Monday, April 13, 2026
type here...
Home Blog Page 3937

Qataris Holding Secret Meetings with Saudi King

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s ruling family, was the one who held the first secret meetings with Saudi King Salman in Morocco and also his crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.

In a post on his twitter account, Sheikh Abdullah publicly confirmed the reports and unveiled his reasons for holding talks with the Saudi royal family.

He said the meetings were mainly focused on facilitating the travel of Qatari pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform their annual Hajj rituals.

“During the meetings, I didn’t raise any personal issue with King Salman or his crown prince. Our main goal during the meetings was to explore ways to facilitate the travel of Qatari pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for annual Hajj. King Salman gave me a positive reply by issuing an immediate order to establish an emergency unit to offer special services to Qatari pilgrims,” he wrote.

Following the meetings, the Saudi King said he will mobilize all the kingdom’s potentials to enable Hajj pilgrims to perform their Hajj rituals with ease and peace of mind.

Meanwhile, he also allowed Qatari pilgrims to enter the Kingdom via Salwa border post so as to perform their Hajj ritual as well as allowed all Qatari citizens, who wish to enter the Kingdom to perform Hajj without e-permits.

In reaction to Sheikh Abdullah’s tweet, more than 240 thousand social media users turned to twitter and expressed thank for his efforts to mediate between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. But on the other side, some users created hashtags to express their opposition to Abdullah’s visit. They also threatened Abdullah that he should pay a price for his visit.

This comes as Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, says Sheikh Abdullah’s visit was not official.

However, the scenario of secret talks between Qatari and Saudi officials continued with new reports saying King Salman has held secret talks with a top military commander in Morocco.

The talks between King Salman and General Tayeb Oral Oğlu, who is originally from Turkey, were held at the king’s residence in Morocco.

Oral Oğlu was appointed as the plenipotentiary head of Qatar’s armed forces on July 10 by Qatar’s Emir for six months, but the term can be renewed.

Morocco’s media wrote the general arrived in Morocco at the order of Qatari emir and held talks for 40 hours with King Salman on the latest diplomatic row between Qatar and some Arab states.

During the talks, the media reports said, the commander expressed thanks to Saudi officials for allowing Qatari pilgrims to enter the country to perform annual Hajj without e-permit.

Arriving on a Saudi plane in Morocco, he also held talks with Deputy Manager of Saudi Arabia’s Intelligence Organization.

Iran Deputy FM, Lebanese President Meet in Beirut

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The meeting was held on August 21, 2017 at Lebanon’s Presidential Palace where the two sides discussed developments in the Arab country as well Tehran-Beirut relations.

The top Iranian diplomat conveyed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s greetings to his Lebanese counterpart, and praised the Lebanese people, government and army’s key role in fighting terror and countering the Israeli occupation.

Jaberi Ansari said the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s priorities during Rouhani’s second term as president are to boost regional cooperation and give fresh impetus to economic diplomacy, adding Iran pays due regard to Lebanon in that respect.

For his part, the Lebanese president said his country is largely affected by regional crises, especially the conflict in Syria.

He then highlighted the domestic achievements secured thanks to a national consensus in Lebanon on fighting terrorism as well as the approval of the new election law.

At this juncture, Aoun said, one of the Lebanese government’s priorities would be to address economic problems in the country.

He also asked Jaberi Ansari to convey his greetings to President Rouhani and congratulated him on the beginning of his second tenure as Iran’s president while emphasizing the need for closer cooperation between the two sides.

Iran to Present Science Award in Memory of Maryam Mirzakhani

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Maryam Mirzakhani

Iranian Minister of Science, Research and Technology Mohammad Farhadi announced his ministry intends to give young women engaged in different fields of science an annual international award titled “Mirzakhani” as of the beginning of new school year (to start September 23).

The award is named after Maryam Mirzakhani, the late Iranian mathematician and university professor and the only female winner of the prestigious Fields Medal, who passed away on July 14, 2017, of breast cancer at the age of 40.

