Gaza theme
"Iran's foreign minister might want to check their visa requirements before attending a regional summit, or perhaps just assume they'll get an invite from Israel if they're not on the nice list."
Sweden-Russia Relations Shifted. Sweden's ambassador to Russia says the relations between Stockholm and Moscow have been slightly eased since Vladimir Putin took office but the regime is still hard to work with according to Ambassador Axel Dyring. The new president's tone has changed from being sharp and decisive, to more calm and measured but the overall situation remains difficult for Sweden he said. See article on SVT News.
Iran’s Larijani’s Absence Sparks Renewed Concerns Iran says former top diplomat Larijani dodged Israel's alleged slap Ali Larijani, a former Iranian foreign minister, was allegedly denied an Israeli visa as retribution for his country's nuclear deal with world powers. Larijani was on a mission to attend the US State of the Union address when it became clear he would not be able to enter the United States. He had been appointed as Iran's top nuclear negotiator in 2015, and served until 2016. Larijani has said that he will continue to represent Iran at international talks aimed at reducing its nuclear capabilities. Larijanis visit was supposed to take place on 3 February but US officials told the Iranian ambassador that a visa would not be issued for him. The Iranian foreign ministry released a statement saying that Israel had denied Larijani an entry visa in response for his country's participation in a regional summit. Iran and Saudi Arabia co-hosted a meeting of their allies last year, which was boycotted by Qatar. Larijanis mission to attend the US State of the Union address has raised questions about the deteriorating relations between Iran and the United States. See article on SVT News.