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

Iran News
Politics
Business
Society
- Education
- Environment
- Health
- Human Rights
- Incidents
- Lifestyle
- Sport
- Women
Culture
- Art
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World
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Home Blog Page 4536

Iran Guardian Council endorses credentials of 166 for Experts Assembly polls

Emad Askarieh

January 26, 2016

The council, which vets candidates for general elections, wed out 634 hopefuls who had registered to run for the February 26 elections, Hossein-Ali Amiri said on Tuesday.

He added that 37 candidates would be vying for seats in the 88-member Assembly at Tehran Province constituency.

Amiri said the disqualified candidates will have two days to appeal with the Guardian Council. The council will examine their requests during three days.

The next elections for the 10th Majlis (parliament) and the 5th Assembly of Experts will take place simultaneously on February 26.

The high-ranking body of the Assembly of Experts elects and oversees the activities of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and is in a position of authority to either appoint or dismiss the Leader.

Members of the Assembly are directly elected to office by people for an eight-year term. The body holds meetings twice a year to review major national issues and every other year to appoint a new chairman.

Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi was appointed the new chairman of the Assembly in March last year after the passing away of its former chairman, Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani.

Nuclear powers line up for cooperation with Iran

IFP Editorial Staff

January 26, 2016

According to Mehr News Agency, Mr. Ali Akbar salehi said The United States is obliged in accordance with the nuclear agreement, to cooperate with Iran in nuclear technology and redesigning of Arak reactor in particular.

He added that redesigning of Arak reactor will be carried out by Iranian experts and Americans will review, modify and confirm the new design.

Mr. Salehi sad such confirmation by American experts is important for us on two accounts: first, it will prove that our experts have done their works correctly or not and at the same time any possible shortcoming in our nuclear program will be removed through such cooperation.

He also said Western and East Asian countries have lined up to take part in our nuclear program and that many proposal have been submitted by foreign companies for construction of nuclear power plant in Iran with various capacity and that his organization is busy with their evaluation.

Iranian President Rouhani, Pope Francis meet at Vatican

Emad Askarieh

January 26, 2016

The meeting was held behind closed doors on Tuesday on the second day of Rouhani’s trip which has already taken him to the Italian capital Rome.

During the 40-minute meeting, the two sides brought about common spiritual values and highlighted the good state of relations between the Holy See and Iran.

They also discussed measures to be undertaken by the nuncio for promoting the dignity of human being and religious freedom in Iran.

The pontiff called on Iran and other regional countries to find political solutions to ongoing problems in the Middle East and to combat the spread of terrorism and arms supply to terrorist groups operating in the region.

Rouhani and the Pope highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peace.

Rouhani also presented the pontiff with a handwoven Persian carpet along with a book of illustrations by renowned Iranian painter Mahmoud Farshchian.

According to Iran’s presidential office, Rouhani and the Pope said divine religions promote peace and shun violence and extremism. They called on world nations to make comprehensive efforts to establish global peace.

The two sides urged countries and international organizations to help ease human suffering and swiftly stop war and clashes.

Also on Tuesday, the Iranian president held a meeting with the Vatican prime minister and discussed the latest regional and international developments.

The prefect of the papal household bishop Georg Gaenswein welcomed Rouhani upon his arrival.

The meeting between the Pope and President Rouhani is the first of its kind since 1999 when Pope St. John Paul II met the then Iranian President Mohammad Khatami at the Vatican.

Rouhani arrived in Rome on Monday at the head of a delegation of more than 100 businessmen and ministers on the first leg of his trip to three European destinations after Iran and the P5+1 group of countries started on January 16 to implement a nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), they reached in Vienna last July.

During his stay in Rome, the Iranian president held talks with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella. He also addressed an Iran-Italy business forum.

Iran and Italy on Monday night signed multi-billion dollar contracts covering various sectors including health, transportation, agriculture and energy.

The contracts, worth up to 17 billion euros (USD 18.4 billion), were signed in a ceremony attended by the Iranian president and the Italian prime minister in Rome.

Rouhani will set off for Paris on Wednesday to hold talks with senior French officials.

Syrian army takes control of Sheikh Miskeen

Golrokh Askarieh

January 26, 2016

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that Syrian forces liberated the key town of Sheikh Miskeen from militants, cutting off their routes between eastern and western Dara’a Province.

A day earlier, Syrian army sources said the army had taken control of more than 90 percent of Sheikh Miskeen.

The UK-based group said the clashes are now taking place outside the western parts of Sheikh Miskeen, which lies at a crossroads linking the provinces of Suwaida, Quneitra and Damascus to the southern part of the country.

The army, backed by airstrikes carried out by Russian and Syrian warplanes, launched the offensive against militants in the town late last month.

A security source told AFP that Sheikh Miskeen was a “launching pad” for militant operations, and one of the opposition’s “centers of gravity for the whole of Dera’a Province.”

Damascus has been fighting foreign-backed militant groups in the country since 2011.

Gains by the government have come at a speedier pace over the past months, especially since late September 2015, when Russia endorsed a request by Damascus to dispatch its warplanes over Syria for combat sorties against positions of Takfiri terrorists.

Bomb blast in Idlib

The observatory also said that at least 23 people, many of them militants, were killed in a bomb explosion in Syria’s Aleppo city on Monday.

The report said that 19 militants from the so-called Ahrar al-Sham terror group and four civilians were killed in the blast, which occurred in the Sukari district of the city.

The attack reportedly hit a checkpoint at the entrance to a security complex belonging to the militant group.

The report further said that several prisoners being held by the terrorist group at a facility in the complex were also believed to have been killed.

It also said the explosion destroyed three buildings, while people were missing under the rubble.

No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

In another incident on Monday, an Ahrar al-Sham commander and 11 members of his family were killed in a Russian airstrike on an area between northern Idlib and western Aleppo province, according to the report.

Iran open to investment, win-win economic exchange: President

Golrokh Askarieh

January 26, 2016

Speaking at an Iran-Italy business forum in the Italian capital, Rome, on Tuesday, President Rouhani referred to vast untapped resources in the country that await investment, saying Iranian rules and regulations are reliable for investment and that Tehran has never violated its commitments to other countries or foreign companies.

Rouhani spoke of Iranian market stability and improvement in job markets and economic indicators.

He said the recent removal of anti-Iran sanctions had opened channels for joint export markets with other countries and created an atmosphere of exchange in different fields of economy.

On January 16, Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China – plus Germany started to implement the nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), they had reached in July 2015.

After JCPOA came into force, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the United Nations Security Council and the United States were permanently lifted. Iran in return has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

Iran’s president further pointed out that Tehran’s model of success in nuclear negotiations could also be taken up by businesses from both sides.

He also highlighted Italy’s partnership with Iran, saying the two countries can cooperate in areas of technology, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals among others.

Rouhani arrived in Rome on Monday on the first leg of his trip to three European destinations following the implementation of a nuclear agreement between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries.

He left Tehran at the head of a high-ranking delegation, which includes government officials, Iranian entrepreneurs and businessmen.

During a ceremony attended by the Iranian president and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Monday night, the two countries signed a number of contracts in various sectors including health, transportation, agriculture and energy, worth up to 17 billion euros (USD 18.4 billion).

Rouhani’s European tour will take him to France on Wednesday, where he is expected to pen economic deals with Paris.

Tehran, Riyadh should work to reduce tensions: Araqchi

Golrokh Askarieh

January 26, 2016

“We are prepared to consider any initiative which can help this region become more stable and of course safer,” Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi said.

He said through de-escalation, “we can combat the real challenge and the real threat in the region which is terrorism, extremism and of course sectarianism which is a big threat to all of us in the region.”

Araqchi said “extremist terrorist elements” pose a threat to the entire world.

“We have seen if you don’t fight with them in Syria, for example, we have to fight with them in Paris and in other capitals,” he said.

“We have to combat them and there is no way but to fight with these terrorist elements now in Syria, in Iraqi, in Yemen and in other places in the region, otherwise we should all pay for it.”

Tensions are running high in the region since Saudi execution of a prominent Shia cleric. The kingdom severed diplomatic ties with Iran following Tehran’s strong condemnation and protests in Iranian cities in which two Saudi missions were attacked by assailants.

Some observers have said Saudi rulers pounced on the attacks to escalate tensions after a recent warming of ties between Iran and the West which has triggered a wave of interest in trade with the Islamic Republic.

Business returning to normal

On Monday, Araqchi said foreign firms have started to return to the Iranian market following the removal of anti-Iran sanctions under a July nuclear agreement between Tehran and P5+1.

“Things are gradually moving toward normalization of business between Iranian entities and foreign entities,” he said.

Araqchi, however, said that re-establishing business ties hasn’t been straight forward, adding, “There are some technical problems” in this regard.

“We have seen good faith in all parties to address all these problems,” he said.

Araqch’s comments came on the same day that Iran and Italy signed contracts worth up to 17 billion euros (USD 18.4 billion) in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in the capital, Rome.

Rouhani said the country’s market “offers Italian and European investors the opportunity to establish themselves in the entire region.”

Iran set to launch final stage of Velayat 94 naval drills

Golrokh Askarieh

January 26, 2016

The final stage of the massive drills will be held in an area of three million square kilometers east of the Strait of Hormuz, Sea of Oman and northern part of the Indian Ocean, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Tuesday.

“The maneuver has been underway since January 21 and the forces have been deployed to their positions,” Sayyari said, adding the tactical phases of the military exercise will begin on Wednesday.

Sayyari said that the naval drills aim to demonstrate the might of Iranian naval forces in maintaining security in the seas.

“In this war game, we will exercise how to maintain security in the northern part of the Indian Ocean,” he said.

He added that various types of submarines, destroyers, missile launchers, auxiliary cruisers, and marine brigadiers, would take part in the maneuvers.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in the production of important military equipment and systems.

The country has also conducted major military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art equipment.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

A look at Iran newspaper front pages on Jan 26

IFP Editorial Staff

January 26, 2016

Afkar:

1– World seeking to expand ties with Iran

2- Syria sets Iran as model for combating war effects

Abrar:

1- President advisor: Free Trade Zones FTZ policies need reforms

2- Swiss banks free $8.11m of Iranian blocked money

3- Rouhani: Tehran eyes expansion of EU ties

4- Afghani president: We will burry ISIL

Armane Emrouz:

1- Great visit with luggage of peace

A report on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s Euro tour

2- Over 5,000 parliament hopefuls object screening outcome

3- Production of Italian brands in Iran

Asrar:

1- FM Spokesman: No changes in Iran – US relations

2- Saudi military attack on Iran, unlikely: Diplomat

Head of Foreign Relations Committee of Iran’s National Security
Council Seyyed Hossein Mousavian says Iran must try to help Saudi
Arabia find a dignified solution to Yemen crisis.

3- No plans for Merkel visit to Tehran yet

4- Rouhani to Italian President: Terrorism cannot be uprooted without serious cooperation

Asr-e azadi:

1- Muslim, Armenian citizens determined to promote Tabriz tourism

This was underliend during a meeting of Tabriz mayor with Armenians’ bishop in the northwestern province of Azerbaijan

2- Ranking of news websites on agenda

Asr-e Iranian:

1- 10 major banks unsure of resuming Iran ties

European banks signal concern about US’s reaction to restoration of their ties with Iran.

Ebtekar:

1- Majlis Speaker in Baghdad: Iran will not stop Saudi Saudis from committing political suicide

2- Rouhani writes to P5+1 leaders

3- Welcoming, the Italian style

a new chapter opens in Tehran-Rome relations in the post-sanctions setting

Emtiaz:

1- New Chapter in Iran-China ties

2- Iran signs oil deal with Barcelona, Napoli

NIOC has signed another deal, valued at $4m, with Italy’s Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico and the Spanish University of Barcelona to conduct geological and geophysical studies for discovery of hydrocarbons in Iran.

Etemad:

– Iran launches 500 economic projects in poor areas

Ettela’at:

1- Persian Gulf Arabs no serious in combating ISIS : US Defense Secretary

2- Iran, Italy presidents in talks in Rome

3– Iran ranks 4th in world in scientific growth: Ministry of Science

Ghanoon:

– White House calls for Iran help

Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs said the US has asked Iran to help find 3 missing Americans in Iraq.

Hemayat:

1- Judiciary Chief: Enemy promotes secularism to target people’s beliefs

2- Vague Syria talks infested by Saudi stonewalling

Saudi Arabia says UN envoy in Syrian affairs is unwanted

Iran:

1- Iran, Italy eye strong cooperation after 16 tears

2- 2nd major shock in Iran stock market after JCPOA implementation

JAVAN:

1- Europe eyes on Iran market

2- US submits to Assad’s right behind closed doors

Khorasan:

– Rouhani received in Italy by on Iranian carpet

Kaenat:

– Tehran, Rome set to enhance ties

Kayhan:

1- The elaborate lie: Omission of reformists from the election campains: analysis

2- Revolt gripps Egypt, Tunisia, Morocoo

Payame – Zaman:

1- Europe’s green-light to enhance trade with Iran

2- €17b deals between Iran and Italy

3- Iran, world’s richest country: head of Iranian and British chamber of commerce

Shargh:

1- Rouhani: Now is time for recovery

Official reception of Iranian President in Italy

2- Majlis Speaker: Iran not at principal odds with Saudis

Saheb Ghalam:

1- Iran-Saudi row to ease if Riyadh shifts policy: Spokesman

2- Korea trade center opens for exports to Iran

Shahrvand:

– AFC decision, setback for sports in Iran

An analysis of the skirmishes between Iran and Saudi Arabia football temas in an interview with ex-Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on Jan 26

IFP Editorial Staff

January 26, 2016

Afkar:

1– World seeking to expand ties with Iran

2- Syria sets Iran as model for combating war effects

Abrar:

1- President advisor: Free Trade Zones FTZ policies need reforms

2- Swiss banks free $8.11m of Iranian blocked money

3- Rouhani: Tehran eyes expansion of EU ties

4- Afghani president: We will burry ISIL

Armane Emrouz:

1- Great visit with luggage of peace

A report on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s Euro tour

2- Over 5,000 parliament hopefuls object screening outcome

3- Production of Italian brands in Iran

Asrar:

1- FM Spokesman: No changes in Iran – US relations

2- Saudi military attack on Iran, unlikely: Diplomat

Head of Foreign Relations Committee of Iran’s National Security
Council Seyyed Hossein Mousavian says Iran must try to help Saudi
Arabia find a dignified solution to Yemen crisis.

