Focus Washington - Page 49 of 118 from

Tehran Has Not Ruled out Talks to End Nuclear Dispute

January 20, 2020 Focus Washington

Tehran said on Monday that it had not closed the “door to negotiations” in efforts to resolve a dispute over Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers that has escalated steadily since the United States withdrew from the […]

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Iran Could Review Cooperation with IAEA if EU Pressure Continues

January 19, 2020 Focus Washington

Iran will review its cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog over any “unjust” measures, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said after EU powers last week triggered a dispute mechanism under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal, […]

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UK Plans Brexit Celebrations

January 18, 2020 Focus Washington

The British government has announced plans for special events on the night of January 31 when the country officially leaves the European Union but the country’s treasury chief has admitted that some U.K. business sectors […]

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Erdogan Wants Europe to Support Turkey’s Moves in Libya

January 18, 2020 Focus Washington

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has called on Europe to support its work in Libya, where it is providing military support to the internationally-recognized government, if it wants to end the conflict there, Reuters informed. Erdogan […]

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11 Americans Were Hurt in Iranian Strike, Military Says

January 17, 2020 Focus Washington

Eleven American troops were treated for concussions after Iranian missiles struck two Iraqi bases where the servicemembers were stationed, the military said on Thursday, contradicting earlier statements by President Donald Trump that no Americans had […]

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Taliban Open to 10-Day Ceasefire With U.S.

January 17, 2020 Focus Washington

The Taliban will implement a 10-day ceasefire with U.S. troops, a reduction in violence with Afghan forces and discussions with Afghan government officials if it reaches a deal with U.S. negotiators in talks in Doha, […]

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Khamenei Says Trump Is a ‘Clown’ Who Will Betray Iranians

January 17, 2020 Focus Washington

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said President Donald Trump is a “clown” who only pretends to support the Iranian people but will “push a poisonous dagger” into their backs, as he struck a defiant […]

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Tehran Accuses Europe of Yielding to Bullish Trump

January 16, 2020 Focus Washington

Iran said on Thursday three European states had succumbed to “high school bully” Donald Trump when they triggered a dispute mechanism in a nuclear pact the U.S. president opposes, a step that could eventually lead […]

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China, U.S. Sign Initial Trade Deal

January 16, 2020 Focus Washington

China will boost purchases of U.S. goods and services by $200 billion over two years in exchange for the rolling back of some tariffs under an initial trade deal signed by the world’s two largest […]

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Russian PM Medvedev Submits Resignation to Putin

January 16, 2020 Focus Washington

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a constitutional overhaul Wednesday to boost the powers of parliament and the Cabinet, a move signaling Putin’s intention to carve out a new position for himself after his current term […]

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Iran Social Media Posts Call for Additional Protests

January 15, 2020 Focus Washington

Iranian social media posts urged citizens to take to the streets for a fifth day on Wednesday, after public anger erupted following the belated admission by the authorities that they had shot down a passenger […]

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Rouhani Rejects Idea of a New ‘Trump Deal’

January 15, 2020 Focus Washington

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani dismissed on Wednesday a proposal for a new “Trump deal” aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a “strange” offer and criticizing President Donald Trump for always breaking promises, […]

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Beijing Blasts Human Rights Report

January 15, 2020 Focus Washington

China has blasted a report from Human Rights Watch that accused it of constructing a surveillance state at home while seeking to silence critics abroad, The Associated Press reported. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang […]

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WSJ: Ukraine Airliner Hit by a Second Missile Over Iran, Video Shows

January 15, 2020 Focus Washington

Surveillance video from Iran circulating on social media Tuesday appears to show two missiles hitting the Ukrainian passenger jet downed over Tehran, fired approximately 30 seconds apart, providing new information about the tragedy that killed […]

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Iranian Authorities Claim They Made Arrests Over Plane Disaster

January 14, 2020 Focus Washington

Iranian authorities said on Tuesday they had arrested an undisclosed number of suspects accused of a role in shooting down a Ukrainian airliner, as anti-government demonstrations triggered by the disaster entered the fourth day, Reuters […]

