Turkish diplomat's car torched in Greece amid tensions

A Turkish diplomat's car was torched in Greece early Monday, police said, amid escalating tensions between the two NATO allies.

Nobody was hurt in the incident in Thessaloniki, Greece's second city. The Turkish consular staffer's car did not have diplomatic license plates, police said.

The two countries are locked in a row over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and Ankara's contentious maritime deal with Libya that expands Turkey's claims over a large gas-rich area of the sea.

Greece's foreign minister on Sunday made a whirlwind tour of eastern Libya, Egypt and Cyprus, after which Athens said it would sign an agreement for a huge EastMed pipeline project with Cyprus and Israel on January 2.

Greece and Turkey are also on opposing sides in the long-running conflict in Libya.

Turkey supports the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli against eastern Libya strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar is backed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, countries with whom Turkey has tense or limited relations.