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Saudi-Iran ice cap shows signs of thaw
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Quiet diplomacy on to bring the two warring countries closer
By Abu Turab
The advent of Donald Trump as the 45th President of United States has been accompanied by some interesting diplomatic moves in the Middle East, with arch rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran showing early inclination of rebuilding bilateral relations.
On January 25 Kuwaiti Emir Jabel al-Ahmed al-Sabah sent a “special message” to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani through his Foreign Minister. This was probably the outcome of early Riyadh-headquartered Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) efforts to open channels of dialogue to bring the two countries together, says the credible news website Al-Monitor.
On December 1, 2016, Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah was quoted as saying that GCC was trying to send a message to Tehran for inviting both countries to dialogue. He also said that Kuwait will be transmitting the message to Iran and that “contacts with Iran are ongoing to set a convenient date to divert that message.” Other members of the regional Council are Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Oman.
A Tehran-based Press TV report says that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, while receiving the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, said that “the power and capabilities of Iran have always been aimed at safeguarding regional security and stability and supporting neighbours.” He also reiterated Tehran’s commitment to supporting “any measures” that would promote regional stability and security.
On January 14, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, while speaking to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), disclosed that he has been carrying out certain mediatory measures since last year to help improve relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He further said that any crisis in the Iran-Saudi relations affects Iraq as well and a rapprochement between the two countries would benefit Iraq.
He disclosed that he has carried oral messages between Iranian and Saudi officials in the past few months and added that his country would make efforts to bring the positions of Tehran and Riyadh closer.
Ties between Tehran and Riyadh took downturn after a deadly human crush occurred during Hajj rituals in September 2015. Some 465 Iranians were among 4,700 killed in the tragedy. Iranians’ violent reaction to Saudi Arabia prosecuting Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, was witnessed when protesters set fire to some portion of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran on January 2, 2016. Similar protest was also reported from Mashhad. Saudi Arabia unilaterally severed its diplomatic ties with Iran after the protests.
A large number of pilgrims from different countries were still being claimed by Saudi authorities as ‘missing.’ Over a hundred Indian pilgrims were killed and 32 remained missing in the tragedy.
In one analysis, Al-Monitor says that on January 17 Iranian president Hassan Rouhani hailed the efforts of at least a dozen countries, including Iraq and Kuwait for offering to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He expressed his willingness to be on good terms with everyone, especially the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia. Earlier, Iran’s secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had also expressed their desire to renew relations with Saudi Arabia.
The first breakthrough in Tehran-Riyadh relations was witnessed on September 28, 2016 when the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed to curb oil production during the meeting in Algiers. The agreement resulted in the largest cut in oil production since 2008 forcing considerable price rise in the international market.
The agreement was possible only through a major Saudi concession which exempted Iran from capping production. As OPEC’s dominant producer, the Saudi’s wield enough clout to provide such a concession.
Recently on January 10, Head of Iranian Hajj Mission Syed Ali Qadi Askar announced receiving an invitation via Saudi Arabia’s consulate in New York to hold meetings to discuss plans for this year’s Hajj.
Iran had boycotted Hajj 2016 for not getting security guarantee of their nationals after the tragic death of its 465 nationals in the Hajj stampede 2015. Iran claimed the total number of Hajj pilgrims killed in the tragedy were 4,700 while Saudi authorities gave the total number of deaths at only 700. Earlier, 11 Iranian pilgrims were among more than 100 killed in a massive construction crane collapse in Mecca’s Grand Mosque.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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Suicide bombing near Turkey Parliament building in Ankara, 2 cops injured
Turkey’s main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has slammed the attack in Ankara and stated that terrorism is a crime against humanity.
Turkey’s interior minister Ali Yerlikaya on Sunday asserted that two terrorists carried out a bomb attack in front of the ministry buildings in Ankara. He added that one of them died in the explosion and the other was “neutralised” by authorities there.
Earlier, Turkish media reported that an explosion was heard near the parliament and ministerial buildings, and broadcasters showed footage of debris scattered on a street near the Interior Ministry. A footage from Reuters showed soldiers, ambulances, fire trucks and an armoured vehicle gathered near the centre of Turkey’s capital, where the police have blocked multiple key roads.
Taking to social media X, formerly Twitter, Ali Yerlikaya, the interior minister, said that two police officers were slightly injured in the incident at 9:30 a.m. He added that two terrorists came with a light commercial vehicle in front of the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of their Ministry of Internal Affairs and carried out a bomb attack.
