New paths for dialogue in the Middle East?
The recent escalation between Iran and Israel could open a "new path" in the Middle East, US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said on Sunday, calling for seizing the opportunity to build a different future.
Barak told Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency: "What just happened between Israel and Iran is an opportunity for all of us to say: 'Stop. Let's build a new road'," Barrack said, noting that Ankara is playing a pivotal role in this context.
"Syria and Lebanon need to reach peace agreements with Israel," the ambassador said, adding: "President Ahmed al-Sharaa has indicated that he does not hate Israel and that he wants peace on this border. I think this will also happen with Lebanon. An agreement with Israel is essential."
'Syria does not want war with Israel'
In a related context, US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News: "I don't know if Syria will sign a normalisation agreementwith Israel, but I have lifted sanctions on Syria, and we may lift sanctions on Iran if they show goodwill."
Barrack explained that the current Syrian administration is holding behind the scenes talks with Israel on all issues, stressing that it does not seek military confrontations.
He added that the government of Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, does not want war with Israel, and called for giving the new Syrian administration a chance.
In a previous post on social media, Barrack had emphasised that the birth of a new Syria begins with truth, accountability and cooperation with the region, noting that the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime opened the door to peace and that the lifting of sanctions will enable the Syrian people to explore the path towards prosperity and security.
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Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
New paths for dialogue in the Middle East?
The recent escalation between Iran and Israel could open a "new path" in the Middle East, US special envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack said on Sunday, calling for seizing the opportunity to build a different future. Barak told Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency: "What just happened between Israel and Iran is an opportunity for all of us to say: 'Stop. Let's build a new road'," Barrack said, noting that Ankara is playing a pivotal role in this context. "Syria and Lebanon need to reach peace agreements with Israel," the ambassador said, adding: "President Ahmed al-Sharaa has indicated that he does not hate Israel and that he wants peace on this border. I think this will also happen with Lebanon. An agreement with Israel is essential." 'Syria does not want war with Israel' In a related context, US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News: "I don't know if Syria will sign a normalisation agreementwith Israel, but I have lifted sanctions on Syria, and we may lift sanctions on Iran if they show goodwill." Barrack explained that the current Syrian administration is holding behind the scenes talks with Israel on all issues, stressing that it does not seek military confrontations. He added that the government of Syria's transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, does not want war with Israel, and called for giving the new Syrian administration a chance. In a previous post on social media, Barrack had emphasised that the birth of a new Syria begins with truth, accountability and cooperation with the region, noting that the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime opened the door to peace and that the lifting of sanctions will enable the Syrian people to explore the path towards prosperity and security.
France 24
4 days ago
- France 24
US to offer new defense of strikes on Iran nuclear sites
After waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites and retaliatory missile fire from Iran since June 13, the United States bombed three key Iranian atomic facilities at the weekend. The extent of the damage in Iran, where Israel said it had acted to stop an imminent nuclear threat, has become the subject of profound disagreement in the United States. An initial classified assessment, first reported by CNN, was said to have concluded that the strike did not destroy key components and that Iran's nuclear program was set back only months at most. Another key question raised by experts is whether Iran, preparing for the strike, moved out some 400 kilogram (880 pounds) of enriched uranium -- which could now be hidden elsewhere in the vast country. The US administration has hit back furiously, with Trump repeatedly saying the attack "obliterated" Iran's nuclear facilities, including the key site of Fordo buried inside a mountain. "I can tell you, the United States had no indication that that enriched uranium was moved prior to the strikes, as I also saw falsely reported," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. "As for what's on the ground right now, it's buried under miles and miles of rubble because of the success of these strikes on Saturday evening," she said. Trump said that Hegseth, whom he dubbed "war" secretary, would hold a news conference at 8 am (1200 GMT) on Thursday to "fight for the dignity of our great American pilots". CIA chief John Ratcliffe said in a statement on Wednesday that "several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years". The Israeli military said it had delivered a "significant" blow to Iran's nuclear sites but that it was "still early" to fully assess the damage. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that "we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project". "And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he said. Nuclear talks? Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Al Jazeera that "nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure". After the war derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff expressing hope "for a comprehensive peace agreement". Trump told reporters that Israel and Iran were "both tired, exhausted", before going on to say that talks were planned with Iran next week. "We may sign an agreement. I don't know," he added. Iran has systematically denied seeking a nuclear weapon while defending its "legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy. It has also said it was willing to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington. In both Iran and Israel, authorities have gradually lifted wartime restrictions. Iran on Wednesday reopened the airspace over the country's east, without allowing yet flights to and from the capital Tehran. In the Israeli coastal hub of Tel Aviv, 45-year-old engineer Yossi Bin welcomed the ceasefire: "Finally, we can sleep peacefully. We feel better, less worried... and I hope it stays that way." State funeral While Iran and Israel have been locked in a shadow war for decades, their 12-day conflict was by far the most destructive confrontation between them. The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to official figures. Instead, a state funeral will be held on Saturday in Tehran for top commanders including Salami and nuclear scientists killed in the war. © 2025 AFP
France 24
4 days ago
- France 24
Syrian architect uses drone footage to help rebuild hometown
"When I first came back, I was shocked by the extent of the destruction," said Mohammed, 34. Walking through his devastated village of Tal Mardikh, in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, he said he could not recognise "anything, I couldn't even find my parents' home". Nearly half of Tal Mardikh's 1,500 homes have been destroyed and the rest damaged, mainly due to bombardment by the former Syrian army. Mohammed, who in 2019 fled the bombardment to near the Turkish border, first returned days after an Islamist-led offensive toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. The architect, now based in Idlib city, had documented details of Tal Mardikh's houses and streets before fleeing, and afterwards used his drone to document the destruction. When he returned, he spent two weeks carefully surveying the area, going from home to home and creating an interactive map showing the detailed conditions of each house. "We entered homes in fear, not knowing what was inside, as the regime controlled the area for five years," he said. Under the blazing sun, Mohammed watched as workers restored a house in Tal Mardikh, which adjoins the archaeological site of Ebla, the seat of one of ancient Syria's earliest kingdoms. His documentation of the village helped gain support from Shafak, a Turkey-based non-governmental organisation which agreed to fund the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 434 out of 800 damaged homes in Tal Mardikh. The work is expected to be completed in August, and includes the restoration of two wells and sanitation networks, at a cost of more than one million dollars. 'Full of hope' Syrians have begun returning home after Assad's ouster and following nearly 14 years of civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions of others internally and abroad. According to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, more than 600,000 Syrians had returned home from abroad, while around 1.5 million internally displaced people have gone back to their regions of origin. The agency estimates that up to 1.5 million Syrians from abroad and two million internally displaced people could return by the end of this year. Around 13.5 million currently remain displaced internally or abroad, according to UNHCR figures for May. In Tal Mardikh, Alaa Gharib, 45, is among only a few dozen residents who have come back. "I lived in tents for seven years, and when liberation came, I returned to my village," said Gharib, whose home is among those set for restoration. He is using a blanket as a makeshift door for his house which had "no doors, no windows, nothing". After Western sanctions were lifted, Syria's new authorities are hoping for international support for post-war reconstruction, which the UN estimates could cost more than $400 billion. Efforts have so far been limited to individuals or charities, with the government yet to launch a reconstruction campaign. Architect Mohammed said his dream was "for the village to be rebuilt, for people and life to return". He expressed hope to "see the Syria we dream of... the Syria full of hope, built by its youth".
