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Rouhani gains about 50% of votes in Iranian presidential elections after 10% of votes counted

Mohammad Baqer Galibaf polled 16.65% of votes (487,000 voters)

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

TEHRAN, June 15 (Itar-Tass) - Former secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rouhani is leading in the presidential elections in Iran. After ten percent of votes (2.92 million voters) were counted he gained 49.87% (1.5 million people) of votes, the news agency Fars reported on Saturday.

Mohammad Baqer Galibaf polled 16.65% of votes (487,000 voters), Fars reported.

The turnout reached 80% from over 50 million Iranians entitled to vote at the presidential elections, which ended late on Friday evening after the repeated extension of the working hours of the polling stations.

If no candidate gains over 50% of votes, a runoff will be held on June 21. Two candidates, who gained the largest percentage of votes in the first round, will participate in the runoff.

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Kremlin condemns 'illegal' seizure of villa from Russian businessman

Dmitry Peskov underscored that Moscow has already made its position clear on this matter

Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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Israel to not take responsibility for attack on Iran — newspaper

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Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

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Argentina’s NATO partnership bid to let US tighten its grip — expert

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Lavrov speaks of West’s agony, Russia’s approach to any future talks with Kiev

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US 'not forgetting' to help itself with aid to Ukraine — Kremlin

"In any case, whatever the modality of providing this aid, de facto it is about provoking Ukraine into further hostilities down to the last Ukrainian, putting guarantted money in the pockets of the US," Dmitry Peskov said

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Infrastructure is required to implement the investment project, both power transmission lines and the railroad, Andrey Chibis noted

Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

Vladimir Saldo called on other Ukrainian servicemen to switch to the Russian side and request the corresponding assistance

Lavrov says Borrell let it slip that Europe ‘fighting against Russia’

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Kiev lacks both troops and equipment near Chasov Yar in DPR, says retired general

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At least 16 Syrian troops killed in terrorists’ ambush in east Syria — TV

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

Kazem Jalali noted that Iran had demonstrated its ability to ensure security and nudge the region toward a de-escalation

Putin sees increasing life expectancy as key policy goal for Russia

The Russian leader stressed that "it’s crucial to continue paying great attention to the prevention and treatment of diseases, particularly through the most advanced and cutting-edge methods"

Russia, Iran maintain contacts on nuclear security - deputy foreign minister

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Dmitry Polyansky said "this shameful neocolonial tactics are fully exposed now in the context of Gaza War"

West, Kiev indulge in nuclear blackmail by demanding control of ZNPP — Russian MFA

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One crew member of jet crashed in Stavropol Region killed, search for another continues

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an Aerospace Forces’ Tu-22M3 bomber crashed after completing a combat mission while returning to the airfield

CIA chief says Ukraine could lose by end of this year — Politico

William Burns said "there is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement"

West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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West close to sending military to Ukraine, this would 'drag Europe to bottom' — Orban

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Russian instructors help train over 10,000 Central African troops — CAR president

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EU plans to invest first profits from Russian assets in military aid to Kiev

"I think that the decision has been taken by the member-states - all 27 have agreed that we use the windfall profits following our proposal," Ursula von der Leyen said

Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

The group contains US finance and justice ministers, representatives of Australia, the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, France, Japan, as well as the European Commission

French, US, British nukes all interwoven — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

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Iran suspends flights above several cities amid reports of air attack — IRNA

Fox News said the Jewish state delivered a limited strike on Iran

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11

Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

More than 100 employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies are fencing the shores and filling the least reliable dam segments

Chinese analyst sees US veto on Palestine as reflection of arrogance, double standards

Wang Wen stated that it’s still very hard to achieve a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

UN Security Council vote exposes practically full isolation of US — Russia’s UN mission

Vasily Nebenzya described the US veto as a "fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history"

Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

Sergey Shoigu handed down an instruction for the defense enterprise to ramp up the production of T-80BVM tanks, the Defense Ministry said

Russia won’t allow NATO to move closer in Ukraine — Lavrov

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Lavrov describes Georgia’s bill on foreign agents as 'mildest of all'

The top Russian diplomat stressed that the Georgian bill on foreign agents suggested only the need to declare funds, if the organization in question received more than 20% of its funding from abroad

Lavrov views situation in Middle East as 'very bad'

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Security guarantees on Ukraine did not apply to Crimea, Donbass — Lavrov

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Sounds in Isfahan due to air defense work to repel attacks by suspicious objects — general

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Iran says drones downed over Isfahan launched from country's territory

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US blocks Security Council resolution granting full UN membership to Palestine

A total of 12 countries, including Russia and China, voted in favor of the document

Russian Aerospace Forces strike five militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

Yury Popov said that aircraft of the so-called international anti-terrorism coalition, led by the United States, continue to set dangerous precedents in skies above Syria

Agents in Ukrainian, Poland foil attempt to kill Zelensky, security officials in Kiev say

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Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

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