Tehran Raps Paris for Threatening Comments on Iranian Missiles

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January 26, 2019

“Iran’s military capabilities are part of the country’s legitimate defence power and a guarantor of the Islamic Republic’s national security, which is based on the doctrine of deterrence,” Qassemi said in a Friday statement.

The spokesman said the Islamic Republic of Iran has designed its defence capabilities based on a realistic assessment of the existing threats and will strengthen them to the extent it deems necessary.

“Iran’s missile power is non-negotiable and this fact has been conveyed to the French side in continuous political dialogue between Iran and France,” he said.

The spokesman said the French top diplomat’s threat to impose new missile sanctions is against the spirit of political talks and cooperation between the two countries, stressing that any new sanctions by European states would convince Iran to reconsider its interaction with these countries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been seeking consolidation of peace and stability in the region, and believes the mass sales of sophisticated and aggressive weapons by the US and some European countries including France have undermined stability and balance in the region,” he said.

Qassemi’s comments came after Le Drian said his country is ready to impose further sanctions on Iran if no progress is made in talks over its ballistic missile program.

“We are ready, if the talks don’t yield results, to apply sanctions firmly, and they know it,” Le Drian told reporters.

Diplomats previously told Reuters that new sanctions being considered by EU countries over the missile issue could include asset freezes and travel bans on IRGC and people involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Iranian, Turkish Top Diplomat Confer on Developments in Region, Venezuela

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IFP Editorial Staff

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January 26, 2019

The phone conversation came amid reports that some opposition forces have attempted a coup in the country.

On Wednesday, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly Juan Guaido declared himself the president of the country amid anti-government protests.

On the same day, US President Donald Trump announced the US believes Guaido is the country’s legitimate president.

Turkey has expressed support for Maduro, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan telling him to “stand tall” in the face of calls to step down.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday said he will hamper relations with Washington, giving US diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.

Iran Army Starts Ground Force Drills in Isfahan

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IFP Media Wire

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January 25, 2019

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Iran Army Launches Drill in Central Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Army Ground Force staged a war game in the country’s central province of Isfahan on Friday.
January, 25, 2019 – 11:14
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The large-scale exercise, held in Nasrabad region, involves around 12,000 assault forces from all units of the Army Ground Force.

During the war game, whose purpose is to evaluate the recent changes in the structure of the Army Ground Force, the participating forces would focus on modern offense tactics.

At the outset of the drill, soldiers from the artillery, armored unit, rapid-reaction forces, mechanized infantry, combat engineering, telecommunication and electronic warfare, and airborne unit were arrayed in the operation zone with the support of the Air Force fighter jets.

During the first stage of the exercise, the airborne unit’s drones and choppers carried out a reconnaissance mission before troops from the 55th Airborne Brigade and the 25th Rapid Reaction Brigade parachuted into the target zone from CH-47 Chinook and Bell 214 helicopters.

The other purposes of the first stage of the drill include assessment of the power, mobility and agility of the troops as well as the aerial logistics of the airborne unit’s copters.

Iran’s Armed Forces hold routine military exercises throughout the year.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

3 Business Investments to Make in Iran

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IFP Media Wire

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January 25, 2019

Iran is country with a population of over 80 million people and the second largest country with the biggest population in the Middle East and North Africa Region.

There is no doubt that Iran is has a lucrative market with so much potential. If you’re wondering how you can take advantage of this growth, here are three business investments you can make in Iran.

Tourism

Travel agencies help in facilitating tourist-related activities for their customers with the help of their partners such as airlines and hotels. Along with the lifting of the sanctions by the UN, tourism in Iran has seen tremendous growth.

According to a report by the New York Times, a lot of travel tour operators are running out of departures to sell especially as the Iranian New Year (Nowruz) approaches.

Furthermore, the Iranian government is also aiming to attract 20 million tourists by 2025. These tourists are projected to spend over $30 billion by that year.

