[News Direct] Talks Collapse! Iran Clings to $6 Billion, Challenges International Inspections
Beijing time: 2026-07-01 02:28
【New Tang Dynasty Beijing time July 1, 2026】Today's focus: US-Iran talks turn sour, Iran insists on $6 billion; US pharmaceutical company investigated over ties with Chinese military hospitals; Bessent reveals why Iran returned to negotiations; CITIC rushes to deny rumors, but more doubts arise; US Supreme Court makes three major rulings in one day; Three consecutive Henan political and legal chiefs sentenced.
Hello viewers, welcome to "News Direct". Today is Monday, June 29, Eastern Time.
[US Envoy Arrives in Doha but No High-Level Meeting; Iran Demands $6 Billion First]
The next round of talks between the US and Iran is again fraught with uncertainty. President Trump's envoy has arrived in Doha, but the two sides will not hold face-to-face high-level talks this round. Iran remains adamant, insisting it must first receive the unfrozen assets before starting final negotiations.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that President Trump's envoy, Witkoff, and his son-in-law and advisor, Kushner, arrived in Doha that day and met with Qatari mediators.
However, a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson made it clear that there will be no high-level meeting between Washington and Tehran this round. This week, the two sides will mainly engage in "technical talks" on regional security and other issues, with the possibility of upgrading to a higher level later.
This statement contrasts with previous expectations from the White House. On Monday, the White House said Kushner and Witkoff would hold "high-level meetings," with technical discussions happening in parallel.
President Trump himself expressed skepticism Monday about whether the Doha talks would yield results, saying: "The meeting in Doha could be very important, or it might not be. We'll see."
Qatar, the mediator, revealed that the talks are currently advancing on three tracks: nuclear issues, economic and state implementation capacity, and regional security. The spokesperson also confirmed that the key $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds have not yet been transferred to Tehran.
Iran stated that there are "no meetings at any level with the US arranged in the coming days." The Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized that they will only participate in dialogues hosted by Qatar, the mediating country, to implement the interim agreement with the US.
Analysts point out that Tehran's emphasis on "asset release being the core of the interim agreement" is essentially hinting that if the $6 billion is not secured, it will not start final peace talks with the US.
On diplomacy and regional security, Iran is acting aggressively.
Iran directly challenged the head of the UN nuclear watchdog (IAEA), Grossi, warning him to stop making political statements "resembling electioneering" and focus on his duties.
Iran also stated that control of the Strait of Hormuz does not require external interference, and foreign involvement will only complicate the situation. It clarified that only political communication channels exist between the US and Iran, not a military hotline.
Iran even extended its discontent to sports, complaining that its national football team faced "the most severe politicization and hostility" from the US during the World Cup.
As the deadlock between the US and Iran over financial aid and control of the strait continues, the diplomatic talks in Doha are facing an extremely difficult tug-of-war at the technical level.
Now let's look at a series of brief news items:
Fire at Indian Oil Refinery Injures Over 20, Suspected Oil Theft
Early today (June 30), a fire broke out at an oil refinery in West Bengal, India, injuring over 20 people, five seriously. Railway facilities were also affected, causing some train services to be suspended temporarily.
Thick smoke rose into the sky, and the fire department deployed 12 fire trucks to extinguish the blaze. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have started near a site suspected of illegal naphtha theft. Naphtha is highly flammable; whether a pipeline leak caused the fire remains under investigation.
US Supreme Court Supports States in Banning Transgender Athletes from Women's Sports
The US Supreme Court ruled today to support laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit transgender student-athletes from participating in women's sports.
The court held that public school sports teams can be divided based on biological sex and can bar students who are biologically male from joining women's sports teams.
This ruling also provides a legal basis for other states to implement similar regulations. Currently, 25 states across the US have passed such laws.
US Supreme Court Overturns Limits on Campaign Spending
The US Supreme Court announced a second major ruling today, voting 6-3 to overturn federal limits on the amount of coordinated spending between political parties and candidates.
