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U.S. and U.K. plan to remove HTS from terror organization list

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The potential normalization of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continues, with reports indicating that the United States and the United Kingdom are considering removing the group from their respective terrorist designation lists. HTS, which gained control of the Syrian capital, Damascus, following the departure of Bashar al-Assad’s government, has been classified as a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and countries including Canada and Turkey.

In recent years, HTS has adopted a more “moderate” tone in its messaging. In a 2021 interview with PBS, HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani stated, “Our message to [the U.S.] is short. We don’t pose a threat to you here, so you don’t need to classify people as terrorists and announce rewards for killing them.” Jolani also suggested the possibility of finding “common ground” with the United States to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria and address the mass displacement of refugees affecting Turkey and Europe.

The Washington Post recently highlighted discussions within the Biden administration about reassessing HTS’s classification. According to an article by Michael Birnbaum titled Biden Administration Won’t Rule Out Removing HTS from Terror List, a senior White House official stated that delisting HTS could pave the way for a more pragmatic relationship with the group. The official, who spoke anonymously, emphasized the importance of understanding the “realities on the ground” in Syria.

“We need to be smart, careful, and pragmatic,” the official said, adding that the primary focus remains on monitoring chemical weapons in Syria. The U.S. government has expressed confidence that the chemical weapons situation is under control and continues efforts to prevent further conflict involving the Turkish military, the Syrian National Army (SNA), and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s northeast.

The U.K. is reportedly considering a similar policy shift. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Pat McFadden, speaking to Sky News, confirmed that the U.K. government would review HTS’s status. “Countries around the world, including the U.S. and European nations, are reassessing their positions,” McFadden stated.

This sentiment was echoed by former MI6 chief John Sawers, who described HTS as a “liberation movement, not a terrorist organization.” The Home Office also acknowledged that HTS’s relationship with al-Qaeda, its former affiliate, has evolved since the group was banned in 2017.

Middle East

Call from the the Nedaye Iranian Party: ‘Let Us Unite Against Israeli Oppression’

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The Nedaye Party, a political party from the reformist camp in Iran, issued a letter calling on more than 100 political parties and international organizations worldwide to unite in condemning Israel’s attacks.

Presenting itself as a “young, reformist, and peace-loving” political party, the Nedaye Iranian Party released a letter addressing more than 100 global political parties and international organizations across five continents, regarding Israel’s attacks on Iran and especially its war crimes committed against civilians, children, women, and peace-loving civil activists in Gaza.

The letter, signed by the Secretary-General of the party, Seyed Shahabeddin Tabatabaei, proposed the formation of a global coalition capable of taking serious measures against the spread of violence and threats to global peace.

The letter suggested that anti-war and peace-loving political parties cooperate to unite against Israel’s aggression and war crimes. The concrete proposals were listed as follows:

1- Officially, firmly and publicly condemn the recent Israeli attack on Iran.

2- Pressure your governments to stop military, intelligence and technological cooperation with this regime.

3- Support the referral of these crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the initiation of legal proceedings against its officials.

4- Demand that the competent UN bodies conduct independent, transparent and impartial investigations into these attacks.

5- Actively participate in launching international awareness campaigns to expose the dimensions of these crimes.

6- Hold partisan and international meetings to coordinate political and legal measures against the Zionist regime.

At the end of the letter, the Nedaye Party proposed the formation of an international coalition capable of taking effective and serious steps to oppose the spread of violence and threats to global peace, calling for a “shared stance.” It emphasized that organizing a joint meeting among various parties across the world would be “a first but strategic step on the path to international political solidarity.”

The letter concluded with the following words:

“This is not just a call to issue a statement; it is a call for collective action, for solidarity in defending human dignity, and to prevent the repetition of tragedies that may occur tomorrow in another corner of the world.

The memory of all the innocents lost calls us to a historic responsibility. Let us stand against warmongering and destruction at this critical moment, with unity and determination, and build a more humane world.”

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Middle East

Plight of refugees in Iran

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As the process of deporting Afghan migrants from Iran intensifies, Iranian officials say that in the past week, more than 120,000 people have entered Afghanistan from Iran, both forcibly and voluntarily.

The district governor of Taybad in Iran says that nearly 8,000 undocumented Afghan citizens enter Afghanistan daily through the Dogharun border alone.

Meanwhile, some deported immigrants say they left all their assets in Iran and were forced to return home empty-handed.

Hossein Jamshidi, the district governor of Taybad, told Iranian media that in the past week alone, more than 95,000 undocumented citizens and about 25,000 documented migrants from all over Iran have been identified and returned to Afghanistan from this border.

Dogharoon border is the largest crossing point for the deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran. Every day, thousands of migrants, most of whom were living in Iran without documents, are now transported in large convoys, in dozens of passenger buses from all over Iran, to this border point zero.

But in this side of the border!

But on this side of the border, at the Islam Qala crossing, thousands of people, including women and children, are standing in long lines in the scorching sun, wearing only a few layers of clothing, waiting to cross the border and enter Afghan territory.

Many of these migrants say they have nowhere to go and have been forced to leave all their belongings on the other side of the border, on Iranian soil, and return empty-handed.

The Taliban have called for the establishment of a “coordinated mechanism” with the Iranian government for the return of refugees.

UN agencies have called for increased financial assistance following the significant expulsion of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries.

The Norwegian government has expressed concern about the deportation of migrants in recent days and has allocated nearly $1 million to support them.

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Middle East

US proposes $30 billion deal to Iran for halting uranium enrichment

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The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly discussing the possibility of providing Iran with up to $30 billion in financial access to develop its peaceful nuclear program as part of efforts to return to negotiations with Tehran.

According to a CNN report citing sources familiar with the matter, this offer requires Tehran to completely halt uranium enrichment, a condition emphasized as “non-negotiable.”

Under the proposed plan, the funds would not be provided by the US but by Arab nations. An administration official stated, “The US is ready to lead these negotiations. Someone will have to pay for the implementation of the nuclear program, but we will not make such a commitment.”

Other proposals on the table

American officials have indicated that other offers are also being considered. These include the potential lifting of some sanctions against Iran and granting Tehran access to $6 billion of its frozen assets in foreign banks.

Another idea involves US allies in the Persian Gulf covering the cost of building new infrastructure to replace the Fordow nuclear facility, which was damaged in US attacks. This new facility would also lack uranium enrichment capabilities.

Washington’s “comprehensive peace” initiative

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Special Representative for the Middle East, told CNBC that the US aims to achieve a “comprehensive peace agreement.”

A White House statement emphasized that all proposals are designed to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Following the events of the past two weeks, which include mutual attacks with Israel and a US strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, the White House hopes Tehran will accept Washington’s terms.

Experts are skeptical, fearing the offer could backfire

Conversely, Iran experts cited by CNN believe these events will further convince the country’s leadership of the necessity of possessing nuclear weapons.

Earlier this week, the Iranian parliament approved the suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Even before the US attack on the night of June 22, the Iranian government had already significantly restricted agency officials’ access to its facilities.

According to IAEA data from mid-May, Iran possessed approximately 409 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.

Bloomberg reported that this amount is theoretically sufficient to produce ten nuclear warheads. The agency’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, stated that the location of this material is unknown.

While Tehran claims it moved its uranium stockpiles from the attacked facilities beforehand, the IAEA assesses that a significant portion of the stocks may have survived the strike.

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