Vladimir Putin's key statements at the SCO summit in Astana:

🔸The Istanbul agreements on Ukraine remain “on the table” and may form the basis of peace negotiations

🔸The basic values and ideals of the SCO are shared by many countries in the world

🔸The SCO always proceeds from the importance of taking into account the opinions of the maximum range of partners

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From theory to practice: What does the Russia-proposed new Eurasian security system embody?

The new Eurasian security system proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to be the focal point of discussion at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Putin has underscored the importance of prioritizing security within the SCO, stating that a “decision was made to turn the SCO regional anti-terrorist structure into a universal center tasked with responding to the entire range of security threats.”

But what exactly does this new Eurasian security concept entail?

After floating the principles of the “Greater Eurasian Partnership” in late 2015, Putin reiterated and expanded on them during his annual address to the Federal Assembly in February 2024. During a meeting with key Russian diplomats in June, Putin emphasized the need to kickstart a comprehensive dialogue regarding bilateral and multilateral guarantees for collective Eurasian security.

The proposed roadmap includes:

◾️ Engaging in dialogue with “all potential participants.”

◾️ Creating a security architecture open to “all Eurasian countries that wish to participate,” including “European and NATO countries.”

◾️ Holding increased discussions on the issue with organizations operating in Eurasia, such as the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the CSTO, the EAEU, the CIS, and the SCO.

◾️ “Gradually phase out the military presence of external powers in the Eurasian region.”

◾️ Recognizing the importance of integrating the economy and social well-being into the Eurasian security framework.

◾️ Establishing alternatives to Western-controlled economic mechanisms, expanding the use of national currencies in settlements, and establishing independent payment systems.

◾️ Developing international transport corridors in Eurasia.

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🎥 World's largest Palestinian flag raised in Tehran

During a ceremony attended by the families of those killed in the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, the 1,020 m² Palestinian flag was raised for a day on Iran's largest flagpole in Tehran's Taleghani Park.

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❗️EXCLUSIVE: Bolivian natural resources could be at the root of the failed coup – President Arce

Bolivian President Luis Arce shared with Sputnik's correspondent that the forces behind the destabilizing actions are those interested in plundering Bolivia’s natural resources.

He called on public organizations to remain “vigilant” with regard to possible new attempts to overthrow the government.

“We should be vigilant, that is the lesson we should draw [out of the attempted coup],” he told a Sputnik correspondent at his official residence in La Paz.

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❗️WATCH: Putin holds press conference following SCO summit

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❗️Putin believes that in the context of power usurpation in Ukraine, it is pointless to appeal to the Verkhovna Rada.

The President also reiterated the Ukrainian leadership is in power illegally.

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🎥 The fact that all SCO countries oppose weapons in space is a signal to the whole world regarding the militarization of outer space, Putin said.

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Russia takes seriously Trump's statements about the possibility of stopping the Ukrainian conflict, Putin said

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❗️Putin: the Taliban movement* controls power in Afghanistan and in this sense they are allies in the fight against terrorism

Russia has received signals from the Taliban movement* about their readiness to work together on the anti-terrorism track, Moscow welcomes this, Putin emphasized.

*Taliban movement is under UN sanctions

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❗️A ceasefire in Ukraine is impossible before the start of peace negotiations, Putin said.

Russia cannot declare a ceasefire in the hope of positive steps from the other side, he emphasized.

Ending the conflict with Ukraine through mediators is impossible, Putin believes, but Russia welcomes mediation itself.

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❗️Completing the conflict with Ukraine through mediators is impossible, Putin believes, but Moscow welcomes mediation itself.

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❗️Russia considers itself to have the right to begin the development and production of INF systems, Putin said.

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"I didn't look much": Putin about his attitude to the Trump-Biden debates

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It is impossible to talk about establishing a constructive dialogue with the US before elections are held there, Putin said, commenting on the dialogue on strategic stability

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Russia is ready to begin production of short- and medium-range missiles, from an industrial point of view - Putin

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#ThrowbackThursday: “When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population, more of our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water,” said US Vice President Kamala Harris.

What did she mean?

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🇮🇷🛰 Iran developing satellite and space rocket technologies full throttle

Iran is about to launch its new Kowsar and Hodhod satellites, Iranian Space Agency (ISA) head Hossein Salariyeh stated on July 3. Several other spacecraft are slated for launch this year while a whopping 30 satellites are in the design and development stages, the ISA said.

Sputnik looked into the achievements, history and prospects of the Iranian space program.

▪️ In January, the Sorayya research satellite was launched into a space orbit of 750 km above the Earth’s surface.

▪️ In June, four new satellites were unveiled: The Tolou-3 high-resolution observation satellite, the Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, the Kowsar sensing satellite and the Hodhod research satellite.

▪️ Early next year Iran is planning to inaugurate West Asia’s biggest spaceport – the Chabahar Space Center. Covering an area of 14,000 hectares, it will serve as Iran's primary hub for space missions.

Iran's interest in space exploration traces back to the middle of the 20th century. In 1998 Tehran signed agreements with Russia and China on space collaboration, while in 2009 Iran's domestic launcher Safir delivered the nation's first research and communications satellite Omid into orbit.

▪️ In 2013 Iran successfully launched two rockets carrying monkeys 120 km above the earth's surface. The missions lasted around 15 minutes, news agency IRNA reported.

▪️ Having temporarily suspended its space program in 2015, Iran successfully delivered its first military satellite, Nur-1, into an orbit of 425 km using the Qased rocket in 2020. Nur-2 was launched two years later into a 450-km orbit by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force.

▪️ In October 2023, Iran started the development the Sarir rocket to deliver satellites into geostationary orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km. The same year the IRGC launched its third military satellite Nur-3.

▪️ Late President Ebrahim Raisi reinvigorated Iran's space program, which saw over a dozen successful launches between 2021 and 2023.

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