If you’re still unconvinced, here are five known tourist destination in Iran:

Persepolis – A world heritage site and known to be one of the most beautiful ancient sites.
The Eram Garden – Also called the Garden of Paradise. Located in Shiraz, the capital pf Persian poetry and also dubbed as the city of love.
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque – Constructed in the early 17th century, this Iranian architectural beauty is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Jameh Mosque of Hamadan – This mosque was built in the 12th century in Hamadan which is also one of the oldest cities in the World. The world-renowned polymath Avicenna is buried here.
Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Arts (TMoCA) – This museum has one of the biggest collections of modern arts in the world. Works of art by Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock can be seen here.

As you can see these destinations are inevitably going to attract a lot of tourists. Travel agencies are easy to set up as you can start this kind of business with a handful of employees. However, you need to be careful when dealing with credit card payments as you will be transacting with customers from different countries. Secure a BIN database to look up credit card details when accepting payments from your customers.

Consumer Goods

The consumer goods market in Iran has been performing very well even before the sanctions were lifted. Just like any other modern nation, Iranians love to shop, and their hunger for consumer goods is a market worth investing in.

Take, for example, coffee. Iran is starting to get big on coffee shops even if it’s a country that’s more devoted to tea. According to the Juice, Ice Cream and Coffee Shop Union of Tehran, there are about 250 coffee shops in the capital of Iran alone.

Here are three reasons why the Iranian consumer goods market is worth investing in:

They have a good foundation

After the Iraq-Iran war in 1988, the government made a massive effort to rehabilitate the city centre. Urbanization plans of the government included building shopping centres and high streets. These spaces continue to flourish because many of the Iranians fall in the middle-class bracket of the world’s economy.

Distribution

The country’s internal distribution system is remarkable which makes consumer goods distribution easier. Their transportation system is modernized with major cities conveniently connected to the capital city.

Location

Iran’s strategic location in the map is unmatched. The country shares its land borders with seven countries, connecting South Asian countries with the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf to the Caspian region. Setting up a factory of consumer goods in Iran could prove to be beneficial as it’s easier to reach different regions.

Startups

Tehran may not be Silicon Valley, but according to Startup Blink’s report on startup ecosystems, the city ranks 519th globally and 1st in Iran.

Just recently the country signed a multilateral startup deal with Russia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. These four countries will work together to create startup centers to connect startups with various knowledge-based companies. This agreement between the four countries aims to develop technological cooperation in the region.

Due to Iran’s large population, there is a sizeable market for startups to thrive in. Moreover, over 70% of Iran’s population is under 35 and most of which have smartphones and access to the Internet. However, the major weakness of Iran’s startup ecosystem is the lack of funding for early-stage startups and mentors to help them reach the global market. If you’re someone who has an experience working with startups before, or if you’re an investor Iran could be the gold mine you’ve been looking for.

Conclusion

Iran may not be the first country you think about when thinking of diversifying your investment portfolio internationally. But, with Iran’s government paving the way for the international investors, there’s no reason why you have doubt these business investment ideas. Be sure to time your investments properly and talk to a lawyer before making a decision.

Iran Slams Russia for Deactivating S-300 during Israeli Airstrikes on Syria

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IFP Editorial Staff

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January 25, 2019

Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Heshmatollah Falahatpishe says that had the systems operated properly, Israel could not easily carry out its airstrikes on Syria.

In an interview with IRNA, the lawmaker said Russia’s move to deactivate its S-300 missile system in Syria during Israeli airstrikes is susceptible to serious criticisms.

“It seems there is a type of correlation between the Zionist regime’s airstrikes and Russia’s deactivation of defensive systems deployed in Syria,” he said.

He further noted that following the Israeli airstrikes, he arrived immediately at the scene of the attack and found out that the reports on the casualties of the air raid released by Israel were totally wrong.

He described the reports as bluffs and added the Zionist regime is seeking to hamper the process of restoring peace and stability to Syria through conducting the airstrikes on the country.

“They want to provoke Iran into making certain reactions to create new challenges in Syria,” he concluded.

Israel targeted an airport in southeastern Damascus in Syria leaving a number of people dead and wounded on Monday. Russia said Syria’s air defences shot down more than 30 cruise missiles and guided bombs during Israel’s aerial attacks.

Israel claimed in a statement that the main targets of the attacks were Iranian forces. According to the statement, Iranian forces are operating in Syrian territory and launched a surface-to-surface rocket from Syrian territory aimed at the northern occupied Golan Heights.

