Iran Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to Show Self-Restraint over Karabakh

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July 14, 2020

Iran Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to Show Self-Restraint over Karabakh

In the Tuesday phone talks, the Iranian top diplomat advised the two parties to exercise restraint and start negotiations to peacefully settle their conflicts.

He also expressed Tehran’s preparedness to help end the ongoing tensions.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has recently escalated once again, is a territorial and ethnic conflict between Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war in the early 1990s.

A ceasefire signed in 1994 provided for two decades of relative stability. A four-day escalation in April 2016 became the deadliest ceasefire violation to date.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on July 14

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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July 14, 2020

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 18

Iranian Newspapers

Aftab-e Yazd Newspaper:

1- Be Careful! COVID-19 Is Expensive
2- Ex-MP: Negotiation with US Not Haram Like Wine, Not Necessary Like Saying Prayers!

Arman-e Melli Newspaper:

1- Children and Young Adults: Second Target of Coronavirus
2- Rouhani: Gov’t Trying to Resolve Problems of People’s Lives

Ebtekar Newspaper:

1- Coronavirus Dancing on Seats of Iran’s Parliament
* MPs in Danger of Infection as They Don’t Observe Social Distancing, Don’t Wear Mask
2- Qalibaf Attends His First Joint Meeting with Rouhani, Raisi
3- Gov’t Spokesman: Iran-China Ties Will Enter New Phase
* Iran Promises to Publicize Contents of 25-Year Deal with China after Its Approval

Etemad Newspaper:

1- Exclusive Interview with French Ambassador: Paris Won’t Support Trigger Mechanism
2- Pain of Watching People’s Death: Psychologist Talks about Psychological Damages of Nurses Taking Care of COVID-19 Patients

Ettela’at Newspaper:

1- Raisi: Judiciary Will Support Efficient, Risk-Taking Managers

Iran Newspaper:

1- University Entrance Exam and Challenge of Coronavirus
2- Pentagon Silent as Warship Burning
3- JCPOA: Successful Model for Diplomatic Cooperation

Hamshahri Newspaper:

1- ICT Academic: Coronavirus Most Frequent Word in History

Javan Newspaper:

1- Washington Post: Trump Tells 23 Lies Every Day
2- Heads of Trio Branches of Power All Concerned about Economic Woes
3- COVID-19 Restrictions May Return to Tehran, Other Red Zones
4- Ansarullah Gives Missile-Drone Response to UN’s Deceptive Ceasefire

Kayhan Newspaper:

1- How JCPOA Increased People’s Economic Problems
2- Former CIA Official on 25-Year Deal: Iran and China Won, US Lost
3- Huge Explosion in US Giant Warship
* Trump Must Look for ‘American Cheetahs’: Iranian Spokesman

Khorasan Newspaper:

1- 13,000 People Die of Coronavirus in Iran
2- US Warship Melting Gradually

Mardom Salari Newspaper:

1- Number of Employed People in Iran Reduced by 1.5 Million
2- Callamard: Gen. Soleimani’s Assassination Showed How Close Is the World to Deadly Crisis

Shargh Newspaper:

1- Zibakalam: Conservatives Looking for New JCPOA in 2021
2- JCPOA Ball in Europe’s Court on 5th Anniversary of Signing the Deal
3- Qalibaf, Rouhani, Raisi Once Again Seen Together
4- Body of Judge Mansouri to Be Repatriated from Romania: Iran

Iran’s President Calls for Further Cooperation with France

By

Maryam Khaghani

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July 14, 2020

Iran’s President Calls for Further Cooperation with France — This file photo shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (right) meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron / By AFP

“I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to Your Excellency and the people of France on July 14 the National Day of the Republic of France,” President Rouhani said in a Tuesday message to Macron.

In his message, President Rouhani highlighted the political and economic potentialities for expansion of cooperation between the two sides, and expressed hope that Tehran-Paris relations would further deepen through cooperation and coordination.

“I wish Your Excellency health and success and the people of the Republic of France prosperity and felicity,” he added.

On 14 July each year, France celebrates its national day, which is better known as the Bastille Day in English-speaking countries.

The French National Day is the anniversary of Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790.

Celebrations are held throughout France, one that has been reported as “the oldest and largest military parade in Europe” is held on 14 July on the Champs-Élysées in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, along with other French officials and foreign guests.

Iran Declares 12 Provinces as Coronavirus ‘Red Zone’

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IFP Editorial Staff

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July 14, 2020

Iran Declares 12 Provinces as Coronavirus 'Red Zone'

In her press briefing on Tuesday, Sima-Sadat Lari said Khuzestan, West Azarbaijan, East Azarbaijan, Khorasan Razavi, Zanjan, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Golestan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Bushehr, and Mazandaran provinces are considered as “red zones”.

She said 13 other provinces, namely Tehran, Fars, Ardabil, Isfahan, Alborz, South Khorasan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Lorestan, Hamadan, Yazd, Kerman, and North Khorasan are also considered orange (alarming) zones.

Lari said 173 patients have died of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, increasing the overall death toll to 13,211.

She also confirmed 2,521 new cases of COVID-19 infection, raising the total number of infections to 262,173.

The spokeswoman said 225,270 patients have so far recovered from COVID-19, but 3,389 are still in severe conditions of the disease.

She further stressed that so far 2,023,079 COVID-19 tests have been taken across the country.

Coronavirus online test — If you are worried that you may have contracted the Coronavirus, take this test right now.

Iran Executes Ex-Defence Official on Charge of Spying for CIA

By

IFP Media Wire

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July 14, 2020

Iran Executes Ex-Defence Official on Charge of Spying for CIA

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Esmaeili announced that Reza Asgari, who had retired from the Defense Ministry’s Aerospace Industries Organization four years ago, was executed last week.

In the final years of his service, Asgari had established links with CIA and received money from the US spy agency in exchange for information about Iran’s missile program, he added.

The Judiciary spokesman was also asked about the case of Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd, who has been sentenced to death for spying on Iranian military advisers in Syria on behalf of CIA and Mossad.

The death penalty, he said, is yet to be carried out.

Mousavi-Majd has been found guilty of providing information to US and Israeli spy services on the whereabouts of Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), who was assassinated in Baghdad in January 2020.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Esmaeili announced the approval of the death penalties handed to three people, who had been arrested in connection with the 2019 riots in Iran.

Two of them were arrested at the scene of an armed robbery, he said, noting that they filmed their criminal acts of torching banks, buses and public places and sent them to news agencies abroad.

Violent riots hit several Iranian cities in late 2019 following protests prompted by gasoline rationing and price hikes. A total of 230 people, including members of security and Basij forces, were killed in the unrest.

Wearing Mask More Effective Than Any COVID-19 Vaccine: Official

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 14, 2020

“Masks are more effective than any vaccine to prevent the COVID-19 infection and can prevent the contraction of the disease by up to 95 percent,” said Kianoush Jahanpour, the head of the Public Relations and Information Office of the Iranian Health Ministry.

He said it is not necessary to wear industrially produced, standard masks to protect against the disease, adding home-made masks are as effective.

He then urged people to maintain personal hygiene and observe health protocols to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

“All around the world, the only way to prevent the COVID-19 is to wash hands with water and soap regularly, avoid attending nonessential gatherings, maintaining physical distance, and, more importantly, the use of face masks by all, especially in public places,” he noted.
He then touched upon the effectiveness of vaccines on the prevention of diseases.

“Still, no vaccine has been produced for the COVID-19 disease, but even if it is produced, it will be effective only relatively like the flu vaccine,” he said.

The official noted that efforts are underway in Iran to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which could prevent the disease by around 70 to 75 percent.

However, he said washing hands and abiding by social distancing measures could even be more effective.

Iran Working Towards Restoration of Peace in Yemen: Zarif

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 14, 2020

Iran Working Towards Restoration of Peace in Yemen

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always believed that the only way to resolve the Yemen crisis is through political means, and has had constructive cooperation with relevant Yemeni and international sides to propose a peace plan for Yemen,” said Zarif in the meeting held via videoconference.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is of the conviction that the only way to establish stability in Yemen is to maintain its territorial integrity, unity among Yemeni groups and holding comprehensive political talks among different groups and parties to establish a united and broad-based government because Yemen belongs to all Yemeni groups,” said the top Iranian diplomat.

Zarif dismissed as unacceptable the ongoing aggression and unfair blockade against Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition as well as the seizure of ships carrying food and fuel amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Despite restrictions and obstructive moves, the Islamic Republic of Iran keeps adopting the necessary measures to send humanitarian aid to stem the spread of coronavirus, and as before, will try its utmost to advance the Yemen peace process in a bid to see the blockade lifted, a ceasefire put in place and political talks resumed as part of numerous regional and international consultations,” he said.

The top Yemeni diplomat, in turn, expressed his gratitude to Iran for its political support and humanitarian assistance to Yemeni people. He presented a report to Zarif on the latest political situation in Yemen and the prospects of the Yemeni crisis. He said Yemen will make every effort to realize peace and tackle the human problems caused by the COVID-19 pademic.

Iran Urges GCC Chief to Stop Blame Game, Focus on Ending Yemen War

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 14, 2020

Iran Urges GCC Chief to Stop Blame Game, Focus on Ending Yemen War

In a statement on Tuesday, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi dismissed as a blame game the unfounded allegations made by Secretary General of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Nayef Al-Hajraf.

“We recommend the new GCC secretary general focuses his attention on the need to stop attacks by the [Saudi-led] coalition aggressors against Yemeni women and children and help settle the Yemen crisis through intra-Yemeni talks rather than pursuing the blame game trend and levelling groundless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is in line with the destructive role of some GCC members,” said the spokesman.

“On behalf of the US and the Zionist regime of Israel, some GCC members have, against the will of Arab and Muslim nations in the region, sealed their lips, in an intimidating atmosphere, in the face of issues and main threats to the Muslim world and the oppressed Palestinian nation,” he said.

“Those GCC members are pressing ahead with their violent bombardments of the resistant and patient Yemeni people and their unjust blockade of the country and preventing food, fuel and medicine needed to combat coronavirus from reaching the country,” he added.

“The Saudis and resigned Hadi administration’s stance on the initiative proposed by the UN secretary general to stop conflicts across the world, including in Yemen, indicate the hypocritical position of these aggressors, who, despite claiming to be observing a ceasefire, push ahead with their fierce bombardments, and while rejecting the Yemen peace plan floated by the UN chief, still insist on trying to settle the crisis militarily, and seek to blame others in order to deflect the world’s attention from their acts of aggression,” he said.

Iran Stresses Peaceful Settlement of Azeri-Armenian Dispute over Karabakh

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 14, 2020

Iran Stresses Peaceful Settlement of Azeri-Armenian Dispute over Karabakh

“Our stance on the Karabakh region between Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic has not changed at all,” said Seyyed Abbas Mousavi on Monday.

The spokesman emphasized the need to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries and use peaceful means to iron out differences.

“We believe these two neighbouring countries should resolve their difference peacefully, and the Islamic Republic of Iran has always announced its readiness to help settle this row,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Vaezi, the chief of staff of the Iranian president, got on the phone with Azeri Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev to express condolences over the deaths of a number of Azeri soldiers killed in a firefight on the Azeri-Armenian border.

Vaezi said Iran’s strategy is that the territorial integrity of all countries, including the Azerbaijan Republic, should be protected.

“Iran has always stressed the need to settle issues and difference through political means and dialogue, and we hope the problems that have emerged will be solved without resort to force,” he said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a territorial and ethnic conflict between Armenia and the Azerbaijan Republic over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts. The conflict escalated into a full-scale war in the early 1990s.

A ceasefire signed in 1994 provided for two decades of relative stability. A four-day escalation in April 2016 became the deadliest ceasefire violation to date.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on July 13

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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July 13, 2020