Middle East & North Africa

1 April 2022; Tehran, IRNA – While Moscow faces increasing Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, Western clothing brands are now expected to be replaced with Iranian ones in the Russian market over a span of three years. According to a proposal made by the Russian Council of Shopping Centers (RCSC), Western clothing brands that have left the Russian market due to sanctions over the country’s military operation in Ukraine could be replaced by Iranian companies that produce leather clothing, shoes, and bags.

16 April 2022; Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Sunday that Iran condemns desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and expects immediate reaction from the Swedish government.

The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns burning a copy of the Holy Quran in Linköping, Sweden, by a Danish racist, extremist element which was done under the protection of the Swedish police under the pretext of freedom of speech, Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

15 April 2022; AA: Residential property sales in Turkiye surged 20.6% year-on-year in March, according to the latest data released on Friday.

A total of 134,170 houses changed hands last month, up from 111,241 in March 2021, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) reported.

Mortgaged house sales amounted to 30,271 in March, up 38.8% year-on-year, accounting for 22.6% of all sales.

Sales to foreign buyers jumped by 31% to 5,567 units last month.

16 April 2022; MEMO: Sudan's military will release political detainees to create a favorable atmosphere for dialogue in the country, according to the army chief, Anadolu Agency reports.

"We have started procedures to release political detainees within two or three days," General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan said in a statement.

He said the move aims to "set the atmosphere for dialogue and to contribute with others to achieve reconciliation."

RIYADH, Apr 16 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabian Airlines SAUDIA, announced yesterday, to start direct flight to the Greek island, Mykonos, on July 1.

The new summer route will be operated on Airbus A320, with three roundtrip flights weekly, scheduled between Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport and the popular resort’s airport.

Offering 20 business-class seats and 90 seats in economy class, the narrow-body airliner provides full access to SAUDIA’s inflight entertainment system and WiFi connectivity, according to the carrier.

ALGIERS, April 16 (NNN-Xinhua) — Algeria strongly condemned Israeli forces’ operations at the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling for a comprehensive and just solution to the issue.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement the operations are “flagrant violations of all relevant international resolutions and conventions.”

The ministry stressed that Muslims should be allowed to worship at the Al-Aqsa mosque and granted full protection.

NICOSIA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon is considering new proposals for the demarcation of its maritime borders with Israel, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said after talks in Nicosia with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides.

The issue is of direct interest to Cyprus as the maritime borders dispute between Lebanon and Israel, which relates to a sea stretch of about 800 square kilometers, has been blocking for years the finalization of an agreement between Cyprus and Lebanon on their marine borders.

TEHRAN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy announced Friday it has seized a vessel in the Gulf waters carrying 250,000 liters of smuggled fuel, the second such seizure during the past days, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The ship's seven crew members have been detained and are undergoing legal interrogation procedures, said Gholam Hossein Hosseini, head of the Public Relations Department of the IRGC's second naval zone.

CAIRO (AP) — Yemen’s Houthis criticized a new U.S.-led task force that will patrol the Red Sea following a series of attacks by the Iran-backed rebels in a waterway that’s essential to global trade.

Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthis’ chief negotiator and spokesman, said late Friday that the U.S. move in the Red Sea, which comes amid a cease-fire in the country’s civil war, contradicts Washington’s claim of supporting the U.N.-brokered truce.

The task force “enshrines the aggression and blockade on Yemen,” he claimed on his Telegram social media account.

16 April 2022; MEMO: Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Hissein Brahim Taha on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces' attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City.

In a statement, the OIC announced: "At least 152 worshippers were injured in the Israeli aggression, and hundreds were arrested."