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Iran FM Says There’ll Be No War with US

By
IFP Media Wire
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“As Leader of the Islamic Revolution has also announced, we are certain that no war will break out because neither we want a war, nor has anyone the idea or illusion that it can confront Iran in the region,” Zarif told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) before ending his visit to Beijing, China, on Saturday.

“However, it is necessary for the people of the United States to realize the dangerous moves inside the country.”

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of war between the United States and Iran, saying Washington knows engaging in such a conflict would not be in its interest.

“The Iranian nation’s definite option will be resistance in the face of the US, and in this confrontation, the US would be forced into a retreat,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. “Neither we nor they, who know war will not be in their interest, are after war.”

Zarif further emphasized that US President Donald Trump does not want war but there are people around him who are pushing him towards war under the pretext of making America stronger against Iran.

The US president has ordered his administration to avoid a military confrontation with Iran, the New York Times and Reuters have reported.

The Times reported Friday that Trump, during a Wednesday morning meeting in the Situation Room, sent a message to his hawkish aides that he does not want the US pressure campaign against Iran to explode into an open conflict.

“Trump was firm in saying he did not want a military clash with the Iranians,” read the paper citing five senior officials who described the administration’s internal debate over Iran.

Tensions mounted between Tehran and Washington last May, when President Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and re-imposed harsh sanctions against the Islamic Republic in defiance of global criticisms.

The tensions saw a sharp rise on the first anniversary of Washington’s exit from the deal as the US moved to ratchet up the pressure on Iran by tightening its oil sanctions and sending military reinforcements, including an aircraft carrier strike group, a squadron of B-52 bombers, and a battery of patriot missiles, to the Middle East.

On May 5, US National Security Advisor John Bolton — an ardent Iran hawk — said the deployment was in response to a “troubling and escalatory indications” of Iranian activity in the region, without giving details or evidence to support the claims.

In an interview with America’s National Public Radio (NPR) released on Thursday, Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-e Ravanchi said Iran will not take steps towards the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, but will stand ready to defend itself against any act of aggression.

“We are not interested in the escalation of tensions in our region, because if something goes wrong, everybody will lose, including Iran, including the US, including all the countries in the region,” said the senior diplomat.

‘US Anti-Iran Moves Putting Europe’s Security in Danger’

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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US President Donald Trump meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their bilateral meeting at the NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium, Wednesday, July, 11, 2018. / Photo by AP

Mohsen Pakaein, a former ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan and Thailand, made the remarks in an interview with Shafaqna.

“The US’ action against Iran will intensify the arms race, especially in the nuclear field, and this will be the real problem for Europe’s future,” he noted.

“Indeed, Trump also questions Europe’s economic, political and security future by acting against Iran. It seems to me that in European countries there is a domestic pressure from the people and the elites against the leaders, and if they do not think of a solution, they may be faced with domestic dissatisfaction in their country.”

He said European countries, including France, want to deal with the Iranian people in a manner consistent with the arrogance of the United States and threat Iranians, but they have usually failed if they acted based on threat, intimidation, and psychological war.

Regarding the recent statement by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who called Iran’s suspension of its commitments “bad reaction” and urged the Islamic Republic to show political maturity, he said, they want to deal with Iran with the threat approach, but it fails.

Pakaein also talked about the practical steps taken by France to preserve the JCPOA, saying the European countries, including France, have two approaches.

“One is an independent approach, and France as a result of hostilities towards Iran, adopts a tough stance against our country. But there is another stance within the framework of the European Union, which is set forth by Federica Mogherini. This is a more rational stance without much ado. I think we need to take seriously the European Union’s position on the issue. It is the European Union that has to make the final decision and within 60 days it should find a way to solve Iran’s problems.”

He further mentioned that usually, Europeans do not lift sanctions so as not to fulfil their commitments. To do so, in some way they limit their commitments about the nuclear deal, noted Pakaein.

“They claim we do not have an influence on European private companies and European banks, while this is not the case. We have seen when Europe’s interests are being jeopardised by the US in terms of the tariffs set by Washington against European products, the Europeans stand united. Both governments and private companies as well as banks take a stance against the United States and put in place a reciprocal policy against Washington,” the Iranian former diplomat said.

“That is, when their own interests are endangered, they have the capacity to stand against the United States. But when it is about the interests of Iran, and the sanctions must be removed based on legal and international laws envisaged in the deal, they do not take any action. At this time, they waste time and under the pretext of not having influence on corporations and banks, they do not go ahead.”

