“Despite the US pressures, the course of Iran’s progress has not been halted and our oil-free economic growth will be positive this year,” President Rouhani said in a ceremony on Iran World Award for Book of the Year, held in Tehran on Wednesday.
He also noted that Iran has been withstanding the toughest economic pressures imposed by the enemies, the US in particular, over the past two years, saying Washington has violated the UN resolutions and all international regulations.
The US has not imposed sanctions on a specific Iranian individual, but on 83 million Iranian people without exception, the president deplored, saying the US administration lies that it has exempted the pharmaceutical products from the sanctions.
President Rouhani added that the total value of Iran’s foreign trade during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year, including the exports and imports, has stood at $72 billion, showing a better performance compared to the previous years.
The US was mistaken to imagine that it could bring the Iranian nation to its knees during three months, the president stated, noting that Washington will never succeed to force Tehran to the negotiating table.
President Rouhani finally pointed to his recent meeting with the EU foreign policy chief, saying the Europeans have publicly acknowledged that the US has taken “wrong and illegal” measures.
In an interview with the National Iraqi News Agency, Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi provided a description of the reason why General Soleimani had travelled to Baghdad in his last mission.
The envoy said the late commander of the IRGC Quds Force had flown to Baghdad in order to pass on a message from Iran to Saudi Arabia.
According to Masjedi, the top Iranian commander had been assigned to let Iraq known about Iran’s message for Saudi Arabia about Tehran’s view on an initiative developed by Baghdad.
“This message contained Iran’s view about the fight against terrorism, the promotion of peace and the establishment of security and stability in the region,” the envoy added.
He also hailed Iraq’s role in contributing to the settlement of conflicts between Tehran and Riyadh as well as the resolution of the other regional problems, saying the Iraqi government plays a “constructive role” in the region.
Masjedi further highlighted Iran’s willingness to resolve the disputes with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, saying Tehran welcomes any effort from Baghdad or the other parties to address the problems.
“Tehran welcomes Iraq’s efforts to resolve the Iran-Saudi disagreements and regional issues. The government of Iraq played a constructive role in the region and we welcome any efforts aimed at de-escalation of tensions … Iran is willing to settle its disputes with United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia,” he added.
The ambassador also dismissed the notion that Iran has violated Iraq’s sovereignty by launching a missile attack on the American airbase of Ain al-Assad, stressing that the strike was only a response in retaliation for the US assassination of Lt. General Soleimani and deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
“It was an act of retaliation, as the US assassinated martyrs Soleimani and al-Muhandis on Iraq’s soil. For this reason targeting the military base was not breach by Iran of Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Masjedi also urged that the US should stop interfering in the internal affairs of the region and the American military bases, which have turned into the “sites for criminal activities”, must be closed.
The regional governments must sue the US and call for an end to the American activities in the region instead of complaining about Iran’s policies, the ambassador underlined.
He finally took a swipe at the US government for assassinating two official military commanders of Iran and Iraq, saying Washington claims to be fighting against terrorism and creating security, but it has committed a grave act of terrorism itself.
“Washington purports that it is fighting terrorists in the region and providing security, but in fact it was the US who martyred General Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and that means state terrorism as the two martyrs were Iran and Iraq’s official military commanders.”
“The US cannot tolerate the existence of anyone opposing its policies, and hence commits assassination. If the other states do not want to respond to the US policies, Tehran will not remain silent towards infringement of its rights,” the official added.
Stressing Iran’s support for the stability in Iraq, Mr. Masjedi said that Tehran welcomes appointment of Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi to the office of prime minister.
Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dezhpasand said in a press conference on Tuesday that the 50% increase in investment has been achieved despite efforts to cut foreign investment.
Referring to the historical course of efforts to cut oil dependence in the years following the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, he added, “In 1996, Leader of the Islamic Revolution issued orders to build an economy without oil dependence.”
Much effort has been made to cut oil revenues and define alternative solutions, most notably tax revenues, he underlined.
“In the eleventh and twelfth governments [the Rouhani administration], nothing has been borrowed from the banking system for public financing.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Dezhpasand reiterated that tax revenues now cover a significant portion of government spending.
Referring to enemy’s efforts to zero out Iran’s non-oil exports, he said that in the first six months of this year, the volume of non-oil exports increased by 20 percent in terms of weight, but decreased by 3 percent in value terms.
“Mr. Majidi has sent a letter to China to express sympathy. I thank Iranian friends standing by the Chinese nation during harsh days,” Ambassador of People’s Republic of China Chang Hua tweeted on Monday.
Earlier on Friday, Majidi had sent a letter to the China’s Central Radio and TV Tower, saying that he will make a film to picture the Chinese people’s endeavours to combat the disease.
