Middle East

In Saudi-Ansarullah talks, focus was on humanitarian issues: Journalist

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By Ali Ghorban Bagheri

All issues came up for discussion during the latest round of negotiations between Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement and Saudi Arabia but the focus was on humanitarian issues, says a Yemeni journalist.

Hamid Rezq, a senior journalist and analyst with Yemen’s Almasirah media network, in an interview with the Press TV website, expounded on various dimensions of peace negotiations and the possibility of a ceasefire between the two sides.

The Ansarullah resistance movement and the Saudi government authorities held five days of Omani-mediated negotiations in the kingdom’s capital of Riyadh recently.

The resistance movement expressed optimism about ending the long-running war in the country and eliminating existing obstacles and complications concerning humanitarian issues.

According to Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the council, the Yemeni delegation would visit Riyadh again for “completion” of consultations with the Saudi side.

In response to whether there will be an agreement between the two sides this time on ceasefire, the end of the economic blockade and payment of salaries to employees said all these issues were discussed in the recently-held talks in Riyadh

“The focus, however, was on humanitarian issues, the (economic) blockade and the export of oil and gas to provide the necessary financial resources to pay government employees in all provinces,” he stated.

He said an agreement was reached regarding the draft of an agreement that the head of the Yemeni negotiating team announced after leaving Riyadh.

The draft, Rezq stated, would be provided to leaders in Yemen and if they approve it, operational measures can be started regarding the salaries of employees, increasing flights from Sana’a airport and removing remaining restrictions at the Hodeidah port, as well as the issue of prisoners.

“It seems that these matters require more negotiations with the Saudi side, the time of which has not been determined. In addition, we are not sure whether Saudi Arabia is serious enough to solve the humanitarian problems as a prelude to the final solution,” he said in a conversation with the Press TV website.

Saudi Arabia and its allies, including the United Arab Emirates, launched the devastating war on Yemen in March 2015 to reinstall the Riyadh-allied government in the Arab country.

The former Yemeni government’s president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, resigned from the presidency in late 2014 and fled to Riyadh amid a political conflict with the Ansarullah movement.

The war and economic imposed by the Saudi-led coalition has spawned the worst humanitarian crisis in the country, claiming tens of thousands of lives and rendering many more homeless.

On the role of Americans and the West in preventing the progress of the peace process in Yemen, Rezq pointed to their dual standards – saying one thing in media and doing another thing in practice.

“They declare in the media that they want peace and an end to the crisis in Yemen, but in reality, they are trying to continue the crisis with the aim of dividing Yemen,” he told the Press TV website.

The future of negotiations between the two sides, he said, is still uncertain due to the lack of seriousness shown by Saudi Arabia and the United States.

“Unfortunately, we see Saudis are wasting time and repeating their statements to continue negotiations with the aim of exploiting the unfavorable economic situation in Yemen, which they actually hope will increase anger and protest against the national government of Sana’a,” he stated.

Saudi Arabia welcomed “positive results” of talks with the Ansarullah resistance movement delegation last week with the country’s foreign ministry saying it supports a political solution to the conflict.

However, experts feel the Saudi side needs to show more political will and seriousness in concluding the talks and bringing the protracted and devastating war to an end.

Middle East

Iran likens Netanyahu’s speech at UN to ‘comedy show’

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Iran’s diplomatic delegation at the UN has dismissed as a “comedy show” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic’s peaceful nuclear program and its regional activities at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s delegation made the remark in a statement on Saturday after Netanyahu rambled on about the “curse of a nuclear Iran” during his address at the world body and accused Tehran of spending “billions to arm its terror proxies.”

Netanyahu also boasted about a “New Middle East” that would take shape after the scandalous Abraham Accords, which he claimed would bring “Arabs and Jews closer together” and usher in dramatic changes in the region.

“The baseless allegations made by Israeli officials no longer fool anyone. Iranophobic campaigns and widespread systematic dissemination of disinformation and unfounded allegations against Iran have always been one of the main elements of statements—or better to say, comedy shows—made by the Israeli authorities in this august body,” the Iranian delegation said.

