This is Beirut

Syria: A Confounding Chessboard of Escalating Tensions

Mario Chartouni, 2024-12-03 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The situation in Syria is marked by an escalation of tensions, with major clashes on multiple fronts and increased international intervention. From US airstrikes to reinforcements arriving from Iraq and statements from Tehran, the chaos continues to deepen, painting an increasingly complex picture of the ongoing conflict. US strikes on ...

Araghchi in Ankara: Iran and Turkey Advocate Syrian Sovereignty

This is Beirut, 2024-12-02 13:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Aragchi, continued his regional tour on monday, in Ankara, by meeting his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, following a visit to Damascus. In a joint press conference, Aragchi emphasized the agreement between Tehran and Ankara on a key principle: "The unity and sovereignty of Syrian territories must be ...

Embattled Assad Seeks Support Amid Aleppo Setback

This is Beirut, 2024-12-02 12:44 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sought to shore up support from his allies Sunday, after a monitor said a shock rebel offensive saw government forces lose control of Aleppo for the first time since the start of the country's civil war. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions now "control Aleppo city, except the ...

Iran to Maintain Military Advisers in Syria After Aleppo Loss

This is Beirut, 2024-12-02 12:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran said on Monday that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally's second city Aleppo was overrun by rebels in a surprise offensive. The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar al-Assad since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of ...

Syria and the Domino Effect

Marc Saikali, 2024-12-01 15:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in his speech announcing the ceasefire in Lebanon: "Assad is playing with fire." Less than a week later, the Syrian regime is collapsing on all fronts. This time, Turkey is taking the lead. Erdogan has successfully brought together a diverse coalition of militias, from Islamists to Kurds, for the operation. His goal: ...

Iran's Foreign Minister to Visit Damascus in Support of Assad

This is Beirut, 2024-12-01 11:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Sunday he will leave Tehran for Damascus to deliver a message of support for Syria's government and armed forces, state media said, after a lighting advance by rebels. Araghchi will head afterwards to Ankara for consultations with Turkish officials. Tehran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar ...

What’s Behind the Syrian Rebels' Push to Retake Aleppo ?

This is Beirut, 2024-11-30 17:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad have launched their biggest offensive in years this week, controlling a majority of Syria's second city of Aleppo according to a monitor. Government forces offered little resistance, the war monitor said, and the army admitted that rebels had entered "large parts" of the city. Syrian ...

Iran's Nuclear Ambitions "Threaten Us All", Says MI6 Chief

This is Beirut, 2024-11-29 14:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran's nuclear ambitions pose a major global security threat even after setbacks dealt to Hamas and Hezbollah, the UK's foreign intelligence chief said Friday. "Iran's allied militias across the Middle East have suffered serious blows," Secret Intelligence Service chief Richard Moore said in a speech in Paris. "But the regime's nuclear ambitions ...

Iran to Meet UK, France and Germany for Nuclear Talks

This is Beirut, 2024-11-28 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Iran is set to meet on Friday with France, Germany and the United Kingdom for talks on its nuclear programme after the three governments joined with the United States to have Tehran censured by the UN atomic watchdog. Last week's chiding prompted a defiant response from Tehran, but its officials have since signalled willingness to engage with ...

Pragmatism Is Not a Sign of Weakness

Michel Touma, 2024-11-25 12:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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In late August 1982, Beirut bore witness to the aftermath of the Israeli Army's "Operation Peace for Galilee," initiated on June 6, 1982. Following the prolonged siege of the Lebanese capital, approximately 12,000 Palestinian fighters, including Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), alongside senior officials ...

Iran to Launch ‘Advanced Centrifuges’ in Response to IAEA Censure

This is Beirut, 2024-11-22 08:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the IAEA that censures Tehran for what the agency called lack of cooperation. "The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran issued an order to take effective measures, including launching a significant series of new and ...

Iran Says Western Resolution Will ‘Weaken’ Interaction With IAEA

This is Beirut, 2024-11-21 12:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A resolution tabled by Western countries to censure Iran's nuclear program at the International Atomic Energy Agency "will weaken and disrupt" interactions between the UN body and Tehran, it warned ahead of the vote on Thursday. Paris, Berlin, London and Washington have formally submitted a text condemning Iran for alleged lack of cooperation ...

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