UN Chief Condemns Attack on Iran in Syria

 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference, in Amman, Jordan March 25, 2024. (Reuters)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference, in Amman, Jordan March 25, 2024. (Reuters)
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UN Chief Condemns Attack on Iran in Syria

 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference, in Amman, Jordan March 25, 2024. (Reuters)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a press conference, in Amman, Jordan March 25, 2024. (Reuters)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned an attack on Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus, calling on "all concerned to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation," his spokesperson said.

"He cautions that any miscalculation could lead to broader conflict in an already volatile region, with devastating consequences for civilians who are already seeing unprecedented suffering in Syria, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the broader Middle East," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.



France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.