A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on Apr. 27

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April 27, 2016

The recent US Supreme Court decision to seize $2bn of Iranian assets remained a top story today, continuing to receive plenty of commentary as to the legality of the decision, as well as opinions regarding who in Iran is to blame for allowing this to happen.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in particular, has made his views on the matter very clear internationally, with a much-reprinted New Yorker interview drawing a lot of attention. In addition, the Swiss envoy to Tehran was summoned to accept an official complaint from the Iranian government over the asset seizure, as Switzerland has been representing US diplomatic interests in Tehran since the embassy siege in 1979.

In other news, renowned and much-loved filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami has been discharged from hospital after a recent illness scare, saying he felt hopeful about his future health.

Both oil and gas have been showing marked improvement, year-on-year, as well as attracting new customers. Several dailies chose to draw attention to the fact that Canada and the US are set to strike new deals in the sector.

Abrar:

Is Russia’s S-300 Delivery to Iran Underway?
White House: GCC Stands by US in Supporting JCPOA
Resignation of Iran Football Coach Carlos Queiroz Officially Rejected

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

The US and Canada – Iran’s New Oil Customers

Arman-e Emrooz:

US Court Ruling Is “Highway Robbery”: FM Zarif
Swiss Envoy Summoned to Foreign Ministry over US Seizure of Iranian Assets
Supreme National Security Council to Study “Plainclothes Morality Police” Plan

Asia:

Tehran-Washington Oil Talks: US Return to Iran
Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley Ready for Presence in Iran

Emtiaz:

Ali Daei, One of the World’s 32 Best Goal Scorers

Ettela’at:

Saudi Prince’s Wife Financially Supported 9/11 Attacks: Independent
Putin: Hezbollah Has Final Decision in Lebanese Presidential Elections

Ghanoon:

Supreme Court vs. Supreme Court: Analysis of US Court Ruling’s Legal Aspects
Democrats and Republicans Not Different in Int’l Relations: Analyst

Samt:

Visitors Coming Thick and Fast for Economic Talks in Tehran
Australia Keen to Cooperate in Iranian Mining

Haft-e Sobh:

Record-Breaking $14bn Increase of Iran’s Foreign Exchange Reserves: IMF
Flags of Macau, Tibet, Taiwan Removed from Tehran Int’l Congress after China’s Anger

Hemayat:

300 Iranian Inventions Waiting to Be Registered Internationally
Expansion of Ties with Latin American Countries Is Iran’s Policy: Rouhani

Iran:

Gov’t Unveils New Plan to Reduce Unemployment Rate
Abbas Kiarostami after Release from Hospital: I Am Hopeful

Jame Jam:

Trade Minister Insists on Importing Marlboro Cigarettes despite Parliament’s Opposition

Javan:

JCPOA in Danger: Zarif Alarmed at Nuclear Deal

Kayhan:

How Can the US Further Demonstrate Its Untrustworthiness?
CIA and Ukraine’s Orange Gov’t Shot Down Malaysia Airliner: Daily Express

Khorasan:

Iran’s Political Foundations Can Be Shaken by Religious War: Condoleezza Rice

Jomhouri Eslami:

South Korea to Double Crude Oil Imports from Iran
2 Killed, Several Arrested in Egypt Protests against Saudi Island Transfer
US to Offer Israel Largest Aid Package in History

Resalat:

US Has Not Implemented JCPOA: Zarif
All Islamic Society Miseries Rooted in Western Human Sciences: Cleric

Roozan:

Iran Should Reconsider Attending Hajj Pilgrimage: Analyst

Sayeh:

How to Save Iran from a Water Crisis in 2040?
Iran Increases Oil Production in Joint Oilfield with Saudi Arabia

Sepid:

Deadly Shootout in Famous Hospital in Tehran

Shahrvand:

73% of Iran’s 2016 Hajj Quota Still Available: Drop in Number of Applications
Refugees Trapped by 10 Big Lies: EU Fabricating Pretexts to Deport Refugees
Zarif Warns Saudis: Iran’s Self-Restraint Has a Limit

Sharq:

Arrested Journalists in Iran Sentenced to Jail
Seminary Students’ Twitter Activity

Vatan-e Emrooz

Saudi Mirage: Will King Salman’s Development Plan Backfire for Saudi Arabia?

Iran and China Stress Common Views on Syria

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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April 27, 2016

A Chinese diplomat, who has been recently appointed as the Chinese government’s representative for the Syria affairs, held a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran on Tuesday.

