Egypt and Iran poised to restore diplomatic ties

After decades of estrangement, Egypt and Iran are poised to fully restore diplomatic ties and swap ambassadors in the near future, according to a high-ranking Egyptian official.

Rakha Ahmad Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, stated that an ambassadorial swap is probably going to occur soon.

He made the remarks in an interview with Russia’s Sputnik news agency on Friday.

He noted that ties between Cairo and Tehran have reached a new height with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi congratulating his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on his recent victory in Egypt's presidential elections.

This month, Hassan stated that the two heads of state spoke over the phone on a number of topics, including the reestablishment of diplomatic relations and the ongoing events in the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea.

On December 23, Raisi and El-Sisi agreed to resolve the remaining issues between the two countries.

As subsequently reported by the Iranian president’s website, Raisi congratulated el-Sisi for winning Egypt’s latest presidential elections during the phone call. 

He also called on Cairo to use all its capacities to stop the Zionist regime's attacks on Gaza, start providing aid, and fulfill the rights of the people of Palestine.

The Egyptian leader, for his part, expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to speak to Raisi adding, "Iran and Egypt can play an effective role in establishing stability and security in the region due to their high historical and civilizational position and having diverse capacities."

In recent months, Iran and Egypt have been working to cultivate a closer relationship and heal longstanding rifts. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry convened on September 20 during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani hailed the meeting as a pivotal moment in Tehran-Cairo relations, marking a positive step within Iran’s regional diplomacy initiatives.

In addition to diplomatic engagements, Iran’s Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi met with his Egyptian counterpart during a visit to Cairo in September. Both officials reached an agreement to establish a committee for overseeing joint projects. 

“The current level of relations between the two countries indicates that the exchange of ambassadors is imminent. Latest remarks by Oman’s ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, also suggest that efforts are being made in the region in this regard as he touched on the matter and the consequences that the rapprochement could bring about,” the senior Egyptian official noted. 

He underlined that the cycle of resolving regional issues will be completed by the restoration of diplomatic ties between Egypt and Iran, particularly in light of the recent measures to settle the Yemeni crisis and the rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran. 

Hassan emphasized that Iran’s more active involvement in the Arab world will boost commercial interaction with Arab nations while also advancing stability and prosperity in the region.

Back in August, Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs noted that Cairo does not require mediation to fully reestablish diplomatic ties with Iran.

Speaking with the Arab World Press (AWP), Mohamed el-Orabi said that Cairo and Tehran are still in communication, but it is not necessary for them to be broadcast.

“It is very simple, it should not become complicated; Tehran-Cairo relations will be fully restored eventually, but Egypt has its reservations,” el-Orabi noted. 

The announcement comes amid rumors that the two regional powerhouses are holding behind-the-scenes talks and would soon reopen their respective embassies.

El-Orabi further noted that Egypt and Iran maintain ongoing diplomatic relations that have not been broken.

But when it comes to the re-establishment of relationships, he said, determining factors that are unique in essence should be taken into account.

“Iran is an active country in the region, and rapprochement with it is linked to other issues like the status quo in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon,” the senior Egyptian official stressed. 

He emphasized that while it is challenging to set a specific timetable for the restoration of Egypt-Iran ties, progress might be made if any of the aforementioned concerns were to be resolved.

Egypt severed its diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980 following its welcoming of the deposed Pahlavi ruler and its recognition of the apartheid Israeli regime. 

Presently, discussions are underway between the two regional heavyweights regarding the potential reopening of their respective embassies in Iraq.

Nevertheless, there are reports indicating that the Israeli regime is exerting pressure on Egypt to refrain from re-establishing ties with Iran.

According to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily newspaper, Israeli delegates have purportedly undertaken covert visits to Cairo in an attempt to dissuade the government of President el-Sisi from reciprocating steps to restore diplomatic relations with Iran.

 

US allies reluctant to join Red Sea task force

The response to the mantra of US President Joe Biden regarding formation of response force to Yemen's Houthi attacks on ships passing through Red Sea is disappointing. It seems many allies don't want to be associated with it, publicly, or at all.

Two of America's European allies who were listed as contributors to Operation Prosperity Guardian - Italy and Spain - issued statements appearing to distance themselves from the maritime force.

The Pentagon says the force is a defensive coalition of more than 20 nations to ensure billions of dollars' worth of commerce can flow freely through a vital shipping chokepoint in Red Sea waters off Yemen.

Nearly half of those countries have so far not come forward to acknowledge their contributions or allowed the US to do so. Those contributions can range from dispatching warships to merely sending a staff officer.

The reluctance of some US allies to link themselves to the effort partly reflects the fissures created by the conflict in Gaza, which has seen Biden maintain firm support for Israel even as international criticism rises over its offensive, which Gaza's health ministry says has killed more than 21,000 Palestinians.

"European governments are very worried that part of their potential electorate will turn against them," said David Hernandez, a professor of international relations at the Complutense University of Madrid, noting that the European public is increasingly critical of Israel and wary of being drawn into a conflict.

Reportedly, Houthis have been alleged for attacking or seizing a dozen ships with missiles and drones since November 19.

The navies of the United States, Britain and France have each shot down Houthi-launched drones or missiles.

The US believes escalating Houthi attacks call for an international response separate from the conflict raging in Gaza.

However, this kind of propaganda is being highlighted in US sponsored/ supported media. It may be recalled that Hothis has announced to target Israeli ships of vessels carrying to and from Israel.

Denmark's giant container firm Maersk said on Saturday it would resume shipping operations in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. But Germany's Hapag Lloyd said on Wednesday it still believes the Red Sea is too dangerous and will continue to send ships around the Cape of Good Hope.

While the US says 20 countries have signed up for its maritime task force, it has announced the names of only 12.

Although Britain, Greece and others have publicly embraced the US operation, several mentioned in the US announcement were quick to say they are not directly involved.

Italy's defense ministry said that it would send a ship to the Red Sea following requests from Italian ship owners and not as part of the US operation.

France said it supports efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea but that its ships would remain under French command.

Spain has said it will not join Operation Prosperity Guardian and opposes using an existing EU anti-piracy mission, Atalanta, to protect Red Sea shipping.

But on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he was willing to consider the creation of a different mission to tackle the problem.

Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates earlier proclaimed no interest in the venture.

There is also the risk that participating countries become subject to Houthi retaliation. The person familiar with the US administration's thinking says that it is this risk - rather disagreements over Gaza - driving some countries to steer clear of the effort.

That appears to be the case for India, which is unlikely to join the US operation, according to a senior Indian military official. An Indian government official said the government worries that aligning itself with the US could make it more of a target.

In reality, many European and Gulf countries already participate in one of several US-led military groups in the Middle East, including the 39-nation Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

The EU's Atalanta operation already cooperates in a reciprocal relationship with CMF, according to a spokesperson for the group.

That means that some countries not formally joining the Red Sea maritime task force could still coordinate patrols with the US Navy.

Raisi visit to Turkey to focus on Gaza

According to Reuters, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Ankara on January 04, 2024 to meet his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan for talks likely to focus on the situation in Gaza and Syria as well as bilateral ties.

A visit by Raisi in late November was postponed due to the conflicting schedules of the two regional powers. At the time, Turkey's foreign minister was in New York as part of a contact group of Muslim countries on Gaza.

Turkey, which supports a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has harshly criticized Israel for its attacks on Gaza, called for an immediate ceasefire, and said Israeli leaders should be tried in international courts for war crimes.

While it has ramped up its rhetoric against Israel since it launched its air and ground assault on Gaza in retaliation for Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 07 attack, Turkey has also maintained commercial ties with Israel, prompting criticism from some opposition parties and Iran.

Unlike its Western allies and some Arab nations, NATO member Turkey does not consider Hamas a terrorist group.

Its neighbor, Iran stands at the head of what it calls the Axis of Resistance, a loose coalition that includes Hamas as well as armed Shi'ite Muslim groups around the region that have militarily confronted Israel and its Western allies. It has voiced support for Hamas and warned of wider consequences if the fighting in Gaza continues.

Turkey and Iran have usually had complicated ties, standing at loggerheads on a host of issues, primarily the Syrian civil war. Ankara politically and militarily backs rebels looking to oust President Bashar al-Assad, while Tehran supports his government.

While several rounds of talks have been held between Syrian, Turkish, Iranian and Russian representatives to find a political solution to the war, Ankara has also moved to improve ties with Assad as part of a regional diplomatic push launched in 2020.

 

 

Iran non-oil exports to Pakistan at US$1.3 billion

Iran has exported non-oil commodities valued at US$1.3 billion to Pakistan during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) announced.

Mohammad Rezvani-Far said that Pakistan registered the highest growth in import of goods from Iran, among the other neighboring countries, in the mentioned eight-month period. 

He said that Pakistan had imported non-oil products worth US$855 million from the Islamic Republic in the first eight months of the past year.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is aiming to expand its economic and trade relations with Pakistan through establishing joint free zones and trade centers with the country, IRIB reported.

According to Ahmad Jamali, the deputy secretary of Iran’s Free Zones High council, Tehran has reached an agreement with Islamabad to establish a joint free zone on the border between the two countries.

Courtesy: The Tehran Times

 

Iran recruiting Israeli civilians for spying, accuses Shin Bet

Israel's Shin Bet foiled an Iranian honeypot network that aimed to recruit unsuspecting Israeli civilians to gather intelligence and commit terror attacks under the guise of criminal activities, the Israeli Security Agency announced Thursday.

The Iranian network turned to Israelis through social media and employment websites. Speaking in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, the network operatives introduced themselves as salespeople or real estate agents and, in some cases, sought out Israelis who expressed interest in online dating.

The network also attempted to reach out to families of fallen soldiers and Israelis taken hostage by Hamas on October 07.

The Israelis were then sent on paid reconnaissance missions, gathering information on certain addresses and taking photos of sites of interest to the operatives in an attempt to expand the Islamic Republic's intelligence pool on Israel.

The tasks were given to the civilians in a manner that made them appear harmless, the Shin Bet said. Some of the Israelis who received such suspicious inquiries avoided answering them, and alerted security officials about them, the security agency added.

Biden pressurized to focus on deterring Iran

The spate of attacks from Iranian-backed groups across the region, which broke out nearly two months ago on October 17 amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, are not letting up and have spurred growing anger on Capitol Hill.

Republicans are pushing the Biden administration to project more strength against the Iranian-backed groups. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the floor Wednesday that Biden must focus on the task at hand — deterring Iran. 

These Iranian-backed groups are not deterred, they believe they can try to kill Americans with impunity, McConnell said, calling for Biden to get serious about the threats we face. 

Republican presidential candidates also called out Biden on the debate stage. Ron DeSantis, a Navy veteran said American troops are sitting ducks in the Middle East.

Nikki Haley, former UN ambassador, accused Biden of appeasing Iran.“They only respond to strength,” Haley said of Iran. “You’ve got to punch them, you’ve got to punch them hard and let them know that.” 

Since October 17, Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria have attacked US bases and troops 92 times, according to the Pentagon’s latest estimate. 

The US has also engaged the Houthi rebels in Yemen several times. The Houthis, who are also backed by Iran, have shot drones at American ships and attacked merchant vessels, including the successful hijacking of one commercial boat last month.  

Those attacks are in the Red Sea, where about 10% of the world’s commerce flows through every year. 

With the attacks stacking up and stirring criticism, defense officials argue the main objective is to contain the Israel-Hamas war and prevent a wider regional conflict, with Washington taking proportional measures against Iranian-backed militias. 

The dangerous tit for tat is spurring concerns the US is playing with fire — and creating fears that a misstep could spark an even greater surge of violence. 

“We’re in a really terrible, unstable and vulnerable condition,” said Thanassis Cambanis, the director of Century International, a progressive think tank. “Even if Iran and the US don’t want a wider war, it’s easy for miscalculation to produce one.” 

The militants waging war in the Middle East against the US have been doing so for years — there were some 70 attacks on US forces between 2021 and early 2023, many by Iran-backed groups in Iraq and elsewhere.

But the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war sparked an unprecedented number of attacks in a short time frame.

Analysts say the militia groups — and Iran — want to send a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people, while they are also bristling against increased US military presence, including American aircraft carrier ships and nuclear-powered submarines in the region.