“The regime attempts to portray Iran’s conventional weapon capabilities or its exclusively peaceful nuclear program, one that is under the most robust verification of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as a challenge to regional stability; this is but a hypocritical move to distract from the real danger this regime poses to regional peace and security, particularly its nuclear-weapon arsenals, clandestine and unsafeguarded nuclear installations and activities,” the statement added.

It also stressed that the Israeli regime has a dark and long record of harboring, financing, inducing and arming the most dangerous terrorist networks.

“The repulsive Israeli occupation has brought many crises and instability throughout the region. As such, it is ironic that the prime minister of the Israeli regime spoke about developing a regional peace initiative while his bloodthirsty regime plans to annex even more of the already occupied Palestinian territories,” the statement noted.

The delegation also rejected Netanyahu’s allegation about the use of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war, saying, “Such baseless allegations, which are solely based on false flags and fabricated assumptions, are nothing more than a propaganda apparatus launched by certain States to further their political agenda.”

The statement underlined that Israel possesses all types of weapons of mass destruction and continues to endanger peace and security in the region and beyond.

Reacting to the Israeli threats of using military force against Iran, the delegation said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its inherent right to self-defense, under international law and the United Nations Charter, to decisively respond to any threat or wrongful act perpetrated by the Israeli regime.”

The Iranian delegation also censured Israel’s destabilizing policies and practices, saying the regime continues to commit crimes for over seven decades against the Palestinians “in flagrant violation of the basic principles of morality, humanity and the rules of international law.”

SD/Press TV

Middle East

Zionist regime PM office corrects his mistake about Iran

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Zionist regime prime minister’s office issued a statement, announcing that his words about Iran’s “nuclear threat” were a verbal mistake and that he meant a “military threat,” Lebanese Al-Mayadeen reported.

According to the report, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly Netanyahu ranted and raved against Iran.

He claimed that he would use all his power to prevent Iran from alleged acquiring nuclear weapons, demanding the return of international sanctions and the “credible nuclear threat” against Iran.

In continuation of his false accusations, he added that in order to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions, sanctions should be imposed.

Since his arrival in New York, Netanyahu’s office has published 3 explanatory statements after the prime minister’s blunder regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

While he made his speech at the UN on Friday, thousands of Zionists and Americans held demonstrations against him in New York.

SD/5892233

Middle East

Why meeting between Iran, Egypt FMs important?

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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York on Wednesday. During the meeting, the two sides held a positive and fruitful discussion about issues of mutual interest between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Egypt. The two sides emphasized that considering the historical records and cultural commonalities of Iran and Egypt, it is necessary to pave the path and take steps to secure common interests through the continuation of dialogue between the authorities of the two countries.

Although two years ago, the Iranian foreign minister held a short conversation with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the sidelines of a regional meeting on supporting Iraq, or last year, the Head of Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE) Ali Salajegheh had a short conversation withSameh Shoukry on the sidelines of a climate change meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, but the meeting between the top Iranian diplomat and the Egyptian delegation in New York has significant importance. That is because the meeting took place after the meetings between the officials of Tehran and Cairo, which were recently held with the mediation of Baghdad, and this indicates the progress of the negotiation process between the two sides.

Furthermore, the meeting took place following the resumption of Tehran-Riyadh relations and the improvement of Iran’s relations with the countries of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, which indicates the green light of the PGCC countries to Cairo and the continuation of the de-escalation situation in the region after a decade of conflict, widespread tension and continuous crisis.

In fact, the meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt in New York and the emphasis of the parties on the continuation of the dialogues can be an accelerating factor in the process of normalizing the relations between Tehran and Cairo and improving the level of diplomatic relations between the two countries in the near future.

Why does the resumption of Tehran-Cairo relations matter?

According to historical texts and documents, Iran and Egypt have one of the oldest bilateral relations at the global diplomatic level. Iran and Egypt are two important countries in the West Asian region for many reasons. First, the two countries have a high population weight and have been built based on ancient civilization and strong cultural elements. Second, Iran and Egypt are influential actors in the region that control two important sea crossings, namely the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal. Third, the two countries have a fundamental position and an influential role in the power balance equation and in determining the type of regional alliances and coalitions.

For these reasons, since the 13th Iranian government took office, in line with the neighborhood policy, numerous efforts have been made to normalize the relations between Tehran and Cairo. There are also signs that the two countries are willing to resume relations. The desire of Tehran and Cairo to resume and improve the level of diplomatic relations is due to several reasons that can be in line with the interests of the two important regional actors. 

First, the continent of Africa has always been important for the Islamic Republic of Iran, and considering the power and influence of Egypt in this region, improving the level of relations between Tehran and Cairo can lead to the expansion of Iran’s cooperation with other African countries. Second, Egypt is the heart of the Arab world, so any actor in the Middle East that can form an alliance with Egypt will gain significant influence and role in the region. Therefore, by resuming relations, Tehran can redraw the shape of regional alliances or at least prevent Cairo from joining regional alliances against Iran. Third, through bilateral economic cooperation and investment in Egypt, Tehran can reach economic achievements and reduce international economic pressures against itself.

Possibility of Tel Aviv’s disruption in process of Iran-Egypt negotiations

In general, the normalization of relations between Tehran and Cairo will bring many achievements for Iran and Egypt and will promote their regional status and role. On the other hand, the cooperation between Iran and Egypt, which has an influencing role in the balance of power equation and determining the type of regional alliances and coalitions, is detrimental to Tel Aviv’s security and strategic interests; Because the cooperation and the increased power of Iran and Egypt will lead to further isolation of the Zionist regime.

The geopolitical situation of Egypt and the closeness of this country to the Gaza Strip has also doubled the fear of the Zionists in this regard. The Zionists fear that Iran, by investing around the Rafah border crossing, can contribute to the development of this area. If the Palestinian groups receive aid from Egypt, they can boost their power even more and this issue will have a heavy price for the Zionists.

Therefore, for the Zionists, Egypt’s turn towards Iran is like losing a strategic ally in the Arab world. With the conditions that have arisen in the relations between Egypt and Iran, Tel Aviv’s officials consider this situation as a threat to their security. In other words, Egypt’s distancing from the circle of the Israeli regime’s allies and turning towards the Zionists’ regional enemies has caused Tel Aviv to feel threatened and worried about this change. In any case, if Egypt resumes its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the security of the Zionist regime could be threatened since the occupied territories are also witnessing chaos.

For this reason, it can be said that the meeting between the foreign ministries of Egypt and Iran in New York, which shows the desire and efforts of the two countries to improve the level of diplomatic relations, will cause the Tel Aviv authorities to worry, and they may try to contact with Egyptian authorities to prevent the developing of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Cairo.

Improving the level of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Cairo can strengthen the process of trust-building between Iran and the Arab countries more and more, cause the expansion of the de-tension policy in the region, and contribute to the resolution of regional crises, including in Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

MP/5891296

Middle East

Iranian, Russian, Turkish FMs discuss Syria crisis in New York

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Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to tackle the Syrian crisis, foreign ministers from Iran, Russia and Turkey have held a tripartite summit in the Astana format to secure peace and stability in the Arab country.

The joint meeting was held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, and was attended by Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen was also present at the talks, which took place at the permanent mission of Iran to the UN.

Speaking at the event, Amir-Abdollahian lambasted the worsening humanitarian situation in Syria, attributing part of the misery inflicted on the Syrian people to the unilateral Western sanctions and the looting of Syria’s assets and natural resources, which have markedly targeted the nation’s women and children among others.

He denounced the anti-Syria sanctions as “illegal” and underlined the need for their complete removal.

The top Iranian diplomat further said reconstruction of war-torn Syria should not be treated as a tool in order to exert pressure on the Damascus government, adding that resolution of the Syrian refugee crisis requires recovery of essential infrastructure and availability of water, electricity and other services to all.

He also emphasized that the international community must assume its responsibility to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian nation.

“We (the parties) view the unilateral sanctions imposed against Syria as a violation of the international and humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and an obstacle to the distribution of aid among Syrian locals and refugees,” Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that they also “support the safe, honorable and voluntary return of Syrian refugees and restoration of their rights.”

He also stressed the need for political dialogue on the Syrian crisis under the auspices of the United Nations, reiterating unwavering support for the fight against terrorism and extremism in Syria.

The Iranian foreign minister also emphasized that parties will continue their cooperation to counter the threat of terrorism at the same time as respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria.

Iran and Russia, as the allies of the Syrian government, as well as Turkey, which sides with the opposition, set up the Astana peace process in January 2017 intending to put an end to the Syrian conflict through the involvement of the Syrian government and the opposition.

