile arsenal, noting that Iran has become closer to producing a nuclear bomb since the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018.

In response to recent rumors that an earthquake in Semnan province near the capital Tehran was related to a nuclear test, the Nour News website, which is close to the Iranian National Security Council, stated that "the suspicious rumors spread by foreign media about the first Iranian nuclear test are completely false and contradict Iran's nuclear and defense doctrine."

Burns' statements and talk of a nuclear test came amid Israeli threats to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities in response to Tehran targeting Israel with dozens of missiles after the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in Israeli raids on Beirut, and the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil.

The CIA confirms similar statements by US officials that essentially concluded that building a nuclear weapons is now in the hands of Iranian leaders. In July of this year, the head of the State Department, Blinken, also stated that Iran was a week to a week and half from the breakout stage for developing nuclear weapons. Other Western officials confirmed that US assessment is accurate. Given the timeline, this means that the decision for building a nuclear weapon is entirely in the hands of Iranian leaders. The developments and threats since July 2024 can only push them to building a weapon. Alternatively, and absent in Western assessment of Iran capabilities, is whether Iranian leaders have thought of using depleted uranium in their rockets, especially after reports that Israel may have used depleted uranium bombs in its assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and Abbas Nilforoushan in Beirut last month.

Also, if Western assessment about Iran's nuclear capabalities is true, restoring the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in 2028 becomes moot. The starting point for any new deal will start with the Iran preserving what it has achieved and what the West can offer to limit increased nuclear activities.

Taliban Delegation Arrives in Moscow for Consultations on Afghan Issues

Taliban Delegation Arrives in Moscow for Consultations on Afghan Issues

    Friday, October 04, 2024   No comments

A Taliban delegation, led by the acting Afghan Foreign Minister, has arrived in Moscow for the “Moscow format” consultations on Afghanistan. The format, established in 2017, brings together 10 nations interested in an Afghan settlement, including Russia, India, Iran, and China.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the decision to remove the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations "was made at the highest level," the Russian news agency TASS reported on Friday. The Russian president's special representative to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, explained that this decision must be followed by various legal procedures.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted last July that Russia considers the Taliban an ally in the fight against terrorism. Russia has called on Western countries to lift sanctions imposed on Afghanistan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the need for the West to take responsibility for the reconstruction of post-conflict Afghanistan, stressing the need to return confiscated assets to Kabul.

Relations between Russia and the Taliban have strengthened since they seized power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Moscow has gradually moved towards removing the movement's designation as a "terrorist organization," despite Western sanctions imposed on the Taliban for more than 20 years.

"We urge Western countries to recognize their responsibility for the reconstruction of post-conflict Afghanistan, lift sanctions imposed on it, and return confiscated assets to Kabul," Lavrov said.

Lavrov stressed that Russia will not accept any military presence of other countries in Afghanistan or the establishment of new military bases in neighboring countries. He also stressed the importance of the current Afghan government in combating drug production and fighting ISIS.

Lavrov called for increasing humanitarian aid to the Afghan people, and stressed that Russia will continue to provide food support and basic supplies to Afghanistan.

At the end of his remarks, Lavrov called on the United States to return confiscated Afghan assets, holding the West responsible for the country's post-conflict reconstruction.

The White House spread false optimism about a cease fire deal for a political reason

The White House spread false optimism about a cease fire deal for a political reason

    Thursday, August 22, 2024   No comments

Israeli military analyst Amos Harel said on Thursday that Washington may have deliberately spread false optimism about the possibility of achieving progress in the prisoner swap negotiations to persuade Iran to postpone its revenge against Israel, noting that Iran and Hezbollah may finally launch their attack after the chances of concluding a deal began to evaporate soon.

In an article published in Haaretz, Harel wrote that it is difficult to know the extent to which Washington is convinced of the possibility of achieving progress in recent weeks, but the end of Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's visit to Israel heralded a new phase in which the chances of concluding a deal have declined, according to him.

He added that despite this, the visit achieved its goal of ensuring that there would be no attack by Iran and Hezbollah with the opening of the Democratic Party conference in Chicago, in his opinion.

He stated that the administration of US President Joe Biden deliberately published optimistic estimates of the possibility of achieving progress, in an attempt to persuade the Iranians not to launch their attack, but this may have backfired on them, as the basic problems have not been resolved and the negotiations are stalled after Washington introduced amendments to the draft deal that serve Israel.

*

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced that the death toll from the Israeli strikes has risen to 40,265 deaths and 93,144 injuries since October 7, 2023.

The ministry monitored in its daily statistical report that the occupation committed 4 massacres against Palestinian families, of which 42 martyrs and 163 injuries arrived at hospitals during the past 24 hours.

The ministry indicated that a number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

  

OIC: Haniyeh's Assassination Threatens to Push Middle East into Wider Conflict

OIC: Haniyeh's Assassination Threatens to Push Middle East into Wider Conflict

    Wednesday, August 07, 2024   No comments

The rotating presidency of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) confirmed on Wednesday that the "heinous assassination" of the former head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, the martyr leader Ismail Haniyeh, "threatens to push the Middle East into a wider conflict."

The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, said during the opening session of the extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee at the level of foreign ministers of member states, to discuss the ongoing crimes of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people and its aggression against Iran, that "the heinous assassination only serves to escalate existing tensions that may lead to a wider conflict."

He also stressed that "the sovereignty of nation-states and the integrity of their territories are fundamental principles on which the international system is based."

Israel assassinated Haniyeh in a bombing that targeted the Iranian capital, Tehran, a few days ago, on July 31, 2024. The assassination came during a visit by Haniyeh to Tehran to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian. The OIC declared that the assassination of Haniyeh constituted aggression against Iran.

The OIC released a Final Statement at the conclusion of the meeitng.

Media review: How did Israel track and assassinate leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah?

Media review: How did Israel track and assassinate leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah?

    Friday, August 02, 2024   No comments

There are many theories now being floated by both government sources and media outlets trying to explain the surgical strikes Israel undertook to assassinate leaders of Hamas and other armed factions. Here is a review of what is now circulating in news outlets and on social media platforms.

Iranian agency: Haniyeh was assassinated by a shell that hit his residence

The Iranian Fars News Agency confirmed that the assassination of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, was carried out by a shell that hit his residence, destroying part of its roof and windows. 

It added that investigations confirmed that Israel planned and carried out the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.

The New York Times reported that American officials secretly admitted that Israel assassinated Haniyeh in the Iranian capital, Tehran, yesterday, Wednesday.

The newspaper explained that the American officials’ statement came despite the fact that Israel did not announce its adoption of the assassination and refused to comment on the incident publicly.

In contrast, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed on Thursday that the army did not launch any airstrikes on Iran or any other country in the Middle East on Wednesday.

In response to a question about the assassination of Haniyeh, he said in a press conference, “We did not attack Iran from the air.”

He added, “We killed (the prominent Hezbollah leader) Fouad Shukr in Lebanon, but there was no other Israeli airstrike in the entire Middle East after that.”

However, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards said in a statement that technical investigations show that Haniyeh's assassination was carried out with a short-range projectile with a warhead weighing 7.5 kilograms, fired from outside the place where the martyr Haniyeh lived.

Was a third country involved in the assassination? 

Initially, an Iranian source revealed that the martyrdom of the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran "was carried out by a missile launched from one country to another, not from within Iran."

For his part, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanaani, confirmed that the relevant Iranian authorities are continuing "the necessary investigations to determine the dimensions and details of this incident."

Kanaani said: "There is no doubt that the pure blood of this mujahid, who spent his life in jihad and honorable struggle against the usurping Zionist entity, and on the path to liberating holy Jerusalem and liberating the Palestinian people, will not go in vain."

He added: "Haniyeh's martyrdom in Tehran will strengthen the deep and solid relations between Iran, Palestine and the resistance even more."

Western Sources' explanations

In parallel, the New York Times and the American website Axios published another story, confirming Israel's responsibility for Haniyeh's assassination, but claiming that the assassination was carried out by an explosive device planted by Mossad agents in his room, and detonated remotely.

Public Data Analasys based explanation

The competing explanations open the door to speculations given the precision and the timing of the assassination. An alternative theory based on available information that is in the public domain suggest that Israel is using the phones of associates to track the persons Israel has placed on its assassination list. Such analysis suggests that, in its recent assassinations, Israel's security forces targeted the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah by tracking the phone numbers of their companions. Because the high value targets who know that they are on the assassination list are not allowed to use mobile phones, Israel was unable to locate and assassinate them in the past. 

However, a security lapse happened after Israel assassinated the children and grandchildren of Ismail Haniyeh few months ago. Hamas sources broadcasted a video of the moment when Haniyeh received the news of the murder of his family members. In the clip, it showed him receiving the call on someone else's phone and listening to it. 

As the primary leader leading the investigation, Haniyeh used his aid's phone to keep in touch with the Qatari leaders. That number was likely used to track Haniyeh's movement.

The same strategy was replicated elsewhere, Israel stopped trying to locate the persons it wanted to assassinate directly, and focused on tracking their aids who are often in close contact with the targeted person.

This theory explains the precision and speed with which Israel carried out the recent assassination.

 Theories that suggest the use of human intelligence and agents presence on the ground cannot explain the speed and precision. The above theory is bolstered by the unusual step taken by the Israeli government limiting the use of phones by government officials, as reported in Israeli media.

Israel distributes special phones to ministers

The Israeli government has decided to distribute satellite phones to ministers and senior officials. The move aims to limit security threats and to ensure that ministers stay connected in the case of damage sustained by the regular communications network during an attack from Iran and Hezbollah. The latter explanation was opined by the media. The government did not comment.

The Maariv newspaper said: "The government is taking an unusual step, for fear that the communications networks will be damaged in an Iranian attack."

  

Turkish President announces readiness to extend an invitation to President Assad

Turkish President announces readiness to extend an invitation to President Assad

    Sunday, July 07, 2024   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Sunday that "once Bashar al-Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Turkey, we will respond appropriately."

He continued in press statements: "We will extend our invitation to Assad, and with this invitation we want to return Turkish-Syrian relations to the same point they were in the past."

He added: "Our invitation can happen at any time."

The Turkish president added in his press statements: "Russian President Vladimir Putin has an approach regarding our meeting (with Assad) in Turkey, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has an approach. We are talking here about mediation, so what is wrong with it with our neighbor?"

On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that he could, in cooperation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, "extend an invitation" to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to start a new process of normalizing relations with Syria.

"I already said on Friday (last), after the Friday prayers, that we can start a new process (of normalizing relations) with Syria. We can invite Mr. Assad with Mr. Putin," Erdogan told reporters upon his arrival from Astana.

