Turkish Energy Minister Says SOCAR May Become Partner in Providing Gas to Syriahttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5163249-turkish-energy-minister-says-socar-may-become-partner-providing-gas-syria
Turkish Energy Minister Says SOCAR May Become Partner in Providing Gas to Syria
Logo of Azerbaijan's SOCAR for natural gas. (Reuters)
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Wednesday that Azerbaijan's SOCAR could become a partner in Türkiye’s plans to provide Syria with natural gas, adding that Ankara hoped to start the provision soon.
Bayraktar said during a visit to Damascus in May that Türkiye would provide 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Syria annually, in addition to 1,000 megawatts of electricity.
"SOCAR might be a partner with us in this project. I hope we can normalize life in Syria," Bayraktar said during a visit to Vienna for an OPEC meeting.
Ankara, which supported opposition forces in neighboring Syria throughout the 13-year civil war that ended in December with the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, has now become one of the new Syrian government's main foreign allies while positioning itself to be a major player in Syria's reconstruction.
Al-Aradah to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Spared Yemen from Another Civil Warhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5284712-al-aradah-asharq-al-awsat-saudi-arabia-spared-yemen-another-civil-war
Al-Aradah to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Arabia Spared Yemen from Another Civil War
Al-Aradah stressed that Saudi Arabia averted a new civil war in Yemen. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Maj. Gen. Sultan Al-Aradah, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and governor of Marib, said Saudi Arabia helped prevent Yemen from sliding into a new civil war through what he described as its “sincere” support during the tensions that unfolded in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra last December.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Aradah maintained that the Yemeni people, with their long history, civilization and standing, cannot remain hostage to a militia – a reference to the Iran-backed Houthis. “Sometimes peace can only be achieved by imposing peace,” he said.
He described relations with Saudi Arabia as far deeper than conventional political ties, calling them “a relationship of shared destiny,” and praised Saudi development projects across Yemen, noting their visible impact on communities throughout the country.
German ambassador’s visit
Al-Aradah viewed last week’s visit by German Ambassador Hubert Jäger to Marib as evidence of the strength of Yemeni-German relations and Berlin’s commitment to supporting Yemen through difficult circumstances.
Germany has played an important role in humanitarian and development efforts over many years, he noted.
The relationship between the two countries spans decades and includes a wide range of shared interests, making the ambassador’s visit an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into conditions in Marib and the challenges facing the province.
The Houthis and the regional conflict
Al-Aradah criticized the Houthi involvement in the wider regional conflict, arguing that it serves neither Yemen’s interests nor those of the region and does nothing to preserve state institutions.
“What interest do the Houthis have in intervening in issues that have no direct connection to Yemen?” he asked.
Such policies, he said, have brought Yemen repeated crises and deepened the suffering endured by Yemenis over the past decade.
According to Al-Aradah, Yemen cannot achieve lasting stability until the state regains its authority and institutions.
He indicated that the legitimate government and its regional and international partners will continue working toward that objective.
“The Yemeni people, with their history, civilization and stature, cannot remain hostage to a militia, whatever form it takes,” he said, adding that Yemenis will continue their efforts, with the support of allies and partners, to rebuild their state and restore its institutions.
Maj. Gen. Sultan Al-Aradah, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and governor of Marib. (Saba)
Why Marib held firm
Asked about Marib’s ability to withstand years of military and political pressure, Al-Aradah dismissed the idea of any “secret” or “magic formula.”
The province’s resilience stemmed from a profound sense of responsibility at a decisive moment in Yemen’s history, he explained. As state institutions collapsed and Yemenis faced attacks on their lives, dignity, property and national values, many rallied behind Marib.
For many Yemenis, Marib became more than a safe haven; it became the center of the struggle to defend the republic and restore the state, he added.
Assessing the performance of the legitimate government over recent years, Al-Aradah acknowledged that numerous domestic and external factors had hindered progress.
Without elaborating, he noted that these obstacles affected development, the economy and security. Nevertheless, he described them as challenges that can be overcome and suggested that meaningful progress has already been made in addressing some of them.
