Tuesday, December 23, 2025
type here...
Home Blog Page 2364

Russia says Iran to resume nuclear talks in due course

By
IFP Media Wire
-

In late September, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian stated that Tehran would soon return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiations in Vienna.

“Participation in the Vienna Talks is voluntary. It corresponds to the interests of all participants, including Iran. We have no reasons to believe that Tehran is unwilling to continue the process. The return to the negotiating table is a matter of time, not in a distant future,” Ulyanov wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

In 2015, Iran signed the nuclear deal with the P5+1 group, which includes the United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union. It required Tehran to scale back its nuclear program and severely reduce its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including the lifting of an arms embargo five years after the deal was inked.

In 2018, the US abandoned its conciliatory stance, withdrawing from the JCPOA and implementing hardline policies against Iran, prompting the latter to largely abandon its own obligations under the accord.

Since April of this year, the JCPOA joint commission has held sessions in Vienna, which also hosted several informal meetings designed to prevent the agreement from collapsing after Washington’s exit. The sixth round of discussions ended on June 20.

U.S., Israel discuss Iran nuclear deal

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group was established in March, with Tuesday’s meeting being the first time the group has met in person. The group consists of members from the military, diplomatic, and intelligence communities from both countries.

The most pressing topic was Sullivan and Hulata’s discussion over the US’ belief that the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is through diplomacy.

“Mr. Sullivan explained that this administration believes diplomacy is the best path to achieve that goal, while also noting that the president has made clear that if diplomacy fails, the United States is prepared to turn to other options,” a White House statement read.

Israel does not share the same sentiments in regards to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but has agreed to not campaign against the US re-engaging in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA, a Barack Obama-era agreement with Iran from 2015 that former US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from in 2018, allowed signatories to monitor and curtail Iran’s nuclear capabilities over a 15-year period.

Israel has long opposed the agreement, because it allows Iran to develop some nuclear capabilities. While the US wants to reengage in negotiations with Iran, they haven’t lifted sanctions against the county and “are not going to pay upfront”.

On other matters, the two nations remain on good terms. Sullivan summed up their relationship: “We’re very closely aligned on how we see the bigger picture. We don’t see eye-to-eye on every single issue, but there’s a great deal of alignment both on how we see the challenges presented by Iran and how to ensure that we are effectively utilizing the full range of tools at our disposal.”

CIA admits several informants overseas killed, captured

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Leading counterintelligence officials issued a memo to all of the CIA’s global stations saying that a concerning number of U.S. informants were being captured and executed.

The CIA’s counterintelligence mission center investigated dozens of incidents in the last few years that involved killings, arrests or compromises of foreign informants. In an unusual move, the message sent via a top secret cable included the specific number of agents killed by other intelligence agencies.

Officials stated that level of detail is a sign of the significance of the cable. Announcing the specific number of killings is rare as that figure is typically held under wraps from the public and even from some CIA employees.

The cable, which also cited the issue of putting “mission over security”, comes amid recent efforts by countries like Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan to find CIA informants and turn them into double agents.

The memo also noted long standing issues like placing too much trust in sources, a speedy recruiting process and inadequate attention to potential intelligence risks among other problems. 

The uptick in compromised informants highlights the more sophisticated ways in which foreign intelligence agencies are tracking the CIA’s actions. These mechanisms include artificial intelligence, facial recognition tools and other hacking methods.

 

CIA case officers were sometimes promoted for recruiting spies often regardless of the success, performance or quality of that spy.

“No one at the end of the day is being held responsible when things go south with an agent,” Douglas London, a former CIA operative who was unaware of the cable, stated.

“Sometimes there are things beyond our control but there are also occasions of sloppiness and neglect and people in senior positions are never held responsible,” he continued.

People who have read the cable added that it was intended for the officers who are most directly involved in enlisting and vetting potential new informants.

Iran’s UN envoy slams sanctions as an “act of terrorism”

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Outlining Iran’s stance on the fight against terrorism at the UN General Assembly’s 6th Committee, Majid Takhte Ravanchi also said sanctions are an act of terror as they target ordinary citizens and are meant to cause chaos and pit people against governments.

Takhte Ravanchi reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering commitment to fight this “heinous phenomenon”.

Takhte Ravanchi also paid respect to the victims of terrorism most notably Iran’s top General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack by the US, as well as Iran’s nuclear scientists. He said the only way to fight terror is to fight its root-causes such as military intervention and occupation of other countries. Iran’s envoy to the UN however said the Palestinian people have a right to defend themselves against the Zionist regime.

Elsewhere, Takhte Ravanchi noted that some governments have abused the absence of an international convention to fight terrorism and the lack of a global consensus on the definition of terrorism to adopt double standards in the fight against terror, make arbitrary interpretations in this regard and make unilateral lists to frame nations and their institutions as sponsors of terrorism.

The Iranian envoy to the UN said the Islamic Republic supports the establishment of an international convention for the purpose of fighting terror.

Damascus and Moscow say US main obstacle to peace

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The Syrian and Russian Coordination Committees for Returning Displaced Syrians made the remarks in a statement.

 

The statement indicated that “the illegal presence of US and its allies in Syria is the basic obstacle to returning to normal life in the country”.

 

The allies were coming in the way of all rehabilitative efforts aimed at resumption of the normal situation through their “plundering the natural resources in the country and igniting tension in the region”, the statement added.

 

The US invaded Syria at the head of a coalition amassing scores of its allies in 2014.

 

The coalition alleged that the military campaign sought to fight the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh. It, however, sustains its illegal presence, although, Damascus and its allies, Iran and Russia, defeated the terror outfit in late 2017.

 

By the admission of former US President Donald Trump, the US forces have also been engaged in rampant looting of the Syrian oil that the country is in dire need of as it tries to emerge from the ruins of around a decade of foreign-backed violence.

 

Washington has, meanwhile, subjected Syria to sanctions, which, the joint body said, “hinder the reconstruction of infrastructure and also prevent access to medical equipment and medicines necessary for addressing the coronavirus’ pandemic”.

 

However, the statement asserted that the Syrian government continued to make efforts towards bringing about adequate conditions for the return of Syrian citizens to their homes.

 

According to the body, Syria and Russia’s joint efforts in the area had so far enabled the return of more than 2.3 million Syrians to their homeland.

UK PM rejects fears of 1970’s-style crisis

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Johnson denied on Tuesday that the world’s fifth largest economy was heading towards a 1970s-style inflationary spiral but demanded that business kick a decades-long addiction to cheap imported labour.

A post-Brexit shortage of workers exacerbated by the global strains of the COVID crisis has sown chaos through supply chains for everything from fuel and pork to poultry and bottled water, raising concerns growth could be crimped.

British military personnel in fatigues were seen driving fuel trucks with instructors on Tuesday at a fuel depot in southern England, Reuters reported.

Asked by BBC radio if the United Kingdom was in crisis, Johnson said: “No.”

“I think that on the contrary, what you are seeing with the UK economy and indeed the global economy is very largely in the supply chains the stresses and strains you would expect from a giant waking up and that is what is happening,” he continued.

Johnson added businesses had to kick their addiction to cheap imported labour.

“What you saw in the last 20 years or more, almost 25 years, has been an approach whereby business of many kinds, was able to mainline low wage, low cost, immigration for a very long time,” Johnson stated.

An air of chaos has gripped Britain in recent days as a deficit of truckers left fuel pumps dry across the land, and a spike in European wholesale natural gas prices tipped energy companies into bankruptcy.

Reuters reported many gas stations remained closed on Tuesday in London and across southern England.

Johnson said Britain was not heading back to the 1970s when inflation peaked at 22.6%, labour disputes brought the economy to a standstill and the government had to borrow from the International Monetary Fund during a sterling crisis.

Asked if the United Kingdom could suffer a repeat of the inflationary spiral seen in the 1970s, Johnson noted, “I don’t think that the problem will present itself in that way and I think actually that this country’s natural ability to sort out its logistics and supply chains is very strong.”

With fuel companies and supermarkets warning that a shortage of drivers was hitting deliveries, the government said late last month that it would temporarily reverse its immigration rules and give 5,000 visas for EU drivers to operate in Britain.

It reported 300 of those could arrive immediately to drive oil tankers. Johnson stated 127 drivers had applied.

“What that shows is the global shortage,” he added.

The Times newspaper reported that just 27 fuel tanker drivers had applied.

Iran FM Urges Russia’s Vigilance against Possible Border Changes in Region

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Our expectation from Russian government officials is that they are vigilant against any possible change in regional borders, presence of terrorists and the moves by the Zionist [Israeli] regime, which are against regional peace and stability,” Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters on Tuesday upon arrival in Moscow.

He was referring to Russia’s failure to take a clear stance regarding the recent developments in the South Caucasus region following the war between Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic, which saw the latter take control of part of the Nagorno Karabakh region, in the vicinity of Iran.

“During the talks with Russian officials, we will hold detailed discussions on this issue,” Amirabdollahian added.

He also said Iran has conveyed to Russia “our common concerns and our viewpoints on this issue” through diplomatic channels and during regular phone calls with Russian officials including the country’s foreign minister.

The top Iranian diplomat expressed hope “good agreements” come out of his talks with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday on how to stabilize the situation in the region.
Amirabdollahian, who is visiting Moscow on an official invitation from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, also said he will use his visit to further upgrade bilateral ties between Tehran and Moscow.

