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UK Minister in Tehran to Discuss Business Ties despite US Bans

According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Centre for Public Diplomacy and Media Affairs, the new round of talks between the Islamic Republic and the UK will be held on Saturday with the participation of Britain’s Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt.

Bilateral economic cooperation is the main topic of the talks in the aftermath of the withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA. The other issue on the agenda is the financial and monetary arrangements between the two countries despite the US’ unilateral sanctions.

The parties will also discuss the latest regional developments. The Iranian delegation will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi.

The junior British minister arrived in Tehran on Friday in the first visit to the Islamic Republic by a UK official since Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear accord.

Burt’s visit comes as the UK and other European parties to the agreement say they are making efforts to keep it alive while Trump is re-imposing sanctions on Iran.

Dismissal of Iraqi National Security Advisor A Domestic Issue: Iran

In a Friday statement, Qassemi said Falih Alfayyadh being stripped of his post by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is an Iraqi internal issue and Tehran will not interfere in it.

“As a neighbour, a secure, united and developed Iraq is the top priority to us,” said Qassemi.

The Iraqi prime minister dismissed Alfayyadh from all his positions over what the premier’s office called involvement in political and partisan work.

Alfayyadh, who is affiliated with the former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, was also removed from the leadership of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha’abi (Popular Mobilization Forces), which played a key role in cleansing Iraq of Daesh terrorists.

In a statement released by Abadi’s office, it was stated that Alfayyadh’s alleged involvement in government formation talks would undermine the performance of the country’s security apparatus.

Abadi’s decision came amid reports that Alfayyadh was working with the Fatah Alliance, led by the chief of Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri, and Maliki’s State of Law Coalition to establish the largest parliamentary bloc. The Iraqi parliament is to hold its first session on September 3, during which a president and two vice presidents will be elected.

First Female Conductor Directs Iran’s National Orchestra

Amiri, the first-ever female conductor of Iran’s national orchestra, directed her first performance in Tehran.

Amiri was born in 1960 in the Iranian capital Tehran and studied music at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran.

She has been teaching music for many years, and conducted an orchestra during the 33rd Fajr Music Festival back in January.

What follows are IRNA’s photos of the performance given on August 27:

Iran FM First Foreign Diplomat to Meet New Pakistani PM

In the Friday afternoon meeting, Zarif and Imran Khan highlighted the importance and necessity of developing and promoting mutual relations in various fields including border issues, trade, and economy.

They also talked about the need for close cooperation between Islamic countries regarding the issues of the Muslim world and the region.

Boosting efforts to establish peace and stability in all regional countries, and fight against terrorism and extremism were among the other issues the two sides underlined.

The Iranian foreign minister earlier sat for talks with Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Assad Qaiser, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi.

This is the first visit of a foreign diplomat to Pakistan after Imran Khan took office.

Iran’s Beauties in Photos: Shirabad Waterfall

The waterfall, which is surrounded by thick forests, attracts many travellers and local people who come to this beautiful region in the warm seasons to swim and have fun.

Here are photos of this stunning waterfall retrieved from Mehr News Agency:

Iran Has Options Other than Remaining Committed to JCPOA: Zarif

“If preserving JCPOA is the goal, then there is no escape from mustering the courage to comply with commitment to normalize Iran’s economic relations instead of making extraneous demands. Being the party to still honor the deal in deeds & not just words is not Iran’s only option,” Zarif said in a message posted on his Twitter account on Thursday.

Iran Has Options Other than Remaining Committed to JCPOA: Zarif

His tweet came after the United Nations’ atomic watchdog said in a report that Iran continued to comply with the nuclear deal.

In the report, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had been given access to all sites in Iran that it needed to visit and that inspectors confirmed Iran has kept within limits of heavy water and low-enriched uranium stockpiles.

“Timely and proactive cooperation by Iran in providing such access facilitates implementation of the additional protocol and enhances confidence,” the report stated, referring to the protocol detailing safeguards and tools for verification.

Iran Calls for Further Cooperation with Pakistan on Border Security

During the Friday talks, the Iranian top diplomat described Pakistan as a significant neighbour for Iran, saying the Islamic Republic has no limit in expanding its mutual ties with Pakistan.

He underlined that no third party can negatively impact reciprocal ties between Tehran and Islamabad and underlined the need for promoting the two sides’ relations in all bilateral, regional and international levels.

Zarif also called for further cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in border security, Chabahar and Qwadar ports, border markets, banking ties and setting tariffs.

For his part, the Pakistani top diplomat stressed the importance of mutual ties between the two neighbours and called for removing the current obstacles in the way of deepening and strengthening bilateral cooperation in various areas.

During the meeting, the two sides also underlined the need for closer cooperation in removing the concerns of the Muslim World.

Iranian foreign minister then attended a luncheon organized by his Pakistani counterpart.

Iran Calls for Further Cooperation with Pakistan on Border SecurityZarif earlier raised the issue of border security in a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

During the Friday meeting in Islamabad, the two sides discussed military ties, fight against terrorism, enhancement of cooperation to secure the borders of the two countries as well as regional collaboration.

