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White House begging world, including India, to buy Russian crude: Iran hits out at US

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Tehran, March 14: Iran on Saturday accused the United States of double standards over Russian oil, saying that Washington was now “begging” countries to purchase the same crude it had earlier tried to block through pressure and sanctions.

In an X post, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi slammed the US, alleging that it had spent months pressuring India to halt imports of Russian oil but had now shifted its position as tensions with Iran disrupted global energy markets.

“The US spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia,” Araghchi wrote on X. “After two weeks of war with Iran, the White House is now begging the world — including India — to buy Russian crude.”

He also took aim at European governments, accusing them of supporting what he described as an “illegal war” against Iran in the expectation that such backing would help them secure stronger US support in their standoff with Russia.

“Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win US support against Russia. Pathetic,” Araghchi said in the same post.

The Iranian foreign minister shared his remarks alongside a headline from the Financial Times, which reported that the surge in global oil prices was providing Russia with a major boost in revenue.

Araghchi’s comments came after the Trump administration on Thursday announced a 30-day waiver allowing countries to purchase certain Russian oil cargoes currently stranded at sea.

The measure was introduced as part of efforts to ease volatility in global energy markets after crude prices surged beyond $100 per barrel amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The waiver was announced after benchmark oil prices crossed the $100 per barrel mark following supply disruptions linked to the war and Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil shipments pass.

According to the US Treasury Department, the temporary licence permits the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products that had already been loaded onto vessels as of March 12. The authorisation will remain valid until midnight Washington time on April 11.

The latest move comes after a similar 30-day waiver issued on March 5 that allowed India to purchase Russian oil cargoes that were stuck at sea, giving importers limited flexibility to secure supplies during the ongoing crisis.

Amid the disruption, Iran has now granted safe passage to Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz despite the wider restrictions imposed on global shipping, and an LPG tanker sailing to India crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.

The development follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements between India and Iran, including phone conversations between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday to review the rapidly evolving situation in the West Asia region.

International News

Iran says Strait of Hormuz can be reopened in two days if US meets its demands

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Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that if the United States meets Iran’s “legitimate” demands, it will be possible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days.

At a weekly press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said the basis for any indirect interaction between Iran and the United States through mediators remains the seven-day plan proposed by Tehran in September, adding Iran has reduced the period for implementing the plan to two days based on its good faith.

He noted, “We have announced that if Iran’s demands are met, the possibility will exist to restore security to the Strait of Hormuz and start the negotiation process in a short period of time,” stressing that all these depend on the American side’s decision on how to proceed regarding the future of the process, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Baghaei said Iran has articulated its demands “clearly, reasonably, and logically,” underlining that unless the United States ends its anti-Iran naval blockade and addresses Tehran’s “legitimate” demands, no agreement will be reached and the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened or secured.

Iran conveyed the seven-day plan containing its conditions for ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the United States through mediators on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, following which Tehran and Washington have reportedly continued exchanging messages on the proposal.

On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports from major Gulf producers to international markets.

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274 minor boys subjected to sexual abuse in Bangladesh; madrasas account for majority cases

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At least 274 minor boys were subjected to sexual violence in 199 incidents across Bangladesh, with the majority of victims being madrasa students, said a leading international human rights organisation, highlighting the alarming scale of abuse against children in the country.

In its ten-month monitoring report, Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) stated that the incidents recorded between January 1 and October 31, 2026, took place in classrooms, residential institutions, homes and neighbourhoods, with children often subjected to abuse by people they knew or were expected to trust.

It noted that many children’s experiences never become public, and the actual scale may be substantially greater.

As per the findings, 183 incidents involved allegations of rape affecting 257 children, while 16 cases involved attempted rape against 17 children across 61 districts in all eight divisions of Bangladesh.

Five incidents reportedly resulted in the deaths of children following alleged sexual violence. The report further noted that 136 children experienced repeated abuse in 67 incidents, accounting for nearly half of all recorded victims.

According to the report, madrasa students accounted for 180 victims in 121 incidents, constituting 65.7 per cent of all recorded victims. Madrasas were identified as the locations of abuse in 100 incidents involving 158 victims.

The report further stated that madrasa teachers were named as accused in 93 incidents involving 131 victims. It recorded 115 accused entries involving madrasa teachers, accounting for 49.4 per cent of all accused persons.

Furthermore, madrasa teachers, students, and religious leaders were collectively identified as alleged perpetrators in 107 incidents involving 150 victims.

“Every one of these children deserved to be safe. A child who finds the courage to speak about abuse must be heard and protected — not threatened, silenced, or sent back into danger. It is deeply disturbing that some of the people accused were entrusted with children’s education and care,” said JMBF Founder President Shahanur Islam

“No institution’s reputation is worth more than a child’s safety. Anyone who abuses a child, conceals an offence or pressures a family to remain silent must face investigation and, where responsibility is established, lawful accountability. Arrests cannot be the end of the response. Children need treatment, someone they can trust, support to continue their education and a justice process that does not cause them further harm,” he added.

The JMBF urged the Bangladeshi authorities to take immediate measures to protect children, ensure thorough investigations and accountability for those responsible for the abuse or its concealment.

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Iran defines vast arena to inflict damage on enemy: IRGC spokesman

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Iranian forces have determined a vast battlefield to inflict damage on the “enemy” and achieve complete deterrence, spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Mohebbi has said.

Speaking at a conference in Iran’s southeastern Kerman province on Sunday (local time), Mohebbi said Iranian forces are more prepared than ever “to respond decisively to the enemy,” reports Xinhua, quoting the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

He pointed to recent orders from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to senior military commanders, saying the leader’s guidelines “opened a new chapter of war.”

Mohebbi highlighted Khamenei’s emphasis that “there is no geographical limitation in the war with the United States,” saying the IRGC has placed on its agenda identifying new enemy targets and planning operations in new geographical regions.

On Saturday, a statement announced that Iran’s supreme leader had ordered senior commanders of the armed forces to ensure that any level and kind of threat from the “enemies” must be met with an “immediate and effective” response without geographical limitations.

The warnings come amid heightened US threats of military action against Iran.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), US President Donald Trump was briefed on Thursday by top US military officials on options regarding Iran.

The United States has also informed several Gulf countries to prepare for a possible brief but intense military campaign against Iran after the US midterm elections, according to the WSJ.

On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

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