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Russia says all parties recognize progress in nuclear talks

By
IFP Media Wire
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“Now all the participants in the Vienna Talks recognize that some progress is being made towards an agreement on restoration of JCPOA and sanctions lifting,” Russia’s Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov, who heads the Russian delegation at the talks, wrote on Twitter.

“However persistent additional efforts are necessary to achieve this goal,” he added.

Ulyanov has recently stated that progress in Vienna talks is visible and main stumbling blocks are becoming clearer.

On Friday, French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said progress has been made regarding the nuclear negotiations in Vienna although time is running out.

“I remain convinced we can reach a deal. But time is running out,” Le Drian told BFM TV and RMC Radio.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price has also noted those nuclear deal talks with Iran in Vienna had shown modest progress, and that Washington hopes to build on the progress that had been made.

The eighth round of talks kicked off in Vienna on December 27. The negotiations seek to restore the JCPOA in its original form and bring the US back into the agreement.

Iran insists that the talks must lead to the removal of all American sanctions that were imposed against Tehran following Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the landmark agreement in May 2018. Tehran has also demanded credible guarantees that Washington will not abandon the deal again.

Russian deputy FM backtracks on comments against Iran’s Zarif

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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In a tweet, Mikhail Ulyanov congratulated Zarif on his birthday. He said he had attended several meetings before along with the former top Iranian diplomat, adding that he holds him in high regard. Ulyanov also said Russian officials will not forget numerous examples of successful cooperation between the two countries regarding the Iran nuclear deal, JCPOA. Many now regard Ulyanov’s latest tweet as a u-turn on the part of the chief Russian negotiator in Vienna.

In his previous comment on Twitter, Ulyanov said Zarif made some remarks regarding Russia’s role in the talks that led to the signing of the JCPOA “under the influence of toothache, headache or something else”.

The former foreign minister of Iran had said Moscow played a negative role at times during the negotiations over the nuclear deal.

“90% of health centers at risk of closure in Afghanistan”

By
IFP Media Wire
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The reports review that millions of Afghan people will be left without health services and facilities and millions more may lose lives if the current economic and political situation continues.

IRC has also warned of the bleak future of the Afghan people as it estimates up to 97 percent of the country’s people to face starvation by the end of 2022.

The committee has called on the International Community to come forward and rescue Afghanistan’s health sector by providing aids and supporting the sector.

It comes a day after World Food Programme (WFP) said that it will need up to $2.6 billion to feed some 23 million Afghan people now on the brink of starvation.

The program has said that poverty in Afghanistan is horrific this time as it has entered cities and the new people who are starving are mostly teachers and construction workers who are laid off after the collapse of the previous Afghan government.

The first Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has called on foreign nations to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghans without consideration of the country’s political issues. 

In a video message broadcast by RTA, a state media outlet, Mullah Baradar called the Afghan situation “critical.”

“On the one side, there are the oppressive sanctions, and on the other side there is no infrastructure in Afghanistan from the past 20 years to facilitate job opportunities for citizens,” he added.

According to Mullah Baradar, citizens across the country are in grave need of cash, shelter, and food.

“In the current situation, the Afghans are in need of the immediate humanitarian assistance of the world,” he continued.

However, Mullah Baradar said the Islamic Emirate is fully prepared to tackle the emergency situation and that the ministries and government departments have been instructed to help the citizens.

This comes as many areas were damaged due to avalanches and floods flowed as a result of heavy precipitation across Afghanistan.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of a severe crisis amid the cold winter in Afghanistan.

The United Nations has earlier announced that it has collected $1.5 billion to tackle the Afghan crisis.  

Russia slams US stance over Kazakhstan unrest

By
IFP Media Wire
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Asked about ongoing protests and rioting across Kazakhstan during a Friday press briefing, Blinken argued the situation there is distinct from brewing tensions over another Russian neighbor, Ukraine, but claimed that Moscow might have ulterior motives in spearheading a joint security response to quell the violence.

“I think one lesson in recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it’s sometimes very difficult to get them to leave,” he stated at the tail-end of the press conference, offering no elaboration.

The comment prompted a sharp response from Russia’s Foreign Ministry, which blasted Blinken for making light of “tragic events” unfolding in the ex-Soviet state, where initially peaceful demonstrations over a hike in fuel prices quickly escalated into deadly clashes with security forces, as well as arson, vandalism and looting.

“Today US Secretary of State Antony Blinken joked about the tragic events in Kazakhstan in his typical boorish manner,” the ministry said, dismissing the statement as a “snide remark” while arguing that its peacekeeping effort under the regional Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is “absolutely legitimate.”

Moscow ramped up the criticism further, also going on to cite a number of Washington’s invasions, interventions and military occupations over the decades, suggesting Blinken might learn a “history lesson” of his own.