Peace efforts
Al-Aradah reiterated that peace remains the preferred option, but argued that it requires parties willing to embrace it.
“The problem is that we do not have a party that believes in peace,” he said. “The other side views peace as the end of its project. We want peace, but the question is: with whom?”
One of the principal reasons the war continues, he added, is the belief among the Houthis that a genuine settlement would undermine their political and ideological project.
Asked whether that implied a military solution, Al-Aradah replied that history offers many examples of conflicts that ended only through decisive action after negotiations failed and one side showed no real commitment to peace.
Perpetual war is not a viable option. The interests of the Yemeni people must take precedence over all other considerations, he stressed.
Keeping the state intact
Al-Aradah described the Presidential Leadership Council’s ability to preserve the state and maintain cohesion under extraordinarily difficult circumstances as a significant achievement in itself.
Yemen, he observed, faced challenges that could easily have led to fragmentation and dangerous divisions. Instead, the council endured and overcame many obstacles with support from regional and international partners.
The council is pursuing several priorities simultaneously, including unifying military formations, strengthening joint operations, improving coordination among national forces, supporting the government and preserving state institutions.
It is also working to improve economic conditions, consolidate state revenues and help government institutions resume normal operations.
While acknowledging the scale of public suffering, Al-Aradah said that the current situation must be judged against the alternative.
“When we look at the alternative, we realize the other option was chaos, fragmentation and total collapse,” he noted.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, meets with Al-Aradah. (SPA file)
The challenge within
The most difficult challenge facing the PLC, Al-Aradah noted, has been internal rather than external.
The council has grappled with major internal issues since its formation, although many of those matters were not suitable for public discussion at the time.
He credited PLC Chairman Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi with playing a central role in containing those challenges.
“He has shown remarkable patience and endurance and has faced considerable criticism,” Al-Aradah said. “We have now seen the results of that patience.”
Collective leadership models are inherently difficult and often encounter serious obstacles, he remarked.
The council was not created arbitrarily, but emerged from a careful assessment of Yemen’s political, military and regional realities, he went on to say. Its members represent different forces, constituencies and regions, with the aim of unifying national political and military power against common challenges.
Building a unified military
Discussing efforts to unify military formations, Al-Aradah said important progress has been made through joint operations and military committees that bring together commanders from different forces.
He credited Saudi Arabia with playing a pivotal role, not only through political backing but also through logistical and military support and sustained coordination among various factions.
The Kingdom views military unification as an integral part of the broader effort to restore the Yemeni state and works directly with different military formations, providing support and funding, he told Asharq Al-Awsat
Hadramawt and the threat of escalation
Turning to developments in Hadramawt, Al-Aradah expressed regret over the tensions that unfolded there, arguing that the province never deserved to be drawn into conflict.
Hadramawt has long been one of Yemen’s most peaceful and stable regions, he noted. The tensions resulted from poor calculations at both local and external levels, prompting Yemen’s leadership to act in order to preserve national unity and prevent broader confrontations.
He praised Saudi Arabia’s role during the crisis, describing the Kingdom as “a sincere brother” that stood beside Yemen at a critical moment and helped prevent the country from sliding further toward fragmentation.
According to Al-Aradah, that coordinated effort protected Yemen from a new civil war that could have spread across large parts of the country.
Yemen is already fighting a war against the Houthis while enduring a severe economic crisis, he noted. Opening new fronts inside government-controlled areas would have posed a grave threat to the country’s future.
Many Yemenis, including some who disagreed with decisions taken at the time, will eventually recognize the significance of the Kingdom’s role in preventing further divisions and conflict, he predicted.
A reckoning for Yemen’s political elite
Al-Aradah argued that the key question facing Yemen’s political elite is not their own future but whether they can guide the country out of its crisis and restore state institutions.
The political class, he suggested, must undertake an honest assessment of its own record, since much of Yemen’s current predicament resulted from rivalries, disputes and conflicts among competing elites.
Their moral and national responsibility now is to correct those mistakes by working to restore the state and improve the lives of ordinary Yemenis.
The Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council during a meeting. (Yemeni Presidency)
Saudi-Yemeni relations
Speaking at length about Saudi-Yemeni relations, Al-Aradah described them as ties of “shared destiny” that transcend ordinary politics.
Al-Aradah said the relationship is rooted in history, kinship, religion, common interests and intertwined security concerns.
Saudi Arabia’s greatest contribution to Yemen, in his view, has been political rather than financial.
“The most important thing Saudi Arabia provided was diplomatic and political backing for Yemen’s legitimate government from the very beginning of the crisis,” he said.
Without that support and the accompanying diplomatic efforts, parts of the international community might have treated the Houthis as a permanent authority or alternative government.
The Kingdom has also supported state institutions, assisted the government and provided humanitarian aid and relief.
“Saudi Arabia is committed to restoring the Yemeni state and its sovereignty perhaps more than many Yemenis themselves,” Al-Aradah said.
Saudi development efforts in Yemen
He praised Saudi-funded projects throughout Yemen and thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their continued support.
He highlighted the work of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and commended the Masam landmine-clearance program, noting that Houthi landmines continue to threaten farmers, shepherds, travelers, children and civilians.
He also praised the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, led by Ambassador Mohammed Al Jaber, crediting it with strengthening health care, education, water services, infrastructure and local development.
Al-Zaidi, Barrack Discuss Iraq’s Plans for Disarmament of Armed Groups ahead of US Visithttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5284670-al-zaidi-barrack-discuss-iraq%E2%80%99s-plans-disarmament-armed-groups-ahead-us-visit
Al-Zaidi, Barrack Discuss Iraq’s Plans for Disarmament of Armed Groups ahead of US Visit
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi receives US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack in Baghdad on Tuesday. (INA)
The agreement between the United States and Iran to end the conflict in the region has revived hopes that the Iraqi government will be able to disarm armed factions that are aligned with Iran.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi received US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack in Baghdad for talks on the “shared commitment” of the US and Iraqi governments “to a strong and mutually beneficial US-Iraq partnership, able to fulfill Iraqi aspirations for a sovereign, secure, and prosperous future and to deliver tangible benefits for Americans and Iraqis alike,” said the US Embassy in Iraq in a statement on Tuesday.
Barrack said US President Donald Trump looks forward to welcoming al-Zaidi to the White House mid-July “to discuss the future of this important relationship”.
The leaders discussed “the shared aspirational vision for the Iraqi government to build a brighter future free from terrorism, to implement Iraqi plans for ensuring the complete disarmament and disbandment of all armed groups and formations operating outside the authority and control of the Iraqi state, to ensure the confinement of their weapons within the authority of the Iraqi state, and to assert full sovereignty in order to keep Iraq away from conflict and ensure that Iraqi territory cannot be used by any side to threaten regional peace.”
“Al-Zaidi and Barrack underscored the urgency in full completion of these efforts,” added the statement.
Al-Zaidi also reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to deepening trade and investment relations between the two countries, and Barrack welcomed this shared approach.
The two sides also underscored “the importance of supporting a strong, sovereign, and united federal democratic Iraq, grounded in robust constitutional institutions, and ensuring full equality for all citizens, in a manner that strengthens Iraq's unity, stability, and prosperity.”
Disarmament of factions
Efforts to impose state monopoly over arms continue to be shrouded in mystery given the lack of clear mechanism and plans to that effect. So far, the government has said that it wanted to resolve this issue when the international anti-ISIS coalition ends its mission in Iraq in September.
Meanwhile, more factions have been voicing their opposition to disarmament.
The Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada reneged on Sunday on its previous declaration that it would lay down its arms.
Observers said it changed its position after its leader Abu Ala al-Walai was placed on a US sanctions and terrorism list.
They predicted that other factions may also change their stance on disarmament.
Kataib spokesman Kazem al-Fartousi told the media on Sunday that the “resistance’s weapons was too great an issue to be discussed by the Iraqi government.”
Rather, he said it was the “choice of the people and nation. So we cannot comply with calls that could be attributed to the government or foreign pressure.”
“The weapons are needed for one goal and purpose: the withdrawal of the occupier,” he added.
