Wednesday, December 24, 2025
type here...
Home Blog Page 4552

Iran’s trade surplus positive for 1st time in 37 years

By
Emad Askarieh
-
Ship trade

Iran’s Customs Administration said in an announcement on Saturday that the country had a trade surplus of $916 million over the aforementioned period.

It said the total value of exports stood at $42.4 billion against $41.4 billion in imports. Both figures indicated a decrease of respectively 16 percent and 23 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

The volume of exports stood at 93.5 million tons while the volume of imports stood at 35.7 million tons indicating a decrease of 7 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

The main import items have been livestock corn, wheat, soybean, rice and soybean meal.  The main export items have been gas oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquid propane and tar.

The Customs Administration figures further show that there has been a drastic drop of 52 percent in exports of condensate.

The leading importers of Iranian products over the period under study were China, Iraq, the UAE, Afghanistan and India.  China’s imports of Iranian products saw a drop of above 23 percent while the UAE and Afghanistan increased imports from the Islamic Republic.

The leading exporters of products to Iran were China, the UAE, South Korea, Turkey and Switzerland. Imports from China were lower by 18 percent compared to March 2014-2015.

Iran’s imports of automobiles plunged by a whopping 50 percent in quantity and 42 percent in value.

Figures show the country had spent $1.2 billion on imports of cars over the period under study. This is while it had spent $2.1 billion on imports of cars the year before.

Iran Fully Complying with JCPOA: IAEA Chief

By
Emad Askarieh
-

“It (Iran) is implementing not just its safeguards agreement with the Agency, but also its Additional Protocol. Transparency measures which go beyond Iran’s obligations under its formal agreements with the IAEA have also been agreed,” Amano told reporters after a two-day summit on nuclear security in Washington.

The Nuclear Security Summit 2016 came to an end on Friday.

The first Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington, DC in 2010, and was followed by additional Summits in Seoul in 2012 and The Hague in 2014.  These Summits have achieved tangible improvements in the security of nuclear materials and stronger international institutions that support nuclear security.

“The JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is a clear gain for nuclear verification in Iran,” he added.

Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) reached a nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16.

The comprehensive nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, terminated all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran.

Following is the full text of Amano’s speech on Friday: 

On April 1 in Washington, I met with the E3/EU+3 group of countries at the invitation of President Barack Obama of the United States of America.

I informed President Obama, as well as President Xi Jinping of China, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Donald Tusk of the European Council, Secretary of State John Kerry of the United States,  Federal Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen of Germany, the High Representative of the European Union for  Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak of Russia about the IAEA’s verification and monitoring of Iran’s nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

I noted that Iran is now subject to the strongest nuclear verification regime in the world. It is implementing not just its safeguards agreement with the Agency, but also its Additional Protocol. Transparency measures which go beyond Iran’s obligations under its formal agreements with the IAEA have also been agreed.

The IAEA has considerable experience and expertise in nuclear verification. We can effectively fulfil our responsibilities as the eyes and ears of the world in Iran and give the international community the assurances it seeks.

I stressed that this is only the beginning of a process that will take many years. I asked the E3/EU+3 for their continued support in ensuring that the necessary funding is made available for the IAEA’s JCPOA-related activities.

The JCPOA is a clear gain for nuclear verification in Iran. Considerable effort was required in order to reach this agreement. A similar and sustained effort will be required to implement it. The IAEA will continue to do its part in a factual and impartial manner.

 

Iran, Oman pick route for gas pipeline

By
Emad Askarieh
-

The route for the pipeline has been reportedly finalized jointly by experts from Iran and Oman in a recent meeting in Tehran.

The pipeline will run over a distance of about 175 kilometers and could plunge as deep as 290 meters from the sea surface before reaching Oman’s shores.

Fars News Agency has reported that Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company (IOEC) will finish studies over the offshore section of the project by September 2016.

It also said a South Korean company has announced readiness to carry out the offshore pipeline work of the project and has even told Iran that it is ready to fund the whole operations.

In mid-March, the media in Seoul reported that Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) is looking into Iran-Oman gas pipeline project which experts say requires an investment of at least $1.5 billion.

Project owners and KOGAS could sign either a memorandum of understanding or a framework agreement in April or May, the media reported.

Iran and Oman have signed basic agreements based on which Iran will export a daily amount of 28 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas to Oman.

Almost a third of the gas will be used in spare liquefaction facilities of Oman’s Qalhat plant and the rest will be consumed in the Persian Gulf sultanate’s domestic market. Iran will accordingly use the LNG produced for exports to European and Asian markets.

The Qalhat plant has the capacity to liquefy 10.4 million tons per annum (mta) of LNG. Yet, only 7.9 million tons were exported in 2014 from it to international markets, as the priority was given to meeting domestic gas requirements.

Iran nuclear deal proved diplomacy paying off: China president

By
Emad Askarieh
-

He made the comments during a meeting with leaders of the countries involved in nuclear talks with Iran — Russia, the US, the UK, France and Germany– on the sidelines of the fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on Friday.

The meeting was also attended by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who chaired the P5+1 states during the nuclear negotiations.

Xi further said the nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), proved that serious disputes can be resolved through dialogue and cooperation, calling for the full implementation of the accord reached between Tehran and the six world powers on July 14, 2015.

After the JCPOA went into effect on January 16, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran, in return, has put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

obama-china

“We should stick to the political commitment and make sure the deal is implemented as it should have been,” said Xi, adding that any “external interference” should be eliminated.

The Chinese head of state also said Beijing has always been “an active participant, constructor and contributor” in the settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.

“We stand ready to work with all related sides to push forward the implementation of the deal,” Xi stated.

He stressed the importance of strengthening the global security, saying that dialogue and negotiation should be the best choice in resolving key issues.

The Chinese leader said that “justice and equity should be the underlying principle for reaching any international agreement,” adding that “double standard” will lead nowhere.

This comes as the  Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed on Friday Iran’s commitment to the nuclear agreement with the P5+1 group of countries, saying Tehran has even gone beyond its obligations under the accord.

IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano made the announcement on Friday after talks with leaders of China, Russia, the US, the UK, France, Germany and the European Union about the agency’s monitoring of Iran’s nuclear-related commitments under the nuclear deal called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran “is implementing not just its safeguards agreement with the Agency, but also its Additional Protocol” to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which allows for snap inspection of nuclear facilities, said Amano in a statement following his meetings that took place on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

Iran commemorates Islamic Republic Day

By
Emad Askarieh
-

In a landmark two-day referendum held on March 30-31, 1979, more than 98.2 percent of eligible Iranians voted “yes” to the establishment of an Islamic republic in the country.

It came as the popular motto marking the days after the 1979 Islamic Revolution was “Independence, Freedom and the Islamic Republic” on every corner.

Since then, the nation annually celebrates Farvardin 12 on the Iranian calendar year as the Islamic Republic Day.

The Islamic Revolution, led by late Imam Khomeini, culminated in the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and put an end to 2,500 years of monarchic rule in Iran.

Addressing a Wednesday cabinet meeting in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani praised the Islamic Republic Day as the day of the realization of democracy and Islamic values.

He added that the late Imam Khomeini proposed a referendum on the establishment of an Islamic system in Iran less than two months after the triumph of the Islamic Revolution.

“Democracy and Islam have materialized in the country in the real sense where the victory of the revolution has provided for the people to comfortably go to the polls and cast their ballots,” Rouhani said.

“We must employ all our energies to safeguard the Islamic Republic of Iran and strive on the path of the country’s development and progress,” he added.

Iran won’t need permission on defense capabilities: Minister Dehqan

By
Emad Askarieh
-
General Hossein Dehghan

Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said what constitutes Iran’s regular missile drills “is based on pre-arranged plans which are carried out in order to assess the degree of its preparedness and capabilities.”

“We will continue to act on achieving defense capabilities with the aim of responding to any threat. In this course, we will not need any authorization or approval from others,” he told the state television Wednesday night.

Dehqan stressed that Iran would never move toward developing unconventional weapons.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never had and will never have an aggressive attitude toward any nation or country, (but) in defending itself, it will use all means possible on the basis of its national interests.”

His remarks came after the US, France, Britain and Germany were reported to have called for a Security Council meeting to respond to Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests.

The Reuters news agency, citing unnamed diplomats, said experts from the 15-nation body would discuss Iran’s missile program on Friday and were expected to consider the possibility of a statement condemning it.

Dehqan predicted that the council would not take any action against Iran because its tests didn’t violate either a July nuclear agreement or a UN resolution on Tehran’s missiles.

