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(Reuters) – Taliban fighters seized control on Thursday of a key district in western Afghanistan that includes a major border crossing with Iran, Afghan security officials said, as the Islamist insurgents continued their rapid military advances around the country. In the last week, the Taliban have overrun areas bordering five countries – Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan – as …

barrons.com – Stalled efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal must address the “changed circumstances” since the accord was negotiated, a US senator from President Joe Biden’s Democratic party told AFP. “There is a strong, almost universal desire by Congress… to go beyond the sunset dates that were included in the JCPOA,” said Senator Ben Cardin, referring to dates …

Al-Monitor – Iran’s health officials dismissed several statements about a “US sabotage attack” or halts in the country’s indigenous vaccine projects. “The production line of COV-Iran Barakat is operating with full capacity,” read a statement issued by the state-funded Shifapharmed Industrial Group, which is involved in the production of one in a long list of vaccines Iran says it has developed to immunize …

RFL/RE – Taliban militants say progress has been made in talks with a delegation of Afghan government representatives in Tehran on finding a political solution to the escalating violence in the war-torn country amid the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem tweeted on July 8 that the two sides agreed in a joint declaration that they had come …

RFL/RE – Iran’s outgoing President Hassan Rohani has blamed frequent blackouts on a heat wave and a severe drought that is sharply driving up electricity demand.Tehran and other major Iranian cities have experienced frequent power outages over the past several days and authorities say they may continue through the end of the month.“We regret the problems the people have had …