Iranian Rial Hits Historic Low Following U.S. Election Results
Over the past week, the Iranian government repeatedly downplayed the impact of the U.S. election on the country's internal affairs. However, this afternoon, shortly after the election results were announced, Iran's currency plunged to its lowest value in history.
The rial traded at 703,000 to the U.S. dollar before recovering slightly.
This sharp decline comes despite significant growth in Iran's oil exports under the Biden administration over the past four years, with exports reportedly increasing fivefold and oil revenues seeing a major boost.
The exact cause of the drastic currency drop remains unclear, though Iran's central bank has previously attempted to stabilize the exchange rate by injecting more hard currency into the market.
-- Parisa Sohbati
A 'No Congrats' Update: The Icebreaker
Talk about having it both ways, this just in: Hours after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not congratulate Donald Trump on his election victory, the Russian-language media outlet Vyorstka reports that Putin has sent his congratulations -- indirectly.
The report, which has not been confirmed, cited an unnamed source in the Russian legislature as saying Putin and other senior Russian figures had sent congratulations "through acquaintances." It cited someone "close to the Kremlin," also unnamed, as saying the congratulations were conveyed "via Russian Foreign Ministry channels."
Meanwhile, Peskov made another effort to indicate that Putin and Russia don't really care who won the U.S. election -- though the effect may be the opposite for observers of Russia. He noted that Putin had participated remotely in the launch of an atomic-powered icebreaker and said, "For us, this is more important."
Russia and the United States are rivals in the Arctic.
-- Steve Gutterman
Oleksandr Samarskiy, Ukrainian diplomat and now an analyst with the Center for the Study of Russia, in an interview with RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service:
"Trump must not be demonized. We must understand that Trump is a new window of opportunity. Ukraine is known for the fact that it 'cannot lose an opportunity not to use an opportunity.' What we got from Biden was bloodletting without treatment. Biden's bet was made so that Russia neither won nor lost this war, and it cost us thousands and thousands of lives. Trump's policy is sharp and unpredictable, but this is not a deep view. Unlike Biden, Trump is a pragmatist. Biden could be guided by illusions (Russia must be separated from China, Russia must not be offended, Russia can strike with nuclear weapons...). This will not happen with Trump. Trump is a pragmatist, and supporting Ukraine is in the interests of the United States, as many Republicans have consistently stated. It is not in the interests of the USA to lose Ukraine."
-- Rostyslav Khotin
U.S. Expands Sanctions On Dodik's Network As He Celebrates Trump's Victory
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on November 6 designated one individual and one entity who support a "corrupt patronage network" in Bosnia-Herzegovina that is attempting to evade U.S. sanctions.
This network is directly linked to Igor Dodik, the son of Milorad Dodik, the president of the Republika Srpska, one of two entities that make up Bosnia. Both have been designated for U.S. sanctions. For years, Dodik has used his official position to accumulate personal wealth through companies linked to himself and his son. This corruption has contributed to an undermining of public confidence in Bosnian state institutions and the rule of law.
"RS President Milorad Dodik, his associates, and his enablers continue to use their privileged position to erode public confidence in the regional peace frameworks and institutions that have brought stability and security to Bosnia and Herzegovina," acting Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said. "The United States remains committed to exposing the efforts of Dodik and his family to maintain their corrupt patronage networks."
Within the last hour, Dodik projected this on his office in Banja Luka:
"Republika Srpska congratulates," the text says.
Adi Cerimagic, senior analyst at the European Stability Initiative in Berlin, explains why Dodik might celebrate Trump's victory.
-- Ajla Obradovic
Video: Ukrainians In Embattled Regions React To Trump Election Victory
Residents of the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk reacted to the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election. "Trump promised to help bring peace to Ukraine," one local told RFE/RL. "We want to believe him." Located just 6 kilometers from the front line, Pokrovsk has been targeted by Russia as its forces continue to advance on the key logistical city. In nearby Chasiv Yar, Russian forces have pounded the area with drone strikes as Moscow tries to seize more land in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
And that's all from our live-blog coverage of reactions across our region to the election of Donald Trump to a second term as U.S. president.
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