Free Republic

Russia has strongly defended Iran’s right to maintain peaceful nuclear installations. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Iran had the right to such facilities in the past, holds it now, and will continue to do so in the future. She made these remarks while speaking to Sputnik Radio, stressing that peaceful nuclear sites are now under direct attack. Zakharova warned that the threat of nuclear conflict in the Middle East is no longer a theory but a real and growing danger. She said these attacks are not only increasing tensions but also posing a serious threat to both the...

Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, traveled to Pyongyang on Tuesday under the direct orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling a deepening of strategic military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. The visit, Shoigu's second in less than two weeks and third meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in just three months, comes as Moscow seeks to draw Pyongyang closer in its protracted war effort in Ukraine. Observers say the visit suggests a bid by Russia to leverage shifting global attention — particularly the West’s growing preoccupation with escalating tensions between Israel and Iran — to secure...

The Kremlin responded Monday to remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on possible Iranian regime change, issuing a condemnation of the "actions" that have led to escalated tensions between the two Middle Eastern nations. Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday that regime change in Tehran "could certainly be the result" of Israel's strikes targeting Iran. The Israeli leader described the Iranian government as "very weak." Speaking at a Monday press briefing, Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, was asked about Netanyahu's comments. "We have certainly seen this statement, we've heard and read [it]," Peskov said. The Kremlin condemns "the...

An ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin has said that "a full-scale war" in the Middle East is possible following Israel's airstrikes on Iran. -snip- Konstantin Kosachev, vice-speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament, made clear that Russia would stand by its ally, Iran. "Israel's actions cannot be justified from a legal, political, military or moral point of view. The only hope, albeit illusory, of avoiding a full-scale war is a consolidated condemnation of this operation by the international community," he said, according to Russia's official TASS news agency. "We can and must hope for another demonstration of restraint from...

President Trump on Friday called on Iran to go back to the negotiating table and cut a nuclear deal "before there is nothing left" after Israel attacked its nuclear sites. -snip- The Trump administration wants to use the war Israel started to get the Iranians back to the nuclear talks when they are in a weaker position. A U.S. official said White House envoy Steve Witkoff still wants to meet Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday for the planned sixth round of the nuclear talks. But the Iranians said they are not going to participate. -snip- "I gave Iran...

Russia said on Friday that Israeli strikes on Iran were unprovoked and in breach of the United Nations charter, accusing Israel of wrecking diplomatic efforts to strike a deal to allay Western concerns about Tehran's nuclear programme. -snip- "Russia is concerned and condemns the sharp escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media. President Vladimir Putin was getting real-time reports on the situation from Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service and the foreign and defence ministries, Peskov said. In a detailed statement drawn up at Putin's behest, the Foreign Ministry fiercely condemned Israel and blamed...

The Trump administration confirms that US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff will travel to Muscat on Sunday for the sixth round of nuclear talks with Iran. Talks will be both direct and indirect, as in previous rounds, says a statement to reporters attributed to a source familiar.

Iran on Thursday repudiated a declaration from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it's not complying with its nuclear obligations, and said it would enhance aspects of its nuclear program in response. -snip- The IAEA board of governors approved a resolution proposed by the U.S., U.K., France and Germany to condemn Iran for not providing clarity about its undeclared nuclear sites and material. 19 countries on the 35-member voted in favor. Russia, China and Burkina Faso opposed the resolution, and the others abstained or didn't vote. -snip- The Iranians announced that in response, they would launch a new Uranium...

Iran will rebuild its nuclear facilities if they are destroyed, the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says, according to state media. “It is not the case that if they destroy our facilities with bombs, everything will be lost — these capabilities exist in our minds, and therefore, whatever they do, we will rebuild again,” Pezeshkian says.

A Russian Orthodox priest has sparked controversy with his provocative claim that Russian Muslims could be mobilized to commit violence against Christians. The statement was made as Moscow's Muslim community celebrated the holy festival of Eid al-Adha on Sunday. Schema-abbot Gavriil, during his sermon, referred to the Muslims congregating on Peace Avenue in Moscow for the festivities: "The entire space is covered with people. And these are healthy men, who do not drink alcohol, who wrestle and go to gyms for training." He made an alarming assertion: "This is a whole army. And if, one fine day, a mullah orders...

President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their Monday phone call that he believes there's a chance of reaching a nuclear deal with Iran and he therefore opposes military action at this time, an Israeli official and a U.S. official tell Axios. Why it matters: The call between Trump and Netanyahu took place several days before the expiration of the two-month deadline Trump gave Iran for reaching a deal. Iranian officials have been finalizing their response to the U.S. nuclear deal proposal, and are expected to deliver a formal rejection this week. A sixth round of nuclear talks...

The top US military commander for the Middle East says he has presented US President Donald Trump with military plans to strike Iran and is prepared to do if so ordered. “I have provided the secretary of defense and the president a wide range of options,” Central Command head Gen. Michael Kurilla says during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. Kurilla was responding to Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, the chairman of the committee, who asked if CENTCOM was prepared to respond with overwhelming force if Iran does not permanently give up its nuclear ambitions. “I take that as...

Russia has signed a contract with Iran to build eight nuclear power plants, with four to be built in Bushehr, a district in the southern part of the nation, according to an announcement by the head of the Atomic Energy Organization. Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, commented that the Iranian people wish to support the nuclear industry, as it secures the country's future, according to The Iran Press.

At a farm near Moscow, newly arrived guest workers from India are planting potatoes and cabbages - work closely monitored by central bank analysts as they prepare for board meetings to set interest rates. While in developed economies such as the United States food accounts for about 14% of the basket used to calculate inflation, in Russia it makes up a hefty 40% or so, and surging prices for potatoes and other staples have been a major reason for its tight monetary policy. The central bank trimmed its benchmark rate to 20% on June 6 but even that is around...

Production of vodka in Russia has plummetted by more than 13%, according to the latest data. The dip occurred between January and May as the country also deals with a shortage of potatoes. On May 14, President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russians "don’t have enough potatoes". Figures suggest that, in the first few months of 2025, the price of the crop surged by 52%, while the overall harvest dropped by 12%. In the first five months of 2025, Armenia exported nearly twice as many potatoes to Russia as it did during the first half of 2024, and almost 17 times...

It’s becoming routine: Tucker Carlson is apoplectic at talk of using military force to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program. Unable to conceal his animus, his June 4 X.com hyperventilation is a result. He hopefully feels better for the effort. This time it’s because Mark Levin visited Trump, advocating bold action against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Carlson seems particularly incensed that two Jews, Levin and Steve Witkoff (whom Carlson describes as a “Long Island native”), advise Trump. Is “Long Island” an antisemitic dog whistle? San Francisco native Carlson referenced Levin six times, emphasizing his loathing. Carlson uses argument ad hominem and conjures imaginary...

Ukraine's military launched another attack on a Russian airbase, thousands of miles from the frontlines. The attack took place overnight and targeted Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region. The airbase is home to a number of fighter jets, including the MiG-31 K, which can fire lethal Kinzhal ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s army said the attack had wiped out a MiG-31 K and a SU-30/34 aircraft, which are regularly used to launch aerial bombardments on the country. The airbase is home to a number of fighter jets, including the MiG-31 K, which can fire lethal Kinzhal ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s army said...

PMC Wagner is withdrawing from Mali, the company's press service said, APA reports citing Pravda. According to the press service, "for 3.5 years, the orchestra has been fighting shoulder to shoulder with the people of Mali against terrorists."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday greeted Muslims all over the world on Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice and known in Russia as "Kurban Bayram." In a statement posted on the Kremlin website, Putin noted that this holiday marks the completion of a pilgrimage to ancient religious rituals, promotes unity among people, and gives believers joy by connecting with their ancestors' rich historical and spiritual legacy. "Following ancestral teachings and traditions, Muslims celebrate Kurban Bayram by performing kind and compassionate deeds, sincerely caring for those in need of help and sympathy," he said. The Russian...

Ukrainian forces struck multiple Russian airfields and military facilities overnight on June 6, hours before Russia launched one of its heaviest aerial assaults of the war, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported. Ukrainian strikes reportedly targeted Engels and Dyagilevo airfields — two key hubs for Russia's long-range bomber fleet, as well as logistics sites in Russia's Kursk Oblast. -snip- Engels-2 air base, located in Saratov Oblast, nearly 600 kilometers (370 miles) from Ukraine's front lines, hosts Russia's Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers — aircraft regularly used in missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Ukraine's General Staff said a strike...