Orientul Mijlociu

Saudi Arabia’s decision in October to spearhead a two million barrel per day cut in OPEC+ production quotas, and the harsh US response to it, is only the most recent example of the drift in Saudi–US relations. The dispute risks opening up space for China to expand its political influence in the region to the detriment of the United States and its allies.

The protests across the Islamic Republic are going beyond those of 2019 and 2009. They are certainly rocking the Islamic republic. But will they succeed in rolling it? The protesters have called for a three-day general strike. And observers warn: “even if it were confirmed, the abolition of the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad) would not stop the protest.” Indeed, there’s the sense that the protesters are gaining momentum after three months of street demonstrations and that something is moving. And even if the news of the abolition of the morality police isn’t true – widely circulated in the media but never officially announced by the authorities (it was announced by the judiciary not the government) – the mere fact that the issue is being discussed conveys a clear message: Iranian institutions are cornered and they’re trying to show an ‘open-minded’ approach without, however, committing to significant concessions. Meanwhile, activists have called for three days of national strikes and protests that threaten to paralyze the country.

US Central Command forces conducted a successful helicopter raid in eastern Syria at 2:57 a.m. local time on December 11, killing two ISIS officials including Anas, an ISIS Syria Province Official who was involved in the group’s deadly plotting and facilitation operations in eastern Syria, according to a CENTCOM statement.

The U.S. Navy in Greece had earlier detained the Lana before the Greek Supreme Court ordered the cargo be returned to Iran, according to Athr Press.

A source in the city of Baniyas confirmed to Athr Press the arrival of an oil tanker carrying 700 thousand barrels of crude oil, to Baniyas.

The regime is violently repressing the uprising in southern Syria.

Suweida has been witnessing a state of unrest since Sunday morning when a peaceful protest against difficult economic conditions was repressed with fire.

The US wants the pressure to be kept on ISIS, but every time Ankara has an election cycle or a need to distract from some issue at home, it will use drone strikes and threats of conflicts in Syria.

In late November, the US said that Syrian rebels in the south of the country had killed an ISIS leader. He was actually killed in October, but it apparently took time to confirm the details.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has rejected efforts by his Russian allies to arrange a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, refusing to give him leverage in next year’s upcoming elections in Turkiye.