Iranian Advisor: Ukraine War Will Eventually Push US to Agree to an Agreement

EU coordinator Director Enrique Mora (Asharq Al-Awsat)
EU coordinator Director Enrique Mora (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Iranian Advisor: Ukraine War Will Eventually Push US to Agree to an Agreement

EU coordinator Director Enrique Mora (Asharq Al-Awsat)
EU coordinator Director Enrique Mora (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The growing problems of the Ukraine war will eventually push the US to agree to an agreement with Iran, announced a senior Iranian expert.

The political advisor of the Iranian negotiating team, Mohammad Marandi, told the official news agency IRNA that the failure to reach an agreement was due to US internal problems.

Marandi reiterated Iran's determination to reach a good and lasting agreement.

"According to the Americans, Iran has been able to gain significant concessions in Vienna, so during the talks, some members of the American delegation resigned and left the team in protest," Marandi said.

The expert referred to the "negative reactions" in Congress after the statement of the US envoy to Iran, Rob Malley.

Marandi was among the new members that joined the nuclear negotiating team after the hard-liner, Ali Bagheri Kani, took over the team's presidency instead of the former deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi.

He reported that things were moving fast during the last days of the negotiations, but the US team stopped working at once on various issues, including verification, lifting of sanctions, guarantees, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Experts say that the current team did not discuss beyond the issues stipulated in the 2015 Vienna agreement regarding Iranian nuclear steps, but the government insists on removing the IRGC from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).

Tehran's demands to ease pressure on the IRGC came while the government refused to discuss its ballistic missile program or regional activities in the nuclear negotiations.

Marandi said that "there is no problem in European capitals and all other parties have no problem finalizing the deal, but "it remains to be seen what Biden will do to go on."

Marandi stressed Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian's discussions with the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who is represented by EU coordinator Enrique Mora in the Vienna talks.

A statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the phone call between the officials dealt with the nuclear negotiations.

Abdollahian said the consultations would continue to lift the sanctions, adding that there is no doubt about the determination of the Iranian government to reach a "good, strong and lasting agreement."

He added that the White House must put aside excessive demands and hesitation and take a step towards realism and propose solutions.

The EU foreign policy chief said the prolongation of the break in the talks is not constructive and suggested that talks between the EU envoy and Iran's chief negotiator be resumed closely.

Borrell also referred to the war in Ukraine, describing it as a global crisis that could have negative consequences.

The European official said, "We believe that Iran wants an agreement and that there have been various initiatives which still exist and continue."

Earlier, IRGC commander Ali Reza Tangsiri said that Iran would not abandon plans to avenge the 2020 US killing of al-Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, despite "regular offers" from Washington to lift sanctions and provide other concessions in return.

A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that if Iran wanted sanctions relief beyond the 2015 nuclear deal, it must address US concerns beyond the pact.

"If Iran wants sanctions lifting that goes beyond the JCPOA, they will need to address concerns of ours beyond the JCPOA," the US spokesperson said, referring to the deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Conversely, if they do not want to use these talks to resolve other bilateral issues beyond the JCPOA, then we are confident that we can very quickly reach an understanding of the JCPOA and begin reimplementing the deal."

"Iran needs to make a decision," the spokesperson added.



Thousands Stage Pro-Gaza Rally in Istanbul

Demonstrators gather on the Galata Bridge holding Palestinian and Turkish flags during a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Demonstrators gather on the Galata Bridge holding Palestinian and Turkish flags during a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
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Thousands Stage Pro-Gaza Rally in Istanbul

Demonstrators gather on the Galata Bridge holding Palestinian and Turkish flags during a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Demonstrators gather on the Galata Bridge holding Palestinian and Turkish flags during a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul, Türkiye, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Thousands joined a New Year's Day rally for Gaza in Istanbul Thursday, waving Palestinian and Turkish flags and calling for an end to the violence in the tiny war-torn territory.

Demonstrators gathered in freezing temperatures under cloudless blue skies to march to the city's Galata Bridge for a rally under the slogan: "We won't remain silent, we won't forget Palestine," an AFP reporter at the scene said.

More than 400 civil society organizations were present at the rally, one of whose organizers was Bilal Erdogan, the youngest son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Police sources and Anadolou state news agency said some 500,000 people had joined the march at which there were speeches and a performance by Lebanese-born singer Maher Zain of his song "Free Palestine".

