TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The foreign ministers of Iran and the P4+1 (Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany) on Monday stressed the importance of implementing a United Nations resolution to preserve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, according to Iran's official news agency.
21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Turkey's foreign minister lambasted his Greek counterpart Sunday over his controversial remarks to a local newspaper.
"Dear Niko, here's some friendly advice for the new year -- stop asking for help from others and injuring the Greek people’s dignity," Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter.
21 Dec 2020; AA: Turkey ended a countrywide weekend curfew early Monday as part of measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The curfew began on Friday at 9 p.m. and ended on Monday at 5 a.m. local time.
In late November, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced new COVID-19 restrictions, including a curfew on weeknights and full weekend curfews.
Some sectors including production, supply, health and agriculture would be exempt from the curfews, said Erdogan.
21 Dec 2020; AA: Turkey began testing passengers arriving from the UK early Monday for a new variant of the coronavirus after health officials in Britain confirmed it was rapidly spreading in the country.
All passengers’ contact details were taken and they are required to self-isolate.
Turkey joined other European countries late Sunday in banning flights from the UK and other countries due to concerns over the new fast-moving coronavirus strain.
21 Dec 2020; AA: A Turkish court on Monday sentenced a former deputy from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to over 20 years in prison for being a member of an armed terrorist group and making propaganda for it twice, according to a judicial source.
21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting Israeli occupation in violation of Palestinians' rights, Anadolu Agency reports.
"Statements made during visits by some Emirati officials to the [Israeli] occupation went over the line and reflect unlimited UAE support to the settlement and occupation," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Twitter.
20 Dec 2020; MEMO: Israel's top Jewish rabbi inaugurated a Jewish nursery school in Dubai on Sunday and made a special Jewish ritual for the safety of the ruling family in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Israeli media, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef arrived in the Gulf state on Thursday, marking his first visit to an Arab country.
21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Morocco has said it is ready to permanently open its border with neighboring Algeria, Anadolu Agency reports.
Morocco is "ready to solve the issue of closed border when the Algerians are ready for this," Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani said in an interview with El-Sharq TV.
Borders between the two neighbors have been closed since 1994 amid tension over the Western Desert, a region disputed between Rabat and Algeria-backed Polisario Front.
21 Dec 2020; MEMO: The Iranian parliament yesterday voted in favour of amending the presidential election law to allow members of the Expediency Council and the Supreme Council for National Security to run in the presidential elections scheduled for June 2021.
Iran's Tasnim news agency said 151 lawmakers of the 242 who attended yesterday's session voting in favour, 35 against and 14 abstained.
21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Students clashed with riot police in Lebanon during furious protests against tuition fee hikes at top university, The New Arab reported.
Tear gas was used to disperse the students, who were attempting to approach the main gate of the American University of Beirut (AUB).
Students fought back by hurling water bottles and other objects at the riot police blocking the way.
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