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Russia-US conflicting perception on Syria cause more deaths

Published

9 years ago

February 27, 2018

Russia-US conflicting perception on Syria cause more deaths

The ongoing attacks in Eastern Ghouta in the outskirts of Damascus have become a matter of conflict between the two perceptions carried by US and Russia about the inhabitants.

The Syrian army and Russians seem not to be willing to implement the recently concluded UNSC resolution for a 30-day ceasefire to avoid escape of the holed up “terrorists” while western media and even United Nations have been calling the situation as “Hell on Earth” for the besieged civilians.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, while speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday described Eastern Ghouta situation as “Hell on Earth” and called for an immediate implementation of the Saturday’s Security Council resolution for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria.

“I remind all parties of their absolute obligation and international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times. Similarly, efforts to combat ‘terrorism’ do not supersede these obligations,” he added.

Meanwhile, TASS reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a daily five-hour humanitarian pause in hostilities in a bid to prevent civilian casualties. It said that a humanitarian corridor would be opened from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day from Tuesday to allow civilians to leave.

Latest reports received from Eastern Ghouta have confirmed that the five-hour “humanitarian pause” called by Russia has come into effect to allow civilians to evacuate the area that has been under continuous aerial bombardment. More than 550 civilians have reportedly lost their lives during last eight days.

The UN Secretary General’s remarks came at a time when doctors in the besieged enclave have accused Syrian government of launching a chlorine gas attack in Al-Shifaniyah in Eastern Ghouta.

Syria’s Civil Defence rescue team, also known as the White Helmets has claimed death of one child as a result of suffocation, while opposition health officials have claimed of victims showing symptoms “consistent with exposure to toxic chlorine gas.”

Interestingly, Russian Reconciliation Centre for Syria, a Latakia based joint Turkish-Russian enterprise, while releasing its report on Sunday, warned that “militants in Eastern Ghouta were preparing to launch a chemical attack which would later be blamed on Syrian government.”

The centre’s report said, “The data at our disposal indicates the leaders of militant units are preparing a provocation that will involve the utilization of chemical weapons in order to accuse the government forces of deploying chemical weapons against peaceful civilians.”

Recently the Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement, “We hope that the United States was not guided by the need to stop counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State, Jabhat al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham, the Army of Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman groups (outlawed in Russia ) operating in the suburbs of Damascus”.

It further said, “However, there are some doubts on that score. Sources ‘on the ground’ cited by Americans more and more often indicate that the information on the situation in Syria received by them comes from the White Helmets NGO, which is mixed in with terrorists and which is financed by Western proponents of the concept of forcible change of unwanted regimes.”

Moreover Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, while speaking at one of his official meeting in Moscow, has also proposed setting up of humanitarian corridors in the al-Tanf and Rukban areas for civilians’s free exit.

He said, “Being aware that Eastern Ghouta is not the sole trouble spot on the territory of Syria with regard to civilians and refugees, we know that the Rukban refugee camp controlled by the US is located in al-Tanf. We propose organizing the same humanitarian corridors and humanitarian pauses in the al Tanf and Rukban areas as well so that civilians can freely return to their homes and start restoring peaceful life,”

US forces are based in northern Syria without UN mandate of Syrian government’s invitation. Turkish forces are bent upon hitting Syrian Kurdish militants who have been receiving support from US forces. However, al-Tanf and Rukban are situated near Syria-Jordan border, in the south-eastern region of the country.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Published

3 hours ago

September 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.