Turkey

12 Jan 2019; MEMO: A magnitude 4.7 earthquake shook Istanbul on Saturday, said Turkey’s state-run disaster management authority, Anadolu reports.

According to the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the quake that occurred at 16.37 p.m. local time (1337GMT) centered off the Silivri district in the Sea of Marmara at a depth of 7.09 kilometers (4.40 miles).

The AFAD said they are closely following the developments.

08 Jan 2019; MEMO: Turkey stressed its willingness to mediate between the US and Iran as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul for the inauguration of TurkStream natural gas pipeline and to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East and North Africa.

Istanbul, Jan 8 (AFP/PTI) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to inaugurate a new gas pipeline, with tensions in Libya and Syria also on the agenda.

Putin arrived late on Tuesday after paying a surprise visit to Syria -- his first to Damascus since the war began -- at a moment of acute uncertainty in the Middle East following the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani by the United States.

ISTANBUL, January 8. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday will participate in the commissioning ceremony of the TurkStream gas pipeline in Istanbul. Putin arrived in the city the day before from Damascus, where he met with Bashar al-Assad, visited the command post of the Russian Armed Forces group in Syria, toured the Great Mosque of Damascus and the Mariamite Cathedral of Damascus.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s foreign minister will visit Iraq on Thursday to try to ease tensions after Iran launched missiles at U.S.-led forces in response to the killing of a top Iranian commander, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will travel to Iraq as part of Ankara’s “intensified diplomatic efforts to alleviate the escalated tension in the aftermath of recent developments in the region”, the ministry said in a statement.

Cavusoglu also spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif by phone, it said in a separate statement.

ANKARA, Jan 6 (NNN-BERNAMA-ANADOLU) — Turkey is going to great lengths to reduce tensions between the United States (US) and Iran, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday following the recent killing of a top Iranian commander in a US drone strike in the Iraqi capital.

“Turkey always stands against foreign intervention and regards the recent US attack in Baghdad with this same understanding,” Anadolu Agency reported, quoting Erdogan as saying in a televised interview. 

ANKARA, January 5. /TASS/: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that it would be wrong to leave the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani without response.

"I believe the killing of any commander from the top echelons of any country should not be left without response," the Turkish leader said on CNN Turk, when asked by the host to comment on the developments around the Soleimani killing

Erdogan pointed out that in the latest phone call he asked US President Donald Trump to "refrain from escalation with Iran."

ANKARA, January 5. /TASS/: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to discuss regional issues during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit, Erdogan said in an interview aired by CNN Turk channel on Sunday.

"During our meeting scheduled for January 8, we will be focusing on a wide range of issues, including regional issues and TurkStream," the Turkish president said.

ISTANBUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday evening that Turkey is "gradually" sending troops to Libya under a deal inked with its UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

"Our soldiers are gradually going," Erdogan told the CNNTurk broadcaster in a televised interview, saying "The duty of Turkish soldiers is to ensure ceasefire and not to fight."

ANKARA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Friday called on Iran and the United States to avoid unilateral steps that would jeopardize regional stability over the killing of Qasem Soleimani, a commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

"We are deeply concerned about the escalating of the U.S.-Iranian tension in the region. We strongly re-emphasize the warning that turning Iraq into a conflict zone will harm the peace and stability of both Iraq and our region," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.