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“Iran Not to Leave Syria before Assad Gov’t Wants It to”

Bahram Qassemi

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Monday, Qassemi pointed to recent reports about Russia’s call for the withdrawal of all foreign military forces from Syria and said, “No one can force Iran to do anything.”

“As long as terrorism exists and the Syrian government wants, Iran will have presence (in the Arab country),” he stressed.

“Those who have entered Syria without the consent of the Syrian government should leave,” the spokesman added.

In comments published Friday, Russian presidential envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev confirmed that President Vladimir Putin’s remarks on the need to withdraw foreign troops from Syria had implied Iranian forces and Hezbollah fighters as well as Turkish and American troops.

On the heels of a meeting between Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Russian resort of Sochi on Thursday, Lavrentiev added, “This statement involves all foreign troops in Syria including the Turkish, American, Iranian and Hezbollah.”

Lavrentiev stressed that Putin’s statement on this issue represents a “political message”, but added “not to view it as the beginning of a withdrawal process of foreign troops from Syria.”

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (ISIS or ISIL), fighting against its central government.

In the meantime, Iran has remained a close ally of Syria and supported its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy.

Iran Unveils Handmade Carpets Woven for FIFA World Cup

Hossein Kazemi-Hamed, the weaver of the carpets, expressed his profound gratitude to Tabriz Mayor Iraj Shahin-Baher and veteran athletes of East Azarbaijan province as people gathered to get a glimpse of the works of art.

Kazemi-Hamed added that weaving the seven carpets took six and half a months to complete.

The Iranian artists noted that three of the carpets will be presented to the captains of Morocco, Portugal and Spain men’s national football teams in the group stage of the FIFA World Cup, while three others will be donated to the Russian Football Union, the FIFA World Football Museum and the Astan Quds Razavi Central Museum in the holy northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.

The seventh carpet will be given to the Iran men’s national football team, domestically known as Team Melli, in case it manages to advance to the next level.

During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1, Team Melli joined the Portugal national football team, nicknamed A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco in the preliminary round of the tournament.

The host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay form Group A in the upcoming quadrennial international sports event.

France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.

Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.

Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

Iran will start its World Cup campaign against Morocco at Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 15.

 

 

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

The top story in all papers today was a closed session in the Iranian parliament attended by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, top security official Ali Shamkhani, and economy minister Masoud Karbasian. The session was focused on the issues of the Iran nuclear deal and the country’s accession to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Also a top story was Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s meeting with members of Iran’s national football team, who were going to leave Iran for their pre-world cup preparatory camp in Turkey.

The end of Cannes Film Festival, and the awards won by Iranian artists, also received great coverage today.

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

 

19 Dey:

1- President Rouhani, 12th Member of Iran’s National Team

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Abrar:

1- MP Quotes Zarif as Saying: JCPOA Is a Dying Patient

2- Lawmaker: Central Bank Weak Point of Rouhani’s Administration

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Fate of Lake Urmia Depends on Caspian Sea?

2- Iranian People’s Heated Debate over Make-up of Queen’s New Bride

  • Controversial Ceremony in Britain

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Europe’s Guarantee in Vienna

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Asrar:

1- Araqchi: We Won’t Negotiate with Europeans over Issues beyond JCPOA

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Ebtekar:

1- Europe Afraid of Italy’s Exit from EU

2- Quarrel in Iran Parliament over JCPOA

  • A Report on Parliament’s Closed Session on JCPOA, FATF

3- Japanese Tragic Story vs. Farhadi’s New Mystery Film

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Etemad:

1- Iranian Cheetahs Warmly Received by President before Departing for FIFA World Cup

2- Iran Envoy to OPCW: Iran Has Repeatedly Expressed Preparedness to Help Identify Those behind Syria Chemical Attacks

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Ettela’at:

1- Rouhani: Gov’t Believes in Open Atmosphere for Communication between People

2- France: US Not Gendarme of World Economy

3- Chomsky: Trump Resolved to Destroy Humanity

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Ghanoon:

1- Money Earned from Iranian Oil Rig Spent on Trump’s Presidential Campaign

  • Lawyer Elaborates on Details of Fortuna Oil Rig

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Iran:

1- Iran President Wishes Success, Honour for Team MelliA Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Jame Jam:

1- Apples of Cannes Film Festival’s Eyes: A Report on Effective Lobbies in Cannes

2- Four European Think-Tanks Urges EU to Remain Independent to Save JCPOA

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Javan:

1- Iran Leader Donates over $95,000 for Release of Prisoners

2- Araqchi: We Are Doubtful Whether Europe Is Capable of Saving JCPOA

3- Zarif: EU’s Commitment to JCPOA Implementation Not Consistent with EU Firms’ Withdrawal from Iran Market

