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EU Parliament Allows European Investment Bank to Work with Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The EIB, the European Union’s not-for-profit long term investment arm, is a key pillar of the bloc’s attempts to maintain business links with Iran in the face of Washington’s decision to re-impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

However, the EU lawmakers’ decision does not oblige the EIB to work with Iran, a move that could jeopardize its ability to raise money on US markets and so have far reaching consequences for its operations.

The European Parliament overwhelmingly blocked a motion by far-right lawmakers seeking to prevent the European Commission from lifting restrictions on the EIB in Iran, setting the stage for the measure to come into effect at the start of August.

The blocking motion, put forward by the far-right Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group (EFDD) that includes Britain’s euro-sceptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), failed with only 93 votes for, 573 against and 11 abstentions.

“We are granting the EIB the capacity to invest in Iran if suitable projects are found,” said Siegfried Muresan, a lawmaker from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), which led the preparatory discussions on the Commission’s proposal.

“The Iran deal is good for Europe’s security,” he told Reuters, referring to the accord signed by world powers in 2015.

EU governments can technically still block the Commission proposal but are not expected to do so given EU leaders publicly backed the EIB lending plan at a summit in May.

The parliament’s decision is likely to be a morale boost for EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, who will chair a meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran, China, France, Germany and Britain in Vienna on Friday to discuss progress on salvaging the nuclear deal.

Iran requested the meeting to discuss European efforts to protect the nuclear pact in the face of US President Donald Trump’s May 8 decision to pull out and revive Iran-related sanctions, after the expiry of 90- and 180-day periods.

The sanctions will start to come into effect in August but some European companies investing in Iran and with big operations in the United States have announced they will pull out of business deals with Tehran.

The pillars of the EU’s strategy are: EIB lending, a special measure to shield EU companies from US secondary sanctions and a Commission proposal that EU governments make direct money transfers to Iran’s central bank to avoid US penalties.

However, the Luxembourg-based EIB is concerned about the proposal that it do business in Iran, EU sources told Reuters in June, fearing the threat of US sanctions could imperil its ability to raise funds on US capital markets.

“Maintaining access to these markets is a quasi life-or-death issue for the EIB,” bank Director General Bertrand de Mazieres told a European Parliament budget committee hearing in late May, saying there were $120 billion of outstanding bonds issued by the EIB worldwide.

The EIB currently steers clear of engaging in jurisdictions listed as high-risk under the FATF, a global group of government anti-money-laundering agencies. That includes Iran.

Iran Threatens to Decrease Level of Cooperation with IAEA

By
IFP Media Wire
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Rouhani made the remarks on Wednesday during a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano in Vienna.

“Iran’s nuclear activities have always been peaceful, but it is Tehran that decides on the level of its cooperation with the IAEA,” he said.

“The responsibility for a change in the situation and the level of Iran’s cooperation with the agency falls on those who have created the new status quo,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the Iranian president slammed as illegal the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying Washington’s move benefits no one.

Foreign ministers from China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia will meet with Iranian officials on Friday in Vienna to discuss how to keep the JCPOA alive after the US exit from the pact, Reuters reported.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini confirmed the meeting in a statement on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China – plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose “the highest level” of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

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

Since the US president pulled Washington out of the historic nuclear deal, European countries have been scrambling to ensure that Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal.

The remaining parties have vowed to stay in the accord.

Photos of Iranians Arrested in Belgium Prove Their MKO Affiliation

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Photo of Amir Sa’dooni, an Iranian-Belgian member of MKO terrorist group standing by Mehdi Abrishamchi, the number-2 man at the MKO / Photo retrieved from Tasnim News Agency

The Belgian police recently claimed it had arrested two Iranians who intended to attack an annual MKO meeting in the French capital, Paris. Belgium’s announcement came one day after the anti-Iran MKO gathering was held in Paris, coinciding with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Europe.