The US is struggling with two major wars in Gaza and Ukraine. With those hot conflicts stretching Washington thin, the Biden administration’s main goal is to ensure there is not a wider regional war in the Middle East. 

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday the US is succeeding in deterring Iranian-backed militia groups.  

“That’s not to say that the challenges associated with Iranian proxies attacking US forces in Iraq and Syria or the rebels firing missiles at international shipping are not something we shouldn’t take serious,” Ryder said.

“But we will address those problems in the way that we’ve been doing. And we will continue to stay very focused on not only deterring, but also protecting our force.” 

Michael Knights, an expert in Iraq and Iran at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the US has managed to keep the fighting at a proportional level, and while that doesn’t look good in a headline, in reality there is no real threat. 

Knights noted that no American service members have died in the recent attacks, and the militia groups appear to be designing the rocket and drone attacks to avoid fatalities

“They have a pretty limited chance of hitting Americans, and sometimes [the strikes] are quite aimed off, because large salvos haven’t even landed within the bases,” Knights said. “There’s been a lot of bangs, but they’ve all fallen into what we call the polite category, which means we’re largely looking at single drone attacks that the US can just eat for breakfast.” 

But Knights said the deterrence of the Houthis near Yemen has failed, and the US may deliberately be holding back from carrying out more destructive strikes.

One reason for the restraint could be to prevent the unraveling of peace talks in a years-long war between Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government, both of which are in a fragile cease-fire, he added. 

“The US doesn’t want to disrupt that peace process … and the Houthis are taking full advantage of that because they know right now they can do whatever they want,” Knights said. “They are the part of the deterrence puzzles where the US is doing the least well.” 

The Houthis, like Lebanon’s Hezbollah, are a prominent Iranian-backed faction and have earned their stripes in the war with Yemen’s government. That has molded them into a more formidable fighting force compared with other militia groups in Iran’s sphere. 

Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, slammed Biden for failing to stop the Houthi attacks and urged greater action against the group, including a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) designation.  

“By prioritizing politics over security, this administration emboldened the Houthis, enabling them to develop more advanced weapons, deepen ties with Iran, and further entrench their control over millions of innocent Yemenis,” McCaul said in a statement.

“It is clear that the Houthis are a threat to Yemen, our partners across the Middle East, US service members and citizens in the region, and freedom of navigation and global commerce.” 

Jason Blazakis, director of the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said the FTO designation would help the US and likely would not endanger Houthi-Yemen peace talks. 

“It would be a signal of US displeasure with Iranian action,” he said. “There needs to be a response to the Houthis because of their untoward activities. They’ve become increasingly belligerent. That can’t be ignored.” 

The US is also considering a maritime task force, which would be made up of attack ships from several countries, to defend ships against Houthi threats in the Red Sea.

Tensions are likely to remain high as long as Israel’s war to defeat Hamas rages in Gaza, with devastating consequences for civilians there. On Thursday, Israel’s defense minister said the war in Gaza could last months.  

Lawrence Wilkerson, a retired U.S. colonel who previously served under former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said Biden should bring the war in Gaza to a resolution if he wants to stop the Middle East conflict from ballooning out of control. 

 “Until we decide to essentially cut down our power a bit and let things settle,” he said, “they aren’t going to.” 

 

Iran rejects US naval task force for Red Sea

Iran’s defense minister has dismissed US plan to form a marine task force in the Red Sea with the apparent goal of defending vessels headed toward Israel.

Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani issued a severe warning to the United States in statements that were made public stressing that there is no space in the region for foreigners to move around and establish a presence.

He also expressed confidence that the United States would never do such a foolish conduct since it would generate a slew of complications.

“Americans would not definitely do such a thing. If they intend to do such a foolish act, they will face plenty of problems,” the Iranian official warned.  

Following a string of Yemeni attacks on ships that were either Israeli-owned or sailing toward the occupied Palestinian territories, the Pentagon announced last week that it was prepared to assist in the formation of a maritime task force to safeguard commerce shipping in the Red Sea. This announcement prompted the warning.

National security advisor to President Joe Biden, Jake Sullivan, stated on December 04 that such patrols or escorts could be the proper reaction to ships being targeted in the region.

The US has hinted that a number of important countries have shown interest in joining the maritime task force.

Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement dismissed US plans to form a maritime task force in the Red Sea, saying the group has numerous stinging pressure leverages that can be activated in the strategic body of water.

“We have stinging pressure leverages against the countries that will participate in the coalition in the Red Sea against Yemen,” said Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of Ansarullah's political bureau.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman rejected British accusations that Iran was involved in a spate of attacks targeting Israeli vessels in the Red Sea, calling the claims baseless and politically motivated. 

“These claims are raised with specific political motives and indicate the efforts of the British authorities to distort the realities of the region and their susceptibility to the preferences of third parties, including the child-killing Zionist regime,” Nasser Kanaani said.

He added that such provocative statements by London pose a threat to regional and international stability. 

“As we have stated clearly before, the resistance groups in the region do not take orders from the Islamic Republic of Iran to confront and respond to the war crimes and genocide of the Zionist regime. These groups make their own decisions based on their principles, priorities, and interests of their country and people.”

Kanaani also advised the British authorities to focus their energy on bringing an end to the Israeli war crimes in Gaza, instead of coming up with baseless accusations. 

Yemenis have declared open support for Palestine’s struggle against Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 07 in response to the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements carrying out a surprise retaliatory attack against the occupying entity, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.

 

Saudi Arabia and Iran reaffirm full commitment to implement Beijing agreement

Saudi Arabia and Iran have reaffirmed their full commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement, reports Saudi Gazette.

The first meeting of the Saudi-Chinese-Iranian Tripartite Committee concluded in Beijing on Friday. The meeting was held to follow up on the Beijing Agreement, under the chairmanship of Deng Li, the Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister. The Saudi delegation was led by Waleed Al-Khereiji, Deputy Foreign Minister, and the Iranian delegation by Dr. Ali Bagheri Kani, Deputy Foreign Minister.

The meeting reviewed the positive outcomes in the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran in light of the Beijing Agreement, which was brokered by China last March. This included reopening embassies in Riyadh and Tehran, and the reciprocal visits and meetings of the two countries' foreign ministers.

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran expressed appreciation for China's significant role in this process and hosting the meeting.

