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“US Court Ruling against Iran Mocks Survivors, Families of 9/11 Victims”

In a Sunday statement, Qassemi accused the US court of issuing a politically-motivated ruling in absentia without any solid evidence or findings on the Iranian government or nationals’ involvement in the 9/11 attacks back in 2001.

He also reiterated Iran’s strong protest against such baseless rulings issued against Iran over the past years.

“Issuing such an absurd and unacceptable verdict mocks not only the international legal system but also the survivors and families of the victims of September 11 attacks,” he said.

The spokesman went on to say that the designers of this political game are seeking in vain to distort realities and change the result of legal proceedings in order to alter the final verdict in a stupid way.

He said such efforts are aimed at hiding the role of the main culprits behind the terrorist attacks and revising the history as they wish but all to no avail.

Qassemi underlined that the verdict stands in stark contradiction with all acceptable norms of international law which call for judicial impunity for all sates in the world.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran preserves the right to respond to the illegal procedures,” he concluded.

The statement came after a US federal judge in New York ordered Iran on Wednesday to pay about $6 billion to victims of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in Manhattan, despite a lack of evidence that Iran had anything to do with them.

The ruling finds the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran liable for the nearly 3,000 deaths that resulted from the attacks. The court alleges that Iran was engaged in training and assisting Al-Qaeda hijackers.

The 9/11 Commission – the organization tasked to investigate the attacks – has said there is no evidence indicating direct Iranian involvement. The only known connection is that several hijackers travelled through Iran on their way to Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, none of the hijackers were Iranian. Fifteen of the nineteen were Saudi, with the others coming from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon.

Israel in Worst Defence Situation: IRGC

In an address on Saturday, General Sharif said today the Middle East is undergoing a very sensitive situation due to the latest developments unfolding in the occupied lands.

“On the one hand, the US and its major ally in the region, Israel is pressing ahead with their plot to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds and on the other hand, the victories achieved by the Resistance Front in the region as well as the heavy defeat of ISIS and its sponsors have put the Zionist regime in its worst defence and psychological situation,” he was quoted as saying by Persian-language Khabar Online website.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the IRGC spokesman said the western and Zionist media emperors have sought to distract the world’s public opinion from the violence underway in the occupied lands.

The International Quds Day provides Muslim states with a good opportunity each year to remind the world of the crimes committed by the Zionist regime against the oppressed nation of Palestine, he added.

International Quds day held annually on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan in Islamic calendar year was initiated by the Islamic Republic of Iran back in 1979 to express support for the Palestinians.

The IRGC spokesman also said the Palestinian fight against the Zionist regime has gained momentum with the emergence of the third and fourth generations of Palestinians.

He blasted some regional states for putting their weight behind the US interferences in the regional developments and said such states have created divisions in the Muslim world.

“The Islamic Republic has been under pressure from the US and its regional allies for its leading role in fight against terrorism in the region. So, the country deems strengthening its defence capabilities as a deterrent measure against the pressure,” he noted.

Voting Begins in Lebanon in First General Election in 9 Years

Voting started at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and is scheduled to last until 7 p.m. (1600 GMT), with unofficial results expected to start coming in overnight and a formal tally announced in the coming days, Reuters reported.

Whatever the result, a new coalition government including most of the major parties is likely to be formed after the election, analysts have said.

Getting a new government in place quickly would reassure investors of Lebanon’s economic stability after donors pledged $11 billion in soft loans for a capital investment program last month, in return for fiscal and other reforms.

Lebanese are closely watching the performance of Prime Minister Sa’ad al-Hariri’s Future Movement party and the Arab country’s Hezbollah resistance movement.

“War on Iran Unlikely Given Islamic Republic’s Prowess”

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani made the remarks on Saturday amid some reports about Israel’s preparation for military action against Iran with US support.

“As the official in charge of the country’s national security body, I am explicitly and confidently announcing that the possibility of a war [against Iran] is ruled out because of enemies’ assessment of the Islamic Republic’s political strength, its military and security preparedness in domestic and foreign aspects as well as their lack of determination, coherence and operational capability,” Shamkhani added.

He also pointed to US President Donald Trump’s comments about a landmark nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015 and said any possible success or failure of the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is a political and security agreement endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, would be a “historic test to evaluate the effectiveness of the logic of dialogue instead of conflict.”

It would also test the efficiency of international bodies to solve various conflicts in the world through peaceful approaches, the senior Iranian official added.

