Ties with Israel must be severed, says Raisi

During a telephone conversation, Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi advised his Turkish counterpart to cut ties with the Israeli regime in order to help prevent further loss of lives in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Tehran has repeatedly asked Islamic countries to sever political, economic, and diplomatic ties with Israel since the regime’s latest round of onslaughts against Gaza began on October 07, 2023. Despite the devastating loss of over 32,000 Palestinian lives, Muslim nations have yet to distance themselves from Israel.

Commenting on a recent Security Council resolution asking Zionists to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, Raisi told his Turkish counterpart that no resolution is going to stop Israel from committing heinous crimes. 

“The Zionist regime is not going to adhere to this resolution or any other treaty and international convention. The regime’s conduct so far proves its aggressive, law-breaking, and anti-human nature which necessitates the serious cooperation of Islamic countries to support the oppressed people of Gaza,” the Iranian official noted.

Highlighting the Islamic Ummah's call for Islamic countries' leaders to take resolute actions against the Zionist regime's crimes in Palestine, the president stressed the importance of Islamic cooperation through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other regional and international platforms.

"With the US continuing its significant financial and military backing of the criminal Zionist regime, cutting off all political and economic ties is a potent measure to compel an end to the atrocities in Gaza."

Raisi also underscored the urgency of Islamic countries collaborating to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, preventing a humanitarian crisis, and declared Iran's readiness to support any initiatives in this regard.

Figures show that the Turkish government has increased trade with Israel in the past six months. Some media outlets have claimed that Ankara has been sending gunpowder, weapons, and ammunition to the occupied territories. 

Furthermore, in their discussion, the two presidents touched on the significance of enhancing political, economic, and cultural ties between Iran and Turkey. Iran’s president highlighted Tehran’s commitment to reinforcing energy cooperation and voiced optimism that such collaboration would advance both nations' interests and foster unity within the Islamic Ummah.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his part, extended greetings to the Iranian government and people for Ramadan and the successful parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections.

He affirmed Turkey's dedication to implementing the agreements reached during the recent visit of Iran's President, stressing the importance of upholding and furthering Iran-Turkey cooperation for mutual benefit and Islamic unity.
 

 

Iran accuses Israel of bombing its embassy in Syria

According to Reuters, suspected Israeli warplanes bombed Iran's embassy in Syria on Monday in a strike that Iran said killed seven of its military advisers, including three senior commanders, and that marked a major escalation in Israel's war with its regional adversaries.

Reuters reporters at the site in the Mezzeh district of Damascus saw emergency workers clambering atop rubble of a destroyed building inside the diplomatic compound, adjacent to the main Iranian embassy building. Emergency vehicles were parked outside. An Iranian flag hung from a pole by the debris.

"We strongly condemn this atrocious terrorist attack that targeted the Iranian consulate building in Damascus and killed a number of innocents," said Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad who was seen at the site along with Syria's interior minister.

Iran's ambassador to Syria said the strike hit a consular building in the embassy compound and that his residence was on the top two floors.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that seven Iranian military advisers died in the strike including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in its Quds Force, which is an elite foreign espionage and paramilitary arm.

Israel has long targeted Iran's military installations in Syria and those of its proxies, but Monday's attack was the first time Israel hit the vast embassy compound itself.

Israel has ramped up those strikes in parallel with its campaign against Iran-backed Palestinian group Hamas.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel' military has escalated airstrikes in Syria against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, both of which support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel typically does not discuss attacks by its forces on Syria. Asked about the strike, an Israeli military spokesperson said, "We do not comment on reports in the foreign media".

The New York Times cited four unnamed Israeli officials as acknowledging Israel had carried out the attack.

Iran's UN mission described the strike as a "flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises."

Saying the strike was "a significant threat to regional peace and security," the Iranian mission urged the UN Security Council to condemn the attack and said Tehran reserved the right "to take a decisive response."

Hezbollah, the Lebanese group seen as Iran's most powerful armed proxy in the region, vowed to retaliate. "This crime will not pass without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge," the group said in a statement.

Muslim nations including Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the attack, as did Russia.

Earlier, Iran's ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari, who was unharmed, told Iranian state TV that five to seven people, including diplomats, were killed and Tehran's response would be "harsh".

Iranian state media said Tehran believed Zahedi was the target of the attack. His deputy and another senior commander were also killed along with four others.

Iran's Arabic Language Al Alam Television said that Zahedi was a military adviser in Syria who served as the head of the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016.

