VIF Information Alerts - 02 July 2019

Iran says it has breached stockpile limit under nuclear deal
Published: The Hindu

01 Jul 2019

Iran acknowledged on Monday that it had broken the limit set on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by the 2015 nuclear deal, marking its first major departure from the unraveling agreement a year after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the accord.

Iran had been expected for days to acknowledge it broke the limit after earlier warning it would do so. It held off on publicly making an announcement as European leaders met on June 28 in Vienna to discuss ways to save the accord. Iran has threatened to increase its enrichment of uranium closer to weapons-grade levels by July 7.Click here to read... [2]

EU powers resist calls for Iran sanctions after breach of nuclear deal
Published: The Guardian

01 Jul 2019

European leaders have resisted calls to start reimposing sanctions on Iran after the country said it had for the first time broken the terms of the nuclear deal it signed with foreign powers in 2015.

Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Monday it had allowed its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to exceed 300kg. The move is a carefully calibrated and reversible step intended to put pressure on Europe to do more to help mitigate the effect of crippling US sanctions.Click here to read... [3]

12 JuD, JeM members sentenced by anti-terror courts in Pak
Published: The Tribune

01 Jul 2019

The anti-terrorism courts in Pakistan’s Punjab province have handed down up to five years imprisonment to 12 members of the banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) on the charges of terrorism financing.

According to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police, it arrested the JuD and JeM members sometimes ago on the charges of terror financing and presented them before anti-terrorism courts of different districts of Punjab for trial.Click here to read... [4]

India Seeks to Buy $2.2 Billion Warships to Meet China Challenge
Published: Bloomberg

01 Jul 2019

India sought bids for purchase of warships and support vessels for its navy and coast guard as it ramps up security of its maritime border in the Indian Ocean region.

The Narendra Modi government on Monday asked seven shipyards to submit proposals for the construction of six missile warships and other smaller vessels worth 150 billion rupees ($2.2 billion), the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The tender includes eight fast patrol vessels, 12 hovercrafts and eight missile-cum-ammunition barges.Click here to read... [5]

Nepali gov't holds first ever dialogue to formulate Nepal's new foreign policy
Published: Xinhua

30 Jun 2019

The Nepali government organized a national dialogue on Saturday to formulate a new foreign policy suited to the current world situation in line with the letter and spirit of the country's constitution promulgated in 2015.

Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli officially inaugurated the one-day program organized in the Nepali capital Kathmandu amid the presence of cabinet ministers, senior leaders from various political parties, parliamentarians, diplomats, entrepreneurs, civil society members, academicians and media persons.Click here to read... [6]