Iran enacts law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
Iran has threatened to halt cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel's air strikes, which began a day after the IAEA board voted to declare Iran in violation of obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. "We are aware of these reports. The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran," the IAEA said in a statement. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview with CBS News that the U.S. bombing of Iran's key Fordow nuclear site has "seriously and heavily damaged" the facility.
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Observer
27 minutes ago
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Trump and Putin end summit without Ukraine deal
Anchorage - Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday made no breakthrough on Ukraine at their high-stakes summit, pointing to areas of agreement and rekindling a friendship but offering no news on a ceasefire. Trump, fond of calling himself a master deal-maker, rolled out the red carpet for Putin at an Alaska air base for the first time the Russian leader was allowed on Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After an abrupt ending to three hours of talks with aides, Trump and Putin offered warm words but took no questions from reporters -- highly unusual for the media-savvy US president. "We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal," Trump said. He called the meeting "extremely productive" with "many points" agreed, although he did not offer specifics. "There are just a very few that are left; some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant," Trump said without elaborating. Putin also spoke in general terms of cooperation in a joint press appearance that lasted just 12 minutes. "We hope that the understanding we have reached will... pave the way for peace in Ukraine," Putin said. As Trump mused about a second meeting, Putin smiled and said in English: "Next time in Moscow." The former KGB agent quickly tried to flatter Trump, who has voiced admiration for the Russian leader in the past. Putin told Trump he agreed with him that the Ukraine war, which Putin ordered, would not have happened if Trump were president instead of Joe Biden. Trump, for his part, again complained of a "hoax" that Russia intervened to help him in the 2016 election -- a finding backed by US intelligence. The friendly reception was a stark contrast to Trump's berating of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when he met him at the White House in February. Trump earlier said he sought a three-way meeting with Zelensky but did not announce one at the summit. Trump said he would now consult Zelensky as well as NATO leaders, who have voiced unease about the US leader's outreach to Putin. "Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done," Trump said in a Fox News interview after the summit. Putin warned Ukraine and European countries to "not create any obstacles" and not "make attempts to disrupt this emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigues." Trump invited Putin just a week ago and ensured there was some carefully choreographed drama for their first in-person meeting since 2019. The two leaders arrived in their respective presidential jets and descended on the tarmac of an air base, with Trump clapping as Putin appeared. US military might was on display with a B-2 stealth bomber flying overhead, as a reporter shouted audibly to Putin, "Will you stop killing civilians?" Putin, undaunted, grinned widely as Trump took the unusual step of escorting him into "The Beast," the secure US presidential limousine, before a meeting in a room before a screen that said -- in English only -- "Pursuing Peace." Putin smiled and joked with Russian reporters on the visit, a landmark for a leader who is facing an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court related to the Ukraine war, which has killed tens of thousands of people. - Battlefield gains - Russia, in recent days, has made battlefield gains that could strengthen Putin's hand in any ceasefire negotiations, although Ukraine announced as Putin was flying in that it had retaken several villages. Trump had insisted he would be firm with Putin, after coming under heated criticism for appearing cowed during a 2018 summit in Helsinki. While he was traveling to Alaska, the White House announced that Trump had scrapped a plan to see Putin alone, and he instead held the talks alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his roving envoy Steve Witkoff. Zelensky was not included and has refused pressure from Trump to surrender territory seized by Russia. "It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America," Zelensky said in a social media post.
Observer
9 hours ago
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Trump, Putin shake hands in Alaska
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shook hands and smiled at an air base in Alaska on Friday as they opened a high-risk summit that will test the US president's promise to end the bloody war in Ukraine. Trump and Putin each arrived in their presidential jets and walked under gray skies to greet each other on the tarmac, before proceeding down a red carpet to an honor guard salute. As fighter jets circled overhead, a reporter shouted audibly to Putin, "Will you stop killing civilians?" Neither leader answered as they posed at a podium that read "Alaska 2025" before Putin — in a highly unusual move — followed Trump into the US presidential limousine. For the Russian president, the summit marks his first foray onto Western soil since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a relentless conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people. - Talks underway - Both leaders have voiced hopes of a productive meeting. But while Trump warned he could judge it a failure after just a few minutes if Putin does not budge, the Kremlin said the two would speak for at least six or seven hours. In recent days, Russia has made battlefield gains that could strengthen Putin's hand in any ceasefire negotiations, although Ukraine announced as Putin was flying that it had retaken some villages. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Anchorage, Trump sounded a positive note. "There's a good respect level on both sides and I think something's going to come out of it," he said. Trump has insisted he will be firm with Putin, after coming under some of the most heated criticism of his presidency for appearing cowed during a 2018 summit in Helsinki. The White House on Friday abruptly announced that Trump was scrapping a plan to see Putin alone and instead would be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his roving envoy Steve Witkoff before a working lunch. Every word and gesture will be closely watched by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not included and has refused pressure from Trump to surrender territory seized by Russia. "It is time to end the war, and the necessary steps must be taken by Russia. We are counting on America," Zelensky said in a social media post. Trump has called the summit a "feel-out meeting" to test Putin, whom he last saw in 2019, and said Friday he was not going to Alaska to negotiate. "I'm here to get them at the table," he said of the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would not forecast the outcome of the meeting. "We never make any predictions ahead of time," Lavrov told Russian state TV after he reached Alaska, wearing what appeared to be a shirt with "USSR" written across it in Cyrillic script. Trump has promised to consult with European leaders and Zelensky, saying that any final agreement would come in a three-way meeting with Putin and the Ukrainian president to "divvy up" territory. - 'Severe' consequences - Trump has boasted of his relationship with Putin, blamed predecessor Joe Biden for the war, and had vowed before his return to the White House in January that he would be able to bring peace within 24 hours. But despite repeated calls to Putin, and a February 28 White House meeting in which Trump publicly berated Zelensky, the Russian leader has shown no signs of compromise. Saying he "would walk" from the table if the meeting didn't go well, Trump told reporters he "wouldn't be happy" if a ceasefire could not be secured immediately. The talks were taking place at Elmendorf Air Force Base, the largest US military installation in Alaska and a Cold War facility for surveillance of the former Soviet Union. Adding to the historical significance, the United States bought Alaska in 1867 from Russia -- a deal Moscow has cited to show the legitimacy of land swaps. Neither leader is expected to step off the base into Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, where protesters have put up signs of solidarity with Ukraine. The summit marks a sharp change in approach from Western European leaders and Biden, who vowed not to hold discussions with Russia on Ukraine unless Kyiv was also involved.
Observer
5 days ago
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Iran's top security chief heads to Iraq, Lebanon
TEHRAN: Iran's top security chief, Ali Larijani, was in Iraq on Monday ahead of a visit to Lebanon. Iranian state television said Larijani, the head of the National Security Council, had departed on the three-day trip, his first since being appointed. Larijani signed a bilateral security agreement in Iraq before heading to Lebanon, where he will meet senior Lebanese officials and figures, state TV said. There were no immediate details on the security deal. In Iraq, Larijani met with National Security Adviser Qassem al Araji and discussed "the implementation of the security agreement" as well as the situation in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from Araji's office. A top Iraqi government official said that the aim of the visit was to discuss the agreement and inform Iraq "about Iran's position on the latest developments regarding the conflict with the United States and Israel". Iranian state television later said Larijani and Araji signed a "joint security memorandum of understanding". — AFP