"We are praying that 2026 will bring goodness for our entire nation and for the oppressed Palestinians," said Erdogan, who chairs the board of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, an educational charity that was one of the organizers of the march.

Türkiye has been one of the most vocal critics of the war in Gaza and helped broker a recent ceasefire that halted the deadly war waged by Israel in response to Hamas' unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023.

But the fragile October 10 ceasefire has not stopped the violence with more than more than 400 Palestinians killed since it took hold.


Ukraine Says Overnight Russian Drone Attack Damaged Power Infrastructure

In this handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Emergency Service and released on January 1, 2025, Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at the site following an air attack in Odesa region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Emergency Service and released on January 1, 2025, Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at the site following an air attack in Odesa region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP)
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Ukraine Says Overnight Russian Drone Attack Damaged Power Infrastructure

In this handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Emergency Service and released on January 1, 2025, Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at the site following an air attack in Odesa region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP)
In this handout photograph taken by the Ukrainian Emergency Service and released on January 1, 2025, Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire at the site following an air attack in Odesa region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE / AFP)

A Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions overnight, Ukraine's energy ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said a "significant number" of households in the ⁠Volyn and Odesa regions - in northwestern and southwestern Ukraine, respectively - were disconnected from power supplies by the ⁠strike, as well as some in the Chernihiv region north of the capital Kyiv.

The governor of Volyn said more than 103,000 households in that region had ⁠lost power as a result of the attack. Volyn region is several hundred kilometers from the front line and borders NATO member Poland.

Meanwhile, the Ilskiy oil refinery in Russia's southern Krasnodar region was hit by debris from a Ukrainian drone, causing a fire which ⁠had been put out overnight, local authorities said on Thursday.

Ukrainian drones also struck an energy storage facility in the Russian city of Almetyevsk, causing a fire that has since ⁠been extinguished, Russian media cited the press service of the local governor as saying.

Almetyevsk ⁠is located around 1,700 km from Ukrainian-held territory, in the oil-rich Volga river region of Tatarstan.

Kyiv has since August stepped ⁠up drone attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure in an effort to squeeze Moscow's ability to finance its military campaign in Ukraine.

The Russian-installed governor of Ukraine's southern Kherson region accused Ukraine on Thursday of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe where New Year celebrations were being held.

The governor, Vladimir Saldo, made the allegation in a statement on the Telegram messaging service. A local pro-Russian news outlet published pictures of a badly damaged building, where it said the strike took place.

Ukraine's military did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Reuters was not able to ⁠immediately verify the images or the allegation.


‘Several Tens’ Dead, About 100 Injured in Fire at Swiss Alps Resort During New Year’s Celebration

 Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)
Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)
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‘Several Tens’ Dead, About 100 Injured in Fire at Swiss Alps Resort During New Year’s Celebration

 Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)
Police officers inspect the area where a fire broke out at the Le Constellation bar and lounge leaving people dead and injured, during New Year’s celebration, in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (Alessandro della Valle/Keystone via AP)

“Several tens of people” are presumed dead and about 100 injured, most of them seriously, following a fire at a Swiss Alps resort town bar during a New Year’s celebration, police said Thursday.

Specific casualty figures were not immediately available from the fire at the bar called bar called Le Constellation.

Beatrice Pilloud, attorney general of the Valais Canton, said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire. Experts have not yet been able to go inside the wreckage.

Police said they could not immediately be more precise about how many people had been killed in the blaze.

The injured were so numerous that the intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital quickly hit full capacity, according to regional councilor Mathias Rénard.

Helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene to assist victims, including some from different countries, officials said.

“We are devastated,” Frédéric Gisler, commander of the Valais Cantonal police, said during a news conference.

The municipality had banned New Year’s Eve fireworks due to lack of rainfall in the past month, according to its website.

In a region busy with tourists skiing on the slopes, the authorities have called on the local population to show caution in the coming days to avoid any accidents that could require medical resources that are already overwhelmed.

The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of Zurich.

The highest point of Crans-Montana, with a population of 10,000 residents, sits at an elevation of nearly 3,000 meters (1.86 miles), according to the municipality’s website, which says officials are seeking to move away from a tourist culture and attract high-tech research and development.

The municipality was formed only nine years ago, on Jan. 1, 2017, when multiple towns merged. It extends over 590 hectares (2.3 square miles) from the Rhône Valley to the Plaine Morte glacier.