Putin envoy visits Tehran for Syria talks 

TEHRAN – Russian President Putin’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev traveled to Tehran on Saturday and sat down for talks with Iran’s Syria negotiator, Hossein Jaberi Ansari.

By Farzad Farhadi

Russian White Swans in the U.S. backyard; Washington terrified  

TEHRAN - On December 10, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced two Russian Tu-160 planes landed at an airport in close proximity to Caracas, Venezuelan capital, after traveling some 10,000 km. The two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived a couple of days after Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro's meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, which ended with Russia's agreement to invest in Venezuela.  

By Javad Heirannia

PGCC might survive in name only: Chicago professor

TEHRAN – Robert R. Bianchi, a Professor at the University of Chicago, believes that “Nowadays, China and Russia are acquiring greater influence in Iran and the Persian Gulf nations so it is natural that Doha and Muscat are inviting them to balance the destabilizing consequences of American and Saudi policies.”

Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers in Venezuela for joint exercises

A pair of Tu-160 bombers, known as Blackjack”, landed in Caracas on Monday following a 6,200-mile flight, which is said to be aimed at showcasing Moscow’s growing military prowess and shoring up the position of Venezuela’s embattled president, Nicolás Maduro.

Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey to spend $2m on regional startup center

TEHRAN -- Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey are to invest $500,000 each on establishing a regional startup center, Iran’s information and communication technology (ICT) minister has said.

Duma chief: U.S. using terror as pretext for intervention

TEHRAN – Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Saturday that the United States is using terrorism as an instrument to pressure and directly intervene in the affairs of sovereign states, Tasnim reported.

Parliament speakers of six Asian states condemn Chabahar terrorist attack

TEHRAN – Parliament speakers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, China and Iran issued a joint statement at the end of an anti-terrorism conference in Tehran on Saturday condemning the terrorist attack in Chabahar, a port city in southeastern Iran.

OPEC agrees on larger-than-expected oil cut after marathon talks

OPEC finally broke an impasse over production curbs, agreeing on a larger-than-expected cut with allies after two days of fractious negotiations in Vienna.

OPEC yet to agree on final deal

VIENNA- Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said he wasn’t confident OPEC would reach a deal on Friday to cut oil output as sources said the producer group’s leader had yet to agree on exemptions for sanctions-hit Iran. 

Putin says Russia and Saudi Arabia to extend OPEC+ oil pact

Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to extend into 2019 their agreement to manage the oil market, known as OPEC+, although Moscow and Riyadh have yet to agree on any fresh output cuts.

Iran, Russia have great capacity to expand ties: Putin envoy

TEHRAN – There is great capacity to develop relations between Iran and Russia, the Russian president’s special representative for the Caspian littoral states said on Saturday.

Larijani urges Asian states to establish fiscal pacts

TEHRAN - Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on Friday that the Asian countries should take step to establish fiscal pacts and expand banking cooperation.

Astana talks stresses support for Syrian sovereignty 

TEHRAN - The guarantor states of the Astana peace process on Thursday ended their 11th round of talks in the Kazakh capital, reiterating their strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in a joint statement. 

By Javad Heirannia

‘I doubt that China or Russia would supply Saudi with enrichment or reprocessing tech’ 

TEHRAN – Professor Frank N. von Hippel, former assistant director for national security in the White House Office of Science and Technology says that “I don’t think that South Korea could sell nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia if Saudi Arabia does not have a 123 agreement with the U.S.”

Russia, Turkey, Iran to hold Syria talks Nov 28-29: Kazakh FM

ASTANA: Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold the next round of talks on Syria on Nov. 28-29 in Kazakhstan, Kazakh foreign minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said on Monday.

Ambassador pushes for closer Iran-Russia cultural co-op

TEHRAN – Mehdi Sanaei, Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow, on Sunday called for more cultural cooperation between Iran and Russia.

By Javad Heirannia

Re-imposition of sanctions on Iran is violation of UN Security Council resolution: Jenkins

TEHRAN - Peter Jenkins, former UK Ambassador to the IAEA and UN says that the re-imposition of sanctions by the U.S. against Iran puts at risk the July 2015 nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA.

Iranian, Russian culture ministers meet in St. Petersburg

TEHRAN – The Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Abbas Salehi, met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Medinsky in St. Petersburg on Thursday.

‘U.S. failed in Afghanistan’: Russia

TEHRAN _ A few days after Moscow hosted landmark ‘peace talks’ on Afghanistan, a senior Russian diplomat said Moscow has offered to broker Afghan peace talks because the U.S. has failed in bringing peace to the war-ravaged country.

Russia voices determination in working with Iran

TEHRAN – Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said her country is determined to strengthen cooperation with Iran.

Iran claim title at Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup

TEHRAN – Iran defeated Russia at the final match of the 2018 Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup on Saturday.

By Javad Heirannia

Reimposing sanctions on Iran is not in U.S. national interests: ex-senior CIA official

TEHRAN – Professor Paul Pillar, who was CIA intelligence analyst for 28 years, tells the Tehran Times that obviously with the U.S. administration reneging on the JCPOA, Iran is not getting much of the economic benefit it expected when it negotiated the agreement.  

By Javad Heirannia

Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran only isolates Washington: Davenport

TEHRAN - Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association says that “Trump’s decision to violate the nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions only isolates Washington, undermines U.S. credibility, and risks damaging the utility of sanctions down the road.”

Iran into Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup semis

TEHRAN – Iran advanced to the 2018 Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup semi-finals on Thursday.