Saudi Arabia: Remittances fall to five year low

The remittance by expatriates living in Saudi Arabia fell 10.41 percent to SR9.33 billion during February 2024 from SR10.41 billion in the previous month. This shows a the decline of SR1.08 billion month-on-month basis, marking the lowest average monthly level in five years, according to a monitoring by Okaz/Saudi Gazette based on the statistical figures released by the competent authorities.

The average monthly remittance level recorded a fall in January and February to the lowest level in at least five years, as the average remittances for the two months reached about SR9.87 billion. The average value of monthly remittances of expatriates in 2019 was reported at SR10.46 billion, and then it maintained a steady increase in the two successive years.

During the year 2020, the monthly average of foreign remittance rose to SR12.47 billion and it further rose to SR12.82 billion in 2021. Then, it began to decline in 2022, bringing the average monthly remittance value to SR11.94 billion. During the year 2023, the average value of foreign remittance declined further reaching SR10.41 billion while the average value of transfers for the months of January and February was reported at SR9.87 billion.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) revealed that the bank’s net foreign assets recorded a decline of US$7.20 billion in February as compared to the previous month. Net foreign assets fell to SR1.545 trillion (US$411.96 billion) from SR1.572 trillion (US$419.1 billion) in January, and net foreign assets fell 4.9%YoY in February.

 

Why Shehbaz is undermining Finance Minister?

At a time Muhammad Aurangzeb, Finance Minister needs the government’s fullest backing to conclude the crucial deal and implement tough economic reforms over the next several years, it seems that some circles are trying to undermine his role in the cabinet.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ditched Aurangzeb twice within span of a month. His decision to name Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to the all-important Council of Common Interests (CCI) and keep Aurangzeb out of it looks like an attempt to contain his role in decision-making.

Sadly, this was not the only occasion, earlier Aurangzeb was also sidelined. The prime minister in a break from tradition, decided to chair the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) the top policy making forum. It was only after widespread criticism that he yielded the position to the finance minister.

Similarly, Aurangzeb’s role in the privatization process was also diminished by appointing Dar as head of the Cabinet Committee on Privatization.

In the CCI’s case, what exactly is the foreign minister expected to contribute to the council’s deliberations? As against this, the presence of the finance minister in the CCI — the top constitutional forum mandated to discuss and decide on matters and disputes related to the federation and the provinces — is of utmost importance at this moment because the implementation of several IMF program goals and policy reforms hinge on the active involvement of the federating units.

There is no better forum than the CCI to enlist the buy-in of the provinces on the IMF program and reforms. It can only be hoped that sense will prevail and the prime minister will replace Dar with Aurangzeb in the CCI in the larger interest of the country.

 

Qatar: Al Udeid US Air Base

According to a CNN report the United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years.

The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.

The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin personally visited Al Udeid and thanked Qatar for their increased spending on the base.

Austin made no mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas leaders.

Qatari officials have countered that it was only after a US request during the Obama administration that Hamas was allowed to open a political office in Doha.

The base has been a pivotal hub for the US Central Command’s air operations in or around Afghanistan, Iran and across the Middle East. The Qatari and British Air Forces also operate from the base.

The extension comes as the US has bolstered its presence in the region amid escalating threats from Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

After Hamas kidnapped some 240 hostages from Israel on October 07, 2023 Qatar has been the primary go-between with Hamas to broker the initial release of scores of the Israeli and international hostages. It continues to be central in the talks to try to revive hostage negotiations, coordinating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad, as well as Egypt.

Their part in the months of negotiations over Americans detained by Venezuela was less public but came to light after President Nicolas Maduro released 10 Americans last month in exchange for a close ally accused by the US of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars.

Qatar’s involvement in both sets of negotiations has been seen as an extension of the mediating role the country has taken on with other US enemies, including Iran and the Taliban. 

Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight.

While their hosting of Hamas leadership was no secret, the brutality of the October 7 massacre in Israel has ignited criticism of Qatar and calls for them to expel Hamas.

President Joe Biden has spoken about his conversations with Qatar’s emir but at times hasn’t given them the credit they feel they deserve.

Biden did not mention Qatar in a November op-ed in The Washington Post, while Egypt and other Middle East allies were referenced. Nor did Biden highlight Qatar’s part in the release of the detainees in Venezuela in his official statement.

Thousands of Afghans were flown from Kabul to Al Udeid during the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. US military personnel struggled to provide for the massive influx of refugees from what Biden called “one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history.”

Qatar has committed billions of its own funds upgrade the facilities for US Airmen at the base. Al Udeid became CENTCOM’s main air base in 2003, shifting forces and assets from the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where the presence of a large number of American military personnel was more sensitive and controversial.

“We’ll do this through Qatar’s commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come,” Austin added.

 

 

QatarEnergy to charter 19 new LNG vessels

According to a Reuters report, QatarEnergy, CEO Saad Al Kaabi announced on Sunday that the company has finalized a number of charter contracts with several Asian ship owners to bolster its shipping fleet by 19 LNG vessels ahead of a massive expansion in LNG output.

In a ceremony at its Doha headquarters state-owned QatarEnergy signed contracts to charter six vessels from CMES LNG Carrier Investment, six vessels from Shandong Marine Energy and three vessels from MISC Berhad. Those 15 vessels will be built at South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries.

An additional four vessels will be operated by a joint venture of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Hyundai Glovis and are being built by South Korea's Hanwha Ocean shipbuilders.

The agreements signed on Sunday bring the total number of ships QatarEnergy has contracted to 104, the company said, 43 of which will be chartered by affiliate QatarEnergy Trading.

The 19 new LNG vessels announced on Sunday will each have a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters.

QatarEnergy's North Field expansion will boost its position as the world's top LNG exporter. It includes eight LNG trains that will ramp up Qatar's liquefaction capacity from 77 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 142 mtpa by 2030, an 85% increase in production.

Turkey: Opposition heads for victory

According to a BBC report, Turkey's main opposition party is closing in on victory in the main cities of Istanbul and Ankara, in high-stakes local elections.

Istanbul's opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who won the city in 2019, said that he was "very happy" so far.

A year after Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured a third term as president, he had made it his goal to win back the city where he grew up and became mayor. But the night belonged to the opposition as it closed in on victory.

With 80% the vote counted in Istanbul, Imamoglu was almost 10 points ahead of his rival from Erdogan's AK Party.

In the capital Ankara, his colleague in the secular opposition CHP, Mansur Yavas, was so far ahead of his rival that he declared victory when less than half the votes were in.

President Erdogan, 70, had led his party's election campaign in Istanbul, vowing a new era in Turkey's biggest city. The outcome was being as a significant blow for the man who has led Turkey for the past 21 years.

Significantly, the opposition CHP was also leading in many of Turkey's other big cities, including Izmir and Bursa, and the resort of Antalya.

Crowds in Istanbul, a megacity of almost 16 million people, gathered outside one of the main town halls. They waved Turkish flags and banners showing Imamoglu's picture alongside Turkey's founding father Kemal Ataturk.

"I can say that our citizens' trust and faith in us has been rewarded," said Imamoglu.

Both he and Mansur Yavas are seen as potential candidates to run for the presidency in 2028.

"Everything is going to be great," Imamoglu supporters chanted as they danced to drums and clarinets in Sarachane, one of Istanbul's oldest districts.

Istanbul's incumbent mayor had first used the slogan when he won the city from Erdogan's party five years ago. Some of the banners in Sarachane used his current slogan, "Full speed ahead".

"They're only local elections but the opposition's victory in big cities is a significant show of force against the ruling party," Imamoglu supporter Yesim Albayrak, 25, told the BBC.

I am now hoping the country will become a more secular country, respecting human rights, women's rights and children’s rights.

Mehmet Bankaci, 27, told the BBC there was a need for change in Turkey, "If Imamoglu or Mansur Yavas had been the CHP candidate in last year's presidential election, they definitely would have won."

Five years ago, Imamoglu overturned years of AK Party rule in Istanbul with the backing of a unified six-party opposition. But that fell apart in the wake of last year's presidential election defeat and the AK Party had high hopes of overturning his 2019 victory.

Ahead of Sunday's election in Istanbul, the vote was seen as too close to call, with the incumbent mayor facing a strong challenge from AK Party candidate Murat Kurum.

But the ruling party has been unable to shake off an economic crisis that has seen inflation rates of 67% and interest rates at 50%.

Erdogan's AK Party has had more success in areas of the south-east devastated by the February 2023 double earthquake. It is leading in the cities of Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep.

About 61 million Turkish voters were eligible to take part in Sunday's election and turnout was estimated at more than 76% across the country's 81 provinces.