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Isolated Trump gets Saudi Arabia, Israel support on Iran deal withdrawal

Published

8 years ago

May 9, 2018

Isolated Trump gets Saudi Arabia, Israel support on Iran deal withdrawal

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Iran to remain with JCPOA along with other signatories, says Rouhani

Amidst worldwide criticism and condemnation of US President Donald Trump’s move of withdrawing from Iran nuclear deal, Israel and Saudi Arabia were the only countries which have welcomed and supported the most controversial diplomatic step.

The official statement from Riyadh says, “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports and welcomes the steps announced by President Donald Trump regarding the United States’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The Kingdom also supports reinstating economic sanctions on the Iranian regime, which have been suspended under the nuclear deal”.

The official statement, while describing the reason of change in its stance, says, “The Kingdom’s previous support for the nuclear deal concluded by Iran and the P5+1 group of countries was based on Saudi Arabia’s conviction in the need to take all possible steps that may assist in non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the world.”

It further adds, “The Iranian regime however, took advantage of the economic benefits afforded by the lifting of sanctions and used them to continue its destabilizing activities in the region, especially by developing its ballistic missiles and supporting terrorist organizations in the region, including Hizbollah and the Houthi militias, which used the capabilities provided by Iran to target civilians in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as, repeatedly targeting international shipping lanes in a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”

Toeing completely US position, Saudi Arabia said, “The Kingdom reaffirms its support of the strategy previously announced by President Trump towards Iran, and hopes the international community will take a firm and unified stance against the Iranian regime, and its destabilizing aggression in the region, its support to terrorist groups, particularly Hizbollah and the Houthis militias, and its support of the Assad regime-who has committed heinous crimes against its people that led to the death of more than half a million civilians, including through the use of chemical weapons.”

The official statement further said, “Based on this position, the Kingdom asserts its commitment to work with its partners in the United States and the international community to reach the goals announced by President Trump, and the necessity to address the dangers posed by the policies of Iran on international peace and security through a holistic approach, that is not limited to its nuclear program, but addresses its hostile activities, including Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of countries in the region, its support of terrorism, and to prevent Iran from ever possessing weapons of mass destruction.”

This was the rare activity on Saudi Press Agency, which has carried a 347 word statement in English language within three hours of Trump’s announcement. Generally Saudi official statements are very short with poor English issued after long thought process applied on each word. But the quick reaction to Trump’s move indicated that it was prepared in advance in much better English language. Observers believe that the statement could have been prepared in some other capital on dotted lines.

Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and hailed the move as a “courageous” and “right” decision.

Exerting further pressure on Iran, Netanyahu accused Tehran of preparing to attack ‘Israel’ saying “For the past months, Iran has been transferring weapons to its forces in Syria.”

Addressing live on television late on Tuesday night, Netanyahu said, “We will react with force” to any attack, he said. “The army is prepared, the army is strong, and whoever will try us will feel well the strength of our arm,” he warned.

Israeli PM called on the ‘international community’ to join the US and revoke the landmark deal and act against “the Iranian aggression.” He reiterated his allegations that the deal would have enabled Iran to enrich uranium “in quantities sufficient to produce a whole arsenal of nuclear bombs.”

President Donald Trump on Tuesday pulled the US out of the multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, raising the risk of conflict in the Middle East, upsetting European allies and casting uncertainty over global oil supplies.

Trump said in a televised address from the White House that he would reimpose U.S. economic sanctions on Iran to undermine “a horrible one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made.”

The 2015 agreement, worked out by the United States, five other world powers and Iran, lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. The pact was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

But Trump complained that the accord, the signature foreign policy achievement of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, did not address Iran’s ballistic missile program, its nuclear activities beyond 2025 or its role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

However, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, while reacting to Trump’s move, has said that Tehran will stay in the JCPOA with other signatories, stressing that his country has always has complied with its commitments to the deal, while the US has never complied with its provisions.

