White House Would Like a Consulate in East Jerusalem, Adviser Says

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responds to a question from the news media during the White House daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US 11 July 2022. (EPA)
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responds to a question from the news media during the White House daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US 11 July 2022. (EPA)
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White House Would Like a Consulate in East Jerusalem, Adviser Says

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responds to a question from the news media during the White House daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US 11 July 2022. (EPA)
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan responds to a question from the news media during the White House daily briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US 11 July 2022. (EPA)

The White House would like to see a US consulate for the Palestinians open in east Jerusalem, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday as President Joe Biden made his way to the region.

"Our position is that we would like a consulate in East Jerusalem. Obviously, that requires engagement with the Israeli government. It requires engagement with the Palestinian leadership as well. And we will continue that engagement on this trip," Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force 1.

Sullivan also said the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken with the family of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

"He has invited the family to the United States to be able to sit down and engage with them directly," Sullivan said.



Iran Rejects Accusations it Interfered in Syria

Women smoke a water pipe as they sit on a lookout area at the mount Qasioun in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Women smoke a water pipe as they sit on a lookout area at the mount Qasioun in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
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Iran Rejects Accusations it Interfered in Syria

Women smoke a water pipe as they sit on a lookout area at the mount Qasioun in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Women smoke a water pipe as they sit on a lookout area at the mount Qasioun in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Iran's foreign ministry on Thursday expressed “concern” over “the spread of chaos and violence” in Syria and rejected accusations that Tehran interfered in Syria, after the new Syrian foreign minister told Tehran not to spread chaos in his country.
"We reject the baseless accusations by some media ... against Iran over interfering in Syria's internal affairs," Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by state media.
"It is necessary to prevent the spread of insecurity and violence ... and ensure the security of Syrian citizens," he added.

Syria's newly appointed foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, said on Tuesday that Iran must respect the will of the Syrian people and Syria's sovereignty and security.

"We warn them against spreading chaos in Syria and we hold them accountable for the repercussions of the latest remarks," he said.

On Sunday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Syrian youth to "stand with firm determination against those who have orchestrated and brought about this insecurity.”

Khamenei forecast "that a strong and honorable group will also emerge in Syria because today Syrian youth have nothing to lose,” calling the country unsafe.

The former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohsen Rezaee, said that the Syrian people “will not remain silent in the face of foreign occupation and aggression” or “the tyranny of an internal group.”

He added: "They will revive the resistance in Syria in a new form in less than a year."

"They will fail the malicious and deceptive plan led by America, the Zionist entity, and the regional countries that have been manipulated,” he added.