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Weaponizing sanctions

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution says world powers are weaponizing sanctions against other countries but such bans can be crippled by focusing on domestic powers and capacities. In a meeting with the visiting Tajik President, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran has made good progress in various fields because of coercive Western sanctions. The Leader said Tehran and Dushanbe can expand their ties much further than the current level and their relations must undergo fundamental transformation. Elsewhere, Ayatollah Khamenei called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, stressing that Iran and Tajikistan are both concerned about the spread of terrorism and Takfiri groups in the region. For his part, President Emomali Rahmon called for the improvement of Iran-Tajikistan ties. He said his country seeks peace and stability in Afghanistan ruled by a government with the participation of all ethnicities.

Battle for Severodonetsk

Russia has intensified its military operation in eastern Ukraine, with troops now having entered the outskirts of Severodonetsk, a city that has turned into a new battleground. A local Ukrainian official says Russian forces advanced into the city's southeastern and northeastern fringes. But he says Ukrainian forces drove them out of a village in the south, potentially frustrating Moscow's push to encircle the area. The city is the last major population center still held by Ukrainian forces in eastern Luhansk province. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described capturing the city as a fundamental task for Russia. Ukraine's defense ministry says Russian forces are also regrouping to attack Sloviansk, another strategically important town, further west.

EU’s Russia rift

An embargo on Russian oil over its war in Ukraine remains the main sticking point as EU leaders arrive in Brussels for a summit. Some leaders, including the European Commission president say the new anti-Russia measure lacks consensus. Talking to reporters upon her arrival, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said it was more realistic to expect an agreement in the next summit. Senior EU diplomats are still deadlocked. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have already expressed their opposition, arguing that an oil embargo would be a severe blow to their economies. However, a compromise plan has been discussed ahead of Monday's summit. According to a new draft, landlocked central European countries would be given an exemption for pipeline deliveries of Russian gas. But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said things are not looking good on any compromise plan for an oil embargo.

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