“In response to the attack, during the night (Israeli military) fighter jets struck Iranian Quds Forces military targets in Syria in addition to Syrian aerial defence batteries,” it said.

Iran says its military presence in Syria is totally advisory and is aimed at helping Syrian government to cleanse the country of foreign-backed terrorists.

Western MSM Coverage of Hashemi’s Detention: Double-Standard on Steroids

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Alireza Hashemi

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January 25, 2019

Probably, her release could not be secured without efforts by independent journalist and intuitive citizens to shine light onto this grave injustice, highlighting the seemingly lawless seizure, the abusive treatment she received and a cloak of secrecy surrounding the case caused outrage across the globe.

Earlier, US officials had shown signs they are folding under the weight of public opinion, providing her with halal food and proper clothes for hijab.

Since its beginning, the case seemed more like a play written by the Donald Trump administration to carry out the US president’s 2017 threat that Iran would face “new and serious consequences” unless four US nationals held in Iran prisons were freed.

The January 9 confirmation of the arrest of Michael White, the fifth American held by Iran, has probably pushed Trump to do something to force the Iranian government, who in 2017 had rejected Trump’s offer for talk on prisoners, to come to the negotiating table.

But Trump apprarently decided to stop his childish game after the arrest of the respected news presenter caused an unprecedented alliance around the globe, bringing together a wide array of outlets and media activists to support the US-born journalist who was under an open-ended detention in her homeland without charges.

Twitter users flooded the platform with messages calling to #FreeMarziehHashemi, working to make her name reaches the ears of the masses.

Press TV itself pushed the story hard, breaking into its planned broadcasting last week to air footage with dramatic music of her anchoring news programs and cover reactions and controversies regarding her arrest round-the-clock.

Skeptical Narrative

However, this case brought to surface long-standing double standards in the western media.

One could expect all media agencies to unite and rush to the defense of Hashemi and freedom of the press, at a time when Trump has declared open season on journalists with his regular attacks against media.

But while even independent western outlets were objecting the confinement, the mainstream news media were relatively quiet on the case.

Even in their scant coverage on the case, MSM outlets were careful to include a high dose of anti-Iran messaging, perhaps to divert the reader’s attention from the injustices in the case.

They played down the arrest of Hashemi and refused to go into details about the case, emphasizing that she has been working for a “state” channel from “Iran”, the same country that every so often is portrayed a global pariah.

Western outlets also questioned the ill-treatment towards her and the illegality of the arrest, noting that they were “claims” made by Iran.

Many drew a link between the arrest of Hashemi and dual nationals held in Iran on espionage charges, watering down the US guilt.

A handful of news agencies showed some criticism for Hashemi’s detention, but they also felt the need to include a caveat that Iran had also arrested journalists.

Striking Evidence

This behavior stood in sharp contrast to MSM’s narrative on similar cases involving Iran, in which they are quick to jump at any chance to highlight human rights allegations against the country.

One would wonder if such silence had prevailed if the same story had happened in Iran, with a seasoned female journalist being arrested without charges and treated badly.

Perhaps one of the most striking evidence useful for explaining western media’s double standard is the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Western outlets have virtually launched a campaign to secure her release, emotionalizing the case and sparing no chance to highlight it.

Western agencies have published numerous articles on her detention, including lengthy reports commemorating her 40th birthday as her 1000th day in captivity approaches!

Earlier this month, western media presented a potentially misleading assertion by her husband as an unchallenged fact: she has commenced a three-day hunger strike after she was denied medical care!

But afterwards they decided to ignore unhelpful remarks by Iran’s ambassador to London, Hamid Baeidinejad, that Zaghari-Ratcliffe had received medical services 49 times since being jailed in 2016.

They also refused to cover Baeidinejad’s offer to take British journalists on a tour of Iranian prisons so they can see by themselves the standard of medical care provided to prisoners.

The western media frequently forms a narrative that fits its needs, irrespective of the means and the cost.

According to this reality-manufactured discourse, Zaghari-Ratcliffe is a “charity worker” and a “mother” who has to be separated from his beloved daughter for five years because Iran has convicted her of plotting to “topple the government.”

