The United States reiterates its call for all parties to support UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths by immediately ceasing hostilities and engaging in direct talks aimed at ending the conflict.

We welcome the UN Special Envoy’s statement that the Houthis and the Republic of Yemen Government are committed to attending the consultations in Sweden, and we call on the parties to follow through on that commitment. All parties must not delay talks any longer, or insist on travel or transport conditions that call into question good faith intentions to look for a solution or to make necessary concessions. The time for direct talks and building mutual confidence is now.

We encourage all combatants to abide by their statements declaring a commitment to cease hostilities and call on those parties to not use any period of truce to reinforce military positions, implant mines, or in any way escalate the conflict.

The United States welcomes the Saudi-led Coalition’s November 20 announcement of a $500 million contribution to address the food security crisis. In addition to this, Hudaydah port must be turned over to a neutral party to accelerate the distribution of aid to address the acute humanitarian crisis, and to prevent the port from being used to smuggle weapons and contraband into the country or to finance the Houthi militia.

It is time to end this conflict, replace conflict with compromise, and allow the Yemeni people to heal through peace and reconstruction.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The United States today sanctioned an international network by which the Iranian regime and Russia are providing millions of barrels of oil to the Assad regime in exchange for the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, and for onward transfer to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hizballah.

The sanctions levied today directly target the Iranian regime’s exploitation of the international financial system to hide revenue streams it uses to fund terrorist activity, provide support for sectarian militias responsible for abuses against civilian populations, and destabilize the region. The Iranian regime, Iranian-commanded forces inside Syria, and the proxy terrorist groups it supports such as those targeted today, continue to foment instability to extend their malign influence. These actions by the Iranian and Assad regimes undermine the legitimate processes to resolve the conflict in Syria.

Today’s sanctions, in conjunction with economic, diplomatic, and other strategic initiatives, are part of the U.S. government’s long-term maximum pressure campaign to counter the Iranian regime’s influence and destabilizing regional activities, to deny it the funds it uses to bankroll terrorist and militant proxies, and to secure the removal of all Iranian forces from Syria.

They are also part of the United States’ effort to bring to bear on the Syrian regime the pressure necessary to help bring about a political resolution of the Syrian conflict. Disrupting the illicit network that we have designated today is a crucial element of a broader effort to disrupt the material ties between the Assad regime and its IRGC patrons. This effort will continue in the months to come.

We are committed to imposing a financial toll on the Iranian regime, Russia, and others who prop up the Assad regime and enable its abuses, as well as to disrupt the Iranian regime’s funding of terrorist organizations. The United States will use every available tool to combat the Iranian regime’s destabilizing and destructive influence in Syria and throughout the region.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and Republic of Korea Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon co-chaired a U.S.-ROK working group in Washington November 20.

The working group further strengthened close U.S.-ROK coordination on efforts to achieve our shared goal of the final, fully verified denuclearization of the DPRK. The participants discussed complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and inter-Korean cooperation.

Special Representative Biegun and Special Representative Lee reaffirmed the U.S.-ROK Alliance as the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The United States strongly condemns the attack in Kabul today at a religious gathering that killed at least 40 and wounded over 60 civilians. We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims. This shameless act comes as the Afghan people attempt to celebrate Milad-un-Nabi in peace, and reveals the cowardice and cruelty of those who perpetuate violence in Afghanistan.

The United States remains committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan, and stands by the people of Afghanistan who want peace and a future free from these horrific acts of violence.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

The United States congratulates Papua New Guinea for a successful year as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings. We are proud of the work that we achieved together to break down barriers to trade and investment throughout the APEC region, supporting positive outcomes for our people and the region.

The United States was proud and fully prepared to join consensus on the draft APEC statements, agreeing to promote free and fair trade in the region and to combat unfair trade practices. It is unfortunate that not all economies—despite their rhetoric—could support these positions.

Nevertheless, this year, working with our partners, the United States advanced priorities including on digital trade, services trade competitiveness, structural reform, trade facilitation, and women’s economic participation. These areas are critical to all APEC economies as key drivers of future growth.

We remain committed to fighting unfair trade wherever it exists in the region. APEC, as the premier economic forum in the region, should continue to advance the ideals of free, fair, and reciprocal trade, to level the playing field and unleash new opportunities for all of our workers and businesses. The United States will continue to constructively engage in APEC to achieve those objectives.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.