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Ayatollah Sistani Urges Removal of Sanctions in Meeting with Pope: Iran

“The messages Ayatollah Sistani highlighted in his meeting [with the Pope] were very important ones, including attention to justice, the role of faith in settlement of global problems today, fair methods of treating nations including removal of sanctions,” Khatibzadeh said on Monday.

“In this meeting, the world’s religious leaders were also called on to help build a better world. The inalienable rights of Palestinian people were among the other messages highlighted by the top religious authority, all of which were considerable,” the spokesman said in his weekly press conference.

“The [Pope’s] meeting with Iraq’s top religious authority Grand Ayatollah Sistani was an indication of interfaith dialogue and proximity and sends the message of dialogue, peace, and friendship as well as cooperation between civilizations, against [the will of] those who seek violence and bloodshed,” he added.

He also described the Pope’s visit to Iraq as a good and important one.

“The visit is important per se as it indicates that, thanks to the Iraqi people’s bravery, the top religious authority’s prudence, and the lives sacrificed in the fight against extremism and external threats, Iraq is so safe now that one can make such a good and constructive trip to the Arab country.”

“The safety and peace and restoration of calm in Iraq is definitely the message of this trip and similar trips to the country,” he added.

 

Afghanistan No ‘Bargaining Chip’ for Iran-US Talks: Spokesman

Speaking in a weekly press conference on Monday, Khatibzadeh said Iran views its friends based on friendship.

“We have never had an instrumental view of our friends in the region,” he stressed.

“Afghanistan is per se a very important region to us, and is not our bargaining chip for talks with any other party,” he added.

He further referred to a meeting on Afghanistan which is to be held at the United Nations and within the UN framework, and said, “We haven’t received any invitation from the UN regarding Afghanistan.”

“We will wait to receive the UN invitation and then we will consider the issue,” he added.

The spokesman also made it clear that Tehran and Washington have not been engaged in any direct or indirect negotiations over any issue.

“Let me say it explicitly that we haven’t had and don’t have any direct or indirect contact with the United States regarding the JCPOA or other issues.”

 

Iran to Ask Google, Instagram, Whatsapp to Respect Its Regulations

Speaking in a national cyberspace conference held online, Abolhassan Firoozabadi said relevant authorities are to tell the Google company as well as the other two social networking services about Iran’s rules and regulations.

“There is no room for debate about platforms which are blocked now, but folks have been authorized to enter into talks with Google, Instagram and Whatsapp to tell them to respect our regulations. Of course, we believe not enough efforts have been made in that regard,” he added.

He noted the Iranian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is responsible for holding the talks.

He also called on officials not be present on blocked platforms.

Iranian, Irish Foreign Ministers Hold Talks in Tehran

In the Sunday meeting held in Tehran, the two sides emphasized the necessity of continuing political consultations as well as economic exchanges.

The top Irish diplomat underlined that as arranged, Ireland’s embassy will gradually reopen in Tehran.
The two top diplomats also exchanged views on the JCPOA.

The Iranian foreign minister reiterated Tehran’s principled policy on the need for the removal of illegal US sanctions fully and effectively as a step that would, in turn, see Iran reverse the measures it has adopted to scale down its obligations under the JCPOA.

Coveney, for his part, said Ireland stands ready to facilitate the process as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and a facilitator of the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and as a member of the European Union.

Among other topics discussed was ways of helping ease regional tensions where the two sides discussed developments in the Persian Gulf, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, occupied Palestine, Afghanistan and the Caucasus.

Iranian-British Inmate’s Ankle Tag Removed as Her 5-Year Term Ends

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was pardoned by Iran’s Leader last year, but she spent the final year of her term on leave with electronic ankle tag tied to her feet.

Her lawyer says the tag has been removed now, but she still has to appear in court on March 14 for a second charge.

According to Kermani, her second change is “involvement in propaganda activity against Islamic Republic” by attending a protest gathering in front of the Iranian embassy in London in 2009 and speaking to BBC Persian.

However, the lawyer told Emtedad news website he’s hopeful her case would be closed and she wouldn’t get extra sentences.

The lawyer later said he does not know whether the Iranian-British prisoner is banned from leaving the country.

Iran Vows to Level Tel Aviv, Haifa to Ground If Israel Makes Any Mistake

In comments on Sunday, General Hatami said, “Sometimes, their heads bite off more than they can chew and make threats that are clearly out of desperation.”

“Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei responded well to the Zionists many years ago. He said that the Zionist regime is not our main enemy and not at the level to be hostile against the Islamic Republic. The Zionist regime knows, and if it does not know, it should know that the Islamic Republic will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground if it commits a mistake,” the defence minister added.

“The order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces has been carefully enacted and turned into a blueprint, which will be implemented with a single beckon from the Commnad-in-Chief.”

“I advise them not to make this mistake, even verbally,” he warned Israeli officials.
His comments came after the Israeli minister of military affairs said the regime was updating plans for military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in case Tehran continues what he characterized as “nuclear escalation”.

In an interview with Fox News, Benny Gantz was asked about Iran’s nuclear program and whether Israel was completing preparations to attack Iranian targets.

“We have them (plans) in our hands of course but we will continue constantly improving them,” he said.

“The Iranian nuclear escalation must be stalled. If the world stops them before, it’s very much good. But if not, we must stand independently and we must defend ourselves by ourselves.”

Iran Unveils Homegrown ‘Massaf’ Assault Rifle

The advanced assault rifle was unveiled along with a number of sport weapons in a ceremony held in Tehran on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

The Iranian assault rifle has a calibre of 7.62×51mm NATO, and its effective firing range equipped with a day vision and a thermal vision scope is respectively 800 and 600 metres.
Massaf is apparently the Iranian version of the German assault rifle HK417, manufactured by Heckler & Koch.

In Photos: Migratory Swans in Sorkhrud Wetland

What follows are ISNA’s photos of these birds:

President Rouhani Urges Europe to End Inaction towards JCPOA

Speaking in a Sunday meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney in Tehran, President Rouhani said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to the deal and its preservation, and is the only party that has paid for it, but this cannot continue this way, and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 by all parties is essential for maintaining and reviving the JCPOA.”

Rouhani pointed to Ireland’s membership in the UN Security Council and its neutral policy, and said, “The Security Council should have taken appropriate action against the previous US administration for violating the resolution.”

Referring to the failure of the United States’ unlawful sanctions and maximum pressure against the Iranian people which has been admitted by the new US administration, President Rouhani said, “The activation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a multilateral international agreement, is subject to the lifting of sanctions by the United States and the full observance of commitments by all members.”

Rouhani pointed to Iran’s move to suspend the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol based on a law passed by the Iranian Parliament, and said, “Despite the suspension of the implementation of the Additional Protocol, Iran is still determined to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

“Iran is ready to take immediate compensatory measures in accordance with the provisions of the JCPOA and fulfil its obligations after the lifting of illegal US sanctions and their abandonment of the policy of intimidation and pressure,” he added.

He announced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with international institutions to resolve regional crises, and stressed, “The best way to resolve problems with European partners at various bilateral, regional and international levels is negotiation based on mutual respect and the avoidance of any threat or pressure.”

Rouhani also called for the development and deepening of Tehran-Dublin relations in all fields, especially economic and trade relations, and stressed the use of all existing capacities in this field.

“The two countries have a lot of untapped capacities in all areas, and we should attempt to tap those potentialities,” he added.

In turn, the Foreign Minister of Ireland referred to his country’s role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the next two years and the role of facilitating the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and said, “Trump’s withdrawal from the deal was a historic mistake and the new US administration is determined to return to the deal.”

“We value the JCPOA as an international agreement for peace. We will do our best to maintain the JCPOA and we are ready to play any role that can help improve the situation and resume talks between all JCPOA members,” Foreign Minister Coveney said.

Referring to the changes in the US administration and the desire of the country’s statesmen to return to the JCPOA, the Irish Foreign Minister said, “With the new conditions, there is a good opportunity for negotiation and dialogue, which should be used to require all members to implement the deal.”