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Moscow: Agreement Reached on Including Tehran in Ankara, Damascus Normalization Process

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on January 31, 2023. (AFP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on January 31, 2023. (AFP)
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Moscow: Agreement Reached on Including Tehran in Ankara, Damascus Normalization Process

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on January 31, 2023. (AFP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart following their talks in Moscow on January 31, 2023. (AFP)

Moscow reiterated on Tuesday its keenness on pushing forward rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow supports Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s openness to resolving issues with Damascus.

“An agreement has been reached today with the aim of including Iran in this process,” he announced from Moscow where he received his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

It is only natural for the upcoming contacts related to the normalization of ties between Ankara and Damascus to take place through Russian and Iranian mediation, he added.

He revealed that efforts are underway to set date for future meetings between concerned military and diplomatic officials.

A diplomatic source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Moscow and Ankara have reached a settlement over including Iran in the normalization process.

Ankara had initially objected to Tehran’s inclusion.

Iran, for its part, had expressed reservations over its previous exclusion by Russia and Türkiye from the process, the source said. It therefore stressed to Russia the need for it to be included in the normalization efforts.

On Monday, Russian deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held talks with his Syrian counterpart Ayman Sosan.

He expressed Moscow’s readiness “to help in normalizing ties between Damascus and Ankara based on the principles of respecting Syria’s sovereignty,” said a Russian foreign ministry statement.

The officials exchanged views on the situation in and around Syria, stressing the need for a comprehensive settlement.

They highlighted the pioneering role played by the Astana process in Syria and underscored the need to intensify constructive work at the Syrian Constitutional Committee.

Bogdanov and Sosan also discussed bolstering the “traditional friendly relations between Russia and Syria.”

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.