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Putin meets Iran Supreme Leader's aide in Moscow, discusses nuclear programme

Putin meets Iran Supreme Leader's aide in Moscow, discusses nuclear programme

India Today4 days ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday received Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei's senior aide in Moscow and discussed the aggravation of the situation in West Asia and issues of Iran's nuclear programme.The visit by Ali Larijani, senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, comes almost a month after Putin met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi."On behalf of the Iranian leadership, Ali Larijani shared the assessments of the current escalation in the Middle East and the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters without elaborating.advertisement
On June 23, President Putin, during his meeting with Araghchi, had assured Tehran of Moscow's support in de-escalating the Israel-Iran conflict hours after the US strikes at Iranian nuclear sites at dawn on June 22.Moscow and Tehran have signed a strategic partnership treaty, but it does not provide for military assistance in case any side is attacked.However, Tehran and Moscow under the treaty have an obligation not to take the side of the aggressor and enter into urgent political consultations to mitigate the situation.Russia supports Tehran's right to pursue its civil nuclear research under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight.Earlier reports said Larijani had played a key role as the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament in the negotiation and eventual approval of the now defunct Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.He was instrumental in navigating domestic political complexities and securing parliamentary support for the agreement, which involved significant concessions from Iran in exchange for sanctions relief.However, US President Donald Trump had walked out of the deal in his first term under pressure from Israel.In his second term, Trump ordered the bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites and demanded the complete end to Tehran's enrichment activities under the civilian nuclear programme, allowed under the NPT to which Iran is a signatory.- Ends
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Iran to meet European leaders for renewed nuclear talks amid threats of UN sanctions
Iran to meet European leaders for renewed nuclear talks amid threats of UN sanctions

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Iran to meet European leaders for renewed nuclear talks amid threats of UN sanctions

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Over 2.06 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship in 2024, says Centre
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Over 2.06 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship in 2024, says Centre

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SC to hear plea by HC judge Varma next week
SC to hear plea by HC judge Varma next week

Hindustan Times

time27 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

SC to hear plea by HC judge Varma next week

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While agreeing to list the plea, CJI Gavai noted that it would be inappropriate for him to be on the hearing bench given his prior involvement in internal deliberations related to the case. The development comes even as the central government plans to bring an impeachment motion in Parliament to remove justice Varma from office. As the monsoon session of Parliament is underway and political momentum builds for his removal, 149 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha lawmakers submitted separate notices in their respective Houses for impeachment of justice Verma on July 21 – the first day of the current session. Since then, the resignation of former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar has overshadowed the impeachment notices but Parliament is expected to take it up soon. If the impeachment notices are admitted in a House, the chair or speaker will constitute a three-member panel of jurists to probe the charges. The entire process of impeachment must be completed in the monsoon session that ends on August 21. Justice Varma will get up to three opportunities to defend himself before Parliament. As reported first by HT, justice Varma moved the apex court on July 17, filing a writ petition challenging the May 3 report by a three-member judicial inquiry panel and the subsequent May 8 recommendation by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna urging Parliament to initiate impeachment proceedings against him. As an interim measure, the petition has also urged the top court to stay the operation of the May 3 report of the in-house inquiry panel as well as the May 8 recommendation of the then CJI to the President and the Prime Minister to initiate proceedings to remove justice Varma from office. Terming the panel's report 'unsustainable' and the process 'perverse,' the petition alleged grave violations of natural justice and accused the committee of functioning with an 'outcome-driven approach' based on a 'preconceived narrative.' The panel, justice Varma said, failed to investigate foundational facts such as ownership, authenticity, and actual recovery circumstances of the charred cash allegedly found on March 14 at his Delhi residence following a fire. While acknowledging that some currency may have been recovered from the outhouse, the judge maintained that further inquiry was essential to establish culpability. Instead, the panel concluded its proceedings hastily, the petition claimed, reversing the burden of proof and placing the onus on the judge to disprove misconduct. The inquiry committee, comprising then high court chief justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana), GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh), and justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka high court), was formed on March 22 and submitted its findings to CJI Khanna on May 3. Justice Varma's petition also challenged the then CJI's May 8 recommendation, arguing that it was based solely on an inquiry report that violated constitutional protections afforded to sitting judges. The Supreme Court's May 8 press note confirmed that justice Varma had submitted a written response to the inquiry report, reiterating his denial of any wrongdoing and terming the allegations a 'conspiracy.' However, the top court noted that the judge had essentially restated his earlier stand. During the in-house inquiry, justice Varma was divested of all judicial work and transferred back to his parent high court in Allahabad. He was serving on the bench of the Delhi high court when the March 14 incident took place. The 64-page inquiry report cited 'strong inferential evidence' to conclude that justice Varma had 'covert or active control' over the charred cash. While admitting that no direct evidence linked him to the currency, the panel held that his conduct 'belied the trust' reposed in a constitutional judge and warranted impeachment proceedings. 'The burden shifted upon justice Varma to account for the money by giving a plausible explanation, which he failed to do, except projecting a flat denial and raising a bald plea of conspiracy,' the report said. The committee concluded that even if the money had been stored without his explicit knowledge, its presence in his official residence 'eroded public trust' and constituted judicial misconduct of a grave nature. As first reported by HT on June 18, justice Varma had earlier rejected CJI Khanna's suggestion to resign or opt for voluntary retirement. In a detailed letter dated May 6, the judge accused the panel of procedural violations and asked the then CJI to reconsider both the process and the outcome.

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