SYRIA UPDATE

President al-Assad receives Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission

President al-Assad stressed that since its inception, the relationship between Damascus and Tehran has been based on principles, morals, and respect for the will of the peoples to determine their fate and build their future away from any external interference, and this approach contributed to the independence of the two countries.

For his part, Falahatpisheh affirmed that the deep-rooted cultural heritage of the Syrian and the Iranian peoples forms firm grounds on which they stand, as opposed to the countries that are standing today on shaky grounds because they have adopted immoral policies that contradict international law, whether by using terrorism as an instrument to achieve their interests, or imposing sanctions on countries which disagree with them.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155622

Over 15,000 industrial facilities in service in Aleppo

Director of Aleppo Industry Department Khalaf Shawakh said that during 2018, 129 textiles industry projects have been licensed with a cost estimated at SYP 3.687 billion, in addition to 32 food industries projects with a cost of SYP 589 million, and 39 engineering industries projects with a cost of SYP 505 million.

https://sana.sy/en/?p=155639

Russian Military Police Expanded Area Of Patrols Near Syria’s Manbij

Units of the Russian Military Police have reportedly expanded their area of patrils near the northern Syrian town of Manbij with the villages of Sayadah Kabirah and Sayadah Saghirah. This situation shows the developing security cooperation between the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which control the Manbij area. However, no significant progress has been achieved in this field so far.

https://southfront.org/russian-military-police-expanded-area-of-patrols-near-syrias-manbij/

Turkish Foreign Minister: Syrian Government, Its Allies Are To Blame If Idlib Becomes “Terrorist Nest”

The Syrian government and the countries that support it are responsible is to blame if Idlib becomes “terrorist nest”, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlet Cavusoglu said on January 14. The foreign minister blaimed the Syrian government and its allies for moving in terrorists from places as far as Daraa in the south.

He stressed that Turkey is doing what is required to maintain peace and prevent violations in the Idlib de-escalation zone. He even claimed that the Idlib deal reached between Turkey and Russia last September has been “successfully” implemented despite difficult conditions.

https://southfront.org/turkish-foreign-minister-syrian-government-its-allies-are-to-blame-if-idlib-becomes-terrorist-nest/

Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham Leader Declares His Support To Possible Turkish Operation Against YPG In Northeastern Syria

Already noted separately but posted for context to above article

https://southfront.org/hayat-tahrir-al-sham-leader-declares-his-support-to-possible-turkish-operation-against-ypg-in-northeastern-syria/

US Has Begun Pulling Equipment, Not Troops From Syria

“That includes planning for the moving of people and equipment, preparation of facilities to accept retrograde equipment,” the official said, noting that no troops had been withdrawn yet.

https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/47917/us-has-begun-pulling-equipment-not-troops-from-syria.html

Syrian War Report – Jan. 14, 2019: Netanyahu Claims “Depots Full Of Iranian Weapons” Destroyed In Syria

https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-jan-14-2019-netanyahu-claims-depots-full-of-iranian-weapons-destroyed-in-syria/

Political Leadership Of Syrian Kurds Paused Talks With Damascus Government

The political leadership of the Syrian Kurds has paused talks with the Damascus government, its official representative in Moscow, Rshad Bienaf, told the Russian state-run news agency RIA News on January 14. Bienaf claimed that the issue is the “democratic system”, which the Kurdish leadership demands. In turn, Damascus wants to restore a centralized rule of the country. The Kurdish official claimed that there was a “dialogue”, but no results were achieved because the Damascus government is not ready to change the constitution.

https://southfront.org/political-leadership-of-syrian-kurds-paused-talks-with-damascus-government/

Military Situation In Northwestern Syria On January 14, 2019 (Map Update)

https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-northwestern-syria-on-january-14-2019-map-update/

No military aspect to Iran's satellite activity: Ministry

Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly countered claims ascribing military aspects to the country's ongoing satellite projects.

"The structure of our satellites and the launch pads used for them are different from those used for launching military missiles. This [satellite] activity is civilian, and we need this technology for weather forecast," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told a news conference on Monday.

The official insisted that Iran will certainly not wait for agreement from foreign parties to launch its satellites, saying, "As an independent country, Iran is entitled to make use of all technologies that facilitate its progress. For that matter, the country does not wait for anyone’s opinion or consent."

Just recently, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that Iran’s planned launch of space rockets and missiles were in breach of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. The document endorses the Islamic Republic's 2015 nuclear agreement with world countries.

Later, the French Foreign Ministry echoed those comments about Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Tehran maintains that its missile tests are not banned under the nuclear agreement nor the UNSC resolution, because the missiles are not designed or manufactured in a way to deliver nuclear warheads.

Qassemi refuted the remarks made by Pompeo and French officials as “wrongful and inapt.”

Separately, he complained about Europe’s slow progress introducing the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a payment mechanism aimed at facilitating business with Iran in the face of US sanctions.

"Our perception is that this issue is facing much delay. We are not going to await Europe's decision in this regard," Qassemi added.

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/01/14/585736/Iran-Poland-United-States-summit-Pompeo