Negotiations with Afghanistan possible, not with terrorists, Pak Army spokesperson

    Pakistan's only demand is that the Kabul government stop terrorism from Afghan soil, Lieutenant Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
80% of suicide bombers are Afghan citizens, India is the patron of terrorism in Balochistan, content on social media is being operated from abroad, DG ISPR
    Saudi Arabia is respected for the Afghan people, I hope Riyadh will play the role of mediator, Zabihullah Mujahid, Turkish and Qatari delegations visit Afghanistan, emphasis on Pak-Afghan talks

    Islamabad: DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that there will be no talks with terrorists, the state's policy is clear, talks can be held with the Afghan government. Arab News has received more details of the exclusive interview. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that Pakistan has only one firm demand on the issue of Afghanistan, which is to stop terrorism against Pakistan from Afghan soil. He said that the Taliban government in Afghanistan must implement the promises made under the Doha Agreement. If the Afghan Taliban government does not fulfill these promises, then Pakistan has the full right to defend itself.
The Pakistan Army spokesman said that Pakistan can talk to Afghanistan but will not talk to terrorists. About 80 percent of the attackers in suicide attacks in Pakistan are Afghan citizens, while Afghan citizens are present in every formation coming from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the main demand from Pakistan to the Afghan Taliban government is that it should not allow its soil to be used against Pakistan. He said about the situation in Balochistan that the terrorists do not have public support, they are trying to impose their ideology at gunpoint. The DG ISPR said that Pakistan's position is that India is sponsoring terrorism in Balochistan, while the content being circulated on social media is also being operated from abroad. India has been denying such allegations made by Pakistan in the past.
Lieutenant Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry

 
   Wants good relations with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia should play a role in ending conflicts, Afghan Taliban spokesperson
 

     Kabul: Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that they want good relations with Pakistan and want Saudi Arabia to play an important role in this matter. In an interview with Arab media, Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghanistan wants to continue talks and cooperation with Pakistan, and welcomes the efforts of all countries, including Saudi Arabia, to resolve conflicts. Zabihullah said that there are expectations from Saudi Arabia to play its role as a friend, and Saudi Arabia can play a positive role in this matter. He said that the Afghan people also have great love and respect for Saudi Arabia and the two holy mosques, and he hopes that the Saudi authorities will continue their mediation efforts effectively.
He hopes that the Saudi authorities will help resolve the issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and we respect Saudi Arabia’s decisions and its mediation efforts. On the other hand, delegations from Turkey and Qatar also visited Afghanistan on Tuesday. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, Turkish and Qatari delegations met with Taliban officials in Kandahar. The meeting also discussed the possible resumption of talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It should be noted that Pakistan has repeatedly made it clear that our only demand from Afghanistan is that Afghan soil should not be used against Pakistan, and that the Afghan Taliban should take action against Indian proxies and other terrorist organizations used against Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid

 

The fourth meeting of the Saudi alliance in Jeddah, review of the security of maritime passages

 

   The participation of 154 naval commanders of friendly countries, delegations, declared the protection of international waterways a collective responsibility.
   Discussions on the situation in the Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea, subsequent threats will be resolved, Saudi commander said. 
 

  Jeddah: The fourth planning meeting of the Saudi alliance was held in Jeddah. Measures to ensure maritime traffic in important international waterways, including the Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea, were reviewed. 154 naval commanders and ambassadors of friendly countries participated in the meeting. To be done, the operational capability of the Multinational Naval Defense Alliance is fully restored. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is facing continuous threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels. Saudi Civil Defense issued two alerts in the same night, however, both alerts were withdrawn after the threat was over. On Friday night, danger alerts were issued in Jeddah, Al-Kharj, Taif and Jazan, including the capital Riyadh.
Saudi meeting

The price of diesel per gallon in the US has reached an all-time high

 

 The price of diesel per gallon in the US has reached an all-time high

      Due to the tense situation in the Middle East and rising inflation, the price of diesel in the US has reached an all-time high.

     According to the American price tracker company, the price of diesel in the US has reached $6.44 per gallon, which is said to be about 70 percent higher than last year.

Saudi Aramco announces that it will not deliver crude oil to European buyers next month

     Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco has announced that it will not deliver crude oil to European buyers next month. According to the American news agency Bloomberg, European customers are usually continuously supplied with Saudi crude oil every month under long-term contracts, but this delivery will not take place next month. According to a Bloomberg report, Saudi oil company Aramco has informed European refineries in this regard. Aramco’s decision to stop oil supplies came after drone attacks by Iraqi militias on the Saudi East-West Oil Pipeline.

