SYRIA NEWS | ZAMAN ALWSL

Two dead in attack near UK synagogue, suspect shot by police

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:24:09 +0300

Two people were killed after an assailant reportedly drove a car into pedestrians and a stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northwest England on Thursday, British police said, adding that officers had shot the suspect.

Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the north Manchester district of Crumpsall after a witness said they had seen a car driven at members of the public and that one man had been stabbed.

Armed officers responded and a man, believed to be the offender, was shot, GMP said in a statement.

Two people had been confirmed dead and three others were in a serious condition. The suspect was also believed to be dead but police said it could not be confirmed “due to safety issues surrounding suspicious items on his person.”

A bomb disposal unit was summoned and was now at the scene, they said.

A video shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed police shooting a man inside the synagogue’s perimeter, while another man lay on the floor in a pool of blood, appearing to wear a traditional Jewish head covering.

Police had earlier said that reports indicated that a security guard had been attacked with a knife.

Ukraine says Russia launched the biggest aerial attack since the start of the war

AP — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 09:39:00 +0300

Russia launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine overnight, a Ukrainian official said Sunday, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the 3-year-old war.

Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.

Yuriy Ihnat, head of communications for Ukraine’s air force, told the Associated Press that the overnight onslaught was “the most massive air strike” on the country, taking into account both drones and various types of missiles. The attack targeted regions across Ukraine, including western Ukraine, far from the frontline.

Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish air force said Sunday.

Kherson regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said one person died in a drone strike. Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, according to regional Gov. Ihor Taburets.

In the Lviv region in the far west of Ukraine, a large-scale fire broke out at an industrial facility in the city of Drohobych following a drone attack that also forced parts of the city to lose power.

The fresh attacks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s saying Friday that Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the war shows no signs of abating as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough.

Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement.

Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the conflict into a testing ground for new weaponry.

EU imposes sanctions on militiamen linked to Assad

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:13:00 +0300

The European Union announced the imposition of sanctions on five Syrian figures, including three prominent military leaders of the former Syrian regime, for their involvement in gross human rights violations, most notably the sectarian violence that occurred in the Syrian coastal region in March 2025.

The European Council explained in an official statement that, after the fall of the regime, Maqdad Fatiha, Ghaith Dalla, and Suhail al-Hassan formed armed militias that played a direct role in fueling sectarian tensions and inciting violence, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties.

The sanctions also included businessmen Mudalal Khoury and Imad Khoury for their role in financing the former regime through external financial and commercial activities, particularly in Russia, including assistance in financing crimes against humanity and the use of chemical weapons.

The measures imposed include a freeze on the financial assets of the five individuals, a prohibition on providing them with any economic or financial resources, directly or indirectly, and a travel ban to EU countries.

These sanctions fall under the global human rights sanctions regime adopted by the European Union in December 2020, targeting individuals and entities implicated in serious violations around the world. The regime currently includes 123 individuals and 36 entities, and has been extended until December 2026.

The names and legal proceedings were published in the Official Journal of the European Union on June 23, pursuant to Decision (CFSP) 2025/1255 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1256.

At the end of its statement, the EU affirmed its readiness to take further steps to hold accountable human rights violators and those contributing to the destabilization of Syria.

Zaman Al Wasl

Sweden tries sole surviving extremist over Jordanian pilot burnt to death

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:37:00 +0300

An extremist jailed over the Paris and Brussels attacks in 2015 and 2016 went on trial in Stockholm on Wednesday for his role in the 2014 capture and subsequent killing of a Jordanian pilot burned alive in Syria.

The case is considered unique as the other extremists involved in the brutal killing, which sparked international outrage at the time, are presumed dead, Swedish prosecutor Henrik Olin told AFP.

Osama Krayem, a 32-year-old Swede, is already serving long prison sentences for his role in the Paris and Brussels attacks.

He now faces charges of “serious war crimes and terrorist crimes” for his alleged role in the killing of the Jordanian pilot.

On December 24, 2014, an aircraft belonging to the Royal Jordanian Air Force crashed in Syria.

The pilot was captured the same day by fighters from ISIS near the central city of Raqqa and burned alive in a cage sometime before February 3, 2015, when a video of the killing was published, according to the prosecution.

The gruesome killing was captured in a slickly-produced propaganda video that was one of the first such videos released by ISIS.

The killing shocked Jordan, which was participating in the US-led coalition’s strikes against ISIS positions in Syria.

“Osama Krayem has, together and in agreement with other perpetrators belonging to ISIS, killed Maaz al-Kassasbeh,” prosecutor Reena Devgun told the court on Wednesday.

“Osama Krayem, in uniform and armed, guarded and led the victim Maaz al-Kassasbeh to a metal cage, where the latter was then locked up. One of the co-perpetrators then set fire to Maaz al-Kassasbeh, who had no possibility to defend himself or call for help,” Devgun said.

Krayem, wearing a dark blue shirt and with a thick beard and long, loose dark hair, had his back to the handful of journalists and spectators who followed the proceedings on Wednesday behind a glass wall in the high security courtroom in Stockholm’s district court.

He appeared calm as the prosecution laid out the charges.

The pilot’s execution was filmed and released as part of a 22-minute video accompanied by a specially-composed religious chant.

In the video, the victim is seen walking past several masked ISIS fighters, including Krayem, according to prosecutors.

The pilot is then seen being locked in the cage, praying, as he is set on fire.

Prosecutors have been unable to determine the exact date of the murder but the investigation has identified the location where it took place.

