Parliament speaker says Iran expects Iraqi initiatives on repaying its debts

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has called on the Iraqi government and parliament to take initiatives aimed at countering US sanctions that have made it difficult for Baghdad to repay its debts to Tehran.

Israel hits Syria’s Homs, three wounded

Three people have been injured, with fires and blasts reported after an Israeli air attack on a site near the Syrian city of Homs, state media reported.

Sources say US confiscated Iran oil cargo

The US has confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days, three sources have confirned. It comes days later Iran seized an oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm.

Russian FM: US-led attempts to isolate Moscow failed

Efforts by Washington and its satellites to isolate Moscow are failing completely, with the global majority being unwilling ‘to pull the chestnuts out of the fire’ for former colonial powers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

UN says Taliban not invited to Doha meeting

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has not invited the Taliban administration to a meeting he is holding with special envoys on Afghanistan from various countries in Qatar's Doha next week, a UN spokesperson has stated.

FMs of Iran, Russia, Syria and Turkey likely to meet in May: Ankara

The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, Syria and Turkey may hold a meeting in May in Moscow, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, as part of efforts to rebuild Turkey-Syria ties after years of animosity during the war.

Putin signs decree introducing life sentences for treason

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree formally increasing the maximum sentence for treason to life in jail. This is known as part of a drive to suppress dissent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 430

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Israeli troops kill Palestinian teenager in Bethlehem, WB

A Palestinian teenager has been fatally shot by Israeli forces during clashes in the south of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem.

US targets Russia’s FSB, IRGC’s intelligence unit over detention of Americans

The United States has imposed sanctions on Russia's domestic security service FSB and the intelligence unit of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing them of "being responsible or complicit in the wrongful detention of Americans overseas".

UNSC calls on Taliban to ‘swiftly reverse’ crackdown on Afghan women’s rights

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously condemned a ban by the Taliban on Afghan women working for the UN in Afghanistan, calling on the Taliban leaders to “swiftly reverse” a crackdown on the rights of women and girls.

FM underlines Iran’s support for stability, security in Lebanon

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has underscored Tehran's support for stability and security in Lebanon as well as the government, people, the resistance and the army of the Arab country.

Turkey inaugurates its first nuclear power plant

Ankara has inaugurated its first ever nuclear power plant. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for his help in constructing the reactors.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 429

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Iraqi president to visit Iran within days

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid is scheduled to visit Iran in the coming days, media outlets reported on Thursday.

Syria’s Assad calls for further strengthening of economic ties with Iran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stressed the need for further promoting economic cooperation with Tehran, as he hosted Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash and his accompanying delegation in the capital Damascus.

Poll Finds 44% of US Democrats, 20 % of Republicans believe Israel has segregation similar to apartheid

A new poll shows that more than 40 percent of Democrats in the US with an opinion on Israel view it as a state “with segregation similar to apartheid”, and a similar percentage of Democrats support the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

UN rapporteur says targeted by ‘smear campaign of apartheid Israel’

The UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories says she has been the target of a “smear campaign” by Israel that aims to expel her over anti-Israeli comments.

Erdogan cancels public rallies for health reasons

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled his scheduled campaign rallies on Thursday for health reasons ahead of the May 14 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine; Day 428

Russia, wary of NATO’s eastward expansion, began a military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022 after the Western-leaning Kiev government turned a deaf ear to Moscow’s calls for its neighbor to maintain its neutrality. In the middle of the mayhem, Moscow and Kiev are trying to hammer out a peaceful solution to the conflict. Follow the latest about the Russia-Ukraine conflict here:

Iran, Kazakhstan sign 5 MoUs to develop bilateral ties

Iran and Kazakhstan have inked five Memorandum of understanding and a cooperation agreement to strengthen bilateral relations.

Belgium denies agreement reached to free jailed Iranian diplomat

Belgium has denied reports of a prisoner swap agreement with Iran that would see the release of an Iranian diplomat serving a 20-year jail sentence in the European country.

Jailed Russian opposition says faceing new terrorism case

Jailed Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny stated that he's been told he faces a new “terrorist case”, in comments posted to one of his official Twitter accounts on Wednesday.

Tehran says Iranian diplomat jailed in Belgium to be freed soon

Spokesman for Iran’s Judiciary Massoud Setayeshi has stated that an Iranian diplomat who has been imprisoned in Belgium will soon be released in a prisoner swap. It comes after the two sides finalized a swap deal over a Belgian spy.

Iran registers 17 Covid deaths, 341 new cases

The Iranian health ministry said on Wednesday that 341 new cases of coronavirus infection have been identified across the country during the past 24 hours. It added that 17 patients have died in the same period of time.

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