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Government Briefs Parliament on Bright Prospect of JCPOA Talks with Europe

  • In Closed Session, Lawmakers Hold Talks with Zarif, Shamkhani, Economy Minister

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Ka’enat:

1- Economy Analyst: It Was Wrong to Say JCPOA Could Save Iran’s Economy

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Kayhan:

1- Secrets behind Government’s Insistence on Approval of FATF’s Last Request

2- Result of Wedding Ceremony that Costs $46 Million

  • Britons Call for End of Royal System

3- Palestine’s Islamic Jihad Envoy: Tyrannical Rulers of Arab Regimes Dirtier, More Zionist than Bibi

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Resalat:

1- Chomsky: Trump, Worse than Hitler, Is Destroying the World

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Sazandegi:

1- I’m Jafar Panahi from Iran

  • Cannes Film Festival This Year Surprised Everyone by Awarding Godard, Farhadi, Panahi

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Setareh Sobh:

1- Deputy Parliament Speaker: Efforts to Remove Problems of FATF Bills

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Shargh:

1- Serious Disagreement in Closed Sessions

  • Motahari’s Account of Zarif, Shamkhani’s Presence in Parliament

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21


 

Sobh-e Now:

1- End of World’s Most Politicized Film Festival

  • Cannes 2018 Wraps Up with Success, Failure for Iranian Directors Who “Make Films for Festivals”

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 21

Iran Establishes Nano Export Hub in Indonesia

Head of the a Working Group for International Affairs at Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), Ali Beitollahi, says Iran has recently promoted its cooperation with Indonesia in the field of nanotechnology.

“We have established our first nano export hub in Indonesia to export our domestically-manufactured nano-products to Asian markets,” he said, stressing the need for further international cooperation in this field.

Speaking to Mehr News Agency, Beitollahi said given Iran’s growing presence in the field of nanotechnology, many foreign countries have expressed their interest in establishing cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

For a brief review of Iran’s achievements in various fields of science and technology, check the book “Science and Technology in Iran: A Brief Review

Based on Iran’s second ten-year nanotechnology development plan, the country is to raise its share in the global market to two percent, he told.

He said the second nanotechnology development plan is mainly focused on industrial and commercial development, adding this requires further domestic and foreign investments.

The INIC official said so far Iran has exported its nano-products to at least 45 countries including China. He voiced his satisfaction with the level of cooperation between Iran and China in the nanotechnology area.

He also highlighted the dire need to have access to larger nano markets and said, “To further promote the value of Iran’s nano exports, the country has to reach further and larger markets.

“To achieve the goal, we need to establish deeper cooperation with our friendly and brotherly countries.”

Iran’s progress in nanotechnology has grabbed the attention of other countries, he said, adding that Iran has a number of plans to expand its international ties in nanotechnology area.

He also noted that the country plans to turn nanotechnology into a significant part of its economy in the future.

Iranian Pupils Draw Paintings for Parentless Children

As many as 77 works of art by pre-school and school students drawn for as many unparented children were put on show at the exhibit.

The event was organized at Eshraq Culture House in cooperation with a charity organization earlier this month.

What follows are Honar Online’s photos of the exhibition:

Khusf; Pre-Islamic Iranian City Immune to Earthquake

Khusf is host to many historical monuments that have remained in place for centuries thanks to the location of the city, which has made it immune to earthquakes.

Among the monuments are mosques, underground water reservoirs, schools, castles, historic houses of Alavi and Maliki, and the tomb of Ibn Hessam.

The city has been used as a resting place for businessman travelling to and from India, particularly Georgian and Russian merchants.

The city is said to have been built by Georgians before the advent of Islam, and its strange name seems to be of Georgian origin.

What follows are IRNA’s photos of the ancient city:

 

“Iran Nuclear Deal Waste of Time; Rouhani Must Apologize”

Hossein-Ali Haji-Deligani said in the Parliament that the years of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency spent on reaching a nuclear deal with the West known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) were a waste of time.

He criticized Rouhani and his administration for failing to get the necessary guarantees from other signatories to the nuclear deal.

The legislator argued that Rouhani had pledged during his election campaign that he would improve the country’s economy, but failed to do so.

The MP said time was wasted, which led to losses for the Iranian nation, and hence, the president should apologize to Iranian people, Khabar Online said in a Sunday report.

The remarks come as Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, and the US’ breach of promises under the deal even before pulling out of it have caused the deal to have no benefits for the Iranian economy and brought about negative social effects such as a rise in the divorce rate, the discontent of patients suffering from hard to treat diseases because of rising drug prices, etc.

This has turned into a lever to pressure Rouhani’s moderate administration today.

