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Russia, US sell advance weapons to Saudi Arabia

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Russia, US sell advance weapons to Saudi Arabia

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]King Salman tries to balance ties by visiting Moscow

In a major shift towards Russia, Saudi Arabia has agreed to sign a $3bn weapons deal with Moscow for buying most advanced air defense missile system, the S400 Triumph and indicated its intention to buy aircraft and helicopters. Meanwhile, US have approved selling $15bn THAAD system to the Kingdom.

The S400Triumph, an anti-aircraft weapon, developed in 1990 by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau, has been described, as of 2017, as “one of the best air-defense systems currently made.”

According to Sputnik News, the government of Saudi Arabia is seeking to diversify its foreign policy, including expanding cooperation with Moscow. However, it does not mean a total reshuffle of the Kingdom’s strategic international ties.

According to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia will also buy anti-tank weapons and multiple rocket launchers. The two countries will also set up a joint military-technical cooperation commission, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

The $3bn weapon deal with Moscow came at a time, when US government has also approved the possible sale of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) worth $15bn to Saudi Arabia.  It is considered to be the most capable anti missile batteries in the US arsenal which has already been supplied to Qatar and UAE. It is equipped with an advanced radar system.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz arrived in Moscow on a four-day visit on Wednesday, for the first ever visit along with 1000-strong delegation comprising high profile officials and businessmen.

King Salman and President Vladimir Putin have discussed a wide range of issues, including Syrian conflict, the situation in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism on Thursday. The agreements reached between the two countries are spread into cooperation in the military and technical spheres, energy and investment.

According to Vladimir Putin the talks with Saudi monarch were a “landmark event.” The King expressed his desire to continue cooperation with Russia to maintain stability in the oil market.

King Salman called Russia a “friendly” country and told Putin that their talks will boost the global economy as well as help create international stability and security. Putin has reportedly accepted King’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Wednesday, while responding to a question, during energy forum in Moscow, about whether Saudi Arabia will always align with US on geopolitical issues, President Vladimir Putin had said, “Is there really anything in the world that’s absolutely permanent? It seems to me, on the contrary, that everything’s changing.”

The visit is considered to be the result of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s efforts, who built friendly ties with Putin during his first visit to Russia in 2015 as his country’s defense minister.

Russia and Saudi Arabia remained at odds on the conflict in Syria. Russia supported President Basher al-Assad regime while Saudis supported opposition groups. Riyadh has also been concerned about Moscow’s close cooperation with Tehran.

According to Nidal Sabea, a Lebanese political analyst, “Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner of the United States and that situation will not change. At the same time, the Saudi government understands the need to expand its international ties, including with Russia, China and other countries.”

Russian media reports that King Salman said that his opinion on Syrian settlement coincides with Moscow’s position while Riyadh also seeks a political solution that would guarantee Syria’s stability and territorial integrity.

However, there is no report if King Salman tried to pursue Putin for the removal of Assad regime in Damascus. Syrian forces along with Iranian military advisors and fighters from Hezbollah having patronage of Russian air force have successfully fought against IS (Daesh).

US administration, Israel and Saudi Arabia have been supporting Assad’s opposition for last several years. Earlier Turkey and Qatar were also supporting Assad opponents. However, with the changed scenario, Ankara and Doha were now treading towards Tehran.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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