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Iran's nuclear program

Solutions found at Lausanne talks on Iran nuclear issue — Zarif

The negotiating parties agreed that more than a thousand centrifuges would remain operational at the nuclear facility in Fordo

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Java Zarif EPA/VALENTIN FLAURAUD

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Java Zarif

© EPA/VALENTIN FLAURAUD

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Iran insists on immediate lift of financial and oil sanctions — deputy foreign minister

LAUSANNE, April 2 /TASS/. Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Java Zarif said on Thursday that key solutions had been found at Iran’s negotiations with the "P5+1" group of international brokers.

"The solutions have been found, we can immediately get down to drafting the agreement," Zarif said.

European diplomacy chief Federica Mogherini also promised good news after the final plenary meeting. Zarif and Mogherini are expected to make a statement for the press in the next few hours. According to TASS diplomatic sources, they will note that progress made at the talks will make it possible to continue the negotiating process. It is still unclear whether the sides have managed to agree on a framework political document which was supposed to have been adopted by March 31.

According to Reuters, the negotiating parties agreed that more than a thousand centrifuges would remain operational at the nuclear facility in Fordo.

Iran’s authorities are ready to cut the uranium-enrichment program for a term of 25 years, a source taking part in the Iran-P5+1 talks on Iran’s nuclear dossier in Switzerland’s Lausanne said on Thursday.

Iran and the world powers have agreed that uranium will be enriched to 3.67% at the enrichment facility in Natanz and more than 5,000 centirfuges will be involved in the process, a source noted.

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Iran's nuclear program issue

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Russia calls on Israel, Iran to show maximum restraint — MFA

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov had a meeting with Israeli Ambassador Simona Halperin and discussed about the current situation in the area of the Middle East conflict

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Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov earlier reported to President Vladimir Putin that the spring flood wave had passed Orsk and Orenburg, the water level was dangerous but decreasing

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Vasily Nebenzya is convinced that the work of the UNRWA is indispensable under these circumstances

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According to the minister, Russia is interested in increasing the role of the BRICS states in the international monetary, financial and trading systems, developing interbank cooperation, expanding the use of national currencies and creating its own exchange

DPR leader reports heaviest fighting near Avdeyevka, Chasov Yar

According to Denis Pushilin, it is too early to say when the city could be liberated

Israel planned to strike back at Iran on April 15, but decided to postpone, Axios reports

Israel told the US administration about the decision to wait, according to a US official

Russia-China military-technical cooperation not directed against other states — diplomat

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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

EU vows new sanctions against Iran, calls on Mideast conflict parties to show restraint

The European Union is also poised to impose new sanctions on Iran, related to drones and missiles

Georgian protests against foreign agent bill reek of US influence — Medvedev

"The experienced and all-too-familiar Hollywood touch can be seen behind these rallies," the politician pointed out

Ukrainian president signs law tightening mobilization rules

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Ukrainian military under constant gunfire by Russian troops near Urozhainoye, says POW

Yevgeny Pogrebnyak said that he was treated well by Russian troops in his captivity

Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

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Shoigu tests commando vehicle, calls for additional machineguns

The Russian defense minister "personally tested the special transportation vehicle and its running qualities"

Israeli Air Force strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

The IDF also said that its soldiers were forced to open fire in the area in order to "remove an imminent threat"

France-Russia relations hit rock bottom — ex-envoy to Paris

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MiG-31I fighters receive air refueling system

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Georgian president says she will veto law on foreign agents

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Russian sovereignty over southern Kuril Islands indisputable, diplomat says

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the southern Kuril Islands were an integral part of Russia under international law based on the outcome of World War II

Ukraine attacks ZNPP training center again, drone neutralized

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Russia, CIS partners to hold air defense exercise in 2024

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Russia bans 235 Australian local government officials from entering country — MFA

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Nikol Pashinyan said about it, replying to a question from a resident of the borderline village of Berkaber about the necessity to hold snap elections before delimiting the border with Azerbaijan

US gives nod to Israeli operation in Rafah in exchange for canceling major attack on Iran

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Industrial building damaged, civilian injured after drone crash in Russia’s Rostov Region

