[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Sign-in] [Mail] [Setup] [Help]
Status: Not Logged In; Sign In
World News See other World News Articles Title: Iran And Israel In Unprecedented Indirect Talks Over Syria: Report After continuing escalation in Syria last week in which Syria accused both the US and Israel of conducting two separate airstrikes on pro-government forces, there are new reports of unprecedented indirect talks being held between Iran and Israel. And related unconfirmed reports suggest the Syrian government may have asked Iranian forces to withdraw their presence from key bases previously targeted in Israeli airstrikes. Though neither side has yet to confirm the events first reported in Saudi media and subsequently picked up in some Israeli media outlets (and are likely not going to), it could constitute the closest the two longtime Middle East enemies have come to engaging in diplomatic dealings over the crisis in Syria. The news also comes after the May 10 massive exchange of missiles between Israel and Syria in what was described as the "most direct confrontation between Israel and Iran in decades," and after Putin told Assad there is a need to withdraw "all foreign forces" from Syria, though it was unclear at the time whether the Russian president meant foreign jihadists and Western forces like the United States, or (as most US outlets reported) Iran's heavy troop presence in Syria. The Saudi-owned news site Elaph first revealed that the indirect Iran-Israel talks took place this weekend at a hotel in Amman. Elaph has lately become known for gaining a surprising level of access to Israeli officials, giving it a reputation as a news source Israel uses to communicate its message across the Arab world. Middle East Eye summarizes the Arabic language story as follows: Iran reportedly pledged to stay out of fighting in southwest Syria between Syrian forces and rebel groups while Israel said it will not intervene in battles near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights or the Israel-Jordan border so long as Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias are not involved. For the negotiations, Iran's ambassador to Jordan, Mostafa Moslehzadeh, stayed in a hotel room with Iranian security personnel next door to a room of senior Israeli security officials, including the deputy head of Mossad, Elaph reported. Jordanian officials served as mediator, shuttling messages between the two rooms, according to the report. Apparently, the two sides did come to some agreement of terms. Middle East eye continues: One participant told Elaph that the Iranians "arrived at a quick agreement" that its forces would not intervene in fighting near the Golan Heights and the Israel-Jordan border, surprising the Israeli representatives. Currently, Damascus is preparing for a showdown in the south, mustering its forces to take back all of Deraa and Quneitra provinces where fighting began during the opening months the war starting in 2011. Syrian state media has reported that government planes have dropped leaflets over towns in the region, warning anti-Assad forces that they must disarm or face military attack. Deraa and Quneitra are regions in the south and southwest where anti-Assad militants, most of them al-Qaeda linked, have received strong support from the US-Gulf coalition and Israel. As the Wall Street Journal has long acknowledged, Israel has given direct support to al-Qaeda forces as it sees the terror group as a "lesser evil" compared to Assad and Iran. And perhaps less well-known is that both current and former Israeli military leaders have express their preference for ISIS on their border, as opposed to pro-Shia Iran forces. Wall Street Journal: Israel's main concern is "Iran, not ISIS": Poster Comment: Reports are that Iran is supplying Syria with anti-aircraft missiles either from their version of the S-400 or from their older S-300 stuff. Not mentioned in these talks. Gives Iran a bargaining point. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top Page Up Full Thread Page Down Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Horse (#0)
Very curious. Why indirect talks? Is Israel afraid the evil Ayrabs will Holo©aust them if things don't go according to plan?
_____________________________________________________________ USA! USA! USA! Bringing you democracy, or else! there were strains of VD that were incurable, and they were first found in the Philippines and then transmitted to the Korean working girls via US military. The 'incurables' we were told were first taken back to a military hospital in the Philippines to quietly die. 4um
|
||
[Home]
[Headlines]
[Latest Articles]
[Latest Comments]
[Post]
[Sign-in]
[Mail]
[Setup]
[Help]
|