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The Grand Turk
On the side of a historical rival. Why Erdogan supported Iran
2025-06-16
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kamran Gasanov

[REGNUM] Israel's attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on the night of June 12-13 came as a shock to many countries in the Middle East.

It cannot be said that it was unexpected, since Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia had asked Donald Trump the day before not to use force against Iran, since a retaliatory strike could hit American bases on their territory.
Did they mean it, or was that merely face-saving posturing?
But the escalation that began, which was very difficult to control, especially given Trump’s own compliments to the Israeli army (IDF), seriously frayed the nerves of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his colleagues in the GCC and one of Israel’s main antagonists in the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The poor darlings, all of whom — except, in the medium term, Turkey — are considerably safer now than they were before. Turkey needs to hope that President Trump will protect them from Israel’s ire, given how awful they’ve been in that direction, but after seeing how Iran was not protected, perhaps ought not be as smugly sanguine as they were…
The first official reaction from Ankara began to come closer to midday on June 13. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of violating international law, destabilizing the region and provoking the US-Iran talks.
Because America needs to be white knighted like that…
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz announced that Turkey "strongly condemns the Netanyahu administration's aggression," which has no legitimate justification and is aimed at undermining regional stability.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Israel's actions were plunging "the region and the world into flames."
Hystarical much? Given how carefully Israel has targetted her hits, even Iran in general is not plunged into flames — exactly as was observed in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.
The head of the Turkish presidential administration's communications department, Fahrettin Altun, said the strikes on Iran showed "how dangerous the genocidal Netanyahu administration has become for the region and world peace."

Speaking via social media that evening, Erdogan summarized the positions of his comrades, repeating the theses about Israel’s intention to disrupt the negotiations between Iran and the United States, violating international law and destabilizing the region, but adding emotional assessments.

The attacks, he said, demonstrate "the Israeli mentality of breaking all rules" and that the international community needs to stop "Israeli banditry."
You going to bell the Israeli cat, perhaps? No? Then we know what to think about you.
The Turkish president's words, bordering on insult, are in fact resonating with millions of Muslims, and especially Arabs, who have been watching the extermination of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza for almost two years.
Either in their heart of hearts they don’t believe what they say, or they are cowards, all. Either is acceptable.
Israel uses force not only in Palestine, but also in neighboring Lebanon and Syria. After the change of power in Syria to the pro-Turkish Ahmed al-Sharaa, Ankara has another point of conflict with Netanyahu.

The IDF has been shelling Turkish military base construction sites in Syria. In May, Turkey and Israel, brokered by Trump, launched de-escalation talks in Baku, but the prospects for normalization have become even more dim after Israel’s attack on Iran.
Israel has had normalization with Turkey. Several times, as Erdogan’s mood and calculations wax and wane. It no longer seems a goal worth striving for, given how quickly President Erdogan turns negative.
At the same time, Erdogan has no sympathy for Iran or its “axis of resistance,” to put it mildly. Turkey has been butting heads with pro-Iranian Bashar al-Assad in Syria for many years. In December 2024, Ankara effectively drove the Iranians out of Damascus.

Against this background, Europe has another argument to stop isolating Ankara and move towards rapprochement with it. For the EU and Britain, Turkey has become a window of access to Syria - the first visits of European foreign ministers were organized by the Turkish side.

When Trump began to question America’s participation in ensuring European security and gradually “withdrew” from support for Ukraine, Turkey’s importance for the Old World increased to the skies.

However, they will still not be able to become allies: there are too many contradictions.

Europe is trying to split the Turkic world - Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan disowned Northern Cyprus at the EU summit. Erdogan's activity in the Mediterranean with attempts to divide maritime borders with Libya and Syria worries Cyprus, Greece, France and other EU members.

The Iranian issue, although not the main point of divergence between Turkey and the EU, does not add sugar to the tea of ​​the Turkish-European partnership.

While Erdogan accused Netanyahu of banditry, European countries quickly changed their tune. If yesterday they threatened to impose sanctions on Israel for its new operation "Gideon's Chariots", now Germany, France and Great Britain are talking about its "right to self-defense".

Erdogan did not quarrel with the Europeans because of their hypocrisy. Firstly, because investments, trade and defense projects with Europe are important and necessary for him. And secondly, despite all the hatred for the "murderer Netanyahu", Iran is not the topic for which it is worth taking such a principled position.

As in the previous year, when Iran and Israel also exchanged blows and sabotage, Turkey is again formally on Iran’s side. Erdogan needs to show solidarity with the Islamic world and its protector in the face of Israeli expansion. Last summer, he even proposed creating an “Islamic army” in response to the killings in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon.

It is worth remembering that Iran and Turkey have historically been competitors in the region. In the first half of the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire waged grueling wars with the Safavid Empire for control over eastern Anatolia, Kurdistan, and the South Caucasus. And at the present stage of history, Türkiye and Iran are still competing for influence in the Middle East and the South Caucasus.

Iran was very unhappy with the plans to create the "Zangezur Corridor" between Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan and Turkey. Erdogan took over one of Iran's proxies, Syria, and is forcing competition on Iran in Shiite Iraq, implementing the "Development Road" project there, connecting Istanbul with the Persian Gulf.

Despite the objective competition, the situational interests of Turkey and Iran in relation to Israel coincide. Both Erdogan and Ayatollah Khamenei want to stop the war in Gaza and oppose further Israeli expansion in Lebanon and Syria.

Turkey is not happy with the breakdown of the “nuclear negotiations” because Ankara is interested in lifting sanctions against Iran.

Under the Obama administration, Turkey's Halkbank was indicted in the U.S. for circumventing these restrictions in the Zarrab affair, a scheme that involved several members of Erdogan's cabinet.

Tehran and Ankara, despite all their problems, manage to keep competition within reasonable limits. That is why Erdogan unilaterally expressed condolences to the “friendly and brotherly people of Iran,” ignoring the losses on the Israeli side.

International crises involving Muslim countries are always an opportunity to strengthen relations with the Islamic world, in which Türkiye is extremely interested.

Erdogan's first call was to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, whose rhetoric toward Israel has hardened, and the King of Jordan. Calls were also made to two other allied states that are extremely sensitive to relations with Israel.

