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Russian aircraft assist in containing fire at Iran’s Shahid Rajaee port

Two specialized Be-200ChS and Il-76 water-dropping planes from Russia’s Emergency Ministry have discharged approximately 130 tons of water to help extinguish lingering hot spots, Tasnim news agency reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered on Sunday the immediate dispatch of emergency specialists to Iran following the massive explosion in southern Iranian province of Hormozgan, which has so far left 70 people dead and hundreds of others injured.

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni has confirmed the fire is now “controlled and contained,” though some slow-burning materials may continue smoldering for several days.

Local fire crews remain on scene for final cleanup operations.

Authorities have formed an investigative committee to examine safety failures, including lapses in passive defense measures.

“We must follow the principle of dispersion – not putting all our eggs in one basket,” Momeni stated, referencing the need for improved safety protocols.

 

Ukraine, Europe’s ceasefire proposal includes US security guarantees, no territorial concessions: Reuters

Russia Ukraine War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska carry flowers to the Wall of Remembrance in Kyiv, Ukraine, on August 24.

The document, reprinted in full by the news outlet, contains numerous points that show the diverging viewpoints of the U.S. on one side, and Ukraine and its European allies on the other as they seek to end Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The Donald Trump administration has so far refused to offer Kyiv any security guarantees, but the Ukrainian proposal calls for an “Article 5-like agreement” backed by the U.S. while NATO membership for Kyiv remains off the table.

Earlier this week it was reported the U.S. could give de jure recognition to Russia’s control over occupied Crimea, but the Ukrainian and European proposal insists that “territorial issues will be discussed and resolved after a full and unconditional ceasefire.”

Reuters published details of the U.S. plan, confirming earlier reports and revealing key disagreements with Ukrainian and European positions.

The proposal also demands that sanctions on Russia only be eased after a “sustainable peace” has been achieved, a move the White House is reportedly considering implementing even before a peace deal has been agreed on.

Other points call for the “return (of) all deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children,” the implementation of the minerals deal, and that Ukraine “will be fully reconstructed and compensated financially,” including through the use of Russia’s frozen assets.

Washington’s allies have been voicing growing alarm over the Trump administration’s proposed framework to end the war in Ukraine, which would allow Russia to retain seized Ukrainian territory.

Multiple diplomatic sources told CNN that officials in Europe and Asia are bracing for the outcome of renewed U.S.-Russia talks and fear the plan sends a dangerous message.

“If one country in Europe is forced to give up parts of its legal territory… no country in Europe or elsewhere can feel safe, NATO or no NATO,” one diplomat told CNN.

In high-level meetings held in London on April 23, U.S., European, and Ukrainian officials reportedly made progress in narrowing differences.

U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg called the talks “candid, positive and productive.” At the same time, a European official said negotiators had “managed to convince the Ukrainians to convince themselves to get in a more U.S. administration-friendly position.”

Still, the core issue — territorial concessions — remains fraught. A German official acknowledged that “the Ukrainians are coming around,” but emphasized they “have red lines they cannot cross.”

President Pezeshkian hails ‘new horizons’ in Iran-Azerbaijan relations after Baku visit

In a Tuesday post on X social media platform addressed to his Azerbaijani counterpart, President Pezeshkian stated, “Yesterday in Baku, my dear brother Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, and I reached important understandings and signed several agreements.”

“This visit marks the beginning of enhanced trust and new horizons for multilateral cooperation in scientific, economic, cultural and security fields,” President Pezeshkian noted and added, “I thank President Aliyev for his hospitality.”

The Iranian president, leading a high ranking delegation, met with President Aliyev on Monday, signing seven documents in various fields to enhance cooperation between the two neighbors.

The two presidents also held talks on Tehran-Baku ties and regional developments.

President Pezeshkian emphasized ways to accelerate the implementation of agreements between the two neighbors.

For his part, President Aliyev said his country is interested in all-out expansion of relations with Iran, stressing the North-South Corridor is of great importance to the countries participating in the project.

Iran’s DM describes Israel as symbol of state terrorism

Gaza War

Speaking during a meeting in Tehran on Monday with his Zimbabwean counterpart, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Nasirzadeh praised Zimbabwe for historic struggle against colonialism, racism, and apartheid, noting that Zimbabwe’s efforts in these areas have earned it a distinguished place in both Africa and the broader international community.