Photos of Iranians Arrested in Belgium Prove Their MKO Affiliation
Photo of Amir Sa’dooni attending an MKO rally / Photo by Tasnim News Agency

The Belgian police announced a 38-year-old man known as Amir S., and a 33-year-old woman referred to as Nasim N., both of them Belgian nationals, were accused of trying to commit the act of terror.

Now, photos have been published showing that one of the detainees referred to as Amir S. by Belgian media is, in fact, Amir Sa’dooni. He is one of the notorious members of the MKO and even appears in a photo with Mehdi Abrishamchi, the number-2 man at the MKO.

The following are photos of Amir Sa’dooni, who Belgium claims was arrested along with his wife before bombing the MKO gathering in Paris. The pictures indicate Sa’dooni was actively present in MKO meetings.

Some reports also suggest that one of the detainees is related to the former wife of Massoud Rajavi, the ringleader of the MKO terror group.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi had also noted that “the arrested individuals are among the notorious members of the MKO, and we are ready to cooperate by presenting the necessary documents to shed light on the real dimensions of this scenario.”

Photos of Iranians Arrested in Belgium Prove Their MKO Affiliation
Photo of MKO element Amir Sa’dooni attending the cult’s rally

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also reacted to the development.

“How interesting! As soon as we began a trip to Europe at the level of president, [a report was published indicating that] an Iranian operation apparently happened and its plotters were arrested. Iran openly condemns violence and terror anywhere and stands ready to work with all beneficiaries to unmask an evil scheme for an operation of deceit,” Zarif tweeted.

The photos and evidence totally reject the allegation that they had been mercenaries of the Iranian government. One can now even think of a plot by the MKO to use these two individuals to attack the Iranian president during his visits to Switzerland and Austria, as the notorious group has conducted such crimes against Iranian politicians and ordinary people in the past.

 

Photos of Iranians Arrested in Belgium Prove Their MKO Affiliation
Photo of MKO member Amir Sa’dooni

Iranian Schoolchildren Bag 12 Medals at Int’l Math Tournament

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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With such splendid achievements, the Iranian team was chosen as the team with the highest quality at the Bulgarian tournament.

The 13-member Iranian team attending the international tournament competed with some leading teams from countries like Russia, Romania and Vietnam, a report by ISNA said.

Masiha Baqeri (grade 7), Sepehr Ramezani (grade 7), Ariyan Alavi (grade 9), Mohammad-Hassan Falahat (grade 9), and Zahra Hosseini (grade 9) won gold medals.

Iranian winners of silver medals were Tabassom Jabbari (grade 5), Ariya Vahedi (grade 7) and Pourya Zare’i (grade7).

Mohammad Ghanizadegan (grade 5), Sadra Khaleqi (grade 6), Seyyed Reza Emami (grade 6), and Pouya Jahangirmorad (grade 7) won the bronze medals.

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”

Seyyed Rasta Jahed (grade 5) also received a diploma of honour.

Around 1,000 students from 15 countries (Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan and the Philippines) participated in this year’s tournament.

Iran, Tunisia Discuss Closer Cooperation on Different Fronts

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Hossein Jaberi Ansari, a senior assistant to the Iranian foreign minister, met with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Wednesday.

The Iranian diplomat, who is on a visit to Tunisia as the special envoy of Iran’s president, conveyed to the Tunisian president the warmest greetings of his Iranian counterpart.

The Iranian diplomat also elaborated on the latest developments pertaining to the Iran nuclear deal as well as Washington’s unilateral pullout from the agreement and its violation of this multilateral international deal.

Jaberi Ansari also presented a report on the measures adopted by Iran to help settle regional crises peacefully, and underlined Tehran’s determination to further boost mutual relations and cooperation with Tunis on different political, economic and cultural fronts.

The Tunisian president, in turn, expressed gratitude to President Rouhani and touched upon the grandeur of the culture, history and civilization of Iran.

He also elaborated on the dimensions of his country’s independent foreign policy on regional and international issues, and expressed hope Tehran-Tunis ties will further expand in all areas based on the mutual interests of both nations.