Voicing Beijing’s support for a political solution to the crisis in Syria and reliance on the results of the political negotiations, the Chinese envoy insisted that shaping Syria’s future, drawing up the constitution and electing the president should be left in the hands of the Syrian nation, without any foreign interference.

The Iranian deputy minister, for his part, deplored the lack of serious international actions against terrorist groups in Syria, what the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) had agreed to pursue along with the political talks.

The Iranian and Chinese officials both denounced a violation of ceasefire by the armed opposition groups in Syria, and called for the delivery of humanitarian aid in all parts of the war-torn country.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.

According to a new report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

Ebtekar Speaks of “Planet” and “Peace” at the Environment, Religion and Culture Seminar

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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April 27, 2016

Yesterday, with all my work, I got a chance to attend the International Seminar of the Environment, Religion and Culture held in the Environmental Protection Organization headquarters, in the presence of representatives from different religions and nationalities.

In the first panel, called “Planet,” there was a talk about the knowledge and deep attachment of Indigenous communities, like American Indians, with nature. Their relations with nature go far beyond fulfilling their initial needs, and they have a spiritual and emotional relation to it. Such communities try to bring the educational process into the frameworks of spiritualism and understanding, so they can affect the human soul.

One of the people present there asked about the effect of human interference in nature, such as transgenic products. The lecturer replied, saying that the indigenous communities have an innate knowledge toward the importance and varieties of natural species, therefore they’ll protect them.

It reminded me of the Holy Quran and Yusuf Surrah, “Set me over the storehouses of the land; I will indeed guard them with full knowledge. Thus did we give full authority to Yusuf in the land, to take possession therein, as when or where he likes. We bestow of Our Mercy on whom we please, and we make not to be lost the reward of Al-Muhsinun.”

I asked to be given some time to talk briefly about being a “Full-Knowledge Guardian” of the earth’s resources, and pointed out that followers of different religions have forgotten such words and phrases in their holy books.

I then went to the second panel, called “Peace,” which was held simultaneously in another hall. As soon as I arrived, one of the foreign Christian guests made a criticism at the presence of representatives from the Vatican. They said, “The destruction of the world is a matter for civilizations, and it has its root in the fact that women and the female soul has been forgotten in the guardianship of the world – in some interpretations of religion, it has been fully denied. Some Christians believe women are the devil’s playthings, and this is the same perverted view that has led to the earth’s destruction”.

There too, I spoke to the audience, reciting a few lines about the story of Queen Saba in the Holy Quran, who was a clever manager and governor, saving her land from war and instability. She went through the “passageway of the soul,” instead of relying on common and popular solutions of the time.

I hope this seminar and its meetings become an opportunity for thinking about the environment through the eyes of various religions and cultures, which are followed by billions of people in the world.

Winter Is Coming for Iran’s Bakhtiari Nomads

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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April 27, 2016

Bakhtiari tribes spend the six coldest months of the year in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, then, after climbing the cold and snowy heights of Zardkooh, arrive in the western region of Koohrang to spend the six hotter months.

These nomads walk the long distance in one month. Since Khuzestan province warms up very early in the year, and the Koohrang region very late, this one-month journey is necessary so as to prevent the cattle from dying of heatstroke.

This year, the spring snow and frost caused problems for the nomads and their cattle in the early part of their migration.

Winter Is Coming for Iran’s Bakhtiari Nomads

Germany to Invest in Iranian Agriculture

By

Emad Askarieh

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April 27, 2016

Minister Schmidth made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian officials in East Azerbaijan province in Tabriz on Tuesday.

The German official said Saxony is the third major fruit producer in Germany, adding that there are plans to enter joint ventures with Iranian companies in agricultural projects of East Azerbaijan.

Director of Agricultural Jihad of East Azerbaijan Karim Mehri, for his part, said the two sides could cooperate in projects related to the production of pesticides and herbal medicine, research and training schemes, modernization of medical plants and technologies, development of micro irrigation techniques, and boosting productivity rate in the sector.

The meeting came after Iran and German Federal State of Sachsen agreed to develop cooperation and invest in agricultural projects, including in the processing and supplementary industries.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ali Akbar Mehrfard and German Minister Schmidt in Tehran in April.

During the talks, Mehrfard said Iran produces some 120 million tons of crops annually, adding that Germany could help boost the sector through modern technology transfer.

Minister Schmidt, for his part, said the two sides should work together to improve ties, adding that German companies and private sector seek trade and investment opportunities in Iran, particularly in food packaging and processing.

