عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Iran, Russia Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, 09 October 2023. (EPA)
Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, 09 October 2023. (EPA)
TT
TT

Iran, Russia Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, 09 October 2023. (EPA)
Smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on Gaza City, 09 October 2023. (EPA)

Iran and Russia on Friday called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Russian foreign ministry said that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, discussed the current situation pertaining to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during a telephone call.

“The two sides stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian aid to the civilian population,” the Ministry statement said.

Meanwhile, a veteran Thai politician said on Friday that he held direct talks with the Palestinian group Hamas seeking the safe release of Thai hostages it is holding, amid a flurry of diplomatic activity by Thailand’s government.

Areepen Uttarasin, a veteran Thai politician and former education minister, said the back-channel talks that lasted for about two hours were conducted in person in the Iranian capital Tehran, on Oct. 26, and that Hamas officials said Thai hostages were safe and well-looked after.

“I told them that I am here not to negotiate but simply to ask for their release,” said Areepen, who declined to name the Hamas officials he met with.

Thailand's Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara Pranpree said on Thursday that his country was in touch with Iran and other regional governments that can contact Hamas, including Qatar and Egypt.

Parnpree, who was in the Middle East earlier this week, said Iran was close to Hamas and has promised to help with negotiations.

At least 23 Thai nationals were among more than 240 people taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Of the more than 1,400 people Israel says were killed in the rampage, at least 32 were Thai.

 

 

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

London to Host International Conference in Mid-April on ‘Peace and Civilian Protection’ in Sudan

A photo taken in January 2024 shows women and children at the Zamzam displacement camp near El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan (Reuters)
A photo taken in January 2024 shows women and children at the Zamzam displacement camp near El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan (Reuters)
TT
TT

London to Host International Conference in Mid-April on ‘Peace and Civilian Protection’ in Sudan

A photo taken in January 2024 shows women and children at the Zamzam displacement camp near El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan (Reuters)
A photo taken in January 2024 shows women and children at the Zamzam displacement camp near El Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan (Reuters)

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yusuf described the visit of a British diplomatic delegation to the administrative capital, Port Sudan, as “highly significant,” stating that it aimed to consult with the Sudanese government regarding London’s plans to hold an international conference on Sudan in mid-April.

The conference, set to coincide with the second anniversary of the conflict, seeks to coordinate efforts between the two foreign ministries.

In an exclusive statement to Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday, Yusuf clarified that the conference will focus solely on humanitarian issues, civilian protection, and peace, with no other objectives.

He added: “The British delegation’s visit is to brief the Sudanese government on the conference’s goals and the invited parties.”

The Sudanese minister welcomed the British initiative as a “positive step,” following a key meeting with British officials in Munich, where bilateral relations and diplomatic engagement between Sudan and the UK were discussed to prevent escalations in international forums. “So far, discussions are progressing well,” he stated.

Yusuf confirmed that communication and meetings between Port Sudan and London are ongoing, saying: “The Sudanese ambassador in London arranged a meeting for me with the British Minister of State for African Affairs, which was highly constructive.”

On Tuesday, Port Sudan received a British diplomatic delegation that included Harriet Matthews, Director General for Africa, the Americas, and the Overseas Territories at the UK Foreign Office; Richard Crowder, the UK Special Envoy to Sudan; Mark Taylor, a political advisor at the British Embassy in Cairo; and the head of the UK Office for Sudan Affairs.

In its first meetings with Sudanese officials, the delegation met with the Governor of Darfur, Minni Arko Minnawi, to discuss the worsening humanitarian conditions for displaced people, particularly in Darfur’s camps.

Minnawi informed the delegation that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to block roads and prevent aid convoys from reaching those in need. He also criticized the international community’s stance on the situation in Darfur and urged Britain to take a more active role in addressing the crisis affecting the region’s population.

The British delegation is also expected to address Sudan’s accusations against the UK, alleging that it has “abandoned its moral and political responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, supported war financiers in Sudan, and held secret meetings with RSF leaders—making it complicit in the atrocities being committed.”

In November 2024, Britain, alongside Sierra Leone, submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council aimed at strengthening measures to protect civilians in Sudan. The resolution urged both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to uphold their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration on humanitarian principles. However, Russia vetoed the resolution, arguing that it undermined Sudan’s sovereignty.

In December, Sudanese Deputy Sovereign Council Chairman Malik Agar informed the British envoy of his government’s objections to the UK’s stance on the war, stating that Sudan “is dissatisfied with Britain’s negative and unsupportive position toward the Sudanese people.”