Category: Asia News

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Asia News

PTI approaches poll panel over Gillani win

After facing an embarrassing defeat in the high-stake Senate seat elections at the hands of the opposition’s candidate, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), asking it to put on hold the winning notification.

The PTI has approached the ECP with a plea, asking it to not release the notification announcing former Prime Minister and candidate of the opposition benches, Yousaf Raza Gillani, as the winning candidate of the Islamabad general seat for the Senate.

As per the plea, PTI wants ECP to hold Gillani’s notification till action on a video scandal is completed. The plea also contests that Gillani’s son, who is a member of the Punjab Assembly and was seen in a leaked video just before the Senate elections, should be de-seated from his provincial seat and be probed for bribing the Members of National Assembly (MNA), seeking vote for his father.



The petition has been filed by PTI’s Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari and Kanwal Shauzab.

“Ali Haider Gillani kept bribing the Members of National Assembly. PML-N leader Mariyum Nawaz in her speeches had promised an MNA a ticket from her party in the next general elections if they vote for the opposition’s joint candidate,” the plea maintained.

Also read:Pak PM wins vote of confidence

The move comes after the ruling party of Prime Minister Imran Khan faced an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Gillani who defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in the Senate elections.

The severity of the defeat of the ruling party could be well understood by the fact that Imran Khan was forced to opt to go ahead with seeking a vote of confidence from the Parliament, a session that was boycotted by the opposition parties.

The defeat also pushed Imran Khan to come out with his address to the nation, in which he revealed that a massive amount of money was used to bribe the members to vote in favour of Gillani.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan



Imran Khan has been critical of the performance of the ECP, which, he said, has failed to ensure fair and corruption-free elections of the Senate.

The opposition parties, on the other hand, say that the defeat of the government’s candidate has established that the Prime Minister does not enjoy the confidence of the House.

Imran Khan has claimed that his party members were bribed to vote in favour of the opposition candidate. However, instead of identifying them and standing by his stated policy of having zero tolerance towards corrupt practices in his party, Imran Khan opted to use their votes to seek vote of confidence in the Parliament for himself.

It is pertinent to mention that Imran Khan’s premiership is sitting on only five votes of the Parliament, which is a very slim majority. This is the main reason why he cannot kick the sold out members from his party, as it would automatically reflect in decrease in his votes, toppling him as the country’s Prime Minister.

Also read:Pak Army chief, US envoy hold talks on Afghan peace

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Asia News Bangladesh India News

A bridge to strengthen ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the 1.888 km bridge, which is 72 km by road from the Chittagong sea port. The bridge has been built by India at a cost of around Rs 129 crore….reports Asian Lite News

The bridge over river Feni in Tripura will connect the landlocked region to the Chittagong international sea port in Bangladesh, reports Sujit Chakraborty

A bridge over Feni river in Tripura is set to turn the dream of the northeastern region into reality, as it would connect the landlocked region with the rest of the world through the Chittagong international sea port in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the 1.888 km bridge, which is 72 km by road from the Chittagong sea port. The bridge has been built by India at a cost of around Rs 129 crore.

The double-lane Feni bridge, which would connect the border town of Sabroom in Tripura with Ramgarh in Bangladesh, would ease transportation of goods and heavy machineries to and from the northeastern states from various parts of the country and abroad using the Chittagong sea port, Kolkata port and other ports in India and Bangladesh.

The District Magistrate and Collector of southern Tripura, Debapriya Bardhan, said that the Prime Minister would dedicate the important bridge to the people virtually from Delhi on Tuesday.

Also read:India Slams UK Lawmakers’ Farm Row Debate

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has constructed the vital bridge and the 1,476m stretch of approach roads, of which 1,193m falls in the Indian territory and the remaining 283m falls in the Bangladesh side.

The Executive Director of NHIDCL, A.K. Kushwaha, said that the bridge named ‘Maitre Setu’ (friendship bridge) is a cable stayed reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridge, including viaduct and pillar support to bear heavy load and weighty machineries.

Experts, economists and traders said that the bridge would open a new horizon of connectivity, economy, trade and commerce, besides strengthening people-to-people bonding between the northeastern states and Bangladesh and other neighboring countries.

CUTS International, a Jaipur-based think-tank an NGO, has conducted several studies on border trade and ‘Border Haats’ (markets) in a bid to boost the economy and fortify the ties among the people of India and Bangladesh and also to check illegal trades and activities.

Also read:China cries foul against India at WTO

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Afghanistan Asia News

Pak Army chief, US envoy hold talks on Afghan peace

The meeting took place on Monday at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and visiting US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad discussed the ongoing peace process for the war-torn country, the military here said.

The meeting took place on Monday at the army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan earlier in the day after stops in Afghanistan and Qatar.

In a statement, the military’s media wing, ISPR said: “Matters of mutual interest, regional security and ongoing Afghanistan Reconciliation Process were discussed during the meeting.”

The meeting came as the new US administration under President Joe Biden chalked out a four-point strategy for the Afghanistan government, with a vision to end the decades long war, warning of dangerous and dire consequences if the peace deal with the Taliban is scrapped.

Also read:UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

In a letter written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, addressed to the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Head of the Afghan peace council Abdullah Abdullah, it was warned and intimated that if the peace deal with the Taliban is negated, it would result in an opportunity for the terror outfit to make “rapid territorial gains”, which may lead to toppling of the Kabul administration.

The US and the Taliban signed an agreement in February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of American military forces from the conflict-ridden country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations.

The administration of President Joe Biden had noted that the Taliban had not met its commitment under the US-Taliban deal.

The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in American history.

Also read:Blinken offers Afghan peace plan

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-Top News Asia News Nepal

Nepal’s NCP no longer ‘a party’

The Nepal SC has formalised the split in the Nepal Communist Party

NCP split came a setback to Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda who used to be the Chairman of CPN-Maoist Center…reports Asian Lite News

With the Supreme Court’s ruling, top UML leaders who used to side with Prachanda against Oli started returning to the mother party from Monday evening itself…reports Asian Lite News

A day after Nepals Supreme Court invalidated the decision of the 2018 party merger between the Nepal Communist Party-UML and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has fallen apart politically and technically.

The NCP was formed after the merger between UML and Maoist Center.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court affected the split along the CPN-UML and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) and took them to the pre-unification stage which will ultimately make Prime Minister Oli a bit stronger because he was elected to the post from CPN-UML.

But Monday’s party split came a setback to Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda who used to be the Chairman of CPN-Maoist Center.

The court also invalidated the NCP that was registered under Oli and Prachanda in June 2018.

With the Supreme Court’s ruling, top UML leaders who used to side with Prachanda against Oli started returning to the mother party from Monday evening itself.

Former Prime Ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhalanath Khanal among other top leaders and parliamentarians started returning to the UML.

As per the constitutional provision, lawmakers cannott change the political party on an individual basis. If they do so, they will lose the parliamentary seats.

“Our heart is big and we have decided to join UML,” Nepal said on Monday evening after bidding adieu to Prachanda.

Prachanda had called a last meeting with Nepal and other leaders to discuss what to do next.

Oli vs Prachanda

“We have decided to honour the Supreme Court’s decision and are going to return the UML,” Nepal said, adding “but our struggle will continue for democracy and communism”.

After the court’s decision, Nepal’s Elections Commission is going to ask the UML and Maoist to re-register their party, its spokesperson Rajkumar Shrestha said.

Oli after becoming the Prime Minister in 2018 with the support of the Maoist Center, had been sharing very rough ties with Prachanda, Nepal and Khanal.

They were raising voices against Oli’s way of ruling the government and leading the party.

Then those dissatisfied with Oli inside the ruling party that had 64 per cent support, started organising under Prachanda’s leadership but Oli kept on sidelining them.

Prachanda and his faction demanded Oli’s resignation but the latter kept on denying saying that he was mandated to rule the country and party both.

Former Prime minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal. (File Photo: IANS)

In the midst of division and dispute in the unified communist party, Oli on December 20, 2020, abruptly dissolved the house and declared snap polls.

But on February 24, the Supreme Court overturned his decision.

With the new equation, Prachanda will npw have 53 of the Maoist lawmakers and the Nepal side, along with around 43 lawmakers, would return to the Oli-led UML.

These 43 lawmakers will join the mother party led by Oli.

With the court decision, Dahal’s Maoist Centre is now reduced to the third party in Parliament.

In the 2017 elections, the UML won 121 seats and Nepali Congress, the primary opposition, had 63 seats.

With new political situations emerging, parties are in talks to form a new government by removing Oli but the roadmap is yet to be decided upon.

Also read:Nepal’s embattled PM takes jab

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US gives 4-point strategy to Kabul

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Blinken in his letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah has warned that if the peace deal with the Taliban is negated, it would help the terror outfit to make territorial gains, reports Asian Lite News

President Joe Biden has chalked out a four-point strategy for the Afghanistan government under President Ashraf Ghani, with a vision to end the decades-old war, warning of dangerous and dire consequences if the peace deal with the Taliban is scrapped.

In a letter, written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, addressed to the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Head of the Afghan peace council Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, it has been warned and intimated that if the peace deal with the Taliban is negated, it would result in an opportunity for the terror outfit to make “rapid territorial gains,” which may lead to toppling of the Afghan administration under President Ghani.

Also Read – Blinken offers Afghanistan peace plan

“The best way to advance our shared interests is to do all we can to accelerate the peace talks and to bring all parties into compliance with their commitments,” read the letter of US Secretary of State, which was handed over to the Afghan President by US’ Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, during his recent visit to Kabul.

Afghanistan President Mohammed Ashraf Ghani

In the letter, Afghan government has been informed that US is launching a high-level diplomatic engagement with various countries, including Afghan neighbours for the purpose of accelerating the peace efforts.

As per the four-point strategy, Washington has proposed a UN-sponsored meeting of foreign ministers of Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan and India to discuss what it called “unified approach” for the Afghan peace.

Also Read – UK backs Afghanistan on Taliban fight

“It is my belief that these countries share an abiding common interest in a stable Afghanistan and must work together if we are to succeed,” wrote Secretary Blinken in his letter.

Zalmay Khalilzad has been instructed to ensure that the US’ proposal is shared both with the Afghan administration and the Taliban.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and chairman of High Council for National Reconcialtion Abdullah Abdullah having discussions.

The US maintains that implementation of the proposal would enable both Afghan government and the Taliban to:

1. Develop the foundational principles that will guide Afghanistan’s future constitutional and governing arrangements.

2. Develop a road map to a new inclusive government.

3. Develop the terms of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire

“We have prepared a revised proposal for 90-day reduction in violence, which is intended to prevent the spring offensive by the Taliban to coincide with our diplomatic efforts to support a political settlement between the parties,” read the letter.

Importantly, the letter also mentions that US is considering full withdrawal from Afghanistan by May 1, 2021.

The letter gave a staring glaring warning to Ghani administration, stating that negation of the Afghan peace deal would result in toppling of the Afghan government.

U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad during the talks in Doha

“Even continuation of the financial assistance of the US to your forces, after the American military withdrawal, I am concerned that the security situation will worsen and the Taliban could make rapid territorial gains,” read the letter.

“I am making this clear to you that you understand the urgency of my tone regarding the collective work outlines in this letter,” the letter concluded.

Defiant Afghan VP says ‘no change’ in policy

Meanwhile, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh took on a defiant tone as he reacted to a letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to President Ashraf Ghani, which included an urgent proposal to help restart stalled peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban.

“There are those who say a letter has reached you. Yes. We are not concerned by the letter; no change has come on our stance, and neither there will be any change,” Saleh said during a memorial for a former vice president in Kabul.

US troops in Afghanistan.

“The essence of a leader is tested at the time when he is not shaken from letter, bomb, plot and outcry, and stands on the principle,” he added.

Blinken’s letter to Ghani comes amid intense diplomatic efforts by the US administration to revive the intra-Afghan peace talks, which began in September last year between the Taliban and Ghani’s emissaries.

It also follows a visit by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad who proposed forming a new government in Afghanistan during his meeting with key Kabul leaders last week.

The letter asked Ghani to “develop constructive positions” on Khalilzad’s proposals to “jumpstart the flailing peace process.”

