Latest news with #Qatari-based
Roya News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Syrian security forces prepare to re-enter Sweida to quell clashes: Syria TV
Syrian internal security forces are preparing to enter the southern city of Sweida to quell the escalating clashes, Qatari-based Syria TV reported Friday. This move follows an assault launched by tribes on the western areas of the Sweida. Local sources indicated that these forces have seized control of positions in the western Sweida countryside and advanced toward the city's entrance. The sources stated the attack was a response to alleged "killings" committed against members of Bedouin tribes by Druze fighters that had previously entered those areas.
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Iran's Commanders Send Warning to U.S.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senior Iranian commanders warned the United States and Israel of a "more crushing" response if they renew attacks on the country, according to Iranian media. Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for comment. Why It Matters Diplomacy has stalled with Iran threatening to ramp up its nuclear program, increasing the risks for the collapse of a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel and threatening a broader military escalation in which the U.S. could become directly involved. Iran could also escalate attacks on American targets in Middle East ally countries, as it did with the Qatari-based Al-Udeid base, following the bombing of its key nuclear facilities. A man holds a picture of Iran's late head of the Revolutionary Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh during the funeral ceremony of him, some other Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and... A man holds a picture of Iran's late head of the Revolutionary Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh during the funeral ceremony of him, some other Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members, who were killed in a 12-day war with Israel, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 28, 2025. More Vahid Salemi/AP Photo What To Know Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Armed Forces issued warnings against new attacks. IRGC Spokesman Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini on Wednesday said Iran will have a "far more crushing, destructive, and unprecedented" response than retaliatory operations against the U.S. and Israel in June, according to Fars News Agency. Following Israeli strikes on nuclear, military and residential infrastructure launched in mid-June, Iran launched barrages of missiles that struck Israeli territory. The 12-day conflict killed at least 28 people in Israel and 935 in Iran, according to authorities in each country. Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi made the same warning against both countries, referred to as "enemies," the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. A dispute over uranium enrichment levels is shadowing future nuclear talks and more lasting peace negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says his country is open for diplomacy if the U.S. promises not to renew attacks, but Iran has said it is determined to pursue uranium enrichment while the United States says it will not allow it. Uranium enrichment can lead to nuclear weapons, but Iran says that is not its goal. What People Are Saying Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Iran's Army Chief of Staff, as quoted by IRNA: "In the event of any evil act from the enemies, our response will be more crushing than before." Joint Statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers on Tuesday: "We reaffirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran can never have nuclear weapons, and urge Iran to refrain from reconstituting its unjustified enrichment activities. We call for the resumption of negotiations, resulting in a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran's nuclear program." What Happens Next President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu will discuss Iran during a meeting next week at The White House. Depending on how diplomacy evolves in the meantime, that could also be a step towards further conflict.
Roya News
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israeli' forces raid Al Jazeera office in Ramallah, renew 60-day closure order
Israeli Occupation Forces raided Al Jazeera's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Friday and renewed its closure for another 60 days, according to Al Jazeera. This marks the latest escalation in a series of measures aimed at silencing the Qatari-based network's coverage in the occupied Palestinian territories. The renewed closure comes after a similar 60-day extension in April. The office was first shut down in September 2023 under a military order, during which 'Israeli' forces stormed the premises, confiscated all equipment and documents, and banned staff from using their vehicles. In May 2024, the 'Israeli' government formally approved a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi to shut down Al Jazeera's offices inside 'Israel'. The decision was implemented immediately under what was dubbed the 'Al Jazeera Law,' allowing 'Israeli' authorities to block the network's broadcasts and operations within the country.
Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Giant Construction Projects Boom as U.S. Lifts Syria Sanctions
Syria has signed a $7 billion deal with a consortium of U.S., Qatari, and Turkish energy firms to build new power plants, part of a broader push to revive its energy infrastructure, after President Donald Trump recently announced lifting sanctions on the war-ravaged country. The projects are a sign of Syria's re-emergence after years of conflict and international isolation and of the investment it can potentially attract for infrastructure construction. They also show the way that U.S., Gulf and Turkish administrations and companies seek to take a lead in a country formerly aligned with Iran. Aiming to breathe life into a war-weary Syria and to assist new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Trump's surprise announcement in Riyadh on lifting sanctions marked a pivotal moment in his Middle East visit-one with significant implications for U.S.-Arab relations. U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, announced the deal a day after arriving in the country, marking the first official U.S. visit to Syria in 12 years. "Only a week after President Trump's announcement to lift sanctions, we have already unlocked billions of dollars of international investment for Syria," Barrack posted to his X account. Syria signed the memory of understanding with a consortium led by the Qatari-based UCC Holding. The deal includes four gas power plants in Homs, Hama, and Deir-Azzour with a total capacity of 4,000 MW, plus a 1,000 MW solar plant in southern Syria. The breakthrough in U.S.-Syria relations follows the ouster of the Iranian-backed Assad regime. However, there remains skepticism about Syria's stability and continuing violence. Further concerns of renewed ISIS threats persist. ISIS claimed responsibility for its first two attacks in Syria under the new government on Thursday-one hitting seven soldiers in Sweida and another targeting the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army according to The Associated Press. U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack wrote on X: "Thanks to @POTUS, Syria is OPEN FOR BUSINESS, and thanks to Qatar and Türkiye, the old boundaries and borders are collapsing. Commerce not chaos!" Syria's Energy Minister Mohammed Al Bashir, ass quoted by the company's press release: "This agreement marks a crucial step in Syria's infrastructure recovery plan. It will strengthen our national grid, expand access to electricity, and help meet growing demand through partnerships that combine international expertise with local priorities." Construction will start after final agreements, with gas plants completed in three years and the solar plant in under two years, UCC Holding said. Syria can expect to attract significantly more infrastructure investment if the security situation allows. Related Articles Why MBS Is Keeping the Pressure on Iran | OpinionThe Sanctions Era Is Quietly Ending. The West Isn't Ready | OpinionDonald Trump's Middle East Tour: Five Things We LearnedIsrael Issues Warnings to Syria and Turkey as Trump Praises Their Leaders 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amid energy deal, United States reopens Syrian ambassador's residence
May 29 (UPI) -- The United States ambassador's residence in Damascus, Syria, re-opened Thursday after being closed for 13 years, presaging a warming of relations between the two countries. Tom Barrack, the current U.S. ambassador to Turkey, has also been appointed special envoy to Syria, and raised a U.S. flag outside the residence to inaugurate it, according to the Syrian run news agency SANA. "Tom understands there is great potential in working with Syria to stop Radicalism, improve Relations, and secure Peace in the Middle East," a statement from the State Department on X said. "Together, we will make America and the world, SAFE AGAIN!" Barrack met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to witness the signing of an agreement with Middle Eastern countries aimed at developing a $7 billion, 5,000 megawatt energy project that would revitalize Syria's aging and worn electricity grid and use it as the backbone of the new power project. The new energy project could supply Syria with 50% of its electricity needs, according to a statement from Qatari-based UCC Holding, which is among the partners in the project. In a further sign of warming relations between the United States and the Middle East, President Donald Trump met earlier this month with al-Sharaa in Riyadh, a move that prompted the United States to begin walking back sanctions imposed on Syria during the repressive regime of Bahsar al-Assad. During the reopening of the ambassador's residence Thursday, Barrack called lifting the sanctions a "bold move," and said it comes with "no conditions, no requirements." Barrack credited Trump for "your bold vision, empowering a historically rich region, long oppressed, to reclaim its destiny through self-determination."
