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Tajikistan Opposed to Iran’s Full SCO Membership

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday he hoped Iran’s SCO membership process would start in June.

“Next in line, many have said this today, is Iran, which as you know has settled the issues related with Security Council sanctions. It now fully meets the criteria for SCO membership,” Sputnik quoted Lavrov as saying.

“We hope that in Astana in June, the heads of state will consider the issue of how to launch the process of including Iran as a full member,” the Russian top diplomat said in Kazakhstan.

That would give Iran formal ties to Russia and China, the two leading powers in an organization often regarded as “a counterbalance to the Western-dominated international institutions that have held sway since the end of the Second World War,” as Newsweek put it.

SCO nations cooperate militarily and economically, although the organization doesn’t guarantee mutual defence the way NATO does.

Russian President Putin’s special envoy to SCO, however, said some other members of the organization oppose Iran’s accession, according to the Russian news agency Tass.

“We stand for this firmly and consistently, and we are open about it,” Bakhtiyer Khakimov said, but added that certain partners have a different stance on the matter, and a consensus is needed for the decision to be made.”

SCOAccording to a report by IFP, Tajikistan is said to be one of the main opponents of Iran’s accession. The two countries have many commonalities, including their ancient Persian culture and language, and used to have the closest and most stable relations.

However, these warm relations took a nosedive in late December 2015 on the issue of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan. While the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) was considered by the Tajik government as a banned party, its leader Muhiddin Kabiri was invited to an international conference in Tehran, and this outraged the Central Asian state.

That seems to be the reason why Tajikistan declared its opposition to Russia’s proposal to turn the issue of Iran’s status conversion before the plenary summit of heads.

Iran has held an observer status at SCO since 2005. Last June, SCO members failed to reach a consensus on Iran’s accession. But now Tehran is trying to leverage its improved ties with Moscow to become a full member.

The SCO is an intergovernmental economic, political and military alliance composed of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Afghanistan, Mongolia and Belarus are also observer members.

It was founded in China in 2001 to foster confidence-building between Central Asian republics to demilitarize borders and enhance cooperation in the fight against militant groups. But it has broadened its mandate beyond counterterrorism and intelligence sharing and also functions as a counterweight to similar Western allied organizations.

The formal process of India and Pakistan joining as full SCO members began last year.

Iran Claims Title in Asian Junior Taekwondo Championships

By
IFP Media Wire
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The Iranian squad (13 medals) was followed by South Korea and Thailand which stood second and third, respectively, with 15 (eight golds, four silvers and three bronzes) and six (two golds, two silvers and two bronzes) medals at the end of the three-day tournament which was held with the participation 246 taekwondokas from 22 countries during April 19-21, Tasnim News Agency reported.

Khazakhstan and the Philippines stood fourth and fifth, respectively.

Iran’s medals were snatched by Zahra Shojaei (women’s -63kg), Mobina Shakeri (women’s -55kg), Mobina Nejad (women’s -42kg), Zahra Alizadeh (women’s -46kg), Zahra Pour-Esmaeel (women’s +68kg), Yalda Valinejad (women’s -59kg), Hamed Asghari (men’s -51kg), Hamidreza Hadian (men’s -59kg) and Mohammad-Hossein Yazdani (men’s -73kg).

Mahla Momenzadeh (women’s -44kg), Hamidreza Sadri (men’s -48) and Ahmadreza Mokhtari (men’s -68kg) won the Iranian team’s three silver medals.

Iran’s sole bronze was collected by in the men’s -59kg division.

It was the very first time that Iran women’s team managed to win the title in an Asian junior taekwondo meet.

At the end of the tournament, Iran women’s team head coach Azam Dorosty was selected as the best coach of the tournament.

Iranian Nationals in Britain Reject Rumours of Bank Account Closure

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Following the spread of rumours and news in a number of Iranian media outlets, fuelled by The Guardian’s Friday (April 21) report claiming that there has been a continuation in the closure of the Iranian nationals’ accounts in the UK banks since US President Donald Trump assumed office, a wave of astonishment and ambiguity has washed over through the Iranian immigrants living legally in the European state.

According to a Farsi report by IRNA, they have expressed concern over the getting around of such rumours and untrue news, saying that they can create growing distrust towards them and tarnish their reputation.

