Turkish Prime Minister expected to visit IranMarch 3, 2016 - 13:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to neighboring Iran this week, his office said, according to Hurriyet Daily News. Davutoğlu will visit Tehran on March 4 and 5, sources from his office told reporters, without elaborating. Tehran, along with Russia, supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey is among his most outspoken critics, backing the Sunni opposition. Turkey is also close to Saudi Arabia, which has cut its diplomatic ties with Iran. Davutoğlu’s visit comes days before UN-backed Syrian peace talks, which were suspended last month because of continuing fighting, are expected to resume in Geneva. However, the Syrian opposition cast doubt on whether the talks would proceed on March 9 as planned, as rebels said they were under fierce government attack near the Turkish border despite an agreement to cease hostilities. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |