Iran joins four-way Moscow talks with Turkiye, Syria

(L-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo before a trilateral meeting on Syria in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (AFP)
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(L-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose for a photo before a trilateral meeting on Syria in Tehran on July 19, 2022. (AFP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) give a press conference following their meeting in Ankara,on March 8, 2023. (AFP)
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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) give a press conference following their meeting in Ankara,on March 8, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 11 March 2023
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Iran joins four-way Moscow talks with Turkiye, Syria

Iran joins four-way Moscow talks with Turkiye, Syria
  • “Iran is strictly opposed to the military presence of the US and Turkiye in Syria and calls for the withdrawal of these forces to ensure that the Assad regime establishes control in every inch of the country,” she told Arab News

ANKARA: The deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkiye, Syria and Iran will meet in Moscow next week for low-level talks ahead of a long-planned meeting between the countries’ four foreign ministers.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday that his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian asked if Tehran could join the three-way talks as a fourth party, and Ankara agreed.
“Astana is the only surviving format (to address) Syria anyway,” Cavusoglu said at a joint news conference with Amir-Abdollahian.
“A meeting at the level of foreign ministers could be held at a later stage, at a time that we all see fit,” he said.

FASTFACT

Iran and Turkiye have taken opposing stances on Syria since the outbreak of the conflict.

In a joint statement after the April 25-26, 2019 meeting in Astana, Iran, Russia and Turkiye reaffirmed their “strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity” of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Abdollahian said Tehran was willing to help resolve the disagreements between Ankara and Damascus under the four-way format, especially regarding the withdrawal of the Turkish military from northern Syria.
Iran and Turkiye have taken opposing stances on Syria since the outbreak of the conflict.
This comes a week after the Russian Ambassador to Iraq, Elbrus Kutrashev, said during Irbil Forum 2023 that it was “high time” for a reconciliation between Syria and Turkiye.
Russia sponsored a normalization path between Syrian and Turkish defense ministers and intelligence chiefs in Moscow in December in a bid to facilitate the rapprochement process between the two countries, marking the first high-level meeting since the war in Syria began in 2011.
But Tehran announced its uneasiness about being sidelined from this meeting and emphasized the importance of a political solution in Syria.
During the meeting, the defense ministers discussed counterterrorism efforts in Syria and agreed to continue their three-way meetings to encourage stability in the region.
After devastating earthquakes struck southern Turkiye and northwestern Syria in February, Ankara enabled the delivery of international aid to quake victims in Syria. About 475 aid trucks have passed through border gates, while Turkiye also opened its airspace to planes carrying aid to the quake zone.
Iran also set up a field hospital and established a tent city in quake-hit Adiyaman, and also sent a search and rescue team of 150 people.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is also expected to visit Turkiye to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gulriz Sen, an expert on Turkiye-Iran relations from the TOBB University of Economics and Technology in Ankara, said Tehran’s red lines in the Syrian civil war remain unchanged, with an emphasis on ensuring the survival of the Assad regime and the territorial integrity of Syria.
“Iran is strictly opposed to the military presence of the US and Turkiye in Syria and calls for the withdrawal of these forces to ensure that the Assad regime establishes control in every inch of the country,” she told Arab News.
Sen said that Iran wants permanent influence in Syria, its only Arab ally, through close strategic and economic links.
“To this aim, it seeks to be a power broker in this newly emerging diplomatic talk that will coordinate the rapprochement between Turkiye and Syria. Tehran’s first-ever direct involvement will help her closely monitor and shape the process without feeling left out and waiting to be informed by other parties through follow-up meetings,” she added.
According to Sen, Iran’s inclusion in the talks will not change Russia’s decisive role, but will likely strengthen Syria’s position on the swift withdrawal of Turkish armed forces from the northwestern parts of Syria, the return of Idlib to Assad’s control, and the elimination of jihadi groups regarded by Iran as “takfiri terrorists,” with a more concerted approach from Tehran and Damascus.
“In any case, the talks will not reach a conclusion until the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkiye in May, yet the Astana format now will incorporate Syria in this final push for a diplomatic settlement,” she said.
Francesco Siccardi, senior program manager and senior research analyst at Carnegie Europe, agrees.
“We should temper expectations from this meeting, which was supposed to take place earlier in the year but was delayed by hesitations on the Turkish end — and then, of course, by the Feb. 6 earthquakes,” he told Arab News.
Siccardi expects to see moderate progress after the meeting, a continuation of the progressive rapprochement that has been underway since 2022.
“But the pace and depth of Turkiye’s involvement will be dictated by President Erdogan’s electoral interests,” he added.
According to Siccardi, the earthquake has partially altered Erdogan’s calculations regarding Syria, making it imperative that Syria’s borders remain sealed to refugees trying to cross into Turkiye from Idlib; as well as making incendiary rhetoric on the Kurdish question less appealing to an electorate still shattered by the destruction of the earthquake.
“The issue of the return of Syrian refugees remains important, as upticks of anti-Syrian rhetoric are visible in areas of Turkiye most affected by the earthquake,” he said.
It is unclear whether Ankara will change its Syria policy completely before the results of the elections are known.
But the refugee question is still a central issue ahead of the elections considering the rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the country and deteriorating living conditions because of the high inflation rates and unemployment.
The main opposition leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who will challenge Erdogan in the May 14 poll, is expected to accelerate the normalization process with the Assad regime, and to seek ways for the voluntary return of almost 4 million Syrian refugees to their homeland.
However, many Syrians in Turkiye are still unwilling to return for fear of persecution while Assad remains in power.
 