Middle East

Iraqi premier to visit Moscow in next few weeks

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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will visit Moscow in the next few weeks, an Iraqi foreign ministry statement quoted Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein as saying during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, media reported on Saturday.

During the meeting, the two top diplomats discussed the prospects of joint cooperation and relations between the two countries.

“The Iraqi side is working on completing necessary preparations for a visit by Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al Sudani to the capital Moscow during the coming weeks,” Hussein said.

He emphasized that talks between the two sides are an appropriate opportunity to discuss cooperation between the countries in the political and economic fields.

He also said it was possible that a meeting of the joint Iraqi-Russian committee could be held alongside the visit.

Lavrov, for his part, emphasised his country’s keenness to develop the relations with Iraq, saying that he looks forward to Al Sudani’s visit to Moscow in the coming weeks.

Iraq and Russia have had bilateral relations for decades.

Co-operation between Baghdad and Moscow is primarily in the fields of energy, military and security, the media reports added.

MNA/PR

Middle East

Netanyahu: Israel at cusp of normalization deal with Saudi Arabia

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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the Tel Aviv regime is “at the cusp” of a historic breakthrough leading to a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, as he presented a “new Middle East” map erasing Palestine.

During his roughly 25-minute speech at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Netanyahu enthusiastically promoted the reshaping of the region based on establishing ties with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia. 

The map that the 73-year-old chairman of the Likud party held up made no reference to the Gaza Strip or the West Bank and East al-Quds – the territories that Israel captured in 1967 and Palestinians want for their future state. The map appeared to show the Israeli regime encompassing all three.

The chamber was largely empty during his address, though there was a group of Netanyahu supporters who clapped several times during his speech.

Protesters and supporters of Netanyahu demonstrated across the street from the UN headquarters.

“I believe we can achieve peace with Saudi Arabia with the leadership of President [Joe] Biden,” Netanyahu claimed.

The far-right Israeli prime minister stressed on Friday that Palestinians should not be allowed to veto the regional deal-making.

The use of such maps by Israeli officials comes at a time when Netanyahu’s hardline administration has taken steps that experts say amount to the “de jure annexation” of the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu’s speech comes a day after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the same forum, saying that peace in the West Asia region is not achievable until Palestinians are granted full rights with statehood.

“Those who think that peace can prevail in the Middle East without the Palestinian people enjoying their full legitimate and national rights would be mistaken,” Abbas said.

Biden declared on July 28 that a deal for Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize relations may be on the horizon following his national security adviser Jake Sullivan’s talks with Saudi officials in Jeddah.

In order to sign a deal with Israel, Riyadh publicly asked Tel Aviv to implement the 2002 so-called Arab Peace Initiative to establish a Palestinian state first.

However, Israeli officials say they will not make any concession to the Palestinians as part of a potential deal for normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia.

Washington’s efforts for adding Saudi Arabia to the list of Arab countries that have signed the so-called Abraham Accords come at a critical time when Biden is seeking re-election and the US government has been left embarrassed by the kingdom’s bolstering of ties with Iran and Syria, and its further gravitation toward China.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco signed US-brokered normalization agreements with Israel in 2020, drawing condemnations from Palestinians who slammed the deals as “a stab in the back of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.” 

Middle East

At UN, Latin American leaders call for establishment of Palestinian state

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The leaders of Latin American countries have called for the establishment of a free Palestine and an end to the Israeli violence in the Palestinian territories.

Addressing the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 19-26, the heads of governments from Chile, Cuba, Brazil, Bolivia and Colombia called on “the United Nations to denounce the persecution” of Palestinians.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause and a defender of human rights, sounded the alarm on the violations of the Israeli occupation against Palestinian people.

Boric urged the world “not to remain silent when we see the illegal occupation of Palestine and the inability of Palestine to form a state. We must recognize their rights under international law.”

The Chilean president called on member states to support the “establishment of an independent Palestinian State.”

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pointed to the plight of Palestinians, stressing the necessity of peace in the Palestinian territories and the establishment of a Palestinian State.

“The world will not witness sustainability or prosperity without peace. We already know the horror and suffering of all wars, and therefore, promoting a culture of peace is a duty for all of us, as building it requires continuity and vigilance,” Lula said.

