Rival claimants to Afghanistan presidency make a deal

(May 18)After months of dispute over the presidential election in Afghanistan, with both Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah claiming the presidency, the two competitors have agreed to a power-sharing deal last Sunday.

While Ghani had been declared the winner by a narrow margin Abdullah Abdullah contested the results. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had tried to mediate a compromise but had failed. No doubt to show its displeasure the US cut one billion from US aid to Afghanistan. Perhaps the agreement will help avoid any further cuts to US aid to Afghanistan.

On Sunday Sedig Sediggi, Ghani's spokesperson said:"The Political Agreement between President Ghani and Dr Abdullah Abdullah has just been signed."

The deal

Ironically the deal is almost the same as one first proposed by Ghani months ago. Ghani will remain president under the deal, but Abdullah will become vice president. Abdullah will also be in charge of intra-Afghan peace talks with the Taliban. His supporters will also obtain some cabinet positions. In a previous election there was the same disputed results but at that time the US was able to mediate a compromise with the creation of a Chief Executive Officer position for Abdullah while Ghani remained president.

Talks between Afghan government and Taliban should resume

At the end of February the Taliban and US signed a peace agreement. The US has already begun withdrawing troops as part of the agreement. However, as a confidence-building measure the agreement terms included a prisoner swap of 5,000 Taliban imprisoned by the Afghan government in return for 1,000 imprisoned by the Taliban. The Afghan government refused to carry out the swap because it was not part of the agreement. Attempts to resolve the issue through talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government have so far failed. Because of this the Taliban resumed attacks on the government claiming that the deal had been broken.

Now that there is a more secure Afghan government future talks could be more successful. A recent article notes:"US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said on Friday that a new date for intra-Afghan peace talks was under discussion and he would soon travel to the region and try to encourage a reduction in violence.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Iran cautions US against making any moves on fuel shipments to Venezuela

(May 17) Iran's news agency Nour has issued an announcement cautioning the US from making any moves against fuel shipments that are en route from Iran to Venezuela.

US moving warships to the Caribbean

The US move is regarded as threatening by President Maduro of Venezuela whose government the US has been trying to oust. The US has recognized their choice for the coup Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president after he declared himself to be such. Many countries have also followed in the US path.

Nour news said that the US was acting "just like pirates" and would face repercussions if it moved against the ships bound for Venezuela. Nour is said to be close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) and the statements could be a sign of IRG policy.

Nour is quoted as saying: “If the United States, just like pirates, intends to create insecurity on international waterways, it would be taking a dangerous risk and that will certainly not go without repercussion."

US announcement

US officials had issued what they termed an advisory against Iran-flagged tankers, accusing them of deceptive practices to get shipments sent in violation of US sanctions they also condemned Syria and North Korea in the advisory. However none of these countries are bound to follow US sanctions. Only US based ships or US-owned vessels at most would be bound. US sanctions are simply a form of US bullying made possible by its global power.

US may want to raise uncertainty about its actions. Actually, attacking or boarding the vessel physically would very much escalate tensions between the US and Iran. There is no legitimate reason to stop Venezuela from selling oil wherever it wants. The US does not want it to sell oil anywhere.

At least one tanker has set sail with gasoline from Iran has set out for Venezuela. Ali Rabiei an Iranian government spokesperson said to state media: “Venezuela and Iran are both independent states that have had and will continue to have trade relations with each other. We sell goods and buy goods in return. This trade has nothing to do with anyone else. We have to sell our oil and we have ways to do it."

According to time five tankers are now on their way from Iran to Venezuela: "Five Iranian tankers likely carrying at least $45.5 million worth of gasoline and similar products are now sailing to Venezuela, part of a wider deal between the two U.S.-sanctioned nations amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington."

Previously published in the Digital Journal