Tehran Urges Moscow to Accelerate Efforts to Reduce Impact of Dollar

Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani meets with Russia's Presidential Aide Igor Levitin in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2023. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani meets with Russia's Presidential Aide Igor Levitin in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2023. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
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Tehran Urges Moscow to Accelerate Efforts to Reduce Impact of Dollar

Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani meets with Russia's Presidential Aide Igor Levitin in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2023. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani meets with Russia's Presidential Aide Igor Levitin in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2023. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani urged Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special assistant, Igor Levitin, to speed up the path of reducing the influence of the dollar in economic exchanges.

During a meeting with Levitin in Tehran, Shamkhani stated that “the path towards reducing the influence of the dollar in regional and international economic transactions, which has been joined by many countries, will lead to undermining the West's domination over the global economy to the lowest possible level.”

According to the official news agency IRNA, Shamkhani mentioned finalized initiatives between Russia and Iran regarding financial and banking exchanges with the aim of funding joint projects.

He described this as “an effective model in thwarting the West's illegal sanctions on both countries.”

The officials also discussed the application of agreements in various economic and banking fields, including the implementation of the North-South Transport Corridor project.

They also agreed on Russian investment in the remaining part of the road in northern Iran.

Shamkhani expressed Iran's satisfaction with the growing economic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow. He emphasized the need to activate mechanisms to accelerate the pace of implementing economic projects between the two countries.

During Levitin's visit to Iran last January, the two countries agreed that the remaining part of the North-South strategic corridor, in Iran’s northern Rasht-Astara route, will be built with the direct investment of Russia.

The North-South Transport Corridor is a network for moving freight between Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and other countries in Asia and Europe.

In his meeting with Shamkhani, Levitin presented a report on the latest developments related to commercial, banking, and joint economic projects.

“Moscow is ready to implement joint plans and projects as soon as possible, especially in the field of transit and investments in various economic sectors in Iran, including steel, oil, and petrochemicals,” said Levitin.



At UN, Panama Reminds Trump He Should Not Be Threatening Force 

Liberian flagged Hallasan Explorer LPG tanker navigates at the Panama Canal, in Panama on January 20, 2025. (AFP)
Liberian flagged Hallasan Explorer LPG tanker navigates at the Panama Canal, in Panama on January 20, 2025. (AFP)
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At UN, Panama Reminds Trump He Should Not Be Threatening Force 

Liberian flagged Hallasan Explorer LPG tanker navigates at the Panama Canal, in Panama on January 20, 2025. (AFP)
Liberian flagged Hallasan Explorer LPG tanker navigates at the Panama Canal, in Panama on January 20, 2025. (AFP)

Panama has alerted the United Nations - in a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday - to US President Donald Trump's remarks during his inauguration speech, when he vowed that the United States would take back the Panama Canal.

Panama's UN Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba noted that under the founding UN Charter, countries "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state".

The letter was addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and circulated to the 15-member Security Council. Panama is a member of the council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, for 2025-26.

Doubling down on his pre-inauguration threat to reimpose US control over the canal, Trump on Monday accused Panama of breaking the promises it made for the final transfer of the strategic waterway in 1999 and of ceding its operation to China - claims that the Panamanian government has strongly denied.

"We didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back," Trump said just minutes after being sworn in for a second four-year term.

Alfaro de Alba shared Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino's rejection of Trump's remarks.

"Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal," Mulino said.

The United States largely built the canal and administered territory surrounding the passage for decades. But the United States and Panama signed a pair of accords in 1977 that paved the way for the canal's return to full Panamanian control. The United States handed it over in 1999 after a period of joint administration.