Eyebrow scar

Bringing the case to trial was the result of extensive cooperation with officials in Belgium, France and the United States, prosecutor Olin said last week when the formal charges were pressed.

It was thanks to a scar on the suspect’s eyebrow, visible in the video and spotted by Belgian police, that Krayem was identified and the investigation was opened, Devgun added last week.

Other evidence in the case includes conversations on social media, including one where Krayem asks a person if he has seen a new video “where a man gets fried”, according to the investigation, a copy of which has been viewed by AFP.

“I’m in the video,” Krayem said, pointing out the moment when the camera zooms in on his face.

The other person replies: “Hahaha, yes, I saw the eyebrow.”

The defendant’s lawyer, Petra Eklund, told AFP before the start of the trial that her client admitted to being present at the scene but disputed the prosecution’s version.

“He denies the acts for which he is prosecuted,” she said.

“He acknowledges having been present at that place during the event, but claims not to have acted in the manner described by the prosecutors in the account of the facts,” she added.

Krayem, who is from Malmo in southern Sweden, joined the ISIS group in Syria in 2014 before returning to Europe in September 2015.

He was arrested in Belgium in April 2016.

In June 2022, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison in France for helping plan the November 2015 Paris attacks in which 130 people were killed.

The following year, he was given a life sentence in Belgium for participating in the March 2016 bombings at Brussels’ main airport and on the metro system, which killed 32 people.

Krayem has been temporarily handed over to Sweden to participate in the Stockholm trial, which is scheduled to last until June 26.

Macron says France ‘no place for racism or hate’ after Muslim worshipper murdered

AA — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:21:00 +0300

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the brutal killing of a Muslim worshipper inside a mosque in southern France, saying racism and religious hatred have "no place" in the country.

"Freedom of worship cannot be violated," Macron said on X, offering his support to "our fellow Muslim citizens" following Friday’s deadly attack in the village of La Grand-Combe in the Gard region.

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou also condemned the killing as an "Islamophobic atrocity," while the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) called it an "anti-Muslim terrorist attack" and urged vigilance among the Muslim community.

Jewish organizations also expressed outrage. The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) described the murder as a "despicable crime that must revolt the hearts of all French people."

The suspected attacker, identified as Olivier H., a French citizen of Bosnian origin born in 2004, surrendered to authorities late Sunday at a police station in Pistoia, Italy after several days on the run, according to Franceinfo.

He was taken into custody, and extradition proceedings are underway to return him to France.

Authorities said the 24-year-old victim, a Malian national, was stabbed between 40 and 50 times while praying inside the mosque early Friday morning.

Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 shakes Istanbul, 236 injured

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 23:29:31 +0300

A powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye’s Istanbul on Wednesday, injuring at least 236 people in panic-driven incidents, officials said.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Istanbul's Silivri district, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The quake hit at 12.49 local time (0949 GMT) and was felt strongly across Istanbul, home to over 15 million people, and neighboring provinces, prompting residents to flee buildings in fear.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of nearly 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), and it lasted 13 seconds, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

The governor's office added that 236 people were injured after jumping from heights out of panic and that their treatment is ongoing in hospitals, with none of them in a life-threatening condition.

“As of 5:55 p.m., a total of 127 aftershocks have occurred, the largest of which measured 5.9,” said Yerlikaya.

"As of now, a total of 378 structural damage reports have been received based on classified requests submitted to the 112 emergency line," Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum said, adding that nine of the houses have been identified as requiring evacuation.

“Our teams from the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change have identified evacuation requirements for 9 houses,” the official added.

Let me know if you want it to be more concise or adapted to a specific outlet's tone.

AFAD said that following the assessment of reports received by the 112 Emergency Call Center, there were currently no reports of casualties or destruction.

The agency said all relevant institutions and response teams had been mobilized, and field scans were underway to assess potential damage and ensure public safety.

Istanbul's governor's office also said that so far, "no reports of destruction have been received, and our relevant units are continuing their field scanning efforts."

It warned citizens not to enter buildings that were damaged or suspected to be damaged due to the tremors, to avoid using vehicles unless necessary, and to refrain from using mobile networks except in emergencies.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "I extend my well wishes to our citizens; we are closely monitoring the developments."

He received information about the earthquakes from the interior minister, environment minister, and health minister, as well as the head of AFAD and the governor of Istanbul, according to the Communications Directorate.

"Thankfully, there appears to be no troubling situation at the moment," Erdogan said.

UK counter-terrorism police arrest two men over alleged Hezbollah links

Reuters — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:10:00 +0300

British counter-terrorism police said on Thursday they had arrested two men accused of being linked to the banned group Hezbollah, saying their investigation involved alleged activity both overseas and in Britain.

Detectives from London’s Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) arrested a 39-year-old man in north London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed group, preparing acts of terrorism and being involved in funding for the purposed of terrorism.

A second man, 35, was arrested in west London on suspicion of being a member of a banned organisation.

“Our investigation remains ongoing, but I hope that these arrests show we will take robust action against anyone here whom we suspect as being involved in terrorist activity regardless of whether their activity is focused here in the UK or elsewhere,” said commander Dominic Murphy, head of the CTC.

Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019 when it classified it as a terrorist group. There was no immediate threat to the public, they said.

The two men were released on police bail until mid-July.

Turkey detains Istanbul mayor and key Erdogan rival in corruption probe

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:18:00 +0300

Turkish authorities detained President Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday on an array of charges including corruption and aiding a terrorist group. The Istanbul mayor's arrest comes days before his expected nomination as presidential candidate for Turkey's main opposition party.