“When Americans are in your house, it can be difficult to stay alive, and not to be robbed or raped,” it stated.

“Indians of the North American continent, Koreans, Vietnamese, Iraqis, Panamanians, Yugoslavs, Libyans, Syrians and many other unfortunate people who are unlucky enough to see these uninvited guests in their ‘home’ will have much to say about this,” it added.

Blinken mentioned Russia by name nearly 80 times during Friday’s press event, repeatedly accusing the country of “aggression” while warning of an imminent invasion of Ukraine. Moscow, which denies any such plans, has outlined some steps that could help reduce tensions in the region – including a commitment from NATO not to expand any further toward Russia’s borders. Blinken and the bloc have rejected that idea unequivocally, denying that Washington ever agreed to halt NATO’s growth, despite numerous assurances from previous US leaders that the alliance would not encroach “one inch eastward.”

Iran slams Wall Street Journal’s hostile article

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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“Encouraging and advising leaders to opt for war especially when a serious diplomatic process is underway is ignorant, hostile and in contravention of the principles of international law,” Iran’s permanent mission wrote on its twitter page on Friday.

It added that those who design and implement such reckless plans will bear responsibility for the consequences.

The Wall Street Journal article titled “Biden’s Moment of Truth in Iran” was published on January 6.
It accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and of having little interest in a diplomatic breakthrough in the Vienna talks.
“With negotiations likely to fail, he’d better be prepared for a military strike,” the opinion piece read.

Iran and the P4+1 group have held many rounds of talks since 2021 to try to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that has unraveled since the United States unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018 drawing worldwide condemnation.

Iran has said it will implement its nuclear commitments under the deal if the United States removes its illegal sanctions and offers credible guarantees that it will not abandon the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action again.

Tajik president calls for closer all-out cooperation with Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran Congratulates Tajikistan on National Day

In his message, the Tajik president said the two countries can further enhance bilateral ties with firm resolve as well as sincere and joint efforts in order to serve both nations’ interests.

Rahmon said the two countries have, over the past three decades, constantly adopted practical measures in order to further upgrade constructive relations and develop new ways of consolidating all-out cooperation.

He said Tajikistan has always favored the ever-increasing expansion of bilateral relations on different fronts via mutual understanding, collaboration and trust as well as launching proper programs and moves to achieve those objectives.

Iran actor Payman Maadi among Sundance 2022 jury members

By
IFP Media Wire
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Comprising six juries awarding prizes for artistic and cinematic achievement, the jurors include Marielle Heller (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”), Andrew Haigh (“Looking”), Maadi (“A Separation”) and more.

Chelsea Barnard, a producer on “C’mon C’mon” and “Booksmart”, serves alongside Heller and Maadi on the jury for US dramatic competition. US documentary competition jurors include Garrett Bradley (“Time”), Peter Nicks (“The Force”) and veteran documentary cinematographer Joan Churchill.

Haigh joins Mohamed Hefzy (“The Walls of the Moon”) and film curator La Frances Hui on the world cinema dramatic competition jury, while Cannes artistic adviser Emilie Bujès, former US ambassador Patrick Gaspard and Dawn Porter (“The Way I See It”) will judge the world cinema documentary competition.

Joey Soloway, the creator, writer, director and executive producer of “Transparent”, serves as juror of the NEXT competition section, while Criterion Channel director of programming Penelope Bartlett, Kevin Jerome Everson (“Ears, Nose and Throat”), and Blackhorse Lowe (“Reservation Dogs”) jury the short film program competition.

Awarding Kogonada’s “After Yang” with the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize are Dr. Heather Berlin, Dr. Mandë Holford, Tenoch Huerta, Lydia Dean Pilcher and Shawn Snyder.

Maadi is one of the most important Iranian American actors, screenwriters, and directors working today. He is best known for starring in the Academy Award-winning film “A Separation” and “About Elly” by director Asghar Farhadi. For his role in “A Separation”, Maadi won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin Film Festival. His recent film credits include “Night Shift”, “6 Underground”, “13 “Hours”, “Camp X-Ray” and “Just 6.5”, and his recent TV credits include HBO’s “The Night of” and “Westworld”.

This year, due to rising COVID-19 cases, Sundance will take place online at festival.sundance.org and in person at seven Satellite Screens venues across the US during the festival’s second weekend. Awards for feature-length and short films will be announced on Jan. 29.

Iran govt. berates MPs for “being irresponsible” toward national economy

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The “Iran” Daily touched upon MPs’ criticism of the government’s decision to cancel the allocation of the greenback to certain businesses and commodities with an exchange rate of 42,000 rilas to the dollar.

“At a time when the administration has undertaken this demanding task, which the previous administration and Parliament refused to handle, media campaigns not backed by clear expert explanations indicate irresponsibility toward determining economic issues,” wrote the paper.

