live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Azerbaijan has put forward a proposal to convene a summit focused on the ongoing shrinkage of the Caspian Sea. All five Caspian littoral states had been invited to take part in the consultations, stated Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijani President's Representative for Climate issues.
According to him, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a working group to prepare the summit’s agenda and determine an appropriate timeline.
“We are currently engaged in discussions with representatives from Kazakhstan and international organizations to develop a coordinated strategy for mitigating the impacts of this critical issue,” Babayev added.
He also highlighted the close cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in addressing shared environmental challenges, including active collaboration under the Tehran Convention on the Conservation of Biodiversity in the Caspian Sea.
Babayev noted that both the scientific and practical aspects of environmental concerns are being addressed through the Tehran Convention, with particular focus on the alarming decline in Caspian Sea water levels.
“We have already witnessed the consequences of environmental disasters, such as those that affected Lake Urmia in Iran and the Aral Sea between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Now, a similar threat looms over the Caspian Sea. These developments have led to internal migration, with people leaving the coastal regions around both Urmia and the Aral Sea. As a result, a serious social problem is emerging for the entire region. Therefore, we must work together to develop effective measures to mitigate these threats,” - he warned and highlighted that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides a significant support with this regard.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has dismissed Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and appointed former parliament speaker Alen Simonyan as his replacement.
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing trade across Asia points to an increasingly connected region.
The United Nations refugee agency is planning a settlement and carpet-weaving workshop for Afghan returnees in Kabul as the country grapples with large-scale returns and growing pressure on housing, jobs and basic services.
Iran will soon join the New Development Bank (NDB), the lender established by BRICS nations, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said in a state media report on Wednesday ahead of a BRICS finance meeting in India.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has outlined an expanded vision for the Zangezur Corridor, describing it not simply as a transport route connecting mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan exclave, but as a future platform for energy, telecommunications and wider regional integration.
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