Israel Violated UNSC Resolution on 33-Day War 11,000 Times: Aoun

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December 19, 2017

Aoun made the remarks in a statement released after he met with Acting UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Pernille Dahler Kardel.

Michel Aoun has told UN Coordinator that Tel Aviv has violated the Lebanese border 11,000 times [from 2000] until today and it is continuing such violations consistently.

“Beirut, as a response to this, is only defending itself, complying with UN Resolution 1701,” added Aoun, according to a Farsi report by Al Alam News Network.

The UN designated a Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel after Israeli regime troops’ withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Since then, Lebanon has complained repeatedly of Israeli border violations, especially of its airspace.

Israel’s preparations to build a wall on the Lebanese border line are also worrying and do not comply with international border rules, the statement added.

The 33-day war on Lebanon began in 2006 with the Israeli army launching airstrikes against Lebanese cities as well as the positions of the resistance movement Hezbollah. The war resulted in the demolition of thousands of homes and the deaths of over 1,000 Lebanese civilians.

Some 162 Israelis, including 119 soldiers, were also killed during the fighting. As Tel Aviv realized that it could not bomb Hezbollah into submission, it accepted UN Resolution 1701 to end the war.

Iran Parliament Okays $50bn in Financing for Next Year’s Budget Bill

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 19, 2017

Iranian Parliamentarian Mohammad Hosseini says lawmakers have approved a higher ceiling for “financing” than the one proposed by the government to be incorporated into the annual spending package for the next Iranian fiscal year beginning March 21, 2018.

“In the [budget] bill, the government had envisioned $30 billion in financing, but the figure […] was raised to $50 billion. However, [permission] to use the finances left from the previous year was omitted,” said Hosseini as quoted in a Farsi report by ICANA.

The legislators were reviewing the details of the next year’s proposed budget.

They studied proposed sources of national income as envisaged in the document. Some of the budget bill’s clauses and notes were studied, and some were postponed until later to be reviewed.

China to Fund Construction of 5 Hospitals in Iran

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 19, 2017

The agreement was signed on Monday during a visit of Iran’s Health and Medical Education Minister Seyyed Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi to Beijing.

It was inked by top economic advisor to the Iranian Health Ministry and a number of Chinese companies, a Farsi report by IRNA said.

China Development Bank and China’s Exim Bank will fund the construction of the hospitals in Iran.

According to the agreements, China is set to establish two 1,000-bed hospitals for Shahid Beheshti University, a 1,000-bed hospital for Iran’s University of Medical Sciences, and a 330-bed hospital and a 540-bed hospital for Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education is set to oversee the construction of the hospitals. The process is expected to last about four years.

The Iranian minister arrived in Beijing on Sunday at the top of a delegation comprising Health Ministry officials as well as Health Commission of Parliament for a three-day visit.

During the visit, the delegation participated in the first gathering of Iranian scientific society in China, paid a visit to Beijing National Hospital and made a tour of a traditional medical hospital.

The Iranian minister also held talks with his Chinese counterpart.

Before arriving in China, Qazizadeh visited Seoul. During his visit to the South Korean capital, the Iranian delegation visited several hospitals and medical equipment centres and signed seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs).

FM Zarif Dismisses Claims about Iran’s Bid to Revive Persian Empire

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IFP Media Wire

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December 19, 2017

“The narrative and formatting of some media and writings that Iran is seeking to revive its ancient empire and expand its territorial sphere of influence is all the false and groundless presumptions that have been concocted to be knit into the Iranophobia project,” he said Monday.

Zarif made the remarks during his address to a conference held in Tehran on the history of Iran’s foreign relations, which was attended by a number of foreign diplomats and ambassadors as well as researchers.

Last month, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian echoed during a joint news conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir Riyadh’s accusations that Iran had “hegemonic” intentions in the region.

Zarif told the “international and regional rabble-rousers to read a bit about the history of the Iranian people’s resistance.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the territorial integrity of the countries of the region and their independence. We see our interests in a powerful, advanced and stable region,” he said.

Zarif outlined Iran’s foreign policies, saying the country should always maintain “distrust in arrogant powers and friendship and engagement with neighbors.”

Western powers and their allies in the region are worried about what they call an Iranian “arc of influence” stretching from Lebanon and Syria in the Levant, to Iraq and Bahrain on the Persian Gulf, to Yemen on the Red Sea.

Those worries have especially increased in the wake of Iran’s successful military advisory assistance to Iraq and Syria to neuter a foreign-backed insurgency in the two Arab countries.

PUIC Rejects US Recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s Capital

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 19, 2017

The statement, which was issued on Monday at the conclusion of the PUIC meeting in Tehran, came in response to US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli regime’s capital.

According to a Farsi report by ICANA, the meeting was attended by parliament speakers of Iran, Iraq and Mali as well as members of the PUCI’S Pa lestine Committee and a host of Muslim countries’ ambassadors to Tehran.

In the statement, the Troika members underlined that the statement issued by the PUCI’S Palestine Committee will serve as complement to the Troika statement.

The Troika statement categorically rejected Washington’s decision, and dismissed it as blatant encroachment upon the Palestinian nation’s inalienable rights.