He also invited private businesses to visit Germany to learn more about Sachsen’s technical and scientific capabilities.

Taxi-library in northern city promotes book-reading

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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April 26, 2016

Sahel Filsoof who has turned his shuttle taxi into a mobile library, believes that people could overcome many of their problems through reading books.

“The idea to accommodate my taxi with books hit me a long time ago,” Filsoof told the Islamic Republic News Agency correspondent in a recent interview.

“I thought reading books may provide the public with some mental fodder and by doing this, I could promote book-reading as well,” he said.

The fans of his taxi-library are mostly women and young men, he said.

He taxi exhibits 50 books on different subjects, including psychology, children and history.

“Books even get circulated among my fixed passengers,” he said.

According to Filsoof, he had asked the authorities in the public libraries across the Province of Gilan to support his move and he has been granted scores of books to increase the quality of his mobile library.

“When I come across a passenger who asks me for the book he or she had read during the last ride to continue reading, I just realize I am doing a good job.”

Iran’s Early April Crude Exports up by 600,000 bpd

By

Emad Askarieh

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April 26, 2016

The Petroleum Ministry’s department for OPEC affairs and relations with energy associations reported that in the period under study, Iran’s crude exports atood at more than two million bpd.

Iran increased export of its crude under condition when crude exports of certain other OPEC members like Nigeria and Iraq fell by about 100,000 bpd in the said period.

Information released by South Korean Customs Office says South Korea’s import of crude from Iran showed more than a 80 percent increase in March 2016 and reached 245,000 bpd on the average compared to that in the same period the previous year.

Average crude imports from Iran by South Korea stood at about 135,000 bpd in March 2015.

Young Iranian couple taking care of injured animals

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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April 26, 2016

Marivan – A young Iranian couple in the city of Marivan in the western province of Kurdestan have a passion for taking care of the wounded animals and birds they find abandoned in the wild. They treat the injured animals and birds at their small home adjacent to a car wash, where they work, and let them go back to their natural homes after treatment.

Young Iranian couple taking care of injured animals

Tehran Wants Deeper Ties with Latin America

By

Emad Askarieh

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April 26, 2016

The Iranian President made the remarks during a meeting with Uruguayan Vice-President Raul Sendic in Tehran on Tuesday morning, “Tehran and Montevideo possess great determination to strengthen multilateral relations and no third-party country can affect these friendly ties.”

“The Formation of a Joint Economic Commission as well as the implementation of the agreements reached between Iran and Uruguay will open a new chapter in the relations between the two countries,” he added.

President Rouhani pointed to the economic capacities of the two states, asserting “In order to accelerate collaborations, this common potential needs to become operational more than the past especially in the private sector.”

The official deemed implementation of joint projects as a prerequisite for regional cooperation: “Iran and Uruguay can make investments and run production and export plans in order to gain access to a portion of vast markets in Latin America, Central Asia and the Caucasus.”

The Iranian President went on to add that “Beyond economic and trade matters, there exist important matters in the world today like the environment and terrorism which demand consultation and collaboration among all countries.”

Rouhani urged global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and extremism, concluding “Currently, terrorism has displaced millions of people around the world and claimed thousands of victims; therefore we must all go hand-in-hand to combat this ongoing scourge.”

The Uruguayan Vice-President Raul Sendic, for his part, voiced Uruguay’s determination to bolster ties with Iran in all areas of interest.

“Iran and Uruguay are two friendly nations and trade partners with historical relations,” highlighted the visiting official, adding “The two sides possess vast capacities which need to be exploited in line with increased cooperation.”

Sendic, who is accompanied by a trade and business delegation, continued “Upon the activation of the Joint Economic Commission between the two countries, a new era will begin in Tehran-Montevideo relations, with energy and agriculture as major areas of cooperation.”

The Uruguayan official also emphasized the need for further coordination between Iran and Uruguay on regional and international issues.

FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Inaugurated in Tehran

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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April 26, 2016

As reported by FIFA:

IFMARC is the first centre of its kind in central Asia and has been designed to provide excellence in sports medicine, rehabilitation and fitness assessment. Those using IFMARC will also be educated about injury prevention.

By signing contracts with internationally renowned medical professionals from Iran, the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence is capable of providing the highest level of services for male and female players, match officials and coaches. It is hoped the centre will create medical and health data banks for all amateur, semi-professional and professional players, helping with research, injury prevention programs and standardization of football medicine in close cooperation with F-MARC.