Iranian MPs Hold Extraordinary Meeting with IRGC Commanders

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August 30, 2016

Members of Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission held an extraordinary meeting with a number of IRGC Intelligence commanders on Tuesday morning, and will convene once again on Wednesday.

According to a report by IRNA, as translated by IFP, during the meeting, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commanders briefed the parliamentarians on the latest security situation in the region.

According to Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, the spokesperson for the commission, the participants reviewed security issues in the region including the presence of foreign forces, particularly the US, in the Middle East, and the motivation and strategies behind this presence.

They also discussed the enemies’ strategies like the proxy wars Saudi Arabia is following in the region by creating ISIS, he said.

They have also talked about the decisive role Americans are playing in regional wars, and their efforts to turn the Islamic world into bloody areas with the aid of the UK and France.

According to Naqavi Hosseini, the lawmakers further said that the US, the Zionist regime [Israel] and their allies in the region have turned clashes into sectarian and religious wars.

He said Russia’s engagement in the war against ISIS and other Takfiri [extremist] terrorists transformed the US and Saudi plots and reinforced regional convergence, particularly the four-party alliance between Iran, Russia, Syria, and the Lebanese Hezbollah, putting the terrorists in a weak position in Syria.

The two sides will once again meet on Wednesday morning.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on August 30

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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August 30, 2016

The main focus of newspapers on Tuesday was the recent scandal in Tehran municipality and the reactions to the sales of various houses with great discounts. In addition to reformist and moderate newspapers, which were the ones to begin the media movement, even Kayhan condemned such abuses and urged the Judiciary to prosecute the perpetrators

Newspapers also covered the remarks made by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about the US Treasury Department’s Letters of Comfort issued for banks that want to work with Iran.

The recent deployment of S-300 missile defence system near Fordow nuclear site also received good coverage.

The above issues as well as many more are highlighted in the following headlines:

Abrar:

1- Larijani: MKO Is Most Bloodthirsty Terrorist Group in the World

2- Zarif Welcomes US Treasury’s Letters of Comfort

3- Success of Our Diplomats in Removing Sanctions Is Enough for Iran’s History: Rouhani

4- Omid Kokabi [Iranian nuclear scientist] Conditionally Released from Prison

5- S-300 Missile Defence System Installed in Fordow Nuclear Site’s Air Defence Centre

6- Parliament Urged to Probe into Municipality’s Illegal House Sales: Properties Should Be Returned

7- Majority of Japanese People Want PM Abe to Remain in Power until 2020 Olympics

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

1- Iran and Lebanon to Restore Banking Ties

2- UAE Once Again Becomes Iran’s Gas Customer

3- Deals with Total and Linde for Investment in Iran’s Petchem Industry

4- $70bn Deals Signed for Foreign Finance: Economy Minister

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- End of Rouhani’s Doubts: He Had Certain Doubts about Running for Next Year’s Presidential Elections

2- Rouhani: They [opponents of gov’t] Are Using People’s Money to Frustrate Them

3- Asking Is Our [Journalists’] Right and Answering Is Your [Authorities’] Duty [Editorial]

4- Subway [Municipality] Declared as Culprit behind June Explosion in Tehran’s Shahran

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Two Ayatollahs Meet in Damavand: World Counts on You, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli Told Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani

2- MKO Terrorists Killed Their Own Leader Massoud Rajavi

3- Zarif’s Letter of Comfort for Those Who Are Worried!

4- Russia and Iran: Coalition or Independence [Editorial]

Asrar:

1- Rouhani’s Gov’t Realized Its Promises One Year Earlier: VP

2- Army Air Defence Warns Off US Drone

3- Ayatollah Rafsanjani Should Return to Tehran Friday Prayers: Cleric

4- Lebanese Hezbollah: Saudi Arabia’s Dream Buried in Darayya

5- $5 Increase in Iran’s Oil Price

Ebtekar:

1- Conservatives May Support Rouhani in Return for Favours

2- Those Who Claim to Be Advocates of Turning Mashhad into Iran’s Vatican City Are Moving towards Secularization: MP

3- We Should Elevate Iran to the Position It Deserves: Rafsanjani

Emtiaz:

1- Iran National Football Team’s Bus Officially Unveiled

2- Int’l Cartel Importing Drug Precursor Chemicals Busted

3- Robbery, the Most Prevalent Crime in Tehran

Etemad:

1- Female Officials Are Targets of Attackers: Ebtekar

2- Rouhani Had Doubts for Running for Presidency Once Again, but He Was Finally Convinced: Cleric

3- China’s Five-Year Plan for Returning to Iran’s Market

4- Terrorist Blast in Southern Yemen Claims 54 Lives

5- Only 2 Female Asiatic Cheetahs Left until Their Extinction

Ettela’at:

1- Government’s Approach Is to Take Wise Decisions Based on National Interests: Rouhani

2- $4bn Investment Attracted in Non-Oil Sectors

3- ISIS’ Attack on a Wedding Ceremony in Iraq’s Karbala Leaves 23 Dead

Haft-e Sobh:

1- French Visit of Lake Urmia

2- Astronomical Houses or Astronomical Salaries? Media War between Reformists and Conservatives

3- Unusual Excitement at Asghar Farhadi’s New Film ahead of Wednesday Premiere in Iran: All Tickets Sold Out

4- China or Chile? Which One’s Economy Should We Learn from?

5- Cinderella in [Iran’s southwestern city of] Ahvaz: Dream of 8-Year-Old Girl Suffering from Cancer Came True

Iran:

1- President Rouhani and Iranian Nation Support Carlos Queiroz: First VP

2- Asiatic Cheetah to Become Extinct by 2021

3- Post-JCPOA Diplomacy’s Mission Is to Reinforce National Economy: Zarif

Javan:

1- Optional Convention on Child Rights (UNCRC), a Trap for New Sanctions: After Student Basij [Voluntary Forces], Iranian Families and Hijab to Be Targeted by UNCRC

2- Iran Oil Contracts Revised in Government’s Session ‘behind Closed Doors’!

Kayhan:

1- President Says Government Opposed to Prosecution of Those Who Received Astronomical Salaries!

2- Illegal Use of Public Properties Is Treason, Whether in Municipality or in Government: Judiciary Should Investigate Astronomical Abuse in Tehran Municipality

3- Eyes Blinded in Kashmir by Indian Army

Khorasan:

1- Jaish-ul-Islam Spokesman: Peace with Israel Is Possible!

2- 700 Porsche, Benz, and Hyundai Azera Cars Confiscated: They All Belong to a “Poor” Woman from Iran’s Northern City of Nowshahr!

Resalat:

1- Iran Prevented Baghdad from Falling into ISIS’ Hands: Amir Abdollahian

2- West Will Be Gripped by MKO Terrorist Group in Future: Larijani

3- Islamic Republic Will Stand by Resistance Movement: Ayatollah Jannati

4- Mina Tragedy Will Never Be Forgotten: A Global Demand from Saudi Arabia

Shahrvand:

1- 229 Iranian Scientists on List of World’s Top 1%

2- ISIS and Saudi Arabia, Two Tips of a Blade in Yemen: ISIS’ Suicide Attack Kills 60 in Yemen

Shargh:

1- Iran’s Economy Had Become Similar to that of Venezuela in 2015, But Tehran Didn’t Become Caracas: President’s Advisor

2- Fordow, under S-300 Umbrella

Sobh-e Now:

1- Number of Smart Phones Doubled in Iran: 40m Smart Phone Users

2- Erdogan’s Sharp Dagger against Turkish Media: Purges Continue

Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:

1- The Man Who Has Power: Reactions to MP’s Punch on Journalist’s Face

2- Foreign Nationals Banned from Studying Certain Technical Majors in Iranian Universities: Keeping Job Opportunities or Manipulating Labour Market?

3- US Wants to Make Iran Involved in Different Regions: Analyst

Saudi Arabia, Israel Have Even Alienated Allies: Iran’s Zarif

By

IFP Media Wire

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August 30, 2016

“As evidence from behind the scenes indicates, a sense of being fed up with and in fact disgusted at the policies of spreading terror and extremism by the Saudi regime has emerged in the entire world,” Foreign Minister Zarif said in remarks published by IRNA on Tuesday.

“Yet, political, economic, and military concerns and interests have caused some disaffected countries to stay silent or comment less [on the matter],” he added.

“Saudi atrocities in Yemen and Israeli atrocities in the region have even caused their friends to complain,” he said.

Saudi Arabia has been conducting military strikes against Yemen since March 2015. The war has killed over 10,000 people, including many women and children.

Israel, too, has been continuing its aggression against Palestinians in the occupied territories. Among its other acts of sabotage in the region are the provision of medical treatment for the militants fighting the elected government in Syria.

Russia & Turkey: ‘An auspicious development’

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif pointed to the recent rapprochement between Russia and Turkey, which has seen Ankara calling for a “clean slate” in its ties with Moscow. Their relations had been soured after Turkey’s move in November 2015 to shoot down a Russian jet over Syria.

“We are prepared to cooperate and share ideas with the two as important and influential countries regarding the affairs in Syria,” he said, stressing, however, that it is up to the Syrian people themselves to decide for their country.