“The decision is an invalid move which has hurt the feelings of all Muslims, Christians and freedom-seekers across the world,” read the statement.

The Troika members also underlined the necessity of unflinching support for the Palestinian nation’s ongoing struggles.

The statement also read that Palestinians are entitled to resistance against Israeli atrocities in order to secure their legal rights, including Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homeland and the right to establish a Palestinian government.

The Troika also called on the Inter-Parliamentary Union to revoke the membership of the Israeli Knesset.

In the statement, the Troika underlined that all Palestinians kidnapped or imprisoned by the Tel Aviv regime as well as the ones under administrative detention must be released.

The Troika urged the member states which have political and economic ties with Israel to suspend their relations over Washington’s decision.

The Troika also called on all PUIC member states to actively participate in the 13^th meeting of the union’s parliament speakers scheduled for January 13-17 in Tehran with “al-Quds” as the main theme of the event.

“Over 3,500 Palestinians Wounded by Israelis in Anti-US Protests”

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 19, 2017

US President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds, which amounts to the recognition of the latter as Israel’s capital, has resulted in human costs as well.

According the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, at least 3,431 Palestinians have been wounded by Israeli security forces since demonstrations at Trump’s decision started in the West Bank, reports the Persian-language Al-Alam website.

As many as 187 people have also been wounded in the Gaza Strip.

The US recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli regime’s capital has triggered worldwide condemnations and protests.

Iran Raps US Veto of UNSC Resolution on Trump’s Jerusalem Decision

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 18, 2017

Given the US’ hostile and racist policy of unilaterally supporting the occupying regime of Israel, there was no doubt that Washington would obstruct the resolution drafted by Egypt as the only Arab state at the UN Security Council, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said in a Monday statement.

Stressing that the US veto came amid the efforts of Muslim states to prevent such moves, Qassemi said the US undoubtedly opposes any plan that would hinder Trump’s recent decision on Jerusalem al-Quds.

“The US government’s provocative and unwise decision to recognise Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of the occupying Zionist regime had proved the country’s non-commitment to international resolutions, and now its veto of the resolution showed that Washington is seeking a compromisable solution by violating the legitimate rights of all Palestinians,” he added.

He also noted that the veto was another move to protect the interests of the Israeli regime despite the support of the other 14 members of the Security Council.

“We once again stress that the US decision to recognise this city as the capital of the occupying regime is a flagrant violation of international resolutions. Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the act and calls on the international community and all the countries in the world to prevent its implementation so as to preserve international peace and security,” underlined Qassemi.

Washington’s decision, he said, will only serve the interests of the Zionist regime and adds fuel to the flames of a new sedition in the region.

FM Zarif to Attend Iran-Turkey-Azerbaijan Trilateral Meeting in Baku

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 18, 2017

The meeting, which is slated for December 20, will be the fifth meeting between the foreign ministers of the three countries, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Monday.

During the meeting, the participants will exchange views on a broad range of issues in various economic fields including transit, transportation, energy, and customs, he said.

Qassemi added that other issues of mutual interest in technical and business fields as well as political cooperation particularly on regional issues like contributing to further peace and stability in the region are also high on the agenda.

Iran Vows to Continue Supporting Syria

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IFP Media Wire

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December 18, 2017

Iran, at the best of the legitimate government of Syria, will continue its advisory presence in Syria until all terrorist groups in the Arab country are rooted out, Shamkhani said on Monday addressing a conference in Iran’s western province of Kurdistan.

Referring to the recent developments in the region and the Daesh (also known as ISIL) terrorist group and its allies’ successive failures, he said Iran, in cooperation with the region’s sovereign states, will tap new political and security potentials to counter any terror-related threats and open a new chapter in regional cooperation.

In recent years, the Middle East region has been plagued with Takfiri terrorist groups like Daesh, which are believed to have been created and supported by the West and some regional Arab countries.

The terrorist groups, which claim to be Islamic but whose actions are anything but, have been committing heinous crimes not only against non-Muslims but mostly against Muslims in the region. Iraq and Syria are among the countries gripped by terrorism.

Iran, a close ally of the two countries, has played a major role in uprooting terrorism in Iraq and Syria by maintaining an advisory presence in the region and supporting their legitimate governments in their campaign against foreign-backed militancy and terrorism.

Famous Icelandic Composer Amazed by Iran’s Beauties

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IFP Editorial Staff

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December 18, 2017

After his concert in capital Tehran, Arnalds travelled to the historic city of Shiraz in the south. Totally satisfied with his trip to Iran, he has published photos of the places he visited on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

He has shared a photo of Persepolis with a caption reading: “Persepolis! Long time dream come true to visit this place…”

The young composer also published a photo of Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz, saying “Every day in this country I get completely speechless…If only the world would know.”

He has also visited Darband – a popular hiking resort near Tehran – and the Tehran Grand Bazaar describing them as the attractions of capital on his page.

At the end of his journey, the artist wrote a comment saying, “Leaving Iran with so much love in my heart.”

During the tour, he gave five concerts in Tehran last week and another one in Shiraz which were widely welcomed by the audience.

Ólafur Arnalds, born in 1986, is a BAFTA-winning multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland, with many fans around the world. Arnalds mixes strings and piano with loops and beats crossing over from ambient/electronic to pop.

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