According to a Farsi report by the Ettelaat daily newspaper, Farhadi made the announcement on the sidelines of the first edition of “Women’s Award in Science”, which was held in the National Library of Iran in Tehran.

Addressing the ceremony, Farhadi stressed that “Women’s Award in Science” will be handed out every year.

“Today, there are a large number of female managers in many of the country’s research centres and knowledge-based companies.”

He said in the 1990s, female faculty members in Iran did not have the change to reach a level higher than an instructor.

However, he added, since 2011, they have achieved higher levels to become full professor in domestic and foreign universities.

The minister noted that currently, a number of Iranian female university professors are ranked among the world’s top scientists.

Addressing the same ceremony, new Vice-President for Women and Family Affairs Massoumeh Ebtekar said women have proven that gender fails to be an obstacle to gaining knowledge.

She added today, adopting knowledge-oriented approaches is the main basis for gaining power.

“The only countries that have managed to make advances in different fields are those that have developed science-oriented plans.”

She added during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s previous term in office, a plan was approved mandating that women must be appointed to 30 percent of the managerial posts of the country thanks to efforts by the former vice-president for women and family affairs, Shahindokht Molaverdi.

“Nevertheless, we, at present, unfortunately cannot witness a significant presence by women in the higher managerial echelons of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education and domestic universities.”

Commemorating Mirzakhani, she said she was a prominent scientist in the field of fundamental sciences who had achieved an international level.

“I believe that today, serious plans are required to be drawn up concerning the issue of young women’s education. They are required to receive more applied education so that they can enter the job market at a more rapid pace.”

Elaheh Majazi, an advisor to the Iranian minister of science, research and technology, also told the audiences, “We believe that the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology is the main source of producing science and the country’s university professors and students as well researchers are the main producers of knowledge.”

Commenting on the ceremony where she was delivering her speech, she said the primary idea for handing out this award was produced last Iranian year (started mid-March 2016).

“At that time, we shared the idea with the minister of science. He welcomed it. The main purpose of this award is to express appreciation for women involved in different scientific fields.”

Women constitute close to 17 percent of the faculty members of Iranian universities, she added

Drug-Trafficking Band Smashed in Iran’s Capital

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Brigadier General Hossein Rahimi, the provincial police chief, has said that Tehran police forces have annihilated a big international drug trafficking band which had smuggled 1.6 tons of narcotics to the Iranian capital.

According to a Farsi report by ISNA, five members of the group, who had imported the narcotics from the country’s southeastern borders in Sistan and Baluchestan province and had carried the cargo across Iran’s central deserts to the suburbs of Tehran, were identified and arrested by intelligent forces of the provincial anti-narcotics police.

“Only one member of the band has not yet been captured as he is not [currently] in the country. Moves are underway to seize him.”

Rahimi said in recent operations by the provincial police forces to fight drug-traffickers, 200 retailers of narcotics were arrested and 85 kilograms of different kinds of opioid-based drugs were seized.

Tehran police chief also noted that a marijuana distributing band has also been smashed recently.

The members of this band, who were both arrested, used the cyberspace and real space to sell their drugs.

In recent operations by the provincial police, more than 60 bottles of alcoholic beverages, scores of kilograms of opium and a number of melee weapons as well as guns belonging to drug traffickers were seized.

In addition to fighting large-scale dealers and drug-trafficking bands, he added, combatting retailers is also a priority for Tehran’s police.

“We will resolutely continue to tackle the drug trafficking problem.”

IRGC Congratulates Army General on Appointment as Iran DM

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

In its Monday statement, the IRGC expressed its pleasure with the huge number of votes of confidence General Hatami received from Iranian lawmakers on Sunday to become the new defence minister, and sincerely congratulated him on taking the office.

“There is no doubt that your presence […] promises the reinforcement of the Defence Ministry’s approaches and plans to further develop and upgrade the Islamic Republic’s defence industry,” the statement added.

It further hailed General Hatami’s appointment and said he will support the Islamic Republic’s Armed Forces in strengthening the country’s deterrence and defensive power with a focus on ‘missile capabilities’ and support for ‘the Islamic resistance front’ in countering ‘proxy wars’ and ‘Takfiri terrorism’ in the region.

“The Iranian nation will witness its manifestation in the Army and IRGC missions,” the statement added.

The IRGC also voiced its preparedness to provide the Defence Ministry with any kind of help, and wished success for Hatami and his hardworking colleagues in Iran’s defence industry.

General Hatami is the first Army general serving as Iran’s defence minister after the end of Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. After receiving the greatest vote of confidence (over 260 votes) from the Parliament on Sunday, he went to his office at the Defence Ministry to replace Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan.

Later on Sunday, General Dehqan was appointed by Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as a defence industries advisor to the Chief Commander of the Iranian Armed Forces.

‘Mosques Should Unite People from All Walks of Life’

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
General Soleimani-2

Speaking at a conference on mosques, General Soleimani said prayer leaders at mosques should be able to attract all people, regardless of their political tendencies.

Efforts should be made to make everybody interested in mosques, including those who observe the Islamic dress code and those who do not care much about the Islamic headscarf, he noted.

“Why do you keep dividing people into the ones who care about hijab and the ones who don’t? Why do you term people as conservative or reformist? Who else would be left for us?” he went on to say.

“All children are not the same; it is rather the head of the family who should gather them together. Prayer leaders should be able to attract all people, regardless of their hijab,” General Soleimani noted.

He went on to say that individuals such as martyr Mohsen Hojaji were brought up and nurtured at mosques, according to a Farsi report by ISNA.

General Soleimani said all the differences between the Muslim world and the West are over mosques, and added the Islamic community’s religious and political life hinges on mosques.

“Today, countering cultural inroads has become more complicated and more unstable than in the past, and we should pay attention to the Leader [of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei]’s demands in this regard,” said the top commander.

“Today, we are facing cultural encroachments upon our society. The mosque is a place where defenders of holy shrines and individuals making sacrifices for the society are trained. Such a thing does not happen within governmental and parliamentary structures, but at mosques. We owe our success during the Holy Defence era (the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in the 1980s) to mosques and imams,” General Soleimani stressed.

He underlined that due attention should be paid to mosques and the enemy should not be allowed to infiltrate into mosques.

“We are facing two dangers: one is ‘religious sedition’ which is a domestic threat, and the other is ‘encroachment upon the Muslim world’ which is a foreign threat,” he noted.

“There are many mosques in Jordan and Egypt, but they are indifferent toward the Israeli regime’s actions,” said the general.

He underlined the need to protect mosques, saying, “Mosques are bases, and have an impact on the whole society.”

“The number of mosques is not important, but we should know that our revolution depends on mosques.”

“We pay as much attention to our interests as those of Iraq. We have not been seeking to seize oil wells and capture Mosul and Kirkuk,” he said.

The top general then said Iran does not act based on whether or not a community is Shiite or Sunni.

“99% of Palestinians are Sunnis, but we are defending them.”

“Iran has never created crises and nurtured Takfirism,” he said.

General Soleimani said Saudi Arabia created terrorist groups, but Iran helped ensure stability in Syria.

“We averted a religious war with [the help of] religion, not with military power.”

He also underlined the Leader’s guidelines in safeguarding the Islamic Revolution and countering terrorists and Takfiris.

Iranians Hold Balloon Festival in Memory of Syrian Children

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Citizens of Bojnourd gathered in the Besh Qardash Park on Friday to take part in the balloon festival held to commemorate the poor and innocent children of al-Foua and Kefraya besieged by the Takfiri terrorists.

Terrorists have for several years blocked humanitarian aid deliveries to the towns, where more than 7,000 Syrian civilians are trapped in an area of no more than 10 square kilometres.

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the civilians there, most of them women and children, lack the basic livelihood needs, including food and medicine and clean drinking water, and are in catastrophic situation.

Here are Mehr’s photos of the festival:

Shams-ol-Emareh; 150-Year-Old Palace in Heart of Tehran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, inspired in one of his foreign visits by the multi-storey buildings he observed there, ordered Doostali Khan Nezam od-Dowleh (Moayer al-Mamalek) to build the palace, whose construction finished in 1867.

Shams-ol-Emareh, which was well planned and adorned with various decorations such as stucco, mirror works, tile works, and murals, is one of the most beautiful historical buildings in Tehran.

Here are Tasnim’s photos of the palace, which is located in the eastern section of Golestan palace:

12-Metre-Long Whale Washes Up Dead on Iranian Coast

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Saman Qassemi, the head of Bandar Lengeh Department of Environment, said the 12-metre-long and 10-tonne Bryde’s whale was found stranded on Saturday, August 19.

According to a Farsi report by ISNA, these whales can swim as fast as 25 kilometres per hour and as deep as 300 metres down the sea.

Qassemi says they are usually found worldwide in warm temperate and tropical waters, including the Persian Gulf, and Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.

They are usually killed after being hit by fishing instruments and vessels, he went on to say.

App Store Once Again Removes Iranian Apps

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The American company has removed applications of several online businesses including Delion (food delivery service), DigiKala (Amazon-like retailer), AloPeyk (parcel delivery service), Takhfifan (group buying website), and Alibaba (online travel agency).

In the early hours of August 19, CEOs of the several local businesses received an email from Apple, which reads as follows:

“We are unable to include your app on the App Store. Under the US sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute, or do business with apps or developers connected to certain US embargoed countries.”

The statement further adds “This area of law is complex and constantly changing. If the existing restrictions shift, we encourage you to resubmit your app for inclusion on the App Store.”

Independent observers are of the strong opinion that Apple is randomly targeting Iranian startups and online applications.

CEO and founder of Delion, Mahdi Taghizade told Financial Tribune “There is no pattern to Apple’s new move.

“While Delion and several other applications have been removed, hundreds of other Iranian apps are still available on App Store.”

 

app store

 

Not all businesses received the written message from Apple. Deputy director of Digikala, Firooz Aghazadeh, told the Tribune that he received a phone call from the American firm.

Alopeyk, one of Iran’s leading parcel delivery services, received a similar message midnight on August 19. The company’s CEO and founder Mehdi Nayebi immediately contacted Apple. Again the US company refused to provide further details.

Nayebi said “When I inquired why only some Iranian apps have been targeted while hundreds (including some internationally known names) are still available on App Store, the Apple operator did not respond.”

This is not the first time that Apple has removed Iranian apps from App Store. None of the previous incidents were permanent and after a while the applications were again available on App Store a few days later.

In January, Apple began removing several applications from its store including DigiKala and the Shaparak payment system app. Prior to that in previous years most Iranian apps were blocked from being loaded on to the service.

The random targeting of startups and developers have left Iranian application companies completely bemused.

Social media users on Twitter are also watching the strange and unacceptable ways of the American tech giant, with several other application developers fearing their hard work may be pulled off the iOS store without notice.

One user going by the handle IRC Feeds, messaged Apple directly, saying “Are you pulling apps from iOS store because they are based in Iran? A dev[eloper] I know in Iran is concerned.”

The latest move by Apple comes on the heels of a recent point made by President Hassan Rouhani and the US’ parvenu ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.

On August 16, Haley said Iran must be held responsible for “its missile launches, support for terrorism, disregard for human rights, and violations of UN Security Council resolutions.”

Haley was responding to Hassan Rouhani, who said earlier on Tuesday that Iran could abandon its nuclear agreement with world powers “within hours” if the US imposes any more new sanctions.

1...3,9363,9373,938...5,149Page 3,937 of 5,149

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks