Iran’s Second Airbus Plane Lands in Tehran

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March 11, 2017

The Airbus A330-200 took off from the French city of Toulouse on Saturday and landed at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport later in the day.

The aircraft had been officially delivered to Iran earlier in Toulouse. It will now be operated by Iran’s national flag carrier Iran Air.

The plane, which has 32 business class and 206 economy class seats, is suitable for long-distance flights.

Its delivery to Iran was made possible under a 18-billion-dollar deal Iran signed with Airbus last year to purchase 100 new planes, including 46 aircraft from the A320 family, 38 from the A330 family, and 16 from the A350 XWB.

The first Airbus plane — an A320 — arrived in Tehran on January 11.

In 2016, Iran inked another agreement worth 16.6 billion dollars to buy 80 new planes from US aviation company Boeing, comprising 50 737 airliners and 30 777s.

Iran Air is also expected to finalize an accord with European manufacturer ATR to purchase 20 turboprops.

The agreements came after the restrictions imposed on Iran’s aviation industry were lifted following a nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The JCPOA was negotiated between Iran and the P5+1 countries — the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany. It was finalized on July 14, 2015 and started being implemented on January 16, 2016.

Under the deal, limits were put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.

Iran to Join FATF by May: Central Bank Governor

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IFP Media Wire

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March 11, 2017

“We have until May n to complete efforts needed to become an FATF member and with the planning and endeavors undertaken so far, we will achieve the standards required for membership,” Valiollah Seif also said in a talk with the Persian-language Khorasan newspaper, IBENA reported.

The intergovernmental FATF, which is the global standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), welcomed Tehran’s initiative to conform to its international standards in late June and called for a one-year suspension of restrictions.

On February 24, the organization issued a public statement, noting that “if FATF determines that Iran has not demonstrated sufficient progress in implementing the action plan at the end of that period, FATF’s counter-measures will be reimposed”.

However, “if Iran meets its commitments under the action plan in this period, FATF will consider next steps”.

Responding to allegations that Iran may be placed on the blacklist of uncooperative states, Seif said, “We never announced that the country has been permanently removed from the list, rather we have managed to have countermeasures against Iran suspended, which was an important step.”

The CBI governor reiterated that regulations and standards required to become an FATF member do not call for sharing sensitive information or appeasing the organization, but “are actions that ensure we will prevent money laundering within the banking system and not serve terrorists”.

Compliance Update

Conforming to these standards and installing the necessary software not only work to make the country immune against “banking corruption”, Seif said, but will also prepare the grounds for Iran’s FATF membership.

FATF’s latest public statement prompted a senior lawmaker to lambast the organization, saying it will be illogical and unacceptable for the organization to “threaten Iran”.

“The conditions of FATF action plan have been defined, but if they reckon for any reason that Iran is not cooperating and put the country on its blacklist again, it would be unacceptable,” Mohammad Reza Pour-Ebrahimi, who heads Majlis Economic Commission, said last week.

Pour-Ebrahimi added that if the organization continues to treat Iran in this manner, the parliament would likely decide to end the country’s cooperation with FATF.

Seif, however, saw it unlikely that things will get to that point and said with the AML/CFT measures approved in the parliament so far, “we believe we can complete our efforts by [May] and join the FATF”.

In March 2016, the Iranian Parliament adopted an Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism law and declared its high-level political commitment to implement an action plan. Iranian authorities have requested an assessment by the International Monetary Fund on Iran’s compliance with the AML/CFT regime against the FATF standards, which will take place late 2018.

Since 2015-16, Iran has also became an observer in the Eurasian AML/CFT group following the adoption of a high-level action plan with FATF.

Iran Exports Milk to US for First Time in History

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IFP Media Wire

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March 11, 2017

Iran Exports Milk to US for First Time in History

“About 7,500 tons of dairy products have been exported to the US, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey as well as Persian Gulf littoral states and Central Asian countries in the current Iranian year,” he was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency. The current Iranian year ends on March 20, 2017.

