US Secretary of State Antony Blinken led an intense diplomatic effort to broker the deal, telling the Turkish president three times during a trip to Ankara just after the February 2023 earthquake that there would be no planes if Turkey blocked Sweden's NATO bid, the US official said.
US opposes reoccupation of Gaza by Israel: State Dept
In a rebuke to the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu who vowed to have "overall security" of Gaza after the war, the State Department said that the US does not support the reoccupation of the enclave, "Palestinians must be at the forefront of these decisions and Gaza is Palestinian land and...
US special Yemen envoy Lenderking’s Gulf tour to push for longer truce
"The United States is committed to supporting a resolution to the Yemen conflict as soon as possible. We are working closely with the UN, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and other partners to build on the UN-mediated truce, which has delivered the longest period of calm since the war began, and...
Blinken meets Saudi Crown Prince in fresh bid to mend ties
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, in what is seen as the fresh step towards mending ties between the US government and the de facto Saudi ruler. “The two affirmed their shared commitment to advance stability,...
Syria does not merit readmission into Arab League: US
"We continue to believe that we will not normalize our relations with the Assad regime and we don't support our allies and partners doing so either," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said. The US opposes reconciliation with Syria and domestic law forbids any assistance for reconstruction without accountability for abuses...
US denounces ‘troubling escalation’ of opposition arrests in Tunisia
Condemning the arrests of political opponents in Tunisia, the US government on Wednesday said that respect for freedom of expression and human rights are essential "to the US-Tunisia relationship." The condemnation follows the arrest on Monday of former Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi and the closure of the Ennahdha party...Blinken affirms Israel ties, warns on peace after Netanyahu spat
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and "reaffirmed the importance of the enduring US– Israel bilateral relationship. The top US diplomat "emphasized the importance of refraining from unilateral actions that exacerbate tensions," a statement said.
US to dispatch US$756m humanitarian aid to Syria
Continuing with what it called "unwavering support for the Syrian people, US State Department said that will send $756 million in new humanitarian aid to Syria, where need remains "dire" after more than a decade of war. The funds were in addition to a trance of $808 million announced earlier...US denies hints it is delaying Iran nuclear talks
Denying suggestions that it is stalling a potential agreement to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the US has taken additional time to' seriously review' the Iranian comments in response to the EU text sent to both Tehran and Washington.
Mahmud Abbas receives US delegation ahead of Biden visit
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas hosted Saturday a US delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, ahead of an expected visit of President Joe Biden.US urges Lebanon leaders to form a government swiftly
State Department spokesman Ned Price said: "We urge those elected and the country's political leaders to heed the Lebanese people's call for change and to work seriously, and with urgency, to take the necessary actions to rescue the economy,"We oppose expansion of settlements in West Bank: State Dept
The US has said that it opposed Israel’s plans to build new settlements in occupied Palestinian territories after Israeli officials said they would approve 4,000 new housing units in the West Bank.US Special Envoy for Yemen to visit Gulf for conflict resolution
US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking will travel to the Gulf starting March 28 to continue leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to advance a durable resolution to the conflict in Yemen and bring immediate relief to the people of Yemen, US State Department said in a statement. Yemenis deserve a...
US announces new sanctions after North Korea ICBM test
The targeted persons and organizations are accused of “transferring sensitive items to North Korea’s missile program,” the State Department said in a statement.Blinken to travel to Israel, West Bank, Morocco, Algeria
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel, the West Bank, Morocco, and Algeria over March 26-30 to discuss the Ukraine war, Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Iran nuclear deal, and gas from Algeria, among other things, the US State Department has announced.
US less optimistic over reaching Iran nuclear deal
US optimism that a deal to restore the 2015 agreement to limit Iran's nuclear developed has soured, with the State Department warning Tuesday it was headed toward "Plan B" if Tehran doesn't budge. Just a week ago Washington officials were hopeful that an agreement that aimed to halt Iran's march...Ballistic missiles from outside target Arbil in Iraq
US interests and coalition troops in Iraq have regularly been targeted in rocket and armed drone attacks. They have never been claimed, but Western officials have blamed them on hardline pro-Iran factions demanding the departure of US troops.
US approves $500mn helicopter maintenance deal for Saudis
Under the deal, US will provide 350 contractor technicians and two government officials over two years to handle the maintenance of the Saudi military's Apache and Black Hawk attack helicopters.
