Author: Steven Sahiounie

Tehran is going to host a conference on the cooperation between Iran and BRICS nations on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said. Kanaani announced at a press conference on Monday that the upcoming conference, dubbed “Iran and BRICS, prospect for cooperation”, will be held in Tehran on Tuesday. One of the panels of the conference will be attended by senior BRICS officials, including Russia’s deputy foreign minister, he added. Highlighting Iran’s diplomatic interaction with Russia, Kanaani said, “Considering the good relations between Iran and Russia and the important role of Russia in the JCPOA and the negotiations (on…

The blast injured 10 people and destroyed a bank of grain silos At least 10 people have been injured in an explosion at the port of Derince in Türkiye, the region’s governor told local media. The blast was caught on video, and described by witnesses as like a “violent earthquake.” The explosion occurred in mid-afternoon on Monday, with Derince mayor Zeki Aygün telling local media that it originated at a block of government-owned grain silos and felt “like a violent earthquake.” Kocaeli Governor Seddar Yavuz said that 10 people were injured, with two in serious condition at a nearby hospital. Security camera footage captured the moment of…

Iran’s foreign minister Amir-Abdollahian making a visit to Japan for the first time since 2019. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited Japan to meet his Japanese counterpart, Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. This visit marks the first time an Iranian foreign minister visits Japan since 2019. The purpose of the visit was not announced, but it is reported that Japan is trying to persuade Iran to stop its alleged supplies of arms to Russia. A courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on the agenda. Japan and Iran have traditionally kept friendly ties despite being on opposite geopolitical ends from Washington.…

Syria’s air defenses intercept Israeli airstrikes on the Damascus countryside. A new act of Israeli aggression on Monday killed four Syrian Arab Army soldiers and wounded four others in the vicinity of Damascus as Syrian air defenses engaged the hostile targets. “The Israeli enemy carried out aerial aggression at 2:20 am on the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting numerous points in the vicinity of the city of Damascus,” a Syrian military source told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The air defenses of the Syrian Army engaged the hostile targets and intercepted some of them. The aggression “led to the martyrdom of four…

According to the Venezuelan leader, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to such provocations that humiliate Islam and its followers Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sharply criticized the silence of ruling circles in European countries over extremists who desecrated the Quran, the holy book for Muslims, in Sweden and Denmark. “I condemn these racist acts of hatred against Muslim nations,” he told the Al Mayadeen TV, “The silence of European leaders over the burning of copies of the Quran is surprising, which amounts to their complicity in the crime.” According to Maduro, it is impossible to turn a blind…

Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi noted their rejection of the Western bloc’s confrontational policy toward Russia and China, its attempts to contain their development by means of sanctions and other illegitimate methods Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also director of the Foreign Affairs Commission Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, discussed issues on the global agenda, including the Ukrainian crisis, as well as bilateral relations during a telephone conversation, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. “The parties highly appreciated the ongoing development of Russian-Chinese relations, which demonstrate stability and positive dynamics…

It is noted that progress in this area will make it possible to prevent further growth of grain prices after the suspension of the implementation of the Istanbul agreements The resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be one of the main topics of potential personal talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in August, a diplomatic source told TASS. “Obviously, one of the main issues during the Russian president’s potential visit [to Turkey] will be the revival of the grain deal. Progress in this area will make it possible to prevent further…

Meanwhile, the euro exchange rate was up by 0.68% MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The dollar exchange rate surpassed 97 rubles on Moscow Exchange for the first time since March 25, 2022, according to trading data. As of 10:46 a.m. Moscow time the dollar exchange rate was up by 1.38% at 97.01 rubles. By 11:12 a.m. the dollar had narrowed gains trading at 96.75 rubles (+1.11%). Meanwhile, the euro exchange rate was up by 0.68% at 106.34 rubles, while the yuan was up by 0.74% at 13.432 rubles. Source: Tass

Sales to foreign customers are expected to be down significantly for the second consecutive year, RBK reports Exports of Russian piped gas will decline this year by as much as 34%, Russian business daily RBK reported on Monday, citing the latest projections issued by Russia-based strategy consultancy Yakov & Partners. The delivery of Russian natural gas via pipelines dropped by nearly 50% in 2022, from 206 billion cubic meters (bcm) to 122 bcm, according to analysts, who attribute the decline to the pressure of Ukraine-related sanctions and to Moscow’s requirements for EU buyers to pay for Russian gas supplies in…

The national electronic currency was unveiled by the central bank in late 2020 and became operational this month The newly launched Russian digital ruble could help Moscow to conduct foreign trade in the face of Western sanctions, a high-profile Russian economist has suggested. The electronic currency officially became operational on August 1. “I note that… Russia’s membership in the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is currently suspended,” Vladislav Ginko, who lectures at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), was quoted as saying by the BRIEF Telegram channel. He explained that the digital ruble is not based…