Baghdad, June 16 (SANA)Iraqi Prime MinisterAli Falih al-Zaidiand U.S. presidential envoyTom Barrackdiscussed plans to rehabilitate theKirkuk-Baniyasoil pipeline during talks inBaghdad, as the two sides also reviewed regional developments and security issues, according to a statement from the Iraqi prime minister’s office on Tuesday. The discussions focused on advancing a memorandum of understanding signed withTI Capitalto restore the pipeline, which would reconnect northern Iraq’s oil fields toSyria‘s Mediterranean coast. Iraqi officials described the project as an important route for oil exp…

Jakarta, June 17 (SANA)A shallowearthquakemeasuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck the centralIndonesianisland of Sulawesi on Tuesday, with initial reports indicating no casualties or damage. Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as saying that the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth at 10:27 a.m. local time in an area southeast of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said residents in the cities of Palu and Sigi felt strong tremors, but stressed that there was no risk of a tsunam…

Washington,June 16 (SANA)US Vice PresidentJ.D. Vance said on Monday that theceasefire agreementsigned between theUnited StatesandIranis a highly general public document, noting that the details will be determined during subsequent negotiations. Reuters quoted Vance as saying during an interview with CNN that “the memorandum of understanding is about a page and a half long, so it is a very general document.” Addressing a number of unresolved issues, Vance added: “We will have to resolve those matters during the technical negotiation phase.” His remarks came a day after US President Donald Tr…

Homs, June 16 (SANA)A cultural event celebratingCircassian heritagebrought together traditional dress, cuisine, folklore and music in Homs on Monday as part ofSyria‘s Intangible Heritage Week, an initiative aimed at promoting awareness of the country’s diverse cultural traditions. Held at the Culture Palace and organized by theHomsDirectorate of Culture in cooperation with the Najeeb Foundation for Heritage, the event featured exhibitions of traditional Circassian clothing, handicrafts, household items and cuisine, alongside artistic performances showcasing Circassian customs, dances and folk…

Washington, June 16 (SANA)EgyptandBelgiumshared the points after a 1-1 draw in their opening Group G match of the2026 FIFA World Cupon Monday at Seattle Stadium. Egypt took the lead in the 19th minute through Emam Ashour, but Belgium leveled midway through the second half when Egyptian defender Mohamed Hany inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 66th minute. The result leaves both teams with one point after the opening round of Group G fixtures. The group’s remaining first-round match between Iran and New Zealand is scheduled to be played later.

Riyad, June 16 (SANA)Saudi Foreign MinisterFaisal bin Farhan held a phone call on Monday with his Jordanian counterpart,Ayman Safadi, to discuss developments in the region following the recently announcedceasefire agreementbetween the United States and Iran. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on its account on platform X that the two ministers also discussed a number of issues of mutual interest during their call. The discussions came afterWashingtonandTehranannounced on Sunday that they had reached an agreement, brokered by Pakistan, to end military operations, reopen the Strait of …

Kuwait, June 16 (SANA)Kuwaiti Foreign MinisterSheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabahheld a phone call on Monday evening with his Turkish counterpart,Hakan Fidan, to discuss the latest developments in the region. In a statement published on platform X, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two ministers reviewed recent regional developments and efforts being undertaken in response to them, with particular focus on an agreement regarding a memorandum of understanding between theUnited StatesandIran. According to the ministry, the memorandum provides for an immediate and permanent cessat…

Damascus, June 16 (SANA)Minister of InformationKhaled Zaarour met on Monday withMinister of Religious EndowmentsMohammad Abu al-Khair Shukri at the Ministry of Information to discuss the importance of integrating media and religious roles in protecting society and strengthening soundpublic awareness. The Ministry of Information said on its Telegram channel that the meeting focused on developing religious and media discourse to build a comprehensive and balanced societal awareness that reinforces the values ofmoderationandtolerance, counters hate speech and extremism, and promotes a more infor…

Washington, June 16 (SANA)Saudi ArabiaandUruguayplayed out a 1-1 draw in their opening Group H match of the2026 FIFA World Cupat Hard Rock Stadium on Monday. Saudi defenderAbdulelah Al-Amriput his side ahead in the 41st minute, butMaximiliano Araújoequalized for Uruguay 10 minutes from time to ensure both teams shared the points. The result leaves Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde level on one point each after the opening round of Group H matches.

