World news

25 February 2010 [19:52]

Armenian MPs adopt 'exit strategy' on Turkey accords

Armenia's parliament on Thursday adopted legal amendments described as an "exit strategy" for withdrawing from a landmark deal to establish ties with Turkey after decades of hostility.
25 February 2010 [19:44]

Iranian president: Iran seeks genuine peace in the Middle East

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that all countries in the region call for genuine peace and are determined to attain it.
25 February 2010 [19:30]

Turkey-France JEC meeting starts in Ankara

Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan said on Thursday that economic relations between Turkey and France did not reflect the actual potential.
25 February 2010 [19:23]

Iran launches Saeqeh fighter-bomber squadron

The Iranian military has introduced a new squadron of domestically-manufactured Saeqeh fighter-bombers to the country's Air Force to strengthen its deterrence power.
25 February 2010 [19:16]

Georgia becomes associated member of International Electrotechnical Commission

Georgia has become an associated member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (body of international standards in electrotechnical sphere).
25 February 2010 [18:59]

New direct flights to start between Turkish-Syrian capitals

The subsidiary company of the Turkish Airlines (THY) will start flying between Turkish and Syrian capital cities.
25 February 2010 [18:50]

Iran, Syria cancel visa regime

Tehran and Damascus signed the agreement to abolish the visa regime between the countries.
25 February 2010 [18:25]

Turkey says concerned by Israel's plans to annex Islamic heritage

Turkey said were concerned about labelling certain Islamic historical artifacts as "Israeli cultural heritage" including those in the West Bank.
25 February 2010 [18:15]

Three Turkish commanders brought to court

Ex-Navy and Air Force chiefs Özden Örnek and İbrahim Fırtına, and the general staff’s former number two, Ergin Saygun, were brought to an Istanbul court Thursday by anti-terror police.
25 February 2010 [18:12]

Russian president urges transparency in Iran nuclear work

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said that transparency can resolve the Iranian nuclear standoff with the West.
25 February 2010 [18:06]

French oil company to make $100 mln-investment in Turkey

French oil company Total is getting prepared to make a 100 million USD investment in Turkey.
25 February 2010 [17:43]

Spanish FM to visit Armenia

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos will arrive in Armenia in early March within the framework of his regional visit, diplomatic sources said.
25 February 2010 [17:18]

Georgia-U.S. working group to hold a meeting as part of Partnership Charter

The working group on economic issues, established in the framework of Georgia-USA Charter, will hold another sitting today.
25 February 2010 [17:11]

Iran's ambassador: OSCE Minsk Group is not interested in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution

The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) is not interested in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammad Bagir Behrami told journalists at today's news conference.
25 February 2010 [17:05]

Turkish petty officer charged with insulting prime minister

A Turkish petty officer was charged with insulting the prime minister Thursday after he confessed to using a call and sign that referred to the leader as "vulgar".
25 February 2010 [16:55]

Iran 'to study Japan offer to enrich uranium'

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has announced the Islamic Republic will study a Japanese offer to enrich uranium for Tehran.
25 February 2010 [16:34]

False bomb alert in Armenia's State Revenue Committee

The alert on a bomb planted in the Armenian State Revenue Committee premises was a false alarm.
25 February 2010 [16:21]

Over 1.6 million Georgians live abroad

25 February 2010 [16:05]

Iranian envoy: IAEA report on Iran 'unbalanced'

Iran's ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog has described the latest IAEA report on Tehran's nuclear work as "unbalanced."
25 February 2010 [15:44]

Visa removals boosts number of tourists in Turkey

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey was up 7.7 percent in January 2010 over January 2009, the ministry said on Thursday.
25 February 2010 [15:31]

Former President Kocharyan not to appointed Armenian prime minister

Rumors claiming that Armenia's ex-President Robert Kocharyan will be appointed to the post of prime minister are untrue, Kocharyan’s Spokesperson Victor Soghomonyan said.
25 February 2010 [15:23]

U.S. government increases aid to Georgia

U.S. State Secretary Hilary Clinton has said in her speech at the Foreign Relations' Committee of the Senate, that the U.S. government would increase assistance to Georgia.
25 February 2010 [15:12]

Iranian president in Syria for talks on Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Damascus to discuss with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad the threat that Israel poses to the Middle East and beyond.
25 February 2010 [14:45]

New Turkish ambassador to US takes office

Turkey’s newly-appointed ambassador to the United States submitted his credentials to the U.S. president on Wednesday.
25 February 2010 [14:36]

Eminent Russian human rights defenders visit Tbilisi

Russia's eminent human rights defenders Valreria Novodvorskaya and Konstantin Borovoy visited Tbilisi today.
25 February 2010 [14:11]

Russian FM hints at more delays in S-300 delivery to Iran

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made comments that hint at further delays in the delivery of the S-300 missile defense system to Iran.
25 February 2010 [13:58]

Syrian PM says to open special office for Turkey ties

Syrian Premier Muhammad Naji al-Utri invited Turkish companies to Syria.
25 February 2010 [13:42]

Georgian FM to visit Slovenia

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze will pay a working visit to Slovenia on Feb. 25-26.
25 February 2010 [13:34]

Iran airports to be equipped with body scanners

Head of Iran's Drug Control Headquarters Brigadier General Esmail Ahmadi-Moqaddam says by next year all Iranian airports will be equipped with body scanners.
25 February 2010 [13:26]

Armenian government promises to help the needy to handle possible gas price rise

The Armenian Government is developing a package of measures to relieve the consequences of the expected rise in gas prices, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated on Feb. 24.
25 February 2010 [13:20]

