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Visa requirements for Iran-Russia trips made easy

Beginning on February 6, Russian and Iranian business people, tourists, scientists and students will receive visas with further ease for mutual trips, Moscow has announced.

A Russian-Iranian intergovernmental agreement, signed last year, on easier conditions for mutual trips by some categories of citizens from the two countries will go into effect on February 6, Russian Foreign Ministry said.

“An easier procedure of receiving Russian and Iranian visas is envisioned for representatives of business circles, for people who are involved in scientific, cultural and creative activity, students and teachers, tourists and other categories of citizens,” the ministry said in a statement on its website on Monday, according to Interfax.

The Foreign Ministry said that “the agreement will contribute to further strengthening of Russian-Iranian ties in all directions of mutual cooperation.”

The document was signed in the Iranian capital Tehran on November 23, 2015.

Russia acted swiftly to boost ties with Iran after an international nuclear accord was reached with the Islamic Republic last July, paving the way for the lifting of sanctions on Tehran in January of this year.

Back in December, Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov said during a visit to Tehran that “Russia is interested in dialog with Iran about potentials of cooperation in aviation, shipbuilding, energy, agriculture and transportation, metallurgy, pharmaceutical and other industries.”

The two countries are working to take their alliance to a new level, with Russian President Vladimir Putin visiting Tehran for the first time in eight years last November.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has described Tehran as Moscow’s “most important economic and trade partner,” saying the two countries have devised a package of projects worth $35 billion to $40 billion.

‘General Electric in talks to enter Iranian market’

American multinational conglomerate General Electric Co. is in talks to enter Iranian market after the recent implementation of Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers.

John Rice, vice chairman of General Electric has expressed optimism about future trade with Iran, telling leading German language business newspaper Handelsblatt in a recent interview that his company is already in negotiation with the Iranian side.

However he said, “Our discussions are still at a very early stage,” adding elsewhere that Iran is a positive example in the region.

Iran is a strategically important country and Western companies are currently trying to have a good position in it, Rice noted.

The senior GE official added though that there are still restrictions especially for US corporations, saying, “We are therefore at a disadvantage compared to our European and Asian rivals.”

On Friday, a GE spokesman said, “We have begun looking at ways to do business in Iran while fully complying with the rules laid out by the US government.”

On January 16, Iran and the five 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 went into effect, 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.

The recent lifting of the economic sanctions against Iran has already started a rush among international corporations to start to set their feet in the country’s vast consumer market of around 80 million.

Leader sends message to 24th national conference on Namaz (prayers)

Leader

‘Make efforts not to see even a youth in the country being careless about saying prayers,’ Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said in a message to the 24th national conference on Namaz (prayers) being held in the northwestern Iranian province of Qazvin on Tuesday.

The Ayatollah called on all, particularly the officials and those who have management posts, spiritual and financial services, to feel responsibility towards promoting prayers publically.

The Supreme Leader also urged all to take practical steps to that end.

Fire Temple in Isfahan, Sassanid-era Relic (PHOTOS)

The following images have been released by different news websites:

 

 

S. Korea opens center to support exports to Iran

South Korea launched a business center to support local firms exporting to Iran as the East Asian country seeks to broaden its presence in Iranian market.

The business center that its opening announced by the Korean Finance Ministry on Monday, plans to facilitate trade ties between Korean and Iranian firms.

“The center will give consulting services to our companies and help them to do business,” Vice Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said in an opening ceremony.

Mr. Choi Sang-mok said insurance companies and the Korea Export-Import Bank will provide information and consulting services on trade and investment in Iran, backing the business center efforts.

South Korean Deputy Finance Minister indicated that the business center has been established to facilitate business between local firms with their Iranian counterparts and added: “the Iranian market will be a bonus to the South Korean economy”.

In the wake of the lifting of the international sanctions on Iran, the Ministry of Trade and Industry of South Korea urged all economic bodies of the country to prepare the ground to boost economic cooperation with Iran as soon as possible, the state news agency Yonhap reported.