Latakia, June 15 (SANA)Internal security forces in Latakia province have arrested Wissam Saji Osman, office director of the criminal Yisar al-Assad, for involvement in violations and crimes targeting unarmed civilians in Syria’s coastal region, the security command said Monday. Osman was also implicated in managing recruitment operations and securing financial and military support during events that took place on the coast in March 2025, with backing and direction from Yisar al-Assad, according to the security command. The arrest was the result of a targeted security operation based on a ser…

Paris, June 15 (SANA)French authorities have closed 12 Israeli pavilions at the Eurosatory international arms fair held near Paris, the event’s organizer said Monday, after banning the display of Israeli offensive weapons at the 2026 edition. Coges Events, the organizing company, said in a statement cited by AFP that the 12 pavilions were closed “due to non-compliance with participation conditions set by French authorities.” “As a result, 12 pavilions had to be closed,” Coges Events CEO Charles Beaudouin said in a statement. The Eurosatory fair, held from June 15 to 19 at an exhibition cent…

Capitals, June 15 (SANA)TheUnited Statesand Iran have reached a framework agreement to end hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Israel has quickly distanced itself from the understanding, insisting it is not bound and will continue its military operations in Lebanon. Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, stressed that the US-Iran agreement “does not obligate Israel in any way,” calling for continued military operations against Hezbollah and rejecting any withdrawal from areas under Israeli control in southernLebanon. Defense Minister Israel Katz…

Damascus, June.15 (SANA)Syria’sMinister of Economy and IndustryNidal al-Shaarexplored with German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office and Member of Parliament Serap Güler ways to expand economic and bilateral trade relations and develop cooperation in areas of mutual interest in a manner that serves their shared interests. The meeting, held on Monday at the ministry’s headquarters in Damascus, addressed the promotion of investment and trade partnerships, the opening of new avenues for economic cooperation, and the exchange of views on potential areas of collaboration and mechanism…

Ankara, June 15 (SANA)Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanstressed the importance of continued activities of UN missions in Syria during a phone call Monday with UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres, stating that Türkiye will continue to provide necessary support in this regard, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported. According to a statement fromTürkiye‘s presidential communications office, the two sides discussed regional and international developments, primarily the agreement between Washington and Tehran, along with the latest developments in Cyprus and the humanitarian situation in …

New York, June 15 (SANA)TheUnited Nationson Monday renewed its welcome for the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the importance of opening a humanitarian corridor through the strait to prevent a global hunger crisis. According to UN News, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Owa Dabu warned during the 62nd session of theUN Human Rights Councilin Geneva that failure to reopen the strait would cause some of the world’s weakest economies to descend into chaos, increasing poverty and hunger for millions of people. Dabu calle…

Damascus, June.15 (SANA)Syrian Justice MinisterMazhar al-Waisreiterated that the Syrian state is moving forward with determination to achieve justice and hold individuals responsible for crimes committed under thedeposed regimeaccountable, stressing that impunity will not be tolerated. In a post published on the social media platform X on Monday, al-Wais reaffirmed that justice will continue to be pursued through the law and state institutions, emphasizing that there is no place for chaos or retaliation, but rather for the rule of law and the safeguarding of victims’ rights. Earlier in the d…

Damascus, June 15 (SANA)Syrian Transport MinisterYarub Badrmet with Syria’s charge d’affaires to Saudi Arabia, Mohsen Mahbash, to discuss mechanisms for following up on joint files with Saudi Arabia’s General Transport Authority to support infrastructure projects and develop Syria’s transport system, the ministry said Monday. The meeting, held at the ministry’s headquarters in Damascus, addressed ways to benefit fromSaudi Arabia‘s advanced experience in road infrastructure to support the ministry’s plans to improve and develop Syria’s road network. The two sides also discussed priority areas …

Doha, June 15 (SANA)Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign AffairsSheikhMohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thanireceived a phone call fromUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralAntonio Guterres. The call discussed cooperation relations between the State of Qatar and the United Nations, along with ways to support and strengthen them. It also discussed regional developments, particularly the agreement reached between the United States of America and Iran, and the efforts made to enhance security and stability in the region. Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed theState of Qatar‘s …

The Hague, June 15 (SANA)A court inThe Haguesentenced Monday Rafiq al-Qatrib, a former commander in the National Defense militia of the deposed regime, to 26 years in prison after convicting him of 19 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in and around the city of Salamiyah inHamaGovernorate between 2013 and 2014. The court said the conviction was based on al-Qatrib’s involvement in torture, rape, and sexual violence against eight victims held in three detention facilities near Salamiyah. He was acquitted of charges related to a ninth victim due to insufficient legal evid…

Geneva, June 15 (SANA)United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsVolker Türksaid thousands of victims and survivors inSyriacontinue to demand justice and accountability, stressing the importance of holding the ousted president (Assad) and other deposed regime’s officials accountable. According to UN News, Türk told theHuman Rights Councilin Geneva that prosecuting Bashar al-Assad and other deposed regime’s officials, although often conducted in absentia at this stage, represents an important step that must comply with international standards. Türk said the human rights landscape has wi…