by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics:
The line between civilian society and war is disappearing completely. That is the real story behind Russia now authorizing its central bank and Sberbank to operate anti-drone systems and arm personnel to defend financial infrastructure. A country’s banking system is no longer simply processing transactions or moving money. It is now becoming part of the battlefield itself.
Russia passed a new law allowing the central bank, Sberbank, and the Russian Cash Collection Association to deploy their own drone defense systems after repeated Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory. Staff at these institutions can now reportedly be armed as well.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that no agreement will be reached if the United States insists on Iran handing over its enriched uranium, according to Al Jazeera reports cited by ZeroHedge [1]. The statement came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged “slight progress” in talks but said “we’re not there yet,” according to the same report [1]. Rubio made the remarks during a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden, where he also condemned Iran’s efforts to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump has laid out his preferred approach for dealing with Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium as negotiators gather in Qatar for critical talks.
