Iranian foreign minister says Iran cannot give up on nuclear enrichment
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Pak, Iran agree to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion annually
Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion from the current $3 billion annually as they signed 12 agreements and MoUs after talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Prime Minister Sharif announced the new bilateral trade target while addressing a joint press meeting with President Pezeshkian after their talks during which they also agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The agreement to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion was reached earlier in the morning during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Minister for Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak. Sharif also said that Iran has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which had been at the heart of the current conflict with Israel. Pakistan stands with Iran for the acquisition of peaceful nuclear power, Sharif said as he condemned recent Israeli attacks against Iran and appreciated Tehran for its forceful defence of the country. Pakistan and Iran exchanged 12 agreements and MoUs in the presence of Sharif and Pezeshkian. These included cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, technology and innovation, information and communications, and maritime safety, among other issues, the APP said. Prime Minister Sharif on Sunday said that the leadership of Pakistan and Iran were keen to enhance the bilateral trade volume to the target of $10 billion as soon as possible, the APP said. The two leaders also discussed issues related to terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, it said. On his part, Pezeshkian said that the MoUs signed included one about finalisation of the free trade agreement at the earliest between the two sides. President Pezeshkian expressed satisfaction that serious and sincere efforts were being initiated by both sides for cooperation in diverse fields, and to take their current trade volume of $3 billion to the projected target of $10 billion, the APP said. President Pezeshkian landed in Lahore on Saturday afternoon and flew to the capital later in the evening. Meanwhile, after Khan's meeting with Atabak, a statement by Pakistan's Commerce Ministry said the high-level discussion between the two leaders marked a renewed commitment from both sides to accelerate trade, remove border bottlenecks, and build trust-based partnerships across priority sectors. The meeting emphasised maximising the potential of neighbourhood trade, with Khan highlighting how ASEAN countries have benefited enormously by trading within their region. Geography is an advantage. Pakistan and Iran must utilise this discount of distance. If we don't, we lose both time and cost benefits, he stated. The Pakistani minister suggested organising targetted trade delegations that include representatives from federal and provincial chambers of commerce, enabling focused discussions on market access and regulatory facilitation, according to the statement. The ministers also expressed a shared commitment to increasing the use of existing trade corridors and border facilities. Atabak also highlighted ongoing discussions about increasing Pakistani exports to Iran and encouraged swift follow-up on newly signed agreements. Khan said that beyond bilateral gains, such connectivity could expand to Turkey, Central Asia, Russia, and even parts of West Asia, creating an economic bloc of substantial power and resilience. Atabak supported the idea of holding a dedicated B2B day during every high-level visit and offered to bring Iranian business groups to Pakistan for in-depth meetings, the statement said. Both ministers agreed on the importance of identifying specific sectors such as agriculture, livestock, services, energy, and cross-border logistics for future collaboration, the statement said. With high-level political alignment and mutual trust, Pakistan and Iran appear poised to enter a new phase of strategic economic partnership that could reshape regional trade dynamics, it added. Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research, a policy think tank in Islamabad, said the total volume of formal bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran reached around $2.3 billion in 2022, with the trade balance largely tilted towards Iran. Iranian exports to Pakistan stood at $1.488 billion, mainly petroleum gas, electricity and petroleum coke. Pakistan's exports to Iran amounted to $842.8 million, primarily comprising Iron pipes, medical instruments and utility meters, it said in a September 2024 brief titled 'Pakistan and Iran's Struggle for Economic Cooperation'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Tied with China, India is ‘effectively funding Russia's war in Ukraine', says top Trump aide
A top aide to President Donald Trump on Sunday accused India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow, after the U.S. leader escalated pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil. read more A senior official in the Trump administration on Sunday accused India of effectively funding Russia's war in Ukraine by continuing to purchase oil from Moscow, as President Donald Trump intensified calls for New Delhi to halt its energy imports from Russia. 'What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia,' said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and one of Trump's most influential aides. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Miller's criticism was some of the strongest yet by the Trump administration about one of the United States' major partners in the Indo-Pacific. 'People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact,' Miller said on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures.' The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday that New Delhi will keep purchasing oil from Moscow despite US threats. A 25% tariff on Indian products went into effect on Friday as a result of its purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. Trump has also threatened 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine. Miller tempered his criticism by noting Trump's relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as 'tremendous.' With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Huda Kattan under fire for spreading anti-Israel conspiracy theories, TikTok takes down her ‘vile' video
TikTok has removed a contentious anti-Israel video that was posted by influencer and famous beauty mogul Huda Kattan. Huda Kattan's controversial TikTok video alleging Israel's involvement in historical atrocities was removed for violating community guidelines. (AP) In a video shared with her over 11 million TikTok followers, Kattan, the creator and spokesperson for the billion-dollar company Huda Beauty, accused Israel of masterminding the September 11 terrorist attacks, World War I, World War II, and the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Notably, both World Wars I (1914–1918) and II (1939–1945) took place prior to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. 'All of the conspiracy theories coming out and a lot of evidence behind them — that Israel has been behind World War I, World War II, September 11, October 7 — they allowed all of this stuff to happen. Is this crazy?' Kattan stated on camera. 'Like, I had a feeling — I was like, 'Are they behind every world war?' Yes.' Also Read: Stephen A. Smith claps back at Michelle Obama's 'offensive' ESPN remarks, gives her sharp lesson on reality TV, voting Titok reacts to Huda Kattan's video Speaking to CNN, TikTok spokesman confirmed that they pulled Kattan's video for breaking its community rules, a spokesman confirmed to CNN. 'In a global community, it is natural for people to have different opinions, but we seek to operate on a shared set of facts and reality,' as per TikTok community rules. 'We do not allow misinformation that may cause significant harm to individuals or society, regardless of intent.' Huda Kattan's video sparks calls to boycott Huda Beauty products The video has sparked calls on social media and among Jewish communities for Sephora and other retailers to sever the association with Kattan's well-known cosmetics business, Huda cosmetics, which Forbes estimates generates about $200 million in sales annually and was valued at $1.2 billion in 2017. Kattan has previously been the target of boycott calls over her anti-Israel remarks after Hamas October 7 attack. She has been a vocal opponent of Israel and a strong advocate for Palestinians in Gaza. Anti-Defamation League slams Huda Kattan The latest TikTok video that Kattan posted sparked immediate criticism from Jewish organizations. 'Huda Kattan built a brand around beauty — but these antisemitic conspiracy theories are nothing short of ugly hate,' Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. 'Spreading vile myths about Jews to millions of followers isn't just reckless — it's dangerous.' The American Jewish Committee shared her video, saying that she 'is using her massive platform to spread vile antisemitic conspiracy theories.' 'This isn't 'criticism of Israel.' It's centuries-old hate, repackaged and broadcast to millions,' the Committee added. Kattan appeared in Forbes's 2023 and 2024 lists of America's Richest Self-Made Women and Most Powerful Women in Business, respectively.