Addressing the nation late on Tuesday night, Rouhani stressed that Trump’s decision was a historical experience for his country and noted that US President has a history of undermining international treaties. He further said that Iran would remain in the nuclear deal without US presence.

Rouhani added that he has ordered the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran to be prepared for resuming nuclear enrichment at the industrial level.

Moreover, Iran’s foreign minister Javad Zarif posted his reaction in a tweet.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Though there has been lot of activity throughout night in Middle Eastern capitals, Iranian position was supported by its closest ally Syrian government headed by Bashar al-Assad.

According to official SANA news agency, Syria has strongly condemned US President’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal with Iran and renewed full solidarity with Iran and expressed confidence on Iran’s capability to overcome the repercussions of the US administration hostile stance.

An official source at the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates in Damascus reportedly said, “Syria strongly condemns the US president decision which proves once again the US non-commitment to the international agreements and conventions.”

The source further added that the international reactions to the US decision which condemn and denounce it show the isolation of the US and its wrong policies which would increase tensions in the world.

The Syrian official said, “Syria which renews its full solidarity with Iran, as people and leadership, is confident that Iran is able to overcome the repercussions of the US administration’s hostile stance which affects the security of the region and the world.”

Besides, Britain, Germany and France have jointly slammed Trump’s decision to quit Iran nuclear deal. British PM Theresa May expressed “regret and concern” and condemned Trump’s decision in a joint statement with leaders of Germany and France, Angela Markel and Emmanual Macron.

“It is with regret and concern that we, the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The statement further said that “Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPOA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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S Jaishankar defends Russian oil imports, says it won’t end Ukraine war

S Jaishankar defended India’s Russian oil purchases, saying the Ukraine war can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations

Published

2 days ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has defended India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, saying that stopping the trade would not bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to the media during his official visit to Kyiv, Jaishankar said the conflict, now in its fifth year, can only be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations. He was responding to questions about Western pressure on India to reduce its purchases of Russian energy.

“This conflict, which is today in its fifth year, will not be solved because somebody is buying or not buying oil or alumina or minerals or metals or fertiliser,” Jaishankar said. He added that dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation were the way to resolve the conflict.

Jaishankar stresses India’s energy security

Jaishankar also highlighted the challenge of ensuring energy security for India’s 1.4 billion people amid difficult global energy conditions.

He said India respects Ukraine’s perspective on the issue but expects other countries to respect New Delhi’s position as well.

India imports around 88 per cent of its crude oil requirement from overseas. According to the report, about one-third of those imports currently come from Russia.

Western pressure over Russian oil

Jaishankar’s comments came amid continued pressure from Western countries over India’s purchases of Russian crude.

The United States and the United Kingdom have backed the argument that restricting Russia’s energy revenues could reduce the funds available to support its military operations in Ukraine.

Last month, the US Senate passed a bipartisan bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries, including India and China, that continue importing Russian oil and gas.

India remains a major buyer of Russian crude

Russia has remained India’s largest source of crude oil despite pressure from Washington. However, Indian imports of Russian crude declined in August after reaching record levels in June and July.

Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian crude accounted for only around 0.2 per cent of India’s crude imports. After Western countries moved away from Russian oil following the invasion, India emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude.

India imported around 2.1 million barrels of Russian crude per day in August, according to data cited in the report. That represented more than 40 per cent of India’s crude imports, down from around 2.6 million barrels per day in June and July.

Russian exporters increasingly rely on Asian buyers

Russia has also become more dependent on Asian markets after European sanctions disrupted its traditional energy trade.

Countries such as India and China have emerged as important buyers of Russian crude. Continued demand from Indian refiners has helped Russian exporters maintain significant volumes despite restrictions affecting Western shipping, insurance and financial services.

Jaishankar, meanwhile, maintained that the Ukraine conflict requires a diplomatic solution rather than an attempt to resolve it through decisions by individual countries over oil purchases.

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Nepal seeks climate compensation from India, China and US for deadly floods

Nepal has sought climate compensation from India, China and the US after a devastating flash flood killed more than 1,100 people and left nearly 4,500 missing.