Erdogan added that Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to Turkey could be the beginning of a new process of normalizing relations between Ankara and Damascus.

He commented: "If our honorable Mr. Putin can visit Turkey, this could be the beginning of a new process (of normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria). All the years that have passed in the Syrian arena have clearly shown everyone that it is necessary to create a mechanism for a permanent settlement. Syria, whose infrastructure has been destroyed and whose people have been scattered, must stand on its own feet and end the instability. The recent calm in this area can open the door to peace if wise policies and an approach to solving problems are adopted without bias."

Commenting on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's statements about normalizing relations between Syria and Turkey last week, Erdogan said that "there are no reasons not to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries," and according to him, "Ankara does not aim to interfere in Damascus' internal affairs." Assad had stated on June 26, during a meeting with the Russian President's special representative, Alexander Lavrentiev, that "Syria is open to all initiatives related to its relations with Turkey, which are based on respect for the country's sovereignty."

Previously, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed Syria's openness to all initiatives related to the relationship between Syria and Turkey, based on "the sovereignty of the Syrian state over all its territories on the one hand, and the fight against all forms of terrorism and its organizations on the other hand."

The Syrian presidency stated in a statement on its Telegram channel that "President al-Assad confirmed during his meeting with the special envoy of the Russian President, Alexander Lavrentiev, Syria's openness to all initiatives related to the relationship between Syria and Turkey, based on the sovereignty of the Syrian state over all its territories on the one hand, and the fight against all forms of terrorism and its organizations on the other hand, stressing that these initiatives reflect the will of the countries concerned to establish stability in Syria and the region in general."

Earlier, a Turkish newspaper reported, citing sources, that military delegations from Turkey and Syria, with Russian mediation, held talks at the Hmeimim air base, and another meeting is expected to be held in Baghdad.

The newspaper said: "In this regard, a meeting of military officials from the Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian army was held at the Russian Hmeimim Air Base southeast of Latakia on June 11," and stated that "the meeting discussed the latest developments in and around Idlib province."

The first meeting of the foreign ministers of the four countries (Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria) was held in Moscow on May 10, 2023. Based on its results, the ministers ordered the preparation of a draft roadmap for normalizing relations between Turkey and Syria.

Earlier, the Russian President's Special Representative for Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, stated in an interview with Sputnik that Moscow had handed Ankara and Damascus a draft roadmap for normalizing relations between the two sides, indicating that they could make amendments to it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has previously identified priority topics in the roadmap, which include restoring Syrian government control over all parts of the country, ensuring the security of the Syrian-Turkish border, and eliminating the possibility of cross-border attacks and terrorist infiltration.

Iran’s elections: Change brings new opportunities for Iran's new president--Masoud Pezeshkian

Iran’s elections: Change brings new opportunities for Iran's new president--Masoud Pezeshkian

    Saturday, July 06, 2024   No comments

Foreground:

Mere weeks after the tragic death of several Iranian officials including the president, Iran managed to elect a new president, while a caretaker government was headed by the vice president. The successful transition is only part of the story in a country with complex social fabric and complex relations with the world. What might be lost on many observers is the historical election of a president who represents ethnic and linguistic minorities in Iran.

Masoud Pezeshkian, born in 1954 in the city of Mahabad in West Azerbaijan Province, northeastern Iran to a deeply religious Shia family to parents of both Kurdish and Azeri background. He was raised in a religious family. He often speaks of being proud Turkish speaker. Now that he is elected president of Iran, he will be the first ethnic minority office holder in a region where Kurdish minorities are marginalized in all four countries-Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. 

Being from Azerbaijan Province, he will be able to dial down the rhetoric among Azeris who are Shia in terms of faith but Turkic in terms of ethnicity. Having family connections to the Kurdish community, he will also be able to address the separatist activities with which all four countries have struggled since the end of direct colonial control of the region. His political activism in the movement that brought about the modern Islamic republic of Iran provide him with the credibility to work out change through the various institutions of power. In short, this election cycle might be as significant of a turning point as the one that took place 1981 when another Iranian president, Mohammad Ali Rajaʾi, was killed, and who was replaced Ali Khamenei, the current supreme leader.

Background: 

Pezeshkian completed his primary education in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, and then joined the Agricultural Institute in Urmia, where he received a diploma in food industries.

 

He completed his military service in 1973 in the border city of Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, and after completing his service, he decided to become a doctor, and received his natural diploma in 1975. A year later, he was accepted into the medical field at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

 

With the start of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980, Pezeshkian was responsible for sending medical teams to the battlefronts, and was active in many operations as a fighter and a doctor.

 

He completed his medical course in 1985, and began working at the Faculty of Medicine as a physiology teacher. In 1990, he received a specialty in general surgery from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and in 1993 he received a specialty in cardiac surgery from Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, and was appointed to Shahid Madani Heart Hospital in Tabriz, and later became its head.

  

In 1994, he was appointed as the head of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and his presidency continued until 2000. Then he was transferred to Tehran and assumed the position of Deputy Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education for 6 months.

 

After that, in the second term of Mr. Mohammad Khatami's presidency, Pezeshkian assumed the position of Minister of Health, and after a while he was questioned by the parliament, and then he left his position. In 2013, he ran for president, but his candidacy was rejected by the Guardian Council. In 2016, he won a seat in the parliament and held a seat in parliament for many years. Since 2008, Pezeshkian has represented the city of Tabriz in the Iranian parliament.

