U.S. downplays Iran’s announcement of nuclear progressFebruary 15, 2012 - 23:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States on Wednesday, Feb 15 downplayed Iran's latest announcement of nuclear progress, saying Tehran's reported advances were "not terribly new and not terribly impressive." "We frankly don't see a lot new here. This is not big news. In fact it seems to have been hyped," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told journalists, Reuters reported. Iran has claimed that it achieved major advances in its program to master production of nuclear fuel, in response to increasingly tough Western sanctions over its nuclear program. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday inaugurated three new nuclear projects, in a ceremony that was broadcast live on state television network IRIB. At the Iranian Atomic Organization in Tehran, Ahmadinejad witnessed the insertion of Iran's first home-made nuclear fuel rods into a medical reactor. The President then opened, via a video-conference link-up, two other projects in the Natanz plant in central Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian officials indicated that they were on the verge of imposing an oil embargo on European countries to retaliate for the sanctions, but denied reports that six nations had already been cut off. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Welcome to CaseKey 2024. Byblos Bank Armenia firmly stands by future innovators Strategic business cases, invaluable experience, innovative approaches and more than 25 events are in store for the participants of CaseKey 2024. Macron honors Charles Aznavour on 100th anniversary French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to the memory of French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour. Blinken says U.S. reviewing a number of aid requests from Armenia He said the U.S. is reviewing the requests to determine what more it can do to increase its assistance to Armenia. At least 2 CSTO members participated in preparing 44-day war against Armenia – PM Nikol Pashinyan has declared that at least two CSTO member countries participated in preparations for the 44-day war against Armenia. |