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Russia Expresses Concern Over the Spread of Iran War to the Caspian

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadii following their talks in Moscow, Russia, 16 March 2026. (EPA/Tatyana Makeyeva / Pool)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadii following their talks in Moscow, Russia, 16 March 2026. (EPA/Tatyana Makeyeva / Pool)
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Russia Expresses Concern Over the Spread of Iran War to the Caspian

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadii following their talks in Moscow, Russia, 16 March 2026. (EPA/Tatyana Makeyeva / Pool)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadii following their talks in Moscow, Russia, 16 March 2026. (EPA/Tatyana Makeyeva / Pool)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Monday and expressed concern ‌over ‌the spread ‌of ⁠the Iran war to the ⁠Caspian Sea.

"Mutual concern was expressed about the dangerous ⁠spread of the ‌conflict ‌provoked by ‌Washington and ‌Tel Aviv to the Caspian Sea area," Russia's ‌foreign ministry said.

Lavrov also said that ⁠attacks ⁠on Iran's nuclear infrastructure including Bushehr posed "unacceptable risks to the safety of Russian personnel and are fraught with catastrophic environmental consequences".

Araghchi and Lavrov held their call after US President Donald Trump revealed Washington and Tehran had held "very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities."

Lavrov called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities and a political settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of all parties involved, above all Iran," the Russian foreign ministry said in a readout of the call, which it said was initiated by Tehran.

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World

Pope’s Plane in Spain Delayed by Technical Glitch

Pope Leo XIV (L) and King Felipe VI disembark from the plane that was supposed to take the pontiff back to Rome after his seven-day trip to Spain, due to technical problems preventing its takeoff from Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, 12 June 2026. (EPA)
Pope Leo XIV (L) and King Felipe VI disembark from the plane that was supposed to take the pontiff back to Rome after his seven-day trip to Spain, due to technical problems preventing its takeoff from Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, 12 June 2026. (EPA)
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Pope’s Plane in Spain Delayed by Technical Glitch

Pope Leo XIV (L) and King Felipe VI disembark from the plane that was supposed to take the pontiff back to Rome after his seven-day trip to Spain, due to technical problems preventing its takeoff from Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, 12 June 2026. (EPA)
Pope Leo XIV (L) and King Felipe VI disembark from the plane that was supposed to take the pontiff back to Rome after his seven-day trip to Spain, due to technical problems preventing its takeoff from Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, 12 June 2026. (EPA)

Pope Leo XIV's departure from Tenerife at the end of a week-long visit to Spain was delayed Friday by a technical problem with the plane which led him to disembark, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

Spain's King Felipe VI, who had just said goodbye to the pontiff on the runway, boarded the Iberia airline plane and both disembarked and returned to the terminal.

About 80 journalists remained on the jet, along with Vatican officials and members of the clergy.

"The departure of the papal flight has been delayed by half an hour due to a technical problem with the aircraft," the communications service for the papal trip in Spain said in a brief statement at 1545 GMT.

The pilot initially told passengers there was a technical fault but later specified a "startup failure of the engine", which he said was likely caused by wind conditions.

"Our maintenance team suggests towing the aircraft, positioning it into the wind, and attempting a new engine start," the pilot told those on board.

"We will try this. If it is successful, we can depart."

Pope Leo XIV had been due to return to Rome after a seven-day trip to Spain.

He arrived on Friday in Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands from the nearby island of Gran Canaria, where he had been since Thursday.

World

UK PM Starmer Says He Has Not Lost Authority, Will Fight to Stay in Job

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during the Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, June 10, 2026. (House of Commons/Handout via Reuters)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during the Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, June 10, 2026. (House of Commons/Handout via Reuters)
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UK PM Starmer Says He Has Not Lost Authority, Will Fight to Stay in Job

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during the Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, June 10, 2026. (House of Commons/Handout via Reuters)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during the Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, June 10, 2026. (House of Commons/Handout via Reuters)

British Prime ‌Minister Keir Starmer on Friday rejected the idea that he had lost authority in his role, and said he would fight to keep his job, adding that anyone who wanted to replace him would have to deal with the same financial constraints.

The comments come a day after defense minister John Healey delivered a fresh blow to the prime minister's already weakened leadership ‌by quitting ‌and accusing Starmer of being ‌unable ⁠to commit the resources ⁠needed to keep the country safe, in a dig at the authority the PM has over his ministers.

"I'm not going to walk away," Starmer told the BBC, making his first public comments since Healey's shock resignation.

With rivals ⁠expected to launch a contest ‌to replace him ‌in the coming weeks or months, Starmer said he would ‌fight any challenge to his role.

"Let me ‌just be clear with you, that's not about personal vanity, it's not about stubbornness, it's out of a very deep sense of duty. I was ‌elected to serve this country, notwithstanding the difficult circumstances. That is what I ⁠am doing," ⁠he said.

Starmer rejected Healey's criticism, saying defense and security were his top priorities and would remain so every time the government had to make spending decisions in the future.

He said he had already made "hard-edged" choices to cut other departments' budgets in order to put more money towards defense investment.

"Whoever is prime minister is going to face the same prevailing winds as I am facing. None of that is going to change," Starmer said.

World

US-Iran Deal 'Never Been Closer', Says Iranian FM

27 April 2026, Russia, Saint Petersburg: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a meeting in Saint Petersburg. (Kremlin/dpa)
27 April 2026, Russia, Saint Petersburg: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a meeting in Saint Petersburg. (Kremlin/dpa)
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US-Iran Deal 'Never Been Closer', Says Iranian FM

27 April 2026, Russia, Saint Petersburg: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a meeting in Saint Petersburg. (Kremlin/dpa)
27 April 2026, Russia, Saint Petersburg: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a meeting in Saint Petersburg. (Kremlin/dpa)

The United States and Iran have "never been closer" to a deal on ending the war in the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday.

"The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer," Araghchi wrote on X, referring to the Pakistani capital which hosted previous US-Iran talks.

"Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content," he added, after purported details of the accord were published by Iranian media.

"In line with our responsible and transparent approach, all details will be shared with the public in due course," Araghchi added.

Expectations have grown in recent days that the two sides are on the verge of an accord, even if tensions and sticking points remain.

US President Donald Trump had earlier lashed out at the leaks in Iranian media, saying on Truth Social "they have NOTHING to do with the terms that were agreed to, in writing".