The newspaper added such campaigns will be particularly wrong if they come from parliament deputies, who are representatives of people.

The administration provides certain businesses with the greenback with an exchange rate of 42,000 rials to the dollar.

The subsidized budget called “preferential foreign currency” is meant to facilitate the businesses’ work to supply essential goods for people.

However, the administration has decided to cancel offering the greenback at the subsidized rate, arguing the move has resulted in rente-seeking on a large scale.

Those advocating the allocation of preferential foreign currency argue that the rate at which preferential forex is offered is much lower than the exchange rate on the market, which will keep the prices of goods down for low-income families.

Opponents, however, say the allotment of preferential foreign currency is not economically viable, and that the cancelation of the practice will have no impact on prices, either, i.e., will not raise prices. They say the practice has resulted in financial corruption.

“Reports and estimates show that more than $65 billion in preferential foreign currency has been earmarked for the import of goods since early 2018, and that there has been a deviation of around 70% in the allotments,” wrote the daily.

If the trend continues, added the newspaper, some $15billion in preferential forex will be needed by March 2022, which, says the paper, will result in even higher rates of rente-seeking.

When the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the government decided to allocate preferential foreign currency to 25 basic commodities in order to control and bring down prices.

At the moment, preferential forex is allocated to five commodities only.

The economy minister says the greenback with an exchange rate of 42,000 rials to the dollar will be allotted to medicines and bread only.

13K families affected by floods in Iran’s southeast

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The deputy governor general of Sistan and Baluchestan said on Saturday that the province is utilizing all its capacities to provide assistance to those who are grappling with the aftermath of the deluge.

Heavy rains in the south of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, especially in the two cities of Chabahar and Konarak in recent days, have caused flooding of roads and people’s houses and inflicting extensive damage to the infrastructure of this region, Rahmdel Bameri said.

The deputy governor general pointed out that more than 2,000 houses in the city of Konarak were flooded, adding that during the past few days, relief forces and different government bodies and the private sector have helped evacuate the flooded houses.

Emphasizing that the situation of victims in other cities of Sistan and Baluchestan Province is being closely monitored, Bamri said preliminary estimates show extensive damage in various sectors, including roads, agriculture, rural infrastructure and radio communications.

Torrential rains in the south of Sistan and Baluchestan Province caused seasonal rivers to overflow last week, triggering heavy floods and extensive damage to infrastructure and residential buildings.

Kazakh president says 20k ‘terrorists’ active in the country

By
IFP Media Wire
-

“Gangsters and terrorists very well trained, organized and commanded by the special centre. Some of them were speaking non-Kazakh languages. There were at least six waves of attacks of terrorists at Almaty, total amount of them 20 thousand,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

“The analysis of the situation showed that Kazakhstan is facing an armed act of aggression well prepared and coordinated by perpetrators and terrorist groups trained outside the country,” he emphasized.

According to the Kazakh president, he ordered to launch a counter-terrorist operation “to eliminate the national security threat and to protect lives and properties of the citizens of Kazakhstan.”

“Currently, the counter-terrorist operation continues in our country. Large-scale and well-coordinated work is being carried out by the police. The National Guard and the armed forces to restore law and order in accordance with the Constitution,” he noted.

Kazakhstan will continue to ensure the security of diplomatic missions and foreign companies amid the unrest in the country, the president added.

“Kazakhstan will continue to ensure safety and protection of the foreign diplomatic missions as well as personnel and properties of foreign companies and investors,” he wrote.

“The policy of open doors to the foreign direct investments will remain a core strategy of Kazakhstan,” he continued.

Peacekeepers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a post-Soviet security bloc, will stay in Kazakhstan for a short period of time, until the situation in the country normalizes, Tokayev said.

“Peacekeeping troops comprising of multinational forces of CSTO member states were deployed and will remain for the short period of time until the stabilization of the situation in Kazakhstan,” he wrote.

Protests erupted in several Kazakh cities on January 2 to grow into mass riots with attacks on government buildings in many cities several days later. Thousands have been injured and fatalities have also been reported. Tokayev asked help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO, a post-Soviet security bloc. CSTO peacekeepers have already been deployed to Kazakhstan. According to the Kazakh authorities, law and order had been restored in all of the country’s regions by the morning on January 7. However, the situation in Almaty is still very tense.

Kazakhstan’s law enforcement officers detained 3,811 people in connection with the riots in the country, the interior ministry reported on Friday.

According to the ministry, 26 participants in the riots were killed, another 26 people were injured.

The damage done to Kazakhstan’s businesses by riots is preliminarily estimated at 78 billion tenge (around 180 million US dollars), the Khabar-24 television channel reported on Friday.

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