Crude oil prices fall in global market

Global oil prices continued to decline for the third day as Saudi Arabia sought to restore crude oil supply through alternative routes. Brent crude oil fell to $102 per barrel in the global market, WTI crude oil also fell to $100, while Emirati crude was trading at $118 per barrel after falling by $3.

 

Indian ship attempts to enter Pakistani territory, collides with PNS Haneen, summons Indian Charge d'Affaires, strong protest

 

   Indian ship attempts to enter Pakistani territory, collides with PNS Haneen, summons Indian Charge d'Affaires, strong protest 

  Indian ship INS Kolkata made dangerous and provocative movements near Pakistan Navy ships, 

  changed course in a very dangerous manner The two ships kept colliding, friction occurred between the two ships, Indian actions are a violation of the 1991 bilateral agreement, Foreign Office spokesperson New Matter 

 

 Islamabad: Pakistan has strongly protested the alleged violation of Pakistan's exclusive economic zone by Indian ship INS Kolkata and dangerous and provocative movements near Pakistan Navy ships, and has urged India to ensure compliance with bilateral agreements and responsible behavior. The Indian High Commission's Chargé d'Affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office and a strong protest was handed over to him. According to the Foreign Office, the activities of the Indian ship are not a routine deployment but a violation of the 1991 bilateral agreement. The Foreign Office said in its statement that the Pakistan Navy has been conducting Sea Spark 26 exercises in Pakistan's exclusive economic zone since September 1, while since September 7, the Indian ship and its helicopters have been trying to enter the Pakistan Navy's exercise area several times. According to the Foreign Office, the Indian ship INS Kolkata made dangerous and provocative movements near the Pakistan Navy ships. Despite several warnings, the Indian ship allegedly continued to behave irresponsibly, over which Pakistan has expressed serious concern. 

 

        According to the Foreign Office, on September 15, INS Kolkata changed its course in a very dangerous manner, which resulted in a collision with PNS Haneen. According to the statement, the crew of PNS Haneen attempted to rescue the vessel, but a scuffle occurred between the two ships. According to the Pakistani Foreign Office, after the incident, INS Kolkata increased its speed and departed from the area. Pakistan has termed the alleged activities of the Indian ship as highly provocative and said that such behavior could have led to a serious crisis. The Foreign Office said that the professional and responsible behavior of the Pakistan Navy played a significant role in preventing the situation from escalating further. Pakistan views the alleged violations by the Indian Navy in Pakistan’s exclusive economic zone with grave concern. The statement said that India is trying to escalate the issue at a diplomatic level by distorting the facts, while India’s actions reflect deliberate attempts to affect regional peace and stability. Pakistan made it clear that for peace and stability in the region, it is essential that both countries adopt responsible behavior and avoid any action in the maritime boundaries that could lead to an increase in tension. The Foreign Office urged India to abide by bilateral agreements and responsible behavior and that the Indian authorities take immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Pakistan also made it clear that the current level of restraint in the face of Indian provocations in the future cannot be taken for granted, while Pakistan stressed that the parties must exercise responsibility and caution to prevent the current situation in the maritime boundaries from becoming more tense. Pakistan Reaction

US-Iran rapprochement in jeopardy, where is the deadlock and what could happen next?

  The situation in the region is uncertain amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, military operations, counterattacks and mediation efforts.

The US and Iran are accusing each other of violating the ceasefire agreement, but both sides are also giving signs of continuing backdoor diplomacy. The situation in the region is uncertain amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, military operations, counterattacks and mediation efforts. In such a situation, the question is what stage this conflict is at now, can negotiations resume or not and what could happen next? The memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran on June 17, known as the ‘Islamabad Memorandum’, was considered an important effort to reduce tensions in the region, however, after attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, US airstrikes and Iranian counterattacks, the future of this agreement seems to be in danger. Although US President Donald Trump recently said at the NATO summit that the ceasefire agreement with Iran is ‘over’, US officials are still talking about continuing negotiations. On the other hand, Iran maintains that the US attacks have severely damaged trust.

 Pakistan emerged as a key mediator earlier this year after hosting direct talks between top US and Iranian officials in Islamabad. Although the talks did not yield immediate success, they paved the way for continued diplomatic contacts, which resulted in an interim peace agreement last month, known as the ‘Islamabad Memorandum’.

What was the agreement between the US and Iran?