Iran Blasts Saudi Airstrike on Civilians in Yemen

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IFP Media Wire

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March 11, 2017

Iran Blasts Saudi Airstrike on Civilians in Yemen

Expressing condolences to the families of victims of the attack on a local market in Khawkhah district, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi denounced the Saudi strikes against residential areas and the kingdom’s move to block rescue operations by the international organizations as a “violation of human rights.”

He also called on the United Nations and the other responsible international bodies to address the civilian deaths in Yemen, push for an immediate halt to the Saudi attacks, and ensure the security of civilians, particularly women and children.

At least 26 people were killed and 10 others injured in Yemen’s Khawkhah district on Friday when Saudi warplanes launched an airstrike.

According to al-Masirah TV, Saudi Arabia carried sorties over the area, preventing ambulances from reaching the victims.

Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and a number of its Arab allies have been launching airstrikes against Yemen with the purpose of restoring power to the fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.

“Candidates’ Election Costs Should Be Transparent to People”

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IFP Editorial Staff

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March 11, 2017

“Candidates’ Election Costs Should Be Transparent to People”

In an interview with ICANA, Iranian lawmaker Ahmad Amirabadi said election expenses should be completely transparent to the people.

He said there is no law in Iran which obliges candidates to declare their election costs, but the Parliament’s Councils and National Affairs Commission should step in and take care of the issue.

“After the [May] presidential vote and before the next parliamentary election, there will be a good opportunity to fill the legal void in this area,” said Amirabadi, who is also a member of the commission.

“There are questions which need to be answered; how can a candidate spend billions [of rials] on elections? How much is an MP’s salary, after all?” he asked.

Of course, no one can claim that all candidates spend huge sums of money on their election campaigns, but there are some contenders who spend extravagantly to garner more votes.

Iran Hails China’s Offer to Help Resolve Tehran-Riyadh Tension

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IFP Media Wire

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March 11, 2017

Iran Hails China's Offer to Help Resolve Tehran-Riyadh Tension — A view of Iran’s Embassy in Beijing

In a Friday statement, the Iranian Embassy in Beijing criticized Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy, saying Riyadh has destabilized the region and the entire world by “inciting sectarian and religious disputes and sponsoring terrorist and Takfiri groups.”

“The country’s overt interference in the internal affairs of neighbors, its destabilizing role in the region and the nearly two-year cruel aggression against the defenseless people of Yemen have turned Saudi Arabia into a rouge element against all accepted international norms,” it added.

The statement pointed to Iran’s efforts to minimize tensions with its neighbors against the backdrop of the sensitive circumstances across the Middle East and noted that Tehran “has still not lost hope for some of the regional Muslim countries to understand such a need.”

“Contrary to the Saudi regime, Iran welcomes all constructive efforts. In the latest instance, Iran has welcomed a proposal by the Emir of Kuwait to facilitate dialogue and understanding in the region. Accordingly, [Iran] also welcomes a constructive role by the People’s Republic of China.”

On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed hope for the resolution of the problems facing Iran and Saudi Arabia, saying Beijing was ready to help eliminate the differences.

The Saudi ambassador in China, however, reacted negatively and rejected the proposal.

Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran on January 3 following demonstrations held in front of Riyadh’s diplomatic premises in Iran by angry protesters censuring the Al Saud family for the execution of prominent cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Some people mounted the walls of the consulate in Mashhad while incendiary devices were hurled at the embassy in Tehran. Some 100 people were detained over the acts of transgression. Iranian officials also strongly condemned the attacks.

Tehran-Riyadh relations worsened after a deadly human crush occurred during Hajj rituals in Mina, near Mecca in September 2015.

Days into the incident, Saudi Arabia published a death toll of 770 but refused to update it despite gradually surging fatality figures from individual countries whose nationals had been among the victims of the crush. Iran said about 4,700 people, including over 465 of its nationals, lost their lives in the incident.

Old Iranian Painting Repaired, Displayed in Tehran

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IFP Editorial Staff

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March 10, 2017

Old Iranian Painting Repaired, Displayed in Tehran

“Saf-e Salam” (saluting line), an old Persian painting dating back to the time of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, the Iranian king of early 19th century, has been hung on the walls of Tehran’s Negarestan Garden Museum, where it was unveiled during a ceremony on March 4.

According to a Farsi report by ISNA, torn into about 50 pieces, the precious painting of Saf-e Salam was missing for many years. It was transferred to University of Tehran two years ago to be repaired before being permanently displayed in Kamal-ol-Molk Hall of the Negarestan Museum.

Disappearance and Transfer

“Disappeared for many years, Saf-e Salam is an important Iranian artwork of Qajar era,” Majid Sarsangi, the deputy head of University of Tehran, noted during the ceremony, where the repairers, museum curator, and a member of Iranian Museums General Offices were praised.

“We tried hard to transfer it to the Negarestan Museum,” he added. “Some parts of the painting were severely damaged and needed repair, which was done by specialists.”

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Repair

Aydin Aghdashloo, the famous Iranian painter, was one of the artists who took part in the painting’s repair process.

“The painting was so damaged that we suggested at first glance it was destroyed by a mortar bomb,” he expressed, “Natural causes and negligence were leading to the complete destruction of such a historical artwork.”

Aghdashloo went on to say that fortunately, the problem solving attitude of cultural officials saved the old Iranian painting.

“I looked at it very carefully. Painted with vivid colours, the painting revives the history,” he said about Saf-e Salam. “However, we have to keep in mind that these types of artworks mustn’t be repaired in a uniform way. The old and the new parts should be distinguishable.”

The reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar – 1797 to 1834 – has been somehow the beginning of Iran’s political and governmental decline. “A certain kind of greatness and authority is seen in this era, but it was not the reality,” Aghdashloo explained.

“Such paintings remained as the memories of Fath-Ali Shah’s magnificent court. We should imagine how difficult it was for him to pay reparations to Russia. It was a humiliating scene.”

He then referred to Saf-e Salam as an excellent, notable example of art persistence. “It is an example of how the man illustrates his ideals, desires and success; the Iranian man who built the great complex of Persepolis 2,500 years ago to flaunt its grandeur and win the respect of posterity.”

Aghdashloo referred to the Zand and Qajar eras as the peaks of post-Islamic painting in Iran, and said the art in these two eras depict the moderation of Iran’s national art.”

Iran Books Place in 2017 Beach Soccer World Cup in Bahamas

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IFP Media Wire

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March 10, 2017

Iran Books Place in 2017 Beach Soccer World Cup in Bahamas

Team Melli will play the UAE in the Pantai Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu on Saturday.

Iran also qualified for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Bahamas.

The Japanese will now play Lebanon in the tournament’s third-place Play-off for Asia’s final slot in the Bahamas on Saturday.

Japan drew first blood through Takasuke Goto’s neat header, but Iran equalized soon after thanks to a fine strike by skipper Mohammad Ahmadzadeh.

It was Japan who were to regain the lead as Takuya Akaguma struck home from distance after catching custodian Hamid Behzadpour unaware, before Moslem Mesigar delivered a free-kick which skipped off the sand and into the goal to level matters for a second time.

Japan scored a third courtesy of Takaaki Oba, only for Mohammadali Mokhtari to make it 3-3 at the end of an entertaining first period.

Japan duly made it 4-3 following skipper Ozu Moreira’s magnificent free-kick a minute into the second period. Iran hit back yet again, Abdollahi’s set-piece striking the post before going in to continue the game’s roller-coaster nature.

Iran went ahead for the first time when Mokhtari claimed his second in the match a minute before the buzzer, and they duly increased their advantage as Ahmadzadeh fired home to double his tally after the restart.

Akaguma then reduced the deficit with an impressive volley, only for Iran to score yet again through Abdollahi and, despite Goto giving Japanese hopes a brief lift with a late effort, secure a hard-fought victory.

US, Russia Unlikely to Kiss and Make up: Analyst

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IFP Editorial Staff

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March 9, 2017

US, Russia Unlikely to Kiss and Make up: Analyst

In an interview with the Etemad daily newspaper, Amir Abolfat’h, a senior political expert, said Trump is withdrawing from its positions on Russia, and that the White House believes Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to revive the Soviet empire.

Here are excerpts from his remarks in the Farsi interview:

Trump’s triumph and the Republicans coming to power have not led to any changes in the political structures of the United States and the international system. The issue of US-Russia relations is not a revolutionary and electoral issue. So, we cannot assume that one of the American parties favours the amelioration of ties with Russia and the other party is against it. There exists a major influential current in the US which, regardless of partisan and electoral issues, is strongly opposed to Russia, and includes many Republicans as well as Democrats.

Anti-Russian currents are so powerful that they do not allow any shift in policy on the kind of US-Russia relations for now, unless the Kremlin revisits its regional and international policies, something that Moscow is unlikely to do.

The anti-Russia current within the US ruling elite has not settled for Trump’s verbal retreat from his earlier position, and seeks to paint an anti-Russian picture of him. Republicans and Democrats agree on one thing, and that is although they do not believe in impeaching Trump and removing him from power, they would like him to return to the same policy that former US administrations had adopted on Moscow, and that is the “containment of Russia.”

There is a wide gap between Trump’s words and deeds before and after his election victory regarding different issues, including Russia. Moreover, Europeans have enough influence in the US to be able to mobilise powerful currents against the Trump administration on the Russia issue.

Although the White House and Capitol Hill do not see eye to eye on issues pertaining to Russia, their differences of opinion are not so much and will not lead to the impeachment of somebody who is from their own party. When it comes to fighting terrorism, there is always an opportunity for cooperation even between countries which are divided on the kind of campaign which should be launched against terror. This chance could exist for Russia or Iran or any other country. From the American ruling elite’s standpoint, Putin is reviving Russia’s power and influence and rebuilding the Soviet empire without reliance on ideological concepts.

Americans begin to engage with a country only when they are confident that they are the ones who call the shots in the process. However, Russians have the upper hand in Syria both in the political arena and in the field, and they have secured numerous achievements in Syria on the back of Iran’s support. It is unlikely that they will submit to the US and follow Washington when it comes to establishing peace and fighting terror.

Currently, a serious economic and cyber war is going on between Russia and the US. Now the US is on the horns of a dilemma in Ukraine. Washington can neither ratchet up the sanctions, nor scrap them. Moscow has adopted the policy of patience at the moment, but it does not mean the Kremlin will continue to exercise restraint to the end. Maybe after the temporary calm created due to Moscow’s policy, Russia will see their hopes have been dashed and the anti-Russian current has managed to wreck all existing opportunities. Then we would see a kind of confrontation with the White House by the Kremlin.

Spears of Mysterious Army Rising out of Kazakh Lake

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IFP Editorial Staff

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March 9, 2017

Spears of Mysterious Army Rising out of Kazakh Lake — The lake has become famous for the submerged forest and the imposing trunks of spruce trees, seen here rising from the lake.

Lake Kaindy, located in the Tian Shan Mountains some 130km from the city of Almaty, was created after an earthquake in 1911 that triggered a huge landslide blocked the gorge, forming a natural dam.

Eventually, rainwater filled the valley and created the lake, which has become famous for its scenic beauty and in particular the submerged forest and the imposing trunks of spruce trees that rise out of the lake water.

Above water, the sunken trees have been compared to large masts from lost ghost ships and the spears of a mysterious army hiding and waiting for the right time to emerge.

The water is so cold – even in summer the temperature does not exceed six degrees – that the great pines still remain on the trees, even 100 years on.

Because of the clear mountain water, you can see deep into the depths of the lake, Main Online reported.

In winter, the surface of the lake freezes over and during this time, Lake Kaindy becomes a great spot for trout fishing and ice diving.

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