New Turkish envoy, Crimean officials discuss future free zone

Turkey's new ambassador to Ukraine met with Crimean officials and discussed bilateral relations and a mutual free zone in any future.
25 February 2010 [13:05]

Turkey's well-known public figure Ihsan Dogramci passed away - UPDATE

The Turkish-Azerbaijani Friendship and Cooperation Fund chairman Ihsan Dogramaci has died at age of 95 years, CNN Turk reported.
25 February 2010 [12:47]

Turkish president, PM, General Staff to meet amid army coup plot charges

Turkey's president and PM will hold a meeting with the country's top military commander, a government source said.
25 February 2010 [12:36]

Iranian president blasts duplicity in fighting terror

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad censure what he describes as self-proclaimed anti-terror fighters for their double standards in countering terrorists.
25 February 2010 [11:58]

Russian diplomat: Russia not working on Iran sanctions

A senior Russian diplomat says his country will not support what he called crippling sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
25 February 2010 [11:07]

Armenia's opposition leader meets EU ambassadors

Armenia’s first President, leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Ter-Petrosyan held a meeting on Feb. 24 with the Ambassador of the EU member-states to Armenia.
25 February 2010 [10:51]

Ukrainian Speaker: Georgia-Ukraine relations to develop further

Volodymyr Litvin, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament], is sure that relations of Ukraine with Georgia and other countries will develop further.
25 February 2010 [10:33]

New Iran sanctions in 30-60 days, Clinton claims

UN Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expects the UN Security Council to impose new sanctions against Iran in the “next 30 to 60 days.”
25 February 2010 [10:12]

Turkish FM Davutoglu departs for Ukraine

25 February 2010 [09:45]

Iranian president departs for Syria

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad heading a delegation departed for Damascus, Syria, on Thursday morning.
24 February 2010 [21:55]

Leaders of Palestinian resistance groups to gather in Tehran

Heads of Palestinian armed resistance groups will meet in Tehran on Feb. 27-28 with the participation of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahamadinjad.
24 February 2010 [21:36]

Iran border guards detain terrorist group members

Iranian security forces have arrested three members of a terrorist group in the northwestern city of Sardasht as they tried to cross over into the country.
24 February 2010 [21:27]

Turkish minister joins Turkey-Syria Business Forum

Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan participated in the "Turkey-Syria Business Forum" in Damascus on Wednesday.
24 February 2010 [20:52]

Journalist beaten up in Yerevan

On Feb. 24, photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan was beaten up just in front of the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office.
24 February 2010 [20:44]

Detained Turkish officers testify to prosecutors

Prosecutors Wednesday questioned 20 former and active military personnel from a group of nearly 50 who were detained Monday for allegedly plotting a coup.
24 February 2010 [20:35]

Japan offers to enrich uranium for Iran

Japan has offered to enrich uranium for Iran allowing access to nuclear power by the Islamic Republic, the Nikkei business daily reports.
24 February 2010 [20:17]

Turkish journalist released in terror case

Aylin Duruoğlu, the Web coordinator of daily Vatan, was released pending trial Tuesday in the first hearing of the case in which she was charged of being a member of a terrorist organization.
24 February 2010 [19:57]

US opposes Iran's nuclear swap offer again

The United States has again opposed Iran's latest offer to the UN nuclear watchdog for the purchase of fuel it requires for a Tehran research reactor.
24 February 2010 [19:51]

Turkish father tells German court he stabbed daughter, 15, to death

A Turkish doner kebab vendor told a German court Wednesday how he stabbed his teenaged daughter 68 times in their home, but he denied the attack was an honour killing.
24 February 2010 [19:39]

Iran executes Jundullah' leaders' brother

This morning Iran has executed the Jundullah terrorist organization leader Abdolmalek Rigi's brother Abdulkhamid Rigi.
24 February 2010 [19:32]

Turkish official meets Chinese envoy over trade ties

Turkey and China will cooperate to further develop the commercial relations.
24 February 2010 [19:25]

Armenian Parliament passes bill on amendments to international treaties

Armenian Parliament passed a bill “On amendments and alterations to the Law on International Treaties” by 80 votes, with 5 against and 2 abstained in the first reading.
24 February 2010 [18:55]

Iran will host D8 ministerial summit

The first meeting of industry ministers of the developing eight Islamic countries (D8) will be held in Tehran from Feb. 27 to March 2.
24 February 2010 [18:50]

French Foreign Trade Minister to visit Turkey

French Foreign Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac will pay a formal visit to Turkey between February 25 and 26.
24 February 2010 [18:42]

Georgian PM Gilauri visits Qatar

Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri left for Qatar for a two-day visit on Feb. 24, the government’s press office reported.
24 February 2010 [18:23]

Armenian FM receives Algerian envoy

On Feb. 24, newly appointed Algerian Ambassador to Armenia Smail Chergui (residence-Moscow) presented his credentials to Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
24 February 2010 [18:06]

Iran, Armenia to construct oil pipleline, terminal

Iran plans to construct an oil pipeline and terminal on its border with Armenia to increase exports of oil products to the country.
24 February 2010 [17:46]

Interior Ministries of Georgia and Austria agree on cooperation

Interior Ministries of Georgia and Austria signed an agreement on cooperation.
24 February 2010 [17:24]

Iranian parliament speaker: Iran supports Japan's idea for convergence in Asia

Iran supported the idea of Asian convergence proposed by Japanese government, said visiting Speaker of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Ali Larijani Wednesday morning.
24 February 2010 [16:24]

Iranian Defense Minister: Iran for sustainable regional peace

Iran's Defense Minister said Iran’s defense priority was to promote sustainable peace and tranquility in the region.