Days before Putin's visit to Tehran, Iran inaugurates the North-South International Corridor

Days before Putin's visit to Tehran, Iran inaugurates the North-South International Corridor

    Tuesday, July 12, 2022   No comments

Days after India called on Iran to activate the road, rail, and sea transportation systems linking Mumbai to Saint-Petersburg and less than one week before Russia's president lands in Tehran, Iran runs train south inaugurating the transport systems that will link India to northern Europe.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road route for moving freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. 

Last week, India urged Iran to activate the 7,200 km International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC), The Tribune newspaper reported.

With this development, India's trade with Russia is set to take a turn toward becoming much cheaper and faster as the two nations are planning to establish a corridor that passes through Iran and facilitates transport between them.

The INSTC is a transportation network that includes sea, road, and rail routes and links Russia and India, with Moscow and New Delhi seeking to activate the route due to them upping their bilateral trade by up to $13 billion in the last quarter of 2021. The trade even increased in terms of oil and other commodities.

Several central Asian countries will benefit from trade via the INSTC, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

Dry runs have shown transit time decreasing by up to 25 days from 40-45 days on this route, which would cut transportation costs by 30%. The INSTC is also not under any sanctions since it is an alternative to the Suez Canal, and it is not dominated by Western countries.

Iran declared on Thursday its readiness to employ its capacities to contribute to the establishment of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus region, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. 

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, called for establishing agreements that will lay down the groundwork for an increase in the volume of economic exchanges between the two neighboring countries considering their significant potential.

"Interestingly, all 18-odd countries touched by the INSTC route have never been active backers of unilateral sanctions announced periodically by the West," The Tribune reported. Trade links within the region have been disrupted due to the unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran.

Meanwhile, The Economic Times reported that Russia had started transporting container trains to India through the eastern branch of the INSTC.

The INSTC, if activated, could become an alternative to traditional routes such as the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Bosporus strait.

India also called on Iran to include its Chabahar Port to be brought under the INSTC, which would provide sea access to Afghanistan and emerge as a commercial transit hub for the region.

India has highly close ties with Iran, mainly due to New Delhi's dependence on Iranian crude oil despite the US sanctions on Tehran. The Islamic Republic also enjoys pivotal geographic importance, as it provides an alternate route to Afghanistan and Central Asia without India having to resort to Pakistan, a nation whose ties with New Delhi are frayed.

Putin visits Iran to participate in a summit with Erdogan and President

Putin visits Iran to participate in a summit with Erdogan and President

    Tuesday, July 12, 2022   No comments

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed today, Tuesday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Tehran on July 19.

Peskov said that President Putin will hold talks with his Iranian counterpart, Ibrahim Raisi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, within the framework of the meeting of leaders of the guarantor states of the Astana Process on the Syrian settlement.

He continued, "The president's trip to Tehran is already being prepared. There will be a meeting of the heads of the guarantor states of the Astana process to promote the Syrian settlement. In addition to the tripartite meeting, of course there will also be bilateral meetings and separate talks with the Turkish president," adding: "Yesterday we announced high-level contacts. The level between Putin and Erdogan, and the meeting will take place there."

The Iranian Mehr news agency had earlier quoted the head of the Iranian Parliament's Economy Committee, Mohammad Pour Ibrahimi, that President Putin would visit Iran next week.

"Potential consultations between Putin and my president are likely to focus on developing economic cooperation between Iran and Russia," Ebrahimi said.

The announcement of the visit coincides with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan saying that his country has information that Tehran is preparing to provide Moscow with hundreds of drones, and train Russian soldiers to use them.

In a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, on June 29, on the sidelines of the sixth summit meeting of the countries bordering the Caspian Sea, Putin confirmed that both countries are in constant communication on security issues, and that they have many things to talk about.

Raisi said, at the time, that Russian-Iranian trade relations are developing, and nothing will stop this development, commenting: "The agreements we reached are under implementation, and this indicates that the will of our two countries aims to develop trade and economic relations."

SAS unit repeatedly killed Afghan detainees, BBC finds

SAS unit repeatedly killed Afghan detainees, BBC finds

    Tuesday, July 12, 2022   No comments

Today, Tuesday, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) conducted an investigation that published details of it saying that agents of the Special Air Service in Afghanistan (SAS) repeatedly killed detainees and "unarmed" men in suspicious circumstances.

The military reports obtained indicate that one unit may have unlawfully killed 54 people in one round that lasted six months.

The BBC also reported that General Sir Mark Carleton Smith, the former head of the UK's special forces, was aware of the alleged "unlawful" killings, but did not hand the evidence to the Royal Military Police - even after the Royal Military Police launched an investigation. in the killings carried out by members of the Special Forces.

 The BBC also found evidence that the former head of the Special Forces failed to pass evidence to a murder investigation. While the reports received said that more than 12 "kill or capture" raids were carried out in Helmand, Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011.

Personnel who served in Special Forces units stated that they witnessed the SAS killing unarmed people during the night raids.

The reports revealed a "pattern of strikingly similar reports of Afghan men being shot dead because they pulled AK-47s or grenades from behind curtains or other furniture after their arrest."

The report also said that AK-47s were deliberately placed at the scenes of accidents in order to justify the killing of unarmed people. He added, "Many people who served in the Special Forces were competing with each other over which of them had the most killings."

It is noteworthy that such incidents occurred in earlier times, according to the report, and the data indicate that they raise suspicion among officials that what happened in Afghanistan has turned into what he called “a suspicious and suspicious killing pattern”, especially since previous incidents that are very similar have been documented. It was revealed by the British Authority in its report.

The information in the reports shows that officers at the highest levels of the Special Forces were aware of the implementation of "potential unlawful killings", but were unable to report this to the military police, despite the fact that the law requires them to report such crimes.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Defense did not comment on what was published by the BBC, while a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said that the British forces "served with courage and professionalism" in Afghanistan to the highest standards.

27 years later, an apology for the Srebrenica Genocide

27 years later, an apology for the Srebrenica Genocide

    Tuesday, July 12, 2022   No comments

The Netherlands on Monday offered its "deepest apologies" for the role played by Dutch peacekeepers in the Srebrenica genocide.

Roughly 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were brutally murdered by attacking Bosnian Serb forces 27 years ago.

For the first time since the 1995 massacre, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren apologized to survivors for the Dutch peacekeepers' failure to prevent the killings.

"The international community failed to offer adequate protection to the people of Srebrenica. The Dutch government shares responsibility for the situation in which that failure occurred. And for this, we offer our deepest apologies," Ollongren said during a ceremony in Potocari.

Sourse of the News Story: https://www.dw.com/en/srebrenica-massacre-netherlands-apologizes-after-27-years/a-62434446

President Tebboune receives President Abbas and Haniyeh in a meeting on the sidelines of Algeria's Independence Day Celebrations

President Tebboune receives President Abbas and Haniyeh in a meeting on the sidelines of Algeria's Independence Day Celebrations

    Tuesday, July 05, 2022   No comments

On Tuesday evening, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune held a meeting that brought together Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with a delegation from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), led by the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.

According to the official Algerian television, the meeting was held at the Conference Palace, west of the capital, Algiers, on the sidelines of the participation of the Palestinian delegation in the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the country's independence from France on July 5, 1962.

In addition to Abbas and Haniyeh, Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Omar, Palestinian intelligence chief Majed Faraj, Palestine Chief Justice Muhammad al-Habbash and Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri participated in the meeting.

The television broadcast scenes in which Abbas, Haniyeh and the rest of the leaders appear in one session, with President Tebboune in the middle.

Algerian television did not report the content of the meeting, which it described as “historic.”

Abbas visited Algeria in December 2021, and the two sides announced at the time an agreement for Algeria to host a conference for Palestinian reconciliation that precedes the Arab summit.

Heads of Caspian Sea states agree to use the sea for peaceful purposes; Putin: Joint exploitation of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea is already underway; Raisi: Cooperation between Caspian countries is of increasing importance due to international developments

Heads of Caspian Sea states agree to use the sea for peaceful purposes; Putin: Joint exploitation of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea is already underway; Raisi: Cooperation between Caspian countries is of increasing importance due to international developments

    Wednesday, June 29, 2022   No comments

The Caspian Sea heads of state agreed, during their sixth summit, held in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat, today, Wednesday, to use the Caspian Sea for peaceful purposes and to provide security in the region.

In the statement of the summit, the presidents reaffirmed that the activities of the riparian states of the Caspian Sea will be carried out on the basis of the following principles: "Using the Caspian Sea for peaceful purposes, transforming it into an area of ​​peace, good neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation, and solving all issues related to the Caspian Sea by peaceful means."

An agreement was also reached on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, sovereign equality of states, non-use of force or threat of force, mutual respect, cooperation and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, as well as on ensuring security and stability in the Caspian Sea region. .

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his participation in the sixth summit of the countries bordering the Caspian Sea, referred to his country's call to deepen partnerships between the five Caspian countries, stressing that "the joint exploitation of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea is already being implemented." ".

Putin explained that "deepening partnerships between the five countries includes the policy and security sectors, and the five Caspian Sea regions should increase cooperation in rapid response to natural and other man-made emergencies," adding: "I propose to invite countries participating in the Tehran Agreement, which aims to to the protection of the Caspian Sea to the Conference".

Among Putin's proposals is the establishment of the Caspian Sea Film Festival.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting Ashgabat to participate in the Sixth Caspian Sea Summit, at the invitation of the President of Turkmenistan, Sardar Berdymukhamedov.

Also participating in the summit are the presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Iran's Ibrahim Raisi, and the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The meeting is held in accordance with the agreement, which was reached in light of the results of the previous summit in Aktau, Kazakhstan in August 2018.

On June 27, the Russian President's Assistant, Yuri Ushakov, announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, during their participation in the Caspian Sea Summit scheduled for June 29.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi welcomed the initiatives presented by the heads of states bordering the Caspian Sea, to develop economic cooperation in the fields of transportation, shipping, investment, tourism, and other economic activities, in particular, the need to strengthen cultural relations and protect the fragile environment of the Caspian Sea.

In his speech at the Sixth Summit of the Caspian Sea Countries, in Ashgabat, today, Wednesday, Raisi stressed that relations between Iran and Turkmenistan have always been expanding, pointing to the availability of opportunities and energies in order to raise the level of bilateral cooperation.

He declared his country's readiness for comprehensive cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Iran, Argentina’s applications to BRICS will further define this block of nations

Iran, Argentina’s applications to BRICS will further define this block of nations

    Tuesday, June 28, 2022   No comments

Will BRICS become BRICSAI soon?

Iran's application to the BRICS, following a similar move by  Argentina,  are now formal. BRICS nation must decide.

China, this year's BRICS' chairmanship, actively supports the mechanism's expansion. China wants like-minded countries to join BRICS, that made Iran a very strong candidate. 

China also wanted a representative government of Muslims, so it approached Pakistan, mostly given its location and its role in the Road and Belt Initiative. India objected to including Pakistan. This strengethened Iran's position even more. 

Now BRICS nations need to decide on specific rules that will govern the expansion of the block of nations.

Being the host country, China engaged with Pakistan prior to the BRICS meetings, where decisions are taken after consultations with all BRICS members, the foreign ministry statement said. 

"We do hope that future engagement of the organization would be based on the principles of inclusivity keeping in view the overall interests of the developing world and in a manner that is devoid of narrow geopolitical considerations," said the statement.

"Regrettably one member blocked Pakistan's participation," The Hindu reported on Monday, citing Pakistan's Foreign Office. 

Read the story as reported in Chinese media

Media Review: The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis

Media Review: The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis

    Monday, June 27, 2022   No comments

With the Russian military operation in Ukraine entering its fifth month, voices against American policies began to rise, especially as the sanctions policy it imposed directly affected European countries and gave counterproductive effects that Washington has not succeeded in avoiding so far.

In a speech adapted into an article with the title, the Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis, University of Chicago political science professor John J. Mearsheimer has described the war in Ukraine as a multidimensional disaster, likely to get worse in the near future. "When a war is successful, no one cares much about its causes, but when its outcome is catastrophic, understanding how it happened becomes very important. Everyone would like to know how this horrific situation was reached," he said.

Mearsheimer believes that, "With regard to the Ukrainian war, the United States is primarily responsible for causing this crisis. This does not mean that Putin started the war and that he is responsible for Russia's conduct in the war. Nor does this mean denying that America's allies bear some responsibility, but they are to a large extent They are following Washington's example for Ukraine."

This came in a lecture delivered by Mearsheimer at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy, last week, in which he spoke in detail about the causes and repercussions of the war in Ukraine, and was published by the American National Interest magazine. It can be argued that the United States has pushed policies toward Ukraine that Putin and other Russian leaders consider an existential threat, especially America's obsession with including Ukraine into NATO and making it a Western fortress on the Russian border. The Biden administration had no willingness to end this threat diplomatically, and recommitted in 2021 to bring Ukraine into NATO. Putin responded by invading Ukraine on February 24.

