Middle East & North Africa

Iran's foreign minister on Tuesday derided British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over a plan to increase his country's nuclear warhead stockpile while expressing concern over Tehran's alleged attempt to seek atomic weapons, Reuters reported.

"In utter hypocrisy, @BorisJohnson is 'concerned about Iran developing a viable nuclear weapon'. On the very same day he announces his country will increase its stockpile of nukes," Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: Turkey plans to welcome British holidaymakers this summer without requiring evidence of vaccination, Minister of Tourism Mehmet Ersoy said on Monday. "Turkey is looking forward to welcoming British tourists with open arms," said the minister.

According to CNN Turk, the Turkish authorities will also re-evaluate whether visitors must produce evidence of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of their departure after April 15.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: At least 21 soldiers loyal to the Bashar-al-Assad regime in Syria were killed in an armed attack in the country's southwestern Daraa province on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported a local source as saying.

Former members of the Syrian opposition attacked with light weapons a military convoy from the 4th Division near the Muzayrib town, said the source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

With the EU summit 2021 nine days away, Turkey's presidential spokesman on Tuesday expressed "hope" for the leadership of EU officials in addressing the migration issue at the summit, Anadolu Agency reported.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: A number of Turkish officials have said that Saudi Arabia's decision to close Turkish language schools in several cities across the kingdom last year was a "purely political" move, local media reported.

A spokesman for the Turkish Ministry of Education, Ahmet Emre Bilgili, said: "Despite all efforts made, the Saudi authorities closed all Turkish language schools in the cities of Makkah and Madinah," adding that other schools have encountered many difficulties.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has "volunteered" to invest over $12 million in Israel.

In an interview with the Israeli army radio, Netanyahu said Abu Dhabi's crown prince told him that he "wants to be a partner in projects which could enhance Israel's economy after the coronavirus [pandemic]."

RAMALLAH, Mar 16 (NNN-WAFA) – Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammed Ishtaye, said yesterday that, great progress has been made in the government’s efforts to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine.

During the weekly cabinet meeting, Ishtaye said, “We made significant progress in the contacts, which were successful, in relation to obtaining the vaccines, either through the COVAX scheme, or through multinational companies that produce the vaccines.”

COVAX is an international coronavirus vaccine scheme, co-led by the World Health Organisation and its partners.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said yesterday that his government has succeeded in reducing foreign forces in the country by 60 per cent, Anadolu news agency reported.

16 Mar 2021; MEMO: Head of Hezbollah's Parliamentary Bloc, Mohammad Raad, headed to Russia and met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov yesterday, Anadolu reported.

In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that both the Lebanese and Russian officials discussed the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East in general.

"Sergey Lavrov confirmed Russia's consistent line in support of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Lebanon," the statement said.

15 Mar 2021; MEMO: Libya's first unity government in years was sworn in on Monday in the eastern city of Tobruk, charged with unifying the country after years of violence and division and overseeing the run-up to national elections, Reuters reported.