On Thursday night, air defenses destroyed three drones near Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov Region

VTB CEO calls for SWIFT to be fully abandoned in payments

The banker stressed that VTB is working as part of a pilot project for the digital ruble, including in the field of cross-border settlements

US deploying missiles in Philippines to endanger global security — Russian envoy

Anatoly Antonov has urged the US "not to open Pandora's Box" and follow Russia’s suit "by taking all necessary steps to ensure global stability and predictability"

Yerevan's refusal to delimit borders with Baku to escalate regional tensions — PM

Nikol Pashinyan pointed out that the demarcation process also involves risks, but they are manageable, after which "Armenia will become ten times stronger"

Israel may have used banned white phosphorus munitions while shelling Lebanon — TV

On Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces press office reported that Israeli fighter jets struck "significant Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used by the terrorist organization’s aerial defense system" in Lebanon

Shoigu visits presentation of over 30 promising weapons, including robotic vehicles

The Russian defense minister has given his instructions to speed up the introduction of promising weapons that have been tested in the special military operation zone into service with the Russian Army

US not going to be in armed conflict with Russia — official

The President of the United States has made that very clear

Iran may break through Israel’s air defenses in major attack by drones, missiles — expert

Iran has the region’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles, estimated to number in the low thousands, Behnam Ben Taleblu noted

Russian software sales soaring over last four years — Minister

The number of employees in IT companies increased by 1.5 times over four years, Maksut Shadaev said

Majority of France opposes confrontation with Russia — expert

Laurent Briard believes that French President Emmanuel Macron crossed a line when he announced he was considering sending French troops to Ukraine

Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

Turkish foreign minister urges West to stop Israel, prevent war in region

"The US and Western countries should stop Israel, tell it "Stop!" and prevent the conflict from spilling over," Hakan Fidan said

Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant hideouts in Syria’s Homs

No shelling attacks on Syrian troops were registered over the past 24 hours

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Russia says its forces repel four Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area

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Crimea, Donbass to forever remain within Russia, Slovak PM tells national parliament

Robert Fico believes Moscow will win in its confrontation with Kiev

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Investigators have established that the funds that were received through commercial organizations, such as the oil and gas company Burisma Holdings operating in Ukraine, have been used to carry out terrorist acts in Russia and abroad

G7 countries to continue examining possible ways of using frozen Russian assets

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US asking UNSC members to reject resolution on Palestine, hoping to avoid veto — media

UNSC approval would mean neither "statehood nor self-determination" for the Palestinian people, the State Department argued

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He also said that the US military contacted Russia and the United Kingdom while evaluating the potential of the Iranian attack

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The G7 finance ministers and Central Bank chiefs also condemned "the unprecedented attack against Israel by Iran"

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According to Maria Zakharova, in order for Moscow to take Macron’s initiative seriously, "practical steps" are needed

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The document also says that the EU and its member states will step up humanitarian support and civil protection assistance to Ukraine

Israel plans to send 'painful message' to Iran in response to attack — newspaper

According to the report, Israel’s war cabinet will meet on April 16 for a third straight day

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Russian troops took better frontline positions in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported

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Kiev’s attacks on Zaporozhye nuke plant result of impunity encouraged by US

Sergey Ryabkov stressed that the attacks on the nuclear facility "must be stopped"

Ukrainian front may collapse this summer — newspaper

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Igor Kimakovsky said that Ukrainian forces suffered heavy casualties among personnel and military hardware, including Western equipment

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

Vladimir Zelensky asked his country’s supporters to provide "everything that helps to hold the frontline," including shells, military vehicles and drones

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US believes that Russia tested 9M729 missile for range beyond 500 km

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"Without noticing it themselves, they spoke the language of an ultimatum," Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underlined

Iran withdraws officers out of Syria due to Israel’s potential strike — newspaper

The report said that the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement is also reducing the number of its officers in Syria

Romania now hosts as many as 11 F-16 jets for training of Ukrainian pilots

The ministers expressed their willingness to find a way for the center to continue to operate beyond 2025

Weather balloon neutralized in Russia’s central Kaluga Region — authorities

According to the report, the area around the discovered balloon was cordoned off and residents of nearby houses were evacuated

