Regional
Turkish President Erdogan meets Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday, marking the first stop of his regional tour, according to Türkiye’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran.
Erdogan is in Saudi Arabia on an official visit, accompanied by his wife, First Lady Emine Erdogan, as well as Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Defense Minister Yasar Guler and other senior officials.
No further details were released about the closed-door meeting.
Following the talks, bin Salman hosted a closed-door dinner in honor of the Turkish president at the Yemame Palace. Earlier in the day, Erdogan was welcomed by the crown prince during an official reception.
The Riyadh visit is the first leg of Erdogan’s tour of regional countries.
He is scheduled to travel to Cairo on Wednesday at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to co-chair the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
During his visit to Egypt, Erdogan and Sisi are expected to discuss bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international developments, with a particular focus on the situation in Palestine, Duran said.
The Turkish president is also set to attend a Türkiye-Egypt Business Forum in Cairo.
Regional
Mojtaba Khamenei: Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new leader, said on Thursday that Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases on their territory, as Tehran will continue its attacks against them.
In his first statement, broadcast and read out by state television, Khamenei told the Iranian people: “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs.”
He added: “The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”
However, state television did not explain why Khamenei’s first remarks were read by a presenter rather than delivered in a video.
No images of him have yet been released since the strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
In these remarks, Mojtaba Khamenei also confirmed that his wife, sister, and other family members were killed.
Regional
Up to 3.2 million displaced inside Iran as conflict escalates, UNHCR says
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the conflict that erupted on February 28, warning that the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.
In a statement released Thursday, the UN refugee agency said the figure is based on preliminary assessments of uprooted households and could rise further if hostilities continue.
“This number is likely to increase as fighting persists, signaling a troubling escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said.
The agency noted that many of the displaced have fled their homes in search of safety, often moving to nearby provinces or staying with relatives and host communities. Others have sought temporary shelter in public buildings and informal settlements, placing additional pressure on local resources.
Humanitarian organizations say the sudden movement of millions of people is creating urgent needs for shelter, food, medical care and basic services. Aid agencies are working with local authorities to assess conditions and deliver assistance to affected communities.
The displacement crisis comes amid broader regional instability that has raised concerns among international organizations about the potential for further population movements both inside Iran and across borders.
UNHCR said it is continuing to monitor developments closely and is coordinating with humanitarian partners to scale up assistance as the situation evolves.
Regional
Trump on Iran: We won, but don’t want to leave early
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “we won” the Iran war but that the United States will stay in the fight to finish the job.
“You never like to say too early you won. We won,” Trump told a campaign-style rally in Hebron, Kentucky. “In the first hour it was over.”
He said the United States had knocked out 58 Iranian naval ships.
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
“We don’t want to leave early do we?” Trump said. “We got to finish the job.”
He said the United States has “virtually destroyed Iran.” He seemed to signal that the United States would continue the fight for now.
“We don’t want to go back every two years,” he said.
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