Turkish police raided the home of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Wednesday, detaining him over a corruption probe in a move denounced by the main opposition CHP party as a "coup".

A popular and powerful figure within the CHP, Imamoglu is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main political rival, and his detention came days before he was to be named the party's candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

Widely seen as the strongest candidate to challenge Erdogan, Imamoglu's career has been overshadowed by a string of what critics say are politically motivated legal cases.

The police raid occurred just hours after Istanbul University revoked his degree, amid claims it was falsely obtained.

The revocation is a high-stakes move as presidential candidates in Turkey need to have a higher education qualification.

Imamoglu "was detained and is now at police headquarters", said a press aide, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the press and was unable to say why he had been detained.

"Hundreds of police officers have arrived at my door. I entrust myself to the people," the mayor said in a video posted on X.

A statement from the Istanbul public prosecutor's office cited charges including bribery and extortion, saying that Imamoglu was the leader of a "criminal organisation" and that 100 suspects had been rounded up.

The move appeared to be in connection with a probe into alleged "tender rigging" by Imamoglu that was opened in 2023.

But local media reports, including from state news agency Anadolu, said his detention was also linked to a separate probe for allegedly aiding the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), saying he was one of seven people who had been detained.

Social media blocked, protests banned

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel condemned what he called a "coup attempt against our next president".

"Making decisions on behalf of the people, using force to replace the will of the people or to obstruct it is a coup," Ozel said on X.

"We will not give in. In the end, the people's will shall prevail and Turkey will win," he added.

Shortly after the police raid, access to social media platforms was restricted, the Netblocks internet access monitor said.

"Live metrics show #Turkey has restricted access to multiple social media platforms including X, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok; the incident comes as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and dozens of others are detained in events described by the opposition as a 'coup'," it said.

And the Istanbul governor's office immediately issued a ban on all protests until March 23 – several demonstrations had been announced by the CHP late Tuesday over the revocation of Imamoglu's degree, which the mayor vowed to contest in court.

"We will fight this illegitimate decision in court," said the 53-year-old mayor, who was resoundingly re-elected as mayor of Turkey's largest city last year.

"We will build a system that will erase injustice from this country's memory."

Erdogan has repeatedly rejected claims that he himself never graduated from university and was not constitutionally able to hold the office of president.

In a statement on X, Istanbul University said the degrees of 28 people, including Imamoglu, would be "withdrawn and cancelled on the grounds of... obvious error". It did not elaborate further.

The mayor's office had previously published a copy of the business management diploma Imamoglu received from Istanbul University in 1995 after a journalist claimed he did not have one.

In recent years, Imamoglu has been named in multiple legal probes, with three new cases opened this year alone.

In 2022, he was handed two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for "insulting" election officials in Istanbul, in a sentence that he has appealed, the outcome of which is still pending.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

US resumes intelligence, military assistance for Ukraine after breakthrough

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 11:09:54 +0300

The Trump administration has resumed the flow of military equipment and intelligence assistance for Ukraine after Kyiv lent its support to a 30-day ceasefire proposal, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

National Security Council spokesperson James Hewitt confirmed to Anadolu that the aid has resumed, just one day after the major breakthrough was reached during US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia.

The shipments, approved under the Biden administration, include artillery rounds, anti-tank weapons and HIMARS rockets, an anonymous official had earlier told CNN.

The deliveries had been paused since a remarkable Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which the American leaders berated Zelenskyy for allegedly being ungrateful for years of US assistance.

Tensions escalated dramatically after Zelenskyy raised doubts over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted in any negotiations aimed at ending the war, citing past agreements that the Russian leader broke in the years leading up to the full-scale war he launched on his eastern European neighbor in February 2022.

The White House visit was called off shortly after the rare public blowup, leaving an agreement on the development of Ukraine's critical mineral deposits that was to be signed that day unfulfilled. Negotiations remain ongoing over the proposal.

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday that the US never halted the flow of intelligence for Ukraine's defensive purposes amid the row.

Some of the weapons that were freed up after Tuesday's bilateral meeting between US and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia were already positioned in Poland when Trump ordered the halt to military assistance, according to CNN.

Polish Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski said on X Tuesday that weapons stored in the county of Rzeszow, near the Ukrainian border, had started flowing again.

The official told CNN that contractors in Ukraine who help Kyiv's forces to train and maintain US-supplied equipment have also resumed operations. It is unclear if they departed Ukraine when the pause was instituted.

France offering intelligence to Ukraine amid Washington suspension

Reuters — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:41:14 +0300

France is offering intelligence to Ukraine, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Thursday, a day after Washington said it was suspending intelligence sharing with Kyiv, an effort to step up pressure on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The United States is pushing for Zelenskyy to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s bid to convene peace talks with Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“We have intelligence resources that we use to help the Ukrainians,” Lecornu told radio station France Inter.

“It has been suspended since yesterday afternoon,” he added, referring to US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. “I think for our British friends who are in an intelligence community with the United States, it is more complicated.”

Lecornu also said France’s nuclear weapons stockpile, developed in the early days of the Cold War and designed to be independent from the then-dominant powers Washington and Moscow, was sufficient.

France was open to discussing extending the protection offered by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners in the face of Europe’s threat from Russia, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday.

He was speaking on the eve of a summit of European leaders that is expected to center on issues of Ukraine and defense.

