Zarif Due in Vienna

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May 16, 2016

Zarif is accompanied by a number of the managers and deputies of the Foreign Ministry.

While in Vienna, the Iranian delegation is to hold separate talks with European and American participants of the meeting on the sidelines of the event, to discuss elimination of the obstacles hindering the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Anti-Iran sanctions were lifted on January 16 following the implementation of the JCPOA which was made between Iran and the world six major powers on July 14, 2015.

Cheetah Killed in Accident, Cub Escaped

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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May 16, 2016

On Wednesday night, May 11, a female cheetah unfortunately died in a collision with passing vehicles on a road between Semnan and Mashhad, near Turan National Park.

Cameras in Miandasht Wildlife Refuge Association captured the first image of this cheetah with her three cubs in 2012.

Her fate had remained unknown from 2013 until last year, when she was again caught by camera traps, and had proved to be a successful mother. Very probably, she was with her cubs born last year, which had not reached the age of independence by the time of the accident.

Patrols searched for her cubs near the accident site until evening. Finally, with the efforts of guards and some volunteers from a surrounding town, a cheetah cub was found.

According to Iran Environment and Wildlife Watch, the cheetah cub was about 10 months old and is unlikely to be able to hunt and continue living in the wild without the support of its mother.

After nightfall, the cheetah would have likely moved towards the road to find its mother, which could have caused accidents with passing vehicles. For this reason, guards spent the whole night trying to prevent the cub from approaching the road by burning tires.

At 4am, wardens started patrolling the site in which the cub had been seen, finding it near the road at around 5:30am.

A group of guards tried to surround the cheetah cub and corral him towards the sanctuary of the National Park. Unfortunately, seeing the guards, the cub fled into the mountains.

India Trying to Repay Its Debts to Iran before PM’s Visit

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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May 16, 2016

With less than a week to go before Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Iran, officials in New Delhi are working hard to seal an agreement to repay $6.5bn owed to Iran, dating from the years when it was under sanctions, according to a report by IRNA.

The effort has run into a brick wall over the reluctance of European banks to process the payments, officials in the Oil and External Affairs Ministries told the Indian newspaper The Hindu.

“We are trying our best to conclude the agreement during the week,” an official said.

The repayment agreement is among the large number of announcements Iran and India hope to make during Modi’s visit to Tehran on May 22-23.

Other announcements include the signing of a trilateral trade agreement including Afghanistan, which has already been finalised, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of Chabahar port in southern Iran, and the progress made in Indian exploration of the ‘Farzad-B’ gas fields.

While the other agreements are on track, officials say it is the search for the repayment channel to Iran that is still being awaited, despite several banks including Danske bank of Denmark, Europaeisch-Iranische Handelsbank (EIH) of Germany, the Central Bank of Italy and Halkbank of Turkey having been identified to carry out the transactions. The Reserve Bank of India has identified corresponding banks to make the transfer from India.

Earlier, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) had announced that it is ready to clear its dues for oil imports from Iran as soon as banking channels are available.

“Now that sanctions on Iran have been fully lifted, we hope there will be clarity in terms of payment channels, and that it will be sorted out very quickly. As soon as banking channels are available, we will make the payment,” MRPL Managing Director H Kumar said.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said on April 5 that India will make payments to Iran in a staggered manner.

After China, India is the second largest importer of Iranian oil, and it has started buying additional oil in the post-sanctions period. This figure reached 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) this March, the highest imports to India from Iran in five years.

Iran Starts Negotiations with Airbus to Sign Plane Purchase Contract

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

The two sides signed a preliminary agreement worth more than $27bn in January for Iran’s purchase of 118 planes from Airbus during a landmark trip to Paris by President Hassan Rouhani.

“We started negotiations with Airbus to sign the contract three days ago, and we hope to reach a conclusion and ink the deal,” Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan said on Monday May 16.

However, no date has been set for the signing, he said, adding the contract is a 500-page document including a large number of items which will take time to sort out.

“Each page of the deal should be examined because it contains various financial, legal, and administrative issues, and the two sides should ensure that their interests are taken into account,” he said.

The official also said 80% of financial issues have been resolved and that negotiations are underway to resolve the remaining problems.

The orders are being made in the form of hire-purchase, under which a company will be founded to buy the plane from Airbus so that domestic companies are not involved.

Tehran is seeking to upgrade its aging fleet of aircraft following last year’s nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group.

In January, Fakhrieh-Kashan said Iran also planned to purchase over 100 planes from US plane maker Boeing. The official said Iran’s order list from the American company included 737s for domestic flights and two-aisle 777s for long-haul flights.

Iran’s Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi said in January that Airbus’s first deliveries to flag carrier Iran Air were due as early as July.

Iran’s current civil aviation fleet consists of 248 aircraft with an average age of 20 years, of which 100 are grounded.

Officials have said the country would need 500 commercial jets of various models for various short-, medium- and long-distance routes.

A Look at Iranian Newspaper Front Pages on May 16

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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May 16, 2016

On Monday, a recent motion was passed by the Iranian Parliament which urged the administration to pursue compensation from the US for various damages. This was a hot story in almost all newspapers.

The remarks by Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi on the country’s banking ties after the nuclear deal were also widely reported.

Iranian newspapers also focused on Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s criticism of his daughter Faezeh over her visit to a Baha’i figure.

Abrar:

1- Russia Seeking to Build New Nuclear Train

2- Araqchi: They Want Iran to Be Unable to Benefit from JCPOA

3- 200 Finnish Economists to Visit Iran

4- Parliament Approves Motion Urging US to Pay Compensation to Iran

Abrar-e Eqtesadi:

1- Oman to Provide Excusive Port for Iranian Businessmen

2- Iran Welcomes Oil Partnership with China

3- 82% of Economy Controlled by Gov’t

4- Petrol to Be Produced for Export in New Refineries

Afkar:

1- Children in Tehran Suffer from Vitamin D Deficiency

2- Drug Addiction Kills More People in US than Car Accidents

3- Amoli Larijani: Arab and Colonialist Gov’ts Have Turned Struggle with Iran to the Region’s First Priority

Aftab-e Yazd:

1- Many Independent MPs Express Readiness to Join [the Reformist] “Faction of Hope”

2- Interactive Foreign Policy to Create Wealth

3- Instead of Focusing on Hijab Issues, Tackle Increasing Suicides: Governor-General

4- Suspicious Death of 2-Year-Old Boy after Circumcision

5- Two-Faced Behaviour of Certain MPs-Elect: Appearing in Photos with Aref, Voting for Larijani [for next Parliament speaker]

6- Betrayal Is Second Most Common Grounds for Divorce in Iran

Akhbar-e San’at:

1- Luxury Cars Piled Up in State Warehouses

2- Aeroplane-Makers from 5 Countries Competing to Enter Iranian Market

3- Railway Corridor to Be Launched Connecting Iran’s Bandar Abbas to Russia’s Moscow and Finland’s Helsinki

4- Contract between Saipa and Citroen to Be Signed Soon

5- Iran Needs 50,000MW New Power Capacity: Minister

Arman-e Emrooz:

1- Faezeh Should Make Amends for Her Actions: Rafsanjani [He criticized his daughter’s meeting with a Baha’i figure in Tehran, calling on her to correct her “bad mistake”]

2- Arrested Criminal Linked to Haft-e Tir Bombing Is a Woman

3- 19 Divorces Every Hour in Iran

Asia:

1- 36 Countries, Including US, Increase Activities in Tehran Stock Exchange after JCPOA

2- 18 Countries Seeking to Open Offshore Banks in Iran’s Free Zones

3- Amazon Starts Delivering Goods to Iranian Users

Bani Film:

1- Salesman Will Attract Cinemagoers: Asghar Farhadi

Emtiaz:

1- 3 Divorces Registered Every Minute in Iran, Official Warns

2- Full Intelligence and Judicial Control over Instagram and Facebook: Prosecutor-General

Etemad:

1- Modelling Project in Iran: Prosecutor-General Says 170 Managers of Fashion Design Channels Identified

