On Saturday, July 31, Syrian rebels have launched a counteroffensive in Aleppo region aimed at breaking the siege of the city. The military operations are spearheaded by a Salafi group Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, which recently has broken formal ties with al-Qa’idah and changed its name from Jabhat al-Nusra. The offensive is concentrated south and south-east of the city, and the rebel territorial advances remain precarious in the face of Russian air strikes.

On Sunday evening, July 30, 2016, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of Palestine authority met with Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the Iranian resistance (MKO) and they discussed new developments in the region. The Iranian resistance (MKO) is an opposition movement in exile that advocates the overthrow of the Islamic Republic regime. MKO was one the back bones of Islamic Revolution in 1979 which was formed by left-leaning Muslim students. Right after the victory of the revolution, MKO was banned from any political activity by Ayatollah Khomeini and dozens of its members went to exile or sought refuge in other countries. The Iranian regime has recognized them as the terrorist group because of their co-operation with Saddam Hussein during Iran-Iraq war and international community also approved this title. In 2009 European Union and the U.S government removed MKO from their black lists and recognized it as an official political party.

The UN Security Council decided to extend the term of the mission to assist Iraq to 31 July 2017 in accordance with the text of Security Council Resolution. It is noted that in the document of the Council members expressed "serious concern about the current security situation in Iraq, which is due to the continued presence there of terrorist groups", including the ISIS. The Security Council underlined that "the only way to counter this threat is to work together for all Iraqis" to solve security problems, as well as in political, economical, and humanitarian spheres.

A Leader of Al-Nusra Front Abu Mohamed al-Golani confirmed the fact, that his group formally split from the Al-Qaeda. He also confirmed the rename of the group from Al-Nusra Front into Levantine Conquest Front (or Sham Conquest Front). "The creation of this new front aims to close the gap between the jihadi factions in the Levant," - said Golani in his first televised appearance, soon after Nusra released the first photo of the leader ever seen publicly. "By breaking our link, we aim to protect the Syrian revolution." He also thanked Al-Qaeda for the understanding of the need to break the links.

Russia proposed to establish the corridors from besieged by the Syrian Arab Army city. Russia is offering to open three corridors for the civilians and one for the unarmed rebels - told the Minister of Defense of Russia Sergei Shoigu. Bashar Al-Assad decided to make the separate offer for the rebels in Aleppo. In the case of the surrender within the three months, he will amnesty them. Governmental forces took the road Castello, which united the half of Aleppo controlled by rebels with the rest of territory controlled by rebels. With the cutting of this road, over 300,000 of civilians were cut from the humanitarian aid and medicine supply. United Nations warned that 300,000 people are in the dangerous situation after the road was cut, due to the lack of necessary supplies. 

The Iranian foreign minister, in his third tour of Africa, departed for Western African countries on Sunday leading a top-ranking political-economic delegation. Mohammad Javad Zarif is accompanied by 38 managers of economic firms during the visit to African countries.The Iranian senior diplomat who started his West African tour on Sunday visited Nigeria on the first stop if his tour before leaving Abuja for Ghana. After meeting with senior officials of Ghana like the Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh, Zarif travelled to Guinea. In Guinea Zarif met with country's President Alpha Condé, Prime Minister Mamady Youla, National Assembly Speaker Claude Kory Kondiano, and Foreign Minister Makale Traore.