عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Greece, Turkey to Hold New Round of Exploratory Talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias hold a news conference in Ankara, Turkey April 15, 2021. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias hold a news conference in Ankara, Turkey April 15, 2021. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
TT
20
TT

Greece, Turkey to Hold New Round of Exploratory Talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias hold a news conference in Ankara, Turkey April 15, 2021. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias hold a news conference in Ankara, Turkey April 15, 2021. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Greece and Turkey will hold a new round of exploratory talks on Feb. 22 in Athens, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, as the two NATO-allies seek to address their differences in the Mediterranean.

Greece and Turkey disagree on a range of issues from airspace to maritime zones in the eastern Mediterranean and ethnically split Cyprus.

After a five-year hiatus and months of tensions, the two countries agreed last year to resume talks in an effort to reach common ground and allow for formal negotiations to begin.

Athens and Ankara have held three rounds of talks since then but they still appear far apart.

Most Viewed

 
World

Iran Says 5 Inmates at Evin Prison Were Killed in Israel's Airstrike on Tehran

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Iran Says 5 Inmates at Evin Prison Were Killed in Israel's Airstrike on Tehran

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)

An Israeli airstrike on Iran's capital last month killed five inmates at Evin prison and resulted in the escape of several others, Iranian media reported Saturday.

The semi-official ILNA news agency and other Iranian media quoted a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary that the five inmates killed in the June 23 strike had been convicted on financial offences. The spokesman didn't name the victims or give any further details.

The judiciary’s own news website, Mizanonline quoted spokesman Asghar Jahangir as saying only that “small number" of inmates were killed. He added that an “insignificant number of inmates” had also escaped and that authorities would soon bring them back into custody, AFP reported.

Jahangir said no one serving time at Evin prison for working with Israel's spy agency Mossad was injured in the attack.

Iranian authorities last month put the death toll from the airstrike at 71. But Iranian media later raised that number to 80 including staff, soldiers, inmates and visiting family members.

It's unclear why Israel targeted the prison. The Israeli Defense Ministry had said on the day of the airstrikes that 50 aircraft dropped 100 munitions on military targets “based on high-quality and accurate intelligence from the Intelligence Branch.”

The New York-based Center for Human Rights had criticized Israel for striking the prison - seen as a symbol of repression of any opposition - saying it violated the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets.

The 12-day air war left more than 1,060 dead in Iran and 28 dead in Israel.