TEHRAN, 22 November 2021, (TON): Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian , during a meeting with the Russian President’s special envoy for Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, called the relations between Moscow and Tehran in Syria completely successful.

Lavrentyev and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin headed a delegation to Tehran, where they discussed bilateral relations between Russia and Iran , as well as a number of issues on regional cooperation, in particular, in Syria.

They met with Foreign Minister Abdollahian this afternoon.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on the Telegram channel “speaking about regional cooperation between the two countries, Abdollahian described the joint cooperation of the two countries in Syria as a completely successful experience, which was formed on the basis of the will and aspirations of the Syrian people.”

Abdollahian also stressed the need to use this successful experience of the two countries in the fight against terrorism in Syria, as well as to strengthen close cooperation between Russia and Iran.

BEIJING, 22 November 2021, (TON): China has officially downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania in protest, the foreign ministry in Beijing said Sunday, after Taiwan established a de facto embassy in Vilnius.

Lithuania allowing Taipei to open an office using the name Taiwan was a significant diplomatic departure that defied a pressure campaign by Beijing.

China baulks at any official use of the word “Taiwan”, lest it lend a sense of international legitimacy to the island, which it considers a part of its territory to be taken one day.

The ministry said in a statement announcing the downgrade to the charge d’affaires level “the Chinese government had to lower diplomatic relations between the two countries… to safeguard its sovereignty and the basic norms of international relations.”

“The Lithuanian government must bear all consequences that arise from this.”

It added that Lithuania had abandoned the political commitment made upon the establishment of diplomatic relations with China.

It was a reference to the “One China” policy, under which countries officially recognise Beijing over Taipei. Taiwan announced that it would open the office in July, its first new diplomatic outpost in Europe in 18 years.

That prompted a fierce rebuke from China. It withdrew its ambassador from Lithuania and demanded Vilnius do the same, which it eventually did.

WARSAW, 22 November 2021, (TON): Poland accused Belarus of continuing to ferry migrants to its border, despite clearing camps close to the frontier earlier this week, as the country’s prime minister started a tour of Baltic states to seek support in the crisis.

Europe accuses Belarus of flying in thousands of people from the Middle East and pushing them to cross into the European Union, which has been at odds with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko since a disputed election last year.

Minsk, which denies fomenting the crisis, cleared a migrant camp near the border and started to repatriate some people to Iraq in an apparent change in tack in the conflict that has mushroomed into a major East-West confrontation.

Yet Poland says Minsk continues to truck hundreds of migrants to the frontier, where about 10 migrants are believed to have died with a frigid winter setting in.

The border guard said on Twitter “a group of about 100 very aggressive foreigners, brought to the border by Belarusian servicemen, tried to enter Poland by force. (Polish) services prevented the crossing.”

There had been 208 attempts by migrants to force their way into Poland from Belarus on Saturday, the border guard said, a few more than on Friday but well below the 501 attempts recorded.

Neighboring Lithuania said 44 migrants were prevented from entering on Saturday, the lowest number in a week.

RIYADH, 22 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Arabia welcomed on Sunday a political deal signed between Sudan’s military and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

The Kingdom’s foreign ministry said that it welcomed the agreement regarding the tasks of the next phase, the restoration of transitional institutions leading to elections on time, and the formation of a competent government to push the transitional process forward and contribute to achieving the aspirations of the Sudanese people.

The ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's support for everything that would achieve peace and maintain security, stability and development in Sudan.

The 14-point deal signed by Hamdok and the military on Sunday officially restores the transition to civilian rule that had been derailed by the October 25 coup in the country.

The agreement declared that General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan’s decision “to relieve the transitional prime minister (of his duties) is cancelled” and that all political detainees be freed.

KHARTOUM, 22 November 2021, (TON): Sudan's military reinstated Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday and promised to release all political detainees after weeks of deadly unrest triggered by a coup, though large crowds took to the streets to reject any deal involving the army.

Under an agreement signed with military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Hamdok, first appointed after the overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a 2019 uprising, will lead a civilian government of technocrats for a transitional period.

The deal faces opposition from pro-democracy groups that have demanded full civilian rule ever since Bashir was ousted and have been angered by the deaths of dozens protesters in the weeks following the Oct. 25 coup.