 Pezeshkian believes that Iran's internal problems cannot be solved without solving problems with the outside world, and stresses that the country's management is based on constructive engagement with the world on the basis of dialogue and negotiation with various countries.

 Pezeshkian also calls for improving relations between Iran and Western countries, especially the United States, based on the three pillars of "dignity, wisdom, and interest."

 

He announced that he will put at the top of his government's priorities the revival of the nuclear agreement, which is in Iran's interest, and if it were not, former US President Donald Trump would not have withdrawn from it.

 Pezeshkian believes that it is in Iran's interest to join the "FATF" (Financial Action Task Force) in order to develop and facilitate trade with other countries.

 

Pezeshkian stressed that he will put an end to the differences between political forces, which he says are the "main cause of the country's problems," by seeking the help of the best experts and specialists.

 

He promised that he would follow up on the problems of workers, retirees and employees and work in a way that eliminates poverty, discrimination and corruption in the country, stressing the need to deal honestly with the public and not give empty promises, promising to involve the people in running the country and not a specific group.

 

He also promised to deal positively with women's issues, freedom of access to the Internet, constitutional rights of nationalities, and political and social freedoms.

 

Pezeshkian won the Iranian presidential elections after receiving 16,384,403 votes, compared to 13,538,179 votes for candidate Saeed Jalili, thus becoming the ninth elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, since the victory of the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini in 1979.

 

Iran’s governing institutions will be tested, again, upon the death of the president in a crash of the presidential helicopter

Iran’s governing institutions will be tested, again, upon the death of the president in a crash of the presidential helicopter

    Monday, May 20, 2024   No comments

Iran is no stranger to situations where the holder of the top executive branch of government is vacated. Twice since 1979 and Iranian head of the executive branch was removed or killed and the Iranian government continued to function, and perhaps even more efficiently with every event. On 30 August 1981 a bomb exploded in the office of Mohammad Javad Bahonar, also killed multiple government officials including Prime Minister of Iran, Javad Bahonar, President Mohammad Ali Rajai and some other officials. Before the 50 days have passed, Ali Khamenei was elected President of Iran by a landslide vote (97%) in the October 1981 Iranian presidential election in which only four candidates were approved by the Council of Guardians. Khamenei became the first cleric to be in the office and he went on to become Iran’s supreme leader, a position he still holds.

This time, too, Iranian institutions went to work, with the first vice president taking over as acting president and setting up a process to elect the next president within 50 days. The elected president will serve a full four year term since Raisi’s term were to expire in August 2025. Meanwhile, determining the cause of the crash is made a national security priority with multiple investigations ordered to take place.

 

Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, on May 20 ordered to investigate the incident of the helicopter crash a day earlier in the northwest of Iran that killed President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and several officials. It's time to research.

 According to ISNA, Bagheri "assigned a high-ranking delegation to investigate the dimensions and causes of the president's helicopter crash". According to ISNA, this investigation is headed by Major General Ali Abdullahi, Deputy Coordinator of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

 Javad Zarif, the former foreign minister of Iran, in a phone conversation with state media on Monday, referring to Washington's sanctions against Tehran's aviation program, blames the United States for the plane crash.

 Zarif said: One of the causes of this tragic incident is America, which embargoed the sale of the aviation industry to Iran.

 Stating that US sanctions prevent Iran from maintaining suitable aviation facilities, he said: "The plane crash will be recorded in the black list of US crimes against the Iranian nation."

 The 45-year-old American-made Bell 212 helicopter carrying the Iranian president, foreign minister and delegation was likely purchased by the Shah of Iran - an ally of the US and Israel - before the 1979 revolution that saw the establishment of the Islamic Republic. .

 US sanctions against Iran prevent the country from buying spare parts to maintain its fleet of civilian aircraft, most of which are more than two decades old.

 The sudden death of Raisi and Amir Abdollahian has prompted social media users and observers to speculate about Israel's involvement in the plane crash.

 "It wasn't us," an unnamed Israeli official told Reuters on May 20. There has been no official statement from Israel yet.

 Iran announced early on May 20 that Raisi, Amir Abdullahian and their companions were killed in a helicopter crash the previous day.

 After 16 hours of search operations on Sunday and early Monday morning, the Iranian Red Crescent finally reached the wreckage of the helicopter crash and announced in a preliminary statement that "no signs of life" were found at the site.

World reacts

Condolences for the martyrdom of Raisi and his companions continue... and the United Nations lowers its flags in mourning

Arab and international condolences and messages of sympathy to the leadership and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran continued, following the martyrdom of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and those accompanying them in the plane crash in which they were carrying, while performing their work duty in northwest Iran.

Arabic condolences

In the Arab world, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad offered his condolences, in his name and in the name of the Syrian people, to the leader of the revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ali Khamenei, and to the Iranian government and people, for the martyrdom of President Ibrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and their comrades.

In his message, President Al-Assad affirmed Syria's solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and with the families of the late deceased and his comrades, expressing deep regret and condolences for this painful incident and the great loss that resulted from it.

He said, "President Raisi's dedication to his work and fulfillment of his responsibilities led him to East Azerbaijan Province to inaugurate a vital project for his country, making him a martyr in the redemption of duty."

He added: "We worked with the late president to ensure that the strategic relations between Syria and Iran would always remain prosperous, and we will always remember his visit to Syria as an important milestone in this path, and all the visions and ideas that he presented to enrich relations with everything that would benefit the Syrian and Iranian peoples."

For his part, the leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, Mr. Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, sent a condolence telegram on the martyrdom of Raisi, Amir Abdullahian and their companions, sending condolences and sympathy to all their relatives and loved ones, to Mr. Khamenei and officials in the Islamic Republic and to the Iranian people.

The head of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen, Mahdi Al-Mashat, also offered his condolences to the Leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic, Mr. Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian people, saying that the martyr Raisi “was an example of a brave Muslim leader loyal to the nation’s issues and keen to achieve its aspirations,” as he “was keen to reunite the nation and unify positions and bridging the gaps between them.

The office of the authority, Sayyed Ali al-Sistani, offered condolences for the martyrdom of the Iranian president and his companions, saying: “We received with sadness and regret the news of the passing of Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen, Mr. Ibrahim Raisi and his companions.”

The Iraqi Fatwa House also extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Khamenei on the martyrdom of Mr. Raisi and his brothers.

From Algeria, the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, offered his deepest condolences and sincere feelings of sympathy to Iran’s leadership and people, saying: “In this difficult circumstance in which the Algerian people share this cruel ordeal with their brothers in Iran, I personally lose in Commander Ibrahim Raisi, a brother and partner with whom I was united by service.” “The bonds of brotherhood, cooperation and solidarity between our two brotherly countries and peoples, and support for the just causes that our Islamic nation has adopted and carried the banner of defending and sacrificing for.”

 Simultaneously, the Saudi News Agency reported that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered condolences to Iran after the martyrdom of the president and foreign minister.

Likewise, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas offered his deepest condolences to the Iranian government and people on the martyrdom of the Iranian president and his comrades.

The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressed, via the “X” platform, his sincere condolences to the government and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the martyrdom of President Ebrahim Raisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the delegation accompanying them.

The President of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed, expressed his sincere condolences to the government and people of Iran, stressing his country’s solidarity with it in this difficult time.

Egypt mourned my president, Amir Abdullahian, and their companions, as President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the Iranian people, expressing his country’s solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction.

The United Nasserite Movement in the Republic of Egypt offered its sincere condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and to all those holding “the embers of resistance to the Zionist entity and its supporters,” stressing its confidence in the Iranian people and their leadership to overcome this difficult ordeal just as Iran has overcome other ordeals and difficulties, “so that Iran will always remain a support for the resistance and a strong figure.” In the face of Western imperialism and its spearhead.”

The Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, mourned the Iranian President and Foreign Minister, offering his sincere condolences to the Iranian people.

 For his part, the Secretary-General of the Arab National Conference, Hamdeen Sabahi, telegraphed his condolences to Mr. Khamenei, saying, “The loss of President Raisi is not for Iran alone, but rather it is a loss for the Arab and Islamic nations.”

Sabahi pointed out that the role played by Mr. Raisi and Minister Amir Abdollahian in purifying Arab-Iranian relations is “a must to confront the enemies of our nation.”

For his part, Jordanian King Abdullah II expressed his solidarity with Iran in this difficult circumstance, while the Jordanian Communist Party affirmed that Iran’s position, represented by Mr. Raisi and Minister Amir Abdullahian, “is an essential foundation in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.”

In turn, the Tunisian presidency offered its condolences to Iran, expressing its solidarity with the Iranian leadership and people in this great affliction, while the Tunisian Ennahda Movement offered the Iranian people and the Iranian leadership its sincerest condolences and sincere expressions of sympathy.

From the Sultanate of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq sent a telegram of condolence and sympathy to Mr. Khamenei following the plane crash.

Internationally, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in a message of condolence to Iran, expressed his deep sadness over the passing of President Raisi, saying: “We have lost an exemplary person and an exceptional leader in the world.”

Maduro added: “As he was our brother... President Raisi will always remain an excellent human being, a defender of the sovereignty of his people, and an unconditional friend of our country,” stressing that Iran “will remain an example of dignity, morality, and resistance.”

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, condoling the Iranian president's martyrdom, that "Raisi made an invaluable contribution to Russian-Iranian relations," adding: "I will forever preserve a bright memory of President Raisi and I wish the Iranian people spiritual fortitude in the face of this difficult loss."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said, “The role of President Raisi and the Iranian Foreign Minister in strengthening cooperation between Moscow and Tehran was too great to evaluate,” adding: “We will always remember Raisi, the Iranian Foreign Minister and the people who accompanied them as true patriots of their country.”

Likewise, the Cuban President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, expressed his country's deep sadness over the loss of a great friend and politician who is appreciated and beloved by his people, such as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, his Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and their comrades, stressing Cuba's "solidarity and support with the sister Islamic Republic of Iran." .

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, in turn, offered his deepest condolences on the passing of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir Abdullahian.

As for Chinese President Xi Jinping, he expressed his condolences over the martyrdom of the Iranian President and Foreign Minister in the helicopter crash.

For its part, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said regarding the crash of the Iranian president’s helicopter, that what happened was “a loss not only for Iranian society, as the true friends of Belarus have departed.”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to Iran for this terrible loss, declaring a day of mourning in his country for the Iranian president.

Also, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev offered his condolences on the Iranian president's martyrdom, saying that "Iran has lost a prominent politician who spent his life serving his country and being loyal to it."

The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, in turn, cabled his condolences to the Iranian leadership and people for the martyrdom of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and his companions.

As for the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, he expressed his sadness and shock over the “tragic death of President Raisi,” stressing that “India stands with Iran in this time of grief.”

From Turkey, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences to Iran, saying: “I remember my brother, my president, with all respect and gratitude, and I confirm that we stand by sister Iran,” while the Turkish Foreign Minister confirmed that there was “close coordination with the Iranian authorities after the incident.”

Likewise, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the European Union “expresses its sincere condolences on the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdullahian in the helicopter accident.”

Paris offered its condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to the families of the martyrs in the plane crash, according to a statement issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda also expressed his deep emotion over the martyrdom of a key figure with his government delegation. “We Poles, who suffered terribly in 2010 from the crash of a Polish government plane in Smolensk, Russia, know the feeling of shock and emptiness that remains in the hearts of the people and in the country after the sudden loss of the political and social elite,” Duda said.

As for the Swiss Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, he offered his condolences to the families of all the martyrs and to the Iranian people.

Countries continue to extend their condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran over the martyrdom of its President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and their accompanying delegation following the crash of the helicopter they were traveling in in the airspace of East Azerbaijan.

In a statement, the US State Department said, “The United States expresses its official condolences on the passing of the Iranian President, the Foreign Minister, and other members.”

While the spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations confirmed that Antonio Guterres contacted the Iranian delegate to the United Nations and conveyed his condolences on the death of the president and his aides.

The United Nations announced that the flag will be flown at half-staff tomorrow, Tuesday, at 8:30 a.m. New York time, in mourning for the helicopter accident.

For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a phone call with acting Iranian President Mohammad Mokhber, confirmed that Turkey stands by Tehran in these difficult days.

Erdogan declared mourning in Türkiye for one day to share the Iranians' pain, as he put it.

Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, offered condolences to the Charge d'Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ali Bagheri Kani, on the martyrdom of President Raisi and his companions.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Jamil Mezher, cabled his condolences to the Leader of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Ali Khamenei.

Mezher appreciated "the efforts of President Raisi and Foreign Minister of the Axis of Resistance Amir Abdullahian in serving the Palestinian cause."

 

Side Effects of Iran's Retaliatory Strike on Israel: Iraqi Kurdistan now wants security talks in Iran after years of tensions

Side Effects of Iran's Retaliatory Strike on Israel: Iraqi Kurdistan now wants security talks in Iran after years of tensions

    Monday, May 06, 2024   No comments

It may escape many, but the connection between Iran’s strike on Israel in retaliation for the latter’s attack on its diplomatic building in Syria is forcing many of Iran’s neighbors to pay attention to Iran. 

First, there were the media reports that revealed that UAE asked the US not to use any of its assets in the country to attack Iran or its assets in the region. US government moved military equipment to Qatar, which will be under renewed pressure also to make similar demand given its proximity to Iran. UAE demand from US make it a neutral party in any military confrontation in the region which would devastate its economic standing and the infrastructure it has built for decades. Simply put: UAE, and Dubai in particular, have built too many glass buildings for it to through stones at its neighbors or to allow others to throw stones from inside UAE.

Now, comes Iraqi Kurdistan: for years, they benefited from the shield provided to them by the US military and ignored Iran’s requests to reign in armed factions operating from its territories. Iran has struck Kurdish regions in the past; but now that Iran struck US bases in Iraq four years ago and Israel targets weeks ago, Kurdish leaders are reaching out to Iranian leaders to seek security arrangements.

The President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), Nechirvan Barzani, visited Tehran on 6 May for security talks with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi. 

During the meeting, Raisi stressed the necessity of disarming groups hostile to the Islamic Revolution and not having them present on Iraqi territory.

Raisi stated, “We expect the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG] to categorically prevent any exploitation of the region’s soil against Iran by the Israeli enemy and anti-revolutionary elements.”

The relationship between Tehran and Erbil has been strained by Kurdish militant groups that use the KRG as a base to attack Iran, and Iranian claims that Israel’s intelligence service, the Mossad, maintains covert bases in the Kurdish region.

Iran has struck Kurdish militant training camps and Mossad headquarters, including in Erbil, with missiles in the past year.

The Iranian president explained that “Iran has no objection to expanding cooperation with the Iraqi Kurdistan region on security grounds,” adding, “We consider the long border between the two sides to be a valuable opportunity to improve the level of relations, but security is the basis for any cooperation or development in relations.”

Barzani expressed his commitment to the entire security agreement between Iran and Iraq.

He stated that “respect for our relations with Iran and its support for us in difficult times is a red line that we will not cross.”

Dilshad Shahab, the spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region presidency, said that President Barzani wants to reaffirm to Erbil’s allies that the IKR will never become a source of threat to the interests of its neighbors, especially Iran.

“It is no secret that there has been a kind of coldness in these [Erbil–Tehran] relations in recent times; we want to be assured that the common interests of both sides outweigh the obstacles that may arise,” Shahab told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman.

During his visit to Tehran, Barzani met with a number of Iranian officials, led by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Khamenei.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt discuss developments in the region and efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip

The foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt discuss developments in the region and efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip

    Saturday, May 04, 2024   No comments

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian affirmed their countries' complete rejection of the Israeli occupation's ground military operations in Rafah.

During their meeting in Gambia, on the sidelines of the Islamic Summit Conference, the two sides discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the situation in Palestine and the Gaza Strip, and the current efforts to stop the crimes of the occupying entity against the Palestinian people, in addition to discussing the latest developments in their efforts to improve bilateral relations.

 In this context, Amir Abdullahian thanked Egypt for its efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip, reiterated his country’s readiness to send humanitarian aid, and called on Cairo to facilitate matters in this area.

 The Iranian minister also appreciated Egypt's condemnation of the Israeli aggression against the Iranian consulate in Syria. The exchange of delegations between religious institutions in Iran and Egypt was considered beneficial for bilateral relations, based on the agreement of the presidents of the two countries.

 In turn, Shoukry hoped that the ongoing political efforts within the framework of the negotiations would lead to stopping the war and realizing the rights of the Palestinian people, reiterating his condemnation of Israel’s targeting of the Iranian consulate in Syria.

 Shoukry also welcomed the implementation of an agreement between the presidents of Iran and Egypt to exchange delegations between religious institutions, stressing Al-Azhar’s determination to engage in dialogue between sects and strengthen popular and tourism relations.

 He pointed out that his country "attaches great importance to dialogue and continuing contacts with Iran, considering the two countries are great civilizations."

 In conclusion, the two ministers expressed their hope that holding the Islamic Cooperation Summit in Gambia will strengthen the solidarity and unity of the Islamic world in supporting the Palestinian people and resolving the region’s issues and problems.

The meeting was conformed by Egyptian Foriegn Ministry spokesperson who released a statement saying,

Sameh Shoukry meets with his Iranian counterpart, Amir Abdollahian, on the sidelines of the activities of the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference...The two sides touched upon the most important topics on the summit’s agenda, most notably the ongoing war in Gaza and ways to end the war and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Media Review: “Anxiety and painful waiting.” What did the White House witness while anticipating the Iranian response?

Media Review: “Anxiety and painful waiting.” What did the White House witness while anticipating the Iranian response?

    Monday, April 22, 2024   No comments

The Wall Street Journal wrote, in a lengthy report, about what the White House witnessed in the United States on the night of the Iranian response to the Israeli attack on Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria, covering what preceded that night and what followed.

Under the title “Inside the White House’s frantic scramble to avoid a comprehensive war in the Middle East,” the newspaper confirmed that what it described as the “painful wait” during the Iranian response was one of the tense moments, in a crisis that lasted 19 days, experienced by the US President, Joe Biden, and his security team. The nationalist.

Biden and his administration officials found themselves “uninformed or unsure of what both Iran and Israel are planning at critical times,” during that waiting period, according to the newspaper.

The matter began with an aggression launched by the occupation against the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, without consulting the United States, and ended with an American-European alliance, with Arab participation, that mobilized to confront the Iranian response, and American calls to “Israel” to avoid launching another attack.

The Wall Street Journal returned in its report to April 1, the day the crisis erupted due to Israel’s targeting of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, and its assassination of the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

The newspaper indicated that an Israeli official alerted his American counterpart that the strike was underway, only a few minutes before the raid, while officials in Washington said that the warnings did not include any information about the targeted party, or the site that was struck.

Following the aggression on Damascus, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, the Israeli “defense attaché” in the White House, the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and other senior White House officials held a video meeting with Israeli officials, according to what was reported. The newspaper.

Shortly after learning of the strike on the consulate, the White House also learned of another Israeli attack that targeted a relief team affiliated with the “Global Central Kitchen.”

Following this, and specifically on the 4th of this month, Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “in a tense phone call,” that “international support for Israel is declining,” after the relief team was targeted, according to officials.

Biden told Netanyahu that “Israel needs to allow more humanitarian aid to enter and reduce losses among Palestinian civilians,” adding that his country “will judge Israel based on its actions,” according to what the newspaper quoted officials as saying.

But, at the same time, he assured the Israeli Prime Minister that Washington supports Tel Aviv against Tehran. In this context, Biden ordered the US Department of Defense to “intensify its efforts to protect Israel,” and the US Army activated top-secret plans to assist it in crises.

On the 10th of next month, while Biden was hosting the Japanese Prime Minister at the White House, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pulled him aside in order to obtain a permit allowing the redirection of the destroyer USS Carney, which was heading at the time towards its main port. In Florida.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the USS Carney joined another American destroyer, the USS Arleigh Burke, in the eastern Mediterranean, near Israel, so that there was sufficient capacity to track missiles coming to the region and shoot them down. , using SM-3 interceptor missiles, which had not been used before to shoot down a ballistic missile in combat.

The USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier, located in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, was also moved near Israel in a way that would be able to launch combat aircraft.

In addition, a team of American military personnel secretly went to Tel Aviv, with the aim of working in the missile defense operations center, with their Israeli counterparts, according to what the newspaper reported.

With the expectation that Iran would use drones, a large force of F-15E fighter aircraft arrived in the region, where other F-16 aircraft stationed in the region also participated. In addition, plans have been made for Saudi and Jordanian aircraft, as reported by the newspaper.

Meanwhile, Biden's senior aides made phone calls, imploring other governments to ask Iran not to respond. CIA Director William Burns also asked his counterparts in European intelligence services, the capitals of the Middle East and Turkey to urge Iran to refrain from responding, according to the newspaper.

On the 11th of this month, the Supreme Commander of the US Central Command, Michael Corella, arrived in Israel. While Kurella wanted to remain in Israel during the Iranian response, the Defense Minister ordered him to leave, “for fear that Washington would appear complicit in any Israeli attack.”