The majority of justices found that such restrictions involve the First Amendment right to free speech, so spending caps cannot be imposed. The ruling comes as the US moves toward the November midterm elections, drawing widespread attention.
US Supreme Court Upholds Injunction, Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order Blocked
The US Supreme Court also ruled on birthright citizenship today, voting 6-3 to uphold a lower court injunction, meaning President Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship remains unenforceable for now.
The executive order stipulates that children born in the US to parents who are neither US citizens nor lawful permanent residents would not automatically acquire US citizenship.
[Bessent: Beijing Becomes Sole Oil Buyer, Iran Forced Back to Negotiating Table]
Today (June 30), US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that one key reason Iran is now willing to negotiate with the US is that its oil is increasingly hard to sell.
He said Iran now has only one buyer left—Beijing—and is selling at a discount. Other countries, fearing resumed US sanctions, mostly avoid buying Iranian oil. Increasing economic pressure has forced Tehran back to the table.
Bessent also called on gas stations across the US to lower prices quickly ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary this Saturday, warning: "We're watching you."
He said international oil prices have already fallen, and gas stations should pass the savings to consumers. He called on big oil companies, independent gas stations, and convenience store chains to take responsibility.
President Trump had already posted a warning on Monday, demanding gas stations lower prices immediately, hoping for a price of about $2.50 per gallon. He noted that international oil prices have fallen to around $68 per barrel, but retail prices have not followed, and warned against profiteering, saying there would be "big trouble."
Trump also called out states with high fuel taxes, like California, saying high taxes drive up prices and cost the public dearly.
After the US and Israel jointly struck Iran at the end of February, tensions in the Middle East spiked, and international oil prices rose rapidly. However, after the US and Iran reached a preliminary agreement this month, the Strait of Hormuz reopened, easing market concerns about supply disruptions, and oil prices have fallen.
Markets are now watching the new round of US-Iran talks. International oil prices are on track for their biggest quarterly drop since the early days of the pandemic.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is expected to fall for a second consecutive month, with June's decline around 19%; Brent crude is expected to fall for a third consecutive month, with June's drop about 20%. Both major crude benchmarks have returned to pre-Middle East war levels, and as more tankers resume passage, supply concerns continue to ease.
[US Pharmaceutical Giants Under Investigation for Ties to Chinese Military Hospitals]
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers formally launched a national security investigation Monday. The probe targets two global pharmaceutical giants—Merck and AbbVie—to determine whether their clinical trials in China have helped build the capabilities of the Chinese Communist Party's military.
According to Reuters, the US House Select Committee on China sent deadline notices to the two companies, demanding they submit detailed information by July 17 on due diligence, data protection processes, and other security standards at their trial sites in China. Sites in Xinjiang and Chinese military hospitals are the focus of this national security investigation.
According to data disclosed by the committee, both US pharmaceutical companies have extensive clinical R&D footprints in China.
Since 2005, Merck has funded or collaborated on 224 clinical studies in China, including at least 31 trials in Xinjiang and 40 trials at medical centers and hospitals affiliated with the Chinese military.
Since 2007, AbbVie has funded or collaborated on more than 100 clinical studies in China, including at least 17 sites in Xinjiang and 16 sites at military centers.
The lawmakers noted in their letter that records show lapses in obtaining "informed consent" from trial participants in China, raising ethical concerns about sites in Xinjiang.
They also emphasized that conducting these studies at military hospitals could expose advanced U.S. biotech intellectual property to potential transfer to the Chinese military.
The committee wrote in letters to the CEOs of both companies that while there is no evidence of illegal activity or misconduct, such trials in China expose U.S. companies to ethical and security risks.
The letter also cited industry research showing that China has surpassed the US in the number of clinical trials in recent years.
From 2015 to 2024, the US share of global early-stage drug development projects fell from 48% to 37%, while China's share surged from 8% to over 32% in the same period.
