The investment agreement between a Russian company and the port of Tartus in Syria was annulled, reported the director of Tartus Customs, Riyad Joudi, to the Syrian newspaper al-Watan, as noted by «Important Stories»*. He also stated that the workers employed at the port would return under Syrian management, and all revenues from the port's activities would be directed for the benefit of the Syrian state.
According to Joudi, outdated mechanisms used by the Russian company without modernization, although provided for in the agreement, will also be restored at the port.
In April 2019, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov announced an agreement to lease the port of Tartus for 49 years with the conclusion of an investment contract for the same period with «Stroytransgaz», under which Moscow promised to invest over $500 million in the modernization of the port.
In early December, OSINT analysts discovered that Moscow began withdrawing its ships from Tartus. At the same time, as The Moscow Times* writes, the new authorities of Syria still do not allow Russia to fully remove weapons and military equipment from the port of Tartus, with ships drifting nearby for almost two weeks.
Russia's naval base in Syria has existed since Soviet times. The support point in Tartus is of strategic importance to Moscow, especially after the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.
Last week, the Ministry of Finance of Syria banned the import of goods from Russia, Iran, and Israel, reported Al Araby. Products from these countries will be confiscated. At the same time, the embargo on the import of Israeli goods has been in effect in the Arab republic for many years, the policy change only affected Iran and Russia.
* Recognized in Russia as «foreign agents» and «undesirable» organizations.
Photo: Maxar Technologies