TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that Tehran had sought only its "legitimate rights" in a new peace proposal delivered to the United States through Pakistan, which has been mediating between the two sides.
Speaking at a weekly news conference in Tehran, Baghaei said Iran's demands included ending the war in West Asia, lifting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian shipping, releasing Iranian assets frozen abroad, ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and restoring regional stability. (Iran-Draft Proposal-US Talks)
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JERUSALEM -- Israel's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged the government to remove U.S. military aircraft from Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, warning that their presence is severely disrupting the country's civilian aviation sector, Israeli business daily Calcalist and Channel 12 News reported Monday.
The demand was conveyed in a letter from CAA Director General Shmuel Zakay to Transport Minister Miri Regev. (Israel-Lebanon-Helicopter)
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GAZA -- Hamas on Monday denied Israeli media reports alleging that the group was rebuilding its military capabilities and preparing attacks from the Gaza Strip, saying the claims were aimed at justifying further Israeli escalation in the enclave.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a press statement that the movement remained committed to the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, despite continued Israeli violations. (Gaza Strip-Hamas-Israel)
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TRIPOLI -- Libya's state-owned oil company took full control of the country's largest refinery on Monday, ending a decade-long legal dispute with a United Arab Emirates-based company.
The National Oil Corp. (NOC) said it signed a final agreement with UAE-based Trasta to end their partnership in the Libyan Emirates Oil Refining Co. (LERCO), giving the NOC full ownership of the Ras Lanuf refinery and petrochemical complex. (UAE-Libya-Refinery dispute) ■
