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Slamming US unilateralism

Iran’s foreign minister says the US cannot impose its one-sided views on others through accusations and sanctions, stressing that diplomacy is not a one-way street. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was reacting to US President Joe Biden’s latest anti-Iran remarks. Biden said the US will continue to increase diplomatic and economic pressure until Iran returns to compliance with the 2015 deal, the JCPOA. Iran's foreign minister said if the window of diplomacy is still open on the deal it’s because of Iran's dynamic initiatives. He added that an agreement on reviving the JCPOA needs US' acceptance of realities, flexibility and initiatives. Iran and the US held their latest round of indirect talks on the revival of the deal and removal of anti-Iran sanctions in the Qatari capital late last month. The Doha talks were held as an extension of previous rounds of negotiations, which were stalled in March over what Tehran called Washington’s excessive demands.

Russia citizenship for Ukrainians

The Russian president has issued a decree to speed up citizenship for all Ukrainians, more than four months after the start of Moscow's offensive in the war-torn country. Vladimir Putin’s decree also enables stateless persons permanently residing in Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner. Putin had already fast-tracked citizenship for residents of two regions in south and southeast of Ukraine, which are totally or partially under Russia's control. Kiev has condemned the decree as worthless and proof of QUOTE Putin's aggressive appetites. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the decree breaches Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is at odds with international law. He said Ukrainians do not need Russian citizenship, warning that attempts to impose it by force are doomed to failure. A similar decree in 2019 allowed the same simplified citizenship procedure for residents of Ukraine's eastern breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Tunisia new constitution

A Tunisian opposition alliance renews calls for a boycott of a July 25 referendum on the country’s new constitution, which is promoted by President Kais Saied. The opposition National Salvation Front says the referendum is illegal and unconstitutional, and aims to legitimize a coup. The renewed call for the boycott of the constitution referendum comes despite Saied publishing an amended draft. The measure was an apparent attempt at warding off criticism after the original draft came under severe fire. Critics argued that it gave nearly unlimited powers to president’s office. The draft constitution is the centerpiece of Saied's program to overhaul Tunisia's political system. His rivals say the text confirms fears that Saied seeks to reinstall an autocracy in the North African country.

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