Day: December 31, 2020

(Xinhua)09:39, December 29, 2020

TEHRAN, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) — Top Iranian security official on Monday urged the foreign forces to leave the region, semi-official FARS news agency reported.

Security in the region can only be achieved through the removal of external factors which are against the stability of the region, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, was quoted as saying.

He said that the recent U.S. forces increased mobility in the region is a show of defiance and fear.

Earlier in the day, Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, also said that Iran has sent messages to the United States to avoid any new adventurism in the region.

We have not been looking for a tension in the region and we are not, said Khatibzadeh, adding that We will not hesitate to defend our country…We hope the wise in Washington will defuse tensions.

(Xinhua)16:57, December 29, 2020

JERUSALEM, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — A rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, but failed to reach Israel and fell within the Palestinian enclave, Israels army said on Tuesday.

The launch triggered sirens in the community of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom near Gaza shortly after midnight between Monday and Tuesday.

A military spokesperson said in a statement that a launch was recognized in the Gaza Strip which did not cross into Israeli territory.

It was the second time in four days that a projectile has been launched to Israel by Gaza militants. Last Friday night, two rockets were launched from Gaza. Later, Israel launched airstrikes and attacked several sites in Gaza, including a rocket manufacturing facility, underground infrastructure, and a military post belonging to Hamas, a Palestinian movement that runs Gaza.

Rocket attacks from Gaza have decreased over the past months amidst the coronavirus outbreak in Gaza and Israel.

(Xinhua)10:00, December 30, 2020

ANKARA, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) — Turkey sent soldiers to Azerbaijan to join Russian forces at an observation post in Nagorno-Karabakh after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a cease-fire deal to end clashes, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Tuesday.

Our staff went to Azerbaijan, and are ready there. One general and 35 of our officers will take office immediately after the construction of the joint center is completed and becomes operational, Akar told commanders of the Turkish army via teleconference.

In November, the Turkish parliament approved a motion for the deployment of its troops at the joint center for one year as part of an accord between Ankara and Moscow to monitor the implementation of the truce.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev announced earlier that the Joint Turkish-Russian Center will be in Aghdam, a district handed over to the Azerbaijani military on Nov. 20 as a condition of the truce.

(Xinhua)09:10, December 31, 2020

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) — The U.S. military said on Wednesday that it had sent two strategic bombers to the Middle East as a show of force to deter attacks against U.S. interests in the region.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that the deployment, which was executed by two B-52H strategic bombers, aimed to underscore the U.S. militarys commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique ability to rapidly deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice.

The two-ship deployment also delivers a clear deterrent message to anyone who intends to do harm to Americans or American interests, the statement added.

Commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie said in the statement that the United States continues to deploy combat-ready capabilities into the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to deter any potential adversary, and make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests.

According to the statement, this mission is the third bomber deployment into CENTCOMs area of operation in the last 45 days.

Media reports noted that the deployment reflects growing concerns in Washington that Iran might retaliate against the United States as the first anniversary of the U.S. assassination of Iranian top military commander Qassem Soleimani approaches.

The year-long tensions between the United States and Iran were reignited by a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy compound in the Green Zone of Iraqs capital Baghdad on Dec. 20.

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed the attack on Iran. He tweeted on Dec. 23 that some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over.

Tehran denied Trumps allegation. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted, Trump will bear full responsibility for any adventurism on his way out.

(Xinhua)09:55, December 22, 2020

MOSCOW, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the country must respond promptly to Western missile deployment near its borders.

It is equally important to strengthen the potential of non-nuclear deterrence, primarily in relation to high-precision weapons. We do not intend to produce and deploy intermediate and shorter-range missiles in the European part of Russia and other regions of the country, the Kremlin said, citing the president during an annual meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

However, we must be ready to respond in a timely manner to the Western countries deployment of counterpart missiles near our borders, he added.

He noted that this response should not only be aimed at the direct deployment locations of the relevant systems that pose a threat, but also points from where they are controlled.

During the meeting, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that there has been an increase by 15 percent in the intensity of U.S. surveillance activities near the Russian border, according to a statement published by Russian Defense Ministry.