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American Military News
2 days ago
- Politics
- American Military News
Iran-US Nuclear Talks Set To Resume For First Time Since 12-Day War Amid Deep Mistrust
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. The United States and Iran are poised to return to the negotiating table at a moment when tensions between the two are high and trust is low. The talks were initially planned for July 10 in Oslo, according to RFE/RL's sources, who now say the meeting has been postponed — likely to next week. Whenever they take place, the talks will mark a potential restart of nuclear diplomacy between the longtime adversaries just weeks after joint Israeli-US air strikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites. Israel launched its attack on Iran on June 13, just two days before Tehran and Washington were scheduled to hold a sixth round of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. US President Donald Trump then authorized joining Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities. Afterward, Washington brokered a cease-fire agreement to put a halt to the hostilities. In a July 8 opinion article for the Financial Times, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi questioned how Tehran could 'trust further engagement' after witnessing 'our good will reciprocated with an attack by two nuclear-armed militaries.' While Trump has spoken about reaching a 'permanent deal' with Iran, he has not outlined what such an agreement would involve. But his latest moves suggest a shift from short-term crisis management to a broader strategy — one aimed at securing a deal that addresses Iran's nuclear program, regional influence, and the Middle East's wider security architecture. Iran has insisted — even after the 12-day war with Israel — that it remains committed to diplomacy, though it has asked for assurances that any deal will prevent Israel from launching further attacks. Since the cease-fire went into force on June 24, Trump has sent mixed signals about whether pursuing a deal with Iran is still worthwhile, given the current state of its nuclear program. The US president claims the strikes 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran has acknowledged that the sites have suffered extensive damage but has vowed to press on with its nuclear program and, crucially, uranium enrichment. Iran may have lost leverage after the strikes, but it still holds some cards. Before the strikes, Iran had amassed over 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent — a short step from weapons-grade — and reportedly moved some of it to undisclosed locations. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it does not know the whereabouts of all this material. Iran, meanwhile, has suspended cooperation with inspectors and suggested that information shared by the UN nuclear watchdog may have enabled the strikes — raising concerns it could be edging toward a full withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. But Trump has warned that he will order another bombing campaign if Iran resumes high-level uranium enrichment. Still, Tehran and Washington insist they want diplomacy, but Iran arguably needs a deal more than the United States. In the absence of an agreement, not only will the threat of further military action remain, but Iran will also risk being hit by UN sanctions that European powers have threatened to reimpose. Whether the upcoming talks in Oslo yield real progress or simply buy time, one thing is clear: the road back to diplomacy runs through a minefield of mistrust, missed chances, and mutual threats. Both sides are still talking — but the ever-closing window for a deal may finally be closing for real.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
BRICS+ in Rio: A Bold Voice for the Global South
General view during a plenary session of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. BRICS leaders at a summit on Sunday took aim at US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and recent Israeli-US strikes on Iran. This week, the world watched as Rio de Janeiro became the epicenter of multipolar ambition. The XVII BRICS Summit, the first held in Brazil since the bloc's historic expansion – closed with the Rio Declaration, a sweeping 90+ point manifesto aimed at reshaping the world's economic and political architecture. Aspirational and unapologetically assertive, the declaration stands as a powerful counterpoint to the outdated neoliberal script that has dominated global governance since Bretton Woods. From the outset, BRICS+ made its intentions clear. This is no longer a loose coalition of 'emerging markets.' It is a political project rooted in sovereignty, fairness, and systemic reform, united by a shared determination to build a world that works for the majority, not just the privileged few. The summit's theme, Strengthening Global South Cooperation for a More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance, echoed loudly throughout Rio that this summit was not about following rules made in Washington or Brussels, but about rewriting them. With over half the world's population now represented across 11 full BRICS+ members and 11 additional partner countries, the group embodies the Global Majority. This summit reaffirmed the bloc's core message, that developing nations are not passive players in global affairs – they are protagonists. The Rio Declaration called for a 'reformed and reinvigorated multilateral system,' challenging the deep structural imbalances of institutions like the UN Security Council, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank (WB). These bodies, relics of the post-WWII order, no longer reflect global realities. Brazil and India were explicitly endorsed for expanded roles at the UN. African nations were rightly upheld as essential actors in shaping the future, a gesture that was both symbolic and strategic, recognising the continent's rising economic, cultural, and political influence. The Declaration was firm in its stance on sovereignty. BRICS+ leaders rejected the use of unilateral coercive measures, particularly economic sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council. This wasn't just rhetorical, it was a statement of principle, aimed at ending the era of financial bullying disguised as diplomacy. Iran's presence in BRICS+ and the group's support for its sovereignty is significant. For decades, Iran has been subject to punishing sanctions regimes that cripple civilian infrastructure and stifle development. BRICS+ is emerging as a safe haven for nations resisting economic domination and choosing development on their own terms. This insistence on sovereignty extended to conflicts across the globe. The bloc denounced Israeli military strikes on Iran and voiced deep concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and reiterating support for a two-state solution, grounded in international law and UN resolutions. These are not fringe opinions. These are globally resonant positions finally given the weight they deserve. In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats, including a proposed 10% levy on BRICS-aligned countries, the bloc took aim at 'indiscriminate tariff measures' that threaten global trade and economic stability. This was not merely a rebuke of U.S. policy but a rejection of a global economic model built on domination, conditionality, and coercion. In its place, BRICS+ is proposing a new framework. Discussions on a BRICS Cross-Border Payment System, a BRICS Multilateral Guarantee Agency, and a common digital currency framework show the group's commitment to building the financial infrastructure of the future. This is economic sovereignty in action, reducing dependency on the dollar and expanding the tools available to the Global South to finance its own development. The New Development Bank (NDB) continues to scale up its operations, providing an alternative to the austerity-driven lending models of the Bretton Woods institutions. With green finance, sustainable infrastructure, and digital transformation at the heart of its portfolio, the NDB is quietly becoming the financial backbone of the Global South's development agenda. The Rio Declaration also took aim at the politics of technology. With artificial intelligence poised to define global power in the decades ahead, BRICS+ made a clear stand. AI governance must be inclusive, equitable, and open to the Global South. The idea that transformative technologies should only serve a handful of elite economies is being firmly rejected. Instead, the bloc is pushing for shared knowledge, ethical frameworks, and collaboration. This extends to climate change, energy cooperation, digital infrastructure, and health sovereignty – areas where BRICS+ members are already exchanging knowledge, funding joint projects, and leading by example. Whether through the rollout of 5G to remote Brazilian schools, green hydrogen investments in South Africa, or AI partnerships between China and the UAE, BRICS+ is acting decisively in spaces where others have offered only platitudes. The geographic and political diversity of the expanded BRICS+, now including Indonesia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran, proves that the vision of a multipolar world is already in motion. The addition of 11 new partner countries, including Nigeria, Thailand, Kazakhstan, and Cuba, only deepens the reach and legitimacy of this global project. This is not a bloc defined by ideology. It is defined by common purpose, to rebalance the global order, to restore dignity to international cooperation, and to place development, not dominance, at the center of diplomacy. In Rio de Janeiro, BRICS+ didn't just hold a summit, it laid the foundation for a new era of global leadership. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rightly emphasised that 'it is up to emerging countries to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the international financial architecture.' With its growing influence, coherent vision, and deepening partnerships, BRICS+ is proving that it is not a reactive force but a constructive one. One that speaks for the silenced, acts for the excluded, and plans for the generations to come. In the past, the Global South was told to wait its turn. In Rio, it stood up, took the pen, and began writing the rules. By Chloe Maluleke Associate at the BRICS+ Consulting Group Russian & Middle Eastern Specialist ** MORE ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE ** Follow @brics_daily on X/Twitter & @brics_daily on Instagram for daily BRICS+ updates
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
EU-Israel deal should 'substantially' increase flow of aid into Gaza
EU officials say "substantially" more aid should flow into Gaza under a deal struck between Israel and the European Commission which is due to take effect from tomorrow. The deal announced by the EU includes: a 'substantial increase' in daily aid trucks entering Gaza the opening of several other crossing points in both the northern and southern areas; the reopening of the Jordanian and Egyptian aid routes; the enabling of the distribution of food supplies through bakeries and public kitchens throughout the Gaza strip. It also includes an agreement for Israel to 'protect' the lives of aid workers who have been gunned down in several incidents in recent months and the resumption of fuel for power supplies and the repair and facilitation of works on vital infrastructure such as the resumption of the power supply to the water desalination facility. Desalination plant The desalination plant — essential for drinking and cooking water in the territory, which has a population of 2.2m people — has been forced to dramatically scale back causing serious problems for health and hygiene among the civilian population. The aid disbursement will be coordinated with the UN and other NGO partners, and not with the Israeli-US backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an EU official also confirmed. Civilians waiting for aid die in air strikes The UN says that at least 613 Palestinians have been killed at GHF in Gaza sites in recent weeks. Unicef said 15 Palestinians, including nine children and four women, were killed on Thursday morning while waiting in line for nutritional supplies for children in Deir al Balah in the Gaza Strip, this morning. An additional 30 people were reportedly injured, including 19 children. Nidal Al-Nouri and his daughter Sara mourn over the body of Nidal's 13-year-old daughter, Sama, who was among 10 people, including two women and five children, killed in an Israeli strike while they were waiting for Aid in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, today, Thursday, July 10. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP The EU dispatched a delegation to Tel Aviv to negotiate an end to the aid blockade of Gaza where doctors, NGO's and UN have said food levels have "fallen way below survival level". Palestinians pray over the bodies of 10 people, including two women and five children, killed in an Israeli strike while they were waiting for aid at a Project Hope-run medical clinic in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, today. Picture: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP The EU says the deal was agreed with the "common understanding that aid at scale must be delivered directly to the population and that measures will continue to be taken to ensure that there is no aid diversion to Hamas". Numerous pledges by Israel to make aid available over the last, almost two years have not been forthcoming and blockades have left the population of Gaza close to starvation. Dismay over Palestine GAA club visa refusal Meanwhile, organisers have been left "deeply shocked and disappointed" by a decision by immigration officials to deny visas for 47 Palestinian children and coaches due to to tour Ireland next week. Letters sent by the Embassy of Ireland in the State of Israel to visa applicants said that the application had been refused due to 'insufficient documentation". In the Dáil, foreign affairs minister Simon Harris said the applications had been given "very careful consideration." He said: "A visa officer has to be satisfied that children are traveling under the company of their parents or an appropriate guardian. Additional documents, such as birth certs, consent letters are regularly requested to establish the relationship."