Published

4 days ago

September 2, 2026

APNLive Desk

Nepal has sought climate-related compensation from India, China and the United States following the devastating flash floods that struck the country last week.

Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said the country wants its diplomatic approach to move beyond conventional disaster aid towards what he described as justice and compensation. He argued that major greenhouse gas emitters have a responsibility towards vulnerable countries facing severe climate-related losses.

The flash flood struck the Bhotekoshi River basin on August 26 after a high-altitude glacial collapse along the Tibet-Nepal border. The disaster sent water, rocks and debris downstream, affecting villages across at least three districts.

More than 1,100 bodies have been recovered, while nearly 4,500 people remain missing, according to the report.

Nepal seeks accountability from major emitters

Khanal said Nepal’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is “virtually negligible”, yet the country is facing severe consequences associated with global warming, including glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters.

He said Nepal considers the response to such climate-related losses a matter of “legal and moral liability” rather than charity.

According to Khanal, Nepal intends to raise the issue at international forums and seek compensation for climate-related losses suffered by vulnerable countries.

He also highlighted the importance of Himalayan glaciers for South Asia’s water security, saying their disappearance could have consequences for billions of people dependent on rivers including the Ganges and Trishuli.

Nepal’s finance ministry has also sent a formal climate compensation claim letter to its international partners, Khanal said.

India has backed climate equity

India has consistently highlighted the principle of climate equity and pointed to its relatively low per capita greenhouse gas emissions.

New Delhi has argued that climate responsibilities should consider countries’ historical emissions, development requirements and respective capacities. India has also supported efforts to address loss and damage suffered by vulnerable developing countries.

India maintains that developed nations should provide financial resources to countries dealing with the effects of climate change.

Nepal approaches loss and damage fund

Nepal has formally approached the board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage for urgent financial assistance following the August 26 flash flood.

The fund was established at COP27 in 2022 and operationalised at COP28.

A letter jointly signed by Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Forests and Agriculture Minister Geeta Chaudhary sought an urgent response to the disaster, citing extensive loss of life, displacement and destruction of homes and critical infrastructure.

The letter said the full extent of the economic and non-economic losses was yet to be determined, but preliminary information indicated that the impact had exceeded Nepal’s immediate response capacity.

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Bank of America VP Erin Piacenti killed in New York stabbing

Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed in an apparently random attack in New York’s Times Square.

Published

4 days ago

September 2, 2026

APNLive Desk

Bank of America vice-president Erin Piacenti was fatally stabbed in New York City’s Times Square in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.

Piacenti, 32, was among two people stabbed in the incident near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on August 31. She was taken to a hospital but later died from her injuries. The other victim, a 68-year-old man, survived and was reported to be in stable condition.

Who was Erin Piacenti?

Piacenti worked as a vice-president at Bank of America in its business selection and conflicts unit. She was also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School.

According to reports, Piacenti was a new mother and had recently returned to work following maternity leave. She had also recently marked her second wedding anniversary with her husband.

Bank of America expressed shock and sadness over her death, describing Piacenti as a valued colleague and extending condolences to her family and loved ones.

What happened in Times Square?

The stabbing took place at around 4:24 pm local time, according to the New York Police Department.

Police identified the alleged attacker as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros. Authorities said she was carrying two large knives and attacked two people before confronting responding officers.

Police attempted to stop Cisneros, including using Tasers, but she continued advancing towards officers with the knives. Officers then opened fire, and Cisneros was later pronounced dead.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attack appeared to be random and unprovoked. Police also said Cisneros had a documented history of mental health issues. The motive remains under investigation.

Bank of America reacts to employee’s death

Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Piacenti’s death and said she would be greatly missed.

The bank’s security teams are also supporting the police investigation and addressing security concerns involving its offices and employees.

Piacenti’s death has left her family, colleagues and friends mourning the loss of a young professional who had recently returned to work after becoming a mother.