“During the visit, in addition to mutual relations, we will hold discussions on the latest regional developments, including the situation in the South Caucasus and the latest developments in Afghanistan,” Amirabdollahian said.

“Tehran and Moscow have enjoyed close regional policies over the past years and good and constructive steps have been taken with regard to common interests. We hope we use this potential to further expand bilateral ties between the two countries.”

Iran, Armenia agree to keep Caucasus corridor open

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Armenia Azerbaijan

That’s according to the news site of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Khademi said, according to a schedule prepared by Iranian and Armenian officials, the two sides are set to complete the paving of the alternative road, which is desired by the Armenian authorities.

He noted that the traffic of trucks and the transportation of Iranian cargos and passengers to Armenia had been disrupted due to those problems, but he and the Armenian side made very appropriate decisions to solve them. Khamedi also said that as per the schedule, it was decided to complete the pavement of the alternative road (Tato Road) that the Armenian authorities want, and, within the next 3 months, the passes and accident hotspots on the alternative axis will be neutralized.

The deputy minister added that at the same time, another alternative main road, which is part 4 of the North-South corridor in Armenia, is becoming operational.

Khademi said, “Iran and Armenia made three important decisions. First, the north-south corridor that connects our country from the Norduz border to Armenia and from there to Georgia, and links Iran to the Caucasus, must be kept open. Second, in this way, its alternative road can be used for transit vehicles within the next month. Third, we can also make a new design in the same old road and the two points inside Azerbaijan’s territory so that it will be used as an alternative path in the old road”.

He noted that the problems created for transit vehicles on this route will be resolved.

French MPs denounce Bahrain’s human rights abuses

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Several French members of parliament urged France’s foreign minister to speak out over the deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain, a human rights organisation said.

According to a report by Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) on Monday, four legislators raised alleged abuses by Bahraini authorities – including detention of political opponents, repression of freedom of expression, and political prisoner violations – with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The four lawmakers – Gerard Leseul, Jean-Christophe Lagarde, Isabelle Rauch, and Dominique Potier – highlighted several cases with Le Drian, including that of academic and blogger Abdul Jalil al-Singace, ADHRB noted.

Al-Singace was among 13 activists who took part in anti-government protests 10 years ago and were convicted on charges that included “setting up terror groups to topple the regime”. He was a key member of the opposition Haq movement.

Potier also brought to attention to “overcrowding” and “lack of appropriate measures” to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in prisons.

Since the 2011 uprising in the Gulf kingdom, Bahrain has outlawed opposition parties and arrested dozens of activists, sparking international criticism.
There have been reports of torture and forced confessions in death penalty cases, some involving political prisoners accused of “terrorism”.

Bahrain rejects allegations of human rights violations. The kingdom has claimed Iran trained and backed the demonstrators in order to topple the Manama government – an accusation Tehran denies.

ADHRB said there has been mounting pressure from French politicians during the last few months encouraging the French government to speak out against human rights abuses in Bahrain.

“Hopefully, the repeated calls by French MPs prompt the foreign minister to take concrete action against Bahrain’s systematic violations of fundamental freedoms, and prompt similar actions amongst other countries in the region,” ADHRB added.

In September, a group of bi-partisan US senators called on American Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press Bahrain to end what it calls the “violent, systemic repression” of its population.

They called on Blinken to “promote reform and respect for basic human rights” in Bahrain.
The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which patrols the Gulf, is based in Bahrain and the senators expressed concern that “Bahrain’s violent, systemic repression will breed resentment and instability” that could threaten the US presence.

Pastu Covac added to available vaccines in Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Fortunately, the first batch of a 6 million dose shipment of Pastu Covac vaccine was delivered and distributed yesterday,” Shanehsaz said on Tuesday.

“We hope that this number of Pastu Covac vaccines will increase to 10 million doses. The increase in production depends on an agreement between the Pasteur Institute of Iran and the Cuba’s Finlay Vaccine Institute,” he added.

Pastu Covac is developed jointly by the Iranian and Cuban institutes, and is believed to be one of the safest coronavirus shots available for injection in children aged 2-18.

Iran has been domestically manufacturing several types of vaccines to battle the outbreak of the deadly respiratory disease.

The Islamic Republic, which has been hit by five waves of the outbreak, is also producing COVID-19 shots jointly with Cuba, Russia, and Australia.

Meanwhile, Health Ministry figures showed on Tuesday that 216 more Iranians lost their lives to the disease over the past 24 hours.

Based on official figures, over 121,500 Iranian have died from the disease so far.
Iran has in recent weeks accelerated imports of different types of vaccines and stepped up inoculations in a bid to contain the outbreak.

The country has so far administered over 59,658,000 doses of coronavirus shots.

1...2,3632,3642,365...5,120Page 2,364 of 5,120

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks