Tag: NUCLEAR

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US blacklists Pakistani firms over missile, nuke links

File photo of U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. (Photo credit: Secretary Gina Raimondo Facebook account)

The US Commerce Department’s Entity List (blacklist) includes a separate category titled, “Ballistic Missile and Unsafeguarded Nuclear Activities”.

An unspecified number of Pakistani companies have been added to a list of 14 entities put on a US trade blacklist for their alleged involvement in missile and nuclear activities, the media reported.

The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added 37 entities to its Entity List (blacklist) for allegedly contributing to Russia’s military and/or defence industrial base, supporting China’s military modernisation, and facilitating or engaging in human rights abuses in Myanmar and in China, Dawn reported.

The list includes a separate category titled, “Ballistic Missile and Unsafeguarded Nuclear Activities”.

The statement said that “fourteen entities based in China and Pakistan are being added to the Entity List for contributing to ballistic missile programs of concern, including Pakistan’s missile program, and for involvement in unsafeguarded nuclear activities”.

“We act to stand against proliferators, oppose military aggression in the case of Russia and China’s military modernisation, and protect and advance human rights,” US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in a statement issued with the list, Dawn reported.

“The US will not allow diversion of peaceful trade in ways that undermine our values and weaken our security. That’s exactly what we are saying today,” added Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez.

US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. (Photo: twitter@USEmbZagreb)

Thursday’s listings include three entities in Russia, Belarus, and Taiwan added to the list for their allegedly significantly contribution to Russia’s military and/or defence industrial base.

Eighteen entities based in China were added to the list for acquiring and attempting to acquire US origin items in support of China’s military modernisation efforts, and for supplying or attempting to supply a sanctioned entity in Iran, Dawn reported.

Six entities based in China and Myanmar were added for violations of human rights.

The statement claimed that Chinese entities had engaged in the collection and analysis of genetic data, which posed a significant risk of contributing to monitoring and surveillance by the Chinese government, including the targeting, detainment, and repression of ethnic minorities in China as well as diversion of such information to the Chinese military programmes, Dawn reported.

ALSO READ: Pakistan denies again: No backchannel talks with India

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Trump could face espionage charges

Former US President Donald Trump

11 sets of classified documents were recovered from the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump during an unprecedented search earlier this week by the FBI, reports Yashwant Raj

US federal agents took away 11 sets of classified documents from the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump during an unprecedented search earlier this week, according to legal papers related to the search and the ongoing investigation unsealed by a court on Friday.

These documents are part of a potentially criminal violation of the Espionage Act and a few other laws.

They included four sets of top secret documents, three sets of secret documents and three sets of confidential documents, according to an inventory of items seized by FBI agents.

Some of these documents were marked “classified/TS/SCI” documents “shorthand” for “top secret/sensitive compartmented information”.

Among them was also a document about France’s President Emmanuel Macron.

The documents, which were listed in a “Receipt of Property” handed over to Trump’s lawyers by the FBI, did not give details contained in them.

One set was titled, “Various classified/TS/SCI documents”. Another went with “Miscellanous (Miscellaneous spelt wrong) Top Secret Documents”. And the one on Macron simply said, “Info re: President of France.”

The warrant sanctioning the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday specified three potential violations of federal law, which could together end in a punishment of years in jail and fine if the accused is found guilty.

They are federal laws 18 USC 2071 (Concealment, removal or mutilation), 18 USC 793 (Gathering, transmitting or losing defence information), and 18 USC 1519 (Destruction, alteration or falsification of records in Federal investigations). The second law, 18 USC 793, is part of the Espionage Act, but it does not pertain specifically to the act of spying.

Trump could potentially be under investigation for criminal violation of the Espionage Act.

The former President is embroiled in a slew of legal cases, both criminal and civil. He was in New York City to testify in one of them on Monday when the FBI visited his property in Florida. This is a civil case against Trump Organization, the family business run by his sons after he was elected President.

Trump is facing potentially criminal charges in Georgia state stemming from his efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in his favour.

ALSO READ: Trump searched for papers related to N-weapons

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Putin: Russia will use nukes to defend sovereignty

“Everyone should know what we have and what we will use to defend our sovereignty. These are obvious things,” Russian President said, reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country was not threatening the world with nuclear weapons, but warned that Moscow “will use such weapons to defend its sovereignty”.

He made the remarks on Friday while addressing the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

When asked to comment on the West’s allegations about the threat of a nuclear war and a Third World War, the President said: “Where does it come from? From their own statements. Now and then irresponsible politicians would blurt out something like that, even high-ranking politicians…

“Are we supposed to stay silent? We are responding correspondingly. As soon as we respond, they would pick on our words and say: look, Russia is threatening us. We are not threatening anyone, but everyone should know what we have and what we will use to defend our sovereignty. These are obvious things.”

Regarding Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, Putin claimed that the legal side of the invasion, which Moscow calls “special military operation”, fully complies with international law.

“When a territory is separated from a state, it is not necessary to ask permission from the central authorities,” Ukrayinska Pravda quoted the President as saying as he recalled the ruling of the UN International Court of Justice on Kosovo.

“In this case the Republics of Donbas did not have to ask permission from the Kiev authorities. They declared their independence. In this regard, did we have the right to recognise them or not? Of course we did. We did that. We signed a mutual assistance agreement with them, and in accordance with this agreement, as well as with Article 151 of the UN Charter, we provide them with military assistance.

Russian RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile systems are seen on the Red Square for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia. (XinhuaBai Xueqiians)

“Did we have the right? We did, in full compliance with the UN Charter. Whether people like it or not. We did it ourselves and set a precedent. Therefore, our actions are absolutely legitimate,” he added.

While acknowledging that “military action is always a tragedy”, Putin however said that the Ukraine war was a “necessary measure”.

Speaking about the numerous sanctions imposed on Russia by the West in the wake of the war, the President leader they were “mad and thoughtless”.

“The economic blitzkrieg against Russia had no chance of succeeding from the very beginning,” the BBC quoted Putin as saying.

While saying that the restrictions were “more harmful” to those who imposed them, he claimed that the European Union could lose more than $400 billion because of its sanctions against Russia.

He said inflation was increasing across the 27-member bloc and the “real interests” of people in Europe were being sidelined.

ALSO READ: Russia continues to slash gas supply to Europe

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Russia’s envoy in Britain says Moscow won’t use ‘tactical nuclear weapons’

While explaining the “tactical nuclear weapons”, the media report noted that such weapons can be used at relatively short distances, as “opposed to strategic nuclear weapons…reports Asian Lite News

Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador in the United Kingdom told BBC that Moscow will not use “tactical nuclear” weapons during its invasion of Ukraine. On President Vladimir Putin’s orders, the Russian armed forces started the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 this year. The invasion – the Russia-Ukraine war – has caused a tectonic shift in global politics. Several times, Russia has claimed that its aim to “demilitarise” the neighbouring country is going as per plan.

Nuclear warnings have been issued from the Russian side. In March, Dmitry Polyanskiy, who is a Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, had warned NATO countries that they are dealing with nuclear power and should not threaten Moscow. Such comments have been made quite a few times.

Meanwhile, Kelin recently highlighted Russian military rules, that state such weapons are not used in conflicts like this one – the Ukraine war. He further stated that Russia has very strict provisions for their use. He said that such weapons are used mainly when the state’s existence is threatened. He told BBC’s Sunday Morning, “It has nothing to do with the current operation.”

While explaining the “tactical nuclear weapons”, the media report noted that such weapons can be used at relatively short distances, as “opposed to strategic nuclear weapons”.

Meanwhile, Moscow has claimed Russian forces engaged in an all-out battle in eastern Ukraine have captured the strategic town of Lyman. They also added that they have surrounded a key industrial centre.

On the other hand, a Ukrainian official has denied that the city of Severodonetsk – the focus of weeks of fierce fighting – has been encircled, saying government troops had repelled Russian forces from its outskirts.

ALSO READ: China, Russia veto UNSC resolution on North Korea

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190 lawmakers urge Iran President to get firmer US guarantees in nuke talks

More than 190 Iranian lawmakers have urged President Ebrahim Raisi to get firmer guarantees from the US in the Vienna talks on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal…reports Asian Lite News

The lawmakers put forward the demand in a letter addressed to the Iranian president, calling for full observance of the Islamic republic’s red lines and safeguarding its people’s interests in the talks, Xinhua news agency reported citing Tasnim news agency.

