Saudi Arabia is in talks with Syria to reopen its embassy in the war-torn nation for the first time in a decade, state television in the kingdom reported late Thursday, the latest diplomatic reshuffling in the region. The announcement on state TV comes after Chinese-mediated talks in Beijing saw Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to reopen embassies in each others' nations after years of tensions. Syrian President Bashar Assad has maintained his grip on power in the Mediterranean nation rocked by the 2011 Arab Spring only with the help of Iran and Russia, which made a historic call earlier in the day to Oman. Saudi Arabian state television aired a report late Thursday, quoting an anonymous official in the country's Foreign Ministry, acknowledging the talks between the kingdom and Damascus. “A source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed to Al-Ekhbariyah that ongoing discussions have begun with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commenting on what was circulated by some international media,” an anchor said on air. “Discussions are underway between officials in the kingdom and their counterparts in Syria about resuming the provision of consular services.” Reuters first reported on the talks Thursday, spurring the Saudi state TV announcement. The Wall Street Journal, quoting anonymous Saudi and Syrian officials, later attributed the talks to reopen the countries' embassies to Russian mediation. Syrian state media did not immediately acknowledge the talks. Officials in both Saudi Arabia and Syria did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press early Friday. Earlier Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, which the Kremlin called the “the first high-level bilateral contact since the establishment of diplomatic relations" between the nations. Muscat established ties with the Soviet Union in 1985. Oman long has been an interlocutor between the West and Iran. Recent months have seen talks in Oman over Yemen's long-running war, in which Saudi Arabia backs the country's exiled government against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that hold its capital, Sanaa. Read more: Iran, Saudi Arabia agree to resume relations after tensions The kingdom backed the Syrian opposition against Assad during Syria’s uprising-turned-civil war that began in 2011. However, in recent years, a regional rapprochement has been brewing. Last month’s devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey sparked international sympathy and speeded up the process, with Saudi and other Arab countries shipping aid to Damascus. Assad visited Oman in late February. He traveled Sunday to the United Arab Emirates, another nation that earlier had backed fighters trying to topple his government. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has acknowledged publicly that there is a growing consensus among Arab countries that dialogue with Damascus is necessary. Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, where most states hope to restore Syria’s membership after it was suspended in 2011, the league’s secretary-general, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has said. China's and Russia's interest in the Middle East long has been a concern for U.S. officials, which view the the region as crucial to global energy prices even as America pumps more crude oil than ever before and doesn't rely on Saudi oil as much as it once did. Saudi Arabia has grown closer to Russia as Moscow has rallied allies to back production cuts by OPEC to boost global oil prices amid the coronavirus pandemic. Relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia also have been at a low since President Joe Biden took office calling the kingdom a “pariah” over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The State Department and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Read more: Bangladesh welcomes renewed ties between Iran, Saudi Arabia: Momen

Dhaka, Mar 3 (UNB) - Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard has announced that his country will open an Embassy in Dhaka in the second half of the yeae - 2023. While in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard met with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday and announced the opening of a Mexican embassy in Bangladesh for the second half of this year. With a population of over 170 million, Bangladesh is a major player in the Central Asian region, according to the Mexican government. Read more: Dhaka urges G20 countries to make concerted efforts to overcome global challenges Mexico is interested in boosting business and cooperation with Bangladesh, particularly in the pharmaceutical, agribusiness, and technology sectors. Bangladesh already has an embassy in Mexico.

Argentina’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Santiago Andrés Cafiero today (February 28, 2023) hoped that the economic, trade and business collaboration between his country and Bangladesh will get a boost following the reopening of the Argentine embassy in Dhaka. He expressed the optimism while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the latter’s official residence Ganabhaban this morning. PM’s speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting. “Argentina is happy to reopen its embassy in Dhaka,” the visiting foreign minister was quoted as saying while extending thanks to Sheikh Hasina for giving the opportunity to reopen the mission in such a short time. Read More: Bangladesh should go for PTA with Mercosur instead of FTA: Argentine minister He hoped that economic, trade and business collaboration between the two countries will be enhanced, as well as friendship will be strengthened further with reopening the embassy. “There is enough scope to enhance cooperation between our two countries,” Cafiero was quoted as saying. Argentina first opened its embassy in Dhaka in 1974 but it was closed in 1978 by the military junta that ruled the South American country at the time. The Argentina embassy was reopened in Dhaka’s Banani area yesterday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh is very keen to enhance relations with Argentina. Read: All roads in haor areas will be elevated for unobstructed water flow: PM “There is huge scope to enhance trade and tourism between Bangladesh and Argentina,” she was quoted. Argentina can import garments and pharmaceutical items, jute and related products, and leather goods from Bangladesh, she said. Bangladesh mainly imports edible oil, particularly soybean oil, animal and vegetable fats, seeds, fruits, grains, dairy products, eggs and natural honey. “We can also collaborate in the fields of sports, education and culture,” she said, seeking cooperation from Argentina for the development of Bangladesh football. Read More: Latin America-Bangladesh Chamber president meets Argentine business delegate in Dhaka Sheikh Hasina said the whole world is going through turmoil caused by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, economic sanctions and counter-sanctions. Not only Bangladesh, but many developed countries are being impacted as prices of food items and inflation have gone up significantly around the world, she said. In this context, she said that public suffering can be eased through enhancing cooperation and relations among friendly countries. The PM said Bangladesh has put emphasis on raising food production and setting up 100 special economic zones to generate employment, developing infrastructures and connectivity with neighbouring countries. Now Bangladesh is a marketing hub in South Asia, she added. Read: President at Mithamain to welcome PM The visiting Argentine minister said the people of his country are also bearing the brunt of high inflation induced by the Russia-Ukraine war and the Covid-19 pandemic. Talking about climate change, he said relations among the member states of the global south forum can be strengthened to fight the impact. He praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership in fighting climate change. Appreciating the development of Bangladesh, he said, “We are highly impressed with the socio-economic development of Bangladesh.” Read More: Bangladesh attractive destination for business, investment: Momen tells Argentine delegation Noting that this is his first visit here, the Argentine foreign minister said he did not imagine that Bangladesh would be so beautiful. PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin, Secretary (West) at the Foreign Ministry Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury and non-resident Ambassador of Argentina to Bangladesh Hugo Gobbi were present. On Monday, Argentine Foreign Minister Cafiero arrived in Dhaka to inaugurate his country’s new embassy here and deepen trade and cultural relations. Diplomatic operations, such as visas in order to travel, were handled by the Argentine embassy in India until now. Read More: Argentine FM to hold bilateral talks with Momen in Dhaka Monday

Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Santiago Andrés Cafiero arrived in Dhaka this morning to inaugurate the South American country’s new embassy here and deepen trade and cultural relations. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen received him at the VIP Lounge of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon his arrival in Dhaka.  Argentina is reopening its embassy here after 45 years. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam will join with the Argentine foreign minister to inaugurate the Embassy of the Argentine Republic in Banani this afternoon.    