The Turkish president tried to convince Syrian leader Al-Sharaa not to get involved in the confrontation between Iran and Israel, since such a situation would require Turkey to declare war on Israel, and in fact, on the US and NATO.

Consultations were also held with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who is allied with Israel, and it was important for Erdogan to hear from Baku that it would not provide its territory for an attack on Iran. After all, in that case, Tehran could strike Azerbaijan, which would force Turkey to act within the framework of the "Shushin Declaration."

In the context of the Iranian-Israeli standoff, another point has been identified from the point of view of Turkey's interests. The fact is that Russia and the United States are working to put an end to the conflict. After a conversation with Vladimir Putin, the American leader announced that they both believe that the war must end.

On the same day, June 14, Erdogan called Trump and said that Ankara was ready to make every effort to prevent uncontrolled escalation. On June 15, Fidan discussed de-escalation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Erdogan, judging by Trump's compliments, Turkey's mediation in the dialogue between Al-Sharaa and the head of the White House and the Istanbul talks with Marco Rubio, enjoys the US President's great respect. Russia still counts on the "Istanbul format" of negotiations with Ukraine and appreciates Erdogan's efforts to resolve the conflict.

Inspired by relative successes in Ukraine and support from the Kremlin and the White House, Erdogan may try on the role of peacemaker in the Iran-Israel conflict.

Unlike Eastern Europe, where Ankara manages to maintain “equally close” contacts with Kiev and Moscow, in the Middle East conflict, Erdogan’s candidacy as a mediator will clearly not be approved by Israel. However, Türkiye can become a mediator between the US and Iran.

In October 2024, before Iran launched strikes on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, the Turkish Foreign Ministry, at the request of the State Department, tried to dissuade Tehran from attacking, calling on the US and Iran to make reasonable decisions.

Ankara may make a new attempt at mediation, but its success will depend on Trump's ability to stop new Israeli attacks.

Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Thirty-five dead in Israeli strikes on Syria since Assad’s fall: Monitor
2025-06-09
[Rudaw] At least 35 people, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Israeli Arclight airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s on Syrian territory since the fall of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Despoiler of Deraa...
’s regime on December 8, a war monitor reported on Sunday.

"The territory of Syria has been targeted 63 times, including 50 airstrikes and 10 ground attacks, resulting in the death and martyrdom of 35 people," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britannia-based war monitor.

The now-dissolved Islamist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
 (HTS), headed by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, spearheaded a coalition of opposition groups in early December that toppled Assad’s regime.

Since then, Israel has intensified efforts to destroy Damascus’s military stockpiles, and Israeli forces have entered a buffer zone east of the annexed Golan Heights, justifying their actions as a security precaution amid Syria’s ongoing political instability.

The corpse count included 15 civilians and nine soldiers of Syria’s new army, according to the Observatory.

"Israeli aircraft also launched approximately 500 airstrikes on military sites, destroying Syria’s entire weapons arsenal," it added.

Israel has refused to establish ties with the interim government in Damascus, with several Israeli officials calling the new Syrian authorities murderous Moslems.

But US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th and 47th President of the United States...
 is trying to mend ties between the two countries. On May 14, he called on Sharaa to normalize ties with Israel during a meeting in Riyadh hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman'>Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
 and attended remotely by Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
In a statement following the meeting, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time that Trump urged Sharaa to "sign onto the Abraham Accords with Israel."

The Abraham Accords are a series of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries - beginning with the UAE and Bahrain in 2020 - brokered by the US during Trump’s first term in office. These accords established formal ties in areas like diplomacy, security, and trade.
Link


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Arab ministers condemn ‘arrogant’ Israeli decision to ban them from West Bank visit
2025-06-01
[IsraelTimes] FMs from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, other Arab states say Jerusalem’s refusal to allow landmark trip to Ramallah reflects government’s ‘disregard for international law’

The foreign ministers of Arab countries who had planned to visit the West Bank over the weekend condemned on Saturday Israel’s decision to block their trip.

The ministers panned "Israel’s decision to ban the delegation’s visit to Ramallah [on Sunday] to meet with the president of the State of Paleostine, the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas
...aka Abu Mazen, a graduate of the prestigious unaccredited Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow with a doctorate in Holocaust Denial. While no Yasser Arafat, he has his own brand of evil, just a little more lowercase....>
," the Jordanian foreign ministry said.

Ministers from Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates had been expected to take part alongside The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund...
, according to the statement.

The joint statement from the ministers said the decision to block the visit "reflects the extent of the Israeli government’s arrogance, its disregard for international law, and its continued illegitimate measures and policies that besiege the brotherly Paleostinian people and their legitimate leadership."

The ministers added that Israel was seeking to perpetuate "the occupation and undermine the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace."

Israel decided to block the delegation of Middle Eastern foreign ministers, led by Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat, from making a landmark visit to the West Bank. A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that the PA was planning to use the delegation’s visit to "promote the establishment of a Paleostinian state."

"Israel will not cooperate with moves designed to harm it and its security," the Israeli official asserted, claiming that a Paleostinian state would become "a terrorist state in the heart of the Land of Israel."

Since Israel controls the borders of the West Bank, its approval was required for the ministers to enter the territory.

The visit by Prince Faisal bin Farhan was supposed to be the first by a Saudi foreign minister since Israel took over the West Bank in 1967. The ministers were supposed to arrive in Ramallah via helicopters from Jordan, a source familiar with the matter said.

The Israeli entry ban is likely to further strain Israel’s relations with its Arab neighbors, which have already deteriorated significantly since the outbreak of the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
 war.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
 personally supported the trip, which was also intended to show support for the embattled PA, according to the Axios news site.

The Israeli decision is likely to further distance efforts to secure a normalization deal between Jerusalem and Riyadh. Israeli officials have claimed that an agreement is possible, downplaying repeated Saudi assertions that it won’t happen absent an Israeli acquiescence to creating a pathway for a future Paleostinian state.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
'The Shadow of Al-Nemr': Prominent Iranian Ayatollah Arrested in Saudi Arabia, deported as Tehran disavows remarks
2025-05-30
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Leonid Tsukanov

[REGNUM] Iran-Saudi détente has come under attack after prominent Shiite cleric and TV presenter Gholamreza Qasimiyan was arrested by Saudi authorities while on the Hajj pilgrimage.

