Kremlin Says Russia and Iran Continuing Work on Cooperation Pact, Schedule May Shift 

The Iranian flag is pictured in front of Iran's Foreign Ministry building in Tehran November 23, 2009. (Reuters)
The Iranian flag is pictured in front of Iran's Foreign Ministry building in Tehran November 23, 2009. (Reuters)
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Kremlin Says Russia and Iran Continuing Work on Cooperation Pact, Schedule May Shift 

The Iranian flag is pictured in front of Iran's Foreign Ministry building in Tehran November 23, 2009. (Reuters)
The Iranian flag is pictured in front of Iran's Foreign Ministry building in Tehran November 23, 2009. (Reuters)

Moscow and Tehran are continuing their work on a comprehensive bilateral cooperation agreement, although the schedule of specific events may shift, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, adding Russia intended to develop ties with Iran. 

Earlier Russia's RIA state news agency reported that the agreement had been temporarily suspended due to problems faced by Iranian partners, however Iran's ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said this was not the case, according to a statement carried by Iran's official news agency IRNA.  

Since the state of the war in Ukraine, Russia has moved to strengthen its political, trade and military ties with Iran in a deepening relationship that the United States and Israel view with concern. 

Moscow and Tehran are pushing against what they see as damaging US foreign policy and want to establish what they say would be a fairer multipolar world order. 

Work on a new major agreement between Moscow and Tehran was announced in September 2022 during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and late President Ebrahim Raisi. 

Raisi, a hardliner seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed when his helicopter crashed in May. 

In January, Russia's Foreign Ministry had said a new interstate treaty reflecting the "unprecedented upswing" in Russia-Iran ties was in the final stages of being agreed, and Putin and Raisi were expected to sign it soon.  



US Treasury's Bessent Urges IMF, World Bank to Refocus on Core Missions

 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
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US Treasury's Bessent Urges IMF, World Bank to Refocus on Core Missions

 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to the Institute of International Finance Global Outlook Forum at the Willard Hotel in Washington. (AP)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday called on the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to refocus on their core missions of macroeconomic stability and development, arguing that they have strayed too far into vanity projects such as climate change that have reduced their effectiveness.

Bessent, in remarks outlining his vision for US engagement with the IMF and World Bank on the sidelines of the institutions' spring meetings, said that they serve critical roles in the international financial system.

"And the Trump administration is eager to work with them - so long as they can stay true to their missions," Bessent said in prepared remarks to the Institute of International Finance.

"The IMF and World Bank have enduring value. But mission creep has knocked these institutions off course. We must enact key reforms to ensure the Bretton Woods institutions are serving their stakeholders - not the other way around," he said, calling on US allies to join the effort. "America First does not mean America alone."

Bessent said the IMF needed to focus on its key mandate and adhere to strong standards in its lending.

"The IMF was once unwavering in its mission of promoting global monetary cooperation and financial stability. Now it devotes disproportionate time and resources to work on climate change, gender, and social issues. These issues are not the IMF's mission."

"And sometimes, the IMF needs to say 'No.' The organization has no obligation to lend to countries that fail to implement reforms."

Bessent added that the World Bank must be "tech-neutral and prioritize affordability in energy investment. In most cases, this means investing in gas and other fossil fuel-based energy production."

He added that it could also finance renewable energy projects along with systems to manage energy latency in wind and solar.