“If the current US president does not accept the previous administration’s agreement and commitments, no other country will ever be willing to negotiate or reach an agreement with the US because it is likely that next administrations will also refuse the current administration’s promises,” the SNSC secretary said.

Trump, a long-time critic of the JCPOA, faces a May 12 deadline to decide whether to pull out of the agreement. Trump has repeatedly warned that he might ultimately terminate the agreement reached under his predecessor Barack Obama.

He said on January 12 that he wanted America’s European allies to use the 120-day period before sanctions relief again came up for renewal to agree to tougher measures and new conditions; otherwise Washington would pull out of the deal.

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

Trump’s threats against the JCPOA come as the other parties to the agreement have all criticized the US president’s hostile views and said the deal is sound and has proven to be functioning.

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that a possible US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal could lead to a war.

In an interview with Der Spiegel, Macron pointed to the US president’s threats to abandon the nuclear agreement and said, “That would mean opening Pandora’s box, it could mean war.”

A senior Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday that any violation of the multilateral nuclear deal would further undermine America’s standing in the world.

“Any violation of or threat to violate the JCPOA by the US will practically tarnish the country’s international credibility and will prove that the US cannot be trusted in the international scene,” Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi said.

Iran Renews Call for Global Fight against Terrorism, Extremism

In an address to the International Conference on Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism in Tajikistan on Saturday, Dehghani described Iran as one of the main victims of terrorism and said over 17,000 in Iran have fallen victim to terror.

He then elaborated on Iran’s achievements in fight against terror and underlined the urgent need for a global commitment to eradicate terrorism and extremism across the world.

The Iranian diplomat noted that to achieve the goal, international cooperation, serious political will and appropriate regional mechanisms taken by all regional states are highly significant.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Dehghani blamed foreign aggression and land occupation for creation of the current extremism in the world and said the 70-year occupation of Palestinian lands should be dealt with seriously by international bodies.

“Meanwhile, military adventurism of some states which have paved the way for the current insecurity in the world over the past 15 years should come to an end,” he noted.

The Iranian deputy foreign minister called for in-depth studies on the roots of extremism and terrorism, saying that Takfiri ideology leads to spread of hatred among nations.

He underlined the urgency of adopting some critical measures in this area including alleviating poverty, creating more jobs, not sidelining any section of the society, cutting the financial sources of terrorists, creating transparency, avoiding double standards in fight against terrorism and extremism and ending any misuse of media outlets and social media for spreading extremism and terrorism.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on November 19

The top story in all papers today was the remarks made in a video message by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about the European countries’ idea of a new deal on Tehran’s missile program.

Also a top story was President Hassan Rouhani’s strong criticism of the Judiciary’s move to block the popular messaging app Telegram.

A number of conservative papers also highlighted the French police’s brutality against the journalists of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) who were severely attacked during the recent protests.

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

 

19 Dey:

  • Zarif: We Are the Ones Who Should Be Protesting, Not the West
  • Analyst: Zarif’s Video Message Put the Ball in US Court

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Abrar:

  • Zarif: US to Be Responsible for Consequences of Pulling Out of JCPOA
  • Lavrov: Opportunity of Non-Proliferation to Be Missed If JCPOA Cancelled

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Aftab-e Yazd:

  • Turkey’s Hillary
  • Turkish Woman Meral Akşener Main Rival of Erdogan in Early Elections

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Arman-e Emrooz:

  • Rouhani Calls for Publicising Names of Those Who Blocked Telegram

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Asrar:

  • Zarif: Implementing Iran Nuclear Deal Only Way US Has

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Ebtekar:

  • Netanyahu’s TV Show with Closed Case
  • Post-Telegram Days!

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Etemad:

  • Government Officials Use Twitter to Protest against Restrictions on Telegram
  • New Scenario on Table: Europe Preparing for JCPOA Minus US

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Ettela’at:

  • Zarif: We Won’t Renegotiate Iran Nuclear Deal
  • US Army’s Commandos Enter Yemen War to Support Saudi Arabia

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Iran:

  • Zarif in Video Message to JCPOA Parties: No Bargaining

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Javan:

  • Zarif: We Won’t Accept Any Change to JCPOA or Any Supplementary Deal
  • Netanyahu’s Anti-Iran Show Mocked
  • France’s Crackdown on Freedom, Celebrities
  • Iranian Journalist in a Coma after Being Shot by French Police
  • Nothing Heard of Such Brutality in Iran, World Media

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Jomhouri Eslami:

  • Asian, European Parties to Iran Nuclear Deal against Trump’s Violation of Its Commitments
  • 456,000 Iranian, Foreign Books Released in 31st Tehran International Book Fair
  • UAE Army Occupies Yemeni Island

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Kayhan:

  • Europe Offering Ransom to US Out of “Iran’s Pocket” on Pretext of Preserving Iran Deal
  • Kayhan Chief: Which Deal Are They Going to Withdraw from? Nothing Left of JCPOA!

