⚡🇹🇷🇸🇾 Tensions boil over in Afrin, where heavy armed clashes are taking place between the Turkish army and Syrian militias.

@medmannews

⚡🇹🇷🇸🇾 Armed clashes with the Turkish army have expanded to several regions in northern Syria.

@medmannews

⚡️🇸🇾🇹🇷 Turkish riots in several villages and cities after the Syrian actions against Turkish troops in Northern Syria.

@medmannews

⚡️🇸🇾🇹🇷 All Turkish civil servants and government officials are ordered to abandon Northern Syria, effective immediately, according to Sky news.

@medmannews

— 🇸🇾 NEW: Reported movement by some elements of the Syrian Arab Army armored divisions towards the Saraqib axis near Idlib

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷 NEW: In Iran's Presidential debate tonight, reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian starts reciting some words from Imam Ali to appeal to religious voters, but he forgets the words mid-sentence; his opponent, Saeed Jalili, ends up helping him

@Middle_East_Spectator

— Fact: Dr. Saeed Jalili is a Hafiz of the Quran. He has memorised it in full.

But he has not brought this up or used this as a campaign tactic even once. Unlike his opponent, who keeps reciting verses the Quran, making many mistakes.

— 🇮🇷 Debate update:

- Jalili, once again, sounds extremely professional and knows what he is talking about. He has plans and knows how to implement them. The problem is, he is TOTALLY unrelatable to the average joe. His rhetoric is way too formal and complicated. Like a university professor lecturing a group of students. Talks about 'strategic opportunities in cyberspace' and stuff.

- Pezeshkian, while not offering ANY real solutions, effectively mentions the people's problems and the matters which the ordinary Iranians care about. He clearly has no plans, but his rhetoric is very relatable and many Iranians will feel a connection. Sadly, this gives him an advantage.

We have to acknowledge that in the modern political landscape, the content of debates don't really matter, it's about being charismatic and making people believe like you care about them and understand their problems. The average person simply does not understand the intricacies of politics.

At this rate, Pezeshkian will probably win the election, unless something major happens or turnout is lower than expected.

I truly hope I am wrong.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷/🇰🇵/🇸🇾 NEW: The ADL (Anti Defamation League) has filed a lawsuit against Iran, North Korea and Syria, for antisemitism and support for Hamas' October 7th attack

@Middle_East_Spectator

Welcome to the club, friends!

🇮🇷🤝🇰🇵🤝🇸🇾

— 🇮🇷 NEW: Masoud Pezeshkian just belittled and insulted Martyr Qasem Soleimani on live TV, saying the United States killed him because he was simply 'a hair on the nose', i.e. a slight annoyance

@Middle_East_Spectator

— Remember when I said 'something major' has to happen in order for Jalili to win?

Well, it might have just happened. Pezeshkian 'accidentally' insulting Soleimani on live TV is BIG.

Even some of his supporters are calling it a blunder, and some are even cursing him.

I'm not saying he can't win anymore. At this point it's honestly 50/50. But this might tip the scales slightly.