The lawmakers argued that through regulatory reforms and state subsidies, China has transformed into the cheapest and fastest place to conduct early-stage human drug trials.
In response, Merck stated that patient safety and ethical integrity are its top priorities in clinical research and that its operations in China comply with all global guidelines. AbbVie declined to comment.
[Did a Plane Hit a Building? CITIC Video Denies Rumors but Doubts Persist]
On Monday, CITIC Bank's wealth management subsidiary, CITIC Wealth Management, released a business work video featuring its executive Liu Junhua, which was seen as an attempt to deny rumors about a small plane hitting the CITIC building last week. However, the video did not fully allay public suspicion.
The video, titled "Dialogue with CITIC Wealth Management's Liu Junhua: Building a Complete 'Fixed Income+' Capability Pyramid," was marked with Monday's date in the upper right corner. After a small plane hit the CITIC Tower (China Zun) on Friday, June 26, rumors circulated on aviation industry group chats that the pilot was named "Liu Junhua," coincidentally the same name as a senior executive at a CITIC subsidiary. This coincidence quickly sparked speculation that the employee had deliberately crashed into the company's building.
Although CITIC released a text interview with Liu Junhua on Saturday, the lack of images caused the rumors to grow, prompting the urgent video on Monday.
CITIC's vigorous denial, combined with official concealment of key information, has made the incident even more mysterious.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun noted that after the crash, the authorities remained tight-lipped, and the most anxious party was CITIC Group. He questioned: "Why don't state media directly answer who Liu Junhua, the pilot who crashed into the building, is? Why continue to hide the truth despite the growing public opinion?"
Some netizens said: "The most likely reason for official silence is that the CCP hasn't decided how to handle it, and Xi Jinping hasn't set a tone. The incident is too sensitive and involves too many departments and systems, far beyond what a single department can handle. No one dares to act without Xi's word."
Many netizens lamented that the authorities "made a simple thing complicated": if it were just an ordinary flight accident, releasing the victim's identity would suffice; if it were a malicious act, the motive should be announced promptly. The more they cover up, the more speculation grows.
In fact, after the incident on the 26th, authorities imposed strict information blackouts. Nearly a day later, the "Beijing Chaoyang" official public account issued an extremely brief notice, saying a light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people on the ground.
The notice did not mention the pilot's identity at all, and even deliberately omitted the name and location of the struck building, "China Zun." This "incremental" transparency is the root cause of the current rumor-mongering.
[Liu Mancang Sentenced to Life; Three Consecutive Henan Political and Legal Chiefs Fall]
Another "tiger" in Henan's political and legal system has fallen. Today (June 30), Liu Mancang, former deputy director of the Henan Provincial People's Congress and former secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee, was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery. So far, three consecutive secretaries of the Henan Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee have all been sentenced.
Liu Mancang was found to have used his power from 1997 to 2024 to accept bribes worth over 170 million yuan, directly or through relatives, involving business operations, land remediation, and real estate development. Due to the exceptionally large amount of bribes and the significant losses caused, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment, deprived him of political rights for life, and confiscated all personal property.
Public records show Liu Mancang was born in 1955 in Xixia County, Henan, and worked in Henan for a long time, serving as mayor of Shangqiu, party secretary of Shangqiu, vice governor of Henan, secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and deputy director of the Provincial People's Congress.
In October 2024, Liu Mancang was investigated, and in April 2025, he was expelled from the CCP.
The official notice said he engaged in superstitious activities, was greedy and corrupt, and after retirement continued to use his influence for personal gain, accepting huge amounts of property.
Notably, including Liu Mancang, Henan has seen three consecutive secretaries of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee fall. Previously, Wu Tianjun was sentenced to 11 years in 2017, and Gan Rongkun was sentenced to life in 2023.
Additionally, during their tenures, all three actively followed the CCP in persecuting Falun Gong, and were listed by the overseas organization "International Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong" (IOIPF) on its pursuit list.
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Produced by the "News Direct" Production Team
(Editor in charge: Liu Ming)