 

 


UAE President and Dutch PM discuss bilateral ties

UAE President and Dutch PM discuss bilateral ties
Updated 19 sec ago
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UAE President and Dutch PM discuss bilateral ties

UAE President and Dutch PM discuss bilateral ties
  • Leaders reaffirmed shared commitment to achieving a breakthrough in international climate action

LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday to discuss bilateral ties and strategic cooperation between the two countries, Emirates News Agency reported.

The two leaders discussed investment, the economy, education, culture, technology, and science during their meeting in Abu Dhabi. They also talked about renewable energy, sustainable development, and climate change, and addressed COP28 which will kick off in November in Expo City Dubai.

Sheikh Mohamed and Rutte reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving a major breakthrough in international climate action.

The two exchanged views on a variety of regional and international issues of mutual interest, emphasizing the importance of working together to promote ideals of tolerance, harmony, peace, and human fraternity.

Sheikh Mohamed affirmed the strength of UAE-Netherlands relations, highlighting economic ties in critical sectors such as renewable energy, food security, technology, water, agriculture, and trade. 

He noted that non-oil trade exchange between the two countries reached $4.6 billion last year, representing a 7.2 percent increase over 2021.

Sheikh Mohamed said that the UAE is one of the Netherlands’ most important trading partners in the Arab world, highlighting that there are roughly 350 Dutch companies operating in the country.

Rutte extended his gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed for the warm welcome, emphasizing his country’s desire to enhance ties with the UAE.

Rutte also stated that the Netherlands and the UAE share many interests, particularly in the areas of sustainable development, the green economy, renewable energy, food security, and climate action.


Lebanon risks being ‘ostracized’ if presidential vacuum lingers -French envoy

Lebanon risks being ‘ostracized’ if presidential vacuum lingers -French envoy
Updated 26 September 2023
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Lebanon risks being ‘ostracized’ if presidential vacuum lingers -French envoy

Lebanon risks being ‘ostracized’ if presidential vacuum lingers -French envoy
  • Le Drian told Lebanese daily L’Orient-Le Jour that he was planning to host a series of “consultations” among political actors
  • “I hope that the actors are aware that a way out must be found; otherwise, they will be ostracized by the international community,” Le Drian said

BEIRUT: Lebanon risks being “ostracized” by the international community if its nearly year-long presidential vacuum drags on further, France’s special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian told a local Lebanese newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of former head of state Michel Aoun ended last October. The current parliament, one of the country’s most deeply divided, has failed 12 times to elect a successor, with the last session in June.
Le Drian told Lebanese daily L’Orient-Le Jour that he was planning to host a series of “consultations” among political actors and that he hoped Speaker of Parliament Nabih would then begin convening parliament “for consecutive and open sessions.”
“I hope that the actors are aware that a way out must be found; otherwise, they will be ostracized by the international community. No one will want to see them anymore, and it will be unnecessary to seek support here or there,” Le Drian said.
The failure to elect a president has deepened sectarian tensions in Lebanon, already mired in one of the world’s worst economic crises and facing unprecedented political paralysis, with its cabinet only partially empowered.
Lebanon has failed to enact reforms required to gain access to $3 billion in funding from the International Monetary Fund. The IMF has blamed “vested interests” for the lack of progress.
Donor countries have stepped in to help fund various public services but have grown increasingly frustrated with Lebanon’s requests for more funding.
Le Drian on Tuesday said five key countries — the United States, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt — who had been coordinating on policies to help Lebanon out of its political impasse were beginning to reconsider assistance.
“The five are wondering how long they will continue to help Lebanon,” he said.
The five had already discussed possible measures against politicians and groups who were obstructing the election of a president.


Saudi delegation visits Israel-occupied West Bank

Saudi delegation visits Israel-occupied West Bank
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi delegation visits Israel-occupied West Bank

Saudi delegation visits Israel-occupied West Bank
  • The delegation led by the kingdom’s non-resident ambassador to the Palestinian territories, Nayef Al-Sudairi, arrived overland from Jordan
  • Sudairi is then due to meet Palestinian present Mahmud Abbas

Jericho: Saudi Arabia, which is in US-brokered talks with Israel to normalize relations, on Tuesday sent a delegation to the occupied West Bank for the first time in three decades.
The delegation led by the kingdom’s non-resident ambassador to the Palestinian territories, Nayef Al-Sudairi, arrived overland from Jordan, acting Jericho governor Yusra Sweiti said.
It is the first such Saudi delegation to travel to the West Bank since the landmark Oslo Accords were signed in 1993.
Sudairi, the Saudi envoy to Jordan, was last month appointed non-resident ambassador to the Palestinian territories and consul general for Jerusalem.
He will be received by the top Palestinian diplomat, Riyad Al-Maliki, the foreign ministry in Ramallah said.
Sudairi is then due to meet Palestinian present Mahmud Abbas.
Sudairi’s visit to Ramallah comes as Washington has been leading talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia on a potential normalization of relations between the two countries, a move seen as a game-changer for the region.


Japan proposes initiative to resume nuclear talks: Iran FM

Japan proposes initiative to resume nuclear talks: Iran FM
Updated 26 September 2023
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Japan proposes initiative to resume nuclear talks: Iran FM

Japan proposes initiative to resume nuclear talks: Iran FM
  • Under US President Joe Biden’s administration, negotiations resumed with the objective of re-entering the agreement

DUBAI: Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said Japan has proposed an initiative to resume negotiations to revive the nuclear deal that was signed in 2015 by Tehran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US.

According to Kyodo News, Abdollahian said any initiative from Japan that aligns with “Iran’s interests” would be viewed positively, adding: “We support the constructive role of Japan in reviving the nuclear deal.”

He told the Japanese news agency that he received a proposal from the Japanese government when he visited Tokyo last month and met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and former Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

Abdollahian said delays in the negotiations’ progress were caused by “excessive demands” by the US, Britain, France and Germany, as well as “interference” by other countries in Iran’s domestic issues, specifically with regard to protests over the death last year of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini.

Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to eliminate its stockpile of medium-enriched uranium, cut its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98 percent, and reduce by about two-thirds the number of its gas centrifuges for 13 years. It also agreed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67 percent for the next 15 years.

But in 2018, then-President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal, saying it did not address “Iran’s ballistic missile program and its proxy warfare in the region.”

Under US President Joe Biden’s administration, negotiations resumed with the objective of re-entering the agreement.

Most recently, on Sept. 20 Kishida and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met in New York to discuss security issues, bilateral relations and the nuclear deal.

Kishida said Japan has been consistent in its support of the deal and urged Iran to take constructive measures.


Legal fight opens for Australian children to leave Syria

Legal fight opens for Australian children to leave Syria
Updated 26 September 2023
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Legal fight opens for Australian children to leave Syria

Legal fight opens for Australian children to leave Syria
  • Save the Children is asking the court to bring the 11 women and 20 children from Al-Roj camp in Syria before the court in Australia

Sydney: More than 30 Australian women and children living in “appalling conditions” in a Syrian detention camp launched court action Tuesday to compel Canberra to bring them home.
Their case opened at the High Court in Melbourne, nearly a year after Australia repatriated the last group of four women and 13 children — the wives, sons and daughters of vanquished Daesh group fighters — from Syria.
“The situation of the remaining persons detained is stark and dire,” said Peter Morrissey, counsel for the charity Save the Children, which is acting on their behalf.
“Save the Children Australia represents women and children charged with no crime, detained in piteous and appalling conditions,” he told the court.
“Their health, safety, and dignity are seriously compromised by any standard. Their detention in the camps has endured for several years.”
Save the Children is asking the court for a writ of habeas corpus (or unlawful detention) requiring the government to bring the 11 women and 20 children from Al-Roj camp in Syria before the court in Australia.
“Despite countless opportunities to repatriate these families, the Australian government has ultimately failed in its duty to bring all of its citizens home to safety,” said Save the Children Australia chief executive Mat Tinkler.
“We desperately hope these children and their mothers will be imminently repatriated home to safety. It is unfathomable that the Australian government has abandoned its citizens,” he said in a statement.
Repatriations of Australian women and children from Syrian camps are a politically contentious issue in a country long known for its hard-line approach to immigration.
The Australian women and children have lived in the Al-Hol and Al-Roj detention camps in Kurdish-controlled northeastern Syria since the 2019 collapse of Daesh.