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Trump appoints US ambassador to Turkey his special envoy to Iraq

Tom Barrack, who has done an outstanding job, will be named Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and, likewise, Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq

US President Donald Trump AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

US President Donald Trump

© AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

WASHINGTON, May 31. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has appointed US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack his special envoy to Iraq.

"I am pleased to announce that United States Ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, who has done an outstanding job, will be named Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and, likewise, Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq, as we advance our strategic cooperation with the Governments of Syria and Iraq, our relationship with them continues to grow!" he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"Tom will remain Ambassador to Turkiye, and operate with the full backing of the United States Department of State," he added.

Barrack was appointed Ambassador to Turkey in April 2025 and a special presidential envoy to Syria a month later.

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United States Iraq Donald Trump

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One of the cited officials said that the changes to the proposed deal are "potentially designed to speed up the process by putting pressure on Iran to accept the current framework, The New York Times reported

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Iran also fired at two US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters conducting a search and rescue operation

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One of the facility’s security guards was killed, Iran’s AEOI said

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Narges Mohammadi was awarded "for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all"

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This is the unwavering political position of North Korean, Choe Son-hui said

Group of mercenaries from Germany, UK destroyed in Zaporozhye Region — security forces

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Dmitry Bivol defends two world boxing titles

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Russian physicists divide magnetic vortices into collectivists and individualists

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IAEA Director General expressed concerns in view of drone attack against nuclear plant

Rafael Grossi added: "Attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire"

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Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Anayansi Rodriguez Camejo aslo highlighted the "tangible results" achieved by Havana during its five years as an EAEU observer

NATO says drone that crashed in Romania was 'of Russian origin'

NATO is considering how to improve NATO countries’ defense against drones, a spokesperson for NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe said

Zaporozhye NPP remains most potentially dangerous facility in Ukraine conflict — director

A strike on Donetsk or the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant will certainly have long-term consequences, ZNPP Director Yury Chernichuk told

IRGC calls for US Air Force chief to resign after aircraft downed in Iran

The IRGC Navy also congratulated the air defense forces of the Islamic republic’s army on intercepting an US F-15E fighter jet and an A-10 attack aircraft in the skies over Iran

IAEA informed about drone attack against Zaporozhye plant

The agency says it has requested access "to examine the affected turbine building first-hand"

Russia’s future orbital outpost to operate for half a century — Energia Space Corporation

Piloted systems in near-Earth orbit should be developed to operate as elements of a future interplanetary station, Chief Designer for Russia’s Piloted Space Systems Vladimir Solovyov pointed out

Canada’s involvement in Ukraine crisis advances a step higher — Russian ambassador

Ottawa is moving to a new level of involvement in the Ukrainian crisis — from supplying weapons and financial aid to direct cooperation with the illegitimate Kiev regime in the sphere of military-industrial production, Oleg Stepanov said

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The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28

Israeli drone attacked Lebanese servicemen’s vehicle

An officer and a soldier were wounded, the Lebanese Armed Forces said

Israel, US attack amusement park in central Iran

No information on casualties or damage has been reported yet

Putin talks relations with Astana, drone incident in Romania, near end to Ukraine conflict

The Russin leader emphasized that all the objectives of his state visit to Kazakhstan have been attained

Doctors Without Borders reports unprecedented rate of Ebola spread in DRC

Tthe organization called for an immediate expansion of testing capacity, an increase in international medical and humanitarian support, and unimpeded access to affected areas

Fuel depot caught fire due to drone fragments drop in Rostov Region

A drugstore, two stores, a motor vehicle, and a gas pipe were damaged by the drone attack

NATO members could play role in opening Strait of Hormuz — Military Committee head

NATO is currently not directly involved in resolving issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, NATO Military Committee head Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said

EW systems successfully used against Vampire drones in special military op — developer

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Russian fighters also eliminated 34 enemy drone control stations

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Iran promises not to develop or buy nuclear weapons — Trump

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Romania uses UAV incident for confrontation as part of NATO-EU playbook — Russian embassy

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Ukraine’s economics ministry expects 2014 inflation at 19%

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Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that Iran will attack US infrastructure in the Persian Gulf region

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The ex-chief of EU diplomacy said the situation is similar with the approval of new sanctions against Russia

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Defense Minister Israel Katz noted that this occurred 44 years after the Israeli army first captured Beaufort Castle in 1982 during Operation Peace for Galilee

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The facade of a private home in the Rylsky district was damaged as a result of the attacks, while a passenger car was also hit by shrapnel, the regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said

