Sisi Exchanges Eid Al-Adha Congratulations with Leaders of Arab, Islamic Countries

 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi performs Eid Adha prayers at El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque (Egyptian Presidency)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi performs Eid Adha prayers at El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque (Egyptian Presidency)
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Sisi Exchanges Eid Al-Adha Congratulations with Leaders of Arab, Islamic Countries

 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi performs Eid Adha prayers at El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque (Egyptian Presidency)
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi performs Eid Adha prayers at El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi exchanged congratulations with the leaders of Arab and Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.

The President performed Eid Adha prayers at El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque, in the presence of Sheikh Al-Azhar, the Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Defense and Military Production, General Mohamed Zaki, and a number of officials and army leaders.

Sisi spoke on phone with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and offered his greetings on the occasion of celebrating Eid Al-Adha. The President wished the brotherly Lebanese people progress and prosperity.

The Lebanese prime minister expressed his sincere appreciation for the President's greetings, asking God to bestow his blessings upon Egypt, its leadership and people.

The Egyptian President also spoke with the chair of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan.

He offered his greetings on the occasion of celebrating Eid Al-Adha, wishing the government and people of Sudan progress and stability.

Sisi further exchanged Eid congratulations with his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied, asking God to return this occasion on Tunisia and both the Arab and Islamic nations with good and blessings and to bestow safety and stability upon the Tunisian people.



Syria Unable to Import Wheat or Fuel Due to US Sanctions, Trade Minister Says

Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
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Syria Unable to Import Wheat or Fuel Due to US Sanctions, Trade Minister Says

Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)
Syrian Trade Minister Maher Khalil al-Hasan speaks during an interview with Reuters in Damascus, Syria, January 6 2025. (Reuters)

Syria is unable to make deals to import fuel, wheat or other key goods due to strict US sanctions and despite many countries wanting to do so, Syria's new trade minister said.

In an interview with Reuters at his office in Damascus, Maher Khalil al-Hasan said Syria's new ruling administration had managed to scrape together enough wheat and fuel for a few months but the country faces a "catastrophe" if sanctions are not frozen or lifted soon.

Hasan is a member of the new caretaker government set up by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group after it launched a lightning offensive that toppled autocratic President Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8 after 13 years of civil war.

The sanctions were imposed during Assad's rule, targeting his government and also state institutions such as the central bank.

Russia and Iran, both major backers of the Assad government, previously provided most of Syria's wheat and oil products but both stopped doing so after the opposition factions triumphed and Assad fled to Moscow.

The US is set to announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while maintaining its strict sanctions regime, people briefed on the matter told Reuters on Monday.

The exact impact of the expected measures remains to be seen.

The decision by the outgoing Biden administration aims to send a signal of goodwill to Syria's people and its new rulers, and pave the way for improving basic services and living conditions in the war-ravaged country.

Washington wants to see Damascus embark on an inclusive political transition and to cooperate on counterterrorism and other matters.

Hasan told Reuters he was aware of reports that some sanctions may soon be eased or frozen.