Kremlin condemns 'illegal' seizure of villa from Russian businessman

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

Protesters give Georgian government one hour to revoke foreign agents bill

Earlier on Wednesday, Georgia’s parliament passed the foreign agents bill in the first reading

FSB declassifies documents revealing Ukrainian infiltration of Red Army units during WWII

Russia’s Federal Security Service has made the memo public on the 80th anniversary of the Red Army’s liberation of Western Ukraine

New US bill calls for $26 bln in assistance to Israel

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Roscosmos chief notes high quality of Vostochny space center’s construction

Yury Borisov said that the space facility’s launch pad bore practically no visible signs of the recent Angara-A5 carrier rocket’s launch

Ukraine turns from sovereign country into Western protectorate, Hungarian PM says

Viktor Orban noted that there should be a buffer zone between NATO and Russia and Ukraine could serve as one

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Russian, Turkish senior diplomats discuss situation in Gaza

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West silent on Ukraine's threats to attack Crimean Bridge — MFA

Maria Zakharova wondered how the Western public, government agencies and intelligence services would feel if military experts from third countries started openly discussing ways to blow up bridges in Germany and Portugal

Iran tells US about April 13 attack on Israel, it does not want escalation — top diplomat

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian added that prior to the attack, Tehran said that it would not target US military infrastructure in the Middle East "except in a situation where the United States wants to take military measures in support of Israel"

Ukrainians abroad storming embassies to avoid mobilization, Russian diplomat says

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EU leaders urge to adopt proposal on using incomes from frozen Russian assets for Ukraine

The EU, the US, Japan and Canada have frozen Russian assets worth a total amount of around $300 bln

Russia assumes that Security Council will soon return to Gaza ceasefire issue — diplomat

"Ramadan has passed, and the question of a long-term ceasefire is once again very acute," Vasily Nebenzya said

Slovakia to oppose Ukraine’s NATO membership bid — PM

Meanwhile, Slovakia supports Ukraine’s accession to the European Union

Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries

There are two countries on the list

Funding needs to be restored to UNRWA before end of investigation — Russia’s UN envoy

"Investigation should be objective and based not only on data provided by Israel but also on Palestinian information", Vasily Nebenzya said

Russia restores gasoline production after decline — Energy Ministry

The increase in motor gasoline production in mid-April is associated with production recovery after a local drop due to unscheduled repairs at refineries

Georgia’s parliament approves first reading of foreign agent bill

Protests against the bill have been held outside the parliament building since Monday

Putin points to high risk of new epidemic outbreaks

The Russian president pointed out that Moscow’s "program of assistance to the African countries in sanitary and epidemiological well-being provides for the delivery of ten mobile high-containment biological laboratories"

US retrieves weapons previously banned under INF treaty — Russian ambassador

Anatoly Antonov emphasized that such steps were another powerful blow to strategic stability

German police apprehend two suspected Russian spies — media

The Der Spiegel magazine claims that the saboteurs’ targets included military cargo routes

China to act over possible US measures for alleged support of Russian defense sector

"China always opposes the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," Liu Pengyu said

Russia maintains constructive dialogue with both Iran, Israel — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov mentioned a recent phone call between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Russian artillery thwarts Ukrainian army’s rotation near Kupyansk — underground resistance

The Ukrainian army used the outbuilding as an ammunition depot, which accommodated about 15 fighters at the time of the air strike, spokesman Sergey Lebedev specified

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"

Former Ukrainian PM points to motive behind mobilization exception for law enforcement

Nikolay Azarov noted that currently, law enforcement’s main job in Ukraine was to tighten the screws on the country’s population

Russia expects Armenia to clarify 'military, political accords' with US, EU — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow would not be surprised if it turned out that the US and the EU had imposed their plans on Yerevan

Ukrainian drone attack damages four houses in Russia’s Voronezh

According to Governor Alexander Gusev, last night the air defenses on duty in the Voronezh Region detected and destroyed several air targets, including three weather probes

Ukraine to lose at least 10 mln citizens over mobilization law — political scientist

According to Andrey Zolotarev, domestically, the population’s confidence level in President Vladimir Zelensky and state authorities will plummet