ANKARA: Turkiye and the United States are discussing the US sanctions and obstacles to Ankara rejoining the F-35 jet program but nothing has changed with respect to its possession of Russian S-400 air defenses, the defense ministry said on Friday.
The NATO allies have been at loggerheads since 2020 when Washington removed Ankara from Lockheed Martin’s fighter jet program and imposed sanctions over Turkiye’s acquisition of the S-400s, which Washington calls a security threat.
Turkiye says that move was unjust. Both sides have said they hope the CAATSA sanctions and US laws can be overcome in US President Donald Trump’s second term so that Turkiye can both buy the jets and return to the manufacturing program. US Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack said on Wednesday that discussions continue on the issue, but noted US law would not permit Turkiye to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wants to return to the F-35 program.
Addressing Barrack’s comments at a press briefing, the Turkish defense ministry said: “There have been no new developments regarding the S-400 air defense systems, which has been put on the agenda in recent days.”
Turkiye’s diplomatic discussions with the US continue “on lifting sanctions and obstacles to the F-35 procurement and re-admitting our country to the program,” it said.
“Addressing the process regarding the F-35 project within the spirit of alliance, through mutual dialogue and constructive consultation, will contribute positively to bilateral relations,” the ministry added. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said last week he believed Turkiye and the US would find a way to remove American sanctions “very soon.”
Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to NATO’s broader defense systems. Turkiye rejects that and says the S-400s will not be integrated into NATO.
Turkiye says no change in Russian S-400s amid US talks on F-35s
https://arab.news/bt8vf
Turkiye says no change in Russian S-400s amid US talks on F-35s
- NATO allies have been at loggerheads since 2020 when Washington removed Ankara from Lockheed Martin’s fighter jet program
- Washington says the Russia’s S-400 air defenses pose a threat to its F-35 fighter jets and to NATO’s broader defense systems
Bahrain arrests four for spying for Iran’s IRGC as Gulf attacks intensify
- Investigators said the suspects were found to have sent pictures and coordinates of vital locations in Bahrain to the IRGC via encrypted software
MANAMA: Bahrain has detained four citizens suspected of spying for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on Gulf states show no signs of letting up.
Bahrain’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science identified the four detainees as Murtadha Hussain Awal, 25; Ahmed Isa Al Haiki, 34; Sarah Abdulnabi Marhoon, 36; and Elias Salman Mirza, 22. A fifth suspect, Ali Mohammed Hassan Al Shaikh, 25, remains at large abroad.
Investigators said Murtadha Hussain and his cohorts, acting on IRGC instructions, used high-resolution equipment to photograph and record coordinates of vital locations in Bahrain, transmitting the data to the IRGC via encrypted software.
The arrests come as Iran escalates attacks across the Gulf. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry issued an advisory urging residents in Hidd, Arad, Qalali and Samaheej to stay indoors and seal windows against smoke from fires sparked by Iranian strikes. Fuel tanks at a facility in Muharraq Governorate, northeast of Manama, were among the targets. Oman’s Port of Salalah also battled blazes at fuel storage tanks following separate Iranian drone strikes.
Elsewhere in the region, two Iranian drones struck near Dubai International Airport, wounding four people, though flights continued uninterrupted. A fire broke out at a luxury apartment tower in Dubai Creek Harbour after another drone hit — extinguished by Thursday morning.
Iran also targeted commercial ships and struck what officials described as the world’s busiest international airport on Wednesday, as US and Israeli strikes continued to pound Tehran.
A war now 12 days old — and costly
The conflict began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes on Iran. Tehran has since retaliated by targeting Gulf states, US and Israeli assets, and critical energy infrastructure.
Iran has declared a blockade on energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil and gas flows, sending commodity prices surging and rattling international markets.
The Pentagon told Congress this week that the first week of war cost the United States $11.3 billion — including $5 billion in munitions in the conflict’s opening weekend alone.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday voted to approve a resolution demanding a halt to Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbors. Bahrain’s UN Ambassador Jamal Alrowaiei welcomed the move.
“The international community is resolute in rejecting these Iranian attacks against sovereign countries that are threatening the stability of the peoples, especially in a region of strategic importance to global economy, energy security and global trade,” he said.
Despite the resolution, there were no immediate signs the conflict was easing.
(With AP)