“We respect al-Zaidi's government as one that represents the Iraqi people, but we do not agree to the demand of disarmament and categorically reject it,” he continued, citing “repeated attacks on Iraq’s sovereignty.”
“We have several reasons to keep the weapons,” he added.
The staunchly pro-Iran Kataib Hezbollah and al-Nujaba movement have been adamantly opposed to disarmament since the government expressed its determination to impose state monopoly over weapons.
A source close to the factions revealed that “direct and serious threats have been made against political and government powers” against pursuing disarmament, which explains why discussions over the issue have died down somewhat in Iraq in recent days.
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not elaborate on the threats, but spoke of fears of “intra-Shiite strife should the authorities maintain their position on disarmament.”
The source did not rule out the possibility that Iran could exert its influence over the factions to respect a long-term truce in Iraq should the agreement to end the war with the US stand.
Researcher and former diplomat Ghazi al-Faisal stressed that Iran plays a decisive role in the disarmament file.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Any strategic shift in the Iranian policy will reflect directly on Iraq.”
“Should Iran choose the path of a developed state and economic integration instead of backing cross-border armed groups, then that will pave the way for a new phase of stability in the region,” he remarked.
“Iraq will benefit the most from such a shift,” he predicted.
Egypt, UAE Leaders Underscore Importance of Preserving Security of Arab Countrieshttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5284656-egypt-uae-leaders-underscore-importance-preserving-security-arab-countries
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meet in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency)
Egypt, UAE Leaders Underscore Importance of Preserving Security of Arab Countries
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meet in Cairo on Monday. (Egyptian presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed on Monday the importance of maintaining coordination in stances between Arab countries to preserve their security and interests.
Sisi welcomed Sheikh Mohamed in Cairo for talks in wake of the agreement to end the US war on Iran and on the eve of the Egyptian leader's trip to Evian where he will meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
Sisi and Sheikh Mohamed held expanded talks, with Egyptian Presidency spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy saying they were part of the “ongoing close consultations” between their leaderships.
Sisi reiterated Egypt’s firm support for the stability and sovereignty of the UAE and the steps its leadership takes to protect the security of its territories and people, he added.
“The security of the UAE and Gulf countries is indivisible to that of Egypt’s national security,” Sisi declared.
“Egypt is committed to supporting the Gulf countries and all other Arab nations,” he declared, according to the spokesman.
For his part, Sheikh Mohamed expressed his keenness on the ongoing consultations with Sisi over various developments.
He also expressed his appreciation for the Egyptian leader’s constant support for the UAE and Gulf countries.
President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reacts as he bids farewell to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, at Cairo International Airport, in Cairo, Egypt, June 15, 2026. (UAE Presidential Court/Handout via Reuters)
Sisi had visited Abu Dhabi in May where he underlined Egypt’s support for the UAE amid the escalation in the region.
Ali El-Hefny, former assistant foreign minister and secretary general of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said the visits between the Egyptian and UAE leaders offer an opportunity to maintain consultations on the highest levels between their countries.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said Sheikh Mohamed’s visit is significant because it took place soon after the US and Iran reached an agreement to end the conflict in the region.
Relations between Egypt and the UAE have reached the level of “comprehensive strategic partnership, which demands constant follow-up so that it can be elevated further,” he went on to say.
Sheikh Mohamed’s visit offers an opportunity to achieve more cooperation over everything related to regional and international affairs, added El-Hefny.
Egypt had on Monday welcomed the US-Iran deal, saying it was significant in helping restore regional and international security and stability.
On Sisi’s upcoming meeting with Trump, El-Hefny said the leaders will tackle several issues and the talks gain greater significance in wake of the agreement with Iran.
Talks may also tackle the situation in Gaza where Egypt has been playing a mediating role.
Sisi is set to meet with several world leaders on the sidelines of the G7.
لم تشترك بعد
انشئ حساباً خاصاً بك لتحصل على أخبار مخصصة لك ولتتمتع بخاصية حفظ المقالات وتتلقى نشراتنا البريدية المتنوعة
