Sputnik International

🗣🇮🇷 Major parts of war-ending agreement finalized — Iran Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says major sections of a potential understanding are close to completion, even as the US keeps shifting positions and launching military strikes designed to disrupt diplomacy. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📊🇨🇳 China's ports dominate global efficiency rankings — World Bank data China's ports top the World Bank and S&P Global rankings of the world's most efficient ports, with Fuzhou in first place, Dalian in second place, and Hong Kong in ninth place. Seven Chinese hubs are in the top 10. This comes amid intense global supply chain disruptions, ranging from the crisis in the Red Sea to the war between the US and Israel in Iran. While Western ports struggle with bottlenecks, Chinese ports maintain stable turnaround times through automation, increased capacity, and operational discipline. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚔️ IRGC enforces Strait of Hormuz blockade — tanker turned away The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) confirmed the waterway is closed to shipping until further notice. Iranian forces denied passage to a tanker that entered the strait area without prior coordination – opening fire off the coast of Sirik, Tasnim News reported.

"We continue to control the Strait of Hormuz and will act decisively against any vessel attempting to transit it," IRGC warned.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🤝 Russia backs Trump's bid to restore ties — 'personal chemistry' between Putin and Trump Russia supports the current administration's constructive approach to repairing bilateral relations "ruined by its predecessors," Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev said.

"The process is not straightforward, hampered by backtracks... but of real importance is sustained personal chemistry between Presidents Putin and Trump who directed us to tirelessly work for restoring normal intergovernmental ties," Darchiev said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier thanked President Trump for his efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis, and reiterated that had he been in power in 2022, it's possible the conflict would not have started. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚔️🗣 Iran's Baghaei slams US 'armed robbery on the high seas' The Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman condemns the US for attacking Indian commercial vessels, killing at least 3 Indian nationals.

"The international community must hold the United States accountable for its lawless conduct, which continues to threaten global peace and security," he declared on X.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹Scientists discover the largest known whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean, stretching hundreds of kilometers, with some remains dating back more than 5 million years. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🗣🇮🇷 Iran says US keep changing positions — no final agreement yet Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said reports about the time and location of the signing of the US-Iran agreement remain speculative. ◼️ Most of the text was ready, but the US changed their positions. ◼️ Iran will not compromise on its red lines. ◼️ The Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to "illegal US actions." 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

✍️ Two UK ministers resign in 24 hours over Starmer's spending plans Armed Forces Minister Al Carns quit hours after Defence Secretary John Healey stepped down, both accusing the prime minister of failing to commit necessary resources to meet his own militarization pledges. Healey told Starmer the upcoming defence investment plan "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time." The UK has repeatedly expressed plans of rapid militarization and even considered deploying its troops in Ukraine. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🗣 Trump says Iran deal could be finalized over the weekend — signing in Europe The president tells reporters a deal is imminent, possibly in Europe, with JD Vance representing the US.

"The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend in Europe. I won't be able to be there, but JD will be there," he told reporters.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔸 Latest US threats reflect desperation, not confidence - senior Iranian official 🔸 Patriot missile shortage exposes US impotence as security guarantor – ex-DoD analyst 🔸 Russia can help Pakistan solve one of the country's most pressing problems: the lack of water supply 🔸 Warships and cutting-edge systems: What can Russia offer to Southeast Asian navies? 🔸 Water catastrophe dries out Gaza — Khan Yunis residents 🔸 Europe now wants Trump's support for more Russia‑Ukraine peace talks – but why? 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇯🇴🗣 Arab powers mull regional security alliance - Jordan’s ex-minister Some countries in the Middle East are advancing proposals to forge a regional alliance involving Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, aimed at preventing further regional turmoil, Jordan's former Minister of Social Development and political science professor Amin Al-Mashaqba tells Sputnik. The goal of such an alliance would be to strengthen collective security and increase the level of self-reliance among Arab states after “the failure of US security guarantees for the Gulf countries.” Jordan maintains constant contacts with the US, continuing its effort to safeguard regional peace, he says.

💬 “Relations between Jordan and the Gulf states have deep historical roots, but current challenges require a higher level of Arab coordination and security cooperation,” Al-Mashaqba notes, adding that the country, along with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye, "attempted to prevent" the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The “key problem,” lies in Israel’s policy, which seeks to keep the region in a state of ongoing conflict and achieve its “expansionist and religious-ideological goals,” Al-Mashaqba says. The continuation of current Israeli policies could jeopardize the future of peace agreements between Israel and Arab states, he concludes. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

♦️ As gold cools and Bitcoin stumbles, are rubies the next big bet? While investors debate the outlook for traditional assets, one precious gemstone has been quietly gaining value for decades: ◻️ Price of natural rubies has been growing steadily over the past several decades, unaffected even by the recessions of the 1990s and the late 2000s. From March 2020 and by mid-2021, their price increased by 50% ◻️ Gemfields’ mixed-quality rough ruby auction held in June 2025 yielded $31.7 million in revenues, with average sales price of about $461 per carat ◻️ Limited supply of rubies from Myanmar, caused by political instability and declining production, further drove their price up in 2025 ◻️ Not all rubies are equally valuable, however. Natural, high-quality rubies from Myanmar and Mozambique are substantially appreciated whereas treated, lower-quality gems are less valued 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷Trump cancels planned strikes on Iran after negotiations reach Iran's top leadership But naval blockade will remain in place until a final agreement is signed. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🪖💣 Patriot missile shortage exposes US impotence as security guarantor – ex-DoD analyst The US’ inability to deliver the Patriot missiles it promised to allies does not bode well for its reputation, former US Department of Defense analyst Karen Kwiatkowski tells Sputnik. 🔶 The US showed that paying for US arms and even being a US ally does not make one a priority. “The priority is whatever emergency Washington dreams up next, and allies see this.” 🔶 Lockheed Martin’s intent to increase annual Patriot missile production from 650 to 2,000 missiles by 2033, when the US burned through 900 such missiles in just four days of war with Iran, is laughable 🔶 The US finds itself unable to “fight a high-intensity conflict lasting more than a week or two without running out of ammunition.” 🔶 “America can no longer do both: protect its own assets and guarantee the safety of its partners. The era of American military omnipotence is over.” 🔶 Countries which previously bought Patriots may now turn to “cheaper and better alternatives” instead 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇺🇸 Latest US threats reflect desperation, not confidence - senior Iranian official The US has failed to achieve any of its declared objectives in both the 12‑day war (June 2025) and the latest 40‑day war – thanks to Iranian resistance and steadfastness, said Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of Iran's Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. ◾️ The withdrawal of US forces from the Persian Gulf, the destruction of their bases, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have inflicted a major defeat on the US ◾️ US leadership's frantic gestures are contradictory to the principles of negotiations – they stem from utter despair and a lack of planning among US statesmen ◾️ The US is now at an impasse, forced to change its approach – but still tries to compensate for its losses through wild gestures and abrupt decisions

💬 “The current situation shows the enemy's total failure, and the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its path strongly, relying on its domestic power and national cohesion,” Azizi stressed.

Recently, US President Donald Trump announced that the US would launch a massive strike on Iran tonight, including a possible capture of the strategic Kharg Island. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🪖 Russian troops break deeper into Konstantinovka & dismantle Ukraine's defensive hub Konstantinovka is one of most important logistics and defensive hubs in northern Donbass. Together with Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, it forms a heavily fortified belt that supports Ukrainian operations across the region. Russian forces are steadily dismantling this defensive belt and expanding their control over the city, the Ministry of Defense announced: 🔹 Russian forces have established full control over eastern Konstantinovka and reached its northeastern outskirts 🔹 The Yug Battlegroup is advancing along a broad front in northern Donetsk People's Republic 🔹 Encircled Ukrainian units are being eliminated in southwestern Konstantinovka and on the grounds of the city's metallurgical plant 🔹 Russian forces continue offensive operations against Ukrainian positions across the Slavyansk–Kramatorsk–Konstantinovka fortified area 🔹 Assault units are making further gains in Konstantinovka's Novosyolovka district 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🇵🇰Russia can help Pakistan solve one of the country's most pressing problems: the lack of water supply Pakistan, where agriculture accounts for about 23% of GDP and employs up to 33% of the national workforce, frequently suffers from drought and extreme temperatures.

"Russia has competencies in engineering, it has competencies in desalination plants, and Pakistan might require desalination of water in its coastal areas towards Balochistan and some western parts of Sindh, which do not connect to the Indus River – over there Russia can be extremely useful," believes Ali Ehsan, Chief Development Officer at the Policy Research Institute of Market Economy.

In his opinion, Russia's experience could also benefit Pakistan in other areas, such as: 🔶 Water purification and recycling 🔶 Urban sewage and wastewater treatment The expert also noted that Pakistan possesses large reserves of glacial water and groundwater. Russia and Pakistan already have water and hydropower agreements in place, led by Russian company RusHydro. The two sides are still discussing priority joint projects, including hydropower plants and irrigation systems. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇮🇷🇺🇸How far can the US go in acting on its threats against Iran? Observers must distinguish between military capability and political will when assessing the US president's promises, Khashayar Bourboury, a Middle East expert, tells Sputnik. 🔶 The US has the ability to deliver massive strikes, but full‑scale action depends on regional costs, the reaction of allies and rivals, American public opinion, and the risk of widening the conflict 🔶 The main danger in such a situation is the risk of miscalculation, misunderstanding, and a chain reaction of retaliatory actions

💬 “The higher the level of verbal threats and the greater the intensity of actions, the narrower the space for decision‑making – and the higher the probability that the crisis will spiral out of control,” Bourboury says.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🚨How Russian coal could power India’s path to Viksit Bharat As the world’s 2nd-largest steel producer, India aims to expand its capacity to 500M tonnes by 2047. This will significantly increase demand for high-quality coking coal — the critical raw material for blast furnace steelmaking. 🔸Around 85% of India's coking coal demand is met through imports because domestic reserves are largely low-grade and unsuitable for efficient steelmaking. 🔸More than half of India's coking coal imports currently come from Australia, which carries risks amid global supply chain tensions. 🔸Russian deposits in Kuzbass, Yakutia and other regions hold vast reserves of coking coal. It offers a strong balance of high quality, competitive pricing, and proximity compared with other major suppliers. 🔸Logistics play a key role in the current geopolitical scenario: Russian coal is shipped through the country’s eastern ports (such as Vanino and Vladivostok) and via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) through Iran. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺🪖🚢 Warships and cutting-edge systems: What can Russia offer to Southeast Asian navies? Russia’s top defense exporter Rosoboronexport’s products can help maritime states in Southeast Asia to secure their respective borders and exclusive economic zones, as well perform naval operations such as escort and interdiction. Project 22160 patrol ships may be of particular interest to countries which require multirole surface vessels to maintain control of vast stretches of coastal waters. 👉 Equipped with a 76mm naval gun, surface-to-air missile launchers and radar jamming equipment, a Project 22160 vessel can engage seaborne, airborne and coastal targets, while the ship’s 12.7mm machine guns and naval grenade launchers can repel hostile boarding parties and combat divers. A Project 22160 ship can also carry a 12-ton attack helicopter and an assortment of drones. 🇷🇺 One major advantage Russian vessels hold over their foreign analogues is adaptable architecture, which allows them to be reconfigured to tackle any specific threat a client might want to be dealt with. Surface vessels aside, Rosoboronexport also offers an assortment of reliable and efficient coastal missile defense systems and submarines. Rosoboronexport can also outfit its customers’ existing ships with various systems such as: ◻️ Various weapon systems ◻️ Radars ◻️ Fire suppression equipment ◻️ Propulsion units This option allows a country to rapidly improve its naval power and is a lot less time consuming than ordering new vessels built from scratch. Rosoboronexport’s naval products have been put on display at the Fleet 2026 international expo held in Kronstadt from June 10 till June 14. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt