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‘Intentional’ Truck Attack Kills 12, Injures 50 in Berlin

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Berlin-Attack

According to a report by IFP, the truck struck the popular Christmas market outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church late Monday as tourists and locals were enjoying a traditional pre-Christmas evening out near Berlin’s Zoo station.

man“Our investigators are working on the assumption that the truck was intentionally driven into the crowd at the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz,” Berlin police said on Twitter.

Berlin-AttackHours earlier Germany’s top security official had refrained from pointing to an intentional act, but said evidence pointed in that direction, while the White House condemned “what appears to have been a terrorist attack.”

Meanwhile, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the deadly Christmas market truck crash. The Iraqi Popular Mobilization Force tweeted that the terror group was taking credit for the incident.

Using encrypted technology, the group said they found several extremist Twitter accounts that had been claiming responsibility for the alleged attack, according to the Washington Times.

The crash came less than a month after the calls for caution in markets and other public places across Europe, saying extremist groups including ISIS and al-Qaida were focusing “on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”

The ISIS group and al-Qaida have both called on followers to use trucks in particular to attack crowds. On July 14, a truck ploughed into Bastille Day revellers in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. The ISIS claimed responsibility for that attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian living in France.

FM Zarif Leaves Tehran for Moscow to Attend Trilateral Meeting on Syria

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Mohammad Javad Zarif

Despite the speculations on cancelation of the trilateral meeting due to the assassination of Russia’s envoy to Ankara Andrey Karlov on Monday night, the talks will be held as scheduled.

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, left the country for Moscow to participate in the trilateral meeting with Sergei Lavrov of Russia and Turkey’s Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

The foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey are slated to discuss the future of Syria and the city of Aleppo at talks in Moscow today, Mehr reported.

Iran Strongly Condemns Russian Envoy Assassination in Turkey

By
IFP Media Wire
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qassemi-russia

Karlov was shot dead at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital of Ankara. Karlov was shot by a gun while making a speech at a photography exhibition in the Turkish capital, the Russian embassy said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova later announced that Karlov succumbed to his wounds.

Turkish Foreign Ministry has also confirmed Karlov’s death, in a written statement, adding that the perpetrators will face justice for their action. The ministry designated the attack on Karlov as a “terror organization.”

Accompanied by Health Minister Recep Akdağ and Defense Minister Fikri Işık, Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu later announced that the attacker was a 22-year-old police officer identified as Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş.

Meantime, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi called the attack “brutal”, and noted that the criminal act indicates that “terrorists affiliated to extremist and Takfiri groups are not bound by any standards, principles or the international law.”

“They are carrying out such brutal measures with the purpose of creating conflict among countries and further insecurity and instability in the region,” he added.

He said terrorism should only be addressed through solidarity and unity among all nations, and underlined, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand by governments and nations in the region and across the world until the complete eradication of this vicious phenomenon.”

Iran-Turkey-Russia Trilateral to Be Held in Moscow despite Assault on Russian Envoy

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Russia-Turkey-Iran

According to a Farsi report by Al Alam, a trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia, and Turkey was planned to be held in the Russian capital on Tuesday to discuss the issue of Syria.
After the death of Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov in a terrorist attack in Ankara, there were speculations that the meeting would be called off.
However, a Russian MP says the meeting will be held as planned before.

Turkish Foreign Ministry also confirmed that scheduled trilateral Russian, Turkish and Iranian negotiations on Syria would not be delayed despite the murder of the Russian ambassador.

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Shot Dead in Ankara Assault (+Video)

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Russia

Russian sources quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying that Moscow views the murder of Russian Ambassador in Ankara as a terror attack.
“We qualify what happened as a terror attack. We are currently in contact with Turkish authorities who are assuring us that a thorough, comprehensive investigation will be conducted.” Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
The attack took place at the opening of the “Russia through Turks’ eyes” photo exhibition.

The Ambassador was not taken to the hospital immediately after the attack. It was reported that he received medical help on the site first and was rushed to the hospital after that.
The terrorist was also shot dead on the spot.
“Today is a tragic day in the history of Russian Federation,” Zakharova said in a statement. “Today in Ankara, during a public event, Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov was shot and, shortly after that, he died.”
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is receiving condolences from foreign colleagues, Sputnik reported.
Andrey Gennadievich Karlov was born in 1954. He was appointed Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey in 2013.

Eucharist Ceremony in Tehran’s St. Sarkis Church

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
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Here are IRNA’s photos of the ceremony, which was held on Sunday and attended by Aram I, the Catholios of Cilicia:

 

 

Conservatives to Introduce a Candidate as Rouhani’s Rival: Politician

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Mohammad-Reza Mirtajeddini

“As the conservative faction was confident of winning in 2013 [presidential elections], it disregarded its competitors. Therefore, an internal competition among conservatives led to our defeat,” noted Mohammad-Reza Mirtajeddini, a former Vice-President.

According to a Farsi report by Entekhab, he added that “the conservatives should be totally coordinated now if they don’t want to lose once again.

“So we are going to introduce only one conservative figure in 2017 elections who meets our principal criteria and is recognized by all conservative groups.”

“Regarding the strategy of conservative faction and adherents of Islamic Revolution in 2017 elections, we are discussing who will be the conservative candidate within our circles,” he said.

“It is likely to take about two months to define the frameworks and criteria. Conservatives from all parties will take part in decision-making process.”

As regards the candidacy of such conservative politicians as Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (current Mayor of Tehran) and Saeed Jalili (Iran’s nuclear negotiator under Ahmadinejad), both of whom were defeated by Hassan Rouhani during last presidential elections, he said, “Politicians should officially announce their participation in 2017 presidential elections of Iran.”

He also referred to the speculations about the conservative camp’s possible support for Rouhani in the next presidential votes, and said, “Some insist that conservatives have no tendency to favour Rouhani. Ayatollah Movahedi Kermani, the secretary-general of Combatant Clergy Association [a leading conservative faction], has announced it.”

“Because of his mentality and policy, we don’t consider Rouhani as a conservative. We will definitely have a candidate to compete with Rouhani during 2017 elections,” he went on to say.

President’s Text Message to Iranian Citizens: Know Your Civil Rights

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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Rouhani

“Honourable people of Iran; let’s get more familiar with our rights and strongly protect them,” President Hassan Rouhani said in a text message to Iranian people, providing a link to download the Farsi version of the Charter on Citizens’ Rights.

Civil Rights

According to a report by IFP, Rouhani earlier unveiled and signed the Charter in a ceremony attended by high-ranking officials and rights activists in Tehran.

“I am happy that I could materialize one of my campaign promises,” President Rouhani said during the Monday ceremony.

He further stressed that citizens have the right to life and all people are equal before the law, Tasnim reported.

“Article 128 of Iran’s Constitution demands that the President should protect fundamental freedoms and rights of the people; the Charter bases its premises on Article 134 where the cabinet would prepare their public policy; the Charter is the essence of the will enshrined in the Article 134 and the cabinet’s achievement in my administration,” said the president.

However, he added, there is no claim as to the perfection of the Charter, and its pitfalls and loopholes should be detected during the implementation.

“The cabinet, above all, is responsible for the implementation of the Charter and other branches should also contribute; the Charter provides a bulwark for national unity and solidarity, it is an essential part of the country’s development; the Charter provides an example by which we could show the West that we have the capacity to provide the public with their own rights; it is the voice of the nation embodied in this form,” Rouhani added, as reported by Mehr.

The charter has over 20 preambles, including right to life, health and quality of life, right to human dignity and equality, right to freedom and personal security, right to self-determination, right to good administration and governance, freedom of thought and expression, right of access to information, right of access to cyberspace, right to privacy, and right of association, assembly and demonstration.

It has also 120 articles which fully explain each preamble.

Moreover, the Iranian president will appoint a Special Assistant for supervising, coordinating and pursuing appropriate implementation of the government’s obligations under this Charter. The Special Assistant will be responsible for, amongst others, proposing plans and guidelines for the full implementation of the Charter on Citizens’ Rights.

You can read the full text of the Charter in English here.

Britain’s Anti-Iran Stances Aimed at Expanding Its Market in Arab States: Analyst

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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photo_2016-12-19_16-22-56

In a Farsi interview with Etemad daily, Tafreshi discussed Britain’s presence in the Middle East and its relations with Iran and the Arab world.

Here are excerpts from his interview:

  • Persian Gulf Cooperation Council [P](GCC) owes its establishment to the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran.
  • Following three consecutive meetings of Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Margaret Hilda Thatcher and senior aid of the then Prime Minister Sir Anthony Derrick Parsons, who was the last ambassador of the UK after Iran’s 1979 Revolution, the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council was formed without partnership of Iran and Iraq and on advice and support of Britain.
  • Britain wants to ensure its ceaseless and official military re-appearance in the Persian Gulf.
  • Two events, namely Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as the US President, have made the presence of Britons in the region and expansion of their relations with Arab states more necessary than ever.
  • Arabs want to rest assured that, apart from the US and the EU, they will have strong Western supporters and partners.
  • All the Persian Gulf littoral states have somehow various military cooperation with Britain. Of course, the level of London’s cooperation with all of them is not equal.
  • One of the hard-headed opponents of Britain’s good relations with the Persian Gulf southern littoral states is the leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. Either before taking the post or now, he has both independently or as the head of the “Stop-the-War Coalition” opposed selling arms to the countries. It seems that he and other opposition groups under present conditions will add up to their activities in this concern.
  • Britain has made its mind to expand its markets in Arab countries. The slogans recently uttered by Theresa May are mostly a cover to attain the objective.
  • Other EU states also cannot assume the role due to the human rights restrictions for cooperation with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
  • Britain stands as second homeland for the Persian Gulf Arab states, and even the formation of these countries, ranging from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE, was the outcome of London’s policies.
  • The contradictory statements recently made by Theresa May and Boris Johnson should be looked at from two perspectives: The first outlook is that the statements of Johnson were his personal opinions and were made without coordination with the Prime Minister. The claims are personal and in my opinion they are awkward. The second perspective is that Britain is following up the carrot and stick policy in connection with Arabs.
  • London does not wish to overlook Iran’s market. It has spent much time on presence in the market. Now they are determined to make investment in Iran. However, one should admit that Britain’s relations with the Persian Gulf Arab states is more age-old and more extensive.

US Admonished for ISA Extension: Iran

By
IFP Media Wire
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Bahram Ghasemi

Following the US extension of the ISA for another ten years, Foreign Minister Zarif has had contacts with US Secretary of State John Kerry, and has given the necessary notices, Qassemi said at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday.

Earlier in December, the US Senate voted 99-0 to extend the ISA for another decade. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives nearly unanimously in November. The renewal of ISA took effect on December 15 with a procedural protest from President Barack Obama, who decided to let the legislation become law without his signature.

Iran described the measure as a flagrant violation of the JCPOA, the nuclear agreement with the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) that took effect in January.

Elsewhere in the press conference, Qassemi said the JCPOA joint commission -a group tasked with monitoring commitments to the deal- will convene a session at the level of deputy ministers, but noted that no American representative is expected to attend the meeting.

On Saturday, Iran’s foreign minister formally called for a session of the JCPOA joint commission to address the US government’s violation of the accord.

Zarif made the request in a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who is also the coordinator of the JCPOA joint commission.

The letter came after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on the Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to initiate processes to react to the US government’s violation of the JCPOA.

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