The Latest Breaking News from Ashgabat

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan's authoritarian leader launched an "unprecedented" anti-smoking crusade on Thursday, ordering the Central Asia country to rid itself completely of tobacco within two years.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen inaugurated a permanent embassy in the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan on Thursday, establishing his country’s closest diplomatic presence to Iran, as Israel seeks to strengthen ties with Tehran’s neighbours. Although the countries established diplomatic ties 30 years ago, there has only been a temporary…

Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) (AFP) - Parliamentary polls were underway on Sunday in Turkmenistan, a gas-rich nation ruled by one family for nearly two decades that does not tolerate political dissent or a free press.

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan held key talks in Ashgabat on Monday, including a meeting with Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow. President Berdimuhamedow received Prince Faisal at the Presidential Palace during his official visit. At the beginning of the reception, Prince Faisal conveyed the greetings and appreciation of Custodian of…

Russia has "no problem" if Finland and Sweden join NATO, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "We don't have problems with Sweden and Finland like we do with Ukraine," Putin told a news conference in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat. "We don't have territorial differences," the Russian leader continued. "There…

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Moscow's forces were responsible for a strike on a crowded shopping center in the Ukrainian town of Kremenchuk earlier this week, in which 18 people were killed. "Our army does not attack any civilian infrastructure site. We have every capability of knowing what is situated…

Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a visit to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Putin is making his first known trip abroad since the start of what Moscow calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine. He is…