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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)
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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.

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Assad to Araghchi: Iranian Response to Israel ‘Was Strong’

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi in Damascus on Saturday. (EPA)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi in Damascus on Saturday. (EPA)
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Assad to Araghchi: Iranian Response to Israel ‘Was Strong’

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi in Damascus on Saturday. (EPA)
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi in Damascus on Saturday. (EPA)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Damascus on Saturday, coinciding with an Israeli strike that targeted a car on the Homs-Hama road in northern rural Homs. Reports suggest that a prominent member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed in the attack.

Araghchi, along with his delegation, met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other top officials, including Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali and Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh.

According to a statement from the Syrian presidency, Assad praised Iran’s “strong response” to Israeli violations, stating it delivered a lesson to Tel Aviv and demonstrated the ability of the Axis of Resistance to counter Israel’s aggression. He also emphasized the strategic importance of the Syrian-Iranian relationship in facing regional challenges, further adding that Israel must cease its violent actions and return rightful territories to their owners.

Discussions between Assad and Araghchi focused on Israeli aggression in Lebanon and the need for regional support for the displaced Lebanese population.

The Iranian official reiterated his country’s commitment to supporting efforts for a ceasefire, particularly in Lebanon and Gaza, and stressed the importance of international coordination to halt the aggression. This follows earlier comments made by Araghchi in Beirut, where he pointed to Iran’s efforts to achieve a simultaneous ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza.

This was Araghchi’s first visit to Damascus since assuming office. Recently, analysts have highlighted growing differences between Iran and Syria on several issues, including Tehran’s limited economic and energy support for Damascus, which faces a severe economic crisis.

Furthermore, reports have suggested that Iran has reduced its military presence in Syria due to increased Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian forces and commanders since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

During Araghchi’s visit, Syrian state media reported that air defenses intercepted hostile targets over western Homs, though details were not provided. Local sources reported the death of one person and the injury of three others in a drone strike on a car in the Homs area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the attack, noting that it targeted one Syrian and two foreign nationals, including a commander.