Pakaein also maintained that Iran’s measure to stop some of its commitments was wise and smart, stating that “we do hope the Europeans take this message seriously.”

“The JCPOA is very important for Europeans, and in fact, apart from being a commitment between Iran and the P5+1, it is a formula for confronting US unilateralism. It also strengths multilateralism in the world. In my opinion, Europe must demonstrate its political maturity and meet Iran’s demands. At the moment, we must wait and see what the European countries will do,” noticed the former Iranian diplomat.

Under the JCPOA, Tehran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Trump’s withdrawal from the accord came despite massive efforts by the European allies of the US to convince him to stay in the deal, which was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries.

Late in January, the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal issued a joint statement, announcing the launch of a long-awaited direct non-dollar payment mechanism to maintain their trade ties with the Islamic Republic in the face of the sanctions.

Germany, France and Britain registered the mechanism, known as the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges or INSTEX.

INSTEX was initially planned to be used for selling food, medicine and medical devices to Iran, but it could also be expanded in the future.

An Iranian structure parallel to INSTEX, called the Special Trade and Finance Institute (STFI), was launched later and the European signatories have no longer any excuse to delay the start of their job.

Khayyam’s ‘Seize the Day’ Philosophy Key to His Worldwide Fame

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iranian poet Reza Esmaeili believes that the philosophy of “Carpe Diem” that could be seen in the life and poems of the Khayyam has made him globally known as a wise man.

What follows is an excerpt from Reza Esmaeili’s note entitled “Khayyam; the revival of spiritual discourse in religion”, which was published Saturday by ISNA on the occasion of the National Day of Khayyam:

Among Iranian poets, Omar Khayyam is more known for his quatrains which are limited in number. That comes despite the superiority and distinction of his educational status in math over his poetry.

Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that Khayyam’s scientific character is subdued by his literary character, in the sense that today the people of Iran and world know “Khayyam the poet” more than “Khayyam the scholar”.

Khayyam was a great philosopher and mathematician who sometimes wrote poetry. However, his fame and reputation is more indebted to his philosophical worldview, which is summarised in one principle: “Thinking” and living in the “moment”, or in other words the “Seize the day” philosophy.

He was not interested in the past and future. He was a realist poet who lived in the moment. The clarification of this philosophy is the main theme of most of his quatrains that are written in an eloquent language, free from pompousness.

Enthusiastic about the world’s instability, Khayyam was escaping from the past’s suffering and the future regrets. In this way he was looking for peace and tranquility.

In other words, “realism”, “thinking at the present” and living in the “moment” are the secrets of the success of this great poet.

Khayyam’s ‘Seize the Day’ Philosophy Key to His Worldwide Fame
May 17 – Omar Khayyam Day Celebrated in Iran

This is precisely what has been emphasised in the teachings of Islam. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (AS) says: The days of life are in three forms: the past day which is not returning anymore, and the future which is just a dream, and the current day that should be seized and people must take advantage of.

 

Today, unfortunately, we are not paying attention to this current moment of tranquility and live our lives with “the regret over the past” and “the sorrowover the future”. For this reason, we are deprived of the pleasure of life’s sweetness.

Imam Ali (AS) also says in a hadith that “Do not cry over the past and the missing events.”

With a humanistic worldview inspired by the religious truth, Khayyam sought the joy of life and the world. Therefore, he was grateful to divine blessings and lived in the moment: 

When yesterday is vanished in the past,

And morrow lingers in the future vast,

To neither give a thought but prize the hour;

For that is all you have and Time flies fast.

This philosophy, which is seen in Khayyam’s quatrains, has made this wise man famous in Iran and the world. Because of the popularity of this philosophical thought, his quatrains have been translated into many languages of the world:

In childhood we strove to go to school,

Our turn to teach, joyous as a rule

The end of the story is sad and cruel

From dust we came, and gone with winds cool.

Meanwhile, Google, on May 18, 2019, marked the 971st birth anniversary of popular Persian mathematician, poet, philosopher, and astronomer Omar Khayyam with a doodle.

Khayyam was born on May 18, 1048 in Nishapur in north-east Iran. He is popular for several mathematical and scientific discoveries. He was the first to provide a solution for cubic equations. He also provided geometric solutions for the same by the intersection of conics. Khayyam’s list of contributions also included a solar calendar known as the Jalali calendar. Jalali later became the base of many other calendars.

Khayyam passed away on December 04, 1131 at the age of 83. He was buried in the Khayyam Garden in Nishapur.

