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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
IRGC says Iran's military capabilities a 'red line' in nuclear talks with US
The next round of talks will be held in four days and will reportedly be hosted by Oman again
❗️PIJ's Quds Brigades, Gaza:
"After returning from the battle lines, our fighters confirmed the detonation of a "Thaqib" explosive device against a Zionist tank that had penetrated the vicinity of Al-Mintar Stadium, east of Shujaiya in Gaza City."
❗️Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on X:
"Today, we accompany His Excellency President Ahmad al-Sharaa on his first presidential visit to the country that stood by the Syrians from day one and never abandoned them."
Maldives bans entry of Israeli tourists 'in resolute solidarity' with Palestine
Israeli soldiers who have participated in the genocide continue to face the treat of arrest while traveling in various countries as tourists
⭕️ The Trump administration announced it will freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with White House demands for policy changes addressing alleged "rampant antisemitism and leftist ideology" on campus - specifically regarding student activism criticizing Israel's occupation of Palestine and its genocidal war on Gaza.
According to an initial administration letter, $9 billion in federal funding to the university had been under review, contingent on Harvard implementing specific reforms. These included:
– Ban student groups like Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) that organize against what they term Israel's genocide in Gaza.
– Bar students who support Palestine from federal programs.
– Implement ideological screening of international students to exclude those critical of US foreign policy.
The move represents the administration's federal effort to suppress campus activism supporting Palestine.
Lebanese president vows to 'bring all weapons under state control' in 2025
Hezbollah has said that its weapons are an internal matter that it is prepared to discuss as part of a national defensive strategy to protect Lebanon
⭕️ Syria’s Ambassador to Moscow Bashar al-Jaafari has denied claims by TASS that he requested political asylum from Russia. Speaking to Al Mayadeen, Jaafari said, “The reports that I requested asylum in Russia are baseless.”
The new Syrian government had recently decided to restructure its diplomatic missions abroad. According to SANA, both Jaafari and the Ambassador to Riyadh, Ayman Susan, were recalled to the capital as part of this move.
❗️Syria's Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in the Qatari capital today, where they were officially received by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
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UPDATE | The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health issued a statement announcing that "the Israeli enemy's drone strike on a car in the town of Aitaroun resulted in the death of one martyr and the injury of three others, including a child."
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Syrian ambassador to Moscow requests asylum after Damascus recall
Bashar al-Jaafari served as a prominent diplomat for the previous government of Bashar al-Assad and may face detention and an investigation if he returns to Damascus
‘New page in history’: Lebanese PM visits Damascus for talks with Sharaa
Nawaf Salam and Ahmad al-Sharaa discussed several issues, including Syrian refugees in Lebanon, border security, and trade cooperation
❗️Hamas will respond to the new Israeli ceasefire proposal within 48 hours.
(AFP)
❗️Director of Field Hospitals in the Gaza Strip:
– "11,000 patients and wounded are facing the risk of death due to being denied treatment abroad."
– "We are forced to discharge some of the wounded due to hospital overcrowding."
– "Hospitals lack medicines and medical supplies."
– "The occupation does not spare any hospital from continuous bombardment."
– "The occupation is preventing the entry of medicines and medical supplies into hospitals."
⭕️ Strengthening Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Syria ties:
On 14 April, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, and Asaad Shaibani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Interim Government, discussed strengthening the Azerbaijan-Turkiye-Syria cooperation format during a phone call.
The conversation focused on Azerbaijani-Syrian relations and regional security. Both sides highlighted the potential for cooperation following the fall of the Assad government and expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan's support in restoring its embassy in Syria.
Azerbaijan reiterated its commitment to contributing to Syria’s reconstruction and emphasized the importance of its humanitarian aid. The two ministers also exchanged views on bilateral and multilateral issues.
