Syria continues to offer the ground where Russia and the United States compete over control of oil and gas fields and the transportation routes that bring energy to consumers. Russia seeks to expand its energy footprint in Syria to build influence over rebel-controlled areas in Northeast Syria that are backed …

The controversial Geert Wilders has had spats with the Turkish government before amid wider crises between Turkey and the Netherlands. The Turkish government and a far-right Dutch politician are in a row over a tweet portraying the Turkish president as a terrorist and Islamic State (IS) supporter.

India will also join the defense maneuver, according to the Iranian navy. The Iranian military began a naval drill with Indian and Russian forces on Tuesday.