The Chinese side confirmed its readiness to continue playing a constructive role and supporting Saudi and Iranian efforts to further enhance relations.

The three parties discussed various aspects of tripartite cooperation. They also expressed concern about the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip as a threat to regional and international peace and security, emphasizing the need for an immediate cessation of military operations in Gaza, sustainable relief for civilians, and opposing the forced displacement of Palestinians. They agreed that any arrangement regarding the future of Palestine must reflect the will of the Palestinian people, supporting their right to establish their own state and determine their destiny.

The participants agreed to continue the meetings of the tripartite committee, with the next meeting scheduled for June 2024 in Saudi Arabia, following a gracious invitation from the Kingdom.

US coalition to halt Houthi threat to shipping

The Biden administration is building an international coalition to halt the threat the Iranian-backed Houthis pose to international shipping routes in the Red Sea, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Israel on Friday.

“We will continue to take every step we deem necessary and appropriate to deal with the threat the Houthis pose,” he said, adding that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin would tackle this issue during his visit to Israel and the region next week.

“That response shouldn’t just be from the US. It should be a broader coalition of countries working together in concert,” he said.

The Houthis have said they are attacking ships to protest Israel’s military campaign to oust Hamas from Gaza, but Sullivan said the issue was much broader, particularly given Iran’s involvement.

“We are building a coalition we are working to ensure and rally the nations of the world, all of whom have an interest in seeing this stop,” Sullivan said.

“While the Houthis are pulling the trigger they are being handed the gun by Iran and Iran has a responsibility to take steps themselves to cease these attacks because they are a fundamental threat to international law and international peace and security,” he said.

“This is not about the US and Israel, this is about the entire international community,” Sullivan explained.

“The Houthis represent a material threat to freedom of navigation to commercial shipping, to lawful commerce and they are doing so in a vital artery,” he added.

“The US is working with the international community, with partners from the region and from all over the world to deal with this threat,” he added.

He spoke as a Liberia-flagged container ship sustained damage from an aerial attack as it was sailing through the Bab al-Mandab strait, causing a fire on the deck and a container to fall overboard, the British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Friday.

Ambrey reported the vessel was owned by Hapag-Lloyd and had been sailing south through the Bab al-Mandab strait in the southern Red Sea when it was attacked by a projectile 50 nautical miles north of the Yemeni Red Sea port of Mokha.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in Red Sea shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel since the start of the Gaza war

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Tuesday they carried out a military operation against the Norwegian commercial tanker STRINDA.

The group targeted the tanker with a rocket after the crew refused to respond to all warnings, Houthi military spokesperson Yehia Sareea said in a televised statement.

He added that the group had managed to obstruct the passage of several ships in recent days, acting in support of the Palestinians.

He vowed that the Houthis would continue blocking all ships heading to Israeli ports until Israel allows the entry of food and medical aid into the Gaza Strip - more than 1,000 miles from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.

 

 

Saudia and Iran share same stance on Gaza

Saudi Arabian foreign minister has stated that the kingdom shares Iran’s position over the Gaza issue and that further international efforts are needed to put a stop to Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud held a meeting on the sidelines of the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in Geneva on Wednesday.

During their discussion, the two senior diplomats talked about a variety of bilateral, regional, and global topics, with a focus on finding a solution to stop the Zionist regime’s attacks on Gaza.

Saudi Arabia, according to Bin Farhan, agrees with Iran on the need of supporting the Palestinian people, establishing a prompt truce in Gaza, and delivering humanitarian relief to the beleaguered enclave.

The Saudi minister praised the improving relations between Riyadh and Tehran, calling them on the right track, and stated that his nation supports the growth of political and economic cooperation with Iran.

He called for the fulfillment of the accords, hailing the two countries’ cooperation agreements as a strong point.

Amir Abdollahian expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for hosting the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit to discuss the Gaza conflict.

He also condemned the ongoing war crimes and genocide committed by the Israeli regime in Gaza and the West Bank, calling for concerted efforts from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other Muslim and regional states to put pressure on the United States and Zionist regime to guarantee an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

Amir Abdollahian and his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib held a meeting on the sidelines of the GRF in Switzerland on Tuesday.

The foreign minister of Iran issued a warning, stating that if the Zionist regime’s military attacks on Gaza continue, it could escalate tensions and lead to a regional explosion.

“Iran and Lebanon are on the same front, and Iran only wants the best interests of the Lebanese government, nation, and resistance front,” Amir Abdollahian said, praising the ongoing discussions on a range of bilateral and regional issues between Tehran and Beirut.

Touching on the critical circumstances in Palestine, the senior Iranian diplomat said, “It is necessary that the United States put an end to its unlimited support for the Zionist regime and its war crimes against the Palestinian nation.” 

“Lebanon has always been one of the key pillars of anti-Zionist resistance in the region,” Amir Abdollahian continued, emphasizing the necessity for joint efforts to stop the Zionists’ genocide in Palestine.

Lebanese foreign minister expressed satisfaction with the meeting with his Iranian counterpart, stating that “consultations between the two sides have always been fruitful and constructive.”

Bou Habib also spoke on the situation in Lebanon, namely the situation along the country’s southern borders with territories under occupation. 

Iran’s foreign minister asserted that in order to make up for the Zionist regime’s inability to crush the Palestinian resistance groups, the US administration is orchestrating political schemes for the Gaza Strip’s post-war destiny.

Amir Abdollahian emphasized the need for Islamic countries to resolutely stand with Palestine in opposition to the Zionist regime’s ongoing war crimes and brutal attacks in Gaza and the West Bank. 

He further highlighted the blow to the Zionist regime’s dignity on October 07 and its inability to produce meaningful results despite committing heinous war crimes against Palestinian citizens over the last two months.

Ammar, for his part, underlined the need of working together to raise relations to a higher level.

He also advocated for more effective measures to strengthen relationships, notably in the economic and commercial domains, in line with their political ties.

The Tunisian foreign minister praised Iran for its constant support for Palestine, saying, “In Tunisia, we ardently support the cause of Palestine, firmly believing that killing the Palestinian nation will not lead to any gains.”

 

Can Gaza massacre bring change in Saudi foreign policy?

Prior to the October 07 operation by the Hamas resistance movement, many believed a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel was around the corner. 

The first time Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto leader acknowledged that the kingdom was moving towards normalization with Israel, was on September 20, 2023.

“Every day we get closer,” Mohammad Bin Salman said during an interview with Fox News. He added that such a pact would be the biggest historical deal since the Cold War. 

While Palestinians have vehemently condemned previous Arab-Israeli normalization agreements, labeling them as treacherous stabs in the back and betrayals to the Palestinian cause, Bin Salman argued that his deal with the Israelis would ease the life of the Palestinians. 

Since the 1980s, Saudi Arabia has been a vociferous advocate of the two-state solution. The Fahd Peace Plan in 1981 and the Arab Peace Initiative proposed by Riyadh in 2002, which also garnered endorsement in 2007 and 2017, both proposed that Israel become a state recognized by the Arab League, contingent upon Israel withdrawing its forces from the territories it occupied following the Six-Day War in 1967.

Additionally, the peace initiatives stipulated that Israel permit the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

"Despite the widespread embrace of the Saudi peace plan by the majority of Arab states, Israel's reaction to both Saudi initiatives was unfavorable. Israel insisted on maintaining Jerusalem as a unified capital and also rejected the right of return for Palestinian refugees, impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals," said Fuad al-Ibrahim, a seasoned expert on Saudi Arabia.

The expert further noted that with the passage of time and Israel's firm rejection of the two-state solution, Saudi Arabia appears to have become less enthusiastic about championing the Palestinian cause.

Instead, it seems to be prioritizing the advancement of its ties with Israel, potentially seeking stronger rapport with Washington.

"It seems that solidifying ties with Israel has become a prerequisite for maintaining a strong relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US government. MbS appears to be actively fostering this relationship with Israel to secure his political career," the expert remarked.

Reports indicate that as part of any potential normalization agreement with Israel, Saudi Arabia has pursued added concessions from Washington, such as a security pact, the sale of advanced weaponry, and assistance in developing a civilian nuclear program.

Allegedly, Riyadh has also requested that Israel uphold the possibility of a two-state solution, although given recent events and the situation in Gaza, it seems impossible to envision Israel endorsing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Following Israel's aggressive actions against Palestinians in Gaza, Riyadh declared that the potential deal is on hold. Nonetheless, Israeli reports contend that Bin Salman has agreed to build on the US-mediated discussions aimed at normalizing relations with Israel once the conflict in Gaza is over. However, in light of shifting public opinion against the regime, it may prove challenging for the custodian of Islam's holiest sites to resume talks with Israeli officials.

"From my perspective, Operation Al-Aqsa Storm and Israel’s subsequent response to the offensive create obstacles for MbS and others to move forward with normalization with Israel, potentially endangering their credibility and political careers. Nevertheless, this may be a transient situation, contingent upon the political dynamics within Israel and the military landscape in Gaza and the broader region," emphasized al-Ibrahim.

Israel’s disproportionate response to the October 07 Hamas attack might have also served as a wake-up call for Saudi’s ruling family. 

That’s because Riyadh, like everyone else, noticed that Washington’s reaction to the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and its reaction to the slaughter of thousands of civilians in Gaza were undeniably disparate. After Western media outlets turned the screw on the Saudi prince for his involvement in the murder of a royal insider-turned-critic, who was killed at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in 2018, Washington decided that backing its traditional West Asian ally in the particular case would be too costly.

US President Joe Biden promised to turn the kingdom into a pariah during his presidential campaign and proceeded to release a declassified US intelligence assessment, confirming the crown prince’s complicity in the killing. 

Though Bin Salman was able to avoid reckoning, his reputation was severely damaged as someone who liked to tout himself as a bold reformer pursuing new freedoms in the Saudi kingdom. 

Meanwhile, the US has shown unequivocal support for Israel’s killing campaign in Gaza, and refrained from bloviating its usual slogans of human rights to let Israel finish its stated mission of eradicating Hamas.

Washington seems willing to help the Israeli regime omit its opponents, not caring that it has to stand against the entire world to make it happen.  

The Khashoggi case was not an outlier. The US pulled the plug on Riyadh when Yemen’s Ansarullah movement decided to attack Saudi Arabia’s main oil processing facilities in 2019, making no concrete efforts whatsoever to help its ally prop up its security apparatus. That’s while the Democrats and Republicans are working in tandem to secure a US$14.5 billion military aid package for Israel, amid a budget deficit crisis in home. 

Gaza war brings Saudis closer to China
 
Saudi Arabia had already begun to buttress its relations with China after getting the stiff-arm from the US during the two instances. But the kingdom seems to have shifted even more towards Beijing’s orbit with the occurrence of the latest war in West Asia. 

A delegation of Arab and Muslim ministers, including Saudi Arabia’s Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, travelled to Beijing in November to push for an end to the war in Gaza with China’s aid. 

The move largely sidelined the US, which has been the target of scathing criticism from its Arab allies since the beginning of the latest wave of Israeli attacks on Gaza. 

Operation Al-Aqsa Storm seems to have defied previous predictions on many levels. Saudi Arabia may have to recalibrate its foreign policies, considering the amount of hate it may receive from Muslim masses across the world once it decides to move forward with normalization talks with Israel. It might also be less willing than before to count on the US as a reliable partner, given Washington’s penchant for leaving Saudi Arabia alone, when a crisis strikes.   

Courtesy: The Tehran Times

 

Israel and US cannot wipe out Hamas

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Tuesday that Israel and the United States will never be able to wipe out Hamas and that Israel could only secure the release of hostages held in Gaza with a political solution to the conflict.

In a speech at the United Nations in Geneva in which he described the Islamist group as a freedom movement, Amirabdollahian said, "Israel and the United States will never be able to eliminate Hamas."

He added that Israel, which has vowed to wipe out Hamas, could only achieve the return of hostages taken by Hamas on October 07 by a political solution.

Amirabdollahian was speaking at a meeting alongside counterparts from other Middle Eastern countries.

"All the ministers agree that the strikes by the criminal Israeli regime and the genocide it is committing has to stop immediately," Amirabdollahian said following the meeting.