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Khorasan:

  • Either This JCPOA or Nothing; Zarif’s Decisive Response to EU’s Package

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Resalat:

  • Haddad Adel: Political Islam’s Power a Nightmare for West

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Sazandegi:

  • Criticisms Raised against Grandchildren of Imam Khomeini
  • Conservatives Blast Ahmad Khomeini for “Luxurious” Ceremony

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Shahrvand:

  • Amazing Gold Reserves Kept in Iranian Houses

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Shargh:

  • Swiss Ambassador to Tehran: JCPOA Implementation Can Continue without US
  • One Week to Trump’s Decision on Iran Nuclear Deal
  • Zarif: We’ll Never Ever Renegotiate the Accord

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5


 

Sobh-e Now:

  • IRIB Correspondent in Paris Talks of Being Shot by French Police

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 5

Iran’s Table Tennis Makes History by Advancing to Top Division of WTTC

Iranian table tennis player Amin Ahmadian / Photo by Ireneusz Kanabrodzki

The Iranian side, composed of Nima Alamian, Noshad Alamian, Afshin Norouzi, Miad Lotfi and Amin Ahmadian, trounced Ukraine 3-1 on Saturday.

It is the first time after the 1979 Revolution that the Iranian table tennis team advances to the top level of the prestigious international sports event, according to a Farsi report by Varzesh3 website.

In group stage, Iran defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 (3-0,3-0,3-0), lost to Kazakhstan 2-3 (3-0,1-3,3-0,2-3,1-3), edged past USA 3-2 (2-3,3-0,0-3,3-1,3-0), defeated Spain 3-0 (3-1,3-2,3-2), and finally beat Luxemburg 3-0 (3-1,3-0,3-1) in its last match.

The competition was attended by 72 teams from across the world.

The first division is called the Championships Division, made up of the best 24 teams which are divided into four groups of six teams for the first stage of the event.

The final winner of this division will be crowned world champion.

The Men’s team tournament of the 2018 World Team Table Tennis Championships got underway on April 29 and will run until May 6, 2018 in Halmstad, Sweden.

Iran’s women’s team, meanwhile, lost to Chile 3-2 and failed to qualify for the semi-final.

Iran Blames Chinese Ship for Sanchi Oil Tanker Tragedy

The head of the committee, Nader Pasandeh, told a press conference on Saturday that Iran, Bangladesh and Panama, under whose flag the Sanchi was sailing, believe that the worst oil ship disaster in decades would have not happened if the CF Crystal had not changed its direction.

“A change of direction by CF Cristal fifteen minutes before the incident enabled the collision,” he said, according to a Farsi report by Tasnim.

Speaking four months after the deadly incident, Pasandeh also said both ships have failed to observe the risk of collision and take preventive measures.

This is while China and Hong Kong, the other countries who were entitled to examine the incident, have blamed the Iranian oil tanker for the incident.

The Panama-registered tanker – run by Iran’s top oil shipping operator, NITC – collided with the freighter CF Crystal off the Eastern coast of China on January 6, killing 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis.

The Sanchi – which was sailing from Iran to South Korea carrying 136,000 tons of condensate – sank on January 14 after drifting ablaze for more than a week.

Iran Commemorates First Anniversary of Deadly Mine Blast

Iran, Oman to Hold Joint Maritime Drill

The agreement came following the 14th meeting of Iran-Oman joint military commission in Tehran on Saturday, aimed at discussing military and security cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was co-chaired by Brigadier General Qadir Nezami, the Deputy Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces for International Affairs, and Brigadier General Hamad bin Rashid al Balushi, an Assistant SAF Chief of Staff for Operations and Planning.

Units of the Iranian Navy, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and border police, as well as the Royal Navy of Oman and the Royal Oman Police will participate in the drill, according to a Farsi report by Tasnim.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Nezami said Tehran-Muscat military cooperation is “one of the most stable” ones in the region.

Oman has traditionally been on friendly terms with Iran, distancing itself from other Persian Gulf countries which hold cold relations with Tehran.

Muscat has often sought to conciliate disputes between Tehran and its Arab neighbours, as well as Western capitals.