 

Time Ripe for Conservatives to Win Iran Elections

The developments have paved the way for Rouhani’s political rivals to accuse him and his reformist associates of naivety and describe him as a person who fell for the West’s ostensibly flexible attitude.

Now, Rouhani’s rivals regard him as a signatory to a deal which was a “win-lose” agreement, not a “win-win” deal as he had promised during his election campaign.

These days, conservatives have the upper hand. Meanwhile, those in the conservative camp and those who believe in “constructive engagement with the world” are waiting for the outcome of intense talks between Tehran and the European Troika, hoping they will be able to extricate themselves from the predicament caused by the US government’s non-compliance with the JCPOA. It seems that the ground is prepared, more than ever before, for conservatives to emerge victorious in forthcoming elections.

Iran Denies Reports on Support for Taliban Militants

In a Monday statement, Qassemi said unfortunately following Taliban’s attack on Afghanistan’s Farah province last week, some people in the country began to accuse neighbouring states of sponsoring the militant group.

“After years of military presence in Afghanistan and shedding the blood of thousands of innocent Afghans, today the US commanders who have failed to establish security in the country are attempting to divert the attention of Afghan people from the main causes of the continuation of war in the country by accusing Iran of supporting Taliban,” he noted.

The spokesman also underlined that the Taliban attacks on Afghan cities and their retaking by government forces are not a new subject and have nothing to do with the good relations underway between Tehran and Kabul.

Over the past four decades, he said, the Islamic Republic of Iran has stood firmly behind the government and nation of friendly and brotherly country of Afghanistan to defend their independence and sovereignty.

“Therefore, remarks made to appease foreigners and aggressors stand in contradiction with the friendly ties.”

The spokesman said talks are underway between Iranian and Afghan governments to resolve an ongoing water dispute through diplomatic channels. “Linking the water dispute to Afghanistan’s domestic issues has no reasonable and logical basis.”

Qassemi once again condemned violence in Afghanistan and said as in the past, the Islamic Republic throws its weight behind the peace process in Afghanistan to lead Afghan government and other conflicting sides in the country to the negotiating table for tackling the current problems.

Afghanistan’s western Farah province was the scene of fierce fighting between the Taliban and the Afghan government in recent days. Some Afghan officials blame Iran for the unrest.

General Fazl Ahmad Shirzad, provincial police chief of western Farah province claimed last week that Iran is supporting the Taliban in the province.

“Iran is directly funding and equipping the Taliban in Farah, and the country is involved in the recent unrest in the province.. Farah is very important for Iran, and the country sees its interests in continued unrest in the province,” he added.

Meanwhile, General Gul Nabi Ahmadzai, the former Afghan border police chief, told VOA that Iran’s support for the Taliban is not a secret. “Iran is directly involved, and its Revolution Guards commanders are leading the fire-fight in Farah,” Ahmadzai said.

Some other Afghan officials charge that Iran is ratcheting up its support for the Taliban to disrupt developmental projects in Afghanistan, including water dams, which if completed would slow down the flow of water to Iran.

Iran Congratulates Montenegro on Its Independence Day

In a letter to his Montenegrin counterpart Filip Vujanovic on Monday, President Rouhani offered congratulations on the anniversary of Montenegro’s 2006 independence referendum.

He also expressed hope for closer cooperation between the two countries and expansion of bilateral ties in various fields.

The Iranian president also wished health and success for Vujanovic, and prosperity for the people of the Republic of Montenegro.

Montenegro’s Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on May 21 to mark the anniversary of its independence referendum back in 2006.

In the 16th century, Montenegro emerged as a semi-autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire. The name ‘Montenegro’ which refers to the black mountains that cover large parts of the region was first used in the 15th century.

The independence referendum was held on May 21, 2006, with an 85% turnout. The Montenegro Parliament declared independence on 3 June 2006 and became the 192nd member of the United Nations on 26 June 2006.

Iran President Meets Members of National Football Team ahead of FIFA World Cup

During the Sunday meeting, President Rouhani thanked the national team members as well as its head coach Carlos Queiroz for their hard efforts to be qualified for the world cup.

The meeting was also attended by the Iranian referees’ delegation to the world showpiece.

Earlier Sunday, Queiroz named his provisional 24-man squad for the world cup, choosing the players out of the preliminary 35-member squad. The final squad will be announced to the FIFA by June 4.

Team Melli is set to travel to Istanbul on Monday to hold a training camp in the country. The team will face Turkey football team on May 29 in a friendly match as part of its preparation for the 2018 World Cup.

Iran has been drawn in Group B of the 2018 World Cup along with Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

The Iran national football team will open the campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15.

Team Melli, will later face Spain in Kazan on 20 June before meeting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Saransk five days later.

The matches of the 2018 World Cup will be held between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums.

Iran President Meets Members of National Football Team ahead of FIFA World Cup