TEHRAN, 11 June, 2021 (TON): Two Iranian naval ships entered the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, a senior Iranian military commander confirmed on Thursday.

The Deputy Iranian Army Coordinator Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, the two ships, including the Makran port ship and a domestically-built Sahand destroyer which departed Iran's southern port of Bandar Abbas on 10 May, have arrived at the Atlantic Ocean without calling at other countries' ports.

The media cited Sayyari, "We consider our presence in international waters an inalienable strategic right of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, and we will continue on this path with strength."

This is the country’s longest maritime mission, he added.

Western media have reported that the destination for the Iranian ships is Venezuela.

PRAGUE, 11 June, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the European Parliament (EP) passed a resolution to end the EU funding to Agrofert, over alleged conflicts of interests.

The Agrofert is a business that belongs to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

The resolution stated, "(The EP) insists that further disbursement of funds, either from the EU or Czech national budget, to the companies ultimately controlled by Babis, or Members of the Czech government must be halted until the cases of conflict of interests are fully resolved.”

A majority of 505 MEPs supported the legally unbinding resolution, while 30 MEPs were against the resolution and 155 abstained from voting.

Firms owned by Babis, are among the biggest recipients of EU subsidies earmarked for agriculture.

Babis insists that these firms were placed in trust funds and meet local legal obligations.

However, Babis accused Brussels of undue meddling in the Czech Republic's internal affairs over the matter.

RIYADH, 11 June, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition denied any recent military operation in Yemen, the media reported.

Previously, it was involved in war in Yemen.

The coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki told the media, the coalition stopped attacks near Yemen's capital Sanaa and other Yemeni city for it wants to prepare the political ground for a peaceful settlement.

His remarks came following the attack on an armored division belonging to Yemen's Houthi rebels.

CAIRO, 11 June, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the Egypt FM Sameh Shoukry called on the UNSC to push Ethiopia into negotiations on the GERD (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam).

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said, Shoukry made the remarks during a phone conversation with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, focusing on the recent developments of the GERD talks, and unsuccessful progress.

The statement added, Shoukry rejected Ethiopia's unilateral measures on the filling of the mega dam.

The Egyptian minister stressed the necessity to reach a binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam that guarantees the interests of Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia have been in talks for years over the technical and legal issues related to the filling and operation of the GERD.

PARIS, 11 June, 2021 (TON): Damien T, the man who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron during a public event has been sentenced to 18 months in jail, but with 14 months of those as a suspended sentence.

The media reported, the accused was also banned from holding public office or possessing any weapons.

On Tuesday, Damien T slapped the 43-year-old president during a visit to Tain-l’Hermitage, south of Lyon.

The 28-year-old did not deny the act in court and, saying he was a victim of injustice, the media reported.

However, the media cited the man saying, Macron stands for the decline of France. And, previously, he had also considered throwing an egg or a pie.

Whereas, on Thursday, Macron talked about the incident in a TV interview, stressing it was an “isolated act".

LONDON, 10 June, 2021 (TON): The U.S. President meets with the British PM Boris Johnson on Thursday ahead of a Friday-Sunday G7 summit.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told the media, “President Biden has been crystal clear about his rock-solid belief in the Good Friday Agreement as the foundation for peaceful co-existence in Northern Ireland.”

"Any steps that imperil it or undermine it would not be welcomed by the United States," said Sullivan, who declined to characterize Johnson's actions as imperiling the peace.

Britain's exit from the European Union strained the peace in Northern Ireland to breaking point because the 27-nation bloc wants to protect its markets, yet a border in the Irish Sea cuts off the British province from the rest of the United Kingdom.

However, Northern Ireland shares a border with EU member Ireland.

COLOMBO, 10 June, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Sri Lanka congratulated Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Shahid on his election as the President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.

The country said that it looked forward to working with him to furthering the interests and priorities of the Southern region of the world.

On behalf of Sri Lanka, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena extended heartfelt congratulations on his Maldivian counterpart’s election as the President of the 76 Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He said, “Your election as the President of the UN General Assembly as the first from the Maldives, and as only the sixth from a Small! Island Developing State is a testimony to the trust and confidence placed on you by an overwhelming majority of the UN Member States, including Sri Lanka.”

“As a close neighbor and a friend of Maldives, Sri Lanka looks forward to working with you at the 76th Session of the General Assembly, with a view to furthering the interests and priorities of the Global South,” Minister Gunawardena said wishing Abdulla Shahid success in all your endeavors,” he said.

Later, Gunawerdena praised Shahid’s capabilities as an illustrious diplomat.

BUENOS AIRES, 10 June, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez apologized for his viral jungle comment.

The President stated that the modern-day Mexicans originate from indigenous peoples, Brazilians “from the jungle” and his own country’s inhabitants come from Europe.

“I am a Europeanist. I am someone who believes in Europe,” Alberto Fernandez said.

Mexican poet Octavio Paz once wrote that “Mexicans came from the Indians, Brazilians from the jungle, but we Argentines came from boats, and they were boats that came from there, from Europe. And that is how we built our society.”

Later, he apologized on Twitter.

“In the first half of the 20th century we received more than five million immigrants who lived with our native peoples,” he said, adding, “We are proud of our diversity.”

Fernandez said he “did not mean to offend anyone” but to anyone who was, “my apologies.”

However, a video of his original statement went viral, drawing several reactions in Brazil.

LONDON, 10 June, 2021 (TON): Following Sima Bahouth’s end of term as Jordan’s permanent representative to the international organization, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to UN, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi  hosted a farewell party in Sima’s honor on Wednesday.

The Saudi media cited that a number of ambassadors from other Arab countries also attended the party.
Bahouth appreciated the generous gesture and praised the bonds of friendship, brotherhood and common interests that bind the two countries.

She made the remarks after Al-Mouallimi wished his fellow ambassador success for the future.

The other guests at the event extended gratitude to the ambassador for the event.

ULAANBAATAR, 10 June, 2021 (TON): According to the Thursday’s preliminary election results, Mongolia’s former PM Khurelsukh Ukhnaa won nearly 70 percent of the vote in the presidential election.

The results showed historically low voter turnout for the third election in two years.
In the early hours of Thursday, Khurelsukh declared a decisive victory after getting nearly 70 percent of votes cast.

“From the bottom of my heart, I thank my fellow Mongolians,” he said.

Enkhbat Dangaasuren, his main rival, gathered only around a fifth of the votes.  

Khurelsukh resigned as prime minister in January following protests and public outrage over the treatment of a coronavirus patient and her newborn baby.

However, landlocked Mongolia, wedged between China and Russia, has struggled with political instability since it became a democracy. Its first constitution was passed in 1992 after decades of communist rule.