“I am certain that you great people of China will triumph over this great human disaster, as you have proved in the annals of history that you are a hardworking and combatant nation. You will restore hope and life to China,” said Majidi in his letter.
A prominent movie director in Iran and the world who has paid many visits to China, Majidi has won many international awards.
In 2008, he made the short movie Beijing, Beijing for the program “Famous Directors’ View of Beijing”. In 2019 he attended the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations during which he sat for an exclusive interview with China’s Central Radio and TV Tower’s reporters.
“This is an important achievement and I recommend the Ministry of Energy designs a more detailed plan within various frameworks, especially for power plants, so that the capacities of internal experts are tapped at the maximum level,” Larijani said during a ceremony to inaugurate four power projects in the province of Khuzestan.
He stressed that “given the foreign currency limitations”, the ministry needs to “prepare the groundwork … for the presence of internal experts in the field of electricity.”
Larijani urged the Ministry to produce all the equipment it needs inside the country, and vowed that if banking facilities were needed, the parliament will help.”
He added “we can pave the way for manufacturing the equipment inside Iran, which [of course] involves some risks, and the parliament will provide the necessary support.”
Iran has been under severe sanctions since 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from the JCPOA, an agreement between Iran and world powers over the country’s nuclear program.
Iranian officials stress that in spite of the pressures the sanctions put on the Iranian people, they spur the country to start thinking about ways of self-sufficiency.
There are multiple wells, called Tala Water Wells, next to Naderi Castle in Laft, Iran’s Qeshm Island. The hardworking people in the region dug them through Schist rocks which had covered the ground. Since a plaster layer lies at the bottom of the wells, water stays there healthy and cold for a long time.
The number of these wells is said to stand at 366, equal to the number of days in a leap year; each day people used the water of one well.
What follows are photos of Tala Water Wells (Tal Eau) in Iran’s Qeshm Island:
“The American bullies and bandits have recently unveiled a plan and called it ‘deal of the century’, wishfully thinking the deal may work if they choose a big name for it,” Ayatollah Khamenei told a huge crowd of people in Tehran on Wednesday.
“In my opinion, what they have done and are pursuing is firstly stupid, secondly a sign of treason, and thirdly it is to their own detriment from the very beginning,” he noted.
The Leader said the US and Israel are sparing no effort to advance the plan.
“Now, they will make attempts to push the plan. To that end, they are relying on weapons and money; they use bribes and arms as a carrot to allure some, and they also make threats,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.
To counter such moves, said the Leader, it falls upon Palestinian people and organizations to stand up to the Zionist enemy (Israel) as well as the United States.
“That’s the only solution,” he said.
“And the whole Muslim world should help and support them,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
“Fortunately, today, this resistance in the West Asia region is not limited to Palestine; this resistance exists in a sphere which goes beyond Palestine, and, God willing, this resistance will grow day by day,” he said.
“We, as the Islamic Republic [of Iran]’s system, take it upon ourselves to back Palestinian combatant groups, and we will wholeheartedly support them in whatever manner and to whatever extent we can,” said Ayatollah Khamenei.
During the phone conversation, the two sides rejected the “cruel” and “disgraceful” deal of the century.
The two top diplomats also stressed the need for the Muslim world to take a decisive stance and remain united against this plot while offering continued support for the rights of the Palestinian people.
In a telephone conversation, Foreign Minister Zarif and Haniyeh discussed the latest developments in Palestine and the American-Zionist plot, known as deal of the century.
In the phone call, the top Iranian diplomat vehemently condemned the inhumane plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, known as deal of the century, and voiced support for the unanimous stances of the Palestinian people and leaders in opposition to the unilateral plan.
Foreign Minister Zarif also emphasized the necessity for unity and solidarity among the Palestinian groups and the free nations and governments of the world in the all-out confrontation with such major plot of the century.
The foreign minister further expounded on Iran’s stances in support of the Palestinian people’s rightful and legitimate struggle against the Zionist occupiers, and highlighted the widespread popular and governmental movements against such cruel American-Zionist project.
For his part, Haniyeh pointed to the Palestinian nation’s struggles and to the unity and solidarity formed in the confrontation with the hostile plan, and highlighted the determination of the Palestinian leaders, people and resistance groups in the fight against the Zionist regime’s occupation.
He finally praised the Islamic Republic of Iran for its efforts to support the oppressed Palestinian nation in the perseverance and resistance against the occupiers.
Also in a phone conversation on Tuesday night, Zarif and PA President Abbas conferred on the latest developments in the occupied territories and Trump’s Middle East plan.
The two sides rejected the American-Zionist deal, and underlined the necessity for unity and solidarity of the Muslim world in support for all the rights of the oppressed people of Palestine.
