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Iran Meteorological Organization warns of continuing air pollution

Air Pollution in Tehran

The Meteorological Organization issued a yellow alarm and urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel.

It added that from Friday to Saturday, in the event of failure to control fixed and mobile pollutant sources, pollution will increase to unhealthy levels for sensitive groups and in high-traffic and industrial areas, it’s likely that air pollution will increase to unhealthy levels for all groups.

In these weather conditions, the Meteorological Organization recommends citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in cities, especially for the elderly, children and people with a history of disease. People should eschew physical and sports activities outdoors and manage fossil fuel consumption and industrial units should also decrease the time of operation of polluted areas.

A yellow alert means that an atmospheric phenomenon will occur that may interfere with travel and daily activities. This alert is issued to raise public awareness so people can be prepared to deal with the atmospheric phenomenon that is slightly more severe than usual.

Iranian health officials say air pollution is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year in Iranian cities. Each winter, Iran’s capital Tehran suffers some of the worst pollutions in the world through thermal inversion. This is a phenomenon that traps hazardous air over the city.

IRGC cmdr.: Iran getting more powerful by the day

Arms Embargo Won’t Affect Iran’s Defence Power: Top General

General Hossein Salami was speaking at a ceremony held in the holy city of Qom on Thursday to mark the second anniversary of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination by the US.

Salami referred to the depth of Iran’s influence across the region, saying today, the axis of resistance is in pursuit of enemies in all Islamic territories and has prevented them from reaching their goals.

Salami noted that if this power had not been born, the adversaries would have infiltrated all Islamic lands.

The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said the nation’s foes aimed to cause division between the Islamic establishment and people but that conspiracy was foiled thanks to people’s vigilance and prudence.

Salami also spoke of the need to resist all sanctions and military threats. He said the Islamic Republic will resolve all problems of the nation by relying on domestic potentials and the people’s will.

Russia: Iran not stalling nuclear talks

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“We don’t see any reasons to assert that the Iranian side is stalling this process,” she noted.

“Actually, this is not in its (Iran’s) interests either as Tehran has repeatedly stated because, while the JCPOA is stuck, illegitimate American sanctions continue to be in effect,” the diplomat explained.

According to the spokeswoman, Washington “has already regretted several times the fatal decision by the previous administration to end the nuclear deal with Iran” when the US unilaterally “simply ran away” from the JCPOA breaching the methods and ways of withdrawing from an agreement that US diplomats themselves developed.

“It is always more difficult to restore than to destroy,” the diplomat continued.

“Washington has to tangibly support its numerous promises to return to the JCPOA with practical action. It is obvious that the position of an offender of the UN Security Council resolution creates more and more discomfort for the Americans. On our part, we are doing everything necessary in order to help rectify the situation and we hope that intensive negotiating efforts at the Vienna venue will continue despite the counteraction of the opponents of the nuclear deal,” Zakharova added.

“We proceed from the premise that there is no alternative to the JCPOA,” the diplomat stressed.

“We are confident that its full implementation will have a favorable impact on the political climate in the Middle East and in the Persian Gulf region and, of course, will facilitate a decrease in tensions and the strengthening of trust in the region as well as make it possible to remove those acute issues in the humanitarian sphere that emerged in relation to such an illegitimate turn of events related to the US withdrawal from the deal,” she asserted.

“There is a clear understanding that the path to the stated objective lies through the American side amending all the committed violations and Tehran’s reciprocal steps on unfreezing the previously suspended voluntary obligations on limiting its nuclear activity,” she concluded.

Blinken discusses Iran, Russia with E3 top diplomats

Antony Blinken

“Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss,” Price stated.

“They discussed the importance of continued coordination to deter any further Russian aggression against Ukraine and affirmed the consensus among Allies and partners to impose massive consequences and severe costs on Russia for such actions. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” he continued.

“The Secretary and his counterparts also discussed their shared concerns about the pace of developments in Iran’s nuclear program as time runs short for Tehran to return to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action),” Price added.

Iranian officials have rejected western diplomats’ remarks about a deadline for reaching an agreement in Vienna talks, and stressed Tehran is only after a good agreement.

On Tuesday, Tehran gave upbeat view about talks that kicked off this week to salvage the nuclear deal with global powers, although western nations have claimed the negotiations are going too slowly.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has voiced optimism about the ongoing talks with the P4+1 group in Vienna, saying the negotiations are “on a good path”. He added Tehran believes that if the other sides continue talks in good faith and with seriousness, a win-win deal is possible in the near future.

On Wednesday, top Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said if the parties to the Vienna talks reach an agreement, the US must first lift anti-Iran sanctions and then Tehran, after verifying the sanctions removal, will conduct its nuclear activities in accordance with the nuclear deal, JCPOA.

Bagheri Kani made the comment after bilateral and multi-lateral meetings with the heads of the negotiating teams of the European troika and the EU’s Deputy Foreign Policy Chief Enrique Mora in Vienna.

Bagheri Kani also added talks are going on well.

Former Qatar PM warns against anti-Iran sabotage

“A future agreement between Iran and the Western countries on the country’s nuclear activities will be a key opportunity to reduce tensions in the region, especially as, any acts of mischief and sabotage against Tehran will directly affect regional countries and does not serve our interests in the short and long terms,” he said on twitter.

The warning by Sheikh Hamad comes as the eighth round of the Vienna talks to remove anti-Iran sanctions and revive the 2015 nuclear deal resumed on December 27.

Over the past years, Israeli officials have openly expressed discontent about the talks and a possible agreement with Iran and have even talked about preparation for military action against Iranian targets. Tehran has warned that its response to any such move will be crushing.

New Iraqi parliament to convene early next year

Lawmakers will elect a parliamentary speaker and two deputies in their first session. They will later elect a new president who will task the leader of the largest bloc to form a government as prime minister.

The main winner of the October 10 election was Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Sadr’s bloc, already the biggest in the 329-seat parliament, will expand to 73 seats from 54. Its main rivals for years, the Fatah bloc, meanwhile, saw its parliamentary representation collapse to just 17 seats from 48.

Fatah bloc political leaders held a meeting with cleric Sadr at his home in the southern holy city of Najaf on Wednesday to discuss the formation of the government, but no clear results have been announced after the meeting, stated two Shi’ite officials who attended.

“Atmospheres were positive and we think we need to hold more meetings to reach common ground,” noted one Shi’ite official.

Because no coalition won a majority, Shi’ite, Sunni and Kurdish coalitions have been jockeying for position in the new government.

Iran, Nicaragua discuss closer ties in all areas

During their talks, Raisi congratulated Ortega on his re-election as President, and touched upon the significance of boosting reciprocal ties.

“Iran and Nicaragua enjoy great potential on political, economic and social fronts, and political and economic officials of both countries can activate this potential to further advance the prosperity and welfare of both nations,” said the Iranian president.

Raisi reiterated that the United States’ sanctions and threats have no bearing on the willpower of independent and freedom-seeking nations around the world.

“The hegemonic system cannot impose its will on the Islamic Republic of Iran and Nicaragua because both countries emphasize popular votes and support and have always stood up to hegemonic powers’ excessive demands,” he explained.

“Despite obstacles and problems, the Iranian nation has not stopped its progress and will not do so, and we are confident that Nicaragua will overcome the United States’ threats and sanctions because the US is on the decline today and getting weaker day by day,” said the president.

Ortega, in turn, called for the expansion and strengthening of bilateral ties, saying he is confident that the two counties will stand together alongside other countries fighting imperialism and will succeed on the path to progress.

The Nicaraguan president underscored his country will stand by Iran in all international arenas and in supporting Iran’s right to national sovereignty.

He said his country also backs Iranian people’s inalienable rights during the recent talks in Vienna.

Report: Israeli, Saudi FMs hold virtual meeting

The participation of Israel and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in such proceedings is considered unusual as the two states don’t hold diplomatic relations.

Despite neither country confirming the kingdom’s participation, a Saudi official told CNN that Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was present at the virtual summit.

The statement issued by US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken spoke with “several foreign ministers and representatives of regional organizations involved in the response to the omicron variant”.

“The ministers were briefed on initial scientific findings of the variant’s severity, transmissibility, and existing treatments and vaccines,” the statement added.

Price did not specify which countries were represented in the meeting.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who confirmed his own presence, noted in a tweet that the call took place on December 21 and included the foreign minister of Japan, India, Mexico, Australia, Germany, and others without referencing Saudi Arabia.

According to CNN, the US State Department did not respond to questions about the kingdom’s participation.

The US State Department disclosed that Blinken also announced $580 million in new funds for seven multilateral partners to “strengthen public health capacity and provide urgent relief.”

Ex-Afghan president blames US for his govt. fall

“It became an American issue, not an Afghan issue,” Ghani stated during an interview with BBC’s Today Program on Thursday.

“I was painted in total black… we were never given the opportunity to sit down with them,” he continued, adding, “They erased us.”

The US reached a deal with the Taliban in February 2020 on the withdrawal of 12,000 US troops from Afghanistan in exchange for the Taliban’s halting of their attacks on foreign forces. Under the deal, the former US President Donald Trump administration promised to bring the number of US forces in Afghanistan to zero by May 2021. US President Joe Biden pushed that date back to September 11.

The US-Taliban deal was the result of peace talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, from which the Afghan government was excluded.

The government of Afghanistan rapidly collapsed on August 15 in the face of lightning advances by the Taliban amid the foreign withdrawal. On September 7, the Taliban announced the formation of a caretaker government in Afghanistan.

No country has formally recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan since the group took over the country in mid-August.

Ghani said he fled Kabul due to his security team’s incapability to defend him, stressing that he had no idea that he was going to leave the country.

“On the morning of that day, I had no inkling that by late afternoon I would be leaving,” Ghani noted, adding, “[My] national security adviser and the chief of the President Protective Service (PPS) came and said the PPS has collapsed.”

“If I take a stand, they will all be killed and they will not be capable of defending me,” he continued.

Ghani said he hoped to evacuate Kabul for the eastern province of Khost, but his national security adviser told him that the city had fallen, as had Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province.

“My instructions had been to prepare for departure to Khost… I did not know where we were going. Only after we had taken off did it become clear that we were leaving,” he added.

Ghani fled Afghanistan for Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, before claiming political asylum in the United Arab Emirates. He has been bitterly criticized by former ministers for suddenly leaving the country as Taliban forces entered Kabul.

In a video streamed on Facebook in September, Ghani said his security personnel had advised the secret departure, adding that he had left Kabul to prevent further bloodshed.

“Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens,” he added.

The Taliban first ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, when the United States and its allies invaded the country and toppled the Taliban-run government on the pretext of fighting terrorism following the September 11 attacks in the US.US-Taliban

Iran negotiator: Good progress made in Vienna on sanctions removal

The main focus of the eighth round of talks has been on lifting sanctions, Ali Bagheri Kani said on Thursday afternoon as delegations prepared to go back to their countries for a New Year break before they return to Vienna on January 3.

He expressed hope that after the break, the issue of lifting sanctions will be pursued by different parties more seriously.

Dialogue and interactions between the Iranian side and the other side continued in several areas, including several verification sessions; both with the JCPOA Joint Commission coordinator and the European side, Bagheri said about the eighth round of talks which began on Monday.

Differences between the parties involved in the negotiations in the Austrian capital seem to be diminishing, with hopes of reaching a final agreement increasing.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has emphasized that if the other parties continue the negotiations in good faith, a good agreement is within reach.

“We believe that if the other sides continue the talks, which have just started in this phase, with goodwill, it will be possible for all parties to reach a good agreement and we can realize this goal,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said earlier this week.

The current negotiations are the eighth round of talks this year between Iran and the P4+1 group namely Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.

They are trying to find a way to remove sanctions against Iran and allow the United States to return to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Tehran insists that the U.S., which unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018, must remove sanctions in a verifiable manner and provide credible guarantees that it will not abandon the JCPOA again if it wants to return to the deal.