Syrian President Condemns US Blacklisting of IRGC

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April 17, 2019

Speaking in a Tuesday meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Damascus, Assad said the US blacklisting of the IRGC is in line with Washington’s policies to destabilise the region.

US President Donald Trump announced last week that Washington is designating Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps a foreign “terrorist organisation”. It was the first time Washington formally branded another country’s military a “terrorist group”.

Responding to the move, the Islamic Republic immediately declared the US a “state sponsor of terrorism” and the US forces in the region a “terrorist group”.

In the Tuesday comments, President Assad also expressed condolences to the Iranian people and the families of the victims of the recent floods in Iran.

For his part, FM Zarif reiterated his country’s support for Syria. He said the US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights shows the failure of the US policies in the region and the weakness of the Trump administration. He further mentioned that this decision is in line with its decisions on relocation of the occupying regime capital to Jerusalem al-Quds and the IRGC labeling.

Meanwhile, the two sides exchanged opinions on regional developments, with President al-Assad asserting that adhering to national principles and positions and making the people’s interests a priority are enough to protect any country, preserve its unity, and confront any foreign conspiracies.

Both sides also exchanged views on the upcoming round of Astana talks on Syria and underlined the importance of continuing consultations between Tehran and Damascus.

“We had a very good discussion with President Bashar al-Assad. We discussed both regional issues as well as how we will continue with the discussions in the Astana process and the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Syria. We have always been on the side of the Syrian people and we will continue to be working with the Syrian government and people in order to improve the economic situation both here and in Iran,” the Iranian top diplomat told reporters.

Zarif also said the recent US decision shows Washington’s policies are based on serving Israel’s interests. Before this visit, the Iranian foreign minister also held talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.

In the meeting, Zarif expressed grave concern over the situation in Idlib province and underlined the necessity of having all sides committing to all agreements particularly disarming terrorists and expelling them from Idlib. He once again called for political process and a peaceful solution to Syria’s crisis.

“I also had a very good discussion with my colleague minister Walid Muallem and we discussed with him how we could continue the political process, what should happen in the constitutional committee within the Astana process,” underlined Zarif.

The two sides also highlighted that the West, particularly the United States, must resort to diplomacy instead of waging war and employing economic terrorism.

The top Iranian official also met with Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis, and decisions were made to increase economic cooperation in both public and private sectors. They reviewed the already signed agreements and overcoming difficulties for their implementation.

Zarif arrived in the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, and left the country for Turkey later in the day.

Syria to Give Priority to Iranian Firms in Reconstruction Era: PM

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 17, 2019

The top Syrian official made the remarks in a Tuesday meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, during which the two sides exchanged views on mutual issues as well as regional developments.

The Syrian prime minister welcomed the Iranian top diplomat and paid gratitude to the Iranian nation and government’s support for Syria. He also expressed sympathy with the families of the victims of the latest floods in Iran.

Khamis described the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Syria as significant and said the latest international developments require reinforcement of mutual ties between Iran and Syria.

“The two sides should strengthen their ties because they are on the same front. Mutual ties in all areas should deserve the sacrifices made over the past years.”

The top official said President Assad has underlined the priority of Iranian firms in the reconstruction era in Syria. “The Syrian president has urged all sections of the government to use all their capacities to expand ties with Iran.”

For his part, the Iranian foreign minister said Iran attaches significant importance to its ties with Syria.

“We believe in this fact and have always declared it at international arenas that people across the world owe their security to the resistance of the Syrian government and nation against ISIS and other terrorist groups.”

“We are happy to have stood behind you throughout the resistance and the issue will be recorded in the history of mutual ties between Iran and Syria,” he said.

Today, he added, the Islamic Republic feels duty-bound to institutionalize the achievements gained at the price of the bloods of resistance martyrs in their fight against terrorist groups in Syria.

