Putin Visits Tehran for Talks With Iranian, Turkish Leaders |
The leaders of Iran, Russia, and Turkey are set to discuss (Bloomberg) the wars in Syria and Ukraine during a rare trip abroad by Russian President Vladimir Putin and plan to release a joint statement on Syria. In recent weeks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch a new offensive against Kurdish fighters in Syria, a move that Iran and Russia are seeking to prevent. Erdogan has also been trying to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine that would allow grain shipments to leave Ukrainian ports.
Before the summit, Iran and Russian energy firm Gazprom signed a deal (Reuters) in which Gazprom agreed to help Iran develop oil and gas fields and complete export pipelines. Separately, Reuters reported yesterday that Gazprom told European buyers it cannot guarantee scheduled deliveries to them due to “extraordinary” circumstances. The report raises concerns that Gazprom could reduce its gas flow to Europe when an ongoing maintenance period ends on Thursday.
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“The Kremlin is eager to show the world—and its own people—that it still has friends, despite the global opprobrium over the war in Ukraine. That is giving Iran a new opportunity to stimulate its sanctions-starved economy, with Russian businesses that had been focused on trade with the West now racing to find new markets and suppliers,” the New York Times’ Anton Troianovski and Farnaz Fassihi write.
“At odds with Turkey since 2011 over its desire to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its support for an array of armed opposition factions, Iran has been increasingly vocal of late in opposing a potential new Turkish military operation,” the German Institute for International and Security Affairs’ Hamidreza Azizi writes for the Middle East Institute.
This Backgrounder looks at Turkey’s growing foreign policy ambitions. |
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China: U.S. Will Face ‘Forceful Measures’ if Pelosi Visits Taiwan |
The warning came in response to reports that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will visit Taiwan (SCMP) next month. She would be the first house speaker to do so in twenty-five years.
Thailand: At least thirty Thai activists, academics, and lawyers were targeted (AFP) using NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware at the height of anti-government protests last year, according to a report by a Canadian cybersecurity watchdog and two Thai groups.
This In Brief explains how the use of Pegasus has stoked the surveillance debate. |
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Sri Lanka’s Main Opposition Leader Withdraws From Presidential Race |
Sajith Premadasa said he will support (Reuters) Dullas Alahapperuma, a low-profile lawmaker from the ruling party, instead of standing as a candidate when Parliament votes for a new president tomorrow.
Pakistan: The leader of a local rights movement in the town of Gwadar threatened to stage a protest (Nikkei) blocking Chinese-backed efforts to develop the town’s port. Gwadar residents say Islamabad has failed to address concerns over illegal fishing. |
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Middle East and North Africa |
France, UAE Sign Energy Deal |
During a visit to Paris, Emirati Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed signed the deal, which gives France access (Anadolu) to oil and gas from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and allows the countries to jointly invest in hydrogen, renewable, and nuclear energy. |
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U.S. Africa Command Says It Killed Two al-Shabab Militants in Somalia |
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EU Kicks Off Accession Talks With Albania, North Macedonia |
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Brazil’s Bolsonaro Pushes Unsubstantiated Claims of Voting System Vulnerabilities to Diplomats |
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s address to dozens of diplomats was aired (AP) on state television. Analysts fear he is laying the grounds to reject the results of October’s presidential election.
Panama: Protesters continued to demonstrate and blocked a highway (AFP) after signing a deal with the government on Sunday that would grant their demand for lower fuel prices. A protest leader said the deal was signed under pressure.
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Yellen Says U.S. Aims to End ‘Undue Dependence’ on China for Critical Goods |
In Seoul, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Washington is seeking to source (Reuters) goods such as rare earths and solar panels from allies such as South Korea.
At this CFR event, CFR President Richard Haass discusses deglobalization with Sergio M. Alcocer Martínez de Castro, Yul Sohn, and Dhruva Jaishankar. |
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Correction: Yesterday’s edition incorrectly stated that twenty-one children were killed in the May 24 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The shooter killed nineteen children and two adults. |
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Council on Foreign Relations |
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