China’s Defense Ministry Says Dutch Ship Incident ‘Heinous’ 

The Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp was patrolling the East China Sea on Friday in support of UN sanctions against North Korea when it was circled several times by two Chinese fighter jets. (Reuters)
The Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp was patrolling the East China Sea on Friday in support of UN sanctions against North Korea when it was circled several times by two Chinese fighter jets. (Reuters)
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China’s Defense Ministry Says Dutch Ship Incident ‘Heinous’ 

The Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp was patrolling the East China Sea on Friday in support of UN sanctions against North Korea when it was circled several times by two Chinese fighter jets. (Reuters)
The Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp was patrolling the East China Sea on Friday in support of UN sanctions against North Korea when it was circled several times by two Chinese fighter jets. (Reuters)

China's defense ministry on Tuesday warned the Netherlands to restrain actions of its naval and air forces after the Netherlands' defense ministry said Chinese fighter jets approached a Dutch ship unsafely in the East China Sea.

"We strongly deplore the heinous nature of the Dutch side's words and deeds, and have lodged solemn representations with them," the Chinese defense ministry said.

Chinese air force jets circled a Dutch frigate and approached a Dutch helicopter in the East China Sea in a way that "caused a potentially unsafe situation," the Netherlands' defense ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said the HNLMS Tromp was patrolling on Friday in support of UN sanctions against North Korea when it was circled several times by two Chinese fighter jets.

Later, the ship's NH90 helicopter was approached by two Chinese fighter jets and a helicopter in an incident that took place in international airspace, according to the Netherlands' defense ministry.

Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's defense ministry said the Dutch side was "falsely claiming to be carrying out a UN mission and flexed its force in the sea and airspace under the jurisdiction of another country, creating tension and undermining the friendly relations between the two countries."

Zhang said China wanted to warn the Dutch side that "infringement and provocation will be resolutely countered by the Chinese side."

The United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Tromp is heading for Japan next and then to Hawaii for the "Rim of the Pacific" naval exercises, according to the Netherlands' defense ministry.

Both China and Japan claim a group of islets in the East China Sea, which has long been a sticking point in bilateral ties. The two countries have repeatedly faced off around the uninhabited Japanese-administered islands.

China's run-ins with the Philippine navy have also been escalating in disputed areas of the South China Sea.



Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced he intends to visit Tehran through a letter he addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Mehr Agency reported that Grossi sent a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect, which stated: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election win as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at the focal attention of the international circles for many years. I am confident that, together, we will be able to make decisive progress on this crucial matter.”

“To that effect, I wish to express my readiness to travel to Iran to meet with you at the earliest convenience,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Grossi as saying.

The meeting – should it take place - will be the first for Pezeshkian, who had pledged during his election campaign to be open to the West to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.

Last week, American and Israeli officials told the Axios news site that Washington sent a secret warning to Tehran last month regarding its fears of Iranian research and development activities that might be used to produce nuclear weapons.

In May, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the course of the talks he held over two days in Iran in an effort to resolve outstanding matters.

Since the death of the former Iranian president, Ibrahim Raisi, the IAEA chief refrained from raising the Iranian nuclear file, while European sources said that Tehran had asked to “freeze discussions” until the internal situation was arranged and a new president was elected.