Xinhua world news summary at 1545 GMT, April 9-Xinhua

Xinhua world news summary at 1545 GMT, April 9

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2026-04-09 23:45:45

TEHRAN -- Iran's atomic chief said on Thursday that demands by the "enemies" to restrict the country's uranium enrichment program are nothing but a pipe dream.

President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami made the remarks in an address to reporters during a funeral ceremony held in Tehran to mark the 40th day after the death of the country's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Nour News, affiliated with the country's Supreme National Security Council.

Eslami said, "These are dreams that they will take to their graves with themselves. No law or individual can prevent the advancement of this (Iran's uranium enrichment) program." (Iran-US-Uranium Enrichment Program)

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BERLIN -- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has informed European countries that Washington expects concrete commitments to deploying warships or other military capabilities to the Strait of Hormuz within the coming days, German magazine Der Spiegel said on Thursday on its website.

Rutte visited Washington on Wednesday and met with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House, during which Trump expressed his disappointment with NATO allies during the U.S. war with Iran, which began on Feb. 28 after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. (Germany-NATO-Trump)

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JOHANNESBURG -- A senior South African official on Thursday encouraged youths from BRICS countries to strengthen collaboration in research, innovation, and the application of indigenous knowledge to deepen people-to-people ties.

Speaking at the fourth BRICS Youth Innovation Summit in Pretoria, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga highlighted the importance of cooperation in research, enterprise, art and cultural exchange, stressing that BRICS' strength lies not only in trade and finance but in shared intellectual and cultural connections. (South Africa-Youth Cooperation)

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TEHRAN -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf have stressed that stopping attacks on Lebanon is an integral part of the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran.

They made the remarks in posts on social media platform X on Thursday after Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon the previous day, killing and injuring hundreds of people despite the truce. (Iran-Lebanon-Ceasefire)