标签： Oceania

Iran has initiated a gradual restoration of internet connectivity following a ten-day nationwide blackout that coincided with widespread anti-government demonstrations. The digital shutdown, which began on January 8th as protests intensified, had drawn international condemnation as rights organizations accused authorities of attempting to conceal a violent crackdown that reportedly resulted in thousands of casualties.

The protests, initially sparked by economic grievances in late December, evolved into the most significant challenge to Iran’s leadership in years. While Iranian officials maintain that calm has been restored to the streets of Tehran, security forces remain visibly deployed with armored vehicles and motorcycles throughout the capital.

International tensions have escalated dramatically following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who characterized Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as “a sick man” who should “run his country properly and stop killing people.” Trump explicitly called for new leadership in Iran during an interview with Politico on Saturday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded forcefully via social media platform X, declaring that “an attack on the great leader of our country is tantamount to a full-scale war with the Iranian nation.”

According to internet monitoring group Netblocks, limited access to services including Google has been restored, though overall connectivity remains significantly disrupted. The Tasnim news agency confirmed that internet restoration would proceed gradually as schools reopened after a week of closures.

The human cost of the crackdown remains hotly contested. Norway-based Iran Human Rights has documented 3,428 protester deaths through verified sources within Iran’s health system, witnesses, and independent verification, though the organization acknowledges the actual toll is likely substantially higher. Opposition media outlets have reported figures as high as 12,000 casualties, which Iranian judiciary officials have vehemently denied.

Supreme Leader Khamenei acknowledged “a few thousand” deaths but attributed them to what he called “agents” of the United States and Israel. Judicial authorities have promised swift trials for detained protesters, with some potentially facing capital charges of “waging war against God.”

Solidarity demonstrations continue in multiple international cities including Berlin, London, and Paris, as the global community expresses growing concern over the situation and the potential for widespread executions of detained protesters.

In a significant geopolitical shift, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa announced a comprehensive ceasefire and integration agreement with Kurdish-led forces on Sunday. This development follows rapid territorial advances by government troops across northern and eastern Syria, including the strategic capture of Tabqa city and the vital Euphrates Dam.

The 14-point agreement, published by the Syrian presidency, mandates the full integration of the Kurdish administration and security forces into state structures. Key provisions include transferring control of Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces to Damascus and incorporating the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s defense and interior ministries. The central government will also assume responsibility for Islamic State prisoners currently held in Kurdish-run detention facilities.

Military movements precipitated the diplomatic breakthrough. The SDF unexpectedly withdrew from positions in Deir Ezzor’s eastern countryside, including the valuable Al-Omar and Tanak oil fields—Syria’s largest petroleum assets. Simultaneously, government forces advanced into Arab-majority areas previously under Kurdish control, with coordination reported between Damascus and local tribal fighters formerly aligned with the SDF.

The agreement represents a consolidation of state authority but diminishes Kurdish aspirations for preserved autonomy. While President Sharaa had granted Kurds official recognition on Friday, Kurdish leaders previously indicated such measures fell short of their expectations.

International reactions emerged as US envoy Tom Barrack, meeting with Sharaa in Damascus, characterized the pact as a ‘pivotal inflection point.’ The United States Central Command had earlier urged Syrian government forces to cease offensive operations between Aleppo and Tabqa, reflecting Washington’s complex position supporting both Kurdish forces and Syria’s current administration.

On the ground, residents reported mixed reactions. In Raqa, civilians expressed fear amid ongoing clashes, while hundreds demonstrated in the Kurdish stronghold of Qamishli, chanting defensive slogans. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir declared that returning the region’s resources to state control would ‘open the door wide for reconstruction’ across energy, agriculture, and trade sectors.

European leaders are mounting a coordinated response to President Donald Trump’s unprecedented tariff threats, which come as direct retaliation for their opposition to his administration’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland. The autonomous Danish territory has become the unlikely epicenter of a major diplomatic crisis straining NATO alliances.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, despite maintaining generally positive relations with Trump, openly criticized the proposed economic measures during her visit to Seoul. ‘I believe that imposing new sanctions today would be a mistake,’ Meloni stated, revealing she had communicated this position directly to the American president hours earlier. While characterizing the situation as partly stemming from ‘understanding and communication’ failures, she emphasized NATO’s crucial role in resolving the escalating dispute.

Across Europe, condemnation of Trump’s tariff announcement has been swift and unequivocal. British Culture Minister Lisa Nandy confirmed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s intention to address the matter urgently with the White House, labeling the threatened tariffs as ‘wrong,’ ‘deeply unhelpful,’ and ‘counterproductive.’

French President Emmanuel Macron advocated for a robust European response, urging deployment of the EU’s previously unused ‘anti-coercion instrument’—a powerful trade mechanism designed to counteract such economic pressure. This tool, often referred to as the EU’s trade ‘bazooka,’ enables restrictions on imports of goods and services.

The Trump administration has outlined a graduated tariff schedule: implementing 10% tariffs on all imports from eight European nations—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Finland—beginning February 1, with escalation to 25% by June 1 if Greenland negotiations remain stalled.

Civil society has joined governmental opposition, with thousands protesting in Nuuk, Copenhagen, and other Danish cities against potential U.S. annexation. Diplomatic channels are actively engaged, as evidenced by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen’s planned visits to Norway, the UK, and Sweden for Arctic security consultations.

European officials emphasize the mutual damage of tariff escalation. French Agricultural Minister Annie Genevard noted that American farmers and industrialists would also suffer significant losses, while Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel condemned Trump’s approach as ‘inexplicable blackmail.’

The European Union has convened an emergency meeting of ambassadors in Brussels to formulate a unified strategy, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa warning that these tariffs would ‘undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.’

In a significant escalation of rhetoric, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for authorities to decisively confront what he termed ‘seditionists,’ directly blaming U.S. President Donald Trump for casualties during recent nationwide demonstrations. The address, broadcast on state television Saturday, came after weeks of the most substantial anti-government protests to challenge the Islamic Republic in over three years.

The unrest, initially sparked by economic grievances, transformed into broad opposition against Iran’s clerical leadership before being suppressed through a severe crackdown that included a nationwide internet blackout lasting more than a week. While Iranian authorities claim to have restored calm and labeled the demonstrations as ‘riots,’ independent rights organizations report thousands of fatalities and arrests during the suppression campaign.

Khamenei’s speech framed the protests as an ‘American conspiracy’ designed to reestablish Western ‘military, political and economic domination’ over Iran. He asserted that while Iran doesn’t seek conflict, it ‘will not spare domestic criminals’ and accused Trump of responsibility for the violence and accusations against Iran.

The verification of casualties remains profoundly challenging due to ongoing internet restrictions, though multiple sources indicate a substantial death toll. Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) has documented 3,428 verified fatalities while cautioning that the actual number could be significantly higher. Some estimates, including from opposition media outside Iran, suggest figures ranging from 5,000 to as many as 20,000 killed.

Meanwhile, partial internet restoration has begun after approximately 200 hours of complete shutdown, though connectivity remains severely limited. The government prosecutor dismissed Trump’s recent claims about halted executions as ‘nonsense,’ maintaining that the state’s response had been ‘firm, dissuasive and swift.’

Internationally, protests continue in diaspora communities across Europe, while Reza Pahlavi—son of the deposed Shah—has called for renewed demonstrations within Iran, though rights monitors report no verifiable protests in recent days amid heavy security deployments.

The geopolitical landscape surrounding postwar Gaza witnessed significant developments as former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’ attracted international participation. Multiple world leaders have received invitations to join the controversial initiative, which aims to address the territory’s reconstruction and governance following prolonged conflict.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all been approached to participate in the board. Their responses vary from immediate acceptance to careful consideration, with Milei publicly expressing honor at the invitation via social media platform X.

The board’s composition includes prominent political figures such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who acknowledged Trump’s leadership in establishing the initiative. Blair’s involvement remains contentious due to his role in the 2003 Iraq invasion, though Trump previously verified his acceptability to all parties.

Administrative structure reveals two distinct entities: a primary Board of Peace focusing on governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, and investment mobilization, and a secondary Gaza executive board with advisory functions. The primary board incorporates Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, World Bank President Ajay Banga, billionaire financier Marc Rowan, and National Security Council member Robert Gabriel.

Concurrent with these developments, a technocratic Palestinian committee held its inaugural meeting in Cairo, attended by Kushner. The White House confirmed additional appointments would follow for both boards, though specific allocations for world leaders remain unclear.

Security dimensions advanced with the appointment of U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers to lead an International Stabilization Force. This unit will assume security responsibilities in Gaza and establish a new police force to replace Hamas structures. Jeffers previously managed the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire monitoring in late 2024.

The initiative progresses amid ongoing military operations, with Washington characterizing the effort as transitioning from ceasefire implementation to Hamas disarmament. The approach continues to generate debate regarding its vision for economic transformation and potential demographic policies in the conflict-ravaged territory.