US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

We have a bromance between our two Presidents.

We have President Trump and President Erdogan who found this bond in a very unusual relationship.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack on possible F-35 sale to Türkiye:

By the time you get to delivery of an F-35, you’re at the F-45.

The problem with Türkiye was S-400s… a Russian missile defense system. Congress enacted CAATSA. President Trump walks in and says, ‘This is insane.’

Türkiye already has a defense business; the drone business for Türkiye is the biggest supplier of drones for Ukraine. They’re manufacturing F-35s; they were in the F-35 program with us.

They have their own jets, KAAN jets, and while we don't sell them jets, they buy Eurojets. They're manufacturing F-35s; they were in the F-35 program with us.

They have four F-35s that are hangared in California. They were a big part of the fuselage assembly program.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

Türkiye is our largest NATO ally besides America.

Not so respected by Europe right? Europe still doesn’t want them in the European Union.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack on Türkiye's S-400s:

The S-400 has two requirements… operability, which they’ve solved, and possession, which is a little more difficult.

My belief is that those issues will be resolved in the next upcoming four to six months.

It’s been so solid and good, and everybody’s lived up to their obligations.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

Our message to the region is: this is your regional decision, this is your regional opportunity.

We're not going to impose a mandate of how it needs to be done or a new Sykes-Picot 3.0 mechanism that was only derived really because of black gold.

The West—and I say this honorably and respectfully—we screwed it up.

We drew lines around tribes and regions that were never designed to be together.

Top U.S. and Israeli generals met on Friday at the Pentagon amid Iran tensions.

Source: Reuters

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

The US belief is that he's (Erdogan) not interested in extending the Ottoman Empire.

Taking care of Istanbul and Ankara is enough; it's hard enough.

The same with Prime Minister Netanyahu: Israel is being pushed on all sides. The "Greater Israel" philosophy and theory can be done with business and prosperity; it's not going to be done with geography.

So I think it's outside rhetoric and politics. I think it'll vanish.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

I get criticized for saying at the end of Gaza, which is a dramatic step forward, I think that you will see at some point in time Türkiye and Israel finding a relationship, whether it’s the Abraham Accords or the Solomon Accords or hybrid. It makes sense.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

Go back to October 5th. The Turkish and the Israelis had a trading relationship in a foreign trade agreement with a surplus of about $7 billion.

It vanishes in an afternoon.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

The rhetoric between Netanyahu and Erdogan is deafening. It’s just rhetoric.

At the end of the day, I think they both realize that neither wants the Ottoman Empire.

Sudan's Khartoum International Airport received its first regularly scheduled commercial flight for the first time since the start of the war on April 15, 2023.

Sudan Airways flight arrived from Port Sudan, carrying civilian passengers, marking a symbolic return of air travel to the capital.

US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack:

You want Türkiye to defend Europe, but Europe doesn’t want them to have the highest and best equipment because they’re concerned about what’s happening with Russia.

It’s insanity.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

I will be president when the time comes.

Maduro was afraid to run against me.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

Once Venezuela is free, then the Cuban regime will follow. The Nicaraguan regime will follow.

Even Iranian regime will follow, which has turned into a safe haven and satellite only three hours away from Florida.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado on the Maduro regime:

This is a criminal structure intertwined with the enemies of the West — Russia, Iran, China, Cuba, extremist terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas, the cartels and the guerrilla.

Reporter: Khamenei said today that a U.S. attack could start a regional war.

Trump: Why wouldn’t he say that, of course he is going to say that.

We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there, very close.

Hopefully we’ll make a deal.

If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right.

Trump on Cuba:

We’re talking to the people from the highest levels in Cuba. Let’s see what happens.

I think we’re going to make a deal with Cuba.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

If they had captured me before I left, I probably would have disappeared or worse.

Right now, I don’t think they would dare to kill me because of the United States’ presence and pressure and actions.

BREAKING:

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi:

Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we fully agree. We fully agree with that. That could be a very good deal.

In return, we expect sanction lifting, so that deal is possible. Let’s not talk about impossible things.

NEW: Gulf states warn that despite recent losses, Iran’s missile forces can still seriously threaten U.S. bases.

Gulf officials say Iran’s missile program is damaged but not crippled: “key elements remain intact and other capabilities have been rebuilt.”

Iran now views conflict with the U.S. as existential: the regime sees a fight with Washington as “an existential threat.”

After a symbolic strike on al-Udeid in Qatar, Iran is signaling future attacks would be real: they would not be “measured and telegraphed” like before.

Iran still has weapons that can hit U.S. forces: “shorter-range munitions, launchers and some elements of its missile production system” remain.

A former Iranian diplomat claims rapid recovery: “Tehran has doubled missile production since the 12-day war.”

Iran is hiding launchers in mountains: “It is not possible to reach and damage these capabilities easily.”

Iran remains dominant in missiles: it has “the largest missile program in the region.”

Source: WaPo

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi:

The talks so far have been fruitful.