Highlighting Africa’s special place in Iran’s foreign policy, the Defense Minister said that this stems from the nature of the Islamic revolution which has been based on supporting independent states and the struggles by the African nations to get rid of the dominance of the hegemonic powers.

The Zimbabwean minister, for her part, extended condolences over a tragic explosion in Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran.

She stressed that relations between Iran and Zimbabwe entered a new chapter after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Israel perpetrating ‘live-streamed genocide’ in Gaza: Amnesty

Gaza War

Israeli forces in Gaza have violated the United Nations Genocide Convention with acts that include “causing serious bodily or mental harm to civilians” and “deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction”, the human rights organisation said in its annual report released on Monday.

Israel has repeatedly “denied, obstructed and failed to allow and facilitate” humanitarian access to Gaza, and invaded the southern city of Rafah, despite warnings by the international community and the International Court of Justice about the “devastating effect it would have on the civilian population”, Amnesty noted.

Israeli air strikes have also frequently hit civilians who were following evacuation orders, while its forces continued to “arbitrarily detain and, in some cases, forcibly disappear Palestinians”, the rights group added.

“Since 7 October 2023 – when Hamas perpetrated horrific crimes against Israeli citizens and others and captured more than 250 hostages – the world has been made audience to a live-streamed genocide,” Amnesty’s secretary-general, Agnes Callamard, said in the introduction to the report.

“States watched on as if powerless, as Israel killed thousands upon thousands of Palestinians, wiping out entire multigenerational families, destroying homes, livelihoods, hospitals and schools.”

Israel and “its powerful allies, first among them the USA, claimed that or acted as if international law did not apply to them”, Callamard added.

More than 51,300 people, including at least 17,400 children, have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities.

About 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel, according to Israeli authorities.

In its report, Amnesty also raised alarm about “unprecedented forces”, including the administration of United States President Donald Trump, that it said posed a threat to human rights globally.

“A multiplicity of assaults – against human rights accountability, against international law, and against the UN – have been but some of the hallmarks of the first 100 days of US President Donald Trump’s ‘reign’ in 2025,” Callamard contineud.

“But those reckless and punishing offensives, against efforts to end global poverty and undo long standing racial and gender-based discrimination and violence, did not start this year. Red lines don’t turn green overnight.”

Hague court upholds ruling, orders Bahrain to pay €214mn to Iran

According to a statement from Iran’s Presidential legal office on Monday, the appeal court confirmed the PCA’s November 2021 decision in favor of Bank Melli Iran and Bank Saderat Iran.

The banks had accused Bahrain and its central bank of seizing the Future Bank in 2005, a move they argued was politically driven.

The Future Bank, where the two Iranian banks held the majority stake, was established in Bahrain to facilitate financial transactions for Iranian businesses.

The PCA determined that Bahrain’s confiscation of the Future Bank was unlawful.

Although Bahrain contested the ruling and questioned the PCA’s jurisdiction, claiming that the confiscation aligned with international sanctions on Iran, the appeals court rejected the arguments and upheld the PCA’s compensation order.

Iran initiated legal proceedings against Bahrain after a July 2021 decision by a Bahraini court to seize assets belonging to Bank Melli, Bank Saderat, and the Central Bank of Iran held in the Future Bank.

Bahrain’s High Criminal Court alleged that the two Iranian banks were involved in money laundering activities benefiting Iran’s central bank and other entities.

However, appeals court judges noted the takeover decision was made “without thorough examination or justification” and appeared politically motivated.

Lebanese gov’t must do more to end Israeli strikes: Hezbollah chief

Naim Qassem

Qassem said in a televised speech on Monday that Hezbollah implemented the ceasefire deal that ended the 14-month war, but Israel has continued to launch relentless air strikes.

Qassem’s comments came as the Israeli military said it carried out more than 50 strikes in Lebanon this month in response, it says, to threats against Israel and Hezbollah allegedly violating the United States-brokered ceasefire.

Rights groups have denounced Israeli attacks on Lebanon, saying they are violating the truce deal.

