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Nepali Congress (NC) has denied any involvement of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in the visit visa scandal.

A meeting of both former and current office bearers of the party held at the private residence of Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha today concluded that Minister Lekhak, who represents the party in the NC-UML coalition government, had no role in the scandal.

During the meeting, the Minister presented a detailed statement regarding his alleged involvement in the scam, according to NC Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat. After reviewing his clarification, the party leadership decided there was no evidence linking him to the scandal.

The meeting also called for an impartial investigation into the matter, urging that those found responsible be brought to justice.

It is worth noting that on May 21, Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, the Chief of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Immigration Office, was interrogated by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for allegedly facilitating illegal foreign travel of Nepali nationals on visit visas.

It was later discovered that he had been in regular contact with officials in the Ministry, raising suspicions about the Minister's involvement in the scandal.

Chairperson of the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons Lila Devi Gadtaula has expressed her commitment to search the disappeared persons providing justice to families of those who were forcibly disappeared. 

During the meeting with armed conflict victim families, Chair Gadtaula shared, "We will conduct a thorough investigation making victim families satisfied and providing justice. We will recommend compensation to the victim after finding the facts—when, why, and by whom they disappeared?"

She mentioned that a preliminary draft has been prepared for the regulation as per 'Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act-2071'. 

Chair Gadtaula said the draft would be finalised after holding discussions with conflict victim families. "Transitional justice should be victim-centric and victim-friendly. Suggestions of victims on the regulation are necessary," she opined. 

The CIEDP Chair added that the Commission has also prepared an action plan in order to move ahead reviewing the activities carried out by it so far. 

An arrangement has been made to take the transitional justice to conclusion by making a third amendment to the Act in September 2024.

Similarly, Chairperson of Association of Conflict Affected Family of Security Forces Hem Kumari Gharti Magar urged the concerned authority to carry out activities ensuring justice to the victim families.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran will support the establishment of a regional uranium enrichment center but will continue enriching uranium on its own soil, according to Xinhua.

Speaking to the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, Araghchi reiterated that Iran is still committed to diplomacy in indirect discussions with the US, but will not negotiate under pressure.

He also warned that any attempt by France, Germany, or the United Kingdom to trigger the snapback mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal would be greeted with a "harsh" response. The mechanism allows international sanctions to be reimposed if Iran violates the agreement's conditions, Xinhua reported.

Indirect talks between Iran and the US, mediated by Oman, have been ongoing since April in Muscat and Rome. Iran has rejected US demands to halt uranium enrichment entirely.

North Korea has arrested a fourth official over the failed launch of a new warship that has enraged the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, BBC reported.

Ri Hyong-son, deputy director of the ruling Workers' Party's Munitions Industry Department, was "largely responsible for the serious accident" last week, state-run news agency KCNA said on Monday.

The 5,000-ton destroyer had tipped over and damaged its hull, in what Kim had described as a "criminal act" that "severely damaged the [country's] dignity and pride".

The vessel is being repaired under the guidance of an expert group, KCNA said, according to BBC.