South Asia

Tehran, June 9 (IANS) Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Iran has prepared a set of measures in response to the potential adoption of an anti-Tehran resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA's) Board of Governors.

Baghaei made the remarks at a weekly press conference in Tehran while elaborating on Iran's likely reactions to the possible adoption of the resolution by the United Nations nuclear watchdog during its ongoing meeting in Vienna later in the day.

"No doubt, the response to confrontation will not be further cooperation. The Islamic Republic of Iran has prepared a set of steps and measures, and the other sides are aware of our capacities and capabilities in this area," Baghaei said.

Baghaei emphasized that from the outset, Iran's approach has been based on engagement and cooperation with the IAEA in accordance with the country's obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement."

He said Iran had implemented important measures in line with promoting cooperation with the IAEA, but the agency, "under the pressure and political influence" of France, Britain and Germany, as well as the United States, decided to compile a "comprehensive" report about Tehran's nuclear activities, "which was later abused by the Europeans for proposing the draft resolution to pursue their desired plans."

Baghaei reiterated that Iran's nuclear program was completely peaceful, Xinhua news agency reported. "Even if we consider the IAEA's recent report, it does not mention any non-compliance or deviation from the peaceful path," although it was clearly compiled with political objectives and aiming to make up excuses about Tehran's nuclear programme, Baghaei said.

If adopted, the resolution will prepare the ground for the European powers to trigger the snapback mechanism, a clause in a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers that would allow the other parties to reimpose all international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement.

Baghaei shrugged off the Europeans' threat to trigger the snapback mechanism, saying that given the entirely "peaceful nature" of Iran's nuclear program, there was no pretext or legal basis for the country's nuclear issue to remain on the agenda of the UN Security Council.

He added that the three European countries and the United States would be responsible for the consequences of their confrontational measures.

In its report, the IAEA claimed that Tehran had failed to provide credible explanations for the uranium traces found at three undeclared locations and accused the country of providing "less than satisfactory" cooperation.

Speaking in an interview with state-run IRIB TV on Sunday night, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, said the IAEA should certainly not expect Iran to continue its "broad and friendly" cooperation in case of adopting the anti-Tehran resolution at its board meeting, warning of the country's retaliatory measures in response.

--IANS

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New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) David Lammy, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, conveying the UK's strong interest in further enhancing cooperation across key sectors and also expressing support for India's fight against cross border terrorism while strongly condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

"Pleased to meet UK Foreign Secretary Mr. David Lammy. Appreciate his substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA. Value UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism," PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.

During the meeting, PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the successful conclusion of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and Double Contribution Convention and appreciated the constructive engagement by both sides that led to this milestone.

PM Modi also welcomed the growing momentum in bilateral ties and expressed satisfaction at the deepening of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He welcomed the continued collaboration under the Technology Security Initiative and noted its potential to shape trusted and secure innovation ecosystems.

"FS David Lammy conveyed UK's strong interest in further enhancing cooperation across key sectors including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, innovation, and clean energy. He expressed confidence that the FTA will unlock new economic opportunities for both countries," read a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues.

"UK Foreign Secretary strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India's fight against cross border terrorism. PM Modi underscored the need for a decisive international action against terrorism and those who support it," the statement added.

The Prime Minister also conveyed his warm greetings to the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and reiterated the invitation for his visit to India at the earliest mutual convenience.

"Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your warm welcome to India. Building on the Free Trade Agreement between our great countries, we will continue working together to deepen our partnership, celebrate our unique living bridge, and deliver growth and security," Lammy posted on X.

--IANS

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Washington, June 4 (IANS) The team of Indian parliamentarians, headed by Congress Party leader Shashi Tharoor, began on Wednesday two days of grueling campaign in the US capital to convey India’s message of zero tolerance for terrorism and explain how it was forced to respondwith Operation Sindoor to terrorism sponsored from across the border in Pakistan.

The delegation that arrived here from Brasilia on Tuesday afternoon has a very demanding schedule that includes meetings with government officials, members of Congress, think tanks, media, opinion-makers, and members of the Indian American community.

Looking ahead at the visit, Tharoor told IANS in Brasilia: "We’re looking for solidarity in our struggle against terrorism”.

