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Iran nuclear deal

Iran to withdraw from nuclear deal talks unless there are positive developments — diplomat

The statement came before another meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission that is taking place in Vienna on Thursday

TEHRAN, April 15. /TASS/. Tehran will withdraw from nuclear deal talks unless they take a positive turn, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday.

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"If talks take the constructive turn that we expect, our country will continue participating in the process. Otherwise, we will withdraw from the talks," he said, as cited by the government’s press service. Araghchi added that "Iran has no wish to hold talks that are nothing but a waste of time."

The statement came before another meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Joint Commission that is taking place in Vienna on Thursday. Araghchi noted that "Iran held numerous consultations with various delegations in the past two days."

Iran and the other five members of the JCPOA held a meeting of their Joint Commission in the Austrian capital of Vienna last week. The meeting’s participants discussed ways to restore the nuclear deal and determine issues that expert groups will need to consider.

Middle East conflict

Death toll from Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip exceeds 45,200 — health ministry

More than 107,600 people received wounds

Russia’s Battlegroup South liberates settlement of Ostrovskogo in DPR — Defense Ministry

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Russia to raise issue of Ukrainian strikes on Rylsk at UNSC meeting on Friday — diplomat

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Russian troops liberate 10 communities in Donbass region over week — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 3,610 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week

Airborne troops from Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipe out enemy position in Kherson region

A Russian airborne crew hit the target by firing a 120-mm mortar gun on a Ukrainian temporary position

Three of eight drones that attacked Kazan targeted defense industry facilities — head

The Tatarstan head Rustam Minnikhanov also noted that all operational services worked well when dealing with the aftermath of the drone attack

Civilian industrial complex supplies Russian army with over 65 types of units — top brass

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov praised the new mechanisms for accelerating the introduction of advanced weapons and equipment developed by the civilian defense industrial complex in the interests of the Russian army

Drone attack triggers fire at fuel infrastructure facility in Russia’s Oryol Region

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Vasily Nebenzya warned as he denounced the attack as yet another unambiguous step by the Kiev regime toward escalation

Ukraine to halt Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025 — Ukrainian PM

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Musk believes Germany’s Scholz should step down after car drives into crowd in Magdeburg

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Russian cancer vaccine to be free of charge — top oncologist

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Damage to Portuguese Embassy in Kiev caused by Ukrainian air defense — Russian diplomats

Reporters are ramping up Russophobia, distorting the facts while writing on this matter, the Russian Embassy in Portugal said

Ukraine’s General Staff admits tense situation along entire frontline

The Ukrainian military also admitted the Russian army’s supremacy in terms of military equipment and the size of personnel

An-2 plane missing in Kamchatka located, survivors found — regional emergencies ministry

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Russian missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov to become world’s strongest warship after upgrade

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IN BRIEF: What is known about drone attack on residential buildings in Kazan

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Russia-US dialogue on Ukraine can be conducted on different platforms — senior diplomat

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Novak assumes price of US LNG at least 30-40% higher than of Russian pipeline gas for EU

Russia’s Energy Minister adding that the US LNG is "uncompetitive as of today"

Latest nuclear-powered sub Arkhangelsk to join Russian Navy by yearend

The Arkhangelsk submarine was rolled out from the slipway of the Sevmash Shipyard on November 29, 2023 for completing its construction afloat

Yemen’s Houthis announce hypersonic missile strike at military facility near Tel Aviv

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Putin sends greetings on Russia’s Energy Industry Worker’s Day

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Putin to extend New Year greetings to peoples of several unfriendly countries — Kremlin

The Russian president will not congratulate leaders of unfriendly countries, but he will congratulate some individuals and people of several ones, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

Putin responds to question about Russia's weakness by quoting Mark Twain

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US defense companies capitalize the most on Ukraine conflict — Russia’s UN envoy

Vasily Nebenzya referred to data from the SIPRI which put last year’s revenues from sales of arms by the world’s top 100 largest businesses in the industry at $632 billion

Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Rylsk damages 12 buildings — governor

Three of them are not subject to restoration, Alexander Khinshtein said

Russian forces control more than half of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that Russian forces had "slightly advanced" in the northern and southern parts of Chasov Yar

Russian sleeper agents open up about secret trip to 2018 World Cup

The married couple, Artyom Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, returned home as a result of an exchange

Putin meets with Federation Council Speaker Matviyenko in Kremlin

The upper chamber of the parliament wrapped up its autumn session

Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine ready to join Russian Navy — Sevmash Shipyard CEO

Project 885M nuclear-powered submarines carry Oniks and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons

Magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocks South Africa

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Zelensky actually flips the bird to Trump by insulting Putin, Medvedev says

The politician emphasized that "the president of a major country should be extremely polite and amiable"

CIA station in Kiev targeted in recent Russian attack, military expert reveals

According to Alexander Stepanov, strikes are systematic efforts to gradually wipe out the military capabilities of Ukraine

Syrian armed groups to merge into one under auspices of the country's Defense Ministry

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Gaza peace deal closer than ever, Palestinian radicals say

The document pointed out that during the talks in Cairo, representatives of the radical groups "discussed with the mediators the development of indirect negotiations [with the Israeli side] on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a hostage exchange agreement"

Russia’s international reserves up by $3.8 bln to $618.2 bln over week — Central Bank

Russia’s international reserves are highly liquid foreign assets available with the Bank of Russia and the Russian government

Russia to invite World War II allies to next year’s Victory Day parade

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the comment following a statement on the subject by Vladimir Putin

NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

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Embassies of 12 countries closed in North Korea amid shortage of goods

All foreign personnel of international humanitarian organizations have also left, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said

Syria's new authorities appoint Asaad Hassan al-Shibani as foreign minister

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Russia manages situation in Ukraine, while West in big trouble — US political scientist

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Trump appoints TV producer Burnett as special envoy to UK

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Proposal to duel with West response to claims of Oreshnik missile vulnerability — Kremlin

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass area, Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 480 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Eight people killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip — TV

According to Al Jazeera, Israeli forces shelled a residential building in Deir al-Balah and a downtown Khan Yunis

Four new Russian regions moving toward self-sufficiency at a rapid pace — Putin

According to the head of state, tax revenues have seen a consistent increase in absolute figures

Series of explosions rock central Kiev — eyewitnesses

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Mourhaf Abu Qasra becomes top Syrian defense official in transitional government — TV

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Hungarian PM highlights need to lift sanctions on Russia once Ukraine conflict is resolved

Viktor Obran added, however, that only a couple of EU countries shared Hungary’s position

Perm sub with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to enter service with Russian Navy in 2026

Test launches of the Tsirkon missiles from the Project 885 Sverodvinsk submarine were conducted in the White Sea on October 4, 2022

Kiev to face more destruction after its UAV attack on Kazan, Putin warns

"We will not only restore the damage that some attempt to cause to us but will also move forward even at a faster pace as we are doing now," Russian President said

Putin calls Oreshnik missile development ‘an historic event’ for space rocket industry

Russian President also said that he had handed down direct instructions to produce and test-fire the Oreshnik hypersonic missile

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West should consider Putin's words on Oreshnik missile duel — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that the rhetoric about "inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia" is firmly rooted in the mentality of the NATO regimes not at all as hypothetical assumptions

US confirms strikes on Houthi command posts in Yemen

CENTCOM forces also shot down several Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea

US Navy cruiser mistakenly downs F/A-18 fighter over Red Sea

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Kremlin spokesman clarifies Putin’s statement about Oreshnik 'duel'

"It is very important to talk about these statements by the president in the context of the question he was asked," Dmitry Peskov pointed out

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The Russian Defense Ministry has also purchased more than 100,000 units from small design bureaus and civilian manufacturers, the statement said

Oreshnik test launch forces London to take a step back — Russian ambassador

According to Andrey Kelin, the UK’s official reaction to the launch of the Oreshnik missile was rather vague

Russia to retaliate against Ukrainian strikes, just as Putin said — Kremlin

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 20th

Putin suggests Zelensky may flee abroad, says Russia would take him in

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Scholz, German Interior Minister booed during visit to terrorist attack site — newspaper

A protest broke out during the chancellor's and minister's visit, with demonstrators whistling and shouting "Get out!"

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Slovak PM to visit Moscow for talks with Putin, Serbian president says

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Kremlin mum on reports about Slovakian prime minister's plans to visit Moscow

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Turkish president calls on West to stop Israel in Syria before it’s too late

"All international mechanisms need to be effectively employed in order to prevent Israel from exploiting the situation in Syria," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said

ISS orbit raised ahead of launching Soyuz manned spacecraft

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Possible arrival of new Russian envoy before Trump’s inauguration depends on US — diplomat

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Ukrainian troops struggling to escape being trapped in Lozovaya in Kharkov region — expert

In general, "quite active hostilities" are taking place near Dvurechnaya and Lozovaya in the Kupyansk sector of the line of engagement, Andrey Marochko noted

Kiev takes out its anger for military defeats on Russian people — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also emphasized that Moscow is outraged by the hypocritical silence of the West and its media on the terrorist attacks in Russia

Artyom military plant reportedly on fire after explosions in Kiev

The Artyom plant is known for producing air-to-air missiles, as well as equipment for aircraft

Eight people killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza Strip

According to the TV channel Al Jazeera, the refugees were housed at a school in the Al-Daraj neighborhood

Baltic states threaten mass deportation of Russians, take lead in Russophobia — statement

The Foreign Ministry noted that the facts of discrimination and persecution of Russians are often ignored by the official leadership of countries and international human rights agencies, leading many victims to remain silent

Two freight trains collide at Trans-Baikal Railways, traffic suspended

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What is known about Russia’s retaliatory strike on Ukraine after attack on Rostov Region

Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported the fires in Solomensky and Shevchenkovsky districts

Magdeburg attacker may be charged with murder of 5, attempted murder of 205 — prosecutor

The motive for committing the crime could have been dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi refugees in Germany, Dr. Horst Nopens, Head of the Magdeburg Public Prosecutor’s office, said

NATO prepares for war with Russia, Moscow takes these risks into account — senior diplomat

According to Alexander Grushko, NATO's general course poses a danger both to Russia and to the entire architecture of global and regional security

PREVIEW: Putin expected to unveil several transport facilities

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Almost 20 drones downed over four Russian regions, Black Sea last night

According to Russia's Defence Ministry, attempts to conduct attacks against facilities on Russian soil were thwarted

Russia has confidence in its weapons, senior diplomat says

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov also stressed that the recent developments had shown that the US policy of establishing a system of increasingly layered missile defenses was wrong

BRICS is approaching G20 format, Brazilian foreign minister says

According to Mauro Vieira, during Brazil's BRICS chairmanship in 2025, the country's leadership plans to organize several important high-level meetings and events, including negotiations between foreign ministers and heads of state

Strike on SBU control center response to Russian general’s assassination, expert says

The ministry clarified that Ukraine launched a missile strike against the Kamensky Integrated Plant in the Rostov Region using six US-made ATACMS missiles and four Storm Shadow cruise missiles

Ukraine's refusal to transit Russian gas will hit EU economies hard — French expert

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German chancellor exasperated by idea of spending frozen Russian assets to help Kiev

According to the Financial Times, the idea was promoted by the US and UK but resisted by Germany, France and Italy

Assad allegedly hands list of military targets over to Israel before leaving Syria — media

According to the Turkish newspaper, the former Syrian president did it to ensure his own safety

Yemeni capital city subjected to massive airstrike - TV channel

According to the Al Hadath TV channel, at least three strikes hit Ansar Allah military facilities located in Sanaa, including rebel locations

Putin agrees 'Russian world' now faces war

The Russian leader also agreed with Sergey Mironov, head of the "A Just Russia - For Truth" faction in the Duma, who said that "the birth rate is insufficient, because the matter concerns extinction"

Air raid alert issued in six Ukrainian regions

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Oreshnik’s launch is sudden, undetectable by satellites — analyst

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Aleppo taken by 350 militants while 30,000 gov’t troops retreated without fight — Putin

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