Outraged by Trump, Ukrainians praise Zelenskyy

AFP — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 02:09:29 +0300

Ordinary Ukrainians were dumbfounded by Friday’s raised-voice confrontation between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his US counterpart Donald Trump at the White House.

“I just don’t even have the words,” said 32-year-old Roman Shkanov, an office worker.

“For such a strong country to take such a weak stance and support dictatorships, basically kiss their feet...,” he said of the United States.

Trump, who accused Zelenskyy of not being thankful enough for US aid, has repeatedly blamed Ukraine for Russia’s February 2022 invasion and echoed a series of Kremlin talking points about how the war started.

During the meeting in Washington, Trump said Ukraine would have to make compromises in a truce with Russia, which has occupied and destroyed swathes of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy in return showed Trump pictures of war atrocities and vowed there could be “no compromises” while Russia was occupying Ukrainian territory.

“He fully defended our interests. He didn’t allow us to get into any kind of slavery,” Shkanov said.

In the streets of Kyiv, most seemed to agree, rallying around their president after the latest criticism from Trump.

“You can’t be silent” when Trump and Vice President JD Vance “are just saying this complete nonsense”, said 26-year-old Valentyn Burianov.

“He did what he must,” he said.

‘Hit a nerve’

Anna Plachkova, a 26-year-old doctor waiting for a cab in central Kyiv, emphasised all Ukrainians were “very grateful and well aware of what people in other countries sacrifice in order to provide Ukraine with assistance”.

“I think (Trump) hit a little bit of a nerve here, it’s a pretty serious accusation to say that we are ungrateful,” she continued.

The United States has given Ukraine more than $60 billion in military aid since Russia’s invasion, according to official figures.

The Kiel Institute, a German economic research body, said that from 2022 until the end of 2024, the United States gave a total of 114.2 billion euros ($119.8 billion) in financial, humanitarian and military aid.

News of the spat made Plachkova nervous.

“US support is very important,” Plachkova said, adding the failed meeting would likely “have a big impact on our situation and the course of the war”.

Her fears were shared by 22-year-old Lilia Ivanova.

“I feel that none of this is good, what is happening is not good for Ukraine,” she said.

She had hoped that Trump, who promised a swift end to the conflict during his re-election campaign, could bring some peace to her war-torn country.

“There were hopes that the war would end in a week, in three months, in a year... We had some hopes with Trump, but these hopes are being shattered.”

US ends key USAID initiative supporting Ukraine’s energy grid

AA — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 02:04:51 +0300

The US State Department this week terminated a USAID initiative that invested hundreds of millions to restore Ukraine’s energy grid from Russian attacks, according to a report.

Overnight power outages have occurred in parts of Ukraine following attacks on energy infrastructure, NBC News reported, citing two USAID officials who spoke on the condition anonymity.

"It significantly undercuts this administration’s abilities to negotiate on the ceasefire, and it’d signal to Russia that we don’t care about Ukraine or our past investments," a USAID official involved in the Ukraine mission was quoted as saying.

"Russia is fighting a two-pronged war in Ukraine: A military one but also an economic one," the official said. "We’ve provided vast amount of support to the Ukrainian government to avoid a macro economic crisis."

Russia is waging both a military and economic war in Ukraine,” the official said, adding: “We’ve helped stabilize the energy grid and prevent economic collapse. Ending this program undermines that effort.”

Ukraine grapples with near-constant strikes on its energy infrastructure, causing overnight power outages in several regions.

The State Department did not immediately respond to request for a comment.

Ukrainian premier says ceasefire without guarantees way to 'Russian occupation' of Europe

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:59:00 +0300

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Friday voiced support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his fiery clash at the White House, warning that a cease-fire without security guarantees would open the door to further Russian expansion across Europe.

Zelenskyy got into a heated war of words with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who repeatedly accused the embattled Ukrainian leader of being ungrateful for Americans' support in Kyiv's war effort against Moscow.

“President Zelenskyy is right. Peace without guarantees is not possible. Cease-fire without guarantees is the way to Russian occupation of the all European continent,” Shmyhal wrote on X.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, stressed unwavering support for Zelenskyy’s efforts to secure lasting peace.

“Security is not just a word. It is life. It is a future without sirens, without losses, without fear for those we love. Without real guarantees, war will return. It always returns where there is a chance for a new strike,” he wrote on Telegram.

“The president is fighting for our country, for everyone who stands for a just and lasting peace. I support the president, who defends the interests of our heroic people. In every situation. Period.”

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also praised Zelenskyy’s leadership, saying: “President Zelenskyy has the bravery and strength to stand up for what is right. He stands up for Ukraine and the goal of a just and lasting peace. We have always been and will continue to be grateful to America for its support.”

Ukrainian Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also dismissed the idea of a guarantee-free peace, calling it another “trap” set by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Respect to Zelenskyy for bravery in calling things as they are and standing up for the honor of our people, who have paid with their blood for freedom," he said.

Conservatives win Germany's parliamentary elections

AA — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:34:00 +0300

Germany’s conservative alliance comprising the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) have won the country’s parliamentary elections with 28.6% of the vote, according to official provisional results announced Monday by the Electoral Commission.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party came in second with 20.8%, up 10.4 percentage points from the previous election.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) ranked third with 16.4% and the Green Party fourth with 11.6%.

The Left Party garnered 8.8%, up 3.9 percentage points compared to the previous election.

The Free Democratic Party (FDP) remained below the 5% threshold with 4.3% of the vote.

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which participated in the general elections for the first time, narrowly missed the threshold with 4.9% of the vote.