A gunman stormed the Azerbaijan Embassy in Iran's capital Friday, killing its security chief and wounding two guards in an attack that spiked long-simmering tensions between the two neighboring countries. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said it would evacuate the diplomatic post, accusing Iran of not taking reported threats against it seriously in the past that include inciting comments in hard-line media over Azerbaijan's diplomatic ties to Israel. Tehran’s police chief, Gen. Hossein Rahimi, initially blamed the attack on “personal and family problems,” something quickly repeated across Iranian state media. But within hours Rahimi would lose his position as police chief after footage emerged that appeared to show a security force member doing nothing to stop the attack. “Previously, there have been attempts to threaten our diplomatic mission in Iran, and it was constantly raised before Iran to take measures to prevent such cases, and to ensure the safety of our diplomatic missions,” the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry said. “Unfortunately, the last bloody terror attack demonstrates the serious consequences of not showing proper sensitivity to our urgent appeals in this direction.” “We are of the opinion that the recent anti-Azerbaijani campaign against our country in Iran led to such attack against our diplomatic mission," the ministry added. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev called the assault a “terrorist attack.” He identified the dead security chief as 1st Lt. Orkhan Rizvan Oglu Askarov. “We demand that this terrorist act be swiftly investigated and the terrorists punished,” Aliyev said in a statement. "Terror against diplomatic missions is unacceptable!” The attack happened Friday morning, the second day of the Iranian weekend. Surveillance video released in Azerbaijan purportedly showed the gunman arriving by car at the embassy, running into the back of another car parked out front. He exited his car, holding what appeared to be a Kalashnikov-style rifle. From there, details immediately conflict with the Iranian account of the attack. Iranian state TV had quoted Rahimi as saying the gunman had entered the embassy with his two children during the attack. However, surveillance footage from inside the embassy, which matched details of the aftermath and bore a timestamp matching the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry’s statement, showed the gunman burst through the embassy’s doors alone. Read more: Iran execution: Man publicly hanged from crane amid protests Those inside tried to push through metal detectors to take cover. The man opens fire with the rifle, its muzzle flashing, as he chases after the men into the small side office. Another man bursts from a side door and fights the gunman for the rifle as the footage ends. Another surveillance video from outside the embassy, which also corresponded to the same details, showed the gunman slam his car into another in front of the embassy. The gunman then got out and leveled his rifle at a figure inside of the Iranian police stand, likely a security force member, who stood still and did nothing as the man stormed the embassy. Video of the aftermath showed an empty diplomatic police post just near the embassy, with one man apparently wounded in an SUV parked outside. Inside the embassy past a metal detector, paramedics stood over what appeared to be a lifeless body in a small office as blood pooled on the floor beneath. Associated Press journalists later saw the embassy’s front door pocked with bullet holes after the attack. Iranian prosecutor Mohammad Shahriari reportedly said the gunman's wife had disappeared in April after a visit to the embassy. The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency quoted Shahriari as saying the gunman believed his wife was still in the diplomatic post at the time of the attack — even though it was some eight months later. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani also said his country strongly condemned the attack, which was under investigation with “high priority and sensitivity.” Azerbaijan also summoned Iran's ambassador there to lodge a protest over the attack as authorities replaced Rahimi, Tehran's police chief, without offering an explanation. Azerbaijan borders Iran's northwest and belonged to the Persian Empire until the early 19th century. Ethnic Azeris also number over 12 million people in Iran and represent the Islamic Republic's largest minority group — making maintaining good relations even more important for Tehran. There have been tensions between the two countries as Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Iran also wants to maintain its 44-kilometer (27-mile) border with landlocked Armenia — something that could be threatened if Azerbaijan seizes new territory through warfare. Iran in October launched a military exercise near the Azerbaijan border, flexing its martial might amid the nationwide protests rocking the Islamic Republic. Azerbaijan also maintains close ties to Israel, which Tehran views as its top regional enemy. The Islamic Republic and Israel are locked in an ongoing shadow war as Iran's nuclear program rapidly enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. Israel also offered its condolences to Azerbaijan over the attack. Turkey, which has close ties to Azerbaijan, condemned the attack, called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and for measures to be put in place to prevent similar attacks in the future. Turkey has backed Azerbaijan against Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. “Turkey, which has been subjected to similar attacks in the past, deeply shares the pain of the Azerbaijani people,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said. “Brotherly Azerbaijan is not alone. Our support to Azerbaijan will continue without interruption, as it always has.”

