Middle East & North Africa

TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that they would strike Israeli cities with missiles if the Islamic country was threatened, according to local Mizan News Agency.

The Revolutionary Guards added that they will continue increasing Iran's defensive capabilities despite U.S. pressure to scrap its ballistic missile program.

On the same day, a senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami warned that if his country was attacked by the United States and Israel, Tehran will give a tit-for-tat fightback.

MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Around 2.5 million pilgrims from around the globe start travelling for Hajj destinations in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Monday, taking light rails constructed and operated by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).

Many of the pilgrims, who travel by the light rail for the first time, gave the thumbs up to the fast and convenient services of the Chinese company, as the rail staff were busy helping passengers board the train.

21 Aug 2018; AFP: Iran unveiled its first domestic fighter jet on Tuesday, with President Hassan Rouhani insisting that Tehran's military strength was only designed to deter enemies and create "lasting peace".

Images on state television showed Rouhani sitting in the cockpit of the new "Kowsar" fourth-generation fighter at the National Defence Industry exhibition in Tehran.

State media said it had "advanced avionics" and multi-purpose radar, and that it was "100-percent indigenously made" for the first time.

TASS, August 19. The US dreams of once again overthrowing the Iranian government but it will not succeed, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter.

His tweet says that "65 years ago today, the US overthrew the popularly elected democratic government of Dr. Mossadegh, restoring the dictatorship and subjugating Iranians for the next 25 years. Now an "Action Group" dreams of doing the same through pressure, misinformation and demagoguery. Never again."

TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile program is a non-negotiable issue and it is not linked with the country's nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said here on Monday.

The Iranian 2015 international nuclear deal and the country's missile program are two separate issues, Bahram Qasemi said with a reference to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent remarks.

Merkel earlier said that Berlin was willing to preserve the deal in the wake of U.S. withdrawal, while expressing concern over Tehran's missile program.

ANKARA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified assailants fired gun shots at the U.S. embassy in Ankara early Monday, hitting a window of a security cabin but causing no casualties, local media reported.

At least four gunshots were reportedly fired in front of Gate 6 of the embassy from a white car at around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT) local time, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

Police are searching for the suspects who reportedly fled in a white car before the car's license plate number could be seen.

According to the Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2018, released on 19 August – the World Humanitarian Day; Turkey was found to be the largest humanitarian aid donor providing $8.07 billion.

Turkey was followed by USA with $6.68 billion and UK with $2.52 billion.

ANKARA, August 18. /TASS/. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has been reelected as chairman of the Justice and Development Party, the Anadolu agency reported referring to the results of the voting, which took place at the party’s sixth general Congress in Ankara.

All 1,380 delegates voted unanimously for Erdogan, who the only candidate nominated for this post.

Vice President of UAE has formed a committee that will provide relief to people of Kerala, affected by severe flood.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of UAE, urged “everyone to contribute generously towards this initiative.”

According to The Indian Express, “The committee will be chaired by the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) and will include representatives from the UAE’s humanitarian organisations.”

RAMALLAH, Palestine; 18 Aug 2018; AA: The Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Council said Friday that political ties with Washington will not be normalized unless the U.S. administration abandons its "unlawful" decisions.

"Political relations with Washington will continue at the same level until the U.S. administration abandons its unlawful decisions about Jerusalem, refugees and Jewish settlements," the council said in a final statement after its 29th annual meeting.