TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Monday that U.S. "provocative actions" and ceasefire violations are major obstacles to continuing peace negotiations between the two countries.
During separate phone calls with his Pakistani and Russian counterparts, Araghchi condemned U.S. actions against Iranian commercial shipping, including the reported seizure of the container vessel Touska and its crew, and cited "contradictory positions and rhetoric of threat" from Washington, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. (Iran-U.S.-Talks)
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JERUSALEM -- Israeli and Lebanese officials will meet on Thursday for a second round of peace talks, an Israeli official told Xinhua on Monday.
The two sides will meet in Washington for direct talks, the official said on condition of anonymity, without providing further details. (Israel-Lebanon-Peace Talks)
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TEHRAN -- Iran's Civil Aviation Authority said Monday the permit has been issued for the resumption of passenger flights at the Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport in the capital Tehran starting Monday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Passenger flights at airports in Urmia, Abadan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Kerman, Rasht, Yazd, Zahedan, Gorgan, and Birjand will also resume as of Saturday, the authority said in a statement cited by Fars. (Iran-Flights-Resumptions)
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GAZA -- The Palestinian Border and Crossing Authority in Gaza said Monday that Israel closed the Rafah crossing with Egypt, halting the evacuation of patients and wounded people seeking medical treatment abroad.
The authority did not give a reason for the closure. Israel had no immediate comment on the shutdown or how long it might last. (Gaza Strip-Israel- Rafah crossing closure) ■