The reason for his arrest was his criticism of the “two-faced reforms” in Saudi Arabia, a country that in recent years has sought to become the “Switzerland of the Middle East.”

Given Kasimian's influence on his flock (both in Iran and in neighboring countries), the arrest of a preacher of this caliber cannot go unnoticed by official Tehran.

However, judging by the latest statements, Iranian officials are more concerned about the fate of relations with Riyadh than about supporting their compatriot.

SHADOW HAWK
In Iran, Qasimiyan is considered a fairly important figure. Despite his relatively young age (52), he is part of the inner circle of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and has protégés in the government and security forces.

His connections are especially strong in the national parliament, where one of his friendly figures is the speaker himself, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Kasimiyan holds conservative views in the spirit of the teachings of the first leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini, and vehemently rejects the concept of a “liberal Iran,” considering freedom of morals the first step towards the collapse of the country.

The theologian was among those who for a long time torpedoed the reform of the Iranian “morality police” (Gasht-i-Ershad), and later supported the street protests of conservatives.

Although Kasimiyan has until recently tried not to publicly go against the course of the country's top leadership and has not criticized the rapprochement with Saudi Arabia, he has remained the unofficial ideologist of the most conservative (albeit small) part of the Iranian elite. The one that continues to see Riyadh as an "American-Israeli servant" and a potential enemy.

EPHEMERAL LIBERALISM
Kasimiyan fell into the hands of Saudi law enforcement immediately after he recorded a video during the pilgrimage criticizing the country's authorities.

In an address to his flock, the theologian obstructed the current “corrupt” course of Saudi Arabia and called on his compatriots “not to trust the diplomatic tricks” of their Arabian neighbor.

At first glance, the attacks are motivated by the preacher's ultra-conservative views and his dissatisfaction with the fact that the traditionalist kingdom has made a serious drift over the past decade towards expanding internal freedoms, aiming to become a "Middle Eastern Switzerland" - with gambling, specific types of tourism and an active nightlife.

For a long time, Kasimian frightened his compatriots with such “decomposition”.

On the other hand, the picture created by the Saudi authorities is still far from reality. Clubs and casinos in the country are located next to "houses of correction" under the control of the morality police, and the theological community controls the contours of both domestic and foreign policy. "Liberal" Saudi Arabia is still ephemeral.

It is precisely this dualism that Kasimiyan emphasized, suggesting that the Arabs are similarly deceiving other countries (and especially Iran) on the diplomatic track.

Of course, he had criticized the Saudis before, but this time the theologian crossed the line - he staged a political action during the pilgrimage, thereby insulting the royal house. Riyadh considered it unacceptable to ignore his attacks.

COURSE ON CRITICISM
Despite the fact that Kasimian was arrested on Monday, the information was not made public for a long time until Shiites, concerned about the disappearance of the preacher, themselves raised the alarm and achieved coverage of the topic in regional media.

However, the royal court continued to remain silent. Comments from the Foreign and Interior Ministries were extremely general. They emphasized that the Saudi side had not yet brought any charges, and that the detention of a public figure "has no political overtones."

The reaction of the Iranian authorities, who were apparently taken by surprise by the news of the arrest of a high-ranking cleric, was much more varied. Representatives of various ministries and departments of the country sometimes expressed conflicting assessments.

For example, the head of the delegation of Iranian pilgrims, Seyed Abdul-Fatah Navab, noted that it is not worth projecting the statements of the arrested ayatollah onto all of Iran, since his position “reflects personal views.”

First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref made similar points, adding that the “unfortunate incident” does not harm Saudi-Iranian relations.

Other Iranian officials have gone further and proposed extraditing Kasimian to Iran to face charges under national law.

However, there were also those in high offices who supported the arrested man.

For example, Iranian judicial official Asghar Jahangir called the arrest “unjustified and illegal,” calling on “relevant authorities to look into the matter.” Several members of parliament and senior officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also called for pressure on Riyadh.

However, the more time passes since the arrest, the quieter the voices of the "ultra-conservative party" become. Many - including the all-powerful speaker Ghalibaf - prefer not to comment on what is happening at all. At the official level, the course towards criticizing Kasimian confidently outweighs.

The head of the ideological and political department of Khamenei's office, Ali Saeedi, put an end to the story : he characterized his compatriot's statements as "damaging to Iran's reputation" and emphasized their "detachment from reality." By doing so, he de facto expressed not only his own position, but also that of Iran's highest authorities.

Official Tehran's attempt to distance itself from the controversial theologian is not without foundation. Kasimiyan's voice is listened to not only by Iranian ultra-conservatives, but also by Saudi Shiites, whose share in the kingdom is, according to various estimates, between 10 and 15%.

Previously, this minority has repeatedly acted as the "engine" of protests and anti-government demonstrations, which has formed a firm conviction among the Saudi authorities that local Shiites are almost entirely agents of Tehran. The Iranian establishment does not want to support this thesis.

RELATIONSHIP CHECK
The Qasimiyan affair is a good test of the strength of the new Saudi-Iranian relations. If the parties can resolve the conflict in a legal framework and without mutual recriminations, this will have a more convincing effect on the populations of both countries than numerous exhortations and bravura speeches by officials.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have had a hard time overcoming the consequences of the “small cold war” that began in 2016 after the Saudis executed influential Shiite cleric Nemr al-Nemr, and are unlikely to want to return to the confrontation phase.

Moreover, the resumption of confrontation will hit the image of both powers and weaken their ties with China, which has made considerable efforts to reconcile its Middle Eastern counterparts.

The investigation is being conducted in a "gentlemanly manner." Thus, after the incident with Qasimiyan, Saudi Arabia suspended "until further notice" the issuance of visas for Iranian participants in the Hajj, but Tehran chose not to respond to this attack.

As a sign of gratitude, Riyadh did not emphasize the arrested preacher’s closeness to the highest authorities: not a single Saudi publication wrote about the connections between Qasimiyan and Khamenei, and not a single blogger spoke about them.

There is a high probability that the parties will avoid direct accusations against each other until the very end, so that the “shadow of al-Nemr” does not hang over them even more.

