Khamenei Urges Belarusian President to Confront US Sanctions

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (AP)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (AP)
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Khamenei Urges Belarusian President to Confront US Sanctions

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (AP)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (AP)

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei urged Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to confront US sanctions, noting that countries subject to Western sanctions must counter the scheme through cooperation and by setting up a joint assembly.

The two countries signed a roadmap to boost political, economic, and cultural cooperation.

Lukashenko arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a two-day visit and was officially received by President Ebrahim Raisi on Monday. The visit comes as the two countries mark 30 years of official diplomatic relations.

Khamenei called for employing the two countries' will to implement cooperation agreements and promote their level of relations.

Raisi hailed three decades of close ties with Belarus after talks with his counterpart.

"Thirty years after the start of relations... the two countries have the will to strengthen cooperation," Raisi said, praising their "common strategic vision."

For his part, Lukashenko praised "with great respect the perseverance with which the (Iranian) people resist external pressures, attempts to impose the will of others on them."

"And I see that, despite everything, you are developing modern technologies and nuclear energy," he added about Iran's contested nuclear program, which has sparked tough international sanctions against the country.

"We could be very helpful to each other if we put our efforts together," added Lukashenko.

The two presidents did not mention the Ukraine war in their statements.

Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Tehran maintains close ties with Russia while at the same time asserting it maintains a neutral diplomatic stance in the Ukraine war.

However, Washington recently warned of the "dangerous" increase in military cooperation between Russia and Iran, accusing Tehran of providing Moscow with drones to use in Ukraine, which Tehran denies.

Iran recently announced that it finalized a contract with Russia to purchase Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets.

Lukashenko recently paid a three-day visit to China, during which he said he fully supports Beijing's proposals to stop the war.

Belarus, neighboring Ukraine, did not send soldiers to fight alongside the Russian army, but its territory served as a rear base for Moscow's troops.



Kremlin Says EU Not Ready to Mediate Ukraine Peace Deal

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 09 June 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA)
Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 09 June 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA)
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Kremlin Says EU Not Ready to Mediate Ukraine Peace Deal

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 09 June 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA)
Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, 09 June 2026, amid the ongoing Russian invasion. (EPA)

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that the European Union was likely far from ready to act as a mediator in any ‌Ukraine peace ‌process and ‌appeared ⁠to be more focused ⁠on continuing the war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comment to journalists when ⁠asked about ‌the ‌possibility of the ‌EU stepping in as ‌a mediator while US-led negotiations are on hold.

"First of ‌all, starting mediation efforts by putting ⁠forward certain ⁠conditions to Russia is likely illogical and wrong. And, of course, this is unacceptable to us," Peskov said.


Putin to Decide on Armenia’s Pashinyan Congratulations After Official Election Results, Kremlin Says

 Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026. (AFP)
Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Putin to Decide on Armenia’s Pashinyan Congratulations After Official Election Results, Kremlin Says

 Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026. (AFP)
Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026. (AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin will decide later whether to congratulate Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his election victory, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, underlining that Moscow is ‌waiting for ‌the formal outcome of ‌the ⁠vote before making ⁠any announcements.

Commenting on the parliamentary election, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated remarks made a day ⁠earlier that there had been ‌reports ‌of violations, while stopping ‌short of offering a ‌broader assessment of the vote or its legitimacy.

Armenia's governing Civil Contract ‌party won an election seen as a test ⁠of ⁠its handling of a peace deal with Azerbaijan and its growing turn to the West, despite what international election observers called blatant interference and pressure by Russia.


Hundreds Evacuated as Waves Batter New Zealand Capital

Stormy seas pound the coastline of Island Bay, a suburb of the New Zealand capital Wellington. Ben STRANG / AFP
Stormy seas pound the coastline of Island Bay, a suburb of the New Zealand capital Wellington. Ben STRANG / AFP
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Hundreds Evacuated as Waves Batter New Zealand Capital

Stormy seas pound the coastline of Island Bay, a suburb of the New Zealand capital Wellington. Ben STRANG / AFP
Stormy seas pound the coastline of Island Bay, a suburb of the New Zealand capital Wellington. Ben STRANG / AFP

Authorities evacuated hundreds of people from their seaside homes in New Zealand's capital on Tuesday as 11-meter (36-foot) waves lashed the coast.

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little declared a state of emergency on the eve of the swells for seaside residents in Owhiro Bay, Island Bay, Houghton Bay and Breaker Bay.

"You must stay away from the southern coastline," Little said in a statement, warning that emergency workers would not be coming to help anyone who stayed behind.

The evacuation order took effect on Tuesday morning, with police brought in to ensure people moved to higher ground, said AFP.

Officers set up cordons on surrounding roads to prevent people from heading to the coast.

The council said a similar event in 2021 affected many homes in Breaker Bay, and waves during that storm were about 6.5 meters.

Waves entering Wellington Harbour on Tuesday were measured at 11 meters, New Zealand's MetService said.

Wind gusts were so strong at Island Bay that two women were knocked off their feet as waves washed up over the road, an AFP journalist saw.

Some flights were cancelled at Wellington Airport where wind gusts were recorded of up to 128 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour).

A small plane from local carrier Golden Bay Air tipped onto its side in the wind while parked at the airport with no-one aboard.

Airline boss Richard Molloy told national broadcaster RNZ that fire fighters had secured the plane to the ground.