"Washington is a particularly interesting case because it is a large country, a superpower with enormous influence in the world, and there are many crosscurrents of information, misinformation, and other narratives circulating. So, we have quite a lot of work to do there," he said.

Reflecting India’s united stand against terrorism, the team represents its political and geographic diversity and is led by Tharoor from the opposition Congress.

The other members of the team are Shambhavi of the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, Sarfaraz Ahmad of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, and Milind Murli Deora of the Shiv Sena as welll as Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Tejasvi Surya of the BJP, and GM Harish Balayogi of the Telugu Desam Party, a National Democratic Alliance partner.

Former Indian Ambassador to the US Tarajnit Singh Sandhu is also with the team to capitalise on his knowledge of and network in the US capital.

While the Tharoor-led delegation is here, a Pakistani team led by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also be in town pushing Islamabad’s message.

"In Washington, we'll have the interesting phenomenon of the Pakistani delegation in America," Tharoor noted in Brasilia in a talk with reporters.

"So there's going to be some perhaps, increase in interest because of the fact that our two duelling delegations, as it were," he added.

A highlight of the Indian delegation’s visit here is a news conference at the National Press Club.

Tharoor will be staying on after most members of his team return to India for a series of interviews with major US media and podcasters on Friday.

Two evening events are planned at the Embassy, one for Indian Americans and another for other influential opinion-makers and influencers.

In the US Congress, the delegation is expected to meet with committees dealing with foreign and strategic affairs.

Team Tharoor has visited New York, Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil, where they met government leaders, lawmakers, and the media to present India’s view of the terrorism crisis following the massacre of 26 people at Pahalgam by The Resistance Front, an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

"For us, in these countries, understanding our position and leaving with a sense of solidarity was important — and that we have done," Tharoor told IANS.

The delegation came to Washington from Brasilia on a roundabout route that took them to Sao Paulo in Brazil and Panama.

On arrival, they were met by India’s Ambassador Vinay Kwatra and his team of diplomats, who later gave them a detailed briefing.

Noting the ubiquitous presence of diaspora across the US spectrum, Tharoor posted on X that he was "pleased to be greeted at the airport by two Indian-American cops, Officers Harmanpreet Singh and Hundal".

--IANS

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Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) Bangladesh's radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to have its party registration restored, including its traditional electoral symbol of scales (Daripalla), a member of the Election Commission (EC) confirmed on Wednesday.

The decision follows a recent verdict of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh ordering the reinstatement of Jamaat's registration, overturning a previous High Court judgment that had declared the party's registration illegal.

"Jamaat-e-Islami will soon get back its registration. We are taking necessary steps. The Election Commission has made a decision in this regard," said Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Sanaullah while addressing reporters following a meeting at the Election Commission Secretariat in Agargaon.

The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin and attended by other commissioners and senior officials.

According to a report in Bangladeshi media outlet UNB, Commissioner Sanaulla stated that Jamaat's party symbol will be returned following a policy decision made by the EC.

Earlier on Sunday, the Supreme Court’s ruling paved the way for the Islamist party to regain its registration with the EC as a political party.

Jamaat-e-Islami's legal battle to regain its political status traces back to August 2013 when the High Court declared its registration illegal in response to a writ petition. The Election Commission followed suit by formally cancelling the registration through a gazette notification in December 2018.

Although Jamaat appealed the High Court's verdict, the Appellate Division dismissed the appeal in November 2023 due to the absence of the party's lead counsel. As a result, the High Court verdict had remained in effect – until the recent verdict.

The party's legal resurgence followed the ouster of the Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a violent mass uprising last year.

In the wake of the upheaval, Jamaat filed a fresh petition seeking to revive its appeal and regain its status as a registered political party. In October, the Appellate Division accepted Jamaat's petition, setting the stage for Sunday's ruling.

The interim government under Muhammad Yunus, which assumed power following the fall of the Awami League, had earlier lifted the ban on Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, through a gazette notification.

These groups had been declared illegal political entities under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 by the previous administration.

These radical elements had played a key role in the student-led agitation that led to the toppling of Hasina's democratically-elected government.

