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Iran: Europe should defy US sanctions if Trump leaves N-deal

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Iran: Europe should defy US sanctions if Trump leaves N-deal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a bid to isolate US administration on nuclear deal, Iran has urged Europe to defy US sanctions if Trump administration chooses to abandon the deal known as Joint comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015 by Iran and five permanent Security Council members plus Germany.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, while talking to the UK based The Guardian and Financial Express in New York, said that Tehran will only abide by restrictions under the deal if other signatories- the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China- all remain committed to the deal and defy subsequent US sanctions. The interview was appeared in Friday edition.

Javad Zarif warned that deal will be collapsed if Europe followed Washington’s lead and Iran would emerge with more advanced nuclear technology than before the agreement was reached in 2015. “Europe should lead” Zarif suggested.

“The deal allowed Iran to continue its research and development. So we have improved our technological base,” he said. “If we decide to walk away from the deal we would be walking away with better technology.”

However he clarified, “It will always be peaceful, because membership of the NPT is not dependent on this deal. But we will not observe the limitations that were agreed on as part of the bargain in this deal.”

EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogheirini, who was seen with head scarf while traveling to Tehran during diplomatic exercise before arriving at the 2015 deal, has recently clarified on the subject. Following a ministerial meeting on the deal at UN General Assembly at New York last week, she stressed that all the signatories, including the US, had agreed that Iran was in compliance with its obligations under the terms of the agreement and that Europe would do everything possible to keep the deal alive, even in the event of US withdrawal.

Iranian foreign minister apprehended that Trump would carry out his threat by non-certifying Iranian compliance in the forthcoming state department report to be submitted to Congress on October 15. Congress would have 60days to re-impose sanctions suspended under the deal. Zarif was quoted saying, “My assumption and guess is that he will not certify and then will allow Congress to take the decision.”

Iranian foreign minister expressed his candid observation s on Trump’s working style. He said, “I think he has made a policy of being unpredictable, and now he’s turning that into being unreliable as well.”

Zarif chose to speak on the subject after a week of US Joint chiefs of staff General Joseph Dunford admitted before Congress that US abrogation would damage its long term credibility. “It makes sense to me that our holding up agreements that we have signed, unless there’s a material breach, would have an impact on others’ willingness to sign agreements,” he reportedly said.

President Donald Trump and his administration officials have claimed that Iran was violating a line in the preface of the agreement saying the signatories anticipate the deal would contribute to regional peace and security.

Conflicting views of US and UK were made public on September 14, when the secretary of state Rex Tillerson and British Foreign secretary Boris Johnson, in a joint press conference in London, had openly expressed their views. Tillerson said the US viewed Iran as being in default of the deal’s expectations but Johnson urged the world to “have faith” in its potential to create a more open Iran.

The US official tried to relate Iran deal with other regional issues.  Tillerson emphasised that US decision about whether to end the agreement will be based a wider assessment of Iranian behaviour, including in Yemen and Syria and not just on whether Iran is complying with the strict terms of the deal.

US and its regional allies, Saudi Arabia and Israel have been alleging Iran of supporting Houthis in Yemen in their fight against Saudi led war and extending support to Syria’s Basher al-Assad in his fight against IS and Al-Nusra front like opposition groups.

President Trump, while addressing at UNGA recently had resumed his attacks on the agreement calling it “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen.”  He claimed that Iran had “violated so many different elements, but they’ve also violated the spirit of the deal”. He did not clearly what he would do on October 15 about verifying Iran’s compliance but said his stance would be “very evident”.

However, state department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, said on Thursday that US would continue to suspend nuclear related sanctions on the Iranian oil industry, as required by the agreement.

But at the same time she clarified, “Waiving some of those sanctions should not be seen as an indication of President Trump or his administration’s position on the JCPOA nor does the waiver give the Iranian regime a pass on its broad range of malign behaviour.”

Under the nuclear deal Iran had agreed to redesign, convert and reduce its nuclear facilities and accept the Additional Protocol in order to lift all nuclear related economical sanctions, freeing up tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue and frozen assets.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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