Apple has removed the WhatsApp messenger and the Threads social network from its App Store in China at the request of the Chinese authorities, the Wall Street Journal writes.

The Signal, Telegram and Line applications were also removed.

Apple stated that they are obliged to comply with the laws of the countries in which they operate, even if they disagree with them.

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The morning explosions in Isfahan were related to air defense firing at targets in the sky above the city. No damage was caused and experts are investigating all the circumstances, said Sayyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, commander-in-chief of the Iranian army.

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❗️ LIVE: Russian FM Sergey Lavrov gives an interview to Sputnik.

Watch the live stream here or on Sputnik's website

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Escalation of the topic of Russia's defeat reflects the agony and hysteria of the West, Lavrov told Sputnik

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In addition to the fear of losing hegemony, the West makes it clear that the United States is in charge and "everyone has fallen" under the United States, Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik.

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The West is carelessly increasing sanctions without thinking about the results, Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik.

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Recalling meetings in Belarus and Istanbul, Lavrov said negotiations are always the preferred option

"As [Russian] President [Vladimir Putin] constantly reminds us, we always prefer negotiations to fights and wars," Lavrov said.

Lavrov is giving a live interview to Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva radio stations.

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We are not afraid, Lavrov said commenting on the talks in the West about inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia

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Russia will no longer halt hostilities if negotiations on Ukraine begin, Lavrov said.

"We have no trust in them at all," Russian FM told Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva, commenting on negotiations with Ukraine.

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Zelensky's "peace formula" must be put aside and it is necessary to start discussing the foundations of a settlement on which Russia is ready to negotiate, the Russian FM said.

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Russia is fully convinced of the need to continue a special military operation in Ukraine today, Lavrov told Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva.

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❗️For the first time Russian FM Lavrov revealed some of the points of the 2022 Istanbul agreement with Ukraine.

According to one of them, the fifth article of NATO was applied to Ukraine, but without extending it to Crimea and Donbass. If these territories were attacked, the agreements should have been cancelled immediately.

Another point implied the absence of any military bases on the territory of Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Minister in an interview with Sputnik noted that he had not mentioned them before, but expressed the hope that he would not be criticized for their announcement.

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Russia will not allow NATO's borders to be drawn closer to Russia at the expense of Ukraine, Russian FM told Sputnik.

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"It makes no sense for Russia to attack European countries. It's [the West's] cunning plan to get money from parliaments to continue the war in Ukraine" — Lavrov on the fear of European countries that "Russia will attack."

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❗️Iran does not have nuclear weapons, this is confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency - Lavrov

Russian FM called talks about Iran changing its nuclear doctrine a desire to divert attention from Israel's operation in Gaza to alleged threats from Tehran.

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Russia has conveyed to Israel through diplomatic channels that Iran does not want escalation, Lavrov said in an interview with Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva.

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Russia has not yet received an invitation to the celebrations of the anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy, Sergey Lavrov said.

The organizers of the ceremony earlier reported that such an invitation had been sent. They stressed that the president was not invited, but Russia was (they did not specify what this meant).

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Switzerland has turned from a neutral country into an openly hostile one, therefore it is not suitable for Russia as a platform for negotiations, the Russian Foreign Minister said in an interview with Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva.

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Russia hopes that Israel reacted to Tehran's attack in this way to show that it does not want further escalation with Iran — Lavrov

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Lavrov on Russia-Armenia relations:

▪️Russia considers Armenia an ally state

▪️Armenia is the main beneficiary of the Eurasian Economic Union

▪️Lavrov calls United States, European Union actions to separate Armenia from Russia arrogant and shameless

▪️The EU and the US started interfering in the trilateral peace agreements between Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan as soon as they were reached

The Russian Foreign Minister said in an interview with Sputnik, Komsomolskaya Pravda and Govorit Moskva.

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