2- Palestine Is Criterion for Measuring Human Rights Claims: Iran Judiciary Chief

3- Bin Nayef vs. Bin Salman: Duel of Saudi Princes Gets More Serious

Ettela’at:

1- Bright Future for Iranian Nation in World Interaction: Rouhani

2- US and Turkey Agree to Support Syrian Opposition

Ghanoon:

1- 2 Street Musicians Talk about Playing Bach in Valiasr Street

2- Sexual Harassment during School Break Times: Jurists Discuss Increasing Student Molestation

3- Venezuelan President Likely to Confiscate Factories

Haft-e Sobh:

1- After 18 Years, Iranian Man Returns Home from Denmark to Confess to Murdering His Wife

2- Who Was the Terrorist Arrested in Albania?

Hemayat:

1- Holocaust Cartoon Exhibition in Tehran Enrages Israeli PM

2- Tehran Prosecutor-General Gives Details on Arrest of Models in Cyberspace

Javan:

1- European Banks Yet to Begin Ties with Iran: Deputy FM Araqchi

2- Iran to Claim Compensation for 70 Years of US Crimes

Jomhouri Eslami:

1- European Banks Have Not Asked Iran for Any Guarantee or Set Any Condition: Deputy FM

2- Baha’i Faith Is a Deviant Cult Devised by Colonialism: Rafsanjani

3- Iran Is a Reliable Partner for Int’l Community: Rouhani

4- Former French Female Ministers Condemn Sexual Harassment

5- Int’l Conference of Sympathy with Al-Aqsa [Mosque] Held in Tehran

6- Iran Looking for Expansion of Economic Influence in Indian Ocean

Kayhan:

1- Unemployment and Economic Downturn Were Results of Aristocratic Management

2- Occupied Palestinian Territories Turned into Barracks on Nakba Day

3- Baha’i Faith Originated from Britain, the Haven of Faezeh and Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani

4- Erdogan Has Regional Nations’ Blood on His Hand: Kilicdaroglu

Resalat:

1- Iran Still under Sanctions: US Secretary of Treasury

2- Issue of Palestine, the War between Islam and Non-Believers: Judiciary Chief

Shargh:

1- UN Envoy Discusses Iran’s Role in Choosing New UN Secretary-General

Vaghaye Ettefaghieh:

1- Indian Ocean Free Zones Summit in Chabahar Is Golden Opportunity: President’s Advisor

2- Saudi Arabia, Axis of Tension with Iran

3- West Trying to Divide Tehran and Moscow in Syria

4- It’s Important to Ensure Security of Critics: Rafsanjani

5- “Faction of Hope” Takes a Step to Interact with Conservatives [formation of a five-member working group to talk with conservatives]

Vatan-e Emrooz:

1- US Will Prevent Foreign Investment in Iran in Post-JCPOA Era: Rouhani’s Advisor

2- Rafsanjani Says His Daughter Made a “Bad Mistake”, Faezeh Says She Didn’t Do Anything Wrong [on her meeting with Baha’i leader]

Chinese Firms to Renovate Oil Refinery in Iran

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

An official with the international department of the Petroleum Ministry, Marziyeh Riahi, told Shana that the renovation of Abadan Refinery, which is over a century old, is one of the articles of the MoU signed on Sunday May 15 by Amir Hossein Zamaninia, deputy petroleum minister for international affairs and trading, from Iran and Deputy Administrator of National Energy Administration of China Zhang Yuqing from China.

“The deal will bring Iran’s share of the Chinese market up to the pre-sanctions period,” said Riahi, who is director-general of the Asia and Oceanic office of the international affairs and trading department of the ministry.

She also said that based on the MoU, Chinese partners have also agreed to invest in 70 petrochemical projects which have been pitched by Iran to foreign investors.

Construction of oil industry equipment is one of the articles of the MoU, and accredited Chinese companies can join Iranian companies to build such items for the oil, gas, refining and petrochemical industries, the official added.

Technical cooperation in international standards levels is another topic of the deal, she added, saying that the two countries will also cooperate in training human resources in this regard.