Iran’s Less Seen Face on Display in France’s Silk Road Exhibition

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

According to the organizers of the exhibition, the main objectives of the exhibition are strengthening cultural bonds as well as clearing up some misunderstandings among the participating countries.

The seven-day exhibition is expected to promote literature, arts, artifacts and history of Iran and Uzbekistan, a report by ISNA said.

The organizers had originally decided to dedicate the first two days of the exhibition to Uzbekistan but changed their mind at the last minute and included Iran as well, giving the country its own exclusive day.

On Iran’s Day, the Silk Road Exhibition is expected to promote some Iranian dishes popular among French tourists who have visited the country over the past years.

“Iran’s Unknown Face” is another section which seeks to give an answer to questions the French people might have about daily life in Iran. An Iranian journalist and tour guide will be present to answer all possible questions, mainly the ones concerning religion and women’s hijab and their role in people’s lives.

Persian carpet, miniature, architecture, medicine and poem are among other items on display during the Silk Road Exhibition. A group of French researchers who have conducted deep research on Silk Road will be in charge of presenting the items.

The main figure of the exhibition is Molla Nasreddin, a renowned Seljuq satirist and writer highly popular in Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, India and parts of Europe.

French experts on three legendary Iranian poets Omar Khayyam, Saadi Shirazi, and Hafez introduce the French public to their poetry.

Aubin is widely known as the city of pottery and ceramic. During the exhibition, a caravan resembling the convoys of old times which travelled on the Silk Road will march among potters and ceramic makers in Aubin to raise awareness among the French about the culture of the Silk Road.

The organizers say the event gives France a chance to return some of the respect it has received from the Iranian and Uzbek cultures throughout history. They also added that they were interested in bringing Iranian and French nations closer together.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
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A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

Abrar:

1- UN Envoy: Yemen on Verge of All-Out War

2- Trump Claims Iran Will Soon Call for Talks!

3- Zarif: It’s Int’l Duty to Save JCPOA

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Zarif’s Diplomacy after Ultimatum

* FM Zarif Visits Russia, Turkmenistan, India, Japan, China

* What’s He Looking for? What Are Messages of His Trips?

2- What Role Will Russia Play in New Regional Developments?

3- Sherman: Europe Must Take Risk to Save JCPOA

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Major Part of Congress against War

2- Former Diplomat: Threat of War Aimed at Forcing Iran to Sit for Talks

3- Both Closing Strait of Hormuz, Starting War Are Israeli Theories

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Ebtekar:

1- One Step Closer to Ousting of May’s Government

2- Rouhani: US Sanctions on Iran Crime against Humanity

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Etemad:

1- Diplomacy of Warning

* Zarif’s Marathon Talks in East Asia

2- Iran Sells 130,000 Tonnes of Crude Oil to China

3- Iran’s Relations with China [Editorial]

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Ettela’at:

1- Iran Leader’s Advisor: No Iranian Willing to Hold Talks with Trump

2- Global Moves to Save JCPOA

* Putin: Iran Has Most Transparent Nuclear Program in World

* Merkel Admits EU Had Poor Performance in Interacting with Iran

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Jame Jam:

1- Lessons We Can Learn from Three Consecutive Championships of Persepolis FC

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Javan:

1- US Intelligence Community Calls White House’s Aggressive Stance ‘Miscalculation’

2- Forming Club of Oil Clients Can Counter Sanctions

* Asian Clients Biggest Losers of Iran Oil Bans

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Japan PM Calls for Saving JCPOA

2- Pelosi: Trump’s Administration Has No Permission for War with Iran

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Kayhan:

1- US Slapped in Face in Region, No Longer Thinks of War

2- Saudi-led Coalition’s Brutal Attacks on Residential Areas of Sana’a

3- Al-Mayadeen: Fujairah Operation Was Accurate, Calculated, Professional; It Controlled Iran-US Tension

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Sazandegi:

1- Trump: We Won’t Attack Iran

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Shargh:

1- Two Scenarios for Possible Confrontation of Iran, US in Mideast

2- Zarif: Negotiation with US Impossible

3- Gambling with US [Editorial]

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Sobh-e Now:

1- Iran Not Alone

* Unprecedented Fatwa by Sunni Iraqi Cleric in Support of Iran

2- Iranian Girl Wins Silver Medal in Her First World Taekwondo Contest

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- Trump Tells Advisors He’s Not After War with Iran

2- Persepolis Once Again Claims Iran Pro League Title

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 18

 

Baghleq; Ancient Cemetery with Standing Wooden Posts

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
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Baghleq; Ancient Cemetery with Standing Wooden Posts

The cemetery lies on top of a hill in Turkmen-populated Baghleq village in Jargalan area in North Khorasan province. The graveyard is one of the ancient cemeteries of the province and has a different shape from that of conventional cemeteries in Iran.

The graveyard is located on a hill away from the village because the deceased should be respected and their tombs should not be trampled underfoot.

One of the unique features of the cemetery is that the particulars of the dead person are written on vertical wooden posts.

The Turkmen people inhabiting the village have interesting rituals when burying the deceased. They take it upon themselves to attend the funeral service and perform the special prayers which are customarily recited for dead people as instructed in Islam. The locals attend the funeral ceremony whether they know the deceased person or not.

Today, the village and the cemetery have turned into a tourist attraction.

The following are pictures of this graveyard courtesy of IRNA:

‘Being in Tehran Gives Visitors Indescribable Joy’

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Tehran is a metropolitan, modern, safe and beautiful city with hospitable people, and watching its innumerable beauties, especially its snow-capped mountains in this time of year, gives you a feeling of indescribable joy.”

This is part of a foreign tourist’s description of the Iranian capital.

Nasir Nakagawa is a Pakistani-born tourist who has been living in Japan for many years and has made numerous travels to different countries. He recounts marvelous stories of his trips in his travelogues, and now it is the first time he has come to Iran. He intends to make “beauty, calm and security” in Iran the centrepiece of his new travelogue.

He was a guest of the Urdu Language Department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the University of Tehran for a few hours. In that friendly meeting, Nakagawa talked about his trips and travelogues and donated to students of the Urdu Language a few copies of his travelogues written in Urdu.

Excerpts of his interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) follow.

Nasir NakagawaIs it the first time you have travelled to Iran?

Yes. It is the first time I am in Iran.

How are you feeling now that you have travelled to Iran, given the numerous cultural, religious and linguistic commonalities between the people of Iran and Pakistan?

The people of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran are both Muslims, and this is the most important feature shared by both nations. Moreover, both countries share the oriental culture, and Pakistan is a major friend of Iran. Families in both countries have almost the same customs and traditions, Islamic way of rearing children, Hijab (Islamic Dress Code) and lifestyle. Even Nusrat Bhutto, the second wife of former Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was an Iranian. All these indicate the cultural proximity between the two countries. I spent my childhood in Karachi. You can see original Iranian culture in the lifestyle of people across the city.

How do you see Tehran and other Iranian cities in terms of beauty, amenities and urban facilities, people’s culture, etc.?

When I first entered Iran, I visited the Imam Khomeini holy shrine on the way from airport to Tehran. I took photos of his mausoleum and sent them to my friends in Pakistan. They were awed by the beauty and grandeur of this holy place.

The people of Tehran have very good manners. They are well-spoken, well-dressed, very hospitable and kind, too. Tehran is a clean and beautiful city. Its snow-capped mountains fill you with a feeling of joy.

As a tourist, you must have travelled to many countries, and you are in Iran today. What’s your message to those people in different countries who have never travelled to Iran and have a wrong picture of this country in mind?

I’m telling all of them that go visit this beautiful country even once. I’m telling them loud and clear that Iran is unique and foreign tourists are undoubtedly mesmerized by it. I also do recommend Japanese tourists visit this beautiful country because one can find calm and security in this country. Moreover, Iranians like Japanese people.

Iran Hails Venezuela Peace Talks in Norway

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran Hails Venezuela Peace Talks in Norway

“We hope these negotiations would result in a political solution between the two sides, and Venezuela could improve its economic conditions and the people’s livelihood in a calm situation as soon as possible,” Mousavi said in a Saturday statement.

The spokesman referred to the detrimental effects of the interference of certain states in Venezuela’s internal affairs, and said, “Unfortunately, the US is imposing a collective punishment on the people of Venezuela by blocking and looting their financial resources.”

“It is imperative for the US to stop its economic terrorism and unlawful behaviours, which are in violation of human rights principles, in order to pave the way for the improvement of the Venezuelan nation’s conditions,” he added.

Envoys from the Venezuelan government and the opposition are set to hold talks in Norway on resolving the political impasse in the country. Opposition leader Juan Guaido confirmed on Thursday he sent delegates to Norway but denied talks were underway with President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Venezuela has been the scene of protests since January, after Maduro was sworn in for a second term. Tensions escalated when Guaido declared himself acting president days later. The US and many European and Latin American countries have supported his presidency.