Iran Not to Let US’ Policies Sever Its Ties with World: Rouhani

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

In an address to a joint meeting of Iranian and Austrian delegations in Vienna on Wednesday, President Rouhani described the Iran nuclear deal as a significant multi-national treaty which contributes to the global trust and said the Iranian nation has always stood against the illegitimate and unilateral moves of the US over the past decades.

President Rouhani said Iran expects the EU to condemn the US’ unilateralism more explicitly and added in today’s world, the extra-territorial demands of one state is not acceptable at all, a report by Iranian President’s website said.

He then referred to deep cultural commonalities between Iran and Austria and said the two countries enjoy a high status in Western Asia and the EU and can use the capacity for expansion of mutual ties.

The Iranian president also pointed to the role of the Islamic republic in fight against terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria and said terrorism is a serious threat to the region and the whole world.

 

Iran, Austria Resolved to Boost All-Out Ties

In a joint press conference following a meeting of the two sides’ delegations, President Rouhani underlined that Iran and Austria are determined to expand their ties in various cultural, economic and political areas.

He also underlined that Islamic Republic will remain faithful to the Iran nuclear deal only as far as its benefits are met under the accord.

“The commitment needs to be mutual. Iran will remain in the JCPOA only if the remaining sides could guarantee its rights under the deal,” he noted.

President Rouhani also stressed that Iran expects the European sides to remain as steadfast in economic area as it is in political area and added Iran and the Europeans can resolve their difference through cooperation.

Touching on the regional crisis, the Iranian president said restoring peace and security to the whole region is in the interests of the whole world.

For his part, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said at present more than one hundred Austrian firms are active in Iran and added Austria and the EU are attempting to pave the way for further cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

During president Rouhani’s visit to Austria, the two sides signed at least four Memorandums of Understanding in various fields including transportation and renewable energies.

The Iranian president arrived in Vienna on Wednesday after his two-day stay in Switzerland.

Major Project Inaugurated to End Water Crisis in Southern Iran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The Ghadir II water transfer project came on line tonight in a ceremony attended by Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, the commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base and provincial officials.

The project became operational ahead of schedule, media reports say.

With Phase II of the project entering service, good-quality tap water will be pumped to the cities of Abadan, Khorramshahr and Shadegan.

Friday prayers Imam of Khorramshahr
Friday prayers Imam of Khorramshahr

The project was mainly implemented by the Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base and received special attention from several state bodies and senior officials including the Friday prayers Imam of Khorramshahr who personally oversaw the project.

A few hours before the inauguration ceremony, the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a letter thanked Mousavifard for closely following up the project and even symbolically helping the welders.

The poor quality of drinking water in southern Iran, particularly in Khuzestan province, triggered protests in recent weeks.

Residents in the cities of Abadan and Khorramshahr in Khuzestan have staged several protest rallies over the past few weeks as they have faced problems due to the excessive salinity of the Bahmanshir river, which is the main source of potable water in both cities.

Some had attributed the low quality of water to alleged sales of water by Iran to Kuwait and Iraq. However, Iran’s Energy Minister Ardakanian made it clear that the country has no plan or decision to export water to other states.

“The [Iranian] Energy Ministry has no plans, decision or projects to transfer, sell and export even a single drop of this territory’s water to any country beyond the Iranian borders. The issue of [Iran] transferring water to Kuwait was put forward in the early 1980s by those who benefitted from the implementation of a project to take the country’s water to Kuwait,” said the minister.

The rumour that Iran exports water has been around for almost two decades now, and the rumour is denied every time it begins flying around.

This time, the rumour resurfaced when the people of Khuzestan province in southern Iran began complaining about the quality of the drinking water they used. Locals were dismayed at the bad quality of the tap water. Officials said the impurities were because of low water levels at the Karoon river, and promised to solve the problem in a matter of days. However, a wave of rumours hit social networking sites, suggesting that Iran is exporting water to Kuwait at a time when Khuzestan and Karoon are suffering from water shortage.