Iran and China signed this long-term deal on Sunday in Tehran.

MPs Carry Motion to Seek Compensation from US

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

Tagged with a double urgency status, the motion was approved unanimously, with 181 of the 216 lawmakers present voting for it.

If the final bill with its preamble and details is adopted, the administration will have to take necessary measures to receive compensation from the US government for crimes against Iran and its nationals.

The motion cited a range of hostile acts for which the US should make reparations to Iran, including Washington’s role in the notorious 1953 coup against Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq, and its role in another coup known as Nojeh, a failed attempt to overthrow the newly established Islamic Republic more than 30 years ago.

The motion also touched on the US role in an 8-year Iraqi-imposed war on Iran in the 1980s, which led to more than 223,000 Iranian deaths, as well as the assassination of more than 17,000 Iranians with US backing.

JCPOA Should Help Implementation of “Resistance Economy”

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

President Rouhani addressed the Conference on JCPOA and Resistance Economy, Opportunities and Capacities, held in Tehran on Sunday May 15, to coordinate two important topics in domestic as well as foreign policy. Rouhani’s address was directed to Iran’s foreign envoys and ambassadors to foreign countries.

“The JCPOA is highly important, since it was the outcome of months of hectic negotiations with six world powers; it is rare, and few countries have succeeded in negotiations on such a grand scale with six powers, gaining a modest agreement to avoid other less favourable consequences,” Rouhani told the meeting. “In foreign policy, a black-and-white view of the situation would serve no purpose; refuting baseless claims against the nation was a sophisticated, difficult effort, and the final outcome was a tour de force in terms of legal and political considerations.”

“With that premise, the opportunities created by this feat should be exploited to improve our international interactions. Now, after the JCPOA, an ill-conceived Iranophobia project is on the wane, but there are still issues around terrorism and human rights which should be tackled,” Rouhani emphasized. “Today, all players in international politics would admit that Iran’s nuclear program complies with the international rules and conventions; am economic boom will strengthen the JCPOA, but economic growth requires constructive work with the world in fighting Iranophobia.”

Rouhani believed one outcome of the JCPOA had been a more conducive atmosphere for Iran’s trade with the world, saying “Resistance Economy is both interior and exterior; here, our ambassadors and foreign envoys can play a crucial role in bringing boom and competition to the hard-hit economy,” he recommended.

“A wavering and uncompetitive economy would be soon swept aside by strong world economies; an economy which fails in this would also fail in addressing its domestic issues. Current pressing issues include employment for the young, a concern the cabinet prioritized once it assumed its position. It scored some success in taming the beast of inflation, reducing the devaluation of the national currency. A constructive interaction with the region as well as the world would further accelerate this pace, and we should hasten to obtain cutting-edge technologies by transfer deals with great industrial countries.”

“An amount of success demonstrates the hallmark that we have been on the right track in cooperating with the world; however, this does not mean that the JCPOA parties are committed to their obligations, but that we should create an environment where we require these powers to remain so through due pressure,” Rouhani concluded.

Iran’s DM Urges Enhanced Defence Ties with Other Countries

By

Golrokh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

“While trying to maintain its strength and boost its power, Iran should broaden defence interactions with other countries under logical and balanced conditions,” Dehqan said at a meeting of Iranian diplomats in Tehran.

He also noted that the Defence Ministry has formulated reasonable plans for cooperation with different countries on the basis of constructive and genuine interaction.

Back in April, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani highlighted the necessity for paying equal attention to both diplomacy and the Armed Forces in national doctrine, saying that the country needs both of them at the same time.

“Our diplomacy and Armed Forces pursue the same goal: national security, national might, stability, and development in the country,” Rouhani said at the time.

Iranians Mark National Ferdowsi Day

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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May 16, 2016

Iranians on May 14 marked the ‘National Day of Ferdowsi’ to pay tribute to Hakim Abul-Qasim Ferdowsi, the renowned literary figure whose “Shahnameh” is considered the world’s longest epic poetry written by a single poet.