Ankara Condemns 'Desecration' of Turkish Flag in Libya

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
TT

Ankara Condemns 'Desecration' of Turkish Flag in Libya

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)

Ankara strongly condemned an attack on the Turkish flag outside the temporary headquarters of the House of Representatives in Tobruk, east of Libya.

"We strongly condemn the ugly action against our flag in front of the temporary building of the House of Representatives during the budget negotiations held on July 5, 2021, in Tobruk, Libya," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.

Belgic indicated that immediately after learning of the "heinous act," the Turkish embassy in Tripoli made the necessary written and verbal initiatives before the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The embassy demanded that necessary measures be taken to prevent such provocations and to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

He noted that the act intended to target the Turkish-Libyan friendship, adding that the attack on the Turkish flag, "which represents our independence and sacred values, will never achieve its goal," he said.

The necessary response will come from "the friendly and brotherly Libyan people before anyone else," asserted Bilgic.

In an act of provocation on Monday, Haftar supporters set down Turkish flags on a road that Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah's convoy was supposed to use during his visit to Tobruk. They stepped on the flag in a message that they rejected the Turkish presence in their country.

Meanwhile, the Libyan Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of implementing the agreements signed with Turkey regarding the country's reconstruction.

The statement came following a meeting between the Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs, Mohammed Issa, and the Turkish Ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, in Tripoli on Tuesday.

Issa noted that the return and the resumption of operations of Turkish companies would "significantly contribute to Libya's reconstruction."

Yilmaz affirmed his country's desire to enhance cooperation relations with Libya and work with its government in various fields.

On April 12, Tripoli and Ankara concluded five memoranda of understanding and cooperation protocols in various fields during the meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara.



Iran Defense Nominee Vows Weapon Production for Effective Deterrence

 Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh (ISNA)
Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh (ISNA)
TT

Iran Defense Nominee Vows Weapon Production for Effective Deterrence

 Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh (ISNA)
Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh (ISNA)

On the third day of discussions in Iran’s parliament about Masoud Pezeshkian’s proposed cabinet, Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, the nominee for Defense Minister, defended the importance of producing weapons during peacetime to ensure strong defense capabilities.
He also reiterated Iran’s commitment to supporting “the Resistance Axis” groups in the region, calling them a part of Iran’s armed forces.
Nasirzadeh criticized the US in his speech, portraying Iran as a rising power in a changing global order.
He claimed that both the region and the world are moving away from a US-dominated system and towards a new order, with powers like Iran playing a key role.
The proposed defense minister also noted that rapid changes in security and defense, especially with new technologies, are making regional security more complex.
Nasirzadeh, a previous head of the Iranian Air Force, was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
He warned that global and regional pressures on Iran and its allies, known as the “Resistance Axis,” are increasing across military, political, and economic fronts.
It is worth noting that the Axis refers to groups that align with Iran’s ideology, such as the Palestinian group Hamas.
Outlining his ministry’s primary focus, Nasirzadeh said: “Maximizing power production will be our main special task as a symbol of power and authority.”
He highlighted two key pillars for achieving this: “soft and hard power, including the use of software and artificial intelligence.”
Nasirzadeh described these efforts as crucial for reaching “the ultimate goal of effective deterrence.”
“Without effective deterrence, there’s no doubt that our enemies would have already attacked our country.”
He added that it is deterrence and power that prevent the enemy from daring to act against Iran.
Nasirzadeh also pledged to revitalize regional diplomacy and enhance cooperation with BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization countries over the next four years, while “preserving sovereignty and utilizing available capabilities.”