-Distribution of seats in Bundestag

According to the results, the CDU/CSU has 208 seats in the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, the AfD 152, the SPD 120, the Greens 85 and the Left Party 62.

In order to achieve a majority in the Bundestag, at least 316 deputies are required, which means that no party can come to power alone.

Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats can secure a parliamentary majority through a potential coalition with the Social Democrats, with the combined parties holding 328 seats in parliament.

Another viable option would be a three-way coalition including the Greens party, which would command 413 seats.

Germany’s conservatives win election, AfD surges: TV exit polls

AFP — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 20:27:00 +0300

Germany’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz won Sunday’s elections with between 28.5 and 29 percent of the vote, according to first TV exit polls.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) followed in second place with 19.5 to 20 percent, roughly doubling its result in the last election in 2021, based on initial figures from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF.

The surge of the anti-immigration AfD was fueled by public fears over immigration and security after a spate of deadly attacks blamed on migrants and worries about the ailing economy.

Despite the strong result, the AfD is set to stay out of power for now, because its possible coalition partners refuse all cooperation with the far right.

If the exit polls are confirmed in the final count, Merz looks near certain to become the next chancellor of Europe’s top economy.

But in order to build a majority in parliament, he would have to team up with one or more parties, potentially the Social Democrats (SPD) of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The SPD recorded what was likely to be their worst result in the history of Germany’s post-war democracy, with between 16 and 16.5 percent.

The Greens, another possible partner for the CDU/CSU, had 12 to 13.5 percent of the votes according to the exit polls.

But the exact opportunities could depend on the final result for smaller parties. The far-left Linke looked to have cleared the five-percent hurdle to enter the Bundestag, with 8.5 to nine percent.

The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), who were in government until recently, were right around the five-percent threshold, as was another far-left party, newcomer the BSW.

Macron says Ukraine peace must come with ‘strong and credible security guarantees’

AFP — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 01:49:00 +0300

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that peace in Ukraine “must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees,” following a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine. To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,” Macron said on social media platform X.

“Otherwise, there is a risk that this ceasefire will end up like the Minsk agreements,” he said, referring to the pacts that sought to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and 2015.

The call with Zelenskyy came after Macron hosted an emergency meeting in Paris with European leaders to discuss responding to the dramatic US policy shift on Ukraine initiated by President Donald Trump.

European leaders fear that Trump wants to make peace with Russia in talks that will not involve Kyiv, let alone the European Union.

Zelenskyy said in his own social media post that Macron had briefed him on the talks with European leaders and that they shared a “common vision” for how to achieve peace.

“We share a common vision: security guarantees must be robust and reliable,” he said on X.

“Any other decision without such guarantees-such as a fragile ceasefire-would only serve as another deception by Russia and a prelude to a new Russian war against Ukraine or other European nations.”

Britain to adapt Syria sanctions regime following al-Asaad’s fall

AFP — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:47:00 +0300

The UK plans to ease sanctions on Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, under a new plan announced by the government on Thursday.

Still weighed down by heavy international sanctions, the new Syrian government is aiming to persuade Western capitals that the extremist origins of the armed offensive forces that toppled al-Assad, after 14 years in charge, are confined to the past.

“They will include the relaxation of restrictions that apply to the energy, transport and finance sectors,” said Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty, adding that MPs would first have to debate the proposals.

In a written statement to parliament, Doughty said the government will “bring forward measures in the coming months,” including amendments to the 2019 legislation that underpins the sanctions.

“We are making these changes to support the Syrian people in re-building their country and promote security and stability,” said Doughty.

“The government remains determined to hold Bashar al-Assad and his associates to account for their actions against the people of Syria. We will ensure that asset freezes and travel bans imposed on members of the former regime remain in force,” he added.

All migrants without valid entry documents must be rejected: German official

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 09:18:00 +0300

German Christian Democratic Union candidate Friedrich Merz has announced a tough programme on refugees and migration on his first day as chancellor – if he wins in February.

Merz, 69, will reject all migrants without valid entry documents at the German border and stop asylum seekers from entering the country.

The announcements come after a double murder in Aschaffenburg, which has heightened political debate in Germany over migrants. An Afghan man named Enamullah, 28, attacked a kindergarten in a park in Aschaffenburg, seriously injuring three people.

Full border controls.

Merz presented several points regarding asylum and refugees, including the establishment of complete and strict border controls, the unconditional rejection of illegal immigrants, large-scale deportations and returns under the responsibility of the federal government, additional powers for the federal police, the unconditional deportation detention, the reactivation of the faltering European distribution mechanism, and how to persuade countries that are unwilling to take back refugees.

The German website Sueddeutsche quoted the EU candidate for chancellor as saying on Thursday that "on the first day of my term in office, I will issue instructions to permanently monitor Germany's borders with all our neighbors and to reject all attempts at illegal entry without exception," adding that the rejection "also explicitly applies to people who have a right to protection."

The leader of the Christian Democratic Union party made it clear that if he wins the elections, he will order the primacy of national law - as if Germany had suddenly been freed from all European and human rights obligations that it had signed itself.

The liberal Merz is close to assuming the position of chancellor of Germany, after the general elections scheduled for next February, after his party, the far-right Christian Democratic Union, advanced on His rivals in the polls, and following the collapse of his rival Olaf Scholz's coalition.

*Wide criticism

Maiser's statements were widely criticized, and they saw this request as a restriction on the individual's right to asylum enshrined in the Basic Law. The main argument of the critics now is that according to the Dublin rules, Germany, as a landlocked European country, is never responsible for this procedure, because refugees always come to Germany via another EU country. This is true, but it means that border officials cannot simply reject someone when they apply for asylum.

