Iran calls nuclear talks with US meaningless after Israeli strikes
Dubai, Jun 14 (AP): Israel's strikes also put further talks between the United States and Iran over a nuclear accord into doubt. The US and Iran were scheduled to meet in Oman, on Sunday.
Iran's top diplomat said on Saturday that talks with the United States were “unjustifiable” after Israeli strikes on his country, likely signalling no negotiations this weekend with Washington.
However he stopped short of saying the talks were cancelled.
The comments by Abbas Araghchi, Iran's minister of foreign affairs, came when he spoke by phone with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat.
The Israeli airstrikes were the “result of the direct support by Washington”, Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency.
The US has said it isn't part of the strikes.
Earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman called further nuclear talks with the United States “meaningless” after Israeli strikes on the country, state television said.
The comments by Esmail Baghaei put further talks between the two nations, initially scheduled to take place Sunday in Oman, into doubt.
“The US did a job that made the talks become meaningless,” Baghaei was quoted as saying. He added that Israel had passed all Iran's red lines by committing a “criminal act” through its strikes.
The Mizan news agency, which is run by Iran's judiciary, quoted him as saying: “It is still not clear what we decide about Sunday talks.”
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