“It is disturbing to see that old conflicts have not been resolved yet, and their threats are increasing little by little,” he added. “This is clearly demonstrated by the difficulty of securing the establishment of a state for the Palestinian people.”

On the sidelines of UN meetings, the Brazilian president met with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas and stressed his country’s support for the Palestinian people and continued coordination to strengthen the existing friendship and relations between the two countries.

The Palestinian president, for his part, invited Lula da Silva to visit Palestine.

During his speech at the UN, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro underscored that “the war in Ukraine benefits the world powers, while their approach to Palestine is different.” 

“The United Nations should as soon as possible hold two peace conferences — one on Ukraine and the other on Palestine. This would lead the way in helping to bring peace to all regions of the planet, because both of these alone can bring an end to hypocrisy as a political practice,” Petro underlined.

The Colombian leader also said in order to see social justice instead of global injustice, “all wars must be brought to an end.”

Bolivia’s President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora urged the international community to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and allow its people to exercise their right to self-determination in a free, independent and sovereign state with the occupied al-Quds as its capital.

“Current crises demand a strong United Nations, consistent with the principles that created it, committed to peace, maintaining its intergovernmental character without subordination to any hegemonic power,” Catacora added.

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, the president of Cuba, also affirmed his country’s support and solidarity with the Palestinian people and their just cause and rejected Israel’s arbitrary and unilateral measures against Palestinians.

Over 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. The majority of these fatalities have been recorded in the West Bank.

Those figures indicate that 2023 is already the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since the United Nations began keeping track of fatalities in 2005.

Previously, 2022 had been the deadliest year with 150 Palestinians killed, of whom 33 were minors, according to the United Nations.

Middle East

Top Iran, Russia, Turkey diplomats discuss Syria (+VIDEO)

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“The parties had a thorough exchange of views on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic and around it with a focus on the need to ensure lasting stability in the country. In this regard, the key role of the Astana group was highlighted and the three countries’ determination was reaffirmed to continue joint efforts to contribute to resolving the situation in Syria based on strict compliance with the principles of respect for its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity,” the statement reads, TASS reported.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the parties also highlighted “the need to mobilize foreign aid to Syria, particularly to ensure its post-conflict reconstruction and promote the return of Syrian refugees to their home country.”

The ministry noted that the three foreign ministers had also held consultations with the UN secretary general’s Special Envoy For Syria Geir Pedersen.

“They discussed ways to promote the political process led and owned by the Syrian people with the assistance of the United Nations. The parties paid attention to the need to ensure the effective activities of the intra-Syrian Constitutional Committee, and considered issues related to the provision of humanitarian assistance to all Syrians in need in accordance with the norms and principles of international law,” the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.

MNA/PR

Middle East

Israel regime targets Resistance positions in Gaza

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The Zionist army targeted the positions of the Palestinian resistance forces in the east of Gaza with its artillery attacks.

A fighter belonging to the Zionist regime fired 2 missiles and targeted one of the observation towers of the Palestinian Resistance forces in an area located in the east of Gaza.

Palestinian sources reported that several Palestinians were injured during these attacks

Earlier on Friday,  Zionist forces attacked Palestinian protesters in the besieged Gaza Strip, injuring more than 30 people.

The protesters gathered near the fence separating Gaza from the occupied territories on Friday. The Israeli military said its forces have conducted air attacks on the Gaza Strip. 

The demonstrators expressed support for the al-Aqsa mosque and the occupied West Bank, amid rising acts of violence committed by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians there.

They also voiced solidarity with Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Israeli forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the protesters.

In response, the protesters launched incendiary balloons toward Israeli settlements near Gaza, causing fires.

Israeli forces then launched aerial and artillery attacks on resistance positions in eastern Gaza, injuring at least one Palestinian. 

The Israeli military said a drone hit two military posts belonging to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip.

Separately, an Israeli tank hit another military post, claiming that shots were fired from there towards Israeli troops confronting protesters.

The Hamas-affiliated radio station Aqsa said several people had been wounded in the strikes.

Palestinians in Gaza have been holding protests along the separation fence for days over the regime’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners and provocative visits by settlers to the Al Aqsa mosque compound.

MNA/5892108/Press TV