--IANS

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Dhaka, June 4 (IANS) Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday criticised the proposed budget presented by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus for the 2025-26 fiscal year, terming it as "unilateral, ineffective and non-participatory" as it does not represent the opinion of political parties and public.

"If the interim government wanted, it could have sought opinions from various classes and professions of society. Experts, civil society members, businesspeople, and young representatives could also have participated," said BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury while addressing a budget reaction press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office

"If that had happened, the budget would have symbolised a coordinated economic vision. It would have reflected the voices of different sections of the country. But that opportunity was not utilised. As a result, the budget formulation has been one-sided, non-participatory, and conventional. It lacked the reflection of new thinking," the BNP leader was quoted as saying by the local media.

Khosru stressed that in the present political situation in Bangladesh, holding the dialogue was all the more important for the interim government prior to finalising the budget since an elected government will assume power in the 2025-26 fiscal year, Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported.

"When a General Election is near or a new government is expected, there are different ways to approve a budget. An interim government does not usually make significant policy-structural changes, nor does it introduce notable tax adjustments or commit to new large-scale financial programmes," he said.

The BNP leader slammed the budget proposals across various sectors, including introducing taxes on private universities, medical colleges and schools, increasing taxes on online businesses, lack of incentives for ordinary investors in the capital market, and not halting unnecessary, corrupt and inefficient development projects.

"World Bank data says that during the interim government's tenure, more than 2.7 million people have become poorer than before. Of these, 1.8 million are women. Real incomes have declined as wage growth has lagged behind inflation," Khosru stated.

"In addition to increasing poverty, it has also put pressure on consumer spending. Employment has decreased in almost all sectors, formal and informal, due to the stagnation of domestic and foreign investment. As a result, society is becoming more unequal and the number of poor people is increasing," he added.

The BNP has been demanding that the interim government should hold national elections by December.

Earlier on Tuesday, Salahuddin Ahmed, a Standing Committee member of the BNP said that holding national elections in the country before December is very much possible as completing necessary reforms based on a consensus could take less than a month.

The interim government led by Yunus has been facing increasing pressure from various political parties, including the BNP, to hold elections by the end of this year.

--IANS

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Damascus, May 31 (IANS) Syria's information authorities chief Hamza Al-Mustafa has said that indirect negotiations with Israel have begun to address the recurring Israeli strikes in the country.

In a press conference following a cabinet meeting chaired by Syrian interim leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Al-Mustafa said that indirect talks between Syria and Israel remain in progress, focusing on the enforcement of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

He also outlined the interim government's reform agenda, emphasising the country's goal of fostering an attractive investment environment through updated legislation and greater financial freedom.

Al-Mustafa quoted Al-Sharaa as saying that the country is engaged in a "battle against poverty," which spans sectors including education and human development.

He added that Al-Sharaa had called for improved coordination among "ministries," adoption of modern governance methods, a crackdown on corruption, and budgetary discipline.

Development efforts will prioritise "liberated areas" and refugee return zones, he said, adding that the interim government had received investment commitments and would soon announce investments from Saudi Arabia, Xinhua news agency reported. He also confirmed that the 2025 state budget allocates a substantial wage increase, which will be announced shortly.

Regarding legislative developments, Al-Mustafa said that the interim government is working on establishing a transitional parliamentary body tasked with reviewing all existing laws.

Israel carried out airstrikes late Friday on multiple military targets in Syria's coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, including a former special forces headquarters and military positions near civilian areas, according to Syrian state media and a war monitor.

In Tartus, the airstrikes targetted a military facility formerly used by special forces, as well as sites in the al-Wuhaib industrial area and the al-Blata barracks, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

State-run al-Ikhbariya TV reported that Israeli warplanes hit the village of Zama in the Jableh countryside, as well as military sites in the Mina al-Bayda port area and the 107th Brigade base in neighbouring Latakia province.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it attacked weapon storage facilities in Latakia on Friday night.

It added that the facilities contained missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, and Syrian defense authorities had not issued an official statement.

The strikes come amid heightened regional tensions and follow a series of Israeli raids across Syria in recent months, some of which have resulted in casualties and the destruction of air defence systems or weapons depots.