‘Iran acted logically in condemning Turkey coup’

The Iranian foreign minister also described Iran’s quick condemnation of the failed coup in Turkey in July as a “logical” one.

A faction of the military in Turkey declared itself in charge of the country on the night of July 15. Renegade military personnel used tanks and helicopters to fight loyalists to the incumbent government in the cities of Ankara and Istanbul.

The coup attempt was gradually suppressed as people turned to the streets to support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party. At least 246 people were killed and more than 2,100 others sustained injuries in the coup attempt.

Iran was the first country to condemn the coup attempt.

Iran to Hold First Oil Tender in Mid-Oct.

By

IFP Media Wire

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August 30, 2016

The South Azadegan field is on the list for the first tender under the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC), Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Company Ali Kardor told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

“Next week, we will be sending invitations to foreign companies and ask them to announce if they are interested,” he said.

Iran has been working on the IPC for the past two years in order to lure investment to its oil and gas sector. The Ministry of Petroleum has modified the contract several times amid criticism that it might pave the way for renewed squandering of national wealth similar to oil concessions to the UK under the 1901 D’Arcy Agreement.

Domestic companies will be offered small- and medium-size fields even sooner than Mehr, the official said, stating that priority is to develop fields with a recovery rate of under 20%.

Confidentiality agreements signed with oil companies will be sent to the Supreme National Security Council, Kardor said.

The new oil contract model has been modified several times to satisfy those who say it has serious flaws. Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh took the latest version to parliament this month to discuss final touches to the contract before presenting it to oil companies.

Kardor said the final version maintains the duration of the contract for 20 years and also includes the fee per barrel that is paid as profit to the company.

Oil officials have been touting IPC as “a very flexible model of contracts” which includes integrated exploration, development and production. The fee per barrel that is paid as profit to the company is flexible based on the risk which is considered, they have said.

Unlike Iran’s former buyback deals, there will be no ceiling on the capital expenditure, with officials saying everything would depend on the behavior of the fields, and the period of time.

Oil companies would have the chance in the annual work program and budget to revise the scope of the work and the cost according to changes.

About 50 projects, a combination of brown and green fields as well as exploration blocks, are being considered for development but for now the priority is to develop jointly-owned oil and gas fields which are being dried out by Iran’s neighbors.

On Monday night, Zangeneh mentioned oil and gas fields shared with Iraq, including Yaran, Azadegan and Yadavaran which top the list for tendering.

South and North Azadegan is the world’s third largest oilfield with in-place reserves of about 33.2 billion barrels and recoverable resources of about 6 billion barrels.

Iraq started producing 210,000 barrels per day from South Azadegan, which it calls Majnoon, in April 2014. The country has awarded the field to a consortium led by the Royal Dutch Shell, targeting a production plateau of 1.8 million bpd.

Iran first awarded the development of South Azadegan to Japan’s Inpex in 2001 but had to terminate it after five years. The country terminated another contract with China’s CNPC after seeing the company drag its feet on developing the field.

In March, Zangeneh said French oil and gas firm Total was studying its participation in the development of South Azadegan after signing a confidentiality agreement with Iran.

Over 5mln Foreign Tourists Visited Iran in 2015, Official Says

By

IFP Media Wire

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August 30, 2016

Speaking in a meeting with Bangladeshi Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Rashed Khan Menon in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz on Monday, Soltanifar said over 5.2 million people from other countries traveled to Iran as tourists last year.

At President Hassan Rouhani’s insistence, the ICHHTO has done extensive planning to raise the number of foreign tourists to 20mln in 2025, he added.

Soltanifar further emphasized that cooperation with Muslim countries, including Bangladesh, in tourism industry is high on Iran’s agenda, adding that the South Asian country has many cultural and religious commonalities with the Islamic Republic, which can pave the grounds for closer ties.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the first Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Ministerial Meeting on Tourism, which opened in Tabriz on Monday.

The two-day meeting was initiated by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during the 14th ACD Ministerial Meeting, which was held in March in Bangkok, Thailand.

Ministers and high-ranking officials from about 20 member states of the ACD have convened in Tabriz’s Kaya Laleh Park Hotel to discuss ways to promote the tourism industry across Asia.

Bloody Infighting among ISIS Terrorists in Iraq

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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August 30, 2016

According to a report by IRNA, as translated by IFP, a security force in Kirkuk said a number of ISIS terrorists were trying to flee Hawija on Sunday morning to give themselves up to Iraqi troops.

However, the source added, another group of terrorists blocked their way and started an armed conflict.

The source, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Masalah that two terrorists were immediately killed and eight were wounded in the infighting.

The ISIS terrorist group has reportedly mobilized a group of 40 and deployed them to nearby fields and villages to find the fugitives.

Earlier, another security source in Kirkuk had announced that five young Iraqis were executed by ISIS elements because of alleged cooperation with Iraqi security service.

Syrian Girls Outnumber All Foreign Brides in Turkey

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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August 30, 2016

Syrian brides have taken the first place among foreign brides in Turkey, according to the latest official figures for 2015.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) confirmed the large amount of Syrian brides in Turkey with figures recently released. Syrian brides topped all foreign brides with 3,569 women from Syria married to Turkish men in 2015 as prospects of a permanent stay in Turkey for thousands of refugees prevail with no end in sight to the Syrian civil war.

According to Turkish media reports, as covered by Entekhab, Turkey has about 2.7 million Syrian refugees displaced by the ongoing conflict in their country. Many refugees not staying in refugee camps along the Turkish-Syrian border face extreme poverty.

Widowed or single Syrian women often marry Turkish men to secure financial status, according to media reports that also claim Syrian women in some cases even accept to be the second wife for married Turkish men, although this is not officially acknowledged.

Syrian men are among the most numerous foreigners married to Turkish women. The number of Syrian men who have Turkish wives last year was 241 while German men took first place with 1,368 marriages last year, surpassing Austrian citizens.

Hazelnut Harvest in Northern Iranian Village

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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August 30, 2016

Iranian farmers in Ammarloo village in Roodbar County, Gilan Province, have started harvesting their hazelnut gardens. 400 tons of hazelnut are expected to be harvested from the County’s gardens.

18,000 hectares of Gilan Province fields are used for cultivation of hazelnut, and the province produces 90% of the country’s total hazelnut production.

Here are IRNA’s photos of the harvest:

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French Minister Visits Iran’s Lake Urmia

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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August 30, 2016

French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Ségolène Royal, as part of her 3-day visit to Iran, had an aerial visit of Iran’s largest saltwater lake, Lake Urmia, which has lost 90% of its surface water in the past two decades as a result of climate changes, among other reasons.

The French Minister, accompanied by Vice-President and the head of Iran’s Department of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar, visited the shrinking lake on Monday, August 29, IRNA reported.

The two sides had earlier agreed to carry out joint projects toward the enhancement of environmental issues in both countries.

Ebtekar said on Sunday that she had reached an agreement with Royal on a number of joint projects addressing energy, water shortages and pollution.

In a Sunday meeting between the two officials, they agreed to establish several key partnerships on environmental issues by February 2017.

Referring to Royal’s visit to Iran, Ebtekar said it “sends a strong message to the global community that countries can have serious cooperation based on their shared interests in the field of the environment.”

Having arrived in Tehran on Saturday, the French Minister said, “Several highly operational subjects were discussed” during her meeting with Ebtekar.”

“They were chosen by Iran on the basis of the challenges they face,” Press TV quoted her as saying.

“Since we face the same type of challenges in France, this is a terrific opportunity for cooperation,” Royal said.

The French minister is accompanied by senior business figures from environmental and renewable energy firms specializing in water, pollution and energy efficiency, including the head of the Engie firm.

Royal said she would return to discuss progress on the partnerships in February next year.

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Iran Condemns Deadly Terrorist Attack in Iraq’s Karbala

By

IFP Media Wire

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August 30, 2016

Five attackers armed with suicide vests, rifles and grenades have killed 18 people in the Iraqi town of Ain al-Tamer, southwest of Baghdad, local officials say.

Local officials at the provincial health directorate confirmed the death toll in the attack, which occurred late on Sunday, and said at least 26 people were also wounded.

In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said “Takfiri terrorists commit such crimes and kill innocent people while knowing that they are living out their final days in Iraq.”

He expressed his sympathy with the Iraqi government and nation as well as families of the victims of the evil move.

Qassemi at the same time said such blind and savage measures are carried out by terrorists in reaction to their repeated failures in the Arab country.

The Iranian spokesman further hoped that the Iraqi people would live in peace and calm and work toward their country’s security and reconstruction.

IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

Iranian MPs Hold Extraordinary Meeting with IRGC Commanders

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on August 30

Saudi Arabia, Israel Have Even Alienated Allies: Iran’s Zarif

Iran to Hold First Oil Tender in Mid-Oct.

Over 5mln Foreign Tourists Visited Iran in 2015, Official Says

Bloody Infighting among ISIS Terrorists in Iraq

Syrian Girls Outnumber All Foreign Brides in Turkey

Hazelnut Harvest in Northern Iranian Village

French Minister Visits Iran’s Lake Urmia

Iran Condemns Deadly Terrorist Attack in Iraq’s Karbala

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