TEHRAN, 19 April 2022, (TON): Iran said “an agreement with world powers to revive the 2015 nuclear deal was still not in sight, blaming the United States for the delay.”

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said “more than one issue is still pending between Iran and the United States.”

He told reporters “messages sent through (European Union coordinator Enrique) Mora these past weeks are far from providing solutions that could lead to an accord.”

Iran has been engaged in efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia directly, and the United States indirectly since April 2021.

Mora, who coordinates the indirect US-Iran talks, visited Tehran last month for talks with Iranian officials, and later went to Washington.

At the time, Mora said he hoped to close the gaps remaining in the arduous negotiations.

MOSCOW, 19 April 2022, (TON): Russia’s defense ministry said Sunday it struck a military plant outside Kyiv, as Moscow intensifies its attacks on the Ukrainian capital.

The ministry said in a statement “during the night, high-precision, air-launched missiles destroyed an ammunitions factory near the settlement of Brovary, Kyiv region.”

The mayor of Brovary Igor Sapozhko said that “some infrastructure objects were hit” in the early hours of Sunday morning.

An AFP journalist in Brovary did not witness any signs of destruction, smoke or fire.

In recent days, Russia has carried out several attacks on military plants in and outside Kyiv.

SEOUL, 19 April 2022, (TON): The US envoy for North Korea said “Washington would act responsibly and decisively in response to escalatory actions after a series of test missile launches raised concerns that the North was preparing to resume nuclear testing.”

US Special Representative Sung Kim and his deputy, Jung Pak, met with South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, after arriving in Seoul early on Monday for a five-day visit.

Kim told Noh as their talks began “we, of course, share your concerns about the DPRK’s escalatory actions and we will continue to work closely to respond responsibly and decisively to the provocative behavior.”

Kim was referring to North Korea as its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

He added “his latest trip was an indication of our determination and commitment to maintain the closest possible coordination between the allies on the developments in the North.”

TOKYO, 19 April 2022, (TON): Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin believes the current and future relationship between the two countries should have “no connection to what is happening in and around Ukraine.”

In an interview, Galuzin said “the cooperation between the two nations has been very valuable and mutually beneficial for decades.”

However, he criticized Japan for “incorrectly applying wide sanctions.”

Galuzin also warned against Japan forming nuclear alliances with others.

“As Japan is the only country that has suffered from a nuclear bombing, it should fight to eliminate nuclear weapons. Sharing nuclear missions within the NATO member states headed by the US Japan closer to nuclear weapons.”

Galuzin accused the US of committing nuclear proliferation by establishing the AUKUS framework, a trilateral security pact with Australia and the UK, to create Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

EDDAH, 19 April 2022, (TON): Saudi Minister of State Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd received Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan, minister of state at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in Jeddah.

During the meeting, both sides emphasized bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to boost them across various fields.

The two countries are keen to develop new partnerships in all sectors, including tourism, infrastructure, transport, shipping and logistics.

WASHINGTON, 19 April 2022, (TON): A senior Pentagon official told reporters “United States will train the Ukrainian military in the handling of the American howitzers tr-ansferred to them and plan training for other types of weapons.”

Artillery pieces, along with armored personnel carriers, helicopters, loitering munitions and crewless boats, were included in another military aid package approved by the US authorities last week.

The official said “we have made some progress in terms of organizing trainings for Ukrainians. In the coming days, training specifically for howitzers will be organized outside of Ukraine.”

He added “of course, we are also considering options for other systems.”

NEW YORK, 19 April 2022, (TON): A briefing by UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths stated “UN invites representatives of Russia and Ukraine to hold a meeting to discuss humanitarian issues.”

He said “in particular, I suggested that both sides come to an agreement that both sides, representatives of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, would meet under the auspices of the UN in a virtual or personal format to discuss humanitarian issues, especially their military component, possibly a truce, its monitoring , safe corridors, humanitarian priorities.”

Griffiths will travel to Turkey this week to discuss the situation in Ukraine with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Griffiths said “I am going to Turkey this week where I will meet with President Erdogan, who spoke with the UN Secretary General, to further talk on some ideas.”

PARIS, 19 April 2022, (TON): French presidential candidate, leader of the far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen said “Russia is too powerful a power to allow its rapprochement with China.”

Le Pen said on air France Blue “I believe that Russia is a great power. And I would not want it to finally unite with China. As Emmanuel Macron said , Russia’s rapprochement with Europe is an important condition for ensuring the security of our continent and our country.”

According to the politician “it is necessary to avoid rapprochement between Russia and China by all diplomatic means.”

Earlier, the French presidential candidate has already said “it is in France’s interests to make sure that Russia, the largest country in the world, does not get closer to China, the most populous country in the world.”

According to the final data of the French Ministry of the Interior, the current president of the country Emmanuel Macron won 27.84% of the vote, Marine Le Pen – 23.15%.

KABUL, 19 April 2022, (TON): Salleh Saghar, head of the Turkish Education Foundation in Afghanistan, pledged that Ankara is ready to help Afghanistan’s education sector.

Officials of the Turkish foundation said that Turkey is committed to providing better services for Afghanistan's education sector and will launch joint projects in the future with the aim of aiding the country's growth.

Salleh Saghar, head of the Turkish Education Foundation in Afghanistan said “we might not be able to eliminate the problems of the (Ministry of Education), but as an international organization, we will be serving the people and the Afghan nation. With the experience we have in education, and the available resources in our hands, we will be serving you.”

The head of the Turkish Foundation in Afghanistan said his country's assistance in improving education in Afghanistan will increase.

KABUL, 19 April 2022, (TON): The UAE provided 30 tons of humanitarian aid food supplies to Afghanistan.

The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the aid will be distributed to vulnerable people through government institutions. 

He also called on donors to not make the process of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan conditional.

He said “we call for unconditional aid, without any political motive. This is a humanitarian issue. The Afghans should be provided with aid. The UAE provided aid without any motive.” 

The aircraft carrying the food materials arrived in Kabul.   

Meanwhile, the Turkish ambassador in Kabul, Cihad Erginay, said “fourth package of aid from Turkey arrived at Torghondi port in Herat.”