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Iraqis Worry Tensions Between Iran, U.S., Could Eclipse Their Protests

January 14, 2020 Focus Washington

Iraqis are worried that the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which is playing out in part on Iraqi soil, is killing their momentum with the mass protests demanding sweeping political reforms in the country, […]

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European Powers Call on Iran to Stick to Nuclear Deal

January 13, 2020 Focus Washington

Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have called on Iran to uphold the landmark 2015 deal that limits the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Deutsche Welle reported. Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister […]

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Russia to Host Meeting of Libya’s Rival Leaders

January 13, 2020 Focus Washington

Russia is set to host a meeting of Libya’s rival leaders Monday, in a mediation effort closely coordinated with Turkey. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Fayez Sarraj, the head of Libya’s U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli, […]

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AP: Iranian Police Shoots at Those Protesting Plane Shootdown

January 13, 2020 Focus Washington

Iranian security forces fired both live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against Tehran’s initial denial that it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, online videos purported to show Monday, The Associated Press reported. Videos […]

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US Balks at UK Extradition Request for Wife of American Diplomat Charged over British Teen’s Death

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

Washington has rebuked the UK for its extradition request for the wife of an American diplomat over her role in a fatal car crash which killed a British teenager. She has refused to return to […]

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Pompeo: Washington Focused on Developing ‘Constructive and Productive’ Ties with Russia

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken to Twitter to praise the country’s new ambassador to Russia, who he was “thrilled to swear in” on Friday after the diplomat was initially tapped for the […]

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Iran Says Unintentionally Shot Down Ukranian Jet

January 11, 2020 Focus Washington

Iran announced on Saturday, local time, that they had “unintentionally” shot down the Ukrainian jet over Tehran earlier this week that resulted in all 176 passengers and crew dead. According to The Associated Press, the […]

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Tehran Wants to Handle Black Box after Plane Crash Blamed on Missile

January 10, 2020 Focus Washington

Tehran said it wanted to download black box recordings itself from a Ukrainian airliner that crashed, killing all 176 people aboard, after Canada and others said the plane was brought down by an Iranian missile, […]

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U.S. Criticized for Pulling out of Iran Nuclear Deal, ‘Made a Big Mistake’, Says French FM

January 10, 2020 Focus Washington

If Iran carries on with violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it could have nuclear weapons within a year or two, said France’s top diplomat Jean-Yves Le Drian in a statement for French […]

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Trump Proposes NATO Expansion into Middle East

January 9, 2020 Focus Washington

President Donald Trump on Thursday proposed expanding NATO’s membership to include Middle Eastern nations in light of recent U.S. tensions in the region with Iran, POLITICO informs. Trump’s suggestion came one day after he issued […]

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Iran Directed Militias Not to Attack U.S. Target

January 9, 2020 Focus Washington

Vice President Mike Pence stated on Wednesday that there is information showing that Iran has directed its associated militias not to attack U.S. targets in the week after Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s death, The Hill reported. […]

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Biden Says Trump Needs to Stop ‘Blaming President Obama for his Failures’

January 9, 2020 Focus Washington

Former Vice President Joe Biden urged President Donald Trump to stop accusing former President Barack Obama for his failures after Trump alleged that the missiles that hit two U.S. military bases in Iraq in a […]

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Johnson Aims to Deliver a ‘European Response’ to Iran Situation

January 8, 2020 Focus Washington

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday dismissed as “fiction” accusations he is more interested in a close relationship with President Donald Trump than he is with the security of the Middle East, POLITICO reported. […]

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Saudi Arabia Keen to Avoid Regional Escalation

January 8, 2020 Focus Washington

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister hopes all actors involved in the recent Middle East flare-up take steps to avoid escalation, Bloomberg reported. “We are very keen that the situation in the region doesn’t escalate any further,” […]

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Commercial Airlines Reroute Flights amid Increased U.S.-Iran Tensions

January 8, 2020 Focus Washington

Commercial airlines on Wednesday rerouted flights crossing the Middle East to avoid possible danger amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, The Associated Press informed. The flight restrictions reflected fears that the conflict […]

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