"The Rafah border crossing has to be open, humanitarian aid has to reach every part of Gaza and the forced displacement of the people of Gaza must stop," he added, referring to the crossing into Egypt used to bring humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Israel's assault on Gaza to root out Hamas has killed at least 18,205 Palestinians and wounded nearly 50,000 since October 07, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appealed last month to Muslim states with political ties with Israel to at least cut them for a limited time. He had previously called for an Islamic oil and food embargo on Israel.

 

Iran warns of terrible days ahead

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian warned of terrible days to come for Israel in a call with his Qatar counterpart.

The two men discussed the war in Gaza. Tehran and Doha have excellent ties; Iran’s foreign minister has traveled to Qatar to meet Hamas leaders over the last two months in the wake of the Hamas attack and massacre of more than 1,200 people in Israel on October 07.

According to Iranian media, Iran's foreign minister discussed the West Bank and Gaza with the Qataris. He also discussed the Zionist aggression that Tehran has slammed numerous times. Iran backs proxies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen and has sought to inflame the West Bank.

“Condemning the Israeli regime's crimes against women and children in Gaza and the West Bank, the foreign ministers called for an immediate stop to war crimes, genocide, and clear violations of international laws by the Israeli regime through the international community's immediate action,” the Iranian media reports said.

They also repeated calls for humanitarian aid. The foreign ministers also backed the UN secretary-general’s calls for increased action regarding Gaza. “In this telephone conversation, Amir Abdollahian said that the Islamic resistance has so far responded with strength to the aggression of the Israeli regime, and said that with this trend, the coming days will be very terrible for the Israeli regime,” Fars News said.

Iran continued to warn that the region could become more tense and there will be reactions if the war continues. The Islamic Republic has used this threat continually, and has also been responsible for the current tensions and has backed Hamas in its war against Israel.

Iran also helped release Thai hostages from Gaza through talks with Thailand and Hamas, illustrating Tehran’s influence over the Gaza-based terrorist group controlling the coastal enclave. Qatar hosts Hamas leaders and also mediated the hostage deal that led to a pause in fighting on November 24, which ended on December 01.

It is not clear if the Iranian threats regarding “terrible” things are an escalation. The Iran-backed Houthis escalated attacks this week as well as having been additional threats from Syria.

Iranian pro-regime media has highlighted threats to Israel from Syria’s Dara’a province and has also discussed new Iranian-backed attacks on US forces in Syria.

Iran’s Tasnim News also covered the recent Houthi threats against Israel and the missile attack on Wednesday in which Israel shot down a Houthi missile using the Arrow air defense system.

 

Putin arrives Saudi Arabia to meet Mohammad

Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a rare trip abroad to discuss oil production, OPEC Plus and the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.

Putin's meeting with the prince, known as MbS, comes after oil prices fell despite a pledge by OPEC Plus, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, to further cut output.

Putin arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for talks President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. He is due to then travel to Saudi Arabia for his first face-to-face meeting with MbS since October 2019.

The Kremlin said they would discuss energy cooperation, including as part of OPEC Plus, whose members pump more than 40% of the world's oil.

"Close Russian-Saudi coordination in this format is a reliable guarantee of maintaining a stable and predictable situation in the global oil market," the Kremlin said.

The Kremlin's chief's last visit to the region was in July 2022, when he met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran.

It was not immediately clear what Putin, who has rarely left Russia since the start of the Ukraine war, intends to discuss with the crown prince of the world's largest oil exporter, just days after disagreements delayed a key OPEC Plus meeting.

They will also discuss the war between Israel and Hamas militants, the situation in Syria and Yemen, and broader issues like ensuring stability in the Gulf, the Kremlin said. A Kremlin aide said Ukraine would also be discussed.

Putin will host Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin and MbS, who together control one-fifth of the oil pumped each day, have long enjoyed close relations, though both have at times been ostracised by the West.

At a G20 summit in 2018, just two month after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate, Putin and MbS high-fived and shook hands with smiles.

MbS, 38, has sought to reassert Saudi Arabia as a regional power with less deference to the United States, which supplies Riyadh most of its weapons and which is the world's top producer of oil.

Putin, who sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, says Russia is engaged in an existential battle with the West - and has courted allies across the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia amid Western attempts to isolate Moscow.

Both MbS and Putin, 71, want and need high prices for oil - the lifeblood of their economies. The question for both, is how much of the burden each should take on to keep prices aloft - and how to verify the burden.

OPEC Plus last month delayed its meeting by several days due to disagreements over production levels by some members. Saudi's energy minister said OPEC Plus also wanted more assurances from Moscow it would do good on its pledge to reduce fuel exports.

Relations between Saudi and Russia in OPEC Plus have at times been uneasy and a deal on cuts almost broke down in March 2020, when the markets were already shaken by the onset of the COVID pandemic.

But the two nations managed to patch up their relations within weeks and OPEC Plus agreed to record cuts of almost 10% of global oil demand, to prop up the oil markets.

Since war broke out between Israel and Hamas on October 07, Putin has cast the conflict as a failure of US policy in the Middle East and has fostered ties with Arab allies and Iran, as well as with Hamas.

When Russia intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, it helped tip the balance in Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's favour, ensuring the Syrian leader's survival despite Western demands that he be toppled.

"The Kremlin seeks to build its line of behaviour taking into account the opinions of the main regional players - Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran, who are not just observers, but also, in a sense, participants in the situation," Andrey Kortunov of the Russian International Affairs Council think tank told the Vedomosti newspaper.

 

Iran demands trial of Israelis for war crimes

More than a thousand members of the Iranian legal community have signed a petition calling for an immediate arrest and trial of the Zionist regime’s criminals in the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

The petition was signed on the sidelines of a conference on the Islamic Republic’s Constitution on Sunday. The members of the legal community lambasted the crimes of the Israeli regime in Gaza.

The edited text of the petition reads as follows: 

In the Gaza war, the international community has witnessed living documentation of countless international crimes committed by Israel's apartheid and child-killing regime against the defenseless people of Gaza. As a result of this war, more than 16,000 people have been killed, more than 36,000 people have been injured, and 7,000 people are missing. So far, 1.5 million people have been displaced, and 205 members of the medical staff, 25 members of the relief forces, and 64 journalists have been martyred. The barbaric attacks of the Zionist army on Gaza have caused 26 hospitals and 55 medical centers to go out of service. 