On Sunday, Israeli warplanes struck Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing a warning about an hour earlier, marking the third Israeli strike on the area since the November ceasefire. The Israeli military said it struck a precision-guided missiles facility.

Following the strike, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of undermining stability in Lebanon and escalating tensions. He said Israeli attacks pose “real dangers to the security” of the region.

“Yesterday, an aggression targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut. This attack lacks any justification … It is a political attack aimed at changing the rules by force,” Qassem said of Sunday’s attack.

“The resistance complied 100 percent with the [ceasefire] deal and I tell state officials that it’s your duty to guarantee protection,” Qassem continued, adding that Lebanese officials should contact sponsors of the ceasefire so that they put pressure on Israel to cease its attacks.

“Put pressure on America and make it understand that Lebanon cannot rise if the aggression doesn’t stop,” Qassem stated, pointing to Lebanese officials. He added that the US has interests in Lebanon and “stability achieves these interests”.

Qassem added the priority should be for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, an end to Israeli strikes in the country, and the release of Lebanese people held in Israel since the war officially ended on November 27.

Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after its ally Hamas led the October 7, 2023 attack and Israel responded with mass bombardment of Gaza.

The war ignited further last September when Israel carried out waves of air strikes across Lebanon and assassinated most of the group’s senior leaders, including Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah. The fighting killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, most of them civilians.

The Lebanese government said earlier this month that 190 people have been killed and 485 injured in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect.

Zelensky slams Putin’s truce proposal as ‘manipulation’

President Volodymyr Zelensky

“Russia has consistently rejected (all proposals) and continues to manipulate the world, trying to deceive the United States,” Zelensky said.

Putin has announced a so-called “humanitarian” truce in Russia’s war against Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The U.S. has intensified efforts to reach a settlement in separate peace talks with Ukraine and Russia.

Zelensky slammed Putin’s proposal for a short-lived truce and pointed to Russia’s strikes on civilian targets as proof that Russia does not want to end its war against Ukraine.

“We value human lives, not parades. That’s why we believe — and the world believes — that there is no reason to wait until May 8,” Zelensky added.

On May 9, Russia holds grandiose military parades in celebration of the end of World War II in Europe. Ukraine and most European nations mark May 8 as Victory in Europe Day.

“The ceasefire should not be just for a few days, only to return to killing afterward. It must be immediate, full, and unconditional — for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed,” Zelensky continued, reiterating his calls for a full ceasefire.

Zelensky called for increased international pressure on Russia to stop its war amid a lack of agreement from Moscow on a ceasefire.

“(E)ach new day brings… clear proof that pressure must be exerted on Russia — and it must be strong enough — to force them in Moscow to end this war, a war that only Russia needs,” the president added.

The Kremlin has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

Zelensky has repeatedly called for a full 30-day ceasefire, stating Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire.”

Iranian president recites Azeri poem, wins applause in Baku

The emotional performance occurred during his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Pezeshkian recited Shahriar’s verses lamenting separation and longing, that goes, “If only I could weep with a nation torn from its land / To understand who caused this parting and bitterness.”

The recitation drew sustained applause from the audience.

The area currently known as the Republic of Azerbaijan, the area to the north of the Aras river, was part of Iran until the first half of the 19th century when it was occupied by Russia.

The populations on both sides of the river, including President Pezeshkian, share linguistic and cultural ties.

On Monday, the Iranian president at the head of a delegation rapped up his trip to Baku, where he signed a joint statement with his Azerbaijani counterpart. Officials from both nations also signed seven memoranda of understanding in several areas.

Number of deaths rises to 70 in Shahid Rajaee Port incident

Mohammad Ashouri noted that search and rescue operations are ongoing at the site of the explosions. Ashouri said an operation has started to remove the containers damaged or destroyed by the blasts from the site.

He said Shahid Rajaee Port covers an area of 2,400 hectares, adding that the explosions and fires happened only in a piece of land with an area of 15 hectares.

He noted that despite that, the severity of the explosions and fires created conditions that made the crisis multifaceted.

The governor of Hormozgan underlined that rescue and relief operations and the relocation of containers are still ongoing, saying it will take several days to two weeks to clean up and fully secure the area for the situation to return to normal.