China congratulates Togo on smooth political transition and is ready to work with the new government to strengthen exchanges and promote bilateral relations, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Tuesday.
Jean-Lucien Savi de Tove was elected by the Togolese parliament on Saturday as the West African country's new president, succeeding Faure Gnassingbe, who was sworn in earlier as the President of Togo's Council of Ministers.
"China appreciates and congratulates Togo on its smooth political transition and the election of a new president and the first president of Togo's Council of Ministers. In 2024, during the Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, President Xi Jinping and then-President Faure Gnassingbe jointly upgraded China-Togo relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. China attaches great importance to the development of China-Togo relations and is willing to work with the new government of Togo to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and promote the continuous development of China-Togo relations," Lin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
China congratulates Togo on smooth political transition: spokesman
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that the situation in Iran is "under total control" following violence linked to protests that spiked over the weekend.
Addressing foreign diplomats in Tehran, the foreign minister noted that armed terrorist groups had infiltrated the protests, attempting to divert them from their legitimate course. He claimed that evidence has been gathered showing Iranian security forces being shot at, with the aim of causing further casualties. He accused the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to interfere in Iran's internal affairs.
Araghchi further stated that the government is closely monitoring developments on the streets, emphasizing that "the situation has come under control." He also affirmed that internet services, curtailed during the unrest, would be restored after coordination with security agencies.
The government has engaged in dialogue with merchants and protest representatives and initiated reforms to address grievances related to price hikes and currency depreciation. Iran has taken a series of actions and measures to respond to the demands of peaceful demonstrators, the foreign minister said.
Earlier on Sunday, Araghchi said that clear evidence links recent riots and vandalism of public facilities in Iran to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. This came after former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Mossad agents operating on Iran's streets in a social media post. The Iranian foreign minister asserted that police are being attacked by "terrorists" acting under the direction of Israeli operatives, whom Pompeo publicly acknowledged.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and U.S. sanctions.
Iranian foreign minister says situation "fully under control," accuses Israeli intelligence of stoking unrest
