Iran Exports New Cancer Drugs to Turkey, Syria

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July 24, 2018

Dr Navid Goudarzi, the head of the pharmaceutical company, says his firm has managed to produce a cancer treatment drug which used to be imported to the country before.

“The team was engaged in five years of research to develop the drug which is called Paclitaxel,” he said, adding that the drug has been produced using nanotechnology.

Speaking in an interview with Mehr News Agency, he said Paclitaxel can be used to treat pancreatic, breast, lung, stomach, and ovarian cancers.

He noted that the medicine was developed on the basis of a technology known as albumin-binding nanoparticles.

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”

Formulation and preparation of nanoparticles in the form of albumin nanoparticles does not require the use of incompatible ingredients that can lead to side effects, he added.

He said Paclitaxel is a very expensive drug which used to be imported from the United States, but now his company is able to meet the country’s domestic needs while exporting it to such countries as Turkey and Syria.

US Sanctions on Iran; Big Test for Erdogan

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 24, 2018

The US pressure on Turkey is on the rise. Trump has turned Turkey’s economic crisis into an opportunity for itself and has officially threatened that if Ankara does not comply with sanctions against Iran, it will be responsible for the consequences.

Hamid Qodsi Azar, in an opinion piece published by Tasnim News Agency, has said that the US is trying to overthrow the Iranian government quickly by creating economic crisis, and has prepared a two-stage economic boycott. The first phase will begin on August 6, but the main phase of the sanctions will come into force on November 4, which will ban the purchase of oil and gas from Iran.

Iran’s main revenue is through the sale of oil and gas, so the United States is trying to tighten the noose of sanctions on Iran by dissuading its energy clients from purchasing Tehran’s oil and gas, seeking to cause a domestic riot in Iran by creating economic crisis.

US’ Main Policy

The US under George W. Bush had one policy: The countries of the world are either our friends or our enemies. At the moment, this policy is on the agenda of Donald Trump as well. The United States tries every possible way to prevent Iran from cooperating with Turkey and Russia. Washington knows well that the “Astana Process” has thwarted all of its plans for resolving the Syrian crisis. And if it can undermine Iran-Turkey relations, it would be able to easily reach its goals regarding Iran.

Turkey; Strategic Neighbour for Iran

Turkey is a strategic country for Iran. It has a key role to play in boycotting Iran, and is the gateway of Iran’s access to Europe. During the war imposed by Iraq on Iran, the Persian Gulf was closed and an important part of Iran’s trade was carried out through Turkey. The US plans to close Turkey’s communication line with Iran.

Increased US Pressure on Turkey

The US’ pressure on Turkey is on the rise and Washington has turned Turkey’s economic crisis into an opportunity for itself. A few days ago, an American delegation headed by Assistant Secretary of Department of the Treasury Marshall Billingslea travelled to Ankara. The delegation first met with representatives of the private sector in Turkey. Then, at the Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Exchanges (TOBB), they met with businessmen and business owners. At the end of the meeting, Turkish merchants who had trade with Iran were very upset.

The Friday talks mainly focused on return of Washington’s sanctions against Tehran. Following the visit, Ankara announced that it will monitor sanctions. Reuters also reported that Turkey’s largest importer of petroleum in recent months has cut its imports from Iran.

According to information provided by a businessman at this meeting, US Treasury Assistant Secretary Billingslea has been treating Turkey as one of the US’ states and warned that if Ankara does not comply with US’ decisions, it will be punished. This businessman says Billingslea formally threatened Turkey with an emphasis on what the United States wanted to do, and finally said “If you do not comply with US sanctions against Iran, you will be responsible for the consequences.”

According to the Associated Press, following the visit, Billingsley assessed the talks with Turkey as “very positive” and said the parties did not have any “hostility” towards each other.

Official Meetings of US Delegation in Ankara

The American delegation held official meetings with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Trade of Turkey. According to information leaked from these meetings, the same threats have been made during these meetings as well. The US delegation has explicitly stated that if Turkey does not comply with US sanctions against Iran, it will be deprived of the benefits of international credit institutions.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said after the meeting that it is monitoring sanctions, and Turkish officials are working to prevent the sanctions from having a negative impact on Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoğlu also told Cumhuriyet that Ankara believes the sanctions are wrong, and has “told the American delegation visiting Turkey that we would not comply with the US decision on Iran.”

However, the United States has been devising some other plans for Turkey in Washington in the wake of the delegation’s visit to Ankara. Republican and Democratic senators have prepared a bill for ratification in the Senate, based on which Turkey will be denied access to loans from international organisations in the event of a violation of US sanctions against Iran.

Meanwhile, international credit institutions that are affiliated with US are issuing statements and reports one after the other saying that a rise in Turkey’s credit rating in the world is subject to complying with US sanctions against Iran. On the other hand, the United States is using the case of Turkish-Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab as a possible punishment on Turkish bankers.

Turkey’s Condition for Getting Along with US Bans

In the meantime, the Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah in an article titled “Will Turkey Get Along with US Sanctions on Iran?” wrote, “If US policymakers are determined to do what they want and force Turkey to take action against its own interests, nothing could dissuade them from their decision.”

The Turkish newspaper said, “If the United States wants Turkey to support sanctions against Iran, what Washington is supposed to do is to agree with Ankara on a broad regional strategy!”

Daily Sabah has also underlined Turkey’s conditions to comply with the US in imposing sanctions against Iran. First, there should be no difference between the two countries about what they want in Syria, including the future of the PKK terrorist group and YPG. Secondly, the United States should extradite Fethullah Gülen and members of the “terrorist group” that are operating in the United States. In addition, Washington needs to compensate for Turkey’s short and long-term economic losses over sanctions against Iran. At the same time, US officials should explain to Ankara how they are going to meet their natural gas needs that are currently provided by Iran. The need for natural gas is something that Turkey cannot ignore at the moment.

Ultimately this question arises: What will happen if the US does not respond to Turkey’s concerns altogether? This is the question raised by Daily Sabah, which refers to a statement by Trump’s former National Security Adviser Steve Bannon on Erdogan saying that leaders like Erdogan pursue the national interests of their country, and do not care about the fact what others are thinking about!

Importance of Stopping Iran-Turkey Trade for US

Iran and Turkey have broad business relations and plan to increase the value of their trade to $30 billion. Turkish Statistical Institute, a few months ago, announced the value of the two countries’ trade in 2017, with more than 59% growth compared to the previous year, stands at $10.51 billion.

The value of trade between the two countries is expected to reach about 12 billion dollars this year; therefore, Turkey and Iran have a significant share in each other’s markets and trade exchanges. The US’ goal of sending a delegation to Ankara is to stop or minimise the amount of economic exchange between the two countries, a report by Tabnak news website said.

In addition, in the previous round of sanctions that were cancelled with the implementation of the JCPOA, Turkey played a very effective role in detouring Iran sanctions. Therefore, the US delegation has travelled to Ankara to halt the cooperation of the two countries through threats and pressures in bypassing the announced sanctions.

Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Association announced a month ago that more than 50 percent of Turkey’s oil supply is being provided by Iran, and according to unofficial statistics, Turkey is purchasing about 8 percent of Iran’s total oil exports.

US officials have said oil buyers from Iran should end their oil imports from the Islamic Republic by November 4, 2018; otherwise, they will be subject to US secondary embargos.

Suspension of oil sanctions, which was announced by the President of the United States after the withdrawal of Washington from the nuclear deal, continues for six months i.e. till November 4.

US Secondary sanctions against purchasers of Iran’s crude oil, which are in contravention of international trade laws, have negatively affected several countries in a way that some countries are trying to exclude themselves, and some others have announced they will not implement them.

What Will Turkey Do?

FM Çavusoğlu said earlier that Turkey would not follow US sanctions on Iran. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also made similar statements, but Washington has started a lot of efforts to persuade Ankara. Meanwhile, experts in Turkey affairs say this has turned into a very complex and complicated issue.

Big Test for Erdogan

Turkey’s response to sanctions against Iran will play a crucial role in the region’s future. Erdoğan has had a decent performance against these US sanctions so far, but in the coming days, Erdoğan’s positions on Iran will be stated clearly. In other words, the sanctions against Iran is the first test for Erdoğan after the start of presidential system in Turkey.

50 Killed, 170 Injured in Greece Wildfires

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 24, 2018

The death toll soared with a Red Cross official reporting the discovery of 26 bodies in the courtyard of a villa at the seaside resort of Mati.

The bodies were entwined and severely burnt, an AFP photographer at the scene said. They appeared to have been caught by the flames trying to reach the sea.

The authorities had previously announced 24 deaths and scores of injuries with the majority of casualties found in their homes or cars in Mati, 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of the capital.

Of the injured, 11 people were in serious condition.

Port authorities told AFP they had found four bodies in the sea, including three women and a child who had apparently tried to escape the flames.

There were fears the toll may rise further, as people remained unaccounted for.

National Tragedy

Interior Minister Panos Skourletis said rescue workers were “still searching if there are more missing”.

“It’s a national tragedy,” civil protection agency official Ioanna Tsoupra told public broadcaster ERT.

By dawn Tuesday, fires were still burning around the capital, while others broke out elsewhere during the night.

Authorities were trying to evacuate inhabitants, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said.

“Fifteen fires had started simultaneously on three different fronts in Athens”, he said, prompting Greece to request drones from the United States, “to observe and detect any suspicious activity”.

Nine coastal patrol boats, two military vessels and “dozens of private boats” assisted by army helicopters were mobilised to help those stuck in the harbour in Rafina, one of the worst affected areas close to Mati.

Evacuees were transferred to hotels and military camps, while worried relatives flocked to the area.

Police in the town said they found two Danish tourists out of a group of 10 in a boat at sea off the town and were trying to locate the others.

Civil protection chief Yannis Kapakis said he had told Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who cut short a visit to Bosnia to return home, that winds up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) an hour were creating “an extreme situation”.

Forecasters said conditions would remain challenging on Tuesday, although showers and falling temperatures were expected in Athens.

In the north, more than 300 firefighters, five aircraft and two helicopters were mobilised to tackle the “extremely difficult” situation, Athens fire chief Achille Tzouvaras said.

Children Evacuated

Video footage showed inhabitants fleeing the fires by car, with several buildings and homes damaged, as the region of Attica — which includes Athens — declared a state of emergency.

“If I hadn’t left, I’d have been burned,” a 67-year-old resident named Maria told AFP.

Near the town of Marathon, residents fled to safety along the beach, while 600 children were evacuated from holiday camps in the area.

Tsipras said “all emergency forces have been mobilised” to battle fires along at least three fronts.

“I am really concerned by the parallel outbreak of these fires,” he said, with officials raising the possibility they could have been started deliberately by criminals out to ransack abandoned homes.

Fires are a common problem in Greece during the summer and can be major killers.

Fires in 2007 on the southern island of Evia claimed 77 lives.

Sweden Battles 27 Fires

The Greek government has asked the European Union for help fighting the fires.

In recent days, wildfires have also caused widespread damage in northern Europe.

Sweden is experiencing an unprecedented drought and the highest temperatures in a century.

On Monday, the Nordic nation’s civil protection agency MSB said there were 27 active fires across the country, as temperatures were expected to soar as high as 35 Celsius this week.

Several European countries including France, Italy and Germany have sent planes, trucks and firefighters to help tackle the blazes in Sweden, where usual summer temperatures are closer to 23 Celsius.

Some 25,000 hectares (62,000 acres) of land has already gone up in smoke or continues to burn — an area twice the size of the city of Paris.

Iran’s Larijani Describes Trump as “Rascal”, His Tweets as “Hot Air”

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 24, 2018

Ali Larijani made the remarks Tuesday in response to a lawmaker asking for his view on Trump’s threats early Monday, ICANA reported.

“Such nonsense remarks do not need to be responded. His comments were not words of a diplomat but were words of a rascal. He and his boss are known for corruption in the international arena,” Larijani said.

By “boss” Larijani was most probably referring to Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds close ties with Trump and said last week he has convinced Trump to pull the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal early May.

“Unfortunately, the US faces disorder and savagery in its diplomatic relations. The US is following ignorant diplomacy in the international arena,” Larijani said.

War of Words Escalates between Iranian, US Presidents

Trump threatened Iran that it will suffer harsh consequences if it “threatens the United States again,” in a reaction to remarks by his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani Sunday who advised Trump not to “play with lion’s tail”.

Following its withdrawal from the pact, the US has threatened to impose the “strongest sanctions in history” that will destroy the Iranian economy unless Tehran accepts a list of 12 demands Washington has put forward.

Among other conditions, the list asks Tehran to halt missile development, stop what the US believes are Iran’s interventions in the affairs of Iraq, Syria and Yemen and cease support for groups which the US considers terrorist but Iran sees as legitimate resistance forces.

Firefighters Make Heroic Efforts to Save People from Tehran Fire

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 24, 2018

The spokesman for Tehran Fire Department Jalal Maleki said the blaze was quickly extinguished, thanks to the proximity of the high-rise to the region’s fire station that allowed firefighters to reach the location in only 2.5 minutes.

Concurrent with efforts to put out the fire, a group of firefighters were busy directing trapped residents to escape through toxic smoke, Maleki said, as reported by ISNA.

The fire is suspected to be caused by sparks of the building’s power lines.

Videos on social media showed flames outside of some windows and thick smoke belching from the tower.

What follows are ISNA’s photos of the rescue efforts made by the firefighters:

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Can I Get a Personal Loan with Bad Credit in the UK?

By

Darshah Shah

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July 24, 2018

While lenders won’t always have the low interest rates that you might get with other forms of loans, it is nonetheless possible for those of you with poor credit to take out a small personal loan.

Who might need bad credit personal loans?

Before we go any further, let’s make clear just what we mean by “bad credit”. It’s important to note that it’s not the same as having no credit- this would be where you hadn’t taken out any loans or a mortgage in the past, so have no financing history. On the other hand, people with bad credit may have previously missed payments on loans, or even faced legal action for this reason. The most extreme end of this is bankruptcy, but anyone with a poor credit score might have this impact on their ability to take out a loan. You might not even know that you have a bad credit score until you try to take out a personal loan.

What do personal loans with bad credit involve?

While personal loans for those with bad credit are much the same as a standard loan, there are some important distinctions which need to be made:

People with poor credit will almost certainly have to pay a higher amount of interest on their personal loan, since they are a higher risk for the lender to take on.
Your options will be limited, since the very best loans and rates are saved for borrowers with a cleaner credit score.
Your credit rating isn’t the only factor which affects personal loan interest rates, either. Lenders look at a whole host of different things from your age and career, to whether you own any property or other significant assets.

What are my options for a personal loan with bad credit in the UK?

While it might seem like the odds are against you if you are applying for a personal loan with bad credit, you can nonetheless still get a loan from plenty of different lenders. In fact, most lenders will be happy to provide you with an unsecured personal loan such as Cashfloat. You might find that banks turn you down for a personal loan if you have a poor credit score, but other lenders will usually be able to help. It always pays to shop around, though, so look at all your options before you commit to a loan.

Secured vs unsecured personal loans in the UK

It’s also important to make clear the difference between the two major types of personal loans in the UK: secured and unsecured loans. A secured loan is one where your property is put up as collateral. If you default on the loan, then the lender has the authority to claim that property. The collateral might be your home, or it could be another high-value item such as a car. On the other hand, unsecured loans don’t involve any collateral. Since there’s no guarantee that the lender will get their money back, they usually come with higher interest rates. This is usually the only option available for borrowers with bad credit, so be aware of this before you apply.

Using a bad credit personal loan to boost your credit rating

So, bad credit personal loans come with higher interest rates, meaning you’ll be paying more than someone with a higher credit score. Naturally, the only way to get yourself out of this situation is to improve your credit score. How do you do that? Well, luckily, that bad credit personal loan could actually work to your advantage. By keeping up with your repayments, you’ll be able to boost your credit score, and get yourself back on track to a strong financial situation. This can be particularly useful if you’re looking to take out a mortgage, since poor credit could lead to your application being rejected outright by the bank or other lender. On the other hand, if you can show that you can even keep up with a personal loan with bad credit holding you back, then they will likely be happy to take your mortgage application on.