Ukrainian drones entered various countries, with reports claiming 'Russian attack' — Putin

The Russian president said the initial reaction was exactly the same as it is now in Romania

Trump’s actions show he is not interested in negotiations — Khamenei adviser

By continuing the naval blockade and making excessive demands, US President Donald Trump is clearly demonstrating that he is not interested in negotiations, Mohsen Rezaee said

Medvedev lashes out at EU countries for direct involvement in war against Russia

The Russian Security Council deputy chairman stressed that nobody disputes this anymore

US president threatens strikes on Iran’s energy, civilian infrastructure

Donald Trump called on Iranian leaders to open the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that otherwise the country "will be living in hell

Yerevan says there are no problems with gas supplies from Russia

Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan noted that supplies from Russia continue as usual and that there are no problematic issues

UAV strike on Zaporozhye NPP is first-ever targeted attack on NPP equipment — Rosatom CEO

The Ukrainian armed forces repeatedly cross not just red lines, but the lines of common sense, Alexey Likhachev said

Two US nuclear submarines ‘closer to Russia,’ Trump says

"We always want to be ready", US president added

Putin had brief conversation with Cuban delegation on Astana summit’s sidelines

Cuba is an EAEU observer country

US company tested android robots in combat area in Ukraine — TV

CEO of Foundation Future Industries Sankaet Pathak told CNBC that the core function of the robots was to deliver ammunition to the frontline

Ukrainian losses exceed 1,320 troops over past day

According to the Russian Defense Ministry data, the enemy lost more than 340 in the Center battlegroup’s area

Death toll in Lebanon from Israeli attacks reaches 3,371 — Health Ministry

The number of wounded has reached 10,129

Russian deputy PM warns Armenia of potential problems with gas supplies

According to the Russian deputy prime minister Alexey Overchuk, Europe continues buying Russian gas

Roscosmos approves design of Russia’s future orbital station

The station’s deployment, as it was previously reported, is due between 2027 and 2032

Death toll from cholera in Nigeria rises to 37, with over 3,000 infected

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Iran to hit more targets if US attacks Kharg Island — ambassador

Tehran’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Amir Hossein Hosseini also expressed hope that the conflict would be resolved diplomatically

Ukrainian army struck school in Zaporozhye Region’s Vasilyevka, no casualties — governor

A school bus and the school’s windows were damaged

Iran divides countries into three categories based on use of Strait of Hormuz — TV

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Russia to begin lithium extraction in Murmansk Region this year

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Business becoming more cautious in 2026 — Chamber of Commerce

Head of the organization Sergey Katyrin says the real scenario is to develop the internal turnover

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Russian economy may grow by 2% by year-end — Aksakov

The head of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market expressed the opinion that the Bank of Russia "will begin lowering the key rate more actively," which would lead to lower lending rates

NATO forces intercept missile presumably launched from Iran — Turkish Defense Ministry

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PSG with Safonov in lineup wins Champions League

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Persian Gulf countries running out of interceptor missiles - Bloomberg

Iran has fired almost 1,200 ballistic missiles and 4,000 Shahed drones at the Gulf states since the start of the war

Kiev takes path of nuclear terrorism by attacking plant infrastructure — Russian envoy

Rodion Miroshnik also said that Kiev’s actions threaten not only Russians and Ukrainians

Trump says Iran has 48 hours to make deal or open strait

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Gas prices in Europe rose by more than one-third in spring to $582 per 1,000 cubic meters

In addition, gas prices in Europe in May were 39% higher than the average quotations recorded in May 2025

Kiev hires roughly 400 Latin American mercenaries to fight in Kharkov Region — official

Even as they were hired to compensate for the shortage of Ukrainian assault troops, their combat efficiency has been lower than expected," Yevgeny Lisnyak said

Pezeshkian asks global community to judge which side, Iran or US, actually favors dialogue

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited the world to judge which side engages in terrorism

Further phases of BRICS expansion will follow, says South African president

It is noted that the membership will take effect from January 1, 2024

Boxing school in Energodar comes under shelling attack by Ukrainian troops

Ukrainian troops continue shelling civilian facilities in Energodar, the city’s mayor Maxim Pikhov said

Hezbollah launches 100 rockets, drones at northern Israel — portal

Air raid sirens sounded in 60 settlements

Russian neutral buoyancy pool for space training to resume work in May-June

The facility was closed for reconstruction in 2014

Taking of Novopidgorodnoye paves way for Battlegroup Center advance — defense minister

Andrey Belousov congratulated servicemen of the 433rd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment on the liberation of Novopidgorodnoye