TEHRAN: Russian and Iranian security chiefs on Wednesday discussed the situation in Ukraine and measures to combat “Western interference” in their internal affairs, Russian state media reported.
Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, was in Tehran for consultations with Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Russian state news agencies said.
Alongside Ukraine, the two discussed “information security, as well as measures to counter interference in the internal affairs of both countries by Western special services,” the TASS news agency reported, citing a readout from the Russian Security Council press service.
“The economic potential of Russia and Iran and building foreign trade relations in the face of sanctions pressure was emphasised,” it added.
It was not clear exactly what the two sides discussed regarding the conflict in Ukraine.
Kyiv and the West say Russia has used Iranian Shahed-136 drones to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a series of attacks over recent weeks that have forced Ukraine to introduce rolling blackouts in major cities, including the capital, to preserve power.
Iran acknowledged for the first time at the weekend it supplied Moscow with drones, but said it sent only a “small number” and they were shipped before the war began. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called that a lie.
Last month, two senior Iranian officials and two Iranian diplomats told Reuters Iran had promised to provide Russia with surface-to-surface missiles, in addition to more drones.
Russia has accelerated its efforts to build economic, trade and political relations with Iran and other non-Western countries since it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, as part of a drive to destroy what it calls US “hegemony” and build a new international order.
Putin ally Patrushev talks Ukraine, ‘Western interference’ in Tehran
https://arab.news/csdrn
Putin ally Patrushev talks Ukraine, ‘Western interference’ in Tehran
- The visit comes amid allegations that Iran has supplied “kamikaze” drones to Russia
- It was not clear exactly what the two sides discussed regarding the conflict in Ukraine
UK court jails Christian camp leader for drugging, sexually abusing boys
- Ruben admitted offenses relating to ill-treatment of children and sexual abuse — as well as to drugging his wife, who was volunteering at the camp, in order to avoid detection
LONDON: A court in England on Friday jailed a man for more than 31 years for drugging and sexually abusing young boys at a Christian summer camp he led last summer.
Police say they are now talking to other groups he worked with in the past as part of an ongoing investigation.
Former vet Jon Ruben, 76, was leading the camp last July, said a statement from prosecutors released after Friday’s judgment.
He laced sweets with sedatives and tricked children at the camp into eating them by encouraging them to take part in a game.
“Later on, while the boys were heavily asleep, he went into their dormitory and chose individual boys to sexually abuse them,” said prosecutors.
Volunteers at the camp in Leicestershire, central England, raised the alarm after finding the children still nauseous, drowsy and disoriented the next day.
Eight boys aged between eight and 11 were taken to hospital and Ruben was arrested.
Investigators found syringes and sedatives at the camp location.
On his devices they found indecent images of children as well as evidence he had procured tranquilizer drugs and tried to join an online paedophile network.
Ruben admitted offenses relating to ill-treatment of children and sexual abuse — as well as to drugging his wife, who was volunteering at the camp, in order to avoid detection.
A court in Leicester sentenced him on Friday to a total of 31 years and 10 months behind bars under special provisions for defendants designated by prosecutors as particularly dangerous.
Leicestershire police said the investigation into Ruben was still “very much ongoing.”
Officers are contacting schools and youth organizations in central England with whom Ruben was involved with over the past two decades.