 
Under the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17, the two countries agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and a dialogue process.
Key points of the agreement include:
An end to military operations between Iran and the US
A reduction in tensions on all fronts, including Lebanon
Restoration of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz
An easing of some economic sanctions on Iran
Iran’s reaffirmation of its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons
Within weeks of the agreement, both sides began accusing each other of violations. The US alleged that Iran's Revolutionary Guards targeted some commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, after which Washington launched attacks on several targets in Iran.

On the other hand, Iran rejected the accusations of attacks on ships. Tehran said that the US attacks themselves were a clear violation of the agreement and that the US had failed to ensure the implementation of the provisions related not only to Iran but also to Lebanon. According to experts, the biggest center of the current crisis is the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large part of the world's oil trade passes. Iran's position is that ships should pass through the route approved by the Revolutionary Guards, while some international shipping companies are using the old sea routes of Oman and the US-backed. This disagreement has made the Strait of Hormuz the first major test of the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran.

Lebanon is also among the points of contention. Although the agreement mentioned a ceasefire in Lebanon, Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the agreement. Iran alleges that Israel has undermined the spirit of the agreement by continuing its operations in Lebanon, while the United States maintains that Israel was not a formal party to the memorandum of understanding. According to observers, this ambiguity has complicated the implementation of the provisions related to Lebanon. Meanwhile, despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, there have been reports of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. According to CNN, an attack was also carried out in the Al-Masha' area of ​​the town of Al-Mansouri in the Tyre district. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 4,321 people have been killed and 12,207 injured in Israeli operations since March 2. It was initially expected that the talks between the United States and Iran would resume after the funeral and burial ceremonies of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are completed, but no new date has been officially announced after the recent attacks. Despite this, US officials say that diplomatic contacts between the two countries have not been completely severed and the negotiating teams are still in contact. According to the American broadcasting company ‘CNN’, US officials say that the ceasefire has been affected at least temporarily, but negotiations are continuing at a technical level and Washington is still determined to reach a solution. On the other hand, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that if the US attacks again, it will be responded to and Tehran is ready for any kind of defense. At the same time, a senior US official told ‘CNN’ that if Iran does not allow free passage of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the two sides will never be able to reach the stage of final negotiations on nuclear weapons. According to US media reports, the next round of negotiations between the US and Iran is expected next week and this important meeting may possibly take place in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the series of attacks between the two countries has also stopped, while countries playing a mediating role in the region and internationally are active in reducing tensions and getting the negotiations back on track.

According to the American news website Axios, senior officials from Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have contacted US and Iranian officials in recent days to prevent the situation from worsening and to set a new date for talks between technical teams from the two countries. According to the British broadcaster Reuters, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Oman on Saturday to discuss arrangements for the safe passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters, the US wants assurances from Iran that all shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz will remain open, that free and safe movement of ships will be ensured and that no fees will be imposed on this passage. According to the report, Qatar and Pakistan, among other mediators, are trying to restore contacts between Iran and the US, while Oman is also active in reducing tensions. Although US President Donald Trump said that the ceasefire is no longer effective, he also said that the US has agreed to continue talks with Iran.

The agreement's controversial clauses

 
Experts say that a major reason for the current crisis is the ambiguity in some clauses of the memorandum of understanding. In particular, different interpretations are being made of points related to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, future security arrangements and Lebanon. Washington's position is that Iran has not fulfilled its obligations regarding the safe passage of ships, while Tehran says that the US attacks and the ongoing Israeli operations in Lebanon have undermined the spirit of the agreement. According to observers, if negotiations resume, clarifying these points will be a top priority.
What are the possible effects on the global economy and the region?
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, and a large amount of oil and gas passes through it on a global scale. That is why any kind of tension in this region can have immediate effects on energy prices, maritime trade and global markets. Due to the recent tension, fluctuations in global oil prices have been observed, while some shipping companies have also taken additional protective measures. Experts say that if the situation worsens further, its effects can be felt from the Gulf countries to Europe, Asia and the global economy. At the regional level, this crisis is also of exceptional importance for the Gulf countries, Iraq, Lebanon and other neighboring states. This is why several countries, including Pakistan, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, are trying to reduce tensions and reactivate the negotiation process through diplomatic contacts.

What could happen next?

 
Currently, three possibilities are most widely discussed:
Negotiations resume and a new understanding is reached on the controversial clauses.
Limited military pressure and diplomatic efforts continue simultaneously.
Tensions escalate further and the ceasefire or reconciliation process completely fails.
At the moment, both the US and Iran are making tough statements, but backdoor diplomacy and mediation efforts are also ongoing. That is why, according to observers, the current crisis has not yet entered a decisive phase. The coming days will determine whether the parties return to the negotiating table or the region once again moves towards a wider conflict.