Panorama of Week: Russian-Iranian partnership in Albu Kamal; escalation of tension in Iraq

During the past week, Arab newspapers reported on Russia's deployment of its forces in Albu Kamal, in addition to the American-Iranian tension in Iraq, as well as the French-Turkish conflict.

“Iran and Russia.. Saddam areas and agreement in Syria”

The beginning is from the Syrian issue, and in this context Al-Bayan newspaper said: “While the Russian-Iranian competition intensifies in southern Syria (Daraa and Quneitra), sometimes taking the character of conflict, this relationship changes according to the geography on the Syrian soil, as the relationship appears in Albu Kamal, the city. The border with Iraq is defined as a state of harmony between the two parties. "

According to Albu Kamal sources, "Russia has sent military police patrols to the region of strategic importance to Iran in order to participate in managing Albu Kamal border crossing, as Iranian militias control the management of this crossing."

A Russian military delegation visited the city last week in the context of joint coordination between the Syrian, Iranian and Russian sides, as it was agreed, according to the sources, that the Russians would participate in managing the crossing and deploying some military patrols near the borders, while sources considered that the Russian presence is a protection for Iranian headquarters from bombing. The American or Israeli forces, as these headquarters are usually exposed to unknown bombing.

The Russian-Iranian understanding on the joint deployment in Albu Kamal came after Russia was granted the right to explore for oil and gas in the countryside of Albu Kamal, as Russia seeks to obtain energy resources from eastern Syria, from Homs to Albu Kamal, where some Russian forces are in charge of protecting some oil facilities in Syria.

“Green Zone missiles exacerbate tensions in Soleimani's memory”

Regarding the American-Iranian tension in Iraq, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper said: “In the wake of the latest missile attack targeting the US embassy in the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iran and the United States exchanged warnings and threats as the anniversary of the assassination of the former commander of the Iranian“ Quds Force ”, Qassem Soleimani, near Baghdad airport on the third of last January by an American air strike approaches.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the armed militias supported by Iran, of being behind the recent attack on the US embassy, ​​and added:“ We call on all Iraqis to support their government's efforts to strengthen the sovereignty of Iraq, bring those responsible for these repulsive attacks to justice, and make sure that all Iran-backed militias are currently under state control. ”

For his part, General Frank McKinsey, commander of US forces in the Middle East, affirmed that his country is ready to respond in the event that Iran attacks it on the first anniversary of Soleimani’s killing. “We are ready to defend ourselves, our friends and allies in region".

On the other hand, Tehran warned, through a spokesperson for the State Department, the United States, against "causing tension" in the coming period, and Saeed Khatib Zadeh said in a press conference yesterday, "The nature and timing of the attack, in addition to the statements of the US Secretary of State, raise doubts" significantly". Khatibzadeh warned the American regime not to seek to provoke tension (...) these days.

“Algeria is an arena of escalating conflict between France and Turkey”

Regarding the French-Turkish rivalry, Al-Arab newspaper said: “The developments in the conflict between France and Turkey are pushing to transfer their battle to Algeria, through a gradually intensifying competition between the two parties in order to monopolize it as an important ally in the region, as Paris considers it its old colony that opens the doors to reassurance of its influence. On the African continent, while Turkey seeks to benefit from the glories of the Ottoman past, to embody the ambitions of the new leadership in Ankara to expand outside its borders and crowd out the French in their historical camp.

The Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at his residence to spend the period of convalescence in Germany, received a phone call from his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which he expressed to him his “happiness at his recovery,” and his wish for “a soon return to his country,” and also informed him of his desire to “ Ensuring his health, and Turkey's readiness to accompany Algeria in laying the foundations for his new project."

The Turkish president’s contact with his Algerian counterpart at the convalescence facility followed the call between Tebboune and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the third that the Algerian president received after recovering, as Tunisian President Qais Saeed was the first to call him.

The simultaneous contact between President Macron and Erdogan carried political connotations that imply the intensification of the conflict between the two countries in the context of the raging battle between them, in order to monopolize Algeria, as a strategic ally in the region, despite the pitfalls in their relations with Algeria due to accumulated bilateral files.

J.O

ANHA