Iranian cleric deported from Saudi as Tehran disavows his fiery remarks

[Rudaw] Senior Iranian holy man Gholamreza Qassemian has been deported to Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
from Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
 after he had reportedly been arrested by Saudi authorities during the ongoing Hajj season. The holy man was detained shortly after posting a now-viral controversial video sharply criticizing the alleged commercialization of the kingdom’s holy sites.

Qassemian on Thursday shared a picture of himself seemingly aboard a plane, addressing his followers with a message: "With your prayers and follow-up, and the diligent follow-up of the Iranian Consulate in Saudi Arabia, I was released from prison and am returning to my beloved homeland via Dubai."

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Qassemian was arrested in Medina by Saudi police a day after "recording a short video in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi)," which quickly circulated on social media platforms.

In the controversial video Qassemian is heard harshly criticizing what he called the commercialization of Saudi holy sites.

"The merchants and exploiters of the Qibla [Kaaba - the most sacred site in Islam] have provided ideal conditions - casinos, centers of prostitution, and vulgar concerts are all in place," the holy man stated.

Notably, Iranian officials were quick to distance themselves from Qassemian’s remarks.

In a veiled response to the incident, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday dismissed attempts to undermine Tehran’s ties with Saudi Arabia and disrupt "Moslem unity."

"Iran in no uncertain terms condemns any attempt to harm Moslem unity," Araghchi emphasized on X, adding that Tehran is "determined to not allow anyone to sabotage relations with our brotherly neighbors, including the progressive path of Iran and Saudi Arabia."

Qassemian’s case comes at a time when Saudi-Iranian relations are advancing with caution.

The two countries agreed to restore diplomatic ties under a landmark China-brokered accord in March 2023, ending a seven-year rupture. Relations had broken down in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad in response to Riyadh’s execution of Shiite dissident holy man Nimr al-Nimr.

Between 2021 and 2023, senior Iranian and Saudi holy mans and security officials held a series of talks in Baghdad (five rounds) and Oman (five rounds), culminating in the March 2023 agreement to reopen embassies and implement cooperation accords.

Since the election of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in July 2024, bilateral relations have notably strengthened.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman
...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Lord of Most of the Arabians...
 and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
 were among the first leaders to congratulate Pezeshkian on his victory, expressing a desire to deepen ties. In a major diplomatic milestone, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman visited Tehran in April 2025 - the highest-level Saudi visit to Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution - to discuss regional security and economic cooperation.

Pezeshkian has repeatedly emphasized that a core pillar of his foreign policy is to "build bridges" across the Middle East and beyond, advocating for regional integration and dialogue, especially with Gulf Arab states, The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
, and Central Asian nations.

Tehran’s prompt disavowal of Qassemian’s inflammatory comments highlights the pragmatic approach Pezeshkian’s administration appears to be taking as it seeks to stabilize ties with its neighbors.
Link


Arabia
Trump’s huge Saudi arms deal may be limited by US pledge to preserve Israel’s military edge
2025-05-29
[IsraelTimes] As Riyadh eyes advanced weaponry, Washington’s commitment to Israel’s defense supremacy means coveted F-35 fighter jets likely won’t be part of $142 billion in potential sales

A landmark $142 billion arms deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
 has the potential to reshape the way the Middle East looks from a defense perspective, significantly boosting Riyadh’s military might. But despite its high profile and even higher price tag, the arrangement will likely be limited by a longstanding US defense doctrine safeguarding Israel’s regional defense superiority, experts say.

While details about the deal remain scant, speculation surrounding what it may include has been colored by Saudi Arabian requests to purchase state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets. But any such sale, analysts point out, would run afoul of a US commitment to Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, or QME, which has long curtailed the transfer of certain advanced weaponry to the region.

The White House unveiled the deal, described as "the largest defense sales agreement in history," on May 13. According to a White House fact sheet, the US will supply Saudi Arabia with "state-of-the-art war-fighting equipment and services" from more than a dozen American defense contractors.

The Trump administration has not detailed what the agreement entails, beyond sketching out five key areas it says the deal covers: advancing air force and space capabilities; strengthening air and missile defense systems; bolstering maritime and coastal security; modernizing border protection and ground forces; and upgrading information and communications technology.

Two anonymous sources briefed on the matter told Rooters earlier this month that the US and Saudi Arabia have discussed Riyadh’s potential purchase of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter. But it’s unclear how serious any discussions are or if they are progressing to more advanced stages.

The Saudis have long had their eye on the F-35, hoping to become the second country in the Middle East, after Israel, to acquire the world’s most advanced aircraft.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia signaled interest in purchasing the F-35 fighter jet following what was described as a $110 billion arms agreement with the US earlier that same year.

That arms agreement took the form of commitments rather than actual defense deals, and it’s unclear if the Saudis purchased more than a fraction of that promised $110 billion. What is clear is that while Riyadh got its hands on plenty of munitions, it was ultimately unable to purchase any F-35 fighter jets.

JET-SETTERS
Despite repeated interest from regional powers, the US has consistently blocked the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries in order to preserve Israel’s QME.

"The US is committed to Israel’s QME and has taken this into account in its arms sales to the region," Zain Hussain, a researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s arms transfers program, told The Times of Israel. "Exporting F-35s to other states in the region would present a significant shift in that policy."

Israel today is the only country in the Middle East with F-35 fighter jets in its arsenal, currently operating 45 of the advanced aircraft with additional units on order.

"The export of the F-35 to another state in the region would potentially mean that state acquiring stealth, data fusion, and deep-strike capabilities widely considered superior to other aircraft currently operated in the region," Hussain said.

At the same time, he emphasized that Israel still holds a significant operational advantage: "Israel remains the most experienced operator of the F-35 in the region and has been allowed to modify the aircraft to meet its specific needs."

Indeed, Israel has uniquely customized its fleet of F-35s, rebranding the stealth fighter jet as the "Adir," Hebrew for "mighty." Through close cooperation with Lockheed Martin, Israeli defense firms have integrated proprietary technologies into the aircraft — including advanced electronic warfare systems, enhanced command and control capabilities and locally developed weapons systems.

Washington’s commitment to ensuring Israel maintains a qualitative edge in military capability dates back to Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency. In 2008, it was formally codified into a law requiring that Jerusalem’s position be considered before any weapons sales to the region.

The doctrine is rooted in Israel’s position as a democratic ally surrounded by often-hostile neighbors. Given its geographic and demographic disadvantages, Israel cannot rely on quantity in warfare and instead depends on technological and tactical superiority.

Over the decades, US arms sales to Arab states have repeatedly put Israel’s QME to the test. At times, they have only gone through thanks to US assurances or complementary arms sales to Israel.

In 1981, Jerusalem strongly objected to Washington’s decision to sell AWACS surveillance planes and advanced F-15 enhancement packages to Saudi Arabia, fearing it would erode Israel’s technological superiority. Despite fierce opposition, Congress narrowly approved the deal, with then-president Ronald Reagan offering Israel a set of reassurances, including an additional $600 million in military aid and 15 new F-15s.

More recently, the Trump administration in 2020 agreed to sell 50 F-35s to the UAE following Abu Dhabi’s agreement to normalize relations with Israel, though officials denied any linkage between the two.

The potential F-35 sales raised red flags in Israel, but Jerusalem eventually said it would not oppose the deal, after the US agreed to sign a formal agreement reaffirming Washington’s legally enshrined commitment to maintaining Israel’s regional military advantage.

In the end, the sale was torpedoed by the UAE rather than the QME. In 2021, the Emirates suspended talks with the Biden administration on buying the planes due to various disagreements over the sale, including their price tag, and in 2024, officials in Abu Dhabi said they did not plan to revive the deal.

TRUMP AND THE SAUDIS
Ahead of Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, some believed that arms sales would similarly be used as part of a package that would see Riyadh normalize relations with Israel, which would have likely played a role in overcoming any QME-related hurdles.

Instead, Israel was left off to the side as Trump and the Saudis heaped lavish indulgences and effusive praise on each other.

During his visit, Trump addressed the Saudi-US Investment Forum, hailing the "close partnership" between Washington and Riyadh and praising Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman'>Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
 for the kingdom’s sweeping transformation since Trump’s last visit as president.

"Exactly eight years ago this month I stood in this very room and looked forward to a future in which the nations of this region would drive [out] the forces of terrorism and extremism... and take your place among the proudest, most prosperous, most successful nations anywhere in the world as leaders of a modern and rising Middle East," Trump said.

"Critics doubted that it was possible," he added, "but over the past eight years, Saudi Arabia has proved the critics totally wrong," citing the kingdom’s emergence as a global business leader.

In tandem with its ambitions to become a business hub, Saudi Arabia has dramatically ramped up its military spending, signaling its intent to play a more assertive role on the regional and global stage.

According to a February statement by Ahmad al-Ohali, governor of the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries, the kingdom increased its defense budget from $75.8 billion in 2024 to $78 billion in 2025. al-Ohali also noted a consistent 4.5 percent annual growth in defense spending since 1960, placing Saudi Arabia as the fifth-largest military spender in the world, and the largest in the Arab world.

NO FAIRY GODMOTHER
After his stop in Riyadh, Trump continued to Qatar
...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi...
 and the UAE, notably skipping over Israel — a move that raised concern in Jerusalem over potential shifts in regional priorities and the optics of Israel being sidelined during a major US diplomatic tour.

"This week there was a party in the Middle East — a grand ball full of colorful costumes, money and gold changing hands — and we found ourselves playing the role of Cinderella before the transformation," columnist Sima Kadmon wrote in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily.

"The fairy godmother we thought we had, flew off to Saudi Arabia and Qatar."

The Trump administration has made several moves lately that have left some wondering whether Washington is still committed to taking Israel’s position into account in cases where it is not required by law.

These include nuclear talks with Iran, a ceasefire with Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
’s Iran's Houthi sock puppets
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him...
 rebels that allows them to continue firing ballistic missiles at the Jewish state and a deal with Hamas
..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
 to free Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander that bypassed Jerusalem.

The agreement to arm the Saudis at record numbers comes amid growing frustration from Trump over Israel’s prolonged war in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
 — a conflict he reportedly sees as complicating his efforts to broker a landmark regional deal.

Trump has made no secret of his ambition to secure Saudi-Israeli normalization as a cornerstone achievement of his second term. But Riyadh has made it clear that any such agreement is contingent on a ceasefire in Gaza and tangible progress toward Paleostinian statehood.

Although Saudi Arabia was not among the original signatories of the 2020 Abraham Accords, it has cautiously endorsed the initiative from the sidelines. Still, the kingdom has repeatedly stressed that its participation depends on movement toward a two-state solution — a goal that now appears increasingly remote amid the ongoing war.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reaffirmed that Trump "wants to see this conflict in the region end," but the administration has firmly denied reports that it is threatening to "abandon" Israel over its Gaza campaign.

Dr. H. A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London, told The Times of Israel that Trump’s visit "was primarily about the [Gulf Cooperation Council], not about the appalling situation in Gaza, and applying ’America First’ transactionalism to foreign policy in [the Middle East and North Africa] more generally."

He added that while "there is frustration in DC with Tel Aviv’s conduct in Gaza... DC is still very much supportive of Tel Aviv."
Link


Arabia
Saudi official denies reports alcohol ban will be lifted
2025-05-27
[GEO.TV] A Saudi official denied on Monday media reports saying the kingdom would lift its 73-year-old ban on alcohol, which is prohibited for Moslems.

The report, which was picked up by some international media after it appeared on a wine blog last week, said Saudi authorities planned to allow alcohol sales in tourist settings as the country prepares to host the 2034 soccer World Cup. It did not give a source for the information.

The kingdom has eased some restrictions to lure tourists and international businesses as part of an ambitious plan to diversify its economy and make itself less dependent on oil.

The report about alcohol rules sparked a vigorous online debate in the kingdom, whose king also holds the title of King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques — Islam's most revered sites in Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
n Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
, known as MBS, has pushed a series of reforms, which included ending a prohibition on allowing women to drive in 2017, easing some rules on sex segregation in public spaces and reducing the power of the inquisitors religious police.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only Gulf countries that prohibit the sale of alcohol.

A minor move to allow alcoholic drinks to be consumed in the kingdom was the opening of the first alcohol store in the capital, Riyadh, last year, serving exclusively non-Moslem diplomats.

Prior to that, alcohol was available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US says new Syrian government will help locate missing Americans
2025-05-26
[X] President Trump makes it clear HTS needs to pay to play.