(Caliber.Az)
❗️Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on X yesterday:
"My visit today to Damascus aims to open a new chapter in the path of relations between the two countries, based on mutual respect, the restoration of trust, good neighborliness, the preservation of the sovereignty of our two countries, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs — for Syria’s decisions belong to the Syrians, and Lebanon’s decisions belong to the Lebanese.
Discussions were held with President Ahmad al-Sharaa on border control and crossings, preventing smuggling, and moving toward the demarcation of land and maritime borders — a process that was launched during the Jeddah meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries, with appreciated sponsorship by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
There was also an exchange of views on facilitating the safe and dignified return of Syrian refugees to their land and homes, with the help of the United Nations and brotherly and friendly countries.
We discussed the fate of missing and detained Lebanese in Syria, in addition to demanding that the Syrian authorities assist in handing over individuals wanted for justice in Lebanon — most notably in connection with the bombings of the Al-Taqwa and Al-Salam mosques, the individual convicted in the assassination of President Bashir Gemayel, and other crimes attributed to the Assad regime. The issue of Syrian detainees in Lebanese prisons was also addressed.
On the economic front, discussions covered cooperation in various fields, the opening of trade and transit routes, the importation of oil and gas, and the resumption of civil aviation routes.
We also touched on the agreements between the two countries that ought to be reconsidered — including the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council."
❗️Kuwait Specialized Hospital in Gaza:
– "We condemn the heinous crime committed by the occupation forces this morning, involving the direct targeting of the hospital’s northern gate with a missile, which led to the martyrdom of one of our medical staff and the injury of nine others."
– "This attack comes as part of a continuous pattern of blatant violations of international humanitarian law concerning the protection of hospitals."
– "We affirm our commitment to continue fulfilling our moral and humanitarian duty toward our wounded and sick, despite the dire conditions, direct targeting, and the collapse of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip."
– "We call on the international community, Arab and Islamic countries, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to assume their responsibilities and take urgent action to protect medical facilities in Gaza and ensure the safety of their staff."
An Israeli airstrike targeted medical personnel at Kuwait Specialized Hospital, also known as “Shifa Palestine”—the only field hospital in Mawasi, Khan Yunis, southern Gaza—killing one Palestinian and injuring ten others.
The area is designated by the military as a “safe zone”
⭕️ Syria is anticipating the arrival of a new shipment of Russian oil, part of a series of successive deliveries aimed at strengthening the country’s fuel production capacity and ensuring a more stable supply of electricity. This shipment marks an important step in a supply plan targeting large quantities of crude oil during the second quarter of this year (2025).
A well-informed source said that the shipment consists of one million barrels of crude oil and is expected to arrive within a week. The source added that the shipment is part of a tender recently issued by the Syrian Ministry of Oil—prior to its merger with the Ministry of Electricity—for the import of seven million barrels of crude for the benefit of the Baniyas refinery.
(Attaqa News)
❗️Member of the Political Bureau of Ansarallah, Hizam al-Asad:
– "US President Donald Trump's visit to the region will not be safe unless Gaza is safe; the continued bloodshed in Yemen and Palestine will come at a high cost for Trump if he sets foot in the region."
– "The equation is clear: there will be no calm in the region unless there is calm in Gaza; and there will be no safety in the Mediterranean and Red Seas unless Gaza is secure."
⭕️ Israel is growing worried about a revived plan to send Gulf natural gas—especially from Qatar—to Europe through Syria and Turkiye, cutting Israel out of the route.
Israel had hoped to use its Haifa Port as a key energy hub, but that idea has faded as ties between Damascus and Ankara continue to deepen.
Israeli media has criticized the government’s lack of a clear Syria strategy and warned that Turkiye won’t let Israel interfere with a pipeline project seen as crucial to its influence in the region.
(Turkiye Today)
⭕️ A French military plane landed at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Sunday 13 April, bringing in engineering equipment meant for clearing explosives.
The equipment was a donation from the French government to the Lebanese Army.
Officers from both the Lebanese and French armies were present for the handover, the Lebanese Army said in a statement.