Afghan officials, however, said that Ghani had received a letter but declined to share more details.

UN envoy in Doha to push peace process

Meanwhile, the United Nation’s envoy for Afghanistan is due to arrive in Qatar on Tuesday to meet Afghan government and Taliban representatives this week in a fresh push on the fractious Afghan peace process.

UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons was also expected to meet US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Qatari officials during the visit. These are crucial meetings as the outcome will decide the fate of year-long talks in Doha whether they should be continued or put under a moratorium.

Also Read – Ghani stresses on Afghans’ right to peace

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Illicit funds flow from B’desh to Kashmir

The detained militants claimed that earlier they used to collect money through ‘hundi’, but stricter surveillance measures forced them to use cryptocurrency..reports Sumi Khan

Banned Bangladeshi militant outfits, Ansar Al Islam (AI) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), have sent a huge amount of money to another extremist group in Kashmir in the form of cryptocurrency, a senior police official said.

According to a official, a Special Action Group of the Dhaka Metropalitan Police’s (DMP)Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC), had arrested two AI militants, Awal Newaz alias Sohel Newaz and Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, in September 2019.

During interrogation, they said the militant groups had been receiving huge funds through Bitcoin system since 2014.

The two also mentioned that they collected huge sums of money from Pakistan and Gulf countries also in the form of cryptocurrency.

The militants claimed that earlier they used to collect money through ‘hundi’, but that is now under the surveillance of the law enforcers.

Due to this, they shifted to Bitcoin, which according to the militants, is an easier method to exchange the illegal funds used in organising radical activities.

Ahmedul Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Special Action Group, told IANS that terror financing is largely being carried out with the help of cryptocurrency.

Virtual currency: A challenge for law enforcement

“It’s very tough to monitor the illegal transaction of Bitcoin as we have not advanced technical devices to monitor it.

“It’ll be a big challenge for the law enforcers to check the virtual currency in future,” he added.

In August 2020, the US government had announced that hundreds of cryptocurrency accounts, four websites and four Facebook accounts were seized, adding that it thwarted attempts by militant groups to raise funds using digital currency.

According to US officials, about $2 million in cryptocurrency had been recovered.

In Bangladesh, the virtual currency is banned.

In December 2017, the Bangladesh Bank issued a notice asking everyone to refrain from such transactions.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), DMP and some other police units are working to check illegal virtual transactions in the country.

A cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange wherein individual coin ownership records are stored in a ledger existing in a form of computerised database.

Also read:Bangladesh thanks India for providing vaccines

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UN calls for release of trapped protesters

Security forces are thought to have cornered the group of about 200 people in a district of Yangon since Monday…reports Asian Lite News

The UN has appealed to the military in Myanmar for the safe release of hundreds of protesters who are believed to be “trapped” inside an apartment block.

Security forces are thought to have cornered the group of about 200 people in a district of Yangon since Monday, the BBC reported.

The UN Human Rights Office said the group had been protesting peacefully and should be allowed to leave.

Mass protests have been seen across Myanmar since the military seized power on February 1.

More than 54 people have been killed by security forces in demonstrations so far.

Myanmar protesters

According to the UN, the group were blocked from leaving a four-street area in the Sanchaung area of the city on Monday.

Police have been raiding houses in the area looking for people who are from outside the district. Residents and a local news service claimed on Facebook that at least 20 people have been arrested in the raids.

Also read:US blacklists Myanmar ministries

Explosions have been heard from the area, believed to be the sound of stun grenades used by the military.

UN chief Antonio Guterres was calling for “maximum restraint” and the “safe release of all without violence or arrests”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“Many of those trapped are women who were peacefully marching in commemoration of International Women’s Day,” he said.

The British Embassy also called for the protesters to be freed.

In Yangon, huge numbers of people gathered on the streets, defying a curfew, in an attempt to distract security forces. They were heard chanting “Free the students in Sanchaung”.

Also read:Iran calls for enforcing UN resolution

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-Top News Asia News

Is Beijing playing a strategy at LAC?

