Middle East & North Africa

TUNIS, March 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisian President Kais Saied has said he plans to restore diplomatic relations with Syria, more than a decade after they were broken off in protest of Damascus’s repression of political opponents.

“Nothing can justify the absence of a Tunisian ambassador in Damascus and an ambassador from Syria in Tunis,” Saied said during a sit-down with Tunisian foreign minister Nabil Ammar, according to a video released by the presidential office Friday night.

TEHRAN, Mar 11 (NNN-IRNA) – Iranian officials yesterday hailed the deal, to resume diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and reopen embassies and missions within two months.

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, said, the resumption of Tehran-Riyadh relations will “lead to the development of regional stability and security.”

DUBAI, March 11 (Reuters) - Iran has reached a deal to buy advanced Su-35 fighter planes from Russia, Iranian state media said on Saturday, expanding a relationship that has seen Iranian-built drones used in Russia's war on Ukraine.

"The Sukhoi-35 fighter planes are technically acceptable to Iran and Iran has finalised a contract for their purchase," the broadcaster IRIB quoted Iran's mission to the United Nations as saying in New York.

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria on Saturday welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies saying it will lead to more stability in the region.

Iran has been a main backer of President Bashar Assad’s government, while Saudi Arabia supports opposition fighters trying to remove him from power.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions. The major diplomatic breakthrough negotiated with China lowers the chance of armed conflict between the Mideast rivals — both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: Saudi scholar Emad Al-Moubayed has said he fled the kingdom because "all doors closed for the affirmation of truth and rejection of wrongdoing."

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: The UAE announced, Friday, the dispatch of telecommunication equipment, as a humanitarian support to "reconstruct Turkey's telecommunication infrastructure in earthquake-affected areas," Anadolu News Agency reports.

"Etisalat" UAE has announced sending telecommunication equipment worth AED20 million ($5.5 million) as a humanitarian support to reconstruct Turkiye's telecommunication infrastructure in earthquake-affected areas," the Emirates News Agency reported.

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: Members of the French NGO International Emergency Fire-fighters (PUI) received a text message just as the first of two earthquakes jolted southern Turkiye on 6 February, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Volunteers ready to go to Kahramanmaras province were asked to inform their managers of their availability, and a team of 36 volunteer fire-fighters left France on a plane to Turkiye.

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israel's Air Force reinstated a reservist officer who had been dismissed for allegedly trying to orchestrate walkouts from training flights to protest the government's planned judicial change, the military said on Friday, Reuters reports.

10 Mar 2023; MEMO: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Friday, officially set Turkiye's presidential and parliamentary elections for 14 May, local media reports.

According to the report, Erdogan is expected to formally nominate himself on behalf of the People's Alliance.