The source pointed out that a much faster procedure at the border is needed, with a simplified examination - for example for refugees already registered in another EU country.

This would amount to a quick determination of responsibility for the asylum procedure, but the application must nevertheless be examined and not simply rejected, and the success of this depends on the willingness of the countries concerned to cooperate. Italy, for example, refuses to take back asylum seekers.

*Kafkaesque system

The European Court of Justice has so far rejected all attempts to impose a strict refugee policy through Article 72.

When Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic wanted to undermine European relocation decisions intended to ease the burden on Greece and Italy in the 2015 refugee year, they were rejected by Luxembourg.

The same applies to Hungary’s transit zones on the Serbian border, a “Kafkaesque system” – named after the Austrian writer Franz Kafka – that makes it impossible for people to apply for asylum.

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, there were 974,136 people of Syrian origin living in Germany at the end of October. Of these, 5,090 were recognised as asylum seekers. 321,444 were registered as refugees under the Geneva Convention, i.e. because of a well-founded fear of persecution due to their membership of a particular group or religion.

A further 329,242 people were granted “subsidiary protection” – meaning they did not have refugee protection or the right to asylum. Asylum.

To get this, the applicant must prove that they are at risk of “serious harm” in their country of origin. The remaining people had other residence permits, for example for family reunification.

Fares Al-Rifai - Zaman Al-Wasl

Car drives into crowded Christmas market in Germany, killing at least 11

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 00:43:00 +0300

At least eleven people are dead and up to 80 people injured in an attack on a German Christmas market in Magdeburg, Bild newspaper reported Friday, without citing its sources.

A car drove into a crowd at a Christmas market in the eastern German town of Magdeburg, broadcaster MDR and other local media said, citing a local government official.

MDR’s report said the suspected driver of the car had been arrested.

A video published by the newspaper Bild showed people trying to help what appeared to be multiple injured victims at a crowded Christmas market.

“I estimate there are at least 20 ambulances here, a lot of firefighters, and I can see the police helicopter circling in the sky,” an MDR reporter said during a live broadcast, adding that there were a lot of armed police on site.

Eyewitnesses told MDR that the car drove straight into the crowd at the market, in the direction of the town hall.

“This is a terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas,” head of Saxony-Anhalt state government Reiner Haseloff told MDR, adding that he was on his way to Magdeburg.

German police have arrested a doctor from Saudi Arabia who they believe rammed the car, leaving two people dead and at least 60 injured, the premier of the state of Saxony Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, told n-tv television.

“From what we currently know he was a lone attacker so we don’t think there is any further danger for the city.”

One of those who died was a small child, Haseloff said.

Eight years ago, a truck driven by Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with extremist links, crashed into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring dozens of others.

US billionaire Elon Musk, set to join President-elect Donald Trump’s administration as an outside adviser, on Friday called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign, responding to reports of the apparent attack.

“Scholz should resign immediately,” Musk posted on X, adding: “Incompetent fool.”

Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine energy facilities

Reuters — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:16:47 +0300

Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine’s energy facilities on Friday morning, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.

“The enemy continues its terror. Once again, the energy sector across Ukraine is under massive attack,” Galushchenko wrote in a post on Facebook.

Ukraine’s energy system has already suffered 11 Russian attack waves this year, which have caused widespread damage and lengthy power cuts all over the country.

Friday’s attack prompted additional restrictions on power usage for consumers, according to the national grid operator Ukrenergo.

All of Ukraine was under air raid alarms.

Local authorities reported multiple explosions in the southern city of Odesa and Kyiv regional authorities said air defense systems were operating.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on partners to deliver more air defense systems urgently.

“Russia aims to deprive us of energy. Instead, we must deprive it of the means of terror. I reiterate my call for the urgent delivery of 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T air defense systems,” Sybiha wrote in a post on X.

Death toll from Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia rises to six: Officials

Reuters — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:09:10 +0300

The death toll from a Russian missile strike that destroyed a clinic in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday has risen to six, while four more people remain under the rubble, the regional governor and emergency services said on Wednesday.

An additional 22 people were injured, governor Ivan Fedorov said on his Telegram messaging channel.

“All emergency services of the city are working at the scene,” he said.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service of Ukraine said its rescuers were able to pull out two women overnight from underneath the ruins of the building.

Photos posted on the emergency’s Telegram messaging channel showed rescuers and machinery working in piles of rubble from a collapsed building at night.

Russia regularly carries out airstrikes on Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region. Last Friday, an attack on the city killed 10 people and wounded more than 20.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in their attacks, saying the aim of the strikes is to undermine infrastructure key to each other’s war efforts.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s allies on Tuesday to provide 10-12 more Patriot air defence systems that he said would fully protect the country’s skies.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has consistently asked its allies to supply more advanced air-defence systems.

Russia says it shot down two Storm Shadow missiles

Reuters — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:58:09 +0300

Russian air defenses shot down two British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, Russia’s defense ministry said on Thursday, news agency Interfax reported.

Trump says Russia-Ukraine war ‘gotta stop’

AA — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:00:17 +0300

US President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration will work hard to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

"We're going to work on the Middle East, and we're going to work very hard on Russia and Ukraine. It’s gotta stop. Russia and Ukraine’s gotta stop," Trump said at a gala for the America First Policy Institute at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida.

