U.S. is also expected to send an observer to the negotiations scheduled to be held July 4-5, Kazakh foreign minister says
Russia acknowledges failure of pro-Assad forces to advance on the ground resulting in the regime’s announcement of a two-day truce in the besieged southern city, Souriatna reports
Iran says operation was carried out with full knowledge of the Syrian government and was part of Tehran’s policy on destroying Wahhabi movements, SANA reports
Syrian and Russian airstrikes have destroyed most infrastructure and residential buildings in areas outside their control, according to opposition source
Opposition fighters struggle to hold off pro-regime assault on Daraa as Assad enacts yet another scorched-earth policy on one of Syria’s major cities, Enab Baladi writes
Iranian media publishes images of the Quds Force leader defiantly praying on the contested border area following weeks of strikes by coalition warplanes, Alsouria reports
As fighting in Syria’s south intensifies, Alsouria Net explains the strategic significance of hotly contested areas near the Israeli-occupied Golan
Iran plans to form new militia in effort to whitewash the image of forces loyal to Tehran in Syria, Coalition media office writes
Syrian president voices solidarity with Iran following deadly attacks which targeted the capital and killed 17 people
Hezbollah-run media warns of an end to ‘self-restraint’ after U.S. forces targeted Iranian-backed militias, while questions remain as to whether Russia approved the statement
Ras al-Sofuf operation room will tackle regime attempts to advance in the eastern side of the city as Syrian army continues to pound Daraa, opposition website reports
Spokesman for key rebel group responds to claims of huge prisoner swap, describing reports of purported settlement as ‘baseless and unfounded’
Washington aims to limit Tehran’s political weight and break the line of Iranian influence by engaging in deal-making with Russia, Ibrahim Hamidi writes for Saudi-owned newspaper
Increased tensions erupt on Iraq-Syria-Jordan triangle as the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the strategic border area, opposition website writes
Syria’s main political opposition calls for coalition of ‘civilized world’ to tackle threat of Assad regime and all forms of terrorism, media office reports
Coalition president responds to announcement of declaration, which aims to form a reserve army of 34,000 troops to back counterterrorism operations
Iranian companies qualified to carry out oil projects inside Syria, Tehran’s envoy to Damascus tells Syrian resources minister
In the wake of Khan Sheikhoun, U.S. statements this week exposing the Syrian regime for covering-up its abuses were intended as yet another warning to Assad, Russia and Iran, Walid al-Bunni writes
We should be wary of placing too much hope on the outcome of the most recent Astana talks, as the three previous rounds in the Kazakh capital produced little results, Walid al-Bunni writes
Abdulnasser Al-Ayed explains that for Russia’s ‘safe zone’ proposal to work, Moscow will need to consider U.S. concerns despite attempts to sideline Washington in the Syrian peace process
