Central Asian forecasters dismiss Iran 'acid cloud' rumours
Reports of so-called “acid clouds” moving from Iran towards Central Asia are not supported by scientif...
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the supply of “Identification of Friend or Foe” (IFF) interrogator systems for use with Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS.
In a statement, the company said that the deal had been agreed as part of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency's (NSPA) mission to “ensure deterrence against increasing aerial threats in the global theatre.”
“As a longstanding IFF provider in every domain and one of the few providers of Mode-5 IFF systems, Aselan takes utmost pride in offering its services and support to NSPA,” the company stated.
Based in Ankara, Aselan specialises in the research, development, and manufacture of advanced military equipment for air, land, and naval forces.
Established in 1975, it is now one of Türkiye’s largest defence-technology firms, currently ranking among the top 50 companies worldwide in its particular area of expertise.
Earlier this month, Aselan became the first Turkish company to reach the $30-billion mark in terms of total market value, highlighting the firm’s growing importance in the global defense-technology field.
In recent years, Türkiye – a NATO member since 1952 – has become a leading exporter of high-tech military-industrial equipment.
In early January 2026, Türkiye’s Defence Industries Secretariat (DIS) said that Turkish firms had sold more than $10 billion worth of defence and aviation equipment to foreign buyers in 2025 alone.
In remarks cited by state media, Haluk Gorgun, head of the DIS, said defence and aviation exports totaled $10.05 billion in 2025, a 48-percent increase on the previous year.
This figure included $9.87 billion worth of equipment sales and another $184 million in related services, Gorgun added.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Welcome to our live coverage as the conflict involving Iran enters its 11th day. Tensions in the region remain high as the United States and Iran exchange increasingly sharp warnings over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Reports of so-called “acid clouds” moving from Iran towards Central Asia are not supported by scientific data, national hydrometeorological services in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan say, adding there is no threat to the region.
A senior delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has been holding meetings with Georgian government officials, opposition leaders and security authorities this week, as international observers attempt to gauge the country’s political climate following last year’s contentious elections.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told Masoud Pezeshkian, his Iranian counterpart, that violations of Turkish airspace by Iran could not be justified “for any reason whatsoever.”
The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved a new programme aimed at developing educational courses and training sessions for young parents.
Kazakhstan has evacuated 8,585 citizens from Middle Eastern countries as regional tensions escalate. Authorities are coordinating air and land evacuations while analysts warn the crisis could reshape security and energy risks across the Caspian region.
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