3- No plans for Merkel visit to Tehran yet

4- Rouhani to Italian President: Terrorism cannot be uprooted without serious cooperation

Asr-e azadi:

1- Muslim, Armenian citizens determined to promote Tabriz tourism

This was underliend during a meeting of Tabriz mayor with Armenians’ bishop in the northwestern province of Azerbaijan

2- Ranking of news websites on agenda

Asr-e Iranian:

1- 10 major banks unsure of resuming Iran ties

European banks signal concern about US’s reaction to restoration of their ties with Iran.

Ebtekar:

1- Majlis Speaker in Baghdad: Iran will not stop Saudi Saudis from committing political suicide

2- Rouhani writes to P5+1 leaders

3- Welcoming, the Italian style

a new chapter opens in Tehran-Rome relations in the post-sanctions setting

Emtiaz:

1- New Chapter in Iran-China ties

2- Iran signs oil deal with Barcelona, Napoli

Etemad:

– Iran launches 500 economic projects in poor areas

Ettela’at:

1- Persian Gulf Arabs no serious in combating ISIS : US Defense Secretary

2- Iran, Italy presidents in talks in Rome

3– Iran ranks 4th in world in scientific growth: Ministry of Science

Ghanoon:

– White House calls for Iran help

Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs said the US has asked Iran to help find 3 missing Americans in Iraq.

Hemayat:

1- Judiciary Chief: Enemy promotes secularism to target people’s beliefs

2- Vague Syria talks infested by Saudi stonewalling

Saudi Arabia says UN envoy in Syrian affairs is unwanted

Iran:

1- Iran, Italy eye strong cooperation after 16 tears

2- 2nd major shock in Iran stock market after JCPOA implementation

JAVAN:

1- Europe eyes on Iran market

2- US submits to Assad’s right behind closed doors

Khorasan:

– Rouhani received in Italy by on Iranian carpet

Kaenat:

– Tehran, Rome set to enhance ties

Kayhan:

1- The elaborate lie: Omission of reformists from the election campains: analysis

2- Revolt gripps Egypt, Tunisia, Morocoo

Payame – Zaman:

1- Europe’s green-light to enhance trade with Iran

2- €17b deals between Iran and Italy

3- Iran, world’s richest country: head of Iranian and British chamber of commerce

Shargh:

1- Rouhani: Now is time for recovery

Official reception of Iranian President in Italy

2- Majlis Speaker: Iran not at principal odds with Saudis

Saheb Ghalam:

1- Iran-Saudi row to ease if Riyadh shifts policy: Spokesman

2- Korea trade center opens for exports to Iran

Shahrvand:

– AFC decision, setback for sports in Iran

An analysis of the skirmishes between Iran and Saudi Arabia football temas in an interview with ex-Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi

Safe space encouraging foreign flights to pass through Iran

Golrokh Askarieh

January 26, 2016

Talking to IRNA on Tuesday, Mohammad Samavi said that the insecurity in flight zone of certain regional countries made ICAO to ask for increase in number of passing flights through Iranian airspace.

He said Iran has so far succeeded in offering the safest services to such flights, he added.

Prior to sanctions, he said, Iran enjoyed very high status in terms of offering navigation services, flight control, and air traffic controls in best standards.

Now that sanctions have been lifted, Iran’s aviation industry will be able to remarkably improve its navigation services by obtaining modern equipment, the official added.

Samavi believed that removal of sanctions will pave the way for a booming Iranian aviation industry in the Middle East region in the coming years.

Samavi is in Iran to take part in a two-day event of Iran’s Aviation Summit 2016 which opened at Azadi Grand Hotel on January 24 with the participation of Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Ahmad Akhoundi and more than 160 representatives from 85 international aviation manufacturers.

A senior business American official taking part in the same seminar said that Iran is in the center of a big region and has enough capabilities to turn into a hub for air transportation in the region.

Jim O’ Sullivan, Vice-President of Sales and Business Development in the US HEICO Aerospace Parts Group, made the remarks talking to IRNA on the sidelines of the CAPA Iran Aviation Summit 2016.

Established in 1990, Centre for Aviation (CAPA) is the leading provider of independent aviation market intelligence, analysis and data services, covering worldwide developments.

Aviation capacities in Iran are intact, said he, adding they are capable of witnessing a bright prospect by foreign investment.

Foreign corporations will have intense competitions for being present in the Iranian market, said the US businessman.