ISTANBUL: Turkey’s president says he will not pull Turkish troops from their base in Qatar, rejecting a demand by major Arab states that it do so to end the ongoing crisis with the small Gulf country.
Speaking Sunday after Eid prayers in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the demand “disrespectful.” He said Turkey would not seek permission from others when making its defense cooperation agreements.
The Turkish parliament ratified a 2014 agreement with Qatar earlier this month, allowing the deployment of troops to its base there.
Erdogan said Turkey would continue to support Qatar against the many sanctions it has faced. He says “we see an attack against a state’s sovereignty rights.”
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Erdogan rejects Arab demands; Turkish troops stay in Qatar
Erdogan rejects Arab demands; Turkish troops stay in Qatar
Italy urges its citizens to leave Iran, be vigilant across Middle East
- The ministry said travel to Iraq and Lebanon was also strongly discouraged
- It advised Italian nationals in Israel to exercise maximum caution
ROME: Italy’s foreign ministry on Friday urged its citizens to leave Iran and advised extreme caution across the Middle East, citing persistently unstable security conditions.
“Italians in (Iran) for tourism or whose presence is not strictly necessary are urged to depart,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that travel to Iraq and Lebanon was also strongly discouraged.
It advised Italian nationals in Israel to exercise maximum caution and remain vigilant.
Several governments have issued similar warnings in recent days. Britain said on Friday it had temporarily withdrawn its staff from Iran and closed its embassy amid rising regional tensions.
The United States has built up a large military presence across the Middle East ahead of a possible strike on Iran, as talks between the two countries over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions continue with no sign of a breakthrough.
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