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– "The Ministry of Health condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli occupation’s deliberate targeting of the Kuwaiti field hospital 'Shifa Palestine' in Khan Yunis."
– "This attack exposes the occupation’s systematic efforts to dismantle Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure and endanger the lives of patients and medical staff—even those confined to hospital beds."
– "Such crimes against medical facilities will continue unabated without decisive international intervention to hold Israel accountable."
⭕️ China has told its airlines to stop accepting new Boeing planes and to pause buying US-made airplane parts. This comes after China hit back at the US with steep new tariffs—up to 145%—in response to the latest round of tariffs announced by President Trump. The move deals a major blow to Boeing, which has long counted on China as one of its biggest markets.
Some Boeing jets that were already in the pipeline might still be delivered if paperwork was done before the new rules kicked in, but even that’s uncertain. This latest trade clash adds more pressure on Boeing, which has already been struggling with supply issues and past safety scandals. China is now leaning more on European supplier Airbus and its own homegrown aircraft, but it still relies on Boeing planes for many of its airlines. (Bloomberg)
⭕️ Earlier today, during a meeting with senior officials from the three branches of government, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, stated:
“The Oman talks are just one of the many tasks undertaken by the Foreign Ministry. We must not tie the country’s affairs to these talks. We are neither overly optimistic nor overly pessimistic about them. In the end, it’s a step that has been decided upon and has been well implemented in its early stages. Of course, we are very skeptical of the other side, but we remain optimistic about our own capabilities.”
(IRNA)
❗️Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Al-Araby al-Jadeed:
– "Hezbollah has no intention of being dragged into a new war."
– "I’m working to make 2025 the year when all weapons are exclusively under state control."
– "We will not replicate the Popular Mobilization Forces model to integrate Hezbollah into the army, nor allow it to exist as an independent unit within the military."
– "Hezbollah members can join the army and undergo integration training, just as members of other parties did at the end of the Lebanese civil war."
– "Speaker Nabih Berri and I are in full agreement on all matters, especially on the need to centralize arms under the state."
– "The Americans know that normalization or peace talks with Israel are not on the table right now."
– "I did not discuss forming diplomatic committees to handle sensitive files with Israel during my talks with Morgan Ortagus."
– "I told Ortagus that Israel’s presence in the five disputed points gives Hezbollah a justification."
– "I also told Ortagus that we want to disarm Hezbollah, but without sparking a civil war in Lebanon."
– "Hezbollah has shown restraint and a high level of awareness during this period. It has acted responsibly by not responding to Israeli violations."
– "A decision has been made to confine weapons to the state. The question now is how to implement it, which I believe should be through bilateral dialogue between the presidency and Hezbollah."
Saudi Arabia to 'pay off' Syria's World Bank debt: Report
Syria owes around $15 million to the World Bank and is suffering severe economic conditions due to years of war and sanctions
Algeria expels French embassy staff as diplomatic spat deepens
The move comes after France detained three Algerian nationals in connection with the kidnapping of an Algerian influencer on French soil
❗️Former British Diplomat Craig Murray:
"A British diplomatic source tells me that 'President' Al Jolani aka Al-Sharaa has assured the UK that Syria will 'normalise relation' with Israel, recognise the State of Israel and exchange Ambassadors, by the end of 2026. This is part of a deal in exchange for substantial Western financial support and the lifting of sanctions on Syria."
BREAKING | An Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in Aitaroun, southern Lebanon.
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❗️French President Emmanuel Macron on X yesterday:
"I just spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
France is fully committed to securing the release of all hostages, achieving a lasting ceasefire, and ensuring immediate access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
It is essential to build a framework for the day after: disarming and sidelining Hamas, establishing credible governance, and reforming the Palestinian Authority.
This must pave the way toward a political two-state solution, in view of the upcoming June conference, in the interest of peace and security for all.
We need peace."