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Iranian wrestlers win IWU’s awards

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Geraei won the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ gold in the 67-kg category of Greco-Roman competitions and Zare secured the bronze in the 125-kg free style.

Before being crowned in the Olympics, which were held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Geraei had no world or Olympic medal on his resume. The 25-year-old, dubbed ‘The Iceman’, defied all expectations and claimed the top spot, before sealing his improbable 2021 campaign with a world-title in the Oslo wrestling championships.

Zare, who is now just 20 years old, was propelled into the spotlight after winning an Olympic bronze in Tokyo and gaining heavy weight supremacy in Oslo with key victories against Georgia’s three-time world champ Geno Petriashvili of Georgia and Olympic gold medalist Taha Akgul of Turkey. 

His title was also a national feat as it brought back Iran to the top heavy weight spot in the world championships 32 years after Alireza Soleimani’s 1989 gold.

CIA director says Russia and Iran turned his hair gray

By
IFP Media Wire
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Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Burns claimed he acquired “most of the gray locks” during his work in Moscow – a post he held from 2005 to 2008.

“The rest of my gray hair has to do with negotiations with the Iranians, especially the secret negotiations in 2013” over nuclear weapons, he explained, referring to the interim Joint Plan of Action agreement inked that year between Iran and six other nations to ease embargoes on Tehran in exchange for curbing its atomic program.

Burns also commented on concerns over the Russian-Ukrainian border.

The CIA director remarked that he “would never underestimate President Vladimir Putin’s appetite for risk” when it comes to Kiev.

“It’s so important to respond to that with a strong mix of deterrence as well as the possibility of diplomacy,” he added.

The Kremlin has consistently denied accusations made by several Western outlets and officials in recent weeks that Russia is masterminding an invasion of its neighbor. Kremlin Spokespman, Dmitry Peskov, has slammed the allegations as groundless.

“This hysteria, which is being stirred up now in the Anglo-Saxon media, in the Ukrainian media, and is supported by Ukrainian politicians led by the head of state [President Volodymyr Zelensky], is absolutely unacceptable,” the Kremlin press secretary said.

Moscow mocked reports by US news site Politico in early November that claimed Russian troops were being stationed in increasing numbers near the Ukrainian border. However, satellite imagery published alongside the article purported to show Russian hardware piling up near the city of Yelnya, hundreds of kilometers from Ukraine, and closer to neighboring Belarus.

A video conference between Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden has ended after just over two hours. The Kremlin had pledged the leaders would talk “for as long as it takes” to resolve their issues.

The much-anticipated video “summit” on Tuesday touched on a number of topics, including the American accusation that Russia is amassing troops to “invade” Ukraine, which Moscow has dismissed as “fake news”.

A White House readout of the call said Biden voiced “deep concerns” of the US over Russia’s “escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine” and threatened “strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation”. Ransomware and “regional issues such as Iran” were also brought up.

Biden is expected to contact Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as the leaders of UK, France, Germany and Italy after his conversation with Putin, according to the White House. His national security adviser Jake Sullivan is scheduled to brief reporters on the call later in the day.

The only live meeting between Putin and Biden since the latter took office was in June. The Geneva summit was hailed as a potential breakthrough, but progress has since failed to materialize.

Iran police dismantle biggest drug trafficking network in SE

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iran Police

Taheri stated that the police forces managed to arrest the chieftain of the largest drug-trafficking network in the southeast of Iran and the other members.

The commander-in-chief of Sistan and Baluchistan province’s police noted that in an operation, the police forces surrounded the members of the cartel but the criminals ignored the warnings and started to fire at the police trying to escape, but the police succeeded to apprehend them.

He added that the special forces of the province’s anti-narcotics police identified the exact location of the drug traffickers in the desert area of “Kalchad” in the “Samsur” plain.

He also stated that the police forces took the drug traffickers by surprise in an ambush.

General Taheri also said that the Police commandos stopped the drug traffickers who were trying to escape in four vehicles.

The Sistan and Balochistan police commander added that a major drug trafficker in the southeast of the country has been arrested along with four gunmen under his leadership.

He also noted that in the operation, the police commander seized 7 AK-47 rifles with 619 rounds of ammunition, 2,491 kilograms of opium, 103 kilograms of morphine, 96 kilograms of crystal and 14 kilograms of heroin from the drug traffickers.

Russia slams US sanctions on Iran amid Vienna talks

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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“Even amid Vienna Talks the US continued to introduce new sanctions while Iran continued to develop its nuclear programme. Not good,” Mikhail Ulyanov said in a tweet.

“It is high time to stop it in order to create better environment for speedy and successful restoration of JCPOA.”

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 15 Iranian, Syrian and Ugandan individuals as part of Washington’s restrictions on Iranian state bodies and people with alleged human rights abuses. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh in reaction to the new bans said in a tweet that Washington fails to understand that its so-called’ maximum failure’ campaign and a diplomatic breakthrough are mutually exclusive.

Khatibzadeh said doubling down on sanctions won’t create leverage and is anything but seriousness and goodwill.

This comes as Tehran has openly declared that removal of all sanctions imposed by the US is a must for the revival of the nuclear deal.

Ulyanov also separately confirmed that informal discussions are underway on the resumption of the talks in Vienna. 

Iran said Tuesday that the discussions will resume Thursday after the European signatories to the nuclear deal called for a break in the talks for consultations with their capitals.

Iran parliament speaker corrects comments about slapping of soldier by MP

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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No Talks with US, Whatsoever: Iran Parliament Speaker

Ghalibaf previously told students at a gathering that Ali Asghar Anabestani, an Iranian MP, had just pushed the policeman. Now he says he made that comment after hearing from the MP that a court ruling acquitted him of slapping and only found him guilty of pushing the soldier without causing injury. 

Ghalibaf also says when the soldier insisted that the verdict confirmed the slapping, “I thought it as my duty to pursue the matter to not violate the right of this dear citizen and I got the verdict which regrettably confirmed the slapping without causing injury”.  

The Parliament speaker however noted that the case was closed after the two sides reconciled. 

The incident happened in January when the young police officer did not allow Anabestani’s car to pass through the lane designated for buses in Tehran. 

Footage of the man speaking about the incident soon went viral, drawing reactions from citizens and officials.

Saudi official arrested in France over Khashoggi murder

By
IFP Media Wire
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Khalid Al-Otaibi, 33, was arrested by border police on the basis of a Turkish arrest warrant as he tried to board a flight to Riyadh, Saudi capital, French police told Euronews.

A judicial source added that “checks on his identity are still underway”.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s embassy in France demanded the suspect’s “immediate release”, claiming he had “no links” with Khashoggi’s murder.

Khashoggi was assassinated in 2018 at Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Istanbul.

His murder stunned the world and severely damaged the reputation of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who US intelligence claimed ‘approved’ the killing.

In 2019, Saudi Arabia sentenced five men to death and jailed three others for the murder in a case that has been widely criticised by rights groups.

Speaking to the AP, the director of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Christophe Deloire, stated, “Sometimes governments close their eyes about people who are pursued by justice in another country. I note with satisfaction that there was an arrest, and the police didn’t close their eyes this time.”

Al-Otaibi “is someone we have been following for a long time”, Deloire noted.

There was no immediate comment from Turkey over the arrest.

It comes three days after French President Emmanuel Macron met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

Macron said he had been able to “raise the issue of human rights” and have a direct exchange with the Saudi prince.

US says Biden and Putin discussion on Iran productive

By
IFP Media Wire
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“President Biden and President Putin had a good discussion on the Iran issue. It was productive,” Sullivan stated.

“Russia and the United States actually worked well together, even in tense circumstances back in the 2014-2015 period, to produce the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)”, he continued, adding that “this is an area where Russia and the United States can continue to consult closely to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon”.

Putin and Biden agreed about ‘detailed consultations’ on sensitive security issues, the Kremlin press service announced after the two-hour talks in the video conference format.

The agenda includes the situation in Ukraine and NATO’s eastwards expansion, strategic stability and bilateral topics.

They stressed the importance of the cyber security dialogue and stated they were ready to continue practical cooperation in fighting cyber crime.

The leaders also expressed hope that the talks on Iran’s nuclear deal, which resumed in Vienna in late November, will be constructive and pave the way for solutions acceptable for everyone.

Iran: Sanctions not to create leverage for US during talks

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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khatibzadeh-Iran

He added that Washington fails to understand that its so-called’ maximum failure’ campaign and a diplomatic breakthrough are mutually exclusive.
Khatibzadeh said doubling down on sanctions won’t create leverage and is anything but seriousness and goodwill.
The United States designated the Special Units of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces and Counter-Terror Special Forces, as well as several of their officials, and Gholamreza Soleimani, who commands Iran’s Basij volunteer force.
Two prisons and a prison director were also sanctioned. The sanctions come as Iran and the P4+1 group of countries – Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – are to restart their talks in Vienna Thursday.
The Vienna negotiations resumed last week. Iran presented two draft documents during the talks to the P4+1 group’s members laying out Tehran’s proposals on sanctions removal and Iran’s nuclear activities.
The other parties to the negotiations went to their countries for consultation on the proposals.

Azeri president threatens force to open corridor through Armenia

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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“Armenia and the whole world saw during the war that no one could stop us. I asked them to give a date for the return of our lands. I say the same thing now. Tell us when the Zangezur corridor opens without any problems,” Ilham Aliyev told Radio Free Europe.
In a statement, the Armenian Foreign Ministry condemned Aliyev’s remarks as a threat to Armenia’s territorial integrity. The statement said that the latest comments by the Azeri president contradict the understanding reached between Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during talks hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on November 26.
The concept of a new corridor called Zangezur between Nakhchivan and the Republic of Azerbaijan has become a bone of contention between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Armenia insists that it will not allow any change in regional borders and has categorically rejected the idea of creating new corridors in the southern parts of the Caucasus.
Tensions are simmering between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia. The two neighbors agreed to a ceasefire at their border on November 16 following the deadliest clash since the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which resulted in the liberation of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s territory from Armenian occupation.

What is UAE’s motive for expanding ties with Iran?

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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On Monday, Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE’s security chief, arrived in Tehran on his first official and public visit.
This trip took place in a relatively different regional atmosphere than a few years ago, as bilateral and multilateral dialogue and a level of convergence are unfolding in the region.
The high-ranking Emirati official came to Iran at a time when Abu Dhabi has established relations with Israel over the past year and a half, giving Tel Aviv a foothold in Iran’s southern neighborhood.
With new realities emerging in the region, Abu Dhabi is ready for interaction with Tehran, and, Iran, despite the UAE-Israel relations, is strengthening ties with the Emirates.
This shows the UAE-Israel relationship is of secondary importance to Iran given the new situation in the region.
It is unlikely that political and economic ties return to normal between Iran and the UAE soon. A series of factors are at play here.
First, the UAE is a key US ally in the region and therefore will not bring its economic cooperation with Iran to a level where it can neutralize US sanctions without the coordination and consent of Washington.
In this regard, the Israeli variable has an influential role.
Second, the relations of other Arab countries in the Persian Gulf with Iran are to some degree dependent on Riyadh’s relations with Tehran. This means that unless there is a thaw in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, it is unlikely the UAE and some other countries will normalize ties with Iran.
Third, mistrust between the Persian Gulf Arab countries and Iran is still a major problem, and building trust takes time. The grand arms deal between the UAE and France stems from the fact that the sheikhdoms are worried. But two motives are known for these countries’ push for dialog with Iran.
First, some sort of cooperation with the new US administration’s diplomatic approach towards Iran. Second, each of these countries has set important economic goals for itself in the coming years and decades, and therefore seeks to handle tensions with Iran.

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