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
BRICS' criticism brings Trump 10% tariff threat
General view during a plenary session of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 7, 2025. BRICS leaders at a summit on Sunday took aim at US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and recent Israeli-US strikes on Iran. Image: Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP US President Donald Trump threatened China, India, and some of the world's fastest-emerging economies with higher import tariffs, hitting back at BRICS' criticism of his trade policies as the bloc meets Monday. The 11-nation grouping - which also includes US allies Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia - is concluding a two-day summit in Rio de Janeiro. On Sunday, BRICS leaders described Trump's stop-start tariff wars as "indiscriminate", damaging, and illegal, drawing a quick rebuke from the pugilistic US president. "Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy," Trump wrote on social media. BRICS members account for about half the world's population and 40% of global economic output. Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US influence. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ But it is an expanding and often divergent grouping - bringing together arch US foes like Iran and Russia, with some of Washington's closest allies in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Some US allies inside the bloc had tried to blunt criticism by not mentioning Trump by name in their summit statement. Saudi Arabia - one of the world's biggest purchasers of US high-tech weapons - even kept its foreign minister away from Sunday's talks and a BRICS "family photo" of leaders, seemingly to avoid Washington's ire. But such diplomatic gestures were lost on the US president. In April, Trump threatened a slew of punitive duties, before backing off in the face of a fierce market sell-off. Now he is threatening to impose unilateral levies on trading partners unless they reach "deals" by August 1, with BRICS nations seemingly getting higher tariffs than planned. It cannot have helped that BRICS leaders also condemned the recent US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities - a show of solidarity with fellow member Iran. Beijing on Monday insisted BRICS was not seeking confrontation with the United States. "China has repeatedly stated its position that trade and tariff wars have no winners and protectionism offers no way forward," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said. Beijing also defended the bloc as "an important platform for cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries". "It advocates openness, inclusivity, and win-win cooperation," Mao said. "It does not engage in camp confrontation and is not targeted at any country," she said. The political punch of this year's summit has been depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president.
Gulf Today
07-07-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
BRICS nations slam Trump tariffs, condemn strikes on Iran
BRICS leaders at a summit on Sunday took aim at US President Donald Trump's "indiscriminate" import tariffs and recent Israeli-US strikes on Iran. The 11 emerging nations -- including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- account for about half the world's population and 40 per cent of global economic output. The bloc is divided about much, but found common cause when it comes to the mercurial US leader and his stop-start tariff wars -- even if it avoided naming him directly. Voicing "serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff" measures, BRICS members said the tariffs risked hurting the global economy, according to a summit joint statement. Trump fired back at the bloc directly on social media Sunday night. "Any country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Russia's President Vladimir Putin appears on a screen as he attends the opening meeting of BRICS Summit remotely with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. Reuters Earlier, BRICS also offered symbolic backing to fellow member Iran, condemning a series of military strikes on nuclear and other targets carried out by Israel and the United States. In April, Trump threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties, before offering a months-long reprieve in the face of a fierce market sell-off. Trump has warned he will impose unilateral levies on partners unless they reach "deals" by August 1. In an apparent concession to US allies such as Brazil, India and Saudi Arabia, the summit declaration did not criticize the United States or its president by name at any point. No show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to US and western European power. But as the group has expanded to include Iran, Saudi Arabia and others, it has struggled to reach meaningful consensus on issues from the Gaza war to challenging US global dominance. BRICS nations, for example, collectively called for a peaceful two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict -- despite Tehran's long-standing position that Israel should be destroyed. An Iranian diplomatic source said his government's "reservations" had been conveyed to Brazilian hosts. Still, Iran -- a BRICS member since 2023 -- stopped short of rejecting the statement outright. The bloc also called for an "immediate" ceasefire and the "full withdrawal of Israeli forces" from the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with the Palestinian group Hamas for 21 months. Hamas's armed wing welcomed BRICS's position, calling on them to "exert pressure" on Israel to "lift the criminal siege imposed on two and a quarter million people." In perhaps a further sign of the diplomatic sensitivities, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister skipped Sunday's discussions entirely, according to a Brazilian government source. World leaders partake in the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. AP Saudi Arabia is among the world's leading beneficiaries of high-tech US military exports and is a long-standing US partner. The political punch of this year's summit has been depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. The Chinese leader is not the only notable absentee. Russian President Vladimir Putin, charged with war crimes in Ukraine, also opted to stay away, participating via video link. He told counterparts that BRICS had become a key player in global governance. The summit also called for regulation governing artificial intelligence and said the technology could not be the preserve of only rich nations. The commercial AI sector is currently dominated by US tech giants, although China and other nations have rapidly developing capacity. Agence France-Presse
