“On December 26, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Bouillon was summoned to the [Azerbaijani] Ministry of Foreign Affairs” to inform her about the decision, the Azerbaijani diplomatic agency said in a statement.
The head of the French diplomatic mission was handed a note of protest, the ministry added.
On December 23, a number of Azerbaijani media outlets reported that a French spy network had been exposed in the South Caucasian republic.
Iravani said the regime’s deliberate actions have specifically targeted Iranian military advisors who are legally present at the formal request of the Syrian Arab Republic, supporting and assisting in the fight against terrorism.
He condemned the Israeli regime for its very recent assassination of Seyyed Razi Mousavi, a senior military advisor who was on a mission supporting the Syrian Army in its anti-terrorism efforts near Damascus.
Iravani added: “This heinous and terrorist act represents the second assault on Iranian advisors this month, following a strikingly similar attack perpetrated by the Israeli regime.”
The Iranian envoy stressed that Tehran reserves its legitimate and inherent right, under international law and the United Nations Charter, to respond decisively at an appropriate time deemed necessary.
He also called on the Security Council to fulfill its charter obligation in the maintenance of international peace and security and strongly condemn the Israeli regime’s malevolent activities and its acts of aggression and terrorism in the region.
Connell described what she had seen at the Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza on Monday as “absolute carnage”.
Many severely injured people could not be treated because the hospital was “absolutely overloaded”, she said.
“People were heading up south with mattresses and all of their belongings in vans and in trucks and in cars in order to try and find somewhere safe,” stated Connell, who on Monday visited the Deir al-Balah neighbourhood in central Gaza.
“I’ve spoken to many people. There’s so little space left here in Rafah that people just don’t know where they will go and it really feels like people being moved around a human chessboard because there’s an evacuation order somewhere,” she added.
“People flee that area into another area. But they’re not safe there,” noted Connell, team leader for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 20,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with half of the coastal territory’s housing damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely populated enclave amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicines.
This announcement, marking Yazd as the focal point for international discussions and collaborations within the ACD, comes as a testament to the city’s profound heritage and allure.
Iran, presiding over the ACD since October 2023, saw Yazd emerge victorious among the contenders—Kerman and Mashhad—solidifying its status as a beacon of cultural exchange and cooperation.
With 35 member nations, the ACD stands as an eminent platform fostering economic, social, and cultural growth since its establishment in 2002.
Yazd’s historical eminence, underscored by its UNESCO World Heritage status as the world’s foremost adobe city, further embellishes its newfound role. Renowned for its architectural marvels, Yazd encapsulates a tapestry of historical monuments, resonating as the land of winds, among other enchanting titles.
This prestigious recognition catapults Yazd into the global spotlight, celebrating its legacy as a custodian of ancient traditions and a bridge to foster dialogue and collaboration among nations.
Highlighting the qualitative enhancement of over 10,000 active knowledge-based companies, President Raisi stressed the importance of both qualitative improvement and quantitative expansion.
Raisi underscored that investing in knowledge-based activities isn’t merely expenditure but rather a forward-thinking, beneficial investment, paving the way for employment and technological progress.
Raisi outlined a comprehensive roadmap covering diverse sectors, from microelectronics and biotechnology to artificial intelligence, urging his cabinet to collaborate extensively with knowledge-based companies.
Furthermore, the president prioritized the systematic engagement of major industries with knowledge-based entities.
Encouraging commercialization and exportation of knowledge-based products, Raisi urged all relevant government bodies to contribute to enhancing the production chain, fostering employment, and national wealth creation.
Lastly, he stressed the imperative of safeguarding the stability of laws supporting the surge of knowledge-based productions, acknowledging efforts to organize advancement-oriented events that invigorate the nation’s youth.
Referring to the recent assassination of an Iranian military advisor in Syria, Hassan Beheshtipour, an expert in international relations, commented on Israel’s attempts to provoke Iran militarily.
“While the theory of bringing Iran closer to war is correct, the examples used are erroneous. Israel seeks to involve Iran with America due to the high cost of direct engagement with the Islamic Republic,” he added.
He noted that, “Considering the ongoing conflicts with Hezbollah and Hamas on two fronts, engaging in war with Iran seems illogical at present. Israel aims to embroil both Iran and America in various issues.”
He continued by highlighting the perplexity behind Israel’s decision to assassinate the IRGC commander, who was in Syria to provide advisory service to the Damascus government.
The international relations expert said: “The assassination serves to boost morale among Israeli forces, who have faced significant hits in recent times. Israel must address public concerns regarding its recent perceived weaknesses in warfare.”
He warned that without decisive action, Israel may repeat such actions.
Beheshtipour suggested the Zionist regime’s assassination aimed to display power in response to part of Iran’s support for the oppressed people of Palestine and Gaza.
Ali Akbar Ahmadian made the comments in a meeting with former Prime Minister of Iraq, Adel Abdul Mahdi in Tehran.
Highlighting the losing position of both the Zionist regime and the United States, Ahmadian stressed that continuing or discontinuing warfare would result in losses for the Zionist regime.
He underlined that regardless of America’s presence or departure from the region, its outcomes in terms of warfare expansion would lead to losses.
Ahmadian proposed that integrating the resistance front across economic, political, and military domains could elevate its position to that of a dominant power in the geopolitical equations.
He observed that adversaries actively attempt to hinder the achievement of these goals.
Also referring to the assassination of General Seyyed Razi Mousavi, an Iranian military advisor in Syria on Sunday, Ahmadian noted that while some opinions suggest collaboration between the Zionist regime and the United States in the incident, there are also perspectives indicating the Zionist regime’s initiative in escalating conflicts.
The two also exchanged views over other bilateral cooperation and significant topics.
“Of course, the campaign will be competitive, because it is obvious that there will be more than one candidate. In any case, there are now more than 30 candidates,” she said.
The CEC chief pointed out that now the candidates have “organizational time”, they “hold events, parties hold congresses.”
“In my opinion, the level of competition depends not so much on the number of candidates as on their quality,” Pamfilova added.
The presidential election is scheduled for a three-day period from March 15 to 17, with the winner to be inaugurated in May. It will be the first time a presidential election in Russia has been held over multiple days, after the format was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Several major Russian parties, including the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), and New People have signaled they will put forward candidates. In addition, multiple public figures and politicians have already announced their intent to run for office as independents.
The back-and-forth clash was the latest demonstration of how the Israel-Hamas war is rippling across the Middle East, creating turmoil that has turned US forces at bases in Iraq and Syria into targets.
“Iran-aligned groups” in Iraq and Syria oppose Israel’s campaign in Gaza and hold the United States partly responsible.
At President Joe Biden’s direction, the U.S. military carried out the strikes in Iraq at 1:45 GMT, likely killing “a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants” and destroying multiple facilities used by the group, the US military said.
“These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continue attacks. We will always protect our forces,” stated General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of US Central Command, in a statement.
A US base in Iraq’s Erbil that houses American forces came under attack from a one-way drone on Monday, leading to the latest US casualties.
The Pentagon did not disclose details about the identity of the service member who was critically wounded or offer more details on the injuries sustained in the attack. It also did not offer details on how this drone appeared to penetrate the base’s air defenses.
“My prayers are with the brave Americans who were injured,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
The White House National Security Council stated Biden was briefed on the attack on Monday and ordered the Pentagon to prepare response options against those responsible.
“The President places no higher priority than the protection of American personnel serving in harm’s way. The United States will act at a time and in a manner of our choosing should these attacks continue,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson added.
The Iraqi government on Tuesday condemned the US targeting of its military sites, labelling it a “clear hostile act”.
The strikes on the US-run military installation in Iraq and neighboring Syria come amid growing anti-US sentiments over Washington’s firm support for Israel’s war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 20,700 people, most of them women and children. Another 54,500 individuals have been wounded as well.
The Israeli regime launched the war after Gaza’s resistance groups conducted Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, their biggest operation against the occupying entity in years.
Since the onset of the war on October 7, the United States has backed Israel’s ferocious attacks on Palestinian territory as a means of “self-defense.”
The US House of Representatives on November 2 passed a standalone $14.3-billion military assistance package for Israel. The legislation, however, is yet to clear the Senate.
Washington has also vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions that called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said in his Tuesday message, “On behalf of the Asian football family, I would like to convey my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Melika Mohammadi.”
“Her contributions as a key player of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s women’s national team will be long remembered. We join the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in mourning this great loss,” the message read.
The AFC chief also expressed hope for the speedy recovery of those injured in the tragic accident in the southern Iranian city of Bam in Kerman Province.
The 23-year-old Iranian national team’s center back died in a collision. Two of her teammates were injured in the car accident and were rushed to the hospital.
© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
