News in Brief
Russia, Iran to sign deal on free trade zone soon: Deputy PM
An interstate agreement between Russia and Iran will be signed in the near future, an agreement on a free trade zone with the EAEU will be signed in December, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on the Rossiya-1 TV channel.
“Several important documents will be signed in the near future. In December, an agreement on a free trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, and we will also soon embark on the key document, which is an interstate agreement,” he said.
Novak noted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reviewed in detail the entire list of trade and economic relations, discussed financial and banking relationships and settlements.
The negotiations between the presidents of Russia and Iran took place in the Kremlin on December 7, and lasted more than five hours.
No ‘single solution’ for energy transition: OPEC chief
The head of the OPEC oil cartel said Saturday there was no “single solution” to the energy transition as pressure grows to agree a phase-out of fossil fuels at the COP28 climate talks.
“There is no single solution or path to achieve a sustainable energy future,” OPEC secretary general Haitham Al Ghais said during the UN meeting in Dubai, AFP wrote.
“We need realistic approaches to tackle emission, ones that enable economic growth, help eradicate poverty and increase resilience at the same time.”
OPEC attracted criticism Saturday after it emerged that the Kuwaiti secretary general wrote to the group’s 13 members and 10 allies this week urging them to “proactively reject” any language that “targets” fossil fuels instead of emissions.
Negotiators have held marathon sessions aimed at finding a compromise on the fate of oil, gas and coal as they aim to achieve the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.