International
Rival powers in Syria take steps to end the war and start a dialogue
The two main allies of the Syrian Government, Iran and Russia, and the greatest support of the armed opposition to President Bashar al Asad, Turkey, brought positions closer this Saturday to call for a cessation of hostilities in the midst of the offensive of the Islamist rebels and begin a dialogue that ends the war in Syria.
The Doha Forum was the scene of the first contact between the foreign ministers of these three powers that guarantee the ceasefire in Syria and that are part of the so-called Astana Format, a mechanism established in 2017 to find a solution to the war in the Arab country.
“We firmly confirm our call to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Syria. We call for the immediate cessation of war actions and the beginning of the dialogue between the Government and the legal opposition forces,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his speech at the forum.
Consensus between the parties
On November 27, an insurgent coalition led by the Liberation Agency of the Levant (heir to the former Syrian subsidiary of Al Qaeda) launched an offensive against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, and in just over a week, they have controlled the cities of Aleppo and Hama, both provincial capitals.
They are now at the gates of the city of Homs, in central Syria, and in case they control it they would further isolate Damascus, since it would cut the land connection with the Mediterranean coast.
This new crisis has set off all the alarms in the Middle East, something that is becoming evident this weekend in Doha, where most of the discussions and interviews revolve around the delicate situation that Syria is going through and the uncertain future of Al Asad.
In Doha, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, also insisted that “there was a consensus among all participants that the conflict must end immediately, the territorial integrity of Syria must be respected and, most importantly, the political dialogue between the Syrian Government and the legitimate opposition groups must continue.”
In the midst of the meetings between the heads of the diplomacy of Iran, Turkey and Russia, the Turkish president, the Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also called on all sides involved in the conflict in Syria, as well as “international organizations”, to protect the territorial unity of the Arab country.
“The best thing for our region will be that all actors who have responsibilities, all international organizations, support the protection of the territorial integrity of Syria,” Erdogan said during a speech to his party in the Turkish city of Gaziantep.
A “fundamentally different” process
Among the participants of these high-level meetings in Doha was also the UN special envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, who said in a brief appearance before the media that Turkey, Russia and Iran want to end the crisis and start a political process.
“I have called for urgent political talks in Geneva to implement Security Council resolution 2254. I am pleased to say that the ministers and everyone I am talking to support this appeal, and my hope is that a date for it can be announced very soon,” Pedersen said.
He thus referred to the resolution that in 2015 was unanimously approved by the UN Security Council, which lays the foundations for the achievement of a ceasefire and a negotiated solution to the conflict in force in Syria since 2011.
“My hope is that we can announce a date for this very soon,” said the diplomat, who said that he also held consultations with representatives of the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union, and that these meetings will continue on Sunday, at a time when the situation in Syria “changes every minute.”
“The need for an orderly political transition has never been more urgent, starting with the urgent formation of credible and inclusive transitional arrangements in Syria,” said Pedersen, who added that this requires “a serious and urgent process, fundamentally different from what has happened so far.”
This new process, according to the special envoy, should be the beginning of a roadmap that “leads to the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people and the restoration of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.”
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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