Further ways to boost your credit score

Keeping up with repayments on a bad credit personal loan isn’t the only way to improve your score, though. One easy way to boost your score, if you haven’t already, is to sign up to the electoral register. This proves that you live at your given address, and that’s something lenders like to see. You are a more stable borrower in their eyes if you are tied down to a single address. You should also avoid using your full credit limit if possible. That way, you’re showing that you are living within your means. Finally, make sure to regularly check your credit report, so that you are always completely clear about how your score is doing, and what you could do to further improve it.

Summary line

As you can see, then, it is possible to get a personal loan with bad credit in the UK. This does mean that you’ll have to pay higher interest rates on your personal loan. If you stay on top of things, though, you’ll be able to boost your credit rating, and work your way up to more favorable terms and rates. Just make sure you look at all your options, and only take out one loan at a time so that you can keep up with the repayments.

“Biggest Threat to US Is Trump, Not Iran”

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 24, 2018

“[Donald] Trump is wrong! Iran is no threat to the US nation,” tweeted Hesamoddin Ashna.

“Today, the biggest threat to the US is its president. Someone whose job is to sell lies and bully [others] is a danger not just to the US people but also to the international community,” he noted.

“People have sensed this danger,” Ashna wrote.

The remarks came as Iranian officials are scrambling to respond to Trump who late Sunday threatened Iran with “consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before” if it “threatens” the US.

Since starting his political career, the businessman-turned-politician Trump has been accused of making up lies prolifically.

According to a Washington Post report, Trump has made 2,140 false or misleading claims during his first year in office, an average of 5.9 a day.

Iran FM to Trump: BE CAUTIOUS!

By

IFP Media Wire

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July 24, 2018

“COLOR US UNIMPRESSED: The world heard even harsher bluster a few months ago. And Iranians have heard them —albeit more civilized ones—for 40 yrs. We’ve been around for millennia & seen fall of empires, including our own, which lasted more than the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS! ,” Tweeted Zarif on Monday.

Late on Sunday, Trump threatened Iran with what “few throughout history have suffered before.”

“NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE,” Trump wrote. “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”

Earlier on Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said the United States should know that peace with Iran will be the mother of all peace while war with the country will be the mother of all wars.

“The Americans should learn well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” President Rouhani said in a series of sharp remarks aimed at the US.

Under the administration of President Donald Trump, the US has taken an increasingly hostile approach toward Iran.

On May 8, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran over the objections of Europe as well as Russia and China — the other parties to the deal, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The withdrawal entailed not only the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran but also the so-called secondary sanctions on third countries. Some of those sanctions will take effect after a 90-day wind-down period ending on August 6, and the rest after a 180-day wind-down period ending on November 4.

Most recently, the Trump White House has announced that it seeks to supposedly bring Iran’s oil sales down to “zero.”

Iranian officials have said the US measures equal an “economic war” on Iran.

On Saturday, Zarif said the Islamic Republic has managed to thwart the Iranophobia plot hatched by Israel and the US through relying on the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s Quri Qala, Longest Cave in Middle East

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 23, 2018

The cave is located 25 km from Ravansar, on the slopes of Shahu Mountain, overlooking the Ravansar-Paveh road and in a village with the same name.

It was first explored in the 1950s, and in 1989 was further opened by an Iranian team. It has three main chambers, with calcite crystals, stalactites and waterfalls.

The cave is known for its colony of mouse-eared bats, and for a number of archaeological findings, including silver plates of the late Sassanid period.

Here you can see photos of the cave retrieved from Tasnim News Agency:

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A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on July 23

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 23, 2018

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

All papers today covered the harsh comments by President Hassan Rouhani against the US and its president, Donald Trump, who has threatened to cut Iran’s oil exports in coming months.

Also a top story was US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Sunday night address to a group of Iranian-American citizens of California, which was responded to by a huge number of tweets by Iranian people with the hashtag “StopMeddlingInIran”.

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

19 Dey:

1- Rouhani: We Don’t Seek War with Anybody