Section: Middle East Monitor (Kuwait)
Without dialogue with Turkey, the EU’s energy security is endangered
Turkey’s role in the transit of regional energy supplies has been likened to a sandwich: the upper slice has Russian gas, the lower slice has east Mediterranean and Caucasian gas, and the filling in the middle is the Southern Gas Corridor. This was the image depicted by Vedat Yorucu and Ozay Mehmet in their book, The Southern Energy...
Canada and victims’ families press Iran for answers over downed jetliner
Canada and families of the victims of a downed Ukrainian jetliner are pressing Iran for additional answers after an announcement by Tehran on Sunday provided “limited and selected information.” The announcement by the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation marked the first official report on the contents of the cockpit voice and data...
Iran says black boxes from downed Ukraine jet show missiles hit 25 seconds apart
Analysis from the black boxes of a downed Ukrainian passenger plane shows it was hit by two missiles 25 seconds apart and that passengers were still alive for some time after the impact of the first blast, Iran said on Sunday, Reuters reports. The announcement by the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization marks the first official report...
Turkey’s natural gas find hailed internationally
Palestine, Azerbaijan and Ukraine congratulated Turkey on Saturday for its discovery of major natural gas reserves in the Black Sea, Anadolu Agency reports. Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call, Turkey’s Communications Directorate said in a statement. He hailed...
Israel’s coronavirus chief urges Ukraine to ban Jewish pilgrimage
The head of Israel’s coronavirus task force has asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to ban an annual pilgrimage in which Hasidic Jews visit the central Ukrainian town of Uman over concerns the site may become a virus hotspot. Tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews descend on Uman every Jewish New Year to visit the grave of Rabbi...
Turkey discovers natural energy resources in the Black Sea
Turkey has reportedly discovered natural energy resources in the Black Sea, two experts with knowledge on the issue have claimed according to Bloomberg. Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announcement yesterday that he would provide “good news” that would benefit and jail a new era for the nation, Turks and many in the...
Ukraine welcomes ‘constructive’ first talks with Iran on downing of airliner
Ukraine said on Friday that its first round of talks with Iran about the downing of a Ukrainian airliner shortly after takeoff in Tehran in January had been constructive, and that it was determined “to bring Iran to justice”, Reuters reports. All 176 people on board – including 57 Canadians – were killed when Iranian forces struck the Ukraine...
Iran delegation visits Ukraine to discuss compensation after plane downed
An Iranian delegation will arrive in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, today to discuss compensation for the families of the Boeing 737 passengers which were killed by an Iranian missile earlier this year. The Iranian delegation is scheduled to hold talks today and tomorrow concerning the monetary value of the compensation. Last January, the Iranian...
Turkey blocks Greek confinement bid in E. Mediterranean
Turkey has rejected Greek plans of expanding its continental shelf through islets in the Aegean Sea and confining Turkey to the Anatolian peninsula in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Anadolu reports. As part of the country’s hydrocarbon exploration activities, Turkey announced new seismic research activity in the Eastern Mediterranean via...
Voice data recovered from downed Ukraine jet, Canada sceptical about Iran explanation
Investigators examining the black boxes from the Ukrainian jet accidentally shot down by Iran have recovered its cockpit voice data, France’s BEA accident investigation bureau said on Monday, reported Reuters. Iranian forces say they downed the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 jet on Jan. 8 after mistaking it for a missile amid...
