Iran
UK ‘pressing US to ease Iran sanctions to help fight coronavirus’
No sign as yet of Trump administration relenting. Reports say it may veto Iranian application to IMF for $5bn of emergency funding.
China calls on US to drop sanctions to help Iran fight coronavirus
Beijing says Washington’s measures are “against humanitarianism and hampers Iran's epidemic response & delivery of humanitarian aid”.
Iran goes to IMF for first time since 1960s and scraps new year events in face of pandemic
Central bank requests $5bn in emergency funding. Islamic Republic has world's third worst outbreak of coronavirus. Its economy, already hobbled by US sanctions, faces another body blow.
Questions grow over Turkey’s “coronavirus free” status
Iranian minister complains “some countries don’t say anything about their situation” amid the outbreak.
Erdogan, Putin agree Syria truce
Observers see ceasefire holding, but only in the short term. Deal provides for security corridor and joint Russian-Turkish patrols on key highway.
Ukrainian officials ‘unsettled by 29-second gap between firing of Iranian missiles at flight PS752’
Discrepancy disclosed as row continues over Iran’s failure to hand over black box flight recorders.
Iran’s “advisory center in northern Syria” reportedly issued veiled threat to Turkish forces
Surprise statement came amid fraught situation in which retaliatory operation by Turkey against Syrian positions caused death of several Tehran-backed forces.
Iran’s neighbour Turkey yet to report single coronavirus case
Caveat emptor: while Iran is increasingly open about the scale of its CORVID-19 epidemic, holidaymakers weighing up Turkish options might do well to question the ‘infection-free’ status reported by Ankara.