The interior minister further mentioned that one of the terrorists blew himself up and the other was neutralised, which usually means was killed. He noted that their struggle will continue until the last terrorist is neutralised.
Reports said that Ankara’s chief prosecutor initiated an investigation into what it also called a terrorist attack. Authorities did not identify any specific militant group, as yet.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu has slammed the attack in Ankara and stated that terrorism is a crime against humanity. The leader of the Republican People’s Party mentioned that no matter from whom and where it came from, they will fight it together as a country and will never give treacherous ambitions a chance.
The concerned authorities in Ankara have cautioned the citizens over suspicious packages and bags that are being detonated in a controlled manner. Ankara Security Directorate asked citizens not to panic.
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Balochistan blast: Pakistan alleges India’s involvement in suicide attack, toll rises to 60
Sarfaraz Bugti told media that civil, military and all other institution will jointly strike against the elements involved in the Mastung suicide bombing.
Pakistan interior minister Sarfaraz Bugti in a shocking claim alleged India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) intelligence agency for the suicide blast in Balochistan. The blast that took place on Friday claimed the lives of nearly 60 people, leaving 60 others injured. The Indian government, on the other hand, is yet to make an official statement on Sarfaraz Bugti’s allegations.
The suicide bomb attack targeted a procession which gathered to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday near the Madina Masjid at a place called Mastung. The blast tore through the mosque in the southern province of Balochistan after the bomber denoted his explosive near a police vehicle where the people gathered for the procession.
Sarfaraz Bugti told media at Quetta that civil, military and all other institution will jointly strike against the elements involved in the Mastung suicide bombing. Without providing much details or evidence, the Pakistan minister claimed that RAW is involved in the suicide attack.
Wasim Baig, the spokesman for Balochistan’s health department, asserted that seven more people had died in hospital since Friday, which had caused the rise in the death toll. He added that more patients remained in critical condition.
In addition, a second attack on Friday at a mosque in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had killed nearly five people. Police on Saturday lodged a report to initiate an investigation, mentioning that they had sent DNA from the suicide bomb attacker to be analysed.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for either attack. A surge in terror attacks in Pakistan’s western provinces has cast a shadow on preparations and public campaigning in the run-up to January’s general elections, but until now the attacks had mostly targeted security forces.
The Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which is responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan since the group’s formation in 2007, denied responsibility for Friday’s blasts. On Saturday, a statement from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) said that an FIR with murder charges and terrorism offences has been registered against an unidentified attacker.
The caretaker government of Balochistan announced three days of mourning in the wake of the attack.
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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mahmood Qureshi held guilty in cipher case
The PTI leaders’ trial has been requested by the FIA, and it is expected that they would be sentenced in accordance with the law.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were found guilty on Saturday by Pakistan’s top investigating agency in the cypher case, a case involving the alleged exposure of state secrets.
The charge sheet against Khan, the Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman, and Qureshi, who are both presently being held in custody on judicial remand, was submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to a special court set up under the Official Secrets Act, according to the Pakistan Observer website.
Imran Khan, 70, was detained last month following the filing of a complaint against him for allegedly breaking the Official Secrets Act by revealing a covert diplomatic cable (cypher) issued by the nation’s embassy in Washington last year in March.
The PTI leaders’ trial has been requested by the FIA, and it is expected that they would be sentenced in accordance with the law.
The vice chairman of PTI is 75-year-old Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Asad Umar, the former general secretary of the PTI, is not on the FIA’s list of suspects, but former principal secretary Azam Khan has been portrayed as a key witness in the FIA’s case against Imran Khan, according to GeoTV, a well-known news outlet. The challan also contains Azam Khan’s statement recorded under sections 161 and 164.
The speeches by Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Imran Khan from March 27 are also included in the FIA’s attachment.
The Pakistan Observer further noted that the FIA had provided the court with a list of 28 witnesses in addition to the charge sheet. According to the report, the list of witnesses includes names such as current foreign secretary Asad Majid, previous foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood, and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
Imran Khan had been imprisoned on remand three times earlier on September 26. Along with Qureshi, his judicial remand was initially extended until September 13 and then again until September 26.
The former PM was transferred from Attock prison to the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on the same day, one day after the Islamabad High Court instructed authorities to do so.
