ABU DHABI -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday denied reports of a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the country, noting that reports claiming that the UAE had received the Israeli prime minister or any Israeli military delegation were false.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that its relations with Israel are conducted within the framework of the publicly known Abraham Accords, not based on secret arrangements. (UAE-Israel-Denial)
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TEHRAN -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of four Iranian nationals detained by Kuwait on the charge of having attempted to "infiltrate" Kuwaiti territory.
"In clear attempt to sow discord, Kuwait has unlawfully attacked an Iranian boat and detained 4 of our citizens in the Persian Gulf," Araghchi said in a post on social media platform X. (Kuwait-Iran-Infiltration)
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ANKARA -- Türkiye said Wednesday it had completed the bureaucratic procedures needed to begin direct trade with Armenia, marking a modest but important step toward easing decades of hostility between the neighboring countries.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the measures were finalized earlier this week as part of a normalization process launched in early 2022. The move is among the clearest signs of progress in efforts to repair long-strained ties. (Türkiye-Armenia-Ties)
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ISTANBUL -- Turkish authorities detained 324 suspects across 47 provinces over alleged links to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, the country's Interior Ministry announced Wednesday.
The large-scale operations were conducted by provincial police counter-terrorism units, in coordination with the General Directorate of Security's Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism departments, the National Intelligence Organization, and Chief Public Prosecutor's offices. (Türkiye-IS-Raids) ■
