Several Dead, Wounded in Terrorist Attack on Military Parade in Iran

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September 22, 2018

The attack occurred on Saturday morning, as Iranian armed forces had just started a military parade in Ahvaz to mark the Sacred Defence Week, the anniversary of the day when Saddam Hussein started his war on the Iranian nation in 1980.

Reports say 25 people have been killed and over 60 wounded. Calm has been restored to the city, the state TV said.

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Terrorists, wearing the uniforms of Iranian Armed Forces, opened fire on the parade’s podium, but failed to get closer to the parade. Three of them were later killed, and the other one wounded and arrested, but he also succumbed to his wounds in the hospital.

No official has been killed, but IRGC forces and civilians including a journalist are reportedly among the victims.

IRGC spokesman says the separatist group Al-Ahwazi was behind the attack. The terrorist group later claimed responsibility for the attack.

One day before the attack, the group’s leader, in a message, had congratulated Saudi Arabia on the country’s national day, calling for a more serious fight against the Islamic Republic.

Among the victims was a four-year-old boy, and a war veteran with 75% disability. The veteran, Hossein Monjazi, had lost his legs in an attack by Saddam Hussein’s forces on Iran’s southern cities during the 1980 war. He was on a wheelchair when he was hit by the terrorists’ bullets.

Shortly after the Saturday attack, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a post in his Twitter account said the terrorists had been “recruited, trained, armed & paid by a foreign regime.”

“Children and journos among casualties. Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their US masters accountable for such attacks,” he added.

He also vowed that “Iran will respond swiftly and decisively in defence of Iranian lives.”

Footage shows people in the city of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran, following a terrorist attack on a military parade

World Unanimously Standing by Iran against Trump: Rouhani

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 22, 2018

In an address to a ceremony marking the Sacred Defence Week in Iran, he referred to the economic and psychological war launched by the US against Iran and said the fate of the war for Iran is undoubtedly sweeter than that of the war imposed on the country by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Rouhani added today, 38 years after Saddam’s aggression against Iran, a similar aggression is being repeated once again against the country, this time by the US.

He noted that the war on Iran by Iraq was imposed simply because Saddam thought that the 1975 treaty was not in his and Iraq’s interests.

Although a lot of time had been put into the treaty and Saddam had signed it himself, he decided to violate it and began its unjust war on the Islamic Republic.

“The US has repeated the same aggression by Saddam against Iran. This is the very state which encouraged other states to sit for talks. This is the very state which wasted the time of our negotiators for ten days over a simple sentence and this is the very state which was forced to bow down before the strong logic of Iranian diplomats after 12 years of pressure on our nation and signed a deal which was in the interest of the region and the whole world,” he noted.

Iranian president underlined that the US which doesn’t respect any international treaties has once again violated its pledges under a multi-national agreement confirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

Rouhani also said today there is no proxy war between the US and Iran adding the US is standing against Iran directly, violating its commitments.

“It was first the US which pulled out of a multinational treaty and upset our nation,” he added.

According to Rouhani, Saddam formally withdrew from 1975 treaty with Iran but his real intention was to destroy the Islamic Revolution and Republic.

“Today, Trump has also formally left the JCPOA, and his main goal is to inflict a blow on the Islamic establishment.”

President Rouhani underlined that Iran managed to retake its occupied lands from the aggressors. “At the end of the day, the UN and the UNSC recognized Saddam as the initiator of war and many states which put their weight behind him expressed regret and confessed to their complicity in Saddam’s crimes against our nation.”

Rouhani also said the same story is to unfold for Trump. “Lots of plots have been hatched over the past two years to force us to leave the Iran nuclear deal but we managed to thwart them by patience and prudence.”

The Iranian president then said Trump was seeking to take Iran’s nuclear program to the UNSC and there condemn the country unanimously. “But except for two hated regimes in the region, no other states support the US. We have already filed a complaint at The Hague over US violations of the JCPOA.”

He then expressed hope that the Islamic Republic could pass behind the current difficult conditions created due to the US sanctions, saying the mission is possible through unity.

President Rouhani then referred to the US officials’ calls on Iran to quit its defence program and said the US officials are setting conditions for returning to the JCPOA, saying the Islamic Republic should stop its defence program and quit is regional role.

“But we will neither abandon our defensive weaponry, nor stop our defence program. On the other hand, we will press ahead strongly with our defence program. Your outrage at our missiles reveals that they are the most efficient weaponry. “

Iran to Hold Military Drills in Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 21, 2018

The parade will be held on the occasion of the beginning of national Sacred Defence Week, which marks the anniversary of the beginning of Iraqi invasion of Iran in 1980, IRGC Spokesman Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif said.