US Hostility Rooted in Its Chain Regional Failures: IRGC Chief

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 16, 2019

In separate messages on Tuesday, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari paid gratitude to the Iranian officials and nation for their support for the IRGC against the US hostility and said the US move to blacklist the IRGC as a terrorist organization has its roots in Washington’s outrage at its chain defeats in the region.

“The stupid and illegal move of the adventurist president of the US regime and his radical advisors to blacklist the IRGC as a terrorist organization is deeply rooted in the country’s outrage at their chain defeats in the region and the heavy blows that they have received from the popular military unit in Iran,” he was quoted as saying in a report by IRNA.

The top commander went on to say that he feels duty-bound to pay tribute to the Iranian government and nation for their condemnation of the US satanic move.

“Iranians from all walks of life including senior religious figures, military and government officials, political parties, scientific elites from universities and seminaries, all and all, unanimously condemned the US move and this unity is the key to the success of the Islamic Republic in its challenges against the enemies,” he noted.

The military commander also said the enemies are desperately seeking to inflict a blow on Iran and said amid the current situation, the IRGC deems the public support of Iranian nation and government as a great capital.

“The IRGC under the guidance of the leader of the Islamic Revolution and in line with the national security and our defence power promotion will give a due response to the enemies’ plots who sponsor violence and terrorism in the region,” he said.

In response to the US president’s decision to blacklist the IRGC as a terrorist organization on April 9, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif proposed that the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) should add American forces in West Asia, known as the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), to its list of terrorist groups in the Islamic Republic.

Iran Offers Sympathy to France over Cathedral Fire

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 16, 2019

In a Tuesday tweet, Zarif said he was “saddened that Notre Dame … is partially destroyed after standing through wars & revolution for 800 years.”

He described the Cathedral as an “iconic monument dedicated to the worship of our one God & that brought all of us closer through Hugo’s literary masterpiece.”

The Iranian top diplomat also noted that “our thoughts are with the French and all Catholics.”

Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral went up in flames, leaving the nation awestruck and prompting fears that the historic structure could suffer unprecedented damage.

The fire began at around 18:30 (16:30 GMT) on Monday and quickly tore through the cathedral’s timbered roofing, where renovation work was underway. The blaze destroyed stained-glass windows and the wooden interior before firefighters could contain it.

The fire was fully extinguished after over nine hours of fighting, the Paris Fire Brigade announced.

“After more than 9 hours of fierce fighting, nearly 400 firefighters from Paris extinguished the appalling fire. 2 policemen and a firefighter were slightly injured,” the fire service said in a tweet on Tuesday.

It said the main structure of the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral had been “saved and the main works of art have been put somewhere safe, thanks to the combined action of the different services of the State working together.”

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, who called the fire a “terrible tragedy,” said the worst had been avoided.

Macron also announced an international fundraising campaign to raise money for the rebuilding of the world-famous French landmark.

“We will rebuild it together. It will undoubtedly be part of French destiny and our project for the years to come,” Macron said outside the cathedral.

Iran Says World Must Respect Syria’s Sovereignty

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 16, 2019

Zarif made the remarks in a Tuesday meeting with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Damascus.

During the talks, the two sides conferred on the most significant issues in mutual ties and regional and global developments including the recent ones in North Africa.

Iran’s top diplomat underlined that the resistance of Syrian government and nation against terrorism has saved the region against a great danger and plot. He also called for the expulsion of all terrorists from Syria.

For his part, the Syrian foreign minister referred to mutual cooperation between Iran and Syria over the past years and said the cooperation has helped the Arab country thwart huge plots. Muallem also underlined the need to continue and deepen the cooperation.

The Iranian foreign minister arrived in Syria earlier Tuesday for a one-day visit. During his stay, Zarif held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and is expected to hold talks with the Syrian premier on mutual and regional issues.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 16

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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April 16, 2019

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

A top story today was a letter by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, to President Hassan Rouhani, in which the former asked the latter to use the country’s state budget to compensate for the damages of the recent floods first, and then if it was not enough, the government will be allowed to withdraw money from the National Development Fund, as earlier requested by the president.

Several papers also covered the remarks made by former US president Jimmy Carter about the “warlike” nature of the US, which has been at war with the world almost in all years of its history.

The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines and top stories:

Abrar:

1- Egypt Prosecutor Demands Execution of Morsi for Spying for Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas

2- American, Israeli Security Advisors Meet on Countering Iran

3- Zarif: No Limit on Iran’s Enrichment

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Iran Leader to President: Do Whatever Necessary to Compensate for People’s Damages

2- Silent Heroes: Army Fulfils Its Promise, Builds 140m Bridge in Khuzestan

3- Analyst: Iran Must Seek Deeper Economic Ties with Iraq

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Iran Leader: Many of Arab Leaders Servants of Infidels

2- US Seeks to Seize Iran in Region as Its Next Step

Etemad:

1- Zarif in Damascus: Iran FM Departs for Syria at Assad’s Official Invitation

2- US Enjoyed Only 16 Years of Peace in Its 242-Year History

Ettela’at:

1- Iran Leader Praises People’s Massive Move to Help Flood Victims

2- Iran First VP: Floods Taught Us We Should Respect Nature

3- Carter to Trump: We’ve Been 226 Years in War during 242 Years of US History

Iran:

1- Iran to Establish National Body of Human Rights

2- Iran’s Hawizeh Marsh Flooded with Water; Floods to End Dust Pollution in Khuzestan

3- Trump Seeks to Hold Dialogue, Make Deal with Iran

Javan:

1- China to Overtake US

* Trump Called Me and Said, China Is Overtaking Us; I Said China Has Paid a Penny on War: Carter

2- Energy Minister: We Hadn’t Even Dreamt of Such Heavy Downpours in Iran

3- Iran 15th Country in World in Terms of Science Production

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Former European, NATO Officials: Europe Must Reject Trump’s ‘Deal of Century’

2- Larijani: Americans’ Mischief Created Unity in Iran

3- South Korea’s Monthly Oil Imports from Iran Increased

Kayhan:

1- Twitter Diplomacy Not Good Response to France’s Impudence

2- Iraq’s Nujaba Forces Aiding Khuzestan Flood Victims

3- 45,000 Americans Patients Die Annually for Lack of Insurance

Sazandegi:

1- Return of Night King

* Season Finale of Trump’s Favourite TV Series

* Trump Loves Night King, Had Compared Return of Iran Sanctions to His Return

Setareh Sobh:

1- Tension between US, Turkey over Purchase of Missile Defence System

* Ankara to Be Sanctioned If It Buys S-400

Shargh:

1- Rouhani Mad at Gov’t Officials for Failing to Pay 2016 Flood Damages

2- West’s Experience in Managing Flood Crisis [Editorial]

3- Spokesman Elaborates on IRGC’s Measures in Flood-Hit Areas

Iran FM, Syrian President Hold Talks in Damascus

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IFP Editorial Staff

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April 16, 2019

During the Tuesday meeting, the two sides exchanged views on various aspects of mutual ties, the most significant regional issues, the latest development of Astana initiative and the political process to resolve the Syria crisis.

Following up on the agreements reached in the Iranian first vice-president’s visit to Syria was also among the main issues discussed in the meeting.

Iran’s top diplomat is in Syria for high-level talks with the country’s leaders. He is set to hold talks with Syria’s prime minister and foreign minister in his one-day trip.

Earlier in in the day, Zarif was welcomed at the airport by Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

US Enjoyed 16 Years of Peace in Its 242-Year History: Carter

By

IFP Media Wire

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April 16, 2019

Carter, 94, said Trump called him on Saturday as he spoke during his regular Sunday School lesson at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

He told the congregation that Trump feared China’s growing economic strength and suggested the president was right to be concerned.