The Guardian reported on Friday that a UK law firm handling dozens of complaints by Iranian nationals who have had their bank accounts in Britain closed because of their nationality, says closures continue despite the lifting of economic sanctions.

Blackstone Solicitors that represents a number of Iranians has reported a continuation in such closures since US President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20.

Expressing concern over some of Iran’s domestic media publishing such reports, a number of the Iranian nationals residing in Britain rejected the veracity of the news report and said their accounts are active.

On Friday, quoting Rokhsareh Vahid, the head of the Iran desk at Blackstone, The Guardian wrote: “In the past two or three months, more people have come to us to instruct us to act on their behalf because of their bank account closures. In total we have more than 60 cases involving Iranians who have sued banks over racial discrimination.”

Vahid said her firm has secured compensation in most of those cases, often as the result of pre-trial settlements. “I only recall one case which was not successful,” she said. “A lot of such settlements include non-disclosure agreements, so we won’t be able to publicise them.”

The Guardian added an Iranian student in Greater Manchester represented by Blackstone received a five-figure compensation from RBS in July 2016, adding it is not publishing his name to protect his identity.

After Blackstone had been first contacted by the student a week before the scheduled closure of his account, they immediately contacted RBS demanding that their client’s rights are recognised.

The firm said, “We proceeded to file a complaint against the bank and pursued it until our client recovered a total of £31,200 from RBS in July 2016.”

The payment included £15,000 compensation for emotional injury and £16,200 in respect of costs of the claim.

According to The Guardian report, after paying the compensation, the bank’s spokesperson said, “We are unable to comment on specific customers or decisions made in relation to individual accounts. However, in line with our legal and regulatory obligations, we do not close customers’ accounts because of their race and strongly refute any suggestion that we do so.”

IRNA’s report says the UK banks have never closed Iranian accounts due to their nationality and will not make such a move in the future.

If what The Guardian reported is not as serious as it seems, it can be part of a plot to influence the upcoming presidential election due to be held on May 19 in Iran.

Danish Mother in Iran Delivers Third Child in Ambulance

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

A spokesman for the Disaster and Emergency Medical Management Centre of Mazandaran Province, Zakaria Ashkpour, said on Thursday (April 20) that a Danish woman, who was at the onset of labour, gave birth to her third child successfully in the ambulance en route to a hospital in the northern Iranian province.

According to a Farsi report by IRNA, Ashkpour said on Thursday morning, immediately after the commencement of the woman’s uterine contractions were announced to Amol’s Centre for Emergency Medical Services, Nour Medical Emergency Centre dispatched its technicians to her house.

“After arriving at her residence located in Nour, the emergency team checked the mother’s vital signs and took her into the ambulance.”

On the way to the hospital, her contractions became severer and her pain aggravated, which were indications of the baby coming out, he said.

Fortunately, thanks to the medical consultations provided by the Centre for Emergency Medical Services and preparing the necessary conditions inside the ambulance, she delivered her third child safely and successfully, he added.

He noted that all the necessary moves to provide the infant with postpartum cares, including oral suction, oxygen therapy and keeping the baby warm, were made in the ambulance.

“Currently the child and the mother are both in favourable physical condition and have been transferred to Amol’s Imam Ali Hospital. The baby boy was the Danish mother’s third child. She has been living in Mazandaran province since a while ago.”

140 Killed in Taliban’s Attack on Afghanistan Army Base

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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140 Killed in Taliban’s Attack on Afghanistan Army Base

At least 140 were killed and 160 people were wounded in the attack by Taliban terrorists on the Afghan military base, Mohammad Ibrahim Khair Andesh, the head of the provincial council, announced on Saturday.

The attack, responsibility for which was later claimed by the Taliban, happened at an army command centre a few miles from Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh.

Two of the attackers blew themselves up and seven were killed in the assault, which lasted several hours and targeted soldiers at a mosque and dining facility, the Afghan defence ministry said.

The Taliban claimed that more than 500 soldiers were killed and wounded, Al Jazeera reported.

The group also claimed that four of the attackers were soldiers who had served at the base and had knowledge of the facility.

140 Killed in Taliban’s Attack on Afghanistan Army Base

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

After five days of vetting, the Guardian Council selected six presidential candidates from among over 1,600 applicants. All Iran newspapers today covered the beginning of competition between these six presidential hopefuls.

The live broadcast of presidential debates also received great coverage today. A headquarters composed of officials holding the upcoming presidential election has decided not to air the presidential debates live, but the decision has been protested by President Rouhani, Ebrahim Raisi, and a number of other candidates.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s reaction to the US officials’ anti-Iran accusations was also a top story today.

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

 

19 Dey:

1- Final Presidential Candidates: 3+3

2- Ahmadinejad is over

3- President Rouhani: I Support Freest Presidential Debate

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - 19 dey

 

Abrar:

1- EP President: New UK Gov’t Can Return to Europe If It Wants

2- Trump Claims Iran is Not Committed to Spirit of JCPOA

3- US Defence Secretary’s Visit to Occupied Territories to Discuss Iran

4- Egypt’s Sisi Calls for Global Effort to Stop Financial Aid to Terrorists

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - abrar

 

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

1- Central Bank Governor: Iran Moving over Economic Downturn

2- Italy’s Saras Pays €400m Debts to Iran

3- Vietnamese President: Vietnam to Ease Visa Regime for Iranian Businessmen

4- Iran to Restore Trade Ties with Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - abrar eghtesadi

 

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Rouhani’s Upper Hand

  • A review of the six presidential candidates’ political background shows Rouhani is in better conditions for securing his second term

2- Putin’s Special Representative Meets Raisi

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - aftabe yazd

 

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- 2017 Presidential Campaigns Begin with 6 Candidates

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - arman

 

Ebtekar:

1- People’s Participation and Hope Can Improve Iran’s Security: Larijani

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - ebtekar

 

Etemad:

1- Rouhani Starts Political Battle with Coalition of Raisi, Qalibaf, Mirsalim

2- Trump’s Dangerous Play with Nuclear Deal

  • US President, Secretary of State Talk about Review of JCPOA

3- History Didn’t Repeat Itself for Ahmadinejad

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - etemad

 

Ettela’at:

1- General Soleimani Selected as One of TIME’s 100 Influential Figures

2- Zarif: US No Longer Able to Distract Int’l Community through Baseless Accusations

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 -etelaat

 

Iran:

1- Protests against Decision Not to Broadcast Presidential Debates Live

  • Presidential Candidates, IRIB, Senior Cleric among Protesters

2- Health Minister: Number of Hospital Beds Created in This Gov’t Equal to that of Past 20 Years

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - iran

 

Javan:

1- Clash between Supporters, Opponents of Status Quo: Final Presidential Candidates

2- Zarif’s Reaction to US Officials’ Anti-Iran Rhetoric: US Defied Spirit of JCPOA

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22- javan

 

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- Iraqi Nation, Gov’t Respond to Erodgan’s Rude Remarks

  • Iraqi VP Blasts Turkey’s Remarks about Iraq Popular Forces

2- Rouhani Calls on IRIB to Broadcast Presidential Debates Live

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - jomhori

 

Ka’enat:

1- All 6 Presidential Candidates Want to Save Iran’s Economy

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - kaenat

 

Kayhan:

1- People Need to See Live Presidential Debates for Choosing President

2- Russian Chinese Armies on Standby near N. Korean Borders

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - keyhan

 

Setareh Sobh:

1- JCPOA Targeted by US Officials

2- Economy Minister: Economic Growth Paves Way for Justice

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - setare sobh

 

Shahrvand:

1- 6 Opponents and Two Wings: Presidential Elections Officially Kicked Off in Iran

2- Political Debate about Live Broadcast of Presidential Debates

3- Made-in-Iran in European Factories: Candy, Zerowattt, Bosch Transfer Plants to Iran

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - shahrvand

 

Shargh:

1- These Six Candidates: Guardian Council Declares Final Options in Fastest Time Ever

2- Raisi’s Encounter with Raisi [Editorial]

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - shargh

 

Siasat-e Rooz:

1- Fear of Live Presidential Debates

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - siasat rooz

 

SMT:

1- Zarif: US Statesmen Need to Show Placid, Rational Behaviour

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - sanat

 

Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:

1- Presidential Candidates Start Competition

2- Larijani Criticizes Great Amount of Negativism in Presidential Campaigns

3- Need to Avoid Political Impoliteness [Editorial]

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - vaghaye

 

Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- ISIS Enters French Presidential Election

  • Gunman Opens Fire on French Police ahead of Election

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on April 22 - vatane emruz

500kg Egyptian Loses Half Her Weight after Surgery in India

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
500kg Egyptian Loses Half Her Weight after Surgery in India

Egyptian national Eman Ahmed Abd El Aty weighed 500 kilogrammes (1,100 pounds) when she arrived in Mumbai in February on a specially modified plane to undergo emergency weight-loss surgery.

In videos provided this week by the Saifee Hospital, where the 37-year-old successfully had bariatric surgery last month, Abd El Aty can be seen sitting up and smiling while listening to music.

“She looks a happier and slimmer version of her past self. She can finally fit into a wheelchair and sit for a longer period of time, something we never dreamt of three months back,” said a statement from doctors, announcing that she had lost 250 kilos.

Abd El Aty had not left her home in Egypt’s Mediterranean port city of Alexandria for two decades until she arrived in India’s commercial capital on February 11, AFP reported.

She was put on a special liquid diet to get her weight down to a low enough level for doctors to perform bariatric surgery, essentially a stomach-shrinking bypass procedure carried out on those wanting to lose excessive weight.

The diet helped Abd El Aty lose around 100 kilos in a month, allowing doctors to operate on her in early March.

Abd El Aty’s family say that as a child she was diagnosed with elephantiasis, a condition that causes the limbs and other body parts to swell, leaving her almost immobile.

The Egyptian has suffered several strokes and faced a series of other serious ailments owing to her weight including diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, and sleep deprivation. She is unable to speak properly and is partially paralyzed.

“She continues to lose weight rapidly and is awaiting the moment she can fit into a CT scan machine to know the cause of her right-sided paralysis and convulsions,” doctors added in the statement published on the “Save Eman Cause” website Wednesday.

Muffazal Lakdawala, the doctor leading Abd El Aty’s treatment, added in a separate post that they hoped to put her on a trial obesity drug in six months. Doctors are trying to procure it from the United States, he said.

In July last year, the Guinness Book of World Records recorded American Pauline Potter as the world’s heaviest woman at 293 kilos, well above Abd El Aty’s current weight.

Fajr Int’l Film Festival Starts Work in Tehran

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Fajr Int'l Film Festival Starts Work in Tehran (3)

“A film festival is not just for watching movies, it is an artistic and cultural occasion as well,” acclaimed Iranian filmmaker and the festival secretary Reza Mirkarimi said at an informal session with the press and film critics at the six-storey Charsou Cineplex on Thursday.

“We have done our best to hold an organized festival with independent identity and specific purpose, and selected quality films to achieve the standards.”

However, as he pointed out, a festival, as big as the annual Fajr, needs a cinema complex with at least 15 halls. In the current edition, three different cineplexes across Tehran (10 halls in total) are hosting the enthusiasts.

By the end of the festival on April 28, a total of 140 movies from 58 countries, in competition and non-competition sections, will be screened at ten halls in Tehran. The number of halls shows a 100% increase over last year’s edition.

About 350 foreign guests from 66 countries are attending the 8-day festival and this is a significant number, but Mirkarimi believes, “the number does not matter, what is important is who is coming. Over 70% of directors whose works are present in the festival will attend.”

The festival is programmed to elicit the expertise of its guests so there will be educational sessions with several of them in Charsou Cineplex and at two universities.

On Thursday, ‘The Teacher,’ a 2016 Slovak-Czech movie directed by Jan Hrebejk, was screened for the audience. A beautiful drama, the story is set in Bratislava, 1983, and centers on a middle school teacher who manipulates her students’ parents into doing favors for her in exchange for previews of test questions and good grades for their children.

Workshops in Process

The scheduled workshops of the festival, under the title ‘Talent Campus,’ started two days prior to the film screenings. More than 100 young filmmakers from 33 countries are attending the workshops on various cinema issues. The sessions are chaired by experts from Iran and other countries.

Workshops on the first three days include: screenwriting held by Iranian figures Farhad Tohidi, Fereydoun Jeyrani, Mehran Kashani, Naghmeh Samini and Ahmadreza Motamedi; movie production by the A-list Austrian film producer Veit Heiduschka, who produced award-winning movies directed by Austrian director Michael Haneke; directing by Iranian filmmaker Bahman Farmanara; marketing and international sales by Mehdi Yadegari, Shahab Esfandiari and Alireza Shojanouri from Iran; and acting by Iranian actor Reza Kianian.

Members of the festival jury are busy watching and evaluating the film entries in the competition sections.

After a screening session on Friday morning, Iranian filmmaker Kamal Tabrizi, who is a juror for the Panorama of Films from Asian and Islamic Countries section, in response to a question by the Financial Tribune about the films they have watched, said, “We have seen four films so far and it is too soon to talk about the quality. In the next four days, we will have a better insight.”

The 20th Iranian International Film Market (IFM) has also been launched since Friday at Charsou Cineplex where more than 50 domestic and international film companies are presenting their productions. The market creates a platform for Iranian and international producers, distributors, exhibitors and sales agents of films and TV programs to exchange ideas and pool minds.

Hurdles for Co-production

Iran cinema produces over 100 feature films annually, but only few have been made jointly with other countries although it is routine for two or more countries to work on one production.

Elaborating on why Iran has done poorly in this field, Mehdi Yadegari told the Tribune that the main problem “is the difference in costs between Iran and the rest of the world. The budget allocated to a film in Iran is far too less than in other countries. So when it comes to each part’s (financial) share in the production, ours is almost nothing compared to theirs.”

Another factor which hinders the process, he said, is their unfamiliarity with the cultural issues here. “Especially for world documentarians, Iran is an ideal place because it has not been worked on before and has pristine environment to show. But when they come here, they may face restrictions, particularly regarding culture and religion, which can influence their work.”

Currently, the five halls at the downtown Charsou Cineplex, as well as three at Felestin Cinema in central Tehran, and two at Farhang Cinema in northern part of the city, are hosting film enthusiasts.

Here are photos of the first day taken from Mehr and Fars:

Iranian People Adopting More Children

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

“Since the new law on adoption was approved in 2015 to facilitate the growth and development of abandoned children or orphans in a family environment, the adoption rate has increased considerably,” IRNA quoted Ahmad Meydari, deputy minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Welfare, as saying.

Earlier in March, Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ali Rabiei had declared that “around 14,000 children have been adopted by families in the past two years.”

Revision in the adoption laws and new regulations such as temporary guardianship and the possibility for single women and Iranians living abroad to adopt, has led to the rise in the number of children finding new families, according to Financial Tribune.

Previously, strict laws had discouraged many couples from adoption. Today, however, the moderate laws and revised rules make it easier for an orphaned child or one with negligent or irresponsible parents to be part of a new family.

In Iran, temporary guardianship allows a child with negligent parents or parents sentenced to long or life imprisonment to be adopted while their legal guardianship remains with their biological parents or the State Welfare Organization (SWO). Single women older than 30 and couples with children who are financially able to raise a child are eligible for temporary adoption.

Population studies show that the large number of late marriages which may affect a couple’s fertility, as well as the growing number of single women in Iran, may likely increase the number of applicants for child adoption.

Growing up in a proper family atmosphere helps build a child’s character to become stronger and more resilient in adulthood. Therefore, the new adoption policies have been focused on facilitating the procedures of granting guardianship.

US Has Defied Both Letter, Spirit of Nuclear Deal: Zarif

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Mohammad Javad Zarif

“We’ll see if US (is) prepared to live up to letter of the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) let alone (to its) spirit. So far, it (the US) has defied both,” Zarif said in a post on his twitter account on Friday.

US Has Defied Both Letter, Spirit of Nuclear Deal: Zarif His comments came after US President Trump claimed on Thursday that Iran is “not living up to the spirit” of the JCPOA, the nuclear deal signed between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), just two days after his administration reported that Iran was complying with the requirements laid out in the nuclear deal.

Elsewhere in his tweet, the top Iranian diplomat asked, “Should I use my highlighter again?”, referring to a tweet he had posted earlier highlighting part of the text of the JCPOA, according to which the US administration had undertaken to support the successful implementation of the accord.

zarif reponse

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