Afterwards, authorities announced that they would implement an emergency water transfer project in a matter of days to solve the problem.

Now, with the Ghadir II project slated to go on stream in a matter of hours, the drinking water problem in Khuzestan could be tackled.

French, Belgian, German Envoys Summoned over Iranian Diplomat’s Arrest

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Iran Summons French Envoy over Macron’s Anti-Islam Stances

The news was announced by Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi.

“Following the arrest of an Iranian diplomat in Germany at the request of the French police, the ambassadors of France and Belgium along with the German chargé d’affaires (in the absence of the German ambassador) were summoned to the Foreign Ministry,” said Qassemi on Wednesday.

In a meeting with the French ambassador and the German chargé d’affaires, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi expressed Tehran’s strong protest over the detention of the Iranian diplomat. He underlined that diplomats have immunity under the Vienna Convention, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the Iranian diplomat.

Araqchi dismissed the move as a scenario aimed at undermining Iran-Europe relations, saying the move was timed to coincide with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s trip to Europe and comes on threshold of a foreign ministerial meeting between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries. He said the move aims to eclipse that meeting in line with the objectives of the US and the Israeli regime.

Araqchi then touched upon Iran’s fundamental policy of condemning any act of terror.

“The existing evidence clearly shows that the MKO terrorist group had a role in orchestrating this farcical show as explosives were seized from two of the arrested members of this group,” he said.

“The move is reminiscent of the self-immolation of members of the group in Europe several years ago, and once again proves the terrorist nature of this trivial grouping whose members are even ready to set themselves alight and hurt themselves in order to create the impression that they are significant,” he said.

On the same note, the Belgian ambassador to Tehran was also summoned to the Foreign Ministry and received notice of Iran’s objection to calls that the diplomat in question be transferred from Germany to Belgium.

In the meeting, the French and Belgian ambassadors as well as the German chargé d’affaires stressed that they would immediately notify their respective governments of Iran’s objection.

Iran Summons French Ambassador over MKO Gathering

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
ICJ Ruling Proves US Sanctions against Iran Cruel: Statement

In a Wednesday statement, Qassemi said the director general of the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Europe Department summoned French Ambassador Francois Senemaud on Tuesday to express the Islamic Republic’s harsh protest against France for its support for the MKO terrorist group.

“The director general also emphasized that no extremist group with terrorist nature – even if it is trivial or small – should be provided with an opportunity to promote extremism and terrorism under the pretext of freedom of expression,” he noted.

According to the spokesman, during the talks, the Iranian diplomat also expressed the country’s protest over the MKO’s annual gathering in Paris attended by a number of current and former extremist officials of the US as well as their meddlesome and divisive statements against the Iranian nation.

The French ambassador, for his part, said he would immediately convey Iran’s protest to Paris and give its response to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The MKO held its annual meeting in Paris on Saturday with a number of American hawks such as Rudy Giuliani – Donald Trump’s personal lawyer – and other former US officials as well as former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in attendance.

Founded in the 1960s, the terror group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam kill thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed war imposed on Iran.

Safety Precautions against Vaporizer Explosions

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The type of batteries found in modem-day vaporizers are commonly lithium-ion batteries, these batteries generally have high energy densities and have low self-discharge rate. Though lithium-ion batteries are extremely beneficial most especially when used for vaporizers, they can pose some health hazards to the users if not used with care and caution.

Lithium-ion batteries contain flammable electrolytes and the integrity of the battery may be affected if kept pressurized, also, lithium-ion batteries that are charged too quickly may cause a short circuit which may lead to explosions and fire. Mishandled batteries are the common causes of vaporizer explosions, and since vaporizers have immediately been recognized as a healthy alternative to cigarette smoking, many people come to use vaporizers blindly. The lack of experience and proper knowledge in using these devices result in such injuries. However, to say that vaporizers do explode I believe is an exaggeration.

