Jalil Afridi
Washington DC: In today’s daily press briefing, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, addressed a range of topics reflecting the United States’ ongoing diplomatic and military engagements globally.
Patel emphasized that Qatar can speak on its own behalf, while reaffirming Israel’s commitment to maintaining its presence in the region.
He noted that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is actively engaging in diplomacy with international counterparts to address the ongoing crisis.
Highlighting the U.S.’s long-standing military partnership with Israel, Patel acknowledged the threats posed by Hamas and Hezbollah, stressing that while the U.S. presses Israel on minimizing civilian casualties in Gaza, Israel has the right to defend itself.
On the issue of Syria, Patel mentioned the U.S.’s concern over the Syrian government’s detainment of Austin Tice and affirmed that the U.S. remains deeply engaged at the highest levels to secure his release.
Assistant Secretary O’Brien’s recent visit to Ukraine was also discussed, with Patel reiterating the U.S.’s unwavering support for Ukraine, affirming that the U.S. will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with its partner as the situation evolves.
He also confirmed awareness of another American being arrested in Russia, but declined to provide further details due to privacy concerns.
When asked about the U.S. stance on Hamas, Patel made it clear that the U.S. does not consider Hamas to be an honest partner, reiterating the urgency of securing the release of U.S. hostages.
He also deferred to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) regarding their achievements but reinforced the U.S.’s strategic goal of eliminating Hamas and preventing Gaza from being a launchpad for attacks against Israel.
On U.S. military presence in Iraq, Patel clarified that while there have been discussions on various security commitments, the topic of force withdrawal has not yet been addressed.
In response to concerns raised by two U.S. Congressmen about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, Patel welcomed the focus of the new Bangladeshi government on democracy and peace, underscoring the robust relations between the U.S. and India.
Finally, Patel acknowledged reports of the Taliban displaying U.S. weapons on social media, but did not elaborate further on the issue. The briefing underscored the complex and multi-faceted nature of U.S. foreign policy, with ongoing concerns spanning from the Middle East to South Asia, as well as the enduring commitment to its allies and partners worldwide.
Jalil Afridi
Director/Managing Editor
The Frontier Post, Pakistan
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