Deputy FM Vershinin meets with #Iran's ambassador to discuss #Syria and #Russia's upcoming presidency of the #UNSC
Lavrov spoke with #Yemen's Foreign Minister about "fully restoring diverse #Russian-Yemeni bilateral ties" and "doing everything possible for the return of long-awaited peace and stability in Yemen, and to use contacts with all involved and interested parties...for this purpose."
Putin's MENA envoy Bogdanov meets with #Saudi ambassador to discuss #Yemen and #Lebanon and deepening bilateral relations.
Bogdanov meets with #Israel's Charge d'Affaires in #Russia to discuss #Lebanon, #Syria, and broader MENA settlement.
Bogdanov also meets #Palestinian ambassador to discuss Israeli-Arab normalisation, #Fatah-#Hamas unity, and bilateral ties.
Bogdanov speaks with Talal #Arslan of the Lebanese Democratic Party about political developments in #Lebanon
#Lavrov partook in a #GCC videoconference with #UAE, #Bahrain, #Saudi Arabia, #Qatar, and #Kuwait to discuss regional issues, including a collective security mechanism in the Persian Gulf.
Russia convenes a meeting of the Middle East #Quartet to discuss regional developments.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
.@jonathanchait: "They are treating apologias for Hamas as a factually or logically flawed application of left-wing ideals. I believe...that Hamas defenders are applying their own principles correctly. The problem is the principles themselves." nymag.com/intelligencer/…
@jonathanchait: "The illiberal left believes treating everybody equally...merely serves to maintain existing structures of power. It follows...that the legitimacy of a tactic can only be assessed with reference to whether it is being used by the oppressor or the oppressed."
@jonathanchait: '“Decolonization”...has a model of the world in which conflicts are analyzed as a struggle pitting settler-colonist-Europeans, who are evil, against native/indigenous/BIPOC people...[It] does not leave room to judge the morality of any methods.'
"Wagner...has also released several horrifying snuff films and images of executions, mutilations and beheadings that would make Islamic State blush." archive.md/2023.06.12-060…
"RIM and Wagner are the Russian equivalent of...Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Hezbollah. The former two are...well-known terrorist fronts created by [Pakistan]...while the latter is essentially the Lebanese branch of Iran’s [IRGC]." aijac.org.au/op-ed/barbaric…
'Australia is not bound by whatever considerations are underlying the [US] reluctance. Home Affairs should act quickly on...Paterson’s letter and demonstrate that Australia sees these NRVE groups for what they are...“horrible terrorist organisations”.'
14th report of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on ISKP: "At least five new [ISKP training camps] built in 2022. The group has created a network of sleeper cells in the centre of the country...elsewhere [ISKP] operate in cells of 5 to 15 people."
"There had also been a targeted campaign to recruit TTP members, Uighurs and ethnic Tajik and Uzbek minorities, which prompted reports of [IMU] units secretly pledging allegiance [IS] while remaining under the Taliban umbrella and biding their time."
"Attacks against high-profile Taliban figures raised [ISKP] morale, prevented defections and boosted recruitment, including from within the Taliban’s ranks."
A fascinating account in @newlinesmag about Iran's all-expenses-paid, Orwellian recruitment centres in Qom masquerading as religious institutions, where it's struggle sessions, lies, spies, antisemitism, conspiracy, and Khomeini worship 24/7. newlinesmag.com/first-person/h…
"The biggest taboo of all was Khamenei...We would never, ever speak about him, his role in Iran or the Iranian regime. It was really strange to see his Orwellian portrait everywhere without being able to speak about him."
At least 100 incredibly cheap ($1000-$5000) Australian drones made of cardboard+rubber bands are being delivered to Ukraine every month.
Designed to be totally expendable, some have completed 60 flights and drop bombs, deliver supplies, or conduct recon. theaustralian.com.au/nation/cheap-a…
The Precision Payload Delivery System drones, designed by @SYPAQ_Official, are constructed from thick, wax-coated cardboard and heavy-duty rubber bands that secure the wings.
@SYPAQ_Official chief engineer Ross Osborne: “The flat pack is a key feature there. We can stack these up on a pallet. We also developed modular avionics and propulsion sets that can hopefully achieve a bit of reuse.”