Iran’s FM Zarif Meet Ghanaian President in Accra

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July 27, 2016

The Iranian minister is in Ghana on the second leg of a four-nation African tour. He paid a visit to Nigeria before arriving in Accra. Zarif will visit Guinea-Conakry and Mali in coming days.

At the meeting, Zarif said Iran is ready to cooperate with Ghana in the fight against terrorism, and added, “A new chapter has begun in the very good relations between Iran and Ghana.”

He then described the level of the two sides’ ties as “very good”, and said the trade delegation which is accompanying him in his tour of West African countries is among the biggest in recent years.

Also at the meeting, the Ghanaian president recalled his visit to Tehran in February, and noted that his talks with Iranian officials were successful.

Mahama added that the two countries have the potential to improve cooperation in oil, gas, agriculture and education.

As regards ongoing conflicts in Syria, he said the crisis in the Arab country cannot be resolved through military approaches, and voiced his country’s support for finding a political solution to the conflict.

Sheikh Qassim Not to Appear in Court Tomorrow: Representative

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IFP Media Wire

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July 26, 2016

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Tuesday, Sheikh Abdullah Daqaq, Sheikh Qassim’s representative in Iran, said the first session of trial of the top Bahraini cleric is slated to be held on Wednesday, adding that he is not going to appear in the court.

He further warned the Manama regime against the consequences of the trial of Sheikh Qassim, saying that if the regime makes an act against the cleric and his supporters, it will be followed by deadly violence and bloodshed.

Daqaq went on to say that Muslims around the world plan to hold rallies this Friday in solidarity with Sheikh Qassim.

Previous reports indicated that Sheikh Qassim would go on trial in August for alleged “money laundering”.

The Al Khalifa regime announced on June 20 that the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim has been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.

Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.

Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.

Amnesty International and many other international rights organizations have frequently censured the Bahraini regime for the rampant human rights abuses against opposition groups and anti-regime protesters.

Iran Seizes UAE Ship for Using Fake Name for Persian Gulf

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IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

Here is IFP’s translation of a report by IRNA:

Abutaleb Gerayiloo, the deputy head of Ports and Maritime Organization’s office in Khuzestan province, announced on Tuesday, July 26, that the ship ‘Feodora’, which belongs to an Emirati company and was carrying Panama’s flag, was seized because of using a fake name for Persian Gulf.

“The name body of water has been mentioned in all historical documents as the Persian Gulf, and Imam Khomeini Port officials seized the ship in a move to prevent the national and historical name from being tainted by foreign ships.”

“No service will be provided for the ship until the fake name is removed from its documents,” he went on to say.

Iranian Children Playing in Deprived Southeastern Province

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IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeast of Iran is one of the most underdeveloped provinces of Iran. The deprivation of people in this province has been worsened by a heavy dust pollution which every now and then strikes different towns and cities in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Zabol, one of the major cities in the province, was recently declared as the world’s most polluted city. However, children can never stop playing and enjoying their childhood.

Here are IRNA’s photos of these children who are trying to forget about their situation for a moment.

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Iran to Release Report on Human Rights Conditions in UK

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IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

According to a report by Mizan, as translated by IFP, Kazem Gharib-Abadi, the Deputy Secretary General of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights described human rights situation in the UK as shameful, and said, “The UK is not in a position to pass comments on the human rights conditions of any country.”

He further pointed to Britain’s all-out support for terrorist groups and child-killer governments in the region, and stressed, “Iran’s Human Rights Headquarters has plans to prepare and release an extensive, full report on the violation of human rights in the UK within a month.”

“To name but a few, discrimination against Muslim women in the UK, fanning the flames of Islamophobia and standing up for child-killer governments in international organizations are clear examples of human rights violation committed by the UK,” Gharib Abadi said.

Iran Allows No Country to Decide on Its Missile Program: DM

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IFP Media Wire

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July 26, 2016

General Hossein Dehqan — Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier

“Iran’s missile program has nothing to do with the US and other countries and no country is allowed to decide for the Islamic Republic’s missile program,” Dehqan told reporters on Monday.

He added that some countries are using the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed last July’s nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a pretext to take measures against Iran’s missile program.

Under the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, Iran has made no commitment or concession, even conditionally, which would halt the Islamic Republic’s defensive program, he said.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia — plus Germany started implementing the JCPOA on January 16.

Resolution 2231 adopted on July 20, 2015 provides for the termination of the provisions of previous Security Council resolutions on the Iranian nuclear program and establishes specific restrictions that apply to all states without exception.

The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.

The US claims that Iran’s missile tests violate the UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Dehqan emphasized that the fuss made over Iran’s missile tests is merely part of the propaganda campaign in the US ahead of the country’s presidential election in November.

It has been proven to different countries that the Iranian nation acts in accordance with its interests and will pay the necessary price for them, he added.

“The Islamic establishment determines its own national security and interests and will make decisions on how to defend its national security,” Dehqan said, emphasizing that Iran will equip and prepare itself in accordance with potential threats and accepts no limitations in this regard.

The Iranian defense minister made the remarks after United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said earlier in July that Iran’s ballistic missile launches “are not consistent with the constructive spirit” of the JCPOA.

“I call upon Iran to refrain from conducting such ballistic missile launches since they have the potential to increase tensions in the region,” the UN chief wrote in his first biannual report to the 15-member Security Council.

Iran has warned that it can restore all those aspects of its nuclear program that it has agreed to limit under the JCPOA if it is violated by the six countries.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on July 26

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IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

Newspapers on Tuesday continued covering the ongoing visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Africa. The African tour first took him to Nigeria, where he met senior Nigerian officials and businessmen. He is now in Ghana and will then head to Guinea-Conakry.

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) also submitted a letter of protest to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the leakage of secret nuclear documents. The letter and its submission was also covered by many newspapers.

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

Abrar:

1- More than 60 Teenagers Arrested for Treason against Turkish Gov’t

2- Turkish FM Threatens Washington to Reconsideration of Ties

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Strong Lady of Germany: Will Recent Incidents Decrease Popularity of German Chancellor?

2- Cyber-Police Chief Asks Iranians Not to Use Telegram

Afkar:

1- Iran’s Letter of Protest to Be Submitted to IAEA

2- Deadly Shooting in US Nightclub

Amin:

1- Iran Ready to Export 30bcm of Natural Gas to Europe Each Year

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Soon after Taking Their Seats in New Parliament, MPs Go on Holiday!

2- Senior Cleric Criticizes Imprisonment of Men for Their Inability to Pay Wives’ Mahr

3- Iran’s Isolation, Saudi Arabia’s Illusion: Expert [Editorial]

Ebtekar:

1- No Country Can Influence Iran-Pakistan Ties: Shamkahni

2- Heart Attack, Primary Cause of Death among Citizens of Tehran

Etemad:

1- Critical Support for Rouhani: Why Reformists’ Criticism of Rouhnai’s Government Does Not Mean the End of Their Support for Him

2- UAE ahead, Iraq behind: Competition for Extraction of Oil from Joint Oilfields Has Changed Oil Ministry’s Priority

3- Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) Chief: I’m Ready to Visit Pyongyang for Nuclear Talks

4- 46 Journalists, Targets of Erdogan

Ettela’at:

1- Zarif’s Meeting with High-Ranking Officials in Nigerian Capital

2- Methods to Fight Drug Addiction Should Be Revised

3- Beginning of 10th Year of Continued Drought in Iran’s Central Plain

4- Lebanese PM: Hezbollah Is a Key Element in Lebanon’s Ruling System

5- 5,800 LCs Opened So Far for Businessmen since Beginning of JCPOA: CBI Governor

Iran:

1- Iran Exports in Past 4 Months $4bn More than Its Imports: First VP

2- Illegal Wells Dug near Persepolis World Heritage List

3- Tehran and Islamabad Have Never Been Mutual Threats: Shamkhani

Jame Jam:

1- Black Market for Hajj Pilgrimage Tickets: Dealers Still Active in Spite of Hajj Suspension

2- A Report on Noise Pollution in Metropolitan Areas

Javan:

1- Nusra Front Apparently Gets Divorce from Al Qaeda after US-Russia Deal

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- 5 Important Bills for Acceleration of Fight against Illicit Drugs

2- Phases 20 and 21 of South Pars Gas Field Ready for Operation

Kayhan:

1- Terrible Traffic Jam in Britain-France Border: Extensive Inspections to Prevent Entry of Terrorists

2- WikiLeaks Releases Documents on Cooperation of Turkey, Qatar, and Iraqi Kurdistan with ISIS

Khorasan:

1- Trump Overtakes Clinton by 5 Points

Quds:

1- Fall of Arab League in Mauritania: Leaders of 13 Arab Countries Didn’t Go to Africa

Resalat:

1- Saudi Arabia’s Embassy: The Think-Tank of Terror in Iraq

2- Anti-Zionist Cartoonist Praised in a Ceremony

3- Putin: Russia Supports Establishment of the Country of Palestine with Al-Quds as Its Capital

Rouyesh-e Mellat:

1- Zarif Underlines Iran’s Support for Fight against Al Qaeda and Boko Haram

Sayeh:

1- Zarif Highlights Iran’s Extensive Cooperation with Nigeria in All Fields

2- Loris Tjeknavorian: Music Is Language of God

Shahrvand:

1- As a Fresh Step to Remove Wealthy People from List of Those Who Receive Cash Subsidies, Government Cuts Subsidies of 50 MPs

2- Historical House of Former Iranian Shah’s Wife Destructed in Tehran

3- Israel’s Feet on Thirsty Throat of Palestine: Israel Restricts Palestinians’ Control over Water Resources, Preparing Grounds for Its Domination over Water

Shargh:

1- Rouhani’s Gov’t in Defensive Position on JCPOA: Expert

2- Economic Diplomacy in Africa: Zarif Meets Nigerian Officials and Businesspeople

Siasat-e Rooz:

1- Mutual Services of Ahmadinejad and Rouhani to Each Other

2- Cheap Internet, Maybe Some Other Time

3- What Happened to Securing the Rights of Mina Tragedy Victims and Lawsuit against Al Saud?

Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- Concerns over More Important Documents: Iran’s Official Protest at IAEA about Secret Information Leak

2- Lone Wolves Waiting in Ambush for Germans

Turkey-Saudi Arabia Conflict to Rage after Recent Coup: Lebanese Politician

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

Here is IFP’s translation of excerpts from IRNA’s interview with Ferzli:

“There is a growing conflict between Turkey and Saudi Arabia over the leadership of Sunni Muslim world in the new global structure,” Ferzli said.

He further described as “surprising” the attacks of Saudi media against the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan since the first day of the coup, and noted, “Saudi Arabia is afraid of Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is the leader of Shiites in the global order.”

“Riyadh is afraid of Iran and Turkey because it thinks they are behind the decrease of Saudi influence in the Middle East.”

“Therefore, one can understand why Saudis are hostile towards Iran and long for Erdogan’s overthrow, particularly because they are worried about the expansion of Muslim Brotherhood’s presence in the Muslim world from Indonesia to Lebanon,” he went on to say.

Erdogan’s Post-Coup Measures Run Counter to Democracy

“What we saw after the recent coup in Turkey – the arrests and court rulings – was far beyond the punishment of putchists, and ran counter to democracy. Such moves will move Turkey towards deep and endless crises,” the Lebanese politician noted.

“The arrest of military personnel behind the coup is understandable, but the punishment and conviction of other people on the pretext of their personal thoughts and opinions is nothing but a violation of democracy.”

“Despite the defeat of putchists, I believe the coup in Turkey was successful!” he noted.

Saudi and Israeli Projects of Iranophobia Falling Flat: Zarif

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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July 26, 2016

Speaking to a group of Iranian expatriates in the Ghanaian capital city of Accra on Monday evening, Zarif said Tel Aviv and Riyadh, “two like-minded regimes,” are investing heavily in Iranophobia to draw attention away from their crimes and their collaborations.

“It is obvious that the cooperation of the Zionist regime [Israel] and the Saudi regime, which are two like-minded and congruent regimes, has today become known and can no more be concealed,” Zarif said.

He said the two regimes are concerned about their collaboration having become publicly known and are thus “investing further in Iranophobia” as a means of distraction.

He said, however, that, “The world today has waken up to the fact that the danger of Wahhabism is the real threat.”

According to Press TV, Wahhabism is an extreme ideological strand openly preached by Saudi Arabian clerics, who have the blessing of ruling Saudi authorities. It is the main ideological feature of Takfiri terrorist groups — particularly the ISIS — which declare people of other faiths and beliefs as “infidels” and, based on “decrees” from clerics, rule that they should be killed.

Iranian Expatriates in Ghana Praise FM Zarif

An Iranian cleric in Accra, on behalf of the Iranian expatriates in the African country, gave a letter of appreciation to Zarif and praised his efforts at the Foreign Ministry.

Zarif is in Ghana on the second leg of a four-nation African tour.

According to a report by IRNA, as translated by IFP, Zarif is scheduled to meet with Ghanaian President, Parliament Speaker, and Foreign Minister on Tuesday, July 26.

Iran’s top diplomat was in Nigeria before arriving in Ghana and will be traveling to Guinea-Conakry and Mali on the third and fourth legs of his tour.