And they decide to ignore a confession by former British foreign minister Boris Johnson in 2018 that she was training journalists in Iran, contradicting a claim by the Thomson Reuters Foundation that she was simply on holiday visiting relatives.

Johnson came under pressure to resign for what he later described as a “slip of the tongue”, which confirmed charges by the Iranian judiciary that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was a mastermind behind anti-Iran propaganda initiatives who was in Iran to teach people how to secretly prepare anti-government content and send them to the Persian service of the British-run BBC news agency.

It’s About Iran

Anyway, Hashemi’s case is by any standard much more serious than that of Zaghari-Ratcliffe, leaving people wondering who do western outlets define their standards.

Hashemi was a 59-year-old widow, a mother of three and a grandmother of three who was arrested in a visit to see her brother who suffers from cancer, was treated inhumanely and was held in prison without any charge.

Hashemi was really a journalist, a veteran who had personally suffered the sting of disregard on the basis of skin color and faith and was endeavoring to expose discrimination against minorities and fight stereotypes regarding African-Americans and Muslims.

However, this was no surprise to astute observers, who have witnessed for many years how skillfully the Western media frame subjects in a way that play into their governments’ agenda.

Such behavior is particularly evident when it comes to narrating developments concerning the Palestine conflict, notably how they cover anti-Israeli Al-Quds rallies.

Iran, a country seen as an adversary in Western capitals since the 1979 revolution that toppled the US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, has been a major victim of such double standards.

To find proof, one would only need to look at many western tourists who get amazed by how “normal” and “lovely” Iran is in their first visit to the country.

Propaganda Mouthpieces

Hashemi’s arrest came in the wake of Washington’s stepped-up pressure campaign against Tehran, which has pushed Western media to reinforce their anti-Iran propaganda tangibly.

In such a context, it was a no-brainer for editors and journalists at the western press organizations, who saw the case too big to ignore, to sideline Hashemi’s story and play down her Trump-style arrest.

And for repeaters of the western governments’ propaganda narrativesit didn’t matter that MarziehHashemi, or Melanie Franklin, was a US citizen whose human, civil and religious rights had been violated.

Hashemi’s case was another proof of how much the western mainstream media, who celebrate themselves as the freest and fairest in the world, kowtow to their governments.

The case also served well the agenda of Hashemi, who had spent years exposing injustices committed by the US government, putting her in a prime position to publicly challenge the self-proclaimed champions of human rights.

The doomed game also proved the latest sign forAmericans their country is shifting toward first-degree fascism, as the political neophyte Trump is accelerating the decline of a US empire.

Iran Smashes China at AFC Asian Cup Quarter-Final

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IFP Editorial Staff

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January 24, 2019

The livewire 24-year-old forward was in superb form throughout, setting up Mehdi Taremi for the Iranian opener and scoring himself to further underline his burgeoning reputation.

Azmoun’s excellence and Iran’s victory saw Carlos Queiroz’s charges grab their fourth win and fifth clean sheet at Asia’s premier event, while taking a step nearer to claiming the nation’s first Continental title since 1976.

The Iranians are now set to face Japan – albeit minus Taremi who will be suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the competition – in the semi-finals on Monday.

Iran began brightly at a wonderfully atmospheric Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, with Azmoun having a firm header cleared off the line by Zheng Zhi and then flashing a shot narrowly wide just later.

Team Melli’s impressive early dominance was, though, to pay handsome dividends in the 18th minute when they took the lead. Azmoun robbed a hesitant Feng Xiaoting before squaring the ball to Taremi who fired home with ease to register his third goal of the tournament.

The Iranians then spurned a glorious chance to double their advantage when Mohammad Kanani found Taremi from captain Ashkan Dejagah’s free-kick only to see the Al Gharafa star somehow miss the target from only three yards.

With Omid Ebrahimi pulling the strings to great effect in midfield, Iran’s second was, however, not long in coming, as another long ball caught saw Azmoun out-muscle Liu Yiming before the 24-year-old rounded goalkeeper Yan Junling to score shortly after the half-hour mark.

