According to a report by IFP, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement that “over the past night, with active Russian air support, Syrian government forces repulsed all attacks by the terrorists on Palmyra.”
Over 300 militants were killed in the offensive, RT reported.
“The militants actively used cars filled with explosives, armoured vehicles, and rocket artillery. Russian aircraft carried out 64 airstrikes on militant gatherings, positions, columns, and reserves as they advanced.”
Newspapers on Sunday highlighted the imminent liberation of Syrian city of Aleppo and Iraqi city of Mosul, and the efforts made by Western countries to protect militants, particularly in Aleppo.
They also covered Tehran Security Conference in Tehran, which is attended by many experts and officials of Western Asia.
The reactions to British Prime Minister Theresa May’s anti-Iran remarks in a recent Persian Gulf Cooperation Council meeting also remained a top story.
The above issues, as well as many more, are highlighted in the following headlines:
Abrar:
1- Younger Brother of Larijani Family in a Letter to Prosecutor General Call for Probe into Assets of Ahmadinejad’s Companions
2- Iran Is One of the World’s Worst Countries in Terms of Water Planning: MP
3- British Foreign Secretary: We Should Try to Have Good Relations with Iran
4- UNSC: North Korea Still Violating Human Rights
Abrar-e Eqtesadi:
1- Airlines in Talks for Purchase of Russian Planes
2- OPEC and Non-OPEC States Agree on Oil Output Cut
3- 5 Tons of Gold Reserves Discovered in Iran: Iran’s Mines under Scrutiny of European and Asian Companies
4- 34-Fold Increase in France’s Imports from Iran
Afkar:
1- Expansion of Iran-Sweden Banking Ties
2- Iran Condemns Israeli Regime’s Settlement Plans
Aftab-e Yazd:
1- People’s Happiness for JCPOA Is Ridiculed: Hardliners Put Nuclear Deal in a Coffin and Held Funeral Ceremony for It
2- Reformist Figure: Iran Will Not Scrap Nuclear Deal; Trump’s Model of Presidency Is Like that of a Sultan
3- Hidden War between Start-ups and Traditional Market: Internet Is No Longer an Instrument, It’s Now Part of Our DNA
Arman-e Emrooz:
1- Iran Has 2,000 Child Widows
2- Based on Obama’s Order: Russia’s Role in Trump’s Victory Will Be Investigated
3- Reformist Figure: Rouhani Is Still Repairing the Country after 8 Years of Devastation
Asrar:
1- British Ambassador Summoned to Foreign Ministry
2- “Friends of Syria” Meeting in Paris Ends without Any Result
Besharat-e Now:
1- Iran Will Become a Dry Country in 15 Years; Agriculture as Main Consumer of the Country’s Water Is the Main Cause of Water Shortage
2- Iran Has the Highest Number of Lawsuits in FIFA and AFC: Official
Donya-ye Eqtesad:
1- What Will Be the Consequences of Trump’s Protectionism Policy? Horn of War on World Trade
Ebtekar:
1- Rubble of Cold Ceiling: Doctor in Hamadan Says Both Legs of a Homeless Man Should Be Cut Off after Frostbite
2- London’s Stances and the Art of Diplomacy [Editorial]
Etemad:
1- Russia’s Hidden Hand behind Trump’s Victory: CIA Says Moscow Has Interfered in Spoiling Clinton’s Image
2- Iran’s Ex-Ambassador to Morocco: Saudi Arabia Has Dragged Iran into an Unwanted War
3- Adrenaline Is in Highest Level Here: A Report on Female Motorcyclists’ Training Session in Tehran
Ettela’at:
1- Secretary General of Hezbollah: One Step Left to Victory in Syria
2- Tehran Security Conference Kicks Off with West Asian Authorities in Attendance
3- Economist: Saudi Arabia Defeated by Iran
4- Economy Minister: Impacts of Economic Growth Will Gradually Appear in People’s Lives
Haft-e Sobh:
1- Iran Ranks Higher than Turkey and Dubai: Business Insider Puts Iran in List of Top 50 Tourist Destinations for 2017
Hemayat:
1- SNSC Secretary: We Have Plans to Counter US Violation of Its Commitments
2- IRGC General: Enemy’s Forces Are within Range of Iran’s Military
3- Holding Electronic Elections Is Possible If Security Is Considered: Guardian Council Spokesman
4- Nasrallah: Region Has Entered a New Stage
5- Resistance Front’s Major Victories from Mosul to Aleppo