Instead of participating from within the occupied territories, Kurella continued to participate in the deliberations from Jordan, according to what was reported by the Wall Street Journal.

By the time Biden arrived in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on the evening of April 12 for the weekend, the Iranian response was coming into focus, and “Biden suddenly returned to Washington, D.C., that evening,” according to the newspaper.

Anticipation prevailed among Biden and his national security team on the 13th of this month, as anxiety increased among observers in the White House Situations Room, coinciding with the appearance of 30 Iranian ballistic missiles heading towards “Israel”, then 60 missiles, then more than 100 missiles.

Iranian cruise missiles and a squadron of drones were also in the air, and their arrival at their targets was timed to coincide with the arrival of the ballistic missiles.

As the Iranian response began, on the night of Saturday and Sunday, American officials in the Situation Room and the Pentagon tracked the three waves of weapons that left Iranian airspace, crossed Iraq and Jordan, and headed towards “Israel.”

According to what the Wall Street Journal quoted officials in the US administration, the scale of the response was a shock to them, despite the advance warning they received, as a senior official expressed his belief that the level of response was “higher than expected.”

In the face of this massive barrage of Iranian missiles and drones, Biden and his aides feared that the reinforced defenses that they, along with the Israelis, had spent more than a week preparing would be overwhelmed, according to what the Wall Street Journal confirmed.

Later, American officials said that the scale of the Iranian response, which represented Tehran’s most direct attack on “Israel” ever, “matches the worst scenarios of American spy agencies,” according to the newspaper.

Following the Iranian response, the White House “is seeking to restrain its ally,” according to what the Wall Street Journal indicated.

In this context, the newspaper indicated that Biden and Netanyahu had an extensive phone call, in which Biden advised the Israeli Prime Minister, who was with the “war government,” to “think about his next step carefully, and win” (referring to American attempts to mitigate the impact of The Iranian response to “Israel” and preventing the latter from launching an attack that would expand the war).

Media Matters: Clash of views about Gaza, Palestine, human rights abuses, and Iranian retaliation on attack on its diplomatic mission in Syria

Media Matters: Clash of views about Gaza, Palestine, human rights abuses, and Iranian retaliation on attack on its diplomatic mission in Syria

    Sunday, April 21, 2024   No comments

One of the most representative clashes between two worldviews: Iranian worldview versus Western worldview as represented in Piers Morgan's interview, debate with Iranian Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi.

Morgan repeating the fabricated story of 40 babies beheaded by Hamas, to justify to mass killings in Gaza, and Mirandi referencing the investigative journalists and NGO reports that challenged the narrative of beheadings, and finding that Israeli forces have committed sexual violence and torture against Palestinians, turned Morgan flustered and rude. 

The interview is available on a number of Internet sites, and embedded from a couple of sites below.

  

Qatar's threat to abandon mediation between Hamas and Israel opens the door for an increased role for Iran and Turkey

Qatar's threat to abandon mediation between Hamas and Israel opens the door for an increased role for Iran and Turkey

    Sunday, April 21, 2024   No comments

With Qatar announcing its intention to re-evaluate the mediation role it plays between Hamas and Israel and the US pressure on Qatar to force it to coerce Hamas to accept the deal of face terrorism charges for its fund transferred to Hamas, other states opened their door to Hamas political leaders.

After Iran's official reception of Palestinian leaders, now Turkish leaders formally welcomed the head of Hamas in Ankara.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reception of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, on Saturday sparked the anger of Israeli politicians and newspapers.

 It also signals an end or a diminished roles for Qatar and Egypt in any future negotiations to not only end the war, but also to arrange for post war Gaza and Palestine. It also reveals new realignments and emerging future coalitions in the new Middle East, after Jordan participated in the first direct military confrontation between Iran and Israel--as noted by some observers.

Andreas Craig, an expert on Middle East affairs at King's College in London, pointed out that Doha played a "decisive role" in concluding the truce last November, and it is "dissatisfied that everyone, especially Israel, does not acknowledge this."

However, in his opinion, it is unlikely that it will “withdraw from mediation efforts” after it “took control of the relationship” with Hamas, and he said that Qatar is “indispensable” in mediation efforts.

Qatar has become the main communication channel with Hamas, which has maintained its political office in Doha since 2012.

On the other hand, Dorsey believes that “if Qatar withdraws from the talks, it will be subject to more pressure to expel Hamas from its lands.”

The expert wondered if the political office moved to Iran: “To whom will the Americans and Israelis turn to reach Hamas?”

Unlike Jordan, which admitted to shooting down Iran's missile heading to targets in Israel, Turkey, despite it being a member of NATO, came strong in refuting any insinuation that it participated in the interception of the missiles. 

The Anti-Disinformation Center of the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Department said in a statement on Saturday evening that the allegations in this regard “do not reflect reality.”

The statement pointed out that the allegations related to the radar base in Koracik, which were circulated following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, on Saturday, had previously been denied by the Anti-Disinformation Center.

The statement stressed that “the allegations are baseless, and were deliberately put forward for circulation again.”

“Information taken from the radar system in Koracek is only shared with Allies within the framework of NATO procedures,” the statement read.

He stressed that “it is not possible to share this information with countries that are not NATO allies, such as Israel.”

He added: “Turkey has always stood by the just cause of our Palestinian brothers and will continue to do so in all circumstances,” and stressed the need not to pay attention to “misinformation campaigns.”