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.



Indonesia Flood Death Toll Passes 1,000

The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra. (AFP)
The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra. (AFP)
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Indonesia Flood Death Toll Passes 1,000

The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra. (AFP)
The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra. (AFP)

Devastating floods and landslides have killed 1,003 people in Indonesia, rescuers said Saturday as the Southeast Asian nation grapples with relief efforts.

The disaster, which has hit the northwestern island of Sumatra over the past fortnight, has also injured more than 5,400, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in its latest toll.

The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra, where a tsunami wreaked havoc in 2004 in Aceh province, which lies at the northern tip of the island.

The final toll is expected to rise, with the disaster agency reporting 218 people are still missing.

With vast tracts of territory hit, 1.2 million residents have been forced to take refuge in temporary shelters.

Frustration has grown among flood victims, who have complained about the pace of relief efforts.

President Prabowo Subianto said Saturday the situation has improved, with several areas which had been cut off now accessible.

"Here and there, due to natural and physical conditions, there have been slight delays, but I checked all the evacuation sites: their conditions are good, services for them are adequate, and food supplies are sufficient," Prabowo said after visiting Langkat in North Sumatra province.

Costs to rebuild after the disaster could reach 51.82 trillion rupiah ($3.1 billion) and the Indonesian government has so far shrugged off suggestions that it call for international assistance.


Moscow, Tehran ‘Working Closely’ on Nuclear Program

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Peace Summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (Tasnim). 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Peace Summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (Tasnim). 
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Moscow, Tehran ‘Working Closely’ on Nuclear Program

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Peace Summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (Tasnim). 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Peace Summit in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (Tasnim). 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that relations between Moscow and Tehran are “developing very positively,” stressing that the two countries are working in close coordination at the United Nations on Iran’s nuclear program.

He made the remarks during talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the International Peace and Trust Summit in Ashgabat.

According to Russian media, Putin said Russia is cooperating with Iran at the Bushehr nuclear power plant and on major infrastructure projects, including the North–South Transport Corridor.

He added that the two sides are also exploring cooperation in the gas and electricity sectors.

Pezeshkian, quoted by Iranian and Russian media, reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Moscow.

He said Iran is “determined to activate the agreement” and expects Russia to accelerate implementation of joint understandings, particularly in energy, transport and strategic transit corridors.

The Iranian president said Iran would complete its share of the groundwork for the North–South Corridor by the end of the year, noting growing economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

He also called for strengthening multilateral partnerships within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS to counter what he described as “unilateralism.”

Russia and Iran aim to expand economic ties through projects such as the International North–South Transport Corridor, a multimodal route linking northern and southern Asia via sea, rail and road networks.

The corridor is intended to speed up cargo transport between Russia and India through Iran and other countries while reducing costs compared with traditional routes. The project is seen as part of Moscow’s efforts to deepen trade links with Central Asia and Europe and to lessen reliance on longer maritime routes.

Putin said bilateral trade between Russia and Iran increased by 13 percent last year and by 8 percent in the first nine months of the current year, underscoring continued cooperation in energy and infrastructure. He added that coordination between Moscow and Tehran on international issues remains “close and ongoing.”

On the sidelines of the summit, Pezeshkian also met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with both sides agreeing on the need to accelerate implementation of bilateral agreements and enhance cooperation in transport, transit, energy and border infrastructure, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

 

 

 


US Says Mexico Agrees to Water Treaty Obligations

FILE PHOTO: The sun sets over the Rio Grande River in Salineno, Texas, US, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The sun sets over the Rio Grande River in Salineno, Texas, US, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo
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US Says Mexico Agrees to Water Treaty Obligations

FILE PHOTO: The sun sets over the Rio Grande River in Salineno, Texas, US, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The sun sets over the Rio Grande River in Salineno, Texas, US, February 18, 2025. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo

The United States and Mexico reached an agreement on water-sharing on Friday, after President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions.

Trump said Mexico owed 800,000 acre-feet of water to the US and demanded it release a quarter of this amount by December 31 or be hit with a new five percent tariff, AFP said.

The Republican leader accused Mexico of violating a 1944 treaty under which the US shares water from the Colorado River in exchange for flows from the Rio Grande, which forms part of the border between the two countries.

"The United States and Mexico reached an understanding to meet the current water obligations of American farmers and ranchers," the US Department of Agriculture agency said in a statement.

It said the agreement includes both the current water cycle and the deficit from the previous cycle.

The two countries are expected to finalize the plan at the end of January.

The agreement as it stands would have Mexico releasing 202,000 acre-feet of water starting next week.

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement on Friday that Mexico "has delivered more water in the last year than in the previous four years combined," but fallen short of their obligations.

"Farmers across South Texas have been reeling from the uncertainty caused by the lack of water. Now they can expect the resources promised to them," Rollins added.

Rollins echoed Trump's threat saying that if "Mexico continues to violate its commitments, the United States reserves the right and will impose five percent tariffs on Mexican products."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has not commented on the agreement, but on Tuesday expressed confidence in reaching a solution.

At the time, she also cautioned it would be physically impossible to meet the December 31 deadline because of limitations on the pumping equipment, but said: "We have the best will to deliver the amount of water that is owed."

Mexico acknowledged that it has been behind in its water deliveries to the US over the past five years, citing drought in 2022 and 2023.

Trump had previously threatened Mexico in April with economic repercussions over the water dispute, prompting Mexico at the time to immediately send water.

Mexican goods currently face a 25 percent tariff unless they fall under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a free trade deal struck during Trump's first term and which Washington is aiming to renegotiate in 2026.