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Macron Says Useful to 'Leave Path Open' for Dialogue with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media ahead of a Weimar Triangle meeting to discuss the ongoing Ukraine crisis, in Berlin, Germany, February 8, 2022. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media ahead of a Weimar Triangle meeting to discuss the ongoing Ukraine crisis, in Berlin, Germany, February 8, 2022. (Reuters)
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Macron Says Useful to 'Leave Path Open' for Dialogue with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media ahead of a Weimar Triangle meeting to discuss the ongoing Ukraine crisis, in Berlin, Germany, February 8, 2022. (Reuters)
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media ahead of a Weimar Triangle meeting to discuss the ongoing Ukraine crisis, in Berlin, Germany, February 8, 2022. (Reuters)

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday it was useful to keep alive the chance of dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launched an invasion of Ukraine.

Macron said after a summit of EU leaders that "while condemning, while sanctioning" it remained useful "to leave this path open so that the day when the conditions can be fulfilled, we can obtain a cessation of hostilities".

Macron on Thursday was the only Western leader to speak to Putin after he unleashed the Russian military on his pro-Western neighbor, AFP said.

The Kremlin said Putin held a "frank" conversation with the French leader.

The Elysee Palace said Macron called Putin to demand an end to Moscow's offensive in Ukraine.

"After having spoken with the Ukrainian president, and in coordination with him, the president (Macron) called Vladimir Putin to demand the immediate halt of Russian military operations, noting that Russia risked massive sanctions," the Elysee said.

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Israel Urges UNSC to Designate Iran Guards 'Terrorist Organization'

A fragment of an Iranian missile is pictured on the outskirts of Israel's central city of Elad on March 10, 2026. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
A fragment of an Iranian missile is pictured on the outskirts of Israel's central city of Elad on March 10, 2026. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
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Israel Urges UNSC to Designate Iran Guards 'Terrorist Organization'

A fragment of an Iranian missile is pictured on the outskirts of Israel's central city of Elad on March 10, 2026. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)
A fragment of an Iranian missile is pictured on the outskirts of Israel's central city of Elad on March 10, 2026. (Photo by Ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP)

Israel's foreign minister on Wednesday urged the UN Security Council to designate Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards a "terrorist organization", as the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic raged for a 12th day.

"The Iranian regime's recent actions underscore that its aggression constitutes a direct threat not only to Israel, but to regional and international peace and security," Gideon Saar posted on X.

"I urge the UN Security Council to condemn Iran and immediately designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization," he added, addressing a letter to the US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, who is the current president of the Security Council, AFP reported.

The IRGC was created after the 1979 revolution to protect the Islamic republic, with a stated mission to "guard the revolution and its achievements".

The influence of the IRGC extends into politics and business, where it is a major player with involvement in most sectors of Iran's sanctions-hit economy.

The IRGC answers to Iran's supreme leader and boasts its own ground, naval and air forces.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing its supreme leader and plunging the Middle East into a spiralling war.

The US has already designated the Iran Guards a "terrorist organization", with the European Union following suit in January over a deadly crackdown on mass protests.

World

Spain Removes Ambassador to Israel

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the first International Forum Against Hatred in Madrid, Spain, 11 March 2026. EPA/Chema Moya
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the first International Forum Against Hatred in Madrid, Spain, 11 March 2026. EPA/Chema Moya
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Spain Removes Ambassador to Israel

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the first International Forum Against Hatred in Madrid, Spain, 11 March 2026. EPA/Chema Moya
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the first International Forum Against Hatred in Madrid, Spain, 11 March 2026. EPA/Chema Moya

Spain’s government decided to remove its ambassador to Israel, according ⁠to the official state ⁠gazette published on Wednesday.

Spain's ⁠embassy in Tel Aviv will be led by a charge d'affaires, a source at ⁠the ⁠Foreign Ministry said.

Relations between Spain and the United States are "operating normally" despite US President Donald Trump's threats to cut trade with Madrid over its opposition to the US-Israeli war on Iran, the Spanish foreign minister said on Tuesday.

The leftist government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez drew Trump's ire last week after rejecting the war as reckless and illegal while banning US aircraft from using jointly operated bases in southern Spain in the offensive against Tehran.

Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told reporters both Spain's embassy in Washington and the US ⁠embassy in Madrid were ⁠operating with "absolute normalcy”

"Our embassy in Washington is operating normally and has all the contacts it should have as usual," he said, adding that the same applied to the US embassy in Madrid.

Trump threatened on March 3 to impose a full trade embargo on Madrid, also citing the latter's ⁠refusal to meet NATO's new defense spending target of 5% of national output.

World

Kremlin Says It Is in Constant Touch with Iranian Leaders

05 March 2026, Russia, Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera at the Kremlin. (Kremlin/dpa)
05 March 2026, Russia, Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera at the Kremlin. (Kremlin/dpa)
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Kremlin Says It Is in Constant Touch with Iranian Leaders

05 March 2026, Russia, Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera at the Kremlin. (Kremlin/dpa)
05 March 2026, Russia, Moscow: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of the Central African Republic Faustin-Archange Touadera at the Kremlin. (Kremlin/dpa)

Russia is constantly in touch with the Iranian leadership and willing to contribute to efforts to stabilize the region, the Kremlin said ‌on Wednesday.

"Here ‌I can ‌only ⁠say that we are ⁠in constant contact with the Iranian side and with the Iranian leadership," Kremlin spokesman ⁠Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"As ‌President (Vladimir) ‌Putin has said, ‌Russia is always ready ‌to do what it can to restore peace and stability ‌in the region."

Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov ⁠have ⁠spoken with their Iranian counterparts in recent days, while Putin also held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday.