Video - New video from Pussy riot, Topic: corruption in Putin 's Russia. (English subtitled).

Russia Declares Handover or-Refund Stance on Mistral Ships Deal.

Russia Declares Handover or-Refund Stance on Mistral Ships Deal. (SP).

Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov stated that Moscow’s position on the delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers from France boils down to two: either the ships or a refund.

Moscow’s position on the delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers from France boils down to two: either the ships or a refund, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said Monday.

“As our president has [already] told the press, the topic of the Mistral was not discussed [during an unscheduled meeting in Moscow with French President Francoise Hollande]. The president also said that we understand the situation calmly, and that in principle two variants would suffice: either the ships or the money that should be returned,” Ushakov said.

An impromptu meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Francois Hollande took place Saturday in Moscow's Vnukovo-2 Airport.

Putin said Saturday the issue of Mistral delivery had not been brought up during his rendezvous with Hollande, but stressed Moscow would "proceed from the assumption" that Paris meant to honor the contract.

The Russian president added, however, that Moscow would "have no major complaints" if Paris did not deliver on its contractual obligations since it expected the money paid for two ships to be returned.

Last week, Putin's senior aide said Moscow expected France to make its final decision on the ships deal known before the turn of the year. He warned Russia might file a lawsuit with the European Court of Arbitration "next year" to seek damages from France. Read the full story here.

Source: Three European Banks Assigned to Transfer $ 14 Billion Unfrozen Assets to Iran.

Source: Three European Banks Assigned to Transfer $ 14 Billion Unfrozen Assets to Iran.(Fars).

Three European banks have been commissioned to remit Iran’s unfrozen assets, informed sources said after Tehran and the six world powers started enforcing the first step of the interim nuclear deal they had struck in Geneva in November.

An informed source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, pointed to the January 20 as the day for the implementation of the Geneva deal and remittance of $4.2 billion of Iran’s frozen assets, and said, “The Societe Generale, Standard Chartered and one other bank are in charge of transferring these amounts.”

Last month, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyed Abbas Araqchi said after the implementation of the recently inked nuclear deal between Tehran and the six major world powers, the country will access approximately $15bln in oil revenues.

He added that of the $15bln nearly $10bln, which was previously used to purchase foodstuff and medication, will be accessible with the implementation of the agreement.

According to Araqchi, another $4.2bln, which will be deposited into the Central Bank of Iran, will be accessible too.

Last week, a source from the EU said that the Union would begin lifting sanctions against Iran on Monday, January 20, the minute it receives the word that Tehran has begun implementing the nuclear deal.
The EU foreign ministers would announce the move in Brussels as soon as inspectors from the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, confirm that the agreement started to be carried out.

Earlier today Tehran started implementing the first step of its interim nuclear agreement with the six major world powers, and halted its 20-percent uranium enrichment. Later in the day, a confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) endorsed Tehran’s voluntary suspension of higher grade enrichment, paving the way for the easing of some western sanctions against Tehran.

The report by the IAEA also said Iran had begun diluting its stockpile of uranium enriched to concentration of 20 percent.

The IAEA added that Iran was also continuing to convert some of this reserve into oxide for producing reactor fuel.

The IAEA will play a pivotal role in checking Iran lives up to its part of the interim agreement by curbing uranium enrichment in exchange for some relaxation of sanctions against Tehran.

The IAEA report to member states said, “The Agency confirms that, as of 20 January 2014, Iran … has ceased enriching uranium above 5 percent U-235 at the two cascades at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) and four cascades at the Frodo Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP) previously used for this purpose.”

It was referring to Iran’s two enrichment plants, at Natanz and Frodo.


Cascades are interlinked networks of centrifuge machines that refine uranium. The IAEA report also said Iran was, as of January 20, not “conducting any further advances” to its activities at the Arak heavy water research reactor.

Iran's Top nuclear negotiator criticizes EU for re-imposing sanctions on Iran's companies

Iran's Top nuclear negotiator criticizes EU for re-imposing sanctions on Iran's companies.(Taz).

Iranian deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs and top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi criticized EU for re-imposing sanctions against Iranian companies, Mehr news agency reported on Nov. 29.

However he underlined that implementation of earlier imposed sanctions is not against new nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 countries.

"But it is contrary to the spirit of cooperation and goodwill," he added, underlining that the new deal does not include softening of some of the main sanctions imposed on Iran previously.

Iran and six world powers reached a breakthrough deal early on Nov. 24 on Tehran's nuclear program. The two sides have signed a joint "plan of action".

On Nov. 26, the EU re-imposed sanctions on a number lf Iranian shipping companies and one company involved in the development of nuclear reactors.

The companies include: Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, Bushehr Shipping Co. Ltd, Hafize Darya Shipping Lines (HDSL), Irano - Misr Shipping Co., Irinvestship Ltd, IRISL (Malta) Ltd, IRISL Club, IRISL Europe GmbH, IRISL Marine Services and Engineering Co., ISI Maritime Ltd, Khazar Shipping Lines, Leadmarine, Marble Shipping Ltd, Safiran Payam Darya Shipping Lines (SAPID), Shipping Computer Services Co., Soroush Saramin Asatir Ship Management, South Way Shipping Agency Co. Ltd and Valfajr 8th Shipping Line Co.

The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies.
The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.