China is aware of the reality of India’s readiness to retaliate against any misadventure of PLA at LAC anywhere from Ladakh to Arunachal on the one hand and actively join up with multilateral initiatives to check Chinese violations in Indo-Pacific as a part of India’s strategy for securing the Indian Ocean, on the other, writes D.C. PATHAK

At the end of the ninth round of Corps Commander level talks between India and China on LAC, the two sides announced their agreement to disengage frontline troops at the southern and northern banks of Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh in a synchronised manner beginning from February 10. Indian and Chinese troops will be back to their traditional base on the northern bank just west of Finger 3 and east of Finger 8 respectively.

It may be mentioned that it is in the south bank of the lake that Indian forces, in an action in August last year, had gained strategic advantage by occupying certain peaks. This, incidentally, is the area of Spanggur Gap valley where the Chinese had launched the offensive of 1962. The sensitivity and anxiety of China over the position of strength established by India’s defence forces could be foreseen. India’s stand was that the disengagement process should cover the entire region — by agreeing to first disengage from the Pangong Tso area only, India has played a cautious hand in testing the Chinese for their bonafides.

The agreement stipulates that all the construction done by both sides on the north and south banks of the lake since April 2020 will be removed. It seems President Xi Jinping is weighed down by the enhanced potential of India, after the creation of Ladakh as a Union Territory, to confront China in an area where the latter had built CPEC with heavy investment in PoK — a territory claimed by India as an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir. China is never in a hurry to resolve a dispute as it always sought to serve its long range interests and is given to following the strategy of achieving incremental gains without having to fight a ‘war’. India would be watching if China is showing a measured initial response only for managing to stall India’s military hold in this sensitive segment of LAC so that it could study the shifts, if any, in the ‘big picture’ around India-China relationship caused by the current geo-political developments and strategise for it.

End of Trump Era

A few things are important in this context. First, India is rightly adopting an approach of putting China on test and going strictly by the current developments in regard to LAC — with readiness to respond to any situation that could be created by a back slide from the Chinese side. This was the burden of the talk delivered by India’s Army chief at Vivekanand International Foundation on February 24. Gen. Naravane, who termed the ‘ongoing’ disengagement process as a ‘win win situation’ for both sides, struck a note of caution that it was still ‘a long way to go’ before de-escalation eventually led to de-induction of rival soldiers and declared that China’s salami slicing strategy would not work with India even though it might have got it success in the South China Sea. The stand-off is still continuing at Depsang, Gogra, Hotspring and Demchock. Saying that there is a trust deficit with China, the Army chief gave an assurance that Indian troops will be wary and cautious and keep a close watch on every move happening on both sides of the LAC.

The victory of Joe Biden in the US Presidential election that ended the legacy of the Trump era for both US-China and Indo-US relations, the rise of India’s military strength not only in terms of its capacity to take on China at the LAC but also deal with any concerted attempt of the Sino-Pak combine to indulge in aggressiveness on the borders and the diminishing returns for China from its alliance with Pakistan — a country considered a ‘rogue’ entity by the international community — would all be impacting the Chinese calculus. Unlike Donald Trump, who went all out against China on trade, Covid and Indo-Pacific and seemed to have no problem with Putin, President Biden is highly distrustful of Russia but inclined to do business with China on terms that served American interests.

Noticing that the Biden regime in the US was likely to remain preoccupied with matters of human rights and freedom across the globe and that the deep convergence earlier struck between India and Trump Presidency on global security issues might not be fully in play, China might get the sense that the Biden administration would not focus on it if on LAC a willingness on the part of the Chinese to move towards resolution, could be demonstrated. Also, it is a fact that India has in the times of Prime Minister Modi demonstrated its political resolve and worked for prioritisation of defence preparations — this was evident in the military consolidation quickly carried out by the Indian army in the Ladakh sector for giving an effective response to China’s aggressive moves.

China is aware of the reality of India’s readiness to retaliate against any misadventure of PLA at LAC anywhere from Ladakh to Arunachal on the one hand and actively join up with multilateral initiatives to check Chinese violations in Indo-Pacific as a part of India’s strategy for securing the Indian Ocean, on the other. Alliance with Pakistan has brought little help to China in making any gains internationally beyond the economic advantage it has achieved through CPEC and the Pak silence it has bought on the issue of mistreatment of Muslims in Xinjiang and elsewhere in China.