To their credit, two-time runners-up China held firm in the wake of Azmoun’s strike to head into the interval with a glimmer of hope following what had been an exhilarating first half display by their opponents.

In truth, the pattern of play changed little after the break as Taremi and Kanani looped headers narrowly over the bar, before Alireza Jahanbakhsh curled an effort narrowly wide of Yan’s left-hand upright on 58 minutes.

With China struggling to find a way back into the game, Yan then produced a fine stop to deny Ehsan Hajisafi as Iran threatened to add a third and put the result beyond doubt.

Substitute Yu Dabao missed from close-range with 10 minutes remaining to realistically end Chinese hopes of a revival, leaving Azmoun to depart the scene to a standing ovation in the final moments and Karim Ansarifard to net again for Iran after yet another defensive error.

Can Iran Survive US Sanctions on Trade?

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IFP Media Wire

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January 24, 2019

Trading for Iran has been unsettled recently due to the alterations in the deals made with the US, which in turn has meant that commodity trading for Iran, including their top export crude oil, has suffered.

In fact, just recently the country has struggled to find any buyers for their oil in their attempt to sell to private companies. Iran began to sell to these private buyers in order to work around US sanctions, but with threats from the US that any country trading with Iran would be unable to trade with the US, this isn’t working out as planned.

The US sanctions have most definitely taken a toll on the country; beforehand, they were selling 700,000 barrels of oil from the National Iranian Oil Company at $64 apiece. However, since November 2018 when Iran was shut out of the financial system as the US sanctions were reimposed, and sanctions on Iran’s crude oil exports we re-introduced by Washington, Iran’s president is still saying they can find buyers, even though this isn’t currently happening.

The US pulled out of a multilateral agreement with Iran that was made in 2015, as Donald Trump described the deal as ‘terrible’. This deal included strict controls in regards to Iran’s nuclear programme, in return for a lift of sanctions. Agreed between the US, UK, France, Russia, Germany and China, it was created due to Iran’s alleged efforts in developing a nuclear weapon. The outcome of the agreement left Iran agreeing to limit its allegedly sensitive nuclear activities, as long as their economic sanctions were lifted. However, as the US pulled out of the agreement, the sanctions that were lifted by the country back in 2016 are now being re-imposed once more.

Fortunately for the survival of Iran, other countries in the European Union that were included in the agreement don’t appear to be leaving the deal, with strong beliefs that Iran is sticking to their part of the deal.

As the US is such a superior country, however, many companies have followed suitby pulling out of investments with Iran, which has resulted in the fall for its crude oil exports. Any business with Iran comes at too high stakes for most countries and even though Iran’s economy isn’t completely reliant on the US financial system, many of the country’s trading partners are taking a step back and affecting the overall process.

As Iran appears to have a difficult year ahead of them, the question that everyone is asking is; can Iran survive these US sanctions? This year for Iran should witness some big changes, including celebrations for the 40th anniversary of its revolution. In addition, they wait to hear decisions made by the EU (European Union) regarding the options of continued trading with the country, regardless of the US sanctions. As of recent, the EU has been working on options, so the country will need to wait to hear the decisions that have been made.

As Iran wait to hear the outcome, they will continue to try to sell their crude oil to private buyers. Whether this is successful is another question, but only time will tell.

Iran Expresses Support for Venezuela Amid Attempted Coup

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IFP Editorial Staff

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January 24, 2019

Pointing to recent political incidents in Venezuela and open and illegitimate interventions by the US in the affairs of that country, Bahram Qassemi expressed support fpr Venezuela.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Venezuelan government and nation in the face of foreign interventions in Venezuela’s internal affairs and any illegitimate and illegal move such as trying to [stage] coup or anti-people moves,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

“We hope that as soon as possible any political difference and problem in Venezuela is solved by the people and government of the country using legal and peaceful methods,” he said.

The Venezuelan government has announced some opposition forces have attempted a coup in the country, accusing the US of being behind it.

On Wednesday, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly Juan Guaido declared himself the president of the country amid anti-government protests.

On the same day, US President Donald Trump announced the US believes Guaido is the country’s legitimate president.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday said he will hamper relations with Washington, giving US diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.