Author: Steven Sahiounie

European Union foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses and expanding sanctions on Iran.While the ministers will also discuss the war in Sudan, most of their focus will be on the conflicts raging on the 27-member bloc’s eastern and southern doorsteps – in Ukraine and the Middle East.With Russia having stepped up air attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and other targets, EU governments are under pressure to supply more air defense systems such as Patriots to Kyiv.Kyiv and its European allies got a big boost at the weekend when the US House of Representatives…

The family of martyred Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa reveals that the Israeli occupation is still withholding his body weeks after his martyrdom. The family of martyred Palestinian detainee Walid Daqqa denounced Sunday the Israeli occupation’s continued detention of his body after the Israeli Supreme Court said the authorities need “more time” to complete the required procedures for his release. The Israeli occupation said the release was postponed until May 5, though it is not unlikely that it gets postponed once again. The Daqqa family released a statement condemning the inhumane punitive measure, calling on the Supreme Follow-up Committee, Palestinian parties, and local…

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday left for Iraq’s capital Baghdad to hold meetings with Iraqi officials. Erdogan was accompanied by the country’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, his chief advisor Akif Cagatay Kilic and other ministers. Erdogan is expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues during his meetings with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani. Erdogan will also visit Erbil in northern Iraq after Baghdad talks. “During President Erdogan’s visit to Erbil, especially in meetings with regional government…

Iran’s foreign minister says the Israeli regime’s crimes against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip are the root cause of the existing crisis in the West Asia region. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was speaking in a phone conversation with his Finnish counterpart, Elina Valtonen, on Sunday. During the conversation, the two top diplomats discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations as well as the ongoing situation in West Asia. “The Zionist regime’s acts of aggression and crimes in Gaza constitute the root cause of the crisis [in the West Asia region],” the Iranian foreign minister said, stressing that Iran does not seek…

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has arrived in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad on a key official visit aimed at promoting security and trade ties. Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Raeisi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-leg visit which will also take him to Sri Lanka. He was welcomed by Pakistani Minister of Housing and Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and a number of officials upon his arrival. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Iranian president and the two sides held a private meeting. Before leaving Tehran for Islamabad on Monday morning, Raeisi said Iran considers Pakistan’s security…

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese discussed the condition of human rights and Israeli practices in the occupied Palestinian territories on Sunday. Shoukry received Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, in Cairo, where they called for an immediate end to Israeli attacks on Gaza in compliance with international laws and demanded the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. They also called for a stop to mounting settler violence in the West Bank, demanding accountability of the perpetrators. Shoukry pointed out that the increase in Israeli assaults and illegal settlement practices in the West…

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday made a phone call to Jordan’s King Abdullah to discuss developments in the Gaza Strip, 10 Downing Street announced.During the call, Sunak renewed the UK’s support for Jordan’s security and that of the region, saying a significant escalation is “not in anyone’s interests.”He added that the UK’s focus remains on finding a solution to the conflict in Gaza.The UK continues to work toward an immediate humanitarian truce to bring in much larger amounts of aid and return the Israeli hostages held by Hamas safely to their families, “leading to a longer-term sustainable ceasefire,”…

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Luxembourg on Sunday to participate in a high-level forum on regional security and cooperation between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the EU. He will discuss with participants at the forum ways to enhance cooperation between the GCC and the EU in various fields, the importance of multilateral coordination, and regional and international developments, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Prince Faisal will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the forum. The EU-GCC High Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation will be held on Monday. “The forum…

Sultan Haitham of Oman will visit the UAE on Monday for talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, state news agency WAM reported. During the visit, both leaders will discuss “the deep-rooted, historical relations between the UAE and Oman and cooperation in various fields,” the agency said. The two leaders will also discuss a number of regional and international issues of common interest. source: Arab News

Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi is scheduled to visit Pakistan and Sri Lanka on a key official tour. Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Raeisi will leave Tehran for Islamabad on Monday. During his two-day stay in Pakistan on Monday and Tuesday, Raeisi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will hold a private meeting and then attend a joint session of the two country’s high-ranking delegations. The Iranian president will also sit down with his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari. He will travel to cities and meet with ulema (scholars), elites, tradesmen and economic actors. In a statement, Pakistan’s foreign office said the two…