Following the removal of the United States and the European Union economic sanctions on Tehran, Bank of Korea lifted the Iranian sanctions and the state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) said it plans to sign an agreement with the Iranian central bank on providing up to about 5 billion euros ($5.45 billion) in financing for South Korean companies doing business there.

Iran Aiming for Major Hike in Tourism Income

Soltanifar

In an interview with the Tasnim News Agency, Soltanifar said according to the plans, Iran’s income from attracting tourists will amount to the oil incomes in 2025.

Referring to a 12-14 percent rise in the number of foreign visitors to Iran over the past two years, he expected that the country will be hosting 20 million tourists in 2025.

Soltanifar described Iran as a “museum country” with invaluable historical sites and ancient handicrafts that need serious protection.

According to the official, the ICHHTO has compiled a list of 40 countries in order of priority, seen as the countries with the highest number of tourists traveling to Iran.

The main approach at the present time is to turn Iran into the hub of “halal tourism and religious tourism” for the world Muslims, he went on to say.

With a large number of attractive natural and historical sites, Iran is one of the most touristic countries in the world.

More foreign tourists are starting to arrive in Iran after a lasting nuclear deal between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) came into force and nuclear-related anti-Iran sanctions were terminated.

Young Iranian director to judge US event

Abdollah-Shahi, who has made two short animations so far, will judge the American festival, slated for May, where over 150 international shorts are to be screened, Mehr News Agency reported.
She is known for her short production ‘The Little Boy’ (2015) which received the special jury prize at the 9th Asian Youth Animation and Comics Contest in the Chinese city of Guiyang last November.
The 8-minute animation will go on screen at the 19th Zoom International Film Festival in Poland, February 16 to 21, Tricky Women Festival in Austria, March 2-6, and the 23rd Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film in Germany, April 26-May 1.
The movie is about the residents of a city who evacuate their hometown upon repeated warnings by the army about the danger of a time bomb. However, a little orphan boy disregards the calls as he wants to finish doing something.
Abdollah-Shahi has also made another short ‘Red Line’ in 2012.
The US festival celebrates the best new work from independent animators around the globe. It will take place May 9-15, at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon. A week later, it will repeat on May 20-22 at the Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene, Oregon.

Iran, Italy sign up to $18.4bn contracts

The contracts, worth up to 17 billion euros (USD 18.4 billion), were signed in a ceremony attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Monday night.

Prior to the ceremony, Reuters reported that a pipeline contract worth between 3.6-4.6 billion euros (USD 4-5 billion) for Italian oil services group Saipem was among the deals. The company’s shares surged 18.5 percent on Monday.

Moreover, Italian steel firm Danieli said it would sign commercial agreements worth up to 5.7 billion euros (USD 6.1 billion) with Iran. Infrastructure firm Condotte d’Acqua was also scheduled to sign deals worth up to four billion euros (USD 4.3 billion).

Following the signing ceremony, Rouhani and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi held a joint press conference.

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

Renzi, for his part, said business agreements Italy signed with Iran were just the beginning of cooperation between the two countries. “We have signed the first accords but we are only at the start of a long road.”

The Italian premier also noted that he had discussed the fight against Daesh terrorist group and the ways to end the war in Syria with the Iranian president. “If we could reach agreement on the nuclear issue, we can find one on Syria. We can and we have to.”

The Iranian president arrived in Italy 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.

Rouhani left Tehran at the head of a high-ranking delegation, which includes government officials, Iranian entrepreneurs and businessmen. He was initially greeted by Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the international Rome Ciampino Airport and then officially welcomed by President Mattarella.

Italian premier: JCPOA, new chapter in Iran-world relations

Renzi made the comment here during a joint press briefing with visiting Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who arrived in Italy on Monday.

The nuclear agreement, better known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was also an important step toward bringing peace and stability to the entire region, Renzi said.

US and the European Union lifted anti-Iran sanctions after the January 16 report released by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano who approved of nuclear program in Iran.

Then, the implementation of the JCPOA started as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini issued a joint statement announcing the ‘Implementation Day’.

The JCPOA indicated that ‘if we could reach an agreement on nuclear issue, we will come to understanding about all regional questions,’ the Italian premier said.

Considerable cultural commonalities between Rome and Tehran can act as strong supporter for sustainable cooperation between the two nations, Renzi added.

Iran can play an effective role in ensuring peace in the region, said he, adding Tehran has also had active and important role in fight against terrorism.

He further added fight with terrorism needs global unity.

Italy is serious in strengthening relations with Iran in all areas, Renzi said.

Larijani: Prince Bandar told me “we made mistake in Afghanistan and Iraq”

According to Nasim online that IFP has translated this article from, Mr. Larijani who has been to Iraq to attend Inter-Parliamentary meeting of member states of Islamic Cooperation Organization, said I asked Saudi Prince Bandar why they have supported terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq and he acknowledged that they have made mistakes in doing so.

LarijaniIranian Parliament Speaker said Muslims and Shiites in Particular have not behaved harshly and most of the extremist acts have been carried out by Wahhabis and Saudis.

He added that Shiites have always acted reasonably but orientalists may did not want to explain the real essence of Islamic teachings to general public adding that Shiites and Sunnis behaviors have reflected the realities. Neither Shiite nor Sunni clerics have never preached or approved terrorism and extremism.

Mr. Larijani said after rise of Islamic extremist groups, the orientalists tried to depict the Islamic teachings as violent and extreme.

According to Mr. Larijani some Islamic countries and organizations have helped creation of extremist Islamic groups while foreign intelligent services and their financial and other form of backings clearly show such efforts. They created extremist groups to influence development in Syria and today terrorist groups in Syria are armed with TOW missiles. Such missiles have serial numbers and name of manufacturing countries is indicated on the weapon. Some regional states think that by supplying arms to terrorist groups in Syria can influence the events taking place in Syria.

Iranian Parliament Speaker while reiterating Iran’s support for groups like Al-Hashad al- Sha’bi and Hezbollah said we back Hezbollah and don’t hide our backing but some regional countries back terrorist groups and deny such support.

Hezbollah was created to fight Zionist oppression and cruelty and an anti terrorist group in Iraq was formed named Al-Hashad al- Sha’bi when the terrorists invaded this country by order of religious authority and Iraqi youth was asked by country’s Jurisprudent to resist against terrorist groups and that’s why we support both resistance groups in Iraq and Syria.

Mr. Larijani described backing of terrorist groups by Islamic Republic as absurd and said terrorists themselves confess to Iran’s enmity towards them but some countries accuse Iran of backing the terrorist groups.

Parliament Speaker while accusing Saudi rulers of committing strategic mistakes said Saudis are Muslim and our brothers and we have no serious problems with them but they have wrong understandings about the challenges faced by the Islamic World.

Price Bandar himself told me that they made mistakes in respect to Afghanistan and Syria, therefore accusing Iran of supporting terrorist groups is a kind of contradiction, said Mr. Larijani …..

He strongly condemned Saudi attacks against Yemen and said OK they can support terrorists but why they have attacked Yemen and devastated the country’s entire infrastructure? Why they have killed tens of thousands of Yemeni people under the pretext that Yemen has become Iran’s backyard? Isn’t an Arab country allowed to decide its own destiny? Some behavior of some regional countries are unwise and un-Islamic.

Top Iranian lawmaker said Iran has entered the era of peaceful nuclear energy and described signing of nuclear agreement with 5+1 world powers as a good omen adding that Iran has never contemplated and pursued atomic weapons and does not consider it as beneficial for the region. Mr. Larijani said nuclear weapon has no place in Iran’s doctrine and logic.