Also read:After pull out, China talks peace

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s unmitigated hostility towards India is reflected in his response to the renewal by the two DGMOs of ‘cease-fire agreement’ with India on LoC last week following a higher level consultation between the two countries. He welcomed the development but used the occasion to demand early fulfilment of the ‘right of self determination of the people of Kashmir in accordance with UN resolutions’.

India can keep China on a tight rope on the border and at the same time reserve its right to deal a crippling blow to Pakistan on the question of cross-border terrorism — notwithstanding an unlikely joint move of these two neighbours against this country, on the borders. Something has to done also to put a stop to the new threat of Pakistan and China coordinating to aggravate the ‘proxy war’ against India by covertly fishing in the troubled waters here — from Punjab to the North-East. Internal security of India was never in need of greater attention than what it requires at present.


Also read:INDIA = World’s Pharmacy

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Iran calls for enforcing UN resolution

“Iran is committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and is the only party that has paid a price for it, but this situation can not continue in this way,” said Rouhani…reports Asian Lite News

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 is needed to maintain and revive the 2015 international nuclear agreement.

“Iran is committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and is the only party that has paid a price for it, but this situation can not continue in this way,” Rouhani said during a meeting here on Sunday with visiting Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.

The best way to solve problems with European partners is “negotiations at bilateral, regional and international levels, on the basis of mutual respect and away from any threat or pressure”, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying.

Rouhani also called for the development and deepening of Tehran-Dublin relations in all fields, especially economic and trade relations.

‘A historic mistake’

For his part, Coveney described former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the JCPOA or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as a “historic mistake”.

He added that the current Joe Biden administration is “determined” to return to the agreement.

Ireland is ready to play any role that would help improve situation and resume talks among all participants, the top diplomat noted.

Joe Biden

As a result of the US’ unilateral 2018 exit from the nuclear agreement, Iran has surpassed JCPOA-stipulated limits on its uranium enrichment level and on its stockpiles of heavy water and low-enriched uranium.

The Islamic Republic has also lifted JCPOA limitations on its nuclear research and development activities.

In December 2020, the country’s Parliament passed the law of “Iran’s Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions” which obliges the government to further reduce the obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal unless the US lifts sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Also read:Iraq, Iran step up regional security

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Blinken offers Afghan peace plan

The Afghan civilian casualties on the rise since the beginning of Afghan-Taliban peace negotiations

In the February 28 dated letter to Ghani, Blinken proposed the conference in Turkey “to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has proposed a UN-led peace conference in a letter to Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on the war-torn country’s prolonged issue, according to media reports.

In the February 28 dated letter to Ghani, Blinken proposed the conference in Turkey “to discuss a unified approach to supporting peace in Afghanistan”, Xinhua news agency quoted The New York Times, which obtained a copy of the proposals, as saying in a report on Sunday.

Envoys from the US, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and India would attend the proposed conference, according to the report.


The proposals included a road map for a future Afghan government with Taliban representation; a revised constitution; and terms for a permanent and comprehensive cease-fire.

US withdrawal from Afghanistan

Blinken noted in the letter that the US had not decided to pull out the remaining about 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by May, but expressed concerns that “the Taliban could make rapid territorial gains” following an American withdrawal.

The report said the existence of the letter, which was first reported by Afghanistan’s TOLO News, was confirmed by a US official in Washington and the Afghan government.

However, a State Department spokesperson on Sunday declined to comment on the letter, saying: “We have not made any decisions about our force posture in Afghanistan after May 1. All options remain on the table.”

US troops in Afghanistan.

The US and the Taliban signed an agreement in February 2020, which called for a full withdrawal of American military forces from the conflict-ridden country by May 2021 if the militant group meets the conditions of the deal, including severing ties with other terrorist organisations.

The administration of President Joe Biden had noted that the Taliban had not met its commitment under the US-Taliban deal.

The war in Afghanistan, which has caused about 2,400 US military deaths, is the longest one in American history.

Also read:Blinken, Saudi FM discuss Houthi attack on Abha airport