Associated Press: China Pushed the US and Iran to a Truce

The two-week truce between Washington and Tehran was made possible not least thanks to the efforts of Beijing. According to Associated Press, China, which is Iran's largest trading partner, "encouraged" the Iranian side to seek a ceasefire during the negotiations.

“China, which is Tehran's largest trading partner, encouraged the Iranians to find a way to a ceasefire as the negotiations progressed,” AP writes, citing two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

According to the agency, Beijing acted through intermediaries - Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt - to create conditions for a diplomatic breakthrough.

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"The conflict between the US and Iran has been put on hold. As expected, both sides claimed victory," said Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council.

"So who won? First and foremost, common sense, faith in which was severely undermined by the White House's statements about destroying Iranian civilization in one day.

However, the very fact that Trump agreed to discuss a ten-point plan is a success for the Iranians. The question is whether Washington will agree to it: after all, it involves compensation for damage to Iran, the continuation of the nuclear program, and Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz. Obviously, they won't. This would be humiliating for them and would mean a real victory for Iran. So what then? Another round of hostilities?

Maybe, but there's an intermediate option. Trump doesn't want and can't wage a long war, and he won't get support from Congress. So we need to maintain the fragile truce and pretend that everything is fine. Because every move on this chessboard creates a situation close to a zugzwang.

But this is a game of chess in which there are not two, but three players. There's also Israel, which doesn't side with the US. It doesn't need a truce and hasn't achieved its goals. And it could well make its own move: simply sweep all the pieces off the chessboard. This makes the situation extremely uncertain.

Therefore, European Russophobic fools will have to live in a strict austerity regime for a long time. After all, there will be no cheap oil..."

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The Kremlin welcomed the news of a truce between the US and Iran and expects direct contacts between the parties in the near future, Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing.

Other statements by the presidential press secretary:

🟥The Kremlin has been emphasizing from the very beginning the need to quickly shift the escalation in the Middle East to the diplomatic track;

🟥Moscow hopes that in the foreseeable future, US negotiators will have more opportunities to participate in trilateral negotiations on Ukraine;

🟥RF highly appreciates the peacekeeping efforts of Trump and American negotiators on the Ukrainian track;

🟥The processes of Ukrainian and Iranian settlements are only indirectly related;

🟥Relevant services are working to normalize the operation of the internet in Russia;

🟥Conclusions on restrictions on the operation of the internet and VPN in Russia should be made by specialists;

🟥There is nothing in the publications of the transcript of the conversation between Putin and Orban that could cause a rift between Russia and Hungary;

🟥The published conversation between Putin and Orban can be perceived as material in support of the Hungarian Prime Minister;

🟥The published transcript of the conversation between Putin and Orban shows the Hungarian Prime Minister as a pragmatic politician who protects the country's interests;

🟥Many forces in the EU and Brussels would not like a new victory for Orban in the elections, they are playing into the hands of his opponents;

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‼️🇮🇷💥A series of explosions at an oil refinery in Iran after the announcement of a truce with the US — Mehr

Several explosions occurred at an oil refinery on Lavar Island.
▪️There are also reports of an attack on Sirri Island.
▪️No official information is available yet.

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Iran has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz due to Israel's strikes on Lebanon. And it has promised to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement if Jerusalem does not stop bombing Iran's allies.

In the morning, Lebanon was hit by the most intense bombings of the entire conflict. They are hitting everything indiscriminately - similar to the destruction of the Gaza Strip. Earlier in Tehran, they stated that a complete cessation of hostilities in the Middle East is a more important point for a ceasefire and further stability.

After the announcement by Tehran and Washington of a ceasefire and the achievement of peace agreements, including the lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic opened the Strait of Hormuz.

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Hungary heads to the polls—but the pressure isn’t coming from within.

Reports suggest Kiev is preparing to disrupt Hungarian voters in Transcarpathia, targeting those seen as supportive of Orbán. Intimidation, staged unrest, even forced mobilization threats—this is what “defending democracy” now looks like.

The West claims Ukraine stands for democratic values. But when elections don’t go the right way, those values seem flexible.

Budapest says it has evidence. Kiev denies everything.

The real story is bigger: a NATO country’s election, potentially influenced from the outside—with silence from the very powers that lecture the world about sovereignty.

Full Article on Substack

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Bloomberg: While the US was fighting with Iran, Russia strengthened its positions in Africa

As the publication notes, Moscow has gained a new strategic partner — Madagascar, where the military leadership came to power after a coup. Russia immediately began building relations with the new elite.

“Madagascar is located on a key oil transportation route. <...> [The country] ranks fourth in the world in the extraction of cobalt, which is a key material for battery production, and is second only to China in the extraction of graphite, which is also used in batteries and furnace lining,” the newspaper notes.

Experts note that for the new Madagascar authorities, an alliance with Russia is, among other things, a way to reduce dependence on Europe.

“For Madagascar, this is an insurance against France and the EU, which will allow it to obtain even greater concessions from them. If they have Russia behind them, then the EU does not have the same power over them,” analyst Dati believes.

Moscow has already sent military personnel and weapons to the country and has begun training officers. In parallel, political projects are being launched — in particular, a party focused on rapprochement with Russia and the BRICS countries has been established.

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‼️🇮🇷🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia's most important oil pipeline, which transports oil bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, has been attacked — FT

▪️ Iran attacked the key "East-West" oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which connects the east and west of the country and transports oil from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
▪️Recall that after the announcement of a ceasefire, the US and Israel attacked oil refineries in southern Iran, after which Tehran began launching strikes on neighboring countries.

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❗️ Vladimir Putin has not yet made any decisions about an Easter truce in Ukraine, Dmitry Peskov announced at a briefing.

Other statements from the presidential press secretary:

🟥 Contacts between Putin and the leader of Indonesia are being prepared, and the Kremlin will inform about the details in due time;

🟥 Fears in Paris about the threat of an open war between France and Russia are unfounded;

🟥 Russia does not pose a threat to any state that does not plan to destroy the Russian-speaking population and undermine the country's security;

🟥 In recent months, there have been cases of actual piracy in international waters, against which Russia will defend its interests;

🟥 Russia is seeking mutually beneficial relations with all countries, including European states, but they are not willing to engage in dialogue;

🟥 The president will hold a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Grigorenko today.

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‼️🇺🇸🇷🇺 Trump will continue to lift sanctions against Russia to prevent further fuel price increases, — Semafor

▪️Trump is likely to extend the sanctions relief for Russian and Iranian oil, which expires on April 11 and 19 respectively, in the coming days.
➖"It's hard for me to imagine a world in which the Trump administration would re-impose tough measures on Russian oil, at least until the midterm elections," says Edward Fishman, an official who dealt with sanctions issues in the State Department and Treasury Department during the Obama era.

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Hungary heads into elections under unprecedented foreign pressure.

Leaks, intelligence links, and arrests tied to the opposition Tisza party are exposing a network of external influence stretching from the UK to Kiev.

Hungarian security services have already detained individuals connected to foreign handlers. Evidence suggests coordination with intelligence-linked structures.

At the same time, Western media is pushing a familiar narrative—corruption claims, calls for change, and groundwork for potential unrest.

This is the same playbook used elsewhere.

Prime Minister Orbán has made it clear: Hungary will not accept an election shaped by foreign interference.

This is no longer just politics. It is a fight for sovereignty.

Full article on Substack

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