--IANS

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Addis Ababa, May 31 (IANS) The Indian all-party delegation led by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) Supriya Sule, on Saturday held fruitful discussions with the African Union in Ethiopia, exchanging views on ways and means to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The interaction paved the way for more focussed engagement between India and the African Union on preventing and combatting terrorism across the world.

Earlier in the day, the delegation met Adem Farah, Deputy Chairman of the Prosperity Party and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, conveying India's unified and determined stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The delegates briefed on India's 'New Normal' against cross-border attacks, zero-tolerance for terrorism, and political parties' resolve to stand united in all matters of national interest.

The Deputy PM strongly condemned the terrorist act and expressed the need for collective international action. He also conveyed the East African country's strong commitment to work with India in the field of counter-terrorism.

The delegates arrived in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, on Friday carrying forth India's strong message on zero-tolerance against terrorism as part of India's diplomatic outreach on Operation Sindoor.

The delegation called on Hailemariam Dessalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, presenting India's stance on ‘zero-tolerance against terrorism’ and resolute commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The former Prime Minister emphasised that terror in any form and manifestation cannot be justified under any circumstances and expressed the solidarity of the people of Ethiopia with India.

“Hailemariam expressed heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and correlated it with the terrorist activities in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel Region of Africa. He committed to take forward the message of 'zero tolerance against terrorism' with the elders and wise groups of Africa and build consensus on dealing with this at the regional and global level,” read a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Addis Ababa.

During the three-day visit to Ethiopia, the multi-party delegation will hold meetings and discussions with the leadership of Ethiopia and have interaction with wide-ranging stakeholders like media, civil society, academicians, and the Indian community, conveying India's clear and precise message on zero-tolerance against terrorism.

“The visit is taking place in the context of the April 22 terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in India. The terrorists from across the border murdered 26 people, including one national of Nepal, causing the largest number of civilian casualties in a terrorist attack in India since the 26 November 2008 attacks in Mumbai. The attack in Pahalgam was marked by extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with head-shots from close range and in front of their families,” said the statement.

“The manner of the attack was also driven by an objective of provoking communal discord, both in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the nation, and to convey their terrorist motives to the rest of the world. This was followed by a measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible response by India on May 7, 2025, under Operation Sindoor,” the statement added.

The all-party delegation led by Supriya Sule comprises BJP leaders Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Anurag Thakur and V. Muraleedharan, Congress leaders Manish Tewari and Anand Sharma, Telugu Desam Party's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Aam Aadmi Party leader Vikramjeet Singh Sawhney, and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin.

The delegation is a part of India's global diplomatic outreach campaign to highlight the significance of Operation Sindoor and India's continued fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

--IANS

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Rome, May 29 (IANS) The Indian all-Party Parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday left Rome after the conclusion of a substantive programme in Italy during which they conveyed unequivocally India's firm stance and national resolve against terrorism and those who aid and abet terrorists.

The delegation will now begin its mission in Denmark on the next leg of their tour to convey India's resolute stance against terrorism.

In Copenhagen, the delegation will also engage with Danish Parliamentarians, members of political parties, media, and the Indian diaspora to share India's position on global terror challenges.

Meanwhile, the delegation had a successful visit to Italy during which they engaged with key Italian leaders, think tanks, strategic experts, and news agencies to underline India's zero-tolerance and 'new normal' policy toward Pakistan-facilitated cross-border terrorism.

“We had enriching interactions with Italy's Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Maria Tripodi, Senator Giulio Tremonti, President and Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and European Commission in the Chamber of Deputies," Prasad posted on X.

“We also engaged with prominent think tanks and strategic experts. We shared India's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and our resolve to combat it in all forms. Encouragingly, we found a common understanding between India and Italy on the issue of global terrorism. Both nations affirmed their commitment to working together for peace and amity, underscoring the strong relationship between India and Italy,” the post added.

Earlier in the day, the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Maria Tripodi took to social media highlighting that both Italy and India will jointly confront the common challenges of the world.

“Constructive exchange with the Indian parliamentary delegation visiting the Senate of Italy. Italy and India united by strategic partnership, working together to address the common challenges of our time,” said Tripodi on Thursday.