The Israeli defense minister, who has violated all human rights rules, has issued a complete blockade of Gaza, and subsequently, the access of the people of Gaza to electricity, food, water, gas, a safe environment for accommodation, treatment, and even the Internet has been cut off. Unfortunately, world leaders are only witnessing the cruel and collective punishment of the Palestinian nation by the occupying regime. Even after the temporary ceasefire, the Gazan people have had no shelter to return to because 43,000 of their residential units have been leveled down. Despite the recommendations of the United Nations and human rights organizations, the Zionist army disagreed with the extension of the ceasefire and resumed its war crimes.

We, the signatories of this petition, while expressing our sympathy with the survivors of the Palestinian martyrs, express our disgust for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the widespread aggression and genocide of Palestinians by Israel and their European and American supporters. We request urgent action by the international community to expel the criminal Zionist regime from the occupied territories and immediately prosecute the Israeli criminals. 

 

Iran-Saudi Arabia military cooperation

High ranking military officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran deliberated on proposals to strengthen military ties between the two Muslim nations. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud and Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri discussed a number of topics over the phone on Thursday.

The Iranian Armed Forces are prepared to strengthen their military ties with Saudi Arabia, according to General Bagheri.

In addition, he praised Riyadh for convening an extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) recently to discuss the Gaza issue and the strengthening of amicable ties between Tehran and Riyadh.

The Saudi minister of defense praised the efforts to strengthen military ties between the two countries.

The two dignatories also spoke about the urgent problems facing the Muslim world.

On November 01, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in the Saudi capital for a summit of Muslim and Arab leaders on the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.

This was the first visit by an Iranian president to Saudi Arabia since the resumption of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh under a Chinese-brokered agreement last March. 

Also, Raisi’s trip to Saudi Arabia was the first visit by an Iranian president to Saudi Arabia in 11 years. 

President Raisi spoke to reporters before leaving Tehran for Riyadh, saying the OIC summit should have not been a platform for declaring positions but instead, it should have resulted in actions on Gaza. 

Raisi called the holding of an emergency meeting of the OIC and reaching a fully operational and executive decision about Gaza the expectation of all the people of the world, especially the Islamic Ummah, according to the official website of the Iranian presidency. 

“This platform is not one for mere speech and announcement of positions, but must be a platform for action to quickly stop the bombings, lift the blockade of Gaza, and open the way to help the oppressed and authoritative people of this region, as well as to achieve the rights of the Palestinians, which was basically the main philosophy of the establishment of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” Raisi said.

He stated that the main purpose of his trip to Saudi Arabia was to participate in the emergency meeting of the OIC on the Palestinian issue.

Referring to the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran to hold this meeting immediately since the beginning of the Zionist regime's invasion of Gaza, he said, “The issue of Palestine is the main issue of the Islamic Ummah and the Muslims of the world, but it is also the issue of humanity and all the people of understanding and thinking all over the world who have taken to the streets in millions these days and they shout about the oppression of the Zionist regime and the support of the Americans for this genocide.”

President Raisi stated that the crimes committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza today are a clear example of war crimes and crimes against humanity, adding, “The Americans claim in their statements and messages that they are not looking to expand the domain of the war, while this claim is not compatible with their actions at all, because the fuel of the Zionist war machine is provided by the Americans.”

He described the US efforts to obstruct a ceasefire in Gaza at various meetings including at the UN Security Council as examples of the Americans lying about recent events. “Today the world should see the main face of the Americans, to see how, as stated by the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, they are the main supporter of crimes against the oppressed nations with good appearance and velvet hands,” he continued.

Iran and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on March 10 to reestablish diplomatic ties and reopen embassies and missions following seven years of estrangement, following protracted discussions mediated by China.

The two reginal powerhouses have emphasized the need of respecting one another’s national sovereignty and abstaining from meddling in one another’s domestic affairs.

Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, the commander of the Iranian Navy, revealed intentions in June for several regional nations, notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, to join a new naval coalition in the northern Indian Ocean.

Later, in August, representatives from the two governments’ defense ministries came to an agreement to swap military attachés.

 

Iran elected OPEC conference alternate president

Gabon and Iran have been elected as president and alternate president of the Conference of Ministers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for 2024 says a report by Shana.

The two countries were appointed by alphabetical order at the 187th Meeting of the OPEC Conference, which was held via video conference on Thursday.

According to the OPEC Statute, the alternate president shall preside over meetings whenever the president is absent.

Following the principle of alphabetical rotation, Libya and Nigeria were also elected as the OPEC Executive Board president and alternate president for 2024.

The representatives of Iran, Iraq, and Nigeria in the board have been already appointed and their appointment must be approved according to the OPEC Statute during its ministerial conference.

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oji on Thursday praised favorable cooperation and understanding between OPEC Plus producers.

Talking to Shana, the minister said, “We are trying to institutionalize cooperation with non-OPEC producers within the framework of OPEC Plus alliance.”

Oji, who spoke after the 187th meeting of OPEC Conference and the 36th OPEC and Non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM), said during the meetings the participants clearly stressed the need to preserve the oil market stability and support OPEC Plus collective decisions.

The OPEC Plus members underlined that the coalition keeps a close watch on global oil markets and the balance between supply and demand, said the minister, adding the alliance also voiced its readiness to make quick decisions and take the necessary measures to stabilize the oil market and cope with its situations.

Shifting to the postponement of OPEC and OPEC Plus ministerial meetings caused by differences between their member states, Oji said it is not something new as they have had such differences at some junctures, adding all that matters is that OPEC Plus producers reach an agreement and a consensus serving the member states’ interests.

The oil market is experiencing a challenging era, he stated and noted additional supplies by some producers outside of the OPEC Plus alliance associated with uncertainties surrounding global economy, the outlook for international markets, speculators’ activities in the oil market, and consequences of mentioned developments are sending out alarm signals.

The agreement and decisions made by OPEC Plus and during ministerial meetings have served the OPEC and non-OPEC member states’ common interests, said the minister, pointing out the successful move should continue in the future as it is vital for ensuring the market stability and serving producers’ interests.

The released reports and analyses show considerable uncertainties about global supply and demand, said Oji, adding each could have special impacts on future developments.

Short sellers’ increased activities in the market have fueled concerns and the outlook for the international oil market cannot be anticipated with certainty, the minister stated continuing, “I cannot agree to any of these speculations, either.”

He said the United States and other big consumers’ worries about the global oil market and energy security have been caused by US policies and acts aimed at putting OPEC Plus and its producers under pressure – political pressure on some big oil and gas producers by imposing brutal and unilateral sanctions and escalating geopolitical tensions through making political intervention and supporting war in the West Asia region.

Oji is convinced that the agreement and decisions made by OPEC Plus are significant factors in eliminating fluctuations in the oil market, improving global economic conditions, encouraging investment in the oil industry, and guaranteeing energy security.

“We consider the OPEC Plus agreement and cooperation between large oil producers as the only option to provide the world with short- and long-term energy security,” he emphasized.

“As I said before, all observers and experts of the oil market acknowledge the constructive achievements of the OPEC Plus agreement for the market stability and energy security,” reiterated the minister, underlining that Iran fully supports the agreement and decisions made by OPEC Plus as the agreement reached between the alliance’s members and issued in OPEC and non-OPEC producers’ Declaration of Cooperation brings benefits for the global oil market, producers, consumers, and economy.”

The topics of the 187th Meeting of OPEC Conference, he continued, revolved around administrative, financial, and managerial issues that are discussed by member states’ oil and energy ministers biennially. 

 

Iranian oil output 3.1 million barrels per day

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in a report disclosed Iranian crude oil output at 3.1 million barrels per day (bpd). This indicates Iranian oil output has risen 500,000 bpd in the current year.

On October 29, the spokesman of the Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union said that Iran’s oil production has increased to 3.4 million barrels per day, despite the US sanctions aimed at curbing oil exports and the associated revenue to Iran’s government.

“The latest reports show that Iran’s oil production has increased to 3.4 million barrels per day, while it was about 2.9 million barrels per day until recently,” Hamid Hosseini told IRNA.

Given that previously closed oil wells have been reopened and returned to the production cycle, Iran can increase its oil production to 3.8 million bpd, he said.

“If we seek to increase oil exports from 3.8 million barrels per day to 4.2 million bpd in the 7th National Development Plan, we need to invest an average of US$25,000 for each barrel of oil. Since these oil wells, we have the opportunity to increase the oil production to 3.8 million barrels per day,” he explained.

Hosseini also said that about 40,000 bpd have been added to the country’s oil production from the Sepehr and Jafir oilfields, which can help with the economic growth of the country.

 

Iran finalizes deal to buy Russian fighter jets

Iran has finalized arrangements for the delivery of Russian made Sukhoi su-35 fighter jets and helicopters, Iran's deputy defence minister told Iran's Tasnim news agency on Tuesday, as Tehran and Moscow forge closer military relations.

Iran's air force has only a few dozen strike aircraft, including Russian jets as well as ageing US models acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"Plans have been finalized for Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 jet trainers to join the combat units of Iran's Army," Iran's deputy Defence Minister Mehdi Farahi said.

The Tasnim report did not include any Russian confirmation of the deal.

In 2018, Iran said it had started production of the locally-designed Kowsar fighter for use in its air force. Military experts believe the jet is a carbon copy of the F-5, first produced in the United States in the 1960s.

 

 

Iran: Deylaman Destroyer a great addition to Caspian Sea fleet

Pointing to Iran’s warm relations with all Caspian Sea littoral states, General Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of joint staff of Iran’s Armed Forces has said that the Deylaman destroyer sends a message of peace and friendship to all neighbors of the Islamic Republic. 

On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of the Deylaman destroyer, the senior Iranian commander called the unveiling great for all the armed forces staff and Iranian people since the destroyer has joined Iran’s Caspian Sea fleet.

The destroyer is part of an Iranian class of similar ships called the Mowj class which weigh around 1,500 tons and are based on the Jamaran destroyer which was launched in 2010.

The new destroyer joins ships such as the Dena, Sahand, and Damavand, along with the Jamaran. 

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Deylaman destroyer in Bandar Anzali, Bagheri described the vessel as a great addition to Iran's Caspian Sea fleet. 

Chief Commander of the Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, and a number of top military officials were also present at the ceremony. 

He said the Iranian Navy plays a leading role in increasing the country's sustainable deterrent power in the face of the enemies. 

The top commander praised Iranian young scientists for their role in manufacturing the homegrown destroyer, which was built under imposed sanctions using world-class technology and the participation of Iranian industries, knowledge-based companies, and academic centers. 

He further hailed the young scientists, who turned the we can mindset into action.

General Bagheri also stressed that Iran enjoys warm relations with all Caspian Sea littoral states and that the destroyer sends a message of peace and friendship to all neighbors of the Islamic Republic. 

He also added to the importance of security of sea transportation and readiness for any unexpected incident.

“It is necessary for the armed forces to be fully prepared,” said General Bagheri, highlighting the necessity of manufacturing the Deylaman destroyer, which was deployed in the Caspian Sea to carry out its missions well.

Speaking on the occasion of November 28, the National Day of Navy in the Iranian calendar, Iran's Navy Chief, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, said on Friday that Deylaman is a powerful vessel that can act very well in the fields of detection, interception, and rescue. 

He also announced that two military drills will take place in the Indian Ocean; one includes a rescue exercise with Oman, to which other countries are invited, and the other would involve a sustainable security exercise with more countries in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean.

‘Progressive and deterrent powers’

Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy, likened the Iranian Navy and the IRGC to intertwined fists that have turned into an advancing and deterrent power in various aspects.

On the commemoration of Iran’s Navy Day, Rear Admiral Tangsiri wrote a message to Iran’s Navy Chief, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, saying November 28 is reminiscent of the braveries of Iranian Navy soldiers, who protect and guard the borders of Islamic Iran. 

“They have become a source of honor for the Islamic Revolution,” the IRGC Navy chief said.

He said, "Undoubtedly, Iran’s maritime policy will pave the way for providing tranquility and security for the Iranian people.”

The commander also said that we would not stop a second in treading the path of progress.  

He also paid tribute to the martyrs of Operation Morvarid, offering congratulations on Iran's Navy Day to the Navy chief, staff and their families.