In the early years of vaping, back when a lot of people began trying it out, there have been numerous accounts and reports of vaporizers exploding in the faces of their users. This news led others to believe that vaping is dangerous (an ironic notion since vaping was intended to be a safer alternative to smoking) though it made people cautious and more mindful of their new-found hobby. There are a lot of speculations going around as to why vaporizers explode that’s why in this article we’ll talk about the different reasons why they do and how to prevent them.

Batteries

Earlier we talked about how batteries are, what kind of batteries are used in vaporizers and what normally causes batteries to rupture and eventually break down. Since they’re the main power source of portable vaporizers it’s only fitting that we focus our attention on the batteries in our vaporizers. Ideally, should you pay careful attention to the status of your batteries the likelihood of you experiencing an explosion is technically slim to none. As a practice, I personally check my batteries every time I use them and replace my batteries – I use rechargeable 18650 batteries for my e-juice box mod – every six months. Because I frequently use my vaporizer along with the batteries, I found that their quality tends to decrease after such time that’s why I opt to replace them before they’re all worn out. I am a frequent vaper and I run a full mech mod so I normally go over two sets of batteries in a single day so my batteries are constantly charging and discharging as they go out of the vaporizer and into the charger time and again.

While I found that replacing the batteries every six months would be a good practice, it’s something that isn’t at all necessary. One way to be sure that your batteries remain in good condition is by following charging directions set by the manufacturer.

Safe Charging Habits

Although following directions will keep your batteries in good shape following a charging habit can also be helpful, here are a few.

Set an alarm to remind you how long you should be charging your batteries. Knowing when to remove your batteries from the charger — if you’re using removable and replaceable batteries — or at least getting close to the exact and most accurate time in removing the batteries from the charger. Remember overcharging the batteries may cause them to rupture and will eventually cause the batteries to explode. If you’re using non-removable batteries, make sure you never leave your vaporizer plugged for longer than the recommended charging hours.

Although you can, avoid charging using your computer or your car. Charging through a wall socket is still the best way to go since they’re the most stable power sources compared to your car, your computer, and other similar devices. Vape chargers are designed to be plugged into a wall outlet and the otherwise inconsistent flow of power from your car or portable devices can damage the batteries as well.

Safe Vaping Practices

Apart from following a safe charging practice, it’s also best to follow an even safer vaping habit. Running a full mech vape mod, I’ve noticed that an accidental connection between the battery and the atomizer through a mere coin. It caused a sudden surge of sparks that could lead to an explosion. Here’s where most vape users make the mistake of keeping their vaporizers in their pocket along with other metal items that may conduct electricity and may lead to accidental misfires and vape explosions. People who also keep their vaporizers inside their bags should keep the units away from such conductive objects.

I know some friends who most of the time — when they’re not using their vaporizers – keep a loose connection between the atomizer and the battery. Especially for vaporizers with very reactive, tactile vaporizers. If your vaporizer has a very sensitive button, you may want to consider keeping a loose connection when keeping your devices.

High-tech, cutting-edge vaporizers equipped with safety features shouldn’t be fondled with. Even for those who have power button/firing button locks and air vents that are designed to keep them from accidental explosions. Also, be mindful of how hot your vaporizer battery is. If it’s really hot to the touch, let it rest for a while. Remember, vaping safely also entails self and situational awareness so always be heedful and cautious about the battery temperature. Let your batteries cool down.

Buy From Reputable Brands/Sellers

It’s also important to get your vaporizers from a reputable seller. A reliable and trustworthy seller will have a good name to keep so the likelihood of them selling you a faulty device or a fake vaporizer is very slim. It’s also good to know some of the best vaporizer brands that are known for being safe. Vape mods that use substandard components are the main causes of these rare yet hazardous failures. In vaping, you always get what you pay for.

Although there’s still a lot to be learned about vaping, knowing these common causes and how to prevent them will help you from eliminating accidents while you vape. Remember to always check your batteries and your vaporizer before, when, and after using it. Let’s keep vaping fun and safe.

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