Zarif is in Islamabad in the first official visit of a foreign diplomat since the formation of the new government in Pakistan.

Earlier he held talks with Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Assad Qaiser. Zarif is expected to hold talks with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan later today.

Europe Has No Choice but to Fulfill JCPOA Pledges: Iran

Bahram Qassemi

In a Friday statement, Qassemi referred to the latest remarks by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Paris’ concern over Tehran’s missile program and regional policies, and said the Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated that such concerns are undue ones founded on their misunderstanding or lack of knowledge about Iran.

The spokesman underlined that the nuclear talks which led to the strong multilateral treaty were an attempt to use logical and peaceful means to resolve problems, and revealed Iran’s good-faith and commitment to the principle of talks.

“The Islamic Republic’s commitment could have served as a basis and yardstick for assessing the good-faith and commitment of the Western states to their pledges,” he noted.

However, he said, the Western sides showed an indefensible performance as the mobocrat, greedy and boastful government of the US unilaterally pulled out of the JCPOA and other parties remained passive and stood idle.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman underlined that Tehran has always proved that it is not afraid of talks and negotiations, and believes in dialogue.

He went on to say that the comprehensive attempts by Iran and other world powers have been simply foiled by the bullying and greedy behaviours of an ally of the French foreign minister’s country and the Europeans’ failure to stand against them.

“Amid the current situation in which the European politicians have decided to only pay lip service and failed to take any considerable measure to offer necessary and sufficient guarantees to Iran in order to safeguard the international treaty as one of the most significant diplomatic achievement, there is no reason, necessity, credibility, or trust for holding new negotiations at all, let alone on some non-negotiable issues,” he said.

Qassemi said the French foreign minister is aware that under current circumstances and based on earlier agreements, the Europeans have no other way but to desperately fulfill their pledges under the deal.

“Iran and the Iranians also have no other option but to remain distrustful until the pledges are met,” he added.

“The world and the French politicians know it well that Iran’s regional policies are aimed at establishing regional and international peace and security and fighting against terrorism and extremism,” he said.

Qassemi noted that if some tension- and crisis-mongering states are not pleased with the Islamic Republic’s regional policies, they can change their own approaches.

“On Iran’s missile program, we once again affirm that the program is totally defensive, local and legal. It is highly critical for protecting Iran and the Iranian nation against others. So, it is not negotiable at all,” he concluded.

In an address to a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vienna on Thursday, France’s top diplomat Le Drian said Iran cannot avoid talks on “contentious issues like its ballistic missile program or meddling in conflicts in the Middle East, if it wants Europe to uphold the nuclear deal.”

He went on to say that Iran must respect the fundamentals of the JCPOA, adding “I think that is the case, but Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us.”

Police Forces Stop Marriage of Underage Girl in Iran’s Mashhad

The deputy prosecutor of Mashhad, Hassan Heidari, said upon receiving the news of a wedding ceremony in which a parentless underage girl was supposed to marry a much older man, the judiciary officials immediately stopped it.

The judiciary official said, at 11 pm police forces and social workers were deployed to the place to stop the wedding. The bride and groom’s elders were required to temporarily protect the girl until a thorough examination of the legality of the girl’s marriage was carried out.

Orders were also issued to transfer the girl to a child welfare centre in order to further protect the girl’s rights.

“Child marriage is prohibited in Iran, and the prosecutor will deal with the offenders,” noted Heidari.

Earlier, an Iranian legislator said the country’s Parliament has decided to introduce a plan to adopt tougher laws on child marriage by raising the legal age of marriage.

Based on the new law, marriage of girls under 13 will be prohibited.

This comes as some Iranian girls are currently still being allowed by their parents to marry under this age. Such permission is usually given by their fathers due to their drug addiction or poverty.

 

Iran to Dispatch Skilled Workforce to UK, Germany

Mohammad Hassan Ahmadpour, the Chairman of the International Recruiting Association of Iran, said according to a deal signed with the British ITWR Institute, the Iranian workforce will be sent to the UK in fields like nursing, computer engineering, mechanics, electronics and civil engineering.

“Based on the deal, in the first stage, job opportunities will be provided for 100 qualified nurses, but in the case of other businesses, the deployment process will be carried out in accordance with the legal regulations of the country in a case-by-case manner,” added Ahmadpour.

Germany is the other target market for Iranian workforce, he noted, highlighting the great capacity of nursing job market in the European state.

“Based on the agreement we have signed with Germany, the Iranian applicants are expected to serve as assistant nurses in Germany after receiving 240 hours of theoretical training in Iran, and 240 hours of clinical education in Berlin plus 80 hours of other courses.”

The dispatch of workforce abroad is a common practice throughout the world, and countries are trying to increase their share of the market with proper planning.

The ITWR, which has signed a deal with Iran, specialises in international recruitment to the UK and Canada. ITWR works on behalf of qualified people outside the UK to apply for jobs in the UK or Canada for which they are qualified.