A hero for the protest movement, Hamdok quickly became the villain for some.

"Hamdok has sold the revolution," protesters chanted after the deal was announced. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), a leading protest group, called it "treacherous".

Tens of thousands of people joined scheduled rallies in the capital Khartoum and its twin cities of Omdurman and Bahri. Security forces fired bullets and tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said. A 16-year-old protester in Omdurman died from a bullet wound, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said.

RIYADH, 22 November 2021, (TON): Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met the deputy minister of foreign affairs and director general for political affairs of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry, Thijs Van Der Plas, in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and ways to strengthen them at all levels.

Both men also discussed ways to fulfil the goals and aspirations of the two friendly countries and peoples, in addition to exchanging views regarding regional and international developments and issues of common concern.

SANAA, 22 November 2021, (TON): According to local officials and media “Yemeni troops pushed deeper into Houthi-controlled territory in the provinces of Taiz and Hodeidah, seizing control of mountains, villages and roads.”

The Joint Forces announced seizing control of Al-Maghareb and Mehwar Al-Abed mountains in the Jabal Ras district in Hodeidah, and the mountains of Al-Rouenah, Al-Souhrah, Tour and other mountainous terrains in the Maqbanah district in Taiz province.

They also took control of a number of valleys east of Hays district, a day after gaining control over the town of Hays and neighboring areas in Hodeidah province.

Troops were seen retrieving military equipment, vehicles and ammunition that had been abandoned by fleeing Houthi fighters.

Video footage broadcast by media showed the bodies of dead fighters on the battlefields, as engineers worked on defusing landmines planted by the militia.

Officials visited liberated locations in Hays, where they pledged support to the locals and vowed to press ahead until the Houthis were defeated.

Media reported that the Houthis had sent military reinforcements, including dozens of armed vehicles and hundreds of fighters, to push back the Joint Forces in Hodeidah and Taiz.

DUBAI, 22 November 2021, (TON): state news agency reported “Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held talks with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.”

During the meting, which took place at the Al-Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, the two sides discussed the existing strategic relations between the UAE and the US at various levels, especially in defense and military affairs, in addition to international and regional issues of common concern.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement “the leaders discussed a range of shared security threats, including working together to increase regional defense and continuing to combat terrorism.”

The statement added “Secretary Austin thanked the UAE for its long-standing hospitality in hosting US forces and conveyed his appreciation for the UAE’s instrumental role as a transit location as the US military conducted the evacuation and retrograde mission from Afghanistan.”

WASHINGTON, 22 November 2021, (TON): The US State Department said “US Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraged Tunisia’s leader to make reforms to respond to Tunisians’ hopes for “democratic progress.”

Saied said “last week he was working nonstop on a timetable for reforms to defuse growing criticism at home and abroad since he dismissed the Cabinet, suspended parliament and took personal power in July.”

Last week, thousands of Tunisians protested near parliament in the capital, demanding he reinstate the assembly, while major foreign donors whose financial assistance is needed to unlock an International Monetary Fund rescue package for the economy have urged him to return to a normal constitutional order.”

The State Department said in a statement about a call between Blinken and Saied “the secretary encouraged a transparent and inclusive reform process to address Tunisia’s significant political, economic, and social challenges and to respond to the Tunisian people’s aspirations for continued democratic progress.”

It added that Blinken and Saied discussed recent developments in Tunisia, including the formation of the new government and steps to alleviate the economic situation.

A Tunisia presidency statement said earlier that the US would offer support to Tunisia once it has announced dates for political reform. Saied seized nearly all powers in July in a move his critics called a coup, a decade after the Arab Spring’s first and only successful pro-democracy uprising, before installing a new prime minister and announcing he would rule by decree.

KABUL, 22 November 2021, (TON): Chinese officials said “a new shipment of humanitarian aid from China to the Afghan people is en route to Mazar-e-Sharif.”

China’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Wang Yu, said “the new shipment contains over 1000 tons of food, clothes and blankets.”

Wang said in a tweet “train with more than 1,000 ton(s) of humanitarian aid departed China’s Xinjiang. Includ(ing) naan, milk tea powder, cotton-padded clothes, cotton shoes and blankets. Since July 2021, the China-Afghanistan trains carried more than 2,600 tons of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.”