Antony Blinken

Iran and Israel Should Not “Escalate This Conflict”: Blinken

Both Iran and Israel should avoid escalating conflict, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, in his most direct wording toward US ally Israel on the Middle East's spiraling tensions. "No one should escalate this conflict. We've been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We ...

Blinken: US 'Not Aware of or Involved in' Haniyeh's Death

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the United States was "not aware of or involved in" the killing of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. "I can't tell you what this means. I can tell you that the imperative of getting a ceasefire, the importance that that has for everyone, remains," Blinken said in an interview ...

US to Significantly Step Up Support to Philippines

The United States will provide $500 million in military funding to the Philippines, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, as Washington boosts ties with Manila in the face of China's growing assertiveness. Blinken was in Manila with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as part of an Asia-Pacific tour to strengthen Washington's ...

Quad ‘Seriously Concerned’ About Situation in South China Sea

The foreign ministers of the United States, Japan, Australia and India expressed on Monday "serious concern" over the situation in the South China Sea in a veiled rebuke to Beijing. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts in the so-called Quad grouping issued a joint statement calling for a "free and open" Pacific after talks in ...

Blinken on All Fronts During Japan Visit

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about a number of current international issues, with Israel-Lebanon at the forefront, at a press conference on Sunday, during a trip to Japan planned to strengthen defense ties between the two countries. Blinken said that there was "every indication" that Hezbollah was behind a rocket strike ...

US Announces Sudan Ceasefire Talks

The United States announced Tuesday that it had invited Sudan's warring sides to hold ceasefire talks next month. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington had invited Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to start US-mediated negotiations beginning on August 14 in Switzerland. "The United States remains ...

US Unveils Americas-Wide Semiconductor Production Plan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled Wednesday a new plan for countries in the Americas to boost production of semiconductors, which are critical just about everywhere in modern industry and a sector dominated by China. "This initiative will turbocharge countries' capacity to assemble, to test and to package semiconductors, beginning ...

US Still Reviewing One Bomb Shipment For Israel

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Washington is still reviewing one shipment of bombs for Israel over concerns about their use in crowded areas of Gaza, but that other weapons are moving as usual. Blinken's remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Tel Aviv that the top American diplomat had assured ...

US Aims to Bridge Israel-Hamas Gaps on Deal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed Wednesday to work to seal a Gaza ceasefire agreement, saying not all Hamas demands were acceptable but voicing hope gaps could be closed. Consulting with key mediator Qatar on the Hamas response to the plan outlined by US President Joe Biden, Blinken said the Palestinian group could have given a "clear ...

Blinken: Gaza Deal Would Have 'Tremendous' Effect Lowering Israel-Lebanon Tensions

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed calls on Wednesday for a diplomatic solution between Israel and Lebanon and said that a Gaza ceasefire deal would have a major effect in lowering tensions. “What I've heard from everyone concerned is there is a strong preference for a diplomatic solution,” Blinken told reporters in ...

Netanyahu Reaffirms Commitment to Ceasefire in Blinken Meeting

Prime Minister Netanyahu has reaffirmed his commitment to a ceasefire as Blinken plans to discuss Biden's proposal with the Israeli opposition on Tuesday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "reaffirmed his commitment" to a Gaza ceasefire proposal during their meeting in ...