The Latest Breaking News from US State Department

Venezuela's opposition presses U.S. to hold off its consideration of oil imports

Sidelined in high-level talks between the United States and Venezuela, the South American country's opposition is pressing Washington to condition any easing of oil sanctions on political concessions, three people involved in the matter said, adding new hurdles to oil companies hoping to resume operations there.

Reuters · Mar 22, 2022

U.S. plans to allow in more Ukrainians after few refugees admitted

The Biden administration plans to launch an effort this week to make it easier for some Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country to come to the United States after only a handful of refugees were admitted in the first two weeks of March, according to three people familiar…

Reuters · Mar 22, 2022

US State Department bringing Ukrainian children to St Jude’s for cancer treatment

Four Ukrainian children and their families were airlifted from Poland to the US to resume critical cancer treatment

The Independent UK · Mar 22, 2022

Divisions in Iran over the Impact of Ukraine Crisis on Vienna Talks

The Iranian media is divided over the Russian position and the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on Vienna talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal with world powers. Nuclear negotiations are nearing the finish line with an announcement expected soon on a new deal to lift sanctions in exchange for…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 28, 2022

Washington Hopes Iran’s Lead Negotiator Returns to Vienna Talks with ‘Positive View’

Negotiators have made significant progress in the last week on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal but very tough issues remain, a senior US State Department official said on Friday. The US official said he hoped Iran’s lead negotiator would return in the coming days to Vienna, where the talks…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 27, 2022

Biden Approves $350 Million in Military Aid for Ukraine

President Joe Biden instructed the US State Department to release up to an additional $350 million worth of weapons from US stocks to Ukraine on Friday as it struggles to repulse a Russian invasion. In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden directed that $350 million allocated through…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 26, 2022

Biden and Putin Speak; US Pulls Embassy Staff, Military Trainers from Ukraine

US President Joe Biden and Russia's Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Saturday after Washington and its allies warned that Russian forces could invade Ukraine at any moment. The US State Department ordered most of its embassy staff to leave Ukraine, adding to its call on Friday for private citizens…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 12, 2022

US approves $100m arms sale for Taiwan to improve missile defence

The US State Department has approved a possible $100 million (3.3 billion baht) weapons sale to Taiwan so that the self-ruled island can improve its Patriot missile defence system amid pressure by China, the US government said Monday.

Bangkok Post · Feb 8, 2022

US Says Window for Talks with Iran is ‘Very, Very Short’

The Biden administration is blaming the former Trump administration for triggering Iran’s decision to enrich more uranium to a higher degree of purity by pulling out from the Iran nuclear deal in 2017. Ned Price, a US State Department spokesman, made the justification after a “barrage of criticism” launched by…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 4, 2022

US Hits Belarusians with Visa Bans

The US State Department said Thursday said it placed visa bans on "multiple" Belarusians for attacks on dissidents, including a runner who the government tried to forcibly repatriate from the Tokyo Olympics last year. The department did not identify the individuals blacklisted or give a precise number, but said they…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 4, 2022