Russia to supply Iran with advanced satellite
Russia is preparing to provide Iran with an advanced satellite that would enable it to track potential military targets across the Middle East, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.
sanctions
UN nuclear watchdog head: Iran has failed to answer questions about uranium discovered at three sites
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi announced Monday that the Iranian government has failed to answer questions about the discovery of uranium particles at three sites that may have been connected to Iran’s nuclear program, the Times of Israel reports. Grossi called on Iran to provide the required information without further delay.
Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles 16 times higher than limit set by nuclear deal
Iran holds a quantity of low enriched uranium nearly 16 times higher than the limit authorized in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, according to a report Monday by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russia Removes Opposition Leader From Plane; Andrei Pivovarov Detained
The leader of the now-defunct opposition group Open Russia says he has been pulled off a plane and detained by Russian police in St. Petersburg late Monday.
Russia Gives Massive Loan To Belarus Despite Western Outrage
Russia says it will continue with a massive loan of $1.5 billion to neighboring Belarus despite mounting international concern about the treatment of critical journalists and dissidents there.
Russia Prohibits Austrian Airlines To Enter Moskou
Russia has prevented an Austrian Airlines flight from entering Moscow because it refused to cross over Belarusian airspace.
Belarus President Condemns Sanctions, Defends Detention Journalist On Plane
Belarus’ authoritarian president has condemned Western nations for imposing sanctions after he ordered a Ryanair flight to land in his country where an opposition journalist was detained.
EU Bans Belarus Airlines Over Detention Journalist
The European Union on Tuesday banned Belarusian airlines from European skies after a flight was diverted to Minsk on Sunday and a dissident journalist arrested.
EU Sanctions Belarus After It Diverts Plane And Detains Journalist
The European Union on Monday introduced new sanctions on Belarus after Minsk forced a passenger plane flying over its airspace to land and detained a Belarusian opposition journalist onboard.
IAEA: Iran will extend inspection deal, won’t delete footage of nuclear sites
The UN nuclear watchdog and Iran have agreed to extend an understanding to monitor Tehran’s activities by one month, the agency said Monday, with talks ongoing in Vienna try to save the 2015 nuclear deal.
Belarus Detains Journalist After Forcing Plane To Land
European leaders have condemned Belarusian authorities after a passenger plane traveling between two European capitals was forced to land, and a prominent opposition journalist was detained.
US Targets Islamic State Moneymen in Turkey, Syria
The United States is taking new steps to make it more difficult for the Islamic State terror group to move money, including donations from international supporters, through Syria and Turkey.
Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Amid Flareup In East
Ukraine says at least two soldiers were killed and another wounded in recent days in clashes between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. The military claims the latest reported skirmishes rose the death toll to at least 36 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the east this year.
EU-China investment deal put on ice over sanctions
A diplomatic spat between the European Union and China has jeopardized a major investment agreement, officials said on Tuesday.
Iran Teases Attack on US Capitol Building as Biden Admin Prepares To Lift Sanctions
Iran released a provocative new video over the weekend that depicts its military forces blowing up the United States Capitol building, a threat that comes as the Biden administration inches closer to providing Tehran with billions of dollars in economic sanctions relief.
US Secretary of State meets with head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has met with Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, for talks that centered on Iran, the Associated Press reports.
Iran expects sanctions on banks, oil to be lifted based on nuclear talks
Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator said that Tehran expects US sanctions on oil, banks and other sectors and on most individuals and institutions to be lifted based on agreements reached so far at talks in Vienna, Iranian state media reported on Saturday.
US eyes major rollback of Iran sanctions to revive nuclear deal
The Biden administration is considering a near wholesale rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran in a bid to get the Islamic Republic to return to compliance with a landmark 2015 nuclear accord, according to current and former US officials and others familiar with the matter.
Kerry Denies Telling Iranians About Covert Israeli Operations; State Dept. Says It Was Public Knowledge
Facing calls for his resignation, President Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry on Monday denied as “unequivocally false” claims that he had informed Iran’s foreign minister about covert Israeli military strikes against Iranian facilities in Syria.
US official: We’re updating Israel on Iran talks in Vienna despite differences
The US has been updating Israel on the progress of indirect negotiations with Iran over a possible return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and will continue a policy of transparency moving forward, a senior State Department official said Wednesday.