Iran:
1- Europe and China’s Plan for Controlling the Dragon of Pollution
2- First VP: People Will Be Harmed by Political Fights
Jame Jam:
1- Year of Al Saud’s Defeat: Reginal and World Media Talk about Saudi Arabia’s Policies
Javan:
1- Amid Imminent Liberation of Aleppo, US Send American Weapons to Terrorists in Raqqa
Jomhouri Eslami:
1- Iran Is a Major Power in the Middle East, and Someone Should Not Come to This Region and Make Meddlesome Remarks: First VP in Reference to Theresa May’s Remarks
2- Iran Will Celebrate Its Self-Sufficiency in Wheat Production Tomorrow
3- Economist: Saudi Arabia Has Backed Off in All Fronts in Confrontation with Iran
Kayhan:
1- While ISIS Is under Pressure, US Bombs Iraqi Army
Khorasan:
1- Formation of Biggest Oil Coalition: 25 Major Oil Producers Agree on Oil Output Cut
2- Terrorists Enter Al-Bab with Turkey’s Support; ISIS Seizes Palmyra Once Again
Mardom Salari:
1- Britain’s New Scenario: London’s Dream of Replacing US in Region
Payam-e Zaman:
1- IRGC General Warns Those Who Threaten Iran in Persian Gulf
2- Cultural Poverty, a Major Cause in Increased Child Marriage
Resalat:
1- Secretary of Tehran Security Conference: A New Order Is Being Formed in Middle East
2- West Terrified of Takfiris’ Defeat in Aleppo
Sayeh:
1- First VP in Reaction to Recent GCC Summit: No One Can Take Back Iran’s Security since Iran Has Not Received It from Others
2- IRGC General: Iran Is Very Serious in Defence and Security
Shargh:
1- Reformist Figure: Republicans Deal with Iran in a Better Way
Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:
1- Vessels vs Vessels: Repetitious Conflict between Iran and US in Middle East
2- The Beautiful Love Whose Name Is Freedom: A Report on Latin American Music and Songs
“As the problem was resolved in the case of Lebanon, all countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, should know that Iran is not their enemy and is not opposed to their positive role in the Middle East. It rather welcomes such a role,” Ali Larijani said in Tehran on Sunday, addressing the International Conference on Regional Security Order in West Asia.
“We are actually opposed to warmongering in Yemen and Syria and believe it to be wrong; therefore, we explicitly declare that we respect the role played by all Muslim countries in the Middle East in establishing peace in the region, and consider it as beneficial,” he added.
According a report by IFP, Larijani stressed that the current security chaos in the Middle East cannot be resolved in the short-term, but Iran is ready to join hands with all Muslim countries to end this crisis.
As regards the root causes of ongoing insecurity in the Middle East, Larijani pinned the blame on major world powers and certain regional states.
“Using terrorism for tactical objectives is the strategic mistake made by world powers and regional states and is the root cause of insecurity in the region,” he added.
Noting that this strategy has been pursued by world powers and regional countries since the occupation of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union, he said that they continued this policy until today in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen and “practically, this strategy has led to the spread of terrorism”, Fars reported.
“These acts of interference have been a main factor in the spread of terrorism in the region; NATO’s presence in Afghanistan for countering terrorism has been ineffective, and the war on Iraq also created terrorism in the region,” he explained.
Larijani went on to say that trans-regional powers are incapable of providing security in West Asia, describing their apparent counter-terrorism efforts as mere propaganda that plays “an influential role in creating crisis” in the region.
The social and political situation of the regional nations preclude any chance of success for foreign powers, he added, saying outsiders lack competence to ensure regional security because their interference in the region has been aimed at backing the Israeli regime, Tasnim reported.
“The British government is suffering an economic crisis and they resort to whatever means to get out of the crisis,” Rezaei told reporters on Sunday on the sidelines of Tehran Security conference.
“In addition to the economic crisis, the identity crisis is among the problems facing Britons,” the Iranian official added.
The British have come to the Persian Gul region to replace the US and resolve their economic and identity crises, Rezaei said.
Iran believes that “meddlesome” remarks by the British premier are part of the policy to evade the crises, he went on to say.
In a recent summit of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) in Bahrain, May said that Britain would contribute to counteracting what she called “aggressive regional actions” from Iran, and unveiled plans for a four-billion-dollar military investment in the region for the next 10 years.
In response, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi emphasized on the same day that states whose own irresponsible interference has spread insecurity, violence and extremism are in no position to accuse others of interfering in the Middle East affairs.
Slamming London’s “futile and unconstructive” policy of resorting to divisive measures to return to the region, Qassemi said the British premier, whose country’s interests have been at stake following evolution in ties with the EU, has made the anti-Iran comments at a PGCC meeting just to appease some Arab leaders.
These stances seem to be part of British attempts to clinch new deals with the Persian Gulf Arab states to sell them arms, which will eventually aggravate the crises and war crimes against people in Yemen, Syria, Bahrain, Iraq and other regional Muslim nations, he added.
According to a report by IFP, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed on Sunday that the US never seeks to eradicate Takfiri terrorists, and is even trying to preserve some of them in the region to realize its future goals.
Speaking in a meeting with Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) Ammar Hakim and his entourage in Tehran, the Leader added, “Currently, Americans are not interested in the final defeat of Takfiri terrorists in Mosul and Syria.”
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the ISIS terrorist group’s sale of Iraq’s oil, and said, “At that time, Americans just watched the movement of [ISIS’] oil tankers and refused to target them. Therefore, Americans should not be trusted.”
“Americans are always opposed to the power of Islamic countries, including Iraq, and one should never trust their smiles,” the Leader added.
Popular Forces Should Be Strengthened in Iraq
Ayatollah Khamenei further expressed his pleasure with the measures taken by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, particularly his support for Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi.
“Hashd al-Shaabi or popular forces are a great treasure and wealth for Iraq’s today and tomorrow, and should be strengthened and supported,” the Leader added, according to his official website
Members of the Iraqi parliament voted on November 26 to recognize Hashd al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilisation Forces as an official force with similar rights as the regular army.
Hashd al-Shaabi will come under full control of the armed forces, and will also enjoy the same rights and privileges as the army.
The parliamentary decree also stipulates that members of all of Iraq’s ethnic and religious groups will have the right the join Hashd al-Shaabi and they will be reorganized through the army after the Mosul liberation operation.
The Hashd al-Shaabi was formed upon a call by Iraq’s top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the summer of 2014 when the ISIS terrorist group captured several Iraqi provinces and he urged civilians to take up arms and fight the radical group against further expansion.
A car bomb followed by a suicide bombing less than a minute later killed 29 people and wounded 166 outside a football stadium in Istanbul on Saturday night.
In a statement on Sunday, Bahram Qassemi condemned the deadly blasts and expressed sympathy with the Turkish nation, government, and the bereaved families of the victims.
The continuation of terrorist attacks in Turkey and the increased violence and insecurity in this “friendly and neighbouring country is a source of regret and deep concern, he noted, calling for a coordinated and strong reaction by all countries in the Middle East and the world to terrorists and extremists.
“Today, terrorism has turned to an inclusive threat against all countries, and the fight against this phenomenon has no solution but a global resolve and consensus,” the Iranian spokesman added.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is always prepared to take required actions in cooperation with all countries in an all-out fight against terrorism and extremism,” he went on to say.
According to a report by IFP, in his message to Widodo on Saturday, President Rouhani expressed grief over the deadly quake in the Islamic country of Indonesia.
He went on to say that Iran is ready to render humanitarian aid to the Muslim people of Indonesia injured in the incident.
Rouhani also wished immediate recovery for the injured people and voiced Iran’s preparedness to take any necessary action to this end.
The 6.5-magnitude quake in Indonesia’s Pidie Jaya district damaged homes, shops and mosques on Wednesday, completely destroying hundreds of structures, Mehr reported.
At least 100 people were killed, including young children, and 136 seriously injured, according to Indonesia’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency.
According to a report by IFP, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi in a Saturday statement welcomed the Yemeni Parliament’s vote of confidence to the country’s National Salvation Government.
He expressed hope that the new establishment, along with the country’s legislative chamber, will take effective steps to deal with the aftermath of the devastating Saudi war and improve services to violence-stricken citizens.
“The Islamic Republic hopes that the new cabinet would help restore peace and stability to Yemen and resolve differences among different groups,” he noted.
During a voting session on Saturday, Yemeni lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed the new administration that was formed by the Houthi Ansarullah movement and its allies late last month to replace the Supreme Political Council.
The government, which was sworn in on November 29, is to replace the Supreme Political Council, and is tasked with the country’s domestic affairs and dealing with Saudi Arabia’s continued aggression against the Yemeni nation.
Led by the former governor of Aden, Abdul Aziz bin Habtoor, the new government has pledged to help UN efforts aimed at bringing back stability to Yemen.
In his statement, Qassemi also voiced regret over attempts by certain parties affiliated with the former Yemeni government to sabotage the political efforts aimed at ending the conflict in the Arabian Peninsula state.
Qassemi underlined the need for the resumption of intra-Yemeni dialogue, an end to Saudi assaults and swift aid delivery to people across the country, Press TV reported.
The last round of UN-backed peace talks was held between Yemen’s warring sides in Kuwait in August, but the negotiations had no tangible results and ended in deadlock.
“Terrorism and extremism are two sides of the same coin and the recent blast in Istanbul highlights the necessity for the international community’s solidarity and closer cooperation in the fight against the sinister phenomenon,” Mohammad Ibrahim Taherian told reporters.
He further expressed condolences to the bereaved families of victims of the incident and wished rapid recovery of the injured.
At least 29 people, including 27 police officers, were killed in two separate bomb attacks in the Besiktas district of Istanbul, the country’s interior minister said early Sunday.
Two police chiefs were among the deceased and at least 166 people were injured, Suleyman Soylu told reporters in Istanbul.
Ten suspects have been detained as part of an ongoing probe, he added.
Health Minister Recep Akdag said 20 of the injured have been discharged from hospital while 17 are in surgery, and six are in intensive care units, three of them in critical condition.
Two blasts rocked the city, a car bomb followed within the minute by a suicide bomb, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus explained.
Turkish Prime Ministry said in a statement, a day of national mourning has been declared on Sunday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attack targeted police and civilians alike, and sought to cause the most casualties.
The agreement envisages the purchase of 50 twinjet narrow-body Boeing 737 planes and 30 long-range wide-body 777 aircraft at a total cost of $16.6 billion.
Iran Air Managing Director Farhad Parvaresh was quoted by local media as saying that the planes would to be handed over to Iran within 10 years, adding that the first deliveries are expected in 2018.
Fletcher Barkdull, Boeing’s regional sales director, told IRNA that the company was happy to return to Iran after a hiatus of multiple decades.
Barkdull emphasized that the finalization of the plane purchase agreement with Iran Air had been carried out by virtue of the direct approval from the administration of US President Barack Obama.
Iran signed a basic plane purchase agreement with Boeing earlier this year. However, the agreement hit a bumpy road last month after US lawmakers approved a bill that banned the export, or re-export, of commercial aircraft to Iran by American financial institutions.
The country has signed another agreement with France’s aviation giant Airbus to purchase scores of planes.
The deal is yet to be finalized but it has already received the go-ahead from the US Treasury Department.
The Department’s seal for Iran-Airbus agreement was necessary given that at least 10 percent of Airbus’ components are made in the US which has imposed a series of economic sanctions against Iran for years now.
The US Treasury Department has also given the green light to Boeing to sell planes to Iran.
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