Rudaw lays it out:
“A powerful step forward. The new Syrian government has agreed to assist the USA in locating and returning USA citizens or their remains. The families of Austin Tice, Majd Kamalmaz, and Kayla Mueller must have closure,” Tom Barrack, who also serves as the US ambassador to Turkey, said on X.

Barrack met Sharaa and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Istanbul on Saturday after Washington lifted sanctions on Damascus, discussing a host of topics including investment opportunities and joint security cooperation.

Tice, a freelance journalist for outlets such as AFP and The Washington Post, has been missing in Syria since 2012 after being detained at a checkpoint.

Kamalmaz, a Syrian-American psychologist from Virginia, vanished in Syria in 2017 after being stopped at a regime checkpoint, and aid worker Mueller was kidnapped by the Islamic State (ISIS), which announced her death in a Jordanian airstrike in 2015, but her death remains disputed by Washington.

“President Trump has made it clear that bringing home USA citizens or honoring, with dignity, their remains is a major priority everywhere. The new Syrian Government will aid us in this commitment,” Barrack said.

An informed Syrian source told AFP that 11 Americans are on Washington’s list for a search mission for the remains of Americans killed by ISIS in Syria.

During a trip to the Middle East last week, Trump announced his decision to lift sanctions on Syria. The next day, Trump met with Sharaa during a summit in Riyadh, hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and attended remotely by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump urged Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel, expel all “foreign terrorists” from Syria, and cooperate with the US to prevent an ISIS resurgence, according to a White House statement.

On Friday, the US Treasury issued the Syria General License (GL) 25 to effectively lift all sanctions.

Since taking office in January after toppling the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, the new leadership in Damascus has made lifting international sanctions a top priority. While several countries have expressed openness to removing Assad-era restrictions, they have emphasized the need for the new leadership to meet critical benchmarks such as inclusive governance and fighting terrorism.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US to appoint its ambassador to Turkey as special envoy for Syria, sources say
2025-05-22
[IsraelTimes] State Department says no announcement yet on Thomas Barrack, a longtime friend of president; move comes as administration builds ties with new Damascus regime

The United States will appoint President Donald Trump’s longtime friend and current US ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy for Syria, a person with direct knowledge of the matter and a diplomat in Turkey said.

The decision follows Trump’s landmark announcement last week that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. It also suggests US acknowledgement that Turkey has emerged with key regional influence on Damascus since Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad’s ouster by rebels in December, ending 14 years of civil war.

Asked for comment, a US State Department spokesperson said: “There is no announcement at this time.”

Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Rubio said he was allowing Turkish embassy staff, including Barrack, to work with local officials in Syria to understand what kind of aid they need.

“We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region,” Rubio said.

A US-Turkish meeting focused on Syria took place in Washington on Tuesday with Barrack in attendance, according to Turkey’s foreign ministry, which said sanctions relief and efforts to counter terrorism had been discussed.

The US had sought a step-for-step approach to Syria sanctions relief until Trump’s announcement that he was ordering “the cessation of sanctions,” which he said aimed to give Syria a chance to recover from devastating war. He said he made the decision after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump also met with Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on May 14 and urged him to normalize ties with longtime foe Israel following his surprise sanctions announcement.

Removing US sanctions that cut Syria off from the global financial system would clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, and ease foreign investment and trade as the country looks to rebuild.
Link


Israel-Palestine-Jordan
That, too: Hamas document shows Oct. 7 attack aimed at derailing Saudi normalization – report
2025-05-19
[IsraelTimes] In days prior to assault, leader Sinwar said ‘extraordinary act’ needed quash Riyadh’s openness to diplomatic ties with Israel; other documents show great concern over issue

Hamas
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
’s Gazoo chief Yahya Sinwar told associates in the days prior to the terror group’s devastating October 7, 2023, attack, on Israel that an "extraordinary act" would be required to derail normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
, according to a document reportedly found by the IDF in Gaza.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday on a number of documents from recent years that discussed Hamas’s concerns about Saudi movement toward diplomatic ties with Israel, and the terror group’s efforts to hamper it.

Successive American administrations have sought to broker such an agreement, framing it as the "crown jewel" of potential normalization deals, in light of Saudi Arabia’s overarching status in the Arab and Moslem worlds.

Arab intelligence officials familiar with Hamas told the Journal that the documents appeared to be genuine.

The Journal did not publish any images of the documents, and there was no official Israeli comment.

The minutes of a meeting of Hamas’s political bureau in the Strip on October 2, 2023, cite Sinwar as saying, "There is no doubt that the Saudi-Zionist normalization agreement is progressing significantly." The Hamas leader warned a deal would "open the door for the majority of Arab and Islamic countries to follow the same path."

According to the Wall Street Journal, Sinwar said that it was time to activate an attack plan that the terror group had been working on for some two years "to bring about a major move or a strategic shift in the paths and balances of the region with regard to the Paleostinian cause."

Without directly quoting the document, the Journal said Sinwar — who was killed by the IDF about a year into the war — expected other Iran-backed terror and proxy groups to join the fighting.

Other documents apparently seized by the IDF and reviewed by the newspaper included one from September 2023 that recommended escalating violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem to decrease the chances of normalization between Jerusalem and Riyadh.

That document criticized the Saudis for what Hamas saw as their "weak and limited steps to neutralize" the terror group and prevent it from blocking normalization.

A Hamas briefing from August 2022, marked "secret" and composed by the group’s military leadership, urged a "reposition" in order to "preserve the survival of the Paleostinian cause in the face of the broad wave of normalization by Arab countries, which aims primarily to liquidate the Paleostinian cause." That realignment increased its coordination with, among others, the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah.

Then, in October that year, Hamas prepared a job advertisement, also found by the Israeli military, for a position in its Department of Arab and Islamic Cooperation to lead diplomatic efforts to stop normalization. It described the job as, in part, "Marketing the movement’s programs to confront normalization" and organizing activism groups in the Arab world to call for boycotts on entities that backed having ties with Israel.

Hamas did not respond to a request for comment on the report, the Journal said.

Though Israel and Saudi Arabia have not established diplomatic relations, their clandestine ties strengthened in recent years as they confronted a shared threat in Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Saudi Arabia in November 2020 to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman'>Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
, the first publicly reported meeting between the two.

Former US president Joe The Big Guy Biden
...46th president of the U.S. Old, boring, a plagiarist, fond of hair sniffing and grabbing the protruding parts of women, and not whatcha call brilliant....
’s administration sought to include a normalization accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia in a "mega-deal" it worked to sign with Riyadh, which has long made clear, however, that such an agreement would require a political horizon for the Paleostinians.

The Biden administration had managed to make significant progress in the series of bilateral agreements with Saudi Arabia — and was slated to begin serious discussions with Riyadh regarding the exact terms of the Paleostinian component of the package — when Hamas launched its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

The onslaught and ensuing war derailed the normalization effort and Riyadh began to recognize that it would need more concrete steps toward the establishment of a Paleostinian state, as solidarity with the Paleostinians in Saudi Arabia and the region on the lam skyrocketed due to the devastation in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump
...The cad! Twice caught beating wimmin!...
 has also pledged to broker an Israel-Saudi normalization deal, repeatedly asserting that additional countries would quickly join the Abraham Accords, which normalized ties between Israel and several Arab countries at the tail end of his first term. But during a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, part of a three-day regional tour that did not include Israel, he indicated his recognition that Riyadh won’t be joining as quickly as he may have hoped.

It is not the first time that documents ostensibly found in Gaza have been leaked to the international press.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Trump says Lebanon has chance for future ''free from Hezbollah grip'', Iran says will agree to uranium enrichment cap
2025-05-15
[NAHARNET] U.S. President Donald Trump
...The Hero of Butler, Pennsylvania...
 said Wednesday at a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
 in Riyadh that there is in Leb
...Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects....
 a new chance for peace and for a future "free from the grip of Hezbollah".

"In Lebanon there is a new chance for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah gunnies if the new president and PM can rebuild an effective Lebanese state," Trump said.

"This is a once in a generation opportunity to forge a Lebanon that is prosperous and at peace with its neighbors," he added.

Trump also told Gulf leaders that he urgently wants "to make a deal" with Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
to wind down its nuclear program but that Tehran must end its support of proxy groups throughout the region -- Hamas
..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
 in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response...
, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Iran's Houthi sock puppets
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him...
s in Yemen
...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of...
-- as part of any potential agreement.

(Iran) "must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons," Trump said.

The U.S. and Iran have engaged in four rounds of talks since early last month focused on Iran's nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly said that he believes brokering a deal is possible, but that the window is closing.

Trump remarks came after he met with Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on the sidelines of the gathering, a day after announcing he was lifting sanctions on the war-battered country.

Hezbollah is severely weakened after its war last year with Israel in which much of its top leadership was killed, and after losing a key ally with the fall of former Syrian President Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Horror of Homs...
, a conduit for Iran to send arms.

What President Trump said in Saudi Arabia on the 13th:
Trump says he wants Iran deal, but Tehran must act fast or face crippling sanctions
[IsraelTime] US President Donald Trump says he wants to strike a deal with Iran amid ongoing nuclear talks, but will cripple Iran’s economy if the Islamic Republic “rejects this olive branch.”

“I want to make a deal with Iran. If I can make a deal with Iran, I’ll be very happy if we’re going to make your region and the world a safer place,” Trump says during a foreign policy speech in Riyadh.

“But if Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbors, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive maximum pressure [and] drive Iranian oil exports to zero like I did before,” he says.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon. But with that said, Iran can have a much brighter future,” he adds.

“This is an offer that will not last forever. The time is right now for them to choose… Things are happening at a very fast pace,” Trump says.

He calls Iran the “most destructive force” in the Middle East, and blames the regime for instability across the region.

Offering what he describes as both a final warning and a potential opening for diplomacy, he says Iran has a choice between continuing its “chaos and terror” or embracing a path toward peace.
Iran’s response to Trump’s threat:
Iranian official says Tehran will agree to deal that caps uranium enrichment
[IsraelTimes] Iran is willing to agree to a deal with the US in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions, an Iranian official tells NBC News in an interview published on Wednesday.

Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says Tehran would commit to never making nuclear weapons, getting rid of its stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium, agree to only enrich uranium to the lower levels needed for civilian use, and allow international inspectors to supervise the process, NBC reported.

US officials have offered varying statements regarding whether they’ll accept a deal that allows Iran to maintain a limited enrichment program, though, more recently have asserted that they won’t.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Trump Giving the New Syrian Boss Rope to Hang Himself With...or Not
2025-05-14
Piercing insights, none of which occurred to me, though I’d posted some of the pieces. See also here.
[HotAir] In December, as weepy Winken Antony Blinken was busy sucking up to the newest, cleanest Jihadi in a suit to roll into a Middle Eastern Third World s**thole, I was asking if the Biden administration had bothered to 'meet the new boss' in light of their effusive greetings to Abu Mohamed al-Jolani and his victorious, Turkish-backed Islamic marauders.

Naturally averse to believing any smooth-talking, gussied-up fanatic with an army of like-minded savages and a track record of unsocial behavior behind him, I wasn't ready to jump on the 'Oh, this guy is really different' bandwagon simply because Jolani knew where Saville Row was and could mouth, 'diversity is our strength' (Yes, he really said that.)

By the beginning of March, it was pretty clear a jihadi leader now using his given name - Ahmed Al Sharaa - in a $4000 suit was still a jihadi at heart. Al-Sharaa's boys were having themselves the rampaging adventures of a lifetime, systematically exterminating Druze and Alawite communities all over northern Syria with impunity. Oh - and trying to find the five or six Jews left in the country.

We haven't heard much out of the area since, except for reports that detail American and Israeli strikes on targets in the area. Most associated with the ongoing cat and mouse game the Houthis had been playing and the assorted Iranian militias supporting them, who operate freely all through the southern portion of Iraq, Yemen, and Syria, as President Trump noted during his speech in Saudi Arabia today.



Perhaps these few months have given Al-Sharaa some food for thought about which side of the bread he wanted buttered and by whom.

Obviously, Syria was a hole, and watching hell rain out of the skies from a newly reinvigorated American defense department posture had to have them recalculating what their odds were should they join the opposition.

Al-Sharaa's bunch has been technically neutral so far.

So Trump was rambling along in his speech - I heard some of it in the car, talking about the transformation of the Saudi capital in just eight years - when he dropped a bombshell no one saw coming.

He was lifting all - ALL - of the sanctions on Syria that had been in place for so many years.

The Assads are gone, and Trump wants the Syrians, as he said, to have their 'chance for greatness.'

The crowd went wild.

The Syrians...



...have gone wild.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is going to meet with the Syrian Foreign Minister on Thursday in Turkey.

President Trump will greet Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Riyadh tomorrow.

From the Guardian:

But this makes it no less significant. Per Politico:

It’s nonetheless a striking encounter with a man who’s still on the US terrorist list — and the first meeting between US and Syrian leaders since 2000. The US sanctions have weighed heavily on the Syrian economy, threatening al-Sharaa’s ability to rebuild the country since the rebel leader ousted the Assad regime five months ago.

Trump said during his speech at the US-Saudi investment forum that he had decided to lift sanctions on Syria following conversations with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as well as with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. “Oh, what I do for the crown prince,” Trump said in reference to MBS before making the announcement.

The “brutal and crippling” sanctions had served their purpose at the time but were no longer needed, said Trump, adding:

Now it is their time to shine. We are taking them all off. Good luck Syria. Show us something very special.

This is a gobsmacking move.

An 'Only Trump could do this' move.

As always, ever so interesting how it all came together, with Al-Sharaa seeking out the US, not vice versa. And the Syrian representative spun a dream of a Trump Tower in Damascus one day.

...Speaking at an investment forum on Tuesday, Trump said that he planned to lift sanctions on Syria after holding talks with Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “to give them a chance at greatness”.

...Sharaa, who is keen to normalise relations with the US, has reportedly offered Trump a number of sweeteners including the Trump tower in Damascus, a demilitarised zone by the Golan Heights that would strengthen Israel’s claim to the territory it has occupied since 1967, diplomatic recognition of Israel, and a profit-sharing deal on resources similar to the Ukraine minerals deal.

The idea to offer Trump a piece of real estate with his name on it in the heart of Damascus was thought up by a US Republican senator, who passed on the idea to Sharaa’s team.

Trump will talk to anyone who sincerely wants to talk to him. It's like his magic power.

If it works - and it's all on the Syrians - it's going to plug several gaping holes using available assets.



This also helps keep Turkey on the spot because, should Al-Sharaa start to see the fruits of cooperation with the US pay off and Syria begins to rise from the dead, he becomes a hero, and there's nothing more these egotists love than being loved. He won't let Erdogan interfere with that, whatever he owes him.

The other is the pressure from Saudi Arabia on Syria now. They facilitated this come to Trump moment. The crown prince would take it ill if the jihadi reappeared after making a public spectacle of the Saudis' belief that he was worth cultivating and his country worth saving.

The Saudis do not take embarrassment lightly.
Link


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Trump says he’ll lift sanctions on Syria, restore ties with new president Sharaa
2025-05-14
See also here.
[IsraelTimes] Meeting between leaders set for Wednesday; sources say Damascus may offer talks on normalizing relations with Israel under Abraham Accords

US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and whatever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th and 47th President of the United States...
 said Tuesday he will move to normalize relations and lift sanctions on Syria’s new government to give the country "a chance at peace."

Trump is set to meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia
...a kingdom takingup the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
 with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime Death Eater who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Scourge of Qusayr...
. He said the effort at rapprochement came at the urging of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
, the Saudi de facto ruler, and Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
"There is a new government that will hopefully succeed," Trump said of Syria, adding, "I say good luck, Syria. Show us something special."

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Tuesday that Trump’s decision to lift sanctions was a "pivotal turning point for the Syrian people, as we move toward a future of stability, self-sufficiency and genuine reconstruction after years of destructive war."

Sharaa will be the first Syrian leader to meet an American president since the late Hafez al-Assad met Bill Clinton
...former Democratic president of the U.S. Bill was the second U.S. president to be impeached, the first to deny that oral sex was sex, the first to have difficulty with the definition of the word is...
 in Geneva in 2000.

It was a major boost for the Syrian president, who at one point was imprisoned in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion of the Arab country. Sharaa was named president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by Death Eater groups led by Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
, or HTS, stormed Damascus, ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family.

According to the London Times, citing unnamed security sources, Sharaa may use the meeting to offer talks on normalizing relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

A US security source confirmed the possibility of Damascus joining the accords, with the United Arab Emirates as a mediator. Sharaa confirmed last week that Abu Dhabi is already acting as an intermediary between Israel and Syria, with talks focusing on security and intelligence matters and confidence-building between the two countries, which have no official relations.

The source added that Washington and Gulf countries are seeking to pull Syria away from Iranian influence. Tehran, sworn to Israel’s destruction, propped up the former Assad regime throughout the bloody Syrian civil war.

The US has been weighing how to handle Sharaa since he took power in December. Gulf leaders have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Trump to follow, believing it is a bulwark against Iran’s return to influence in Syria.

Then-president Joe The Big Guy Biden
...46th president of the U.S. Joe's wife and daughter weren't killed by a drunk driver. He didn't graduate with three or even two degrees, wasn't in the top half of his law class, and his daddy didn't come home from a hard day's work in the mines and play football with the guys. The NAACP hasn't endorsed him every time he's run....
 left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government.

"The president agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," the White House said before Trump’s remarks.

The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump and put him at odds with Israel, which has been deeply skeptical of Sharaa’s turban past and cautioned against swift recognition of the new government.

Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaeda gunnies battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003. He still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq, and the US once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaeda.

In 2011, Sharaa came back to his home country, where he led the branch of al-Qaeda that was known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaeda.

Syria has had fraught relations with Washington since the days of the Cold War, when Damascus maintained close links with the Soviet Union and later became Iran’s closest ally in the Arab world.

London-based Syrian analyst Ibrahim Hamidi said Trump’s meeting with Sharaa marks a "strategic shift" in the country, with Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate Jews Zionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
forced to leave and Russia, which also backed Assad and now gives him sanctuary, weakened.

"The Syrian-American meetings in Riyadh open the gate for the two sides to start discussing disagreements and issues between them with an atmosphere of dialogue," said Hamidi, editor-in-chief of the Arabic magazine Al Majalla. "This is important."
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