The delegation voiced India’s resolute stance on combating terrorism and zero tolerance to all forms of terror during a productive meeting with Senator Giulio Terzi, President of the India-Italy Parliamentary Friendship Group, and its members. Both sides reaffirmed the significance of India-Italy strategic partnership and the potential for elevating bilateral cooperation.

They also held engaging interactions with Italian news agencies and journalists, briefing them about India’s approach to cross-border terrorism, Operation Sindoor, and the new normal of zero tolerance for terrorism. They also discussed India-Italy relations and the potential for further growth.

The delegation shared India's perspective and approach of zero tolerance against terrorism and the resolve to combat all forms of terrorism in an enriching interaction with major think tanks and strategic experts of Italy.

They further interacted with a cross-section of the Indian community, sharing the national resolve to counter terrorism and take firm actions against cross-border terrorism. The delegates appreciated the contribution of the Indian diaspora and their strong bonds with their motherland.

The nine-member delegation includes a diverse political representation, including Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Daggubati Purandeswari (BJP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena-UBT), Ghulam Ali Khatana (BJP), Amar Singh (Congress), Samik Bhattacharya (BJP), M. Thambidurai (AIADMK), former Union Minister M.J. Akbar and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran.

--IANS

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Washington, April 7 (IANS) The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by Tahawwur Rana to stop his extradition to India to face legal consequences for his role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 157 people.

“Application (…) denied by the Court,” read the Supreme Court docket as updated Monday.

Rana had tried to stop his extradition, citing fears of torture, citing a UK case.

“A man convicted of money laundering was prevented from being extradited by a London court upholding his fears of torture. If that person could not be extradited to India because he was likely to be tortured, the petitioner is even more likely to be tortured and similarly should not be extradited,” Tillman J. Finley, counsel to Rana, said in the application.

The application was rejected by Justice Elena Kagan in March. Rana went on appeal to Chief Justice John Roberts, and the matter was posted for conference on Friday.

The justices’ verdict was posted on Monday.

Rana is wanted in India for helping David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American found guilty by a US jury of scoping out the targets hit by the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba terrorists in 2008.

Although he was acquitted by a US jury of providing material support for the attacks, he was found guilty of two other charges for which he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.

Due to failing health in the aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic, he was ordered to be released from jail. But he was rearrested for extradition to India.

Headley had secured himself a guarantee against extradition in a plea deal with US authorities.

Rana appealed against his extradition and had now exhausted his legal options with his appeal to the chief justice being denied.

President Donald Trump had announced his extradition to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the White House in February.

Rana had subsequently gone to the Supreme Court to stop his extradition.

It could not be immediately ascertained how soon he will be on a flight to India.

--IANS

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Jerusalem/Beirut, April 7 (IANS) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that it has targetted a Hamas militant posing as a journalist in Gaza and killed a Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon.

The IDF said in a statement that the army and the internal security service Shin Bet struck Hamas "terrorist" Hassan Abdel Fattah Mohammed Aslih in the Khan Younis area, southern Gaza, "who operates under the guise of a journalist and owns a press company."

According to the IDF statement, Aslih, a member of Hamas' Khan Younis Brigade, participated in the attack on October 7, 2023, during which "he documented and uploaded footage of looting, arson, and murder to social media."

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported earlier in the day that Israeli warplanes bombed a media tent near Nasser Medical Complex Hospital in Khan Younis, killing two journalists and wounding Aslih and eight others.

In another statement, the IDF said it killed Mohammed Adnan Mansour, Hezbollah's artillery commander, in an airstrike in the Taybeh area, southern Lebanon, on Monday.

The IDF said Mohammed directed and carried out numerous projectile attacks toward the Upper Galilee area in northern Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health, said a person was killed on Monday in an Israeli drone strike targetting a motorcycle in the center of the village of Taybeh, located in the eastern sector of the border area, without providing further details regarding the attack.

Since November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel has been in effect, putting an end to more than a year of hostilities triggered by the war in Gaza.

Despite the agreement, the Israeli military occasionally carries out strikes in Lebanon, claiming that the operations target Hezbollah "threats".

--IANS

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