“I saw a report today. Thousands of people over the last three days were killed. Thousands and thousands were killed. They happened to be soldiers, but whether they’re soldiers or they’re people sitting in towns, we’re going to work it,” he added.

Turning to his election victory last week, Trump said the American people delivered "something very, very amazing."

"The biggest political victory in 129 years...We swept all swing states. We won the popular vote," he said.

He stressed that the country is "doing good" since he was elected on Nov. 5.

"Now the only thing is, Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important, maybe you should pass a bill — you have to start my term from Nov. 5, OK? Or Nov. 6 if you want. Nov. 5, because the market’s gone through the roof, enthusiasm’s doubled in the last short while," he said.

Republicans secured a majority in last week’s election, assuming control of the House and Senate and the White House.

Trump won the election with 312 electoral votes, surpassing the 270 threshold against his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris.

He will be sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2025 for a four-year term.

Russian troops are trying to advance in Kursk region: Ukraine’s top commander

Reuters — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:57:28 +0300

Russian troops are trying to advance in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s top commander said on Monday, adding that Moscow has amassed tens of thousands of soldiers in the region that borders Ukraine.

“Following the order of their military leadership, they are trying to dislodge our troops and advance deep into the territory we control,” General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the top commander of Kyiv’s forces, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Ukrainian troops launched an incursion into Russia’s border Kursk region in August, taking a number of settlements under control in the first such deployment into the Russian territory since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine’s drone attack forces closure of two Moscow airports

Reuters — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 11:34:03 +0300

Russian air defense systems destroyed two drones flying towards Moscow early on Sunday, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app.

“According to preliminary information, there is no damage or casualties at the site of the fall of the debris,” Sobyanin said.

“Emergency services are on the sites.”

Ukraine launched at least 17 drones targeting Moscow, forcing the temporary closure of two of the capital's airports, Russian officials said.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said the 12 drones were destroyed in the Ramenskoye and Kolomensky districts of the Moscow region, as well as in Domodedovo city, southwest of Moscow.

“According to preliminary information, there is no damage or casualties at the site of the fall of the debris,” Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app. "Emergency services are on the sites.”

The Ramenskoye district, some 45 km (30 miles) southeast of the Kremlin, was last targeted in September Ukraine’s biggest attack on the Russian capital, when Russian air defense units destroyed 20 drones.

Rosaviatsia, Russia’s federal air transport agency, said on Telegram that “to ensure the safety of civil aircraft flights, temporary restrictions have been introduced on the operation of the Domodedovo and Zhukovo airports,” starting at 0530 GMT.

It did not say how long the restrictions would be in force.

German government coalition collapses; early elections expected by end of March 2025

AA — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 05:42:31 +0300

Germany’s left-liberal coalition government collapsed Wednesday after Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner due to disputes over economic policy.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Chancellor Scholz heavily criticized Lindner for blocking his efforts to reach a compromise on the budget and the government’s economic policy.

“He too often used political tactics, has broken my trust, even unilaterally rescinding the agreement on the budget after we had already agreed on it after long negotiations,” he said.

“Whoever joins a government must act seriously and responsibly. They must not hide when things get difficult. They must be prepared to compromise in the interests of all citizens.

“But that is not what Christian Lindner is concerned about right now. He is concerned about his own clientele. He is concerned about the short-term survival of his own party,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Scholz held crisis talks with the leaders of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats to reconcile their differences on the budget, economic policy and investments.

The Social Democrat chancellor said that after the coalition’s collapse, he will now consult with the main opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and will call for a vote of confidence to hold early elections.

“In the very first week of the parliamentary session in the new year, I will put forward the vote of confidence so that the Bundestag can vote on it on Jan. 15, so that the members of the Bundestag can decide whether to clear the way for early elections. These elections could then take place by the end of March at the latest, subject to the deadlines stipulated in the Basic Law,” he said.

Ukraine’s 2025 budget allocating $53 billion for defense clears first hurdle

Reuters — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 20:09:27 +0300

Ukrainian lawmakers passed the first stage of discussions over the 2025 budget on Thursday, with around 26 percent of GDP allocated for defense as the country struggles to fend off the Russian offensive.

The draft budget provides for 2.2 trillion hryvnias ($53.38 billion) for national security and defense spending, the finance ministry said, a 46 billion hryvnia increase compared with this year.

“Security and defense remain the budget priority for next year. All taxes paid by people and businesses will be used to strengthen our defenders and military capabilities,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram messenger.

Total budget revenue is expected at 2.7 trillion hryvnias, the ministry said, while expenditure stands at 3.6 trillion.

Parliamentarians, who will debate the bill through several more readings before it is approved no later than Dec. 1, suggested 2,099 amendments to the draft, the ministry said.

Opposition lawmakers, representing a minority of lawmakers in parliament, criticized the draft saying it did not suit country in war.

“This is a document that has nothing to do with the budget of wartime country,” Dmytro Razumkov, a lawmaker and former chairman of the parliament, said on Telegram.

Lawmakers from ex-president’s Petro Poroshenko party echoed his comments, calling for increases in social payments and more money to be spent on the military.

As Kyiv spends its revenue on defense and military projects, it relies heavily on financial aid from allies to for cover social spending.

Ukraine needs to get $38.4 billion in foreign financial aid for 2025, according to officials.

Russia’s Putin kicks off strategic nuclear training exercise

Reuters — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:35:00 +0300

President Vladimir Putin kicked off a new exercise of Russia’s nuclear forces on Tuesday at a critical point in the Ukraine war, the second such drill that Moscow has held in two weeks.