Some experts say China could overtake the US as the world’s largest economy by 2030 if current growth trends continue.

The former Democratic president said China was getting ahead of the US because Washington has been at war with other countries for most of its history.

Carter—who normalized diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing in 1979—suggested that China’s rapid growth had been facilitated by government investment and helped by peace.

“Since 1979, do you know how many times China has been at war with anybody?” Carter asked. “None. And we have stayed at war.”

He said the US has only enjoyed 16 years of peace in its 242-year history, making the country “the most warlike nation in the history of the world,” Carter said. This is, he said, because of Washington’s tendency to force other nations to “adopt our American principles.”

Carter said that China, in contrast to the US, had made massive economic progress for maintaining peace. “How many miles of high-speed railroad do we have in this country?” he asked.

The US has “wasted, I think, $3 trillion” on military spending. “It’s more than you can imagine. China has not wasted a single penny on war, and that’s why they’re ahead of us. In almost every way.”

“And I think the difference is if you take $3 trillion and put it in American infrastructure you’d probably have $2 trillion leftover. We’d have high-speed railroad. We’d have bridges that aren’t collapsing, we’d have roads that are maintained properly. Our education system would be as good as that of say South Korea or Hong Kong,” Carter told the congregation.

Carter served as the 39th US president from 1977 to 1981. The former president has been particularly critical of the nation’s direction under Trump’s leadership.

Carter was also a tool of the imperialists: Scholar

Commenting on Carter’s remarks, Professor Dennis Etler said,“Although Jimmy Carter is considered one of the more reasonable US presidents he was still a tool of the imperialists running the show.”

“He supported the Shah and alienated whole Iranian nation in doing so, still to this day. And talk about wars, he got the US involved in Afghanistan supporting the Mujahedeen and laid the groundwork for all the wars that followed, so it’s a bit much for him to decry the trillions of dollars wasted as a result, not to mention the millions of those killed, maimed, traumatized and sent into exile,” added Etler, an American political analyst who has a decades-long interest in international affairs.

“No, Carter cannot absolve himself of the guilt he deserves,” Etler told Press TV.

“At least when it comes to China he speaks the truth, if not the whole truth. He knows that China poses no threat to the US that is not of America’s own making,” the analyst noted.

6 Steps to Finding Your Mate via Matchmaking Service

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IFP Media Wire

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April 16, 2019

While thousands of men spend years trying to stumble across their soul mates on the web, our Ukraine-based matchmaking service celebrates another successful starting a family from more than 500 of marriages reported by our happy clients. How is it possible to have a striking 86% of matching, when a success rate of most marriage agencies is a far cry from this figure? Having nearly 20 years of experience in online dating and over 15 years in matchmaking service, we stick to 6 effective steps, leading a man to a lady of his dream.

Screening interview

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Main interview

If the strategy is approved, we invite the client to have an in-depth interview over Skype. It usually lasts several hours and covers a large variety of questions we need to discuss in order to better know our client and to gain a clear insight into his expectations as to the right woman for him.

Handpicking

Within 10 days we give a feedback after analyzing the interview, choosing ladies from our vast database to be the best matches for the client, contacting them and introducing the client in the best possible way to get the ladies engaged. Thus, we forward our proposal to the client only when we are ultimately sure the ladies are highly interested in building their relationship with this particular man.

Arranging communication

If the client is happy with our feedback, we provide a communication channel through e-mails and video-dates for the client to meet the ladies and to find out if there is any real chemistry possible between them. To make the communication more effective, we advise the client on cultural differences, preparations that can be made prior to the video-dates, questions to be asked and details to take into account.

Reviewing video-dates

We review and analyze the video-dates to help the client by focusing his attention on the ladies who are the best fit for him based on both psychology science and our extensive knowledge and experience. We protect our clients from time wasting and emotional suffering, while providing the best value for money.

Arranging romantic tours

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