Argentine President Alberto Fernández today said his country is working to reopen a diplomatic mission in Dhaka next year. He also thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for greeting the Argentina football team on its FIFA World Cup 2022 victory, according to a press release from PM’s Press Wing. Also read: ‘Let’s deepen this link’: Argentina’s president thanks Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh “We’ve watched closely the celebrations of the friendly people of Bangladesh in support of the (Argentina) team,” he said in a letter to PM Hasina. Sports is a powerful tool of engagement between people, the letter added. The Argentine president said his country is grateful for the Bangladeshi enthusiasm for the football team’s success and that it confirms the path of friendship between the nations. Read More: Argentina’s foreign minister says will open embassy in Dhaka: Media report. The letter also mentioned that both countries have completed 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. “I reaffirm to you our commitment to the consolidation of the friendship ties which unite us, being the establishment of diplomatic missions in the respective capitals the right way in this regard,” he wrote. “On this, we will remain working for the next reopening of our diplomatic mission in Dhaka during the year 2023, as confirmation of the path we have decided to take in our bilateral relations,” Argentina President Alberto Fernández wrote in his letter.

The Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh on Friday organized a fun run titled “HuwaRUN: A fun run in support of the campaign to end violence against women" in Baridhara, Dhaka. The event was hosted in line with the global 16-day campaign against gender-based violence and in support of the Philippine government’s goal to protect the rights of women and girls. HuwaRUN is a play on the Filipino word “huwaran” which means role model and “run”. The multi-year campaign, which starts on November 25 and lasts until December 10 every year since 1991, aims to raise awareness on and calls for action for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. In 2008, this was supplemented by the UN Secretary General’s campaign, UNiTE by 2030 to end violence against women. The three-km route featured banners that highlight milestones that the Philippines has made in advancing the rights of women and the advocacy to end violence against women. Read more: Dhaka seeks pro-active support from Manila, ASEAN for early repatriation of Rohingyas These include joining the Global 16-Day Campaign, the enactment of the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act” in 2004, and expansion of the global campaign to 18 days until December 12, the date when the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, was signed in 2000, among others.

The Thai Embassy in Dhaka has donated food and student uniforms to an orphanage run under the patronage of Binajuri Smashan Vihara in Raozan of Chattogram to celebrate the 50 years of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Thailand. Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor and diplomatic officers from the Thai Embassy donated food and student uniforms to Dhammakatik Orphanage Thursday. Read: 50 Years of Diplomatic Ties: Thai Embassy to host photography, video contests The event was part of the Royal Thai Volunteer Project. The project was initiated by King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of Thailand as a tribute to King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit for their contributions and efforts to improve the livelihood of the people. Sangharaja of Bangladesh and Buddhist monks at Binajuri Smashan Vihara welcomed the Thai delegation.

The U.S. Embassy, through its EducationUSA Bangladesh platform, will host the EducationUSA South Asia Fall Virtual Tour on September 3 and 10. The tour aims to provide prospective students, teachers, and college counselors with a unique opportunity to learn about the U.S. higher education application process from admissions officers representing over 60 accredited American colleges and universities.  This free regional fair will be open to participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, said the US Embassy on Friday. The virtual tour entails two university fairs—a graduate admissions (masters and doctoral programs) fair on September 3 and an undergraduate admissions (associates and bachelor’s degree programs) fair on September 10. 

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day virtually on Monday. Father of the Nation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to an independent Bangladesh on January 10, 1972, following 10 months of incarceration in a Pakistani prison, including the nine months of the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. READ: US Embassy dismisses BNP leader Hafizuddin's claim over sanctions on CEC The Embassy of Bangladesh in Brussels shared the virtual conversation between Ambassador Mahbub Hassan Saleh and noted journalist and author Syed Badrul Ahsan on this occasion on its official Facebook page. Syed Badrul Ahsan travelled along with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the Old Airport in Tejgaon to the then Race Course Maidan (present Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka on the day of his homecoming. READ: S Korean community, embassy donate blankets, masks, confectionery to Shishu Paribar