Iranian-British Citizens Free to Visit Iran despite UK Warning

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

In a tweet on Friday, Baeidinejad said, “if, as Iranian dual national or as Iranian national working in the UK, you are not collaborating with intelligence agencies and/or not collecting classified information for them, you may safely travel to Iran without any anxiety and are under full protection by law in Iran.”

“Iranian dual nationals and Iranians working in the UK are all respected Iranian citizens and are all welcomed to visit their country and families,” reads his tweet.

The comment came after the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice on Iran on Friday, warning British-Iranian dual nationals and Iranians working for organisations that are associated with the UK against visiting the country over an “intolerable” risk of arbitrary detention and mistreatment.

“The Foreign and Commonwealth Office now advises against all travel to Iran by British-Iranian dual nationals. Travel advice has been changed in response to the Iranian government’s continued arbitrary detention and mistreatment of dual nationals, and Iranian citizens with links to institutions based in the UK,” the travel advice said.

The Foreign Office stressed that the Iranian security forces “may be suspicious of people with British connections, including those with links to institutions based in the UK, or which receive public funds from, or have perceived links to, the British government.”

Earlier, Britain gave diplomatic protection to Iranian-British citizen Nazanin Zaghari who is serving her prison term in Iran for espionage. With this move London turned Zaghari’s arrest from a consular issue to a legal conflict between the two countries.

A few days ago, Iran’s Judiciary also sentenced Iranian national Aras Amiri, a British Council employee, to 10 years in prison on charge of espionage.

US Says ‘Sitting by the Phone’ to Hear from Iran

By
IFP Media Wire
-
An undated photo of US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office (Photo by EPA)

A senior Trump administration official says the US is “sitting by the phone” to hear from Iran, but it has yet to receive any message suggesting Tehran is willing to accept Donald Trump’s overtures for direct talks.

The US has heard no message yet from Iran, but “we’re sitting by the phone,” the senior official, who declined to be identified, told a small group of reporters on Friday.

Back on May 9, Trump publicly appealed to Iran to call him amid heightened tensions.

On the same day, CNN reported that the White House has contacted Swiss authorities to share a telephone number with Iran in hopes that Tehran will contact Trump.

The call for talks came four days after John Bolton, the hawkish US national security advisor, declared the US was sending an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in a “clear and unmistakable” message to Iran.

The move, he said, is aimed at sending a “clear and unmistakable message” to Iran that “any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force.”

Bolton said the decision was “in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings.”

Trump, however, later ordered his administration to avoid a military confrontation with Iran, The New York Times and Reuters reported Friday.

During a Wednesday morning meeting in the Situation Room, Trump sent a message to his hawkish aides that he does not want the US pressure campaign against Iran to explode into an open conflict.

“Trump was firm in saying he did not want a military clash with the Iranians,” read the paper citing five senior officials who described the administration’s internal debate over Iran.

The report cited anonymous officials informed on the matter as saying that Trump had privately expressed concern that some of his advisers, such as John Bolton, were pushing for war.

Hawks in Trump’s team have reportedly gone as far as drawing up plans for a possible military strike that could involve sending 120,000 soldiers to the Middle East.

The New York Times on Monday claimed Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan had presented an updated military plan that envisioned sending as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Iran attack American forces or accelerate work on nuclear weapons.

‘Fake news media’ responsible for ‘fraudulent’ Iran coverage

The New York Times’ claim was later on Tuesday denied by Trump, who described it as “fake news” and said, “Hopefully we’re not going to have to plan for that. And if we did that, we’d send a hell of a lot more troops than that.”

Later on Friday, Trump tweeted that “the Fake News Media is hurting our Country with its fraudulent and highly inaccurate coverage of Iran.”

“It is scattershot, poorly sourced (made up), and DANGEROUS. At least Iran doesn’t know what to think, which at this point may very well be a good thing!” he added.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1129382204990214144

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif immediately replied, “With the #B_Team doing one thing & @realDonaldTrump saying another thing, it is apparently the US that ‘doesn’t know what to think.’”

“We in Iran have actually known what to think for millennia—and about the US, since 1953. At this point, that is certainly ‘a good thing!’” the top Iranian diplomat added.

Zarif’s response apparently made the US president soften his tone to some extent, as he later suggested that fake news are confusing Iran too.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1129429624331657217

The Iranian foreign minister has yet to continue this Twitter war of words, but Iran’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said that Trump’s “mad advisors” are the source of fake news.

 

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