Over 600 military vessels and dozens of warplanes from the army and IRGC will participate in the parade.

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani is to address the parade, he said.

“Holding this ceremony in the Persian Gulf coast, near the Hormuz strait, shows Iran’s armed forces are prepared to carry out plans to deal with any threat in this strategic region to protect national interests,” he said.

A separate parade will be held in Tehran on Saturday, he said.

On Friday, the IRGC and army carried out a joint aerial drill in the Persian Gulf.

Tehran has suggested in recent weeks that it would block other countries’ oil exports through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, in case the US carries out its threat to cut down to zero Iran’s oil sale.

Iran Denies Claim It Asked for Meeting with Trump

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 21, 2018

Qassemi on Friday rejected media reports that quoted the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, as saying that Rouhani has asked for a bilateral meeting with Trump.

“Any report that claims the Iranian president has called for a bilateral meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming UN General Assembly is ridiculous,” Qassemi told IRNA.

He went on to say that such reports are aimed at launching a psychological war against Iran, and pursue achieving certain goals.

According to the spokesman, the reports are part of a media campaign conducted by certain circles to create a blame game.

“We are completely familiar with such campaigns which are naively seeking to distort realities and our archive is filled with such campaigns,” he said.

The spokesman once again stressed that the Islamic Republic has never called for a meeting with the US president.

Trump is set to chair a UN Security Council meeting next week on Iran and other nations.

Haley claimed earlier that Trump may consider accepting an Iranian invitation for a bilateral meeting with President Rouhani.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has reiterated that there is no point in a meeting between Rouhani and Trump after the US decision to unilateral leave the multi-national Iran nuclear deal in May.

Iran Offers Condolences to Tanzania over Ferry Disaster

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 21, 2018

In a Friday statement, Qassemi offered condolences to and sympathized with the Tanzanian nation and government and the families of the victims of the incident in Lake Victoria.

Reports say nearly 80 people have died so far as search operation for survivors continues. The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers when it capsized close to the pier at Ukara Island on Thursday afternoon.

Twenty-seven bodies were recovered on Friday morning when the rescue operation resumed at the crack of dawn, Mwanza’s regional commissioner John Mongella told Al Jazeera.

Thirty-seven people were rescued after the MV Nyerere sank on Thursday near Ukara island in Africa’s largest lake.

However, hopes were fading for more people to be pulled out of the water alive.

Iran’s Economy Grows 1.9% in April-June Quarter

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 21, 2018

According to a report by the centre, the country’s economic growth hovered around 1.7 percent inclusive of petroleum exports.

The survey suggests that Iran’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), oil sales excluded, stood at well over 1,400 trillion rials during the three-month period, up 1.9 percent over the similar period last year when the figure stood at around 1,384 trillion rials.

Oil sales included, the country’s GDP reached more than 1,828 trillion rials, showing a 1.7-percent rise year on year.

The highest percentage of growth took place in the service sector, and the lowest growth was reported in the agriculture sector.

Iran FM Rejects US’ Call for New ‘Treaty’

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 20, 2018

“US calls JCPOA ‘a personal agreement between two governments’, claiming it ‘seeks a treaty’. Wrong. It’s an int’l accord enshrined in a UN SC res,” Zarif said in a Thursday tweet.

Zarif made the comments in reaction to US special envoy for Iran Brian Hook, who said his country seeks a treaty with Iran ahead of the next week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

“The new deal that we hope to be able to sign with Iran, and it will not be a personal agreement between two governments like the last one, we seek a treaty,” he told an event at the Hudson Institute on Wednesday.

Zarif also noted that the “US has violated its treaty obligations too & faces 2 suits at ICJ. Apparently, US only mocks calls for peace. #HaveYouNoShame“

Iran FM Rejects US' Call for New 'Treaty' He was referring to Tehran’s lawsuit against the US at the International Court of Justice over its sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The ICJ began hearing Iran’s arguments last month.

The country’s representative at the hearing said the US sanctions are designed to exact the heaviest possible damage to the Iranian people. Iran lodged the lawsuit last month on the grounds that the US sanctions violate the terms of a 1955 treaty between Tehran and Washington and that the measures must be lifted.

All High School Students in Underdeveloped Region Admitted to University

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 20, 2018

The people of Saravan and its surrounding villages at the south-easternmost point of Iran, near the Iran-Pakistan border, have been filled with joy since a few days ago. They are delighted because all students in their local boarding high school have been successful at the nationwide university entrance exam.

