Articles by Marzieh Rahmani

Technology

Any strikes deep into Russia would be very serious

Putin vowed to continue "dialogue" after his US counterpart Donald Trump on Tuesday shelved a summit between the two leaders but vowed a potentially "overwhelming" response if Ukraine gets and uses US Tomahawk missiles. "Dialogue is always better than confrontation or any disputes, and especially war. We have always supported the continuation of dialogue," Putin told journalists. But if Russia was attacked with US Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine seeks, the response would be "very strong, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it," he added. The statement came in response to a question about a Wall Street Journal report that the Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraine's use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, and remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about domestic missiles with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles). Asked about recent sanctions from the US targeting two major Russian oil firms, Putin said the levies are an "unfriendly" act and "will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being". Russia's energy sector feels confident, he said. "This is, of course, an attempt to put pressure on Russia," Putin said. "But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever decides anything under pressure." Putin added breaking the balance in the global energy markets could lead to a hike in prices that would be uncomfortable for countries such as the United States, especially given the internal political calendar there.

Technology

JCPOA term is over, US not trustworthy for negotiations

Speaking at sermons of Tehran’s Friday prayer, Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami said US President Donald Trump is responsible for the killings of figures such as Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, nuclear scientist Mohammad Taheranchi, and others, and it has helped the creation of ISIL. He called US claims of friendship with the Iranian people “a blatant lie,” saying Washington installed “a dark, torturing regime” in Iran and ran spy networks that conspired against the nation. Khatami added that, from the US perspective, anyone who resists its “malice” is branded a terrorist. He criticized the US for asserting the right to decide other countries’ nuclear policies and warned that “the logic of America is the logic of force." Tehran’s Friday Prayer Leader said the 10-year nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA has come to an end, stressing that the United States which “tore up the deal in front of the entire world” is not a trustworthy party for negotiations. He also added that any negotiation with Washington shows “political foolishness and a lack of understanding of US deceitful behavior.” MNA/6632518

Technology

25 killed in India after bus catches fire in crash

The fire ripped through the bus on Friday within minutes, trapping dozens of passengers on board, many of whom were sleeping, as it drove along a highway near Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh state, senior police official Vikrant Patil said. Some managed to smash open windows and leap to safety with minor injuries, while others were burned to death before help could arrive, Patil said, according to The Associated Press news agency. Eighteen passengers managed to escape from the burning bus and are being treated for injuries. It is not clear if there were others on the bus who managed to escape. The motorcycle rammed into the speeding bus from behind and got stuck, Patil said. It was dragged for some distance, causing sparks that engulfed the bus’s fuel tank. “As the smoke started spreading, the driver stopped the bus and tried to put the fire out by using a fire extinguisher, but the fire was so intense he couldn’t control it,” Patil added. The bus was hollowed out and the unidentified bike rider also died, he said. A team of forensic experts was investigating the incident. The bus with 44 passengers on board was travelling between the cities of Hyderabad in Telangana state and Bengaluru in Karnataka state. The accident occurred in Chinnatekuru village near Kurnool, about 210 kilometres (130 miles) south of Hyderabad.