In Mearsheimer's words, the Biden administration's response to the outbreak of war was to increase pressure on Russia. Washington and its Western allies are resolutely committed to defeating Russia in Ukraine and using comprehensive sanctions to significantly weaken Russian power. And the United States is not seriously interested in finding a diplomatic solution to the war, which means that the war could last months, if not years.

There is no doubt that Ukraine, which has already suffered seriously, will suffer more damage during the war. There is a risk of an escalation of the war, with NATO likely to be drawn into the fight and the possible use of nuclear weapons. It can be said that we live in perilous times.

The war is likely to have catastrophic repercussions. For example, there is reason to believe that the war will lead to a global food crisis, with the death of many millions of people. World Bank President David Malpass said that if the Ukraine war continued, we would face a global food crisis that would be a "humanitarian catastrophe".

In addition, the relations between Russia and the West have been so poisoned that it will take many years to repair. At the same time, this intense hostility will fuel instability around the world, especially in Europe. Some would say that there is one thing that is positive: relations between the countries of the West have improved significantly due to the Ukraine war.

This may be true for now, but there are cracks deep beneath the surface. For example, relations between Eastern European countries and Western European countries are likely to deteriorate as the war continues because their interests and views on the war are not the same.

To be sure, the war has already mainly damaged the global economy, and this situation is likely to get worse with time.

At the conclusion of his lecture, Mearsheimer said that the current war in Ukraine is clearly a colossal catastrophe, which will cause everyone around the world to search for its causes. Those who believe in facts and logic will quickly discover that the United States and its allies are primarily responsible for this devastation. It was inevitable that the decision issued in April 2008 to annex Ukraine and Georgia to NATO would lead to war with Russia.

Quotes:

I have witnessed this phenomenon twice in my lifetime—first with the Vietnam war and second with the Iraq war. In both cases, Americans wanted to know how their country could have miscalculated so badly. Given that the United States and its NATO allies played a crucial role in the events that led to the Ukraine war—and are now playing a central role in the conduct of that war—it is appropriate to evaluate the West’s responsibility for this calamity.

One might argue that Putin was lying about his motives, that he was attempting to disguise his imperial ambitions. As it turns out, I have written a book about lying in international politics—Why Leaders Lie: The Truth about Lying in International Politics—and it is clear to me that Putin was not lying. For starters, one of my principal findings is that leaders do not lie much to each other; they lie more often to their own publics. Regarding Putin, whatever one thinks of him, he does not have a history of lying to other leaders. Although some assert that he frequently lies and cannot be trusted, there is little evidence of him lying to foreign audiences. Moreover, he has publicly spelled out his thinking about Ukraine on numerous occasions over the past two years and he has consistently emphasized that his principal concern is Ukraine’s relations with the West, especially NATO. He has never once hinted that he wants to make Ukraine part of Russia. If this behavior is all part of a giant deception campaign, it would be without precedent in recorded history.

How is the war in Ukraine being fought?

How is the war in Ukraine being fought?

    Saturday, June 25, 2022   No comments

To understand why the conflict in Ukraine will drag on for years, not months, a look at the tactics used in battles by both sides could help.

Over the past 8 years, Ukrainian forces in the east have worked continuously to establish fighting positions and defensive positions against the forces fighting for autonomy in the east. With Russia now directly involved, on the ground, those tactical measures are falling apart.

Russian forces are using modern technologies to dismantle these military positions. To do that, they are turning to highly mobile units to move quickly, eliminate the threat, and move on to the next target. 

These methods have been used in Syria, and Russia’s experience in that war is being used to fight this war. 

This means that the war will go on for years.

As Russian forces make rapid advances, encircling large enclaves, many Ukrainian fighters surrender

As Russian forces make rapid advances, encircling large enclaves, many Ukrainian fighters surrender

    Friday, June 24, 2022   No comments

The captured fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine spoke about the low staffing of the units, the poor provision of the group that ended up in the "Mountain boiler", the flight of the commanders and the lack of communication with them. They call captivity the only chance to stay alive and call on their colleagues for this.

Ukrainian soldiers: “...Our only way to stay alive is to lay down our arms. We were in full view, and if we hadn’t laid down our arms, we would have died.”

 

Video posted on Russia's MoD video showing Ukrainian POWs

      

  Other videos recorded by Ukrainian soldiers: