Middle Orient

Russia remains committed to Syria’s Assad despite Ukraine war, Pentagon says

Reports that Moscow has been readying tens of thousands of Syrians to fight in Europe are “disinformation,” senior US defense official tells Congress. A senior Pentagon official threw cold water on recent news reports that Russia has been redirecting significant numbers of its troops and local mercenaries from Syria to …

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After IAEA criticizes Iran, Israeli prime minister meets with Emirati leader

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a quick visit to the Emirates, where he met privately with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met this afternoon in Abu Dhabi with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. The trip was announced to the press only after Bennett landed …

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Russia expresses ‘understanding’ for Turkey’s security concerns in north Syria

Receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu maintains that the creation of a safe maritime corridor for Ukrainian grain exports should be accompanied by the easing of sanctions against Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated his country’s “understanding” of Turkish security concerns along …

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US officials say Turkey ‘well aware’ of their concerns over Syria offensive

The Biden administration is pushing Turkey to back off its planned offensive against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, US officials told lawmakers on Wednesday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last month that Ankara would soon begin military operations aimed at establishing a 30-kilometer “safe zone” along its southern border. …

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Israel-Iran Tensions Grow Amid Mysterious Deaths of Iranian Top-secret Missile Scientist and Military Officer

Tensions continue to rise between the governments of Israel and Iran after the mysterious deaths of an Iranian missile scientist and a senior military officer. Ayoob Enterazi died under suspicious circumstances on May 31. He was a Ph.D. holder in aerospace engineering at Iran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology in …

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With Lavrov in Turkey, a different war may dominate talks

When Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visits his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, in Ankara this week, Turkey’s proposal to establish a safe transport corridor for Ukrainian grain exports will be a top agenda item. If realized, the Black Sea corridor would require a naval escort, mine-clearing, and inspections to ensure …

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Turkey’s Erdogan tells Greece not to arm demilitarised islands

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday Greece should stop arming islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarised status and abide by international agreements, in comments likely to further fuel long-running tensions between the neighbours. The NATO allies have long been at odds over issues such as maritime …

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Turkey Is Playing With Fire in Syria—Again

While the war in Syria has receded from the international spotlight, residents in the country’s northeast are bracing for a new wave of armed conflict. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has for months threatened to launch a military invasion of the region to push back Syrian Kurdish fighters and create …

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Syria’s ‘Cold’ Civil War Could Easily Get Hot Again

Back in June 2011, when news began to filter out from Syria of the first signs of armed resistance against the Baathist regime of President Bashar al-Assad, few could have predicted the level of disruption to the global order that the conflict in Syria would go on to produce. After …

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Supporters of terror groups should not be in NATO, Turkey says

Those who support a terrorist organization that targets a NATO ally should not be a part of the security bloc, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday. In a briefing, the ministry underlined that Turkey continues to share the values ​​and responsibilities of NATO and remains at the center of the alliance’s …

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