Rapping US support for Israel
Iran says the US government may support Israel with American taxpayers’ money, but this will not help the regime’s survival. In a tweet, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kan’ani noted that five recent Israeli cabinets lasted just less than one year. He said the newly formed far-right coalition under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to meet the same destiny. The spokesman underlined that the Tel Aviv regime is mired in major domestic crises. He said the occupying regime is losing all hope of survival, which in turn, raises Palestinians’ hope of victory. He was reacting to the recent Israeli atrocities in the occupied territories, which left dozens of Palestinians dead.
Tunisia political crisis
Tunisia's main opposition coalition has urged a united front against President Kais Saied following a second round of parliamentary elections. The appeal came after just over 11 percent of Tunisians went to the polls on Sunday. The first round in December had a similar turnout. Sunday's poor participation was another blow to Saied. He has decreed the new, toothless parliament since his dramatic power grab. In 2021, he sacked the government and froze parliament before dissolving it and pushing through a new constitution that could give him unlimited powers. Saied’s critics say the voter apathy in both rounds of the elections has undermined his claims of public support for sweeping political change. They accuse him of seeking to dismantle the democratic system enacted after Tunisia's 2011 revolution.
US-China tensions
A top US Republican lawmaker has echoed warnings by a senior army general about a possible military confrontation with China, saying chances of conflict over Taiwan are very high. Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Mike McCaul said Beijing might consider the military option if it failed to take control of Taiwan bloodlessly. He said the US has to be prepared for such a scenario. On Friday, General Mike Minihan warned of a possible war with China as early as 2025 and called for the maximum battle readiness. He said the main goal should be to deter and, if required, defeat China. He argued that Taiwan's presidential elections next year would offer China an excuse for aggression, at the time when the US would be busy with its own presidential election. Beijing considers Taiwan as part of its territory. It has repeatedly warned against the island's growing diplomatic and military ties with the US.