The 2-1/2-year-old war is entering what Russian officials say is its most dangerous phase as Russian forces are advancing in eastern Ukraine and the West considers how to shore up Ukraine.

Russia has been signaling for weeks to the West that Moscow will respond if the United States and its allies help Ukraine fire longer-range missiles deep into Russia, while NATO says that North Korea has sent troops to western Russia.

“We will work out the actions of officials to control the use of nuclear weapons with practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles,” Putin was shown saying in a video clip announcing the drill.

In video released by the Kremlin, Putin said using nuclear weapons would be an “extremely exceptional measure” but they need to be kept ready for use.

“We will continue to improve all their components. The resources for this are available. I stress that we are not going to get involved in a new arms race, but we will maintain nuclear forces at the level of necessary sufficiency,” he said.

The drill follows an Oct. 18 exercise in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, involving a unit equipped with Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking US cities.

Putin, Russia’s ultimate decision maker, last month approved changes to the official nuclear doctrine - which sets out the conditions under which Russia could consider using such weapons.

Under the changes, Russia would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack - a clear warning to the United States not to help Ukraine strike deep into Russia with conventional weapons.

Rising tensions

Russia is the world’s largest nuclear power. Together, Russia and the US control 88 percent of the world’s nuclear warheads.

US officials say they have seen no change to Russia’s nuclear posture during the war.

But the United States in 2022 was so concerned about the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia that it warned Putin over the consequences of using such weapons, according to Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns.

Putin, who portrays the West as a decadent aggressor, and US President Joe Biden, who casts Russia as a corrupt autocracy, have both warned that a direct Russia-NATO confrontation could escalate into World War Three. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has also warned of the risk of nuclear war.

“Given the growing geopolitical tensions and the emergence of new external threats and risks, it is important to have modern and constantly ready-to-use strategic forces,” Putin said.

Putin added that Russia was moving to new “stationary and mobile-based missile systems” which have a reduced launch preparation time and could overcome missile defense systems.

The US will not impose new limits on Ukraine’s use of American weapons if North Korea joins Russia’s war, the Pentagon said on Monday, as NATO said North Korean military units had been deployed to the Kursk region in Russia.

Russia takes two Ukrainian towns as it advances at fastest pace in a year

Reuters — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:26:00 +0300

Russia said on Tuesday it had taken two eastern Ukrainian towns and open-source data indicated that Moscow’s forces were advancing at their fastest pace in at least a year amid signs the conflict is drawing in new players such as North Korea.

The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what Russian analysts say is its most dangerous phase as Moscow’s forces advance, North Korea sends troops to Russia and the West ponders how the conflict will end.

Russia said its forces had seized control of the town of Selydove, which had a population of 20,000 before the war and had been under sustained attack over the last week.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov also congratulated Russia’s 114th motorized rifle brigade on taking Hirnyk, which had a pre-war population of over 10,000 and lies about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Selydove.

Ukraine’s military did not comment directly on the Russian claims but reported 31 combat clashes on the Pokrovsk front during the past 24 hours, including near Selydove.

Ukraine’s Deep State open-source intelligence map showed part of Selydove as being under Russian control, with about a third as a grey zone.

Russian pro-war bloggers said Moscow’s forces had pierced Ukrainian defenses at key points along the front in southern Donbas. Russian forces are moving to encircle the town of Kurakhove and preparing for an attack on Pokrovsk.

Fastest advance

Russian forces, which President Vladimir Putin ordered into Ukraine in February 2022, advanced in September at their fastest rate since March 2022, according to open-source data, despite Ukraine taking a part of Russia’s Kursk region.

But during the week of Oct. 20-27, Russia made even bigger gains - taking 196.1 square kilometers (75.7 square miles) of Ukrainian territory, according to the Russian media group Agentstvo which analyzed Ukrainian open-source maps.

“The Russian army has not had such a rapid weekly advance since at least the beginning of this year,” Agentstvo, which is considered by Russia to be a “foreign agent,” said on its Telegram channel.

It said it had used raw data from Ukraine’s Deep State analysts to make the conclusion, adding that Ukrainian defenses in the Donbas had been weakened by Kyiv’s decision to send troops into Russia’s Kursk region.

The advance of Moscow’s forces, which control just under a fifth of Ukraine, has underlined Russia’s vast numerical superiority in men and materiel as Ukraine pleads for more weapons from the Western allies that have been supporting it.

Russia controls Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014, about 80 percent of the Donbas - a coal-and-steel zone comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions - and more than 70 percent of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

To control all of Donbas, Russia would have to take an additional 10,000 square kilometers (3,860 square miles) of territory.

The Pentagon estimated that 10,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to Russia for training.

US to send THAAD missile defense system and troops to Israel: Pentagon

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 11:47:00 +0300

The United States said on Sunday it will send to Israel an advanced anti-missile system – and US troops to operate it – in a bid to bolster the country’s air defenses following missile attacks by Iran.

US President Joe Biden said he was sending the system “to defend Israel.”

Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery would augment Israel’s integrated air defense system.

“It is part of the broader adjustments the US military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” Ryder said in a statement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned earlier on Sunday that the United States was putting the lives of its troops “at risk by deploying them to operate US missile systems in Israel.”

“While we have made tremendous efforts in recent days to contain an all-out war in our region, I say it clearly that we have no red lines in defending our people and interests,” Araghchi posted on X.

Iran launched missiles and drones at Israel in April. Then on Oct. 1, Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid an escalation in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Many were intercepted in flight but some penetrated missile defenses.

Agencies