Parliamentarian Ahmad Hossein Fallahi, who collected the signatures for the petition, confirmed that over 190 lawmakers had signed the letter.

In July 2015, Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for easing the US-led sanctions.

ALSO READ: Iran’s economic crucible unsolved as nuke talks stalled

However, the US government under former President Donald Trump’s leadership, unilaterally quit the pact in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting the latter to reduce its nuclear commitments in retaliation.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks on reviving the deal have been held in the Austrian capital of Vienna by Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany. The US has been indirectly involved in the talks, which are reportedly nearing an agreement.

One of the remaining obstacles includes Iran’s demand for US guarantees that its succeeding governments would not quit the deal again.

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Iran nuclear talks on ‘pause’ after Russian demands

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the pause was “due to external factors,” despite the fact that “a final text is essentially ready and on the table,” reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The European Union said Friday that the ongoing negotiations on the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord must be paused, days after fresh demands from Russia complicated negotiations, media reported.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted that the pause was “due to external factors,” despite the fact that “a final text is essentially ready and on the table.”

“A pause in Vienna Talks is needed, due to external factors. A final text is essentially ready and on the table,” he tweeted.

“As coordinator, I will, with my team, continue to be in touch with all JCPOA participants and the U.S. to overcome the current situation and to close the agreement,” he added.

Meanwhile, it is being reported that the last-minute Russian demands related to the Ukraine conflict threatened to derail the near-complete process of reviving the Iran nuclear deal.

Last week Russia said it was demanding guarantees that the Western sanctions imposed on its economy following its invasion of Ukraine would not affect its trade with Iran.

As with the original JCPOA in 2015, Moscow had been expected to play a role in the implementation of any fresh deal, for example by receiving shipments of enriched uranium from Iran.

After he withdrew from the JCPOA, Trump went on to reimpose swingeing sanctions on the Iranian economy, including on its vital oil sector.

One EU source close to the talks told AFP that Russia had at first made “reasonable” requests related to its civilian nuclear activities in Iran, but that they were then broadened “outside the scope of the JCPOA”.

Won’t give up n-programme: Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said the Islamic republic will not give up on its regional presence and peaceful nuclear programme, the two factors that contribute to national power.

Addressing a meeting with the members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, Khamenei said regional presence increases the country’s strategic depth and national power while scientific nuclear progress is tied to the country’s ability to meet its needs in the near future, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the leader’s office.

Thus, to be able to maintain the country’s independence in the future, none of those two must be forgone, said the top leader.

He stressed that acquiescing to the excessive demands of the US or any other country in the hope of not being sanctioned is a big mistake and a blow to the country’s political power.

He said there is nothing more naive and amateurish than the proposal to reduce the country’s defence capabilities.

He noted that the enemies have placed on their agenda targeting Iran’s elites and intellectuals in order to deceive the people through them, adding that the world’s arrogant powers have waged the biggest soft war against the nation.

Recently, a top Iranian security official slammed the US approach to the talks in Vienna on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal, saying Washington is not willing to reach a “strong deal” that would satisfy both sides.

“The US approach to Iran’s principled demands, coupled with its unreasonable offers and unjustified pressure to hastily reach an agreement, show that the US is not interested in a strong deal that would satisfy both parties,” Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani tweeted, Xinhua news agency reported.

He stressed that in the absence of a political decision by the US, the negotiations in the Austrian capital get more complicated every hour.

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and re-imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining parties to the JCPOA, namely Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany, with the US indirectly involved in the talks, in a bid to revive the landmark deal.

ALSO READ-Biden hails Turkey’s effort to mediate in Ukraine crisis

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Iran vows not to compromise over redlines in Vienna nuke talks: FM

Iran's Foreign Minister

Iran will not compromise on its red lines in the Vienna talks aimed at resolving the issues over the removal of US anti-Iran sanctions and revival of the 2015 nuclear deal, said Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian…reports Asian Lite News

During a phone conversation with the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell on Saturday, Abdollahian stressed that Iran’s definite choice in the nuclear talks is “not to cross its redlines,” Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

Praising Borrell’s efforts in the matter, the Iranian Foreign Minister reiterated his country’s resolve for a good agreement within the framework of its national interests, with the P4+1 group, including Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, saying it needs the other side’s political decisions to make a deal possible.

The remaining issues can be resolved and a final agreement can be reached “if a realistic approach is taken by the West,” he said.

For his part, Borrell acknowledged efforts by all parties to the negotiations, stressing that the Vienna talks have reached a critical stage and require serious decisions by all sides, Xinhua news agency reported.

ALSO READ: Iran’s Chief negotiator to return to Vienna to maintain nuke talks: Report

Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers in July 2015. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments in 2019 and advance its halted nuclear programs.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the US indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal.

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Putin places nuclear “deterrent” forces on special alert

Putin earlier on Sunday praised his special forces for “heroically carrying out their military duties” in a new televised address, Daily Mail reported…reports Asian Lite News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed the country’s nuclear deterrent forces on a “special” alert on Sunday, RT reported.

The move was announced during Putin’s meeting with Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.

“Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I’m speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well,” Putin stated.

The move comes in response to “hostile” rhetoric by top NATO officials, he said, RT reported.

Putin earlier on Sunday praised his special forces for “heroically carrying out their military duties” in a new televised address, Daily Mail reported.

Putin gave his “special gratitude” for troops involved in the “special operation to provide assistance to the people’s republics of Donbas” – a reference to the Kremlin’s propaganda line that it intervened in Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists who were at risk of ‘genocide’ at the hands of the legitimate government, the report said.

Putin spoke to mark the annual day of Special Operations Forces (SOF), as his huge forces appeared to be stepping up their battle to crush Ukrainian resistance amid mounting Russian losses.

Russian forces on Sunday entered Ukraine’s second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv – as Ukraine’s president today said his country were ready for peace talks.

ALSO READ-OPERATION GANGA: India continues Ukraine evacuation mission

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Vienna talks: Iran says deal ‘closer than ever’

Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said Wednesday that Iran and relevant countries are “closer than ever” to reaching an agreement to revive the 2015 nuclear deal at the ongoing Vienna talks…reports Asian Lite News

“After weeks of intensive talks, we are closer than ever to an agreement,” Bagheri Kani tweeted on Wednesday night. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, though.”

The negotiation is underway in the Austrian capital with diplomats from China, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, the five other signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The deal is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The United States is participating indirectly in the talks because it withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 when former President Donald Trump was in office.

ALSO READ: Success of Vienna nuclear talks depends on US

Since April 2021, the negotiating parties have held eight rounds of talks in Vienna to revive the accord. The parties have been reportedly working to resolve disagreement on thorny matters including sanction relief and economic guarantee.

“Our negotiating partners need to be realistic, avoid intransigence and heed lessons of past decisions,” Bagheri Kani said on Twitter, calling for “serious decisions” of the negotiating parties.

‘No talks with West beyond JCPOA’

A top Iranian security official has said that Tehran will hold no talks beyond the scopes of a 2015 nuclear deal with the “oath-breaker” US and “idle” Europe.

Ali Shamkhani


Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani tweeted that the United States and Europe have “failed the test” of fulfilling their commitments under the nuclear pact, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Xinhua news agency reported.

He also noted that at present, the JCPOA has turned into an “empty shell” for Iran, failing to produce any economic dividend or lift the sanctions.

His tweet read “No negotiations beyond the JCPOA will be held with the oath-breaker United States and idle Europe.”

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015. However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programmes.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in Austria’s capital Vienna between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely the UK, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the US indirectly involved in the talks, to revive the landmark deal.

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Success of Vienna nuclear talks depends on US

Success of nuclear talks depends on US

A top Iranian security official said that the success of the Vienna talks on the restoration of a 2015 nuclear deal depends on the US’ political determination…reports Asian Lite News

Nuclear negotiations in Vienna have reached a stage where “the outcome can be announced without guesswork”, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said in a tweet on Monday.

The US political decision on whether to accept the requirements conducive to the conclusion of “a credible and lasting deal” based on the principles in the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Xinhua news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015.

ALSO READ: Russia, Iran FMs discuss JCPOA revival as negotiations resume in Vienna

However, former US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments one year later and advance its halted nuclear programmes.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining JCPOA parties, namely Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany, to revive the landmark deal.

The US, which has been indirectly involved in the Vienna negotiations, has said it has until the end of February to resuscitate the nuclear pact, or Washington will launch “aggressive efforts” against Iran.