Middle East

US Senate’s Move to Block F-35 Supplies Won’t Stop Turkey From Buying S-400 – PM
Turkey will find alternatives after the US Senate's decision to suspend Ankara's participation in the F-35 fighter jet production program, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, after the US Senate decided to stop the jet deliveries over Ankara's intention to buy S-400s. [...]
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China can substitute US oil with Iranian crude to ‘infuriate Trump’ – analyst
Beijing’s retaliatory measures against US tariffs can include penalties on oil coming to China from America. A cut in Chinese purchases of US oil may benefit Iran’s sales and anger Washington. “The Chinese may just replace some of the American oil with Iranian crude,” said John Driscoll, director of consultancy JTD Energy Services, as quoted by Reuters. [...]
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No F-35s for Turkey: US Senate blocks sale of fighter jets to Ankara
US Senators have voted to block the sale of F-35s to Turkey, slamming their NATO ally for plans to buy Russian S-400 missile batteries. Ankara warned of “an alternative” should the deal be called off. The first of the 100 US-made F-35 fighter jets were to be delivered to Turkey on June 21 but now the whole deal might be off as the US Senators voted to kill the sale. [...]
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Superpower Russia key to settlement of Syria, Ukraine conflicts – Austria’s Kurz to Putin
Russia is crucial in bringing peace to Syria and Ukraine, Austrian leader Sebastian Kurz told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, adding he hopes Moscow helps secure peace in Donbass, paving the way to lifting EU sanctions. “Russia, as a superpower, has an important role in Syria and eastern Ukraine, and Russia has great responsibility,” Chancellor Kurz said after talks with Russian Presid [...]
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US is pushing Russia, China, Iran together & cutting itself off from global trade – Jim Rogers
The United States is isolating itself from countries around the world, and making countries unite in a time of economic repression from Washington, prominent investor Jim Rogers says. “America is pushing China and Russia together, America’s pushing China and Iran together, pushing China, Iran, Russia all together, and that’s pushing America out of some very major countries in the world,” R [...]
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India & Iran drop dollar in oil trade to bypass US sanctions – report
India will reportedly pay for Iranian oil in rupees as the two countries seek to bypass US sanctions against Tehran, industry officials have told the Sputnik news agency. Under the deal, the payments for oil will be made through India’s state-run UCO Bank, which has no US exposure. The countries are also discussing the barter-like system to avoid US sanctions, Sputnik reports. [...]
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US ‘losing its cards’ in Syria: Highlights of  RT’s interview with Bashar Assad
Washington and its “puppets” tried, and failed, to destroy Syria – and the US military will eventually be forced out of the country: These are a few of the highlights from RT’s exclusive interview with President Bashar Assad. Speaking with RT’s Murad Gazdiev in Damascus, Assad commented on a range of topics, from the threat of direct conflict between the US and Russia, to why he doesn’ [...]
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Use of live fire against Palestinian protesters justified by Israel’s Supreme Court
Israel’s Supreme Court has upheld the military’s use of live ammunition against protesters in Gaza, ruling that lethal force is justified because the protesters are part of an “armed conflict” between Israel and Hamas. The court’s panel of three justices unanimously rejected a petition by Israeli and Palestinian rights groups to prohibit the Israeli Army from using snipers and live ammun [...]
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Tucker: Why is Washington united behind a war in Syria?
Tucker: Virtually all of official Washington, Republicans and Democrats, have united behind the idea that the United States has a moral obligation to go deeper into war in Syria after a suspected gas attack. Yet, our merely asking obvious questions, we are told to shut up and just obey. Tucker: Why is Washington united behind a war in Syria? Media accuses Tucker of pushing "Russia [...]
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NATO Fears ‘Moscow’s Eye’ Amid S-400 Deal With Turkey – German Media
Members of the military bloc are anxious about the purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems by Turkey. Here is why. NATO fears "Moscow's eyes" on the territory of its member states, as the maintenance —400 anti-aircraft missile systems purchased by Turkey will require Russia's assistance, German Spiegel magazine wrote. [...]
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Reporter In Syria Reveals Mainstream Media’s Lies
Canadian journalist, Eva Barlett, completely dismantled mainstream media’s narrative on events taking place in Syria. The freelance journalist has repeatedly visited Syria since the conflict began in 2011, in a bid to get a sense of the realities on the ground. In a press conference organized on Friday by the Syrian mission to the United Nations, Barlett delivered her remarks regarding the [...]
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‘Killing Gaza’ with Max Blumenthal and Dan Cohen
Max Blumenthal, director and writer of ‘Killing Gaza,’ and Dan Cohen, the documentary’s editor and cinematographer, discuss their new production, which details Israeli war crimes committed against the people of Gaza. [...]
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The Dark Side of Israeli Independence
On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence. Each May 15, Palestinians solemnly commemorate Nakba Day. Nakba means catastrophe, and that’s precisely what Israel’s independence has been for the more than 700,000 Arabs and their five million refugee descendants forced from their homes and into exile, often by horrific violence, to make way for the Jewish state. [...]
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How Long Will We Pretend Palestinians Aren’t People?
Monstrous. Frightful. Wicked. It’s strange how the words just run out in the Middle East today. Sixty Palestinians dead. In one day. Two thousand four hundred wounded, more than half by live fire. In one day. The figures are an outrage, a turning away from morality, a disgrace for any army to create. And we are supposed to believe that the Israeli army is one of “purity of arms”? [...]
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“Chinese Were Prepared, EU Companies Were Not” for US’ Iran Sanctions – Analyst
China’s state-owned energy giant CNPC is ready to replace French energy company Total’s stake in the Iranian South Pars gas project. In 2017, Total and CNPC signed a 20-year contract worth 4.8 billion dollars to develop Phase 11 of Iran’s South Pars field. Sputnik spoke with political analyst Tom McGregor about CNPC’s acquisition plan. [...]
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The Donald, Vlad, and Bibi
Since at least 1945, the United States has only fought stupid wars.  Some have been stupider than others, but, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, Democrats and Republicans have supported them all.  If Trump does get an Iran War going, count on bipartisan support for it too, though, for sheer stupidity, it would rival and perhaps even exceed the Kennedy-Johnson-Nixon war against Vietnam. More [...]
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Expert Explains Consequences of Washington Arming Syrian Rebels
The British Government has allocated hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. This is what Peter Hitchens, the Sunday Mail’s journalist, revealed in his Twitter on Sunday. Hitchens raised questions about the group's independence, given that the organization defines itself as not affiliated to any political body. [...]
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‘Concrete Decisions’: Europe Faces Up to Trump Amid Iran Nuclear Deal Row
In spite of US threats, the EU is all set to protect its economic interests in Iran and has started implementing a 1996 law that would prohibit European companies from complying with any sanctions the US would reintroduce against Tehran. “Europe should be grateful to President Trump, because thanks to him we have got rid of old illusions,” European Council President Donald Tusk said at the sta [...]
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‘Deterrent to regional threats’? US approves $45mn sale of 3,200 bombs & bunker busters to Bahrain
The US has cleared the sale of 3,200 bombs valued at about $45 million, including powerful bunker busters, to Bahrain. The Persian Gulf monarchy is hosting the US 5th Fleet and has been involved in the Saudi-led bombing of Yemen. The order would consist of 1,500 Mark-82 general purpose bombs; 600 Mark-83 bombs; 600 Mark-84 bombs; and 500 BLU-109 “bunker busters,” bombs armed with special warhe [...]
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