The names of these students could be heard on various social media since last weekend. They were students of Shahid Motahari boarding school, which gives its students charity fund.

Mahmoud Nosrat, the biology teacher of these students, said in an interview with Shahrvand newspaper that the class had 30 students, all of whom had been admitted to Iranian universities. Out of these 30 students, 17 will study medical sciences.

According to the teacher, the school is a boarding one and most of its students come from villages around Saravan.

“Our school had 280 students this year. Thanks to a special program and an educational team who has been working with them for five years, these students received special education since the very first year of school.”

He says the most important factor for the success of these students is the staff members who work at the school.

All High School Students in Underdeveloped Region Admitted to University “The teachers of the school are professional, and of course 100% of them are natives of the province. Our administrative team at school are very competent and work 360 days a year. At school, we usually start a new school year the day after the last exam of the students. For example, this year, May 27th was the last day of the school year and on the same day the new school year began. It means the students did not go home at all,” added Nosrat.

As this biology teacher says, the entrance fee for the school is about 10 USD. And as school expenses cannot be covered with this money, some charities have funded students since 2013.

He says most of these students are financially weak, especially those from the villages.

“Their families have no income, especially because of droughts. We have students who come to school from the very first day to the end of the year and do not go home at all. They have no money to go. For us, Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr are very important, and every year, some colleagues raise money so that the students could go home on these two days.”

According to Nosrat, the graduates of this school return to Saravan and its villages after they finish their education.

“A number of graduates have been among the best students of medical sciences within the past years. Of the former high school graduates, there is one cardiologist, one eye specialist and one neurologist.”

As he says, a number of the school’s teachers are graduates of the same school, who have returned home after college. “They return home; their home is here, their fatherland is here.”

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Iran Urges UN to Condemn Israel’s Nuclear Threat

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IFP Media Wire

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September 20, 2018

Standing right beside the Dimona nuclear facility late last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Iran as a “threat” to the region and said Tel Aviv has the means to destroy its “enemies” in a veiled reference to Tel Aviv’s nuclear arsenal.

“Those who threaten to wipe us out put themselves in a similar danger, and in any event will not achieve their goal,” he said. “But our enemies know very well what Israel is capable of doing. They are familiar with our policy. Whoever tries to hurt us – we hurt them.”

In a letter addressed to the UN on Thursday, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the world body said Netanyahu’s belligerent remarks poses “a serious threat to international peace and security.”

It also urged the UN to make Israel abide by international rules and the UN Charter.

The letter also highlighted Israel’s long history of aggression, occupation, militarism and state terrorism among other international crimes, urging the world community to take a firm position on the Zionist regime’s “unbridled actions and nuclear threat.”

In the letter, Iran further demanded that the UN condemn Israel’s anti-Iran threat, make the regime join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and bring its nuclear program under the supervesion of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

It also reminded the UN that Iran is itself a victim of weapons of mass destruction, particularly chemical weapons.

The UN member states should not turn a blind eye to Israel’s threat and make efforts towards to the elimination of its entire nuclear stockpile, the letter read.

Responding to Netanyahu’s highly aggressive comments, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed the premier as “warmonger” and said the threat was “ beyond shameless.”

“Iran, a country without nuclear weapons, is threatened with atomic annihilation by a warmonger standing next to an actual nuclear weapons factory. Beyond shameless in the gall,” Zarif tweeted.

Israel is the only possessor of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, but its policy is to neither confirm nor deny that it has atomic bombs. The Tel Aviv regime is estimated to have 200 to 400 nuclear warheads in its arsenal.

Unlike Iran, the regime is not a member of the NPT — whose aim is to prevent the spread of nuclear arms and weapons technology – in defiance of international pressure.

Millions in Iran Mourn Imam Hussein’s Martyrdom

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IFP Editorial Staff

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September 20, 2018

Muslims worldwide, dressed in black, hold mourning rituals during the month of Muharram on the lunar calendar in remembrance of the suffering imposed on the religious icon, his family and his companions, by the tyrant of the time Yazid I, an Umayyad caliph, back in the seventh century.

The events peak on the 10th day, traditionally known as Ashura, when the Imam and 72 of his companions were martyred at the hands of the despot, to whom they had refused to pledge allegiance.

This year’s Ashura fell on Thursday when, in line with centuries-old customs, benefactors distributed votive food, while others marched in massive mourning processions, lamenting the tragedy.

Muharram ceremonies represent the never-ending and unswerving stance of the truth against falsehood and the humanity’s struggle against tyranny, the cause for which Imam Hussein sacrificed his life.

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