“I am confident that the Security Council and the United Nations will not respond as our actions are neither a breach of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nor are they against Resolution 2231,” he said.

In their letter to the UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday, the US and its three European allies stopped short of calling Iran’s missile launches a “violation” of the resolution.

The tests, they claimed, were “inconsistent with” and “in defiance of” council resolution 2231, because they were “inherently capable of delivering nuclear weapons,” a charge Iran vehemently denies.

“I think America, England and France must look a bit at their own national interests and stand less as an advocate of the interests of Israel as an aggressive, murderer and illegitimate regime,” Dehqan said.

UN’s Resolution 2231 “calls upon” Iran to refrain for up to eight years from activity related to ballistic missiles designed with the capability of delivering nuclear weapons.

Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member, has made clear it considers compliance with the appeal in resolution to be voluntary.

On Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Mikhail Ulyanov said Iran’s test launches did not violate the UN resolution.

“The resolution does not ban the tests,” said Ulyanov, who is the head of the ministry’s department for non-proliferation.

Tehran has also said it is under no obligation to comply with the appeal to refrain from missile work and vowed to continue developing ballistic missiles in the face of threats.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that missile power is key to Iran’s future security.

“In this jungle-like world, if the Islamic Republic seeks negotiations, trade and even technology and science, but has no defense power, won’t even small countries dare threaten Iran?” the Leader said.

“Our enemies are constantly enhancing their military and missile capabilities and given this how can we say the age of missiles has passed?” he added.

Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressed indignation at the prospects that there was no ground for new UN sanctions on Iran.

“As many of us feared, now it appears Iran can defy those restrictions with impunity fearing no pushback from the UN Security Council,” Republican Senator Bob Corker said.

Corker is among many US lawmakers who have demanded more sanctions on Iran over the missile tests.

Dehqan said, “The Americans basically don’t want our national power to expand in various aspects.”

“This issue attests to the efficiency and ability of our democratic, religious system which can become a model for oppressed countries and motivate them to stand against the demands” of arrogant powers, he added.

Leader Underlines Need for Boosting Iran’s Defense Capabilities

By
Emad Askarieh
-

In a meeting with eulogists on the occasion of the birthday anniversary of Hazrat Fatemeh Zahra (SA), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei said that if the Islamic establishment seeks technology and negotiations but lacks defense might, it will have to buckle in the face of any weak country that poses threat to it.

Stressing that negotiations should be conducted intelligently so that the enemies cannot cheat on us, the Leader said, “I am not opposed to political dialog, not with everyone of course. I am fine with political dialog at the international level. These are times of both missiles and negotiations.”

In March, the country’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces test-fired two types of Qadr ballistic missiles during the large-scale drills, codenamed “Might of Velayat”.

The two ballistic missiles, Qadr-H and Qadr-F, were launched from the heights of East Alborz Mountains, north of Iran, and hit targets on the Makran coasts, southeast of the country.

According to reports, Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers while Qadr-F missile can destroy targets some 2,000 kilometers away.

 

Iran’s FM Congratulates Syria on Regaining Palmyra

By
Emad Askarieh
-
Zarif-Iran-FM

In a message to his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem, the Iranian foreign minister hailed the resistance of the Syrian people in the face of terrorism, stressing that the Arab country will continue to move forward on the path of maintaining unity, safeguarding its territorial integrity, and fighting terrorism in the region.

Highlighting the importance for pushing a political approach to contain emergence and growth of terrorism in the country, Zarif expressed the hope that “welfare”, “peace” and “security” will once again return to the country after a final victory against terrorists.

On Sunday, Syrian state television quoted a military source as saying the army had taken “complete control over the city of Palmyra”.

Palmyra, known as the “bride of the desert”, used to attract tens of thousands of tourists a year before the Syrian conflict started in 2011.

In May 2015, Daesh (also known as ISIL or ISIS) took the city and later demolished some of its best-known monuments.

Capturing the city is a major victory for President Assad’s government.

With Russian support, it has made steady gains in recent months against Daesh and other groups it is fighting.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with Takfiri terrorists, including Daesh, currently controlling parts of it, mostly in the east.

The Syrian conflict has killed at least 260,000 people, according to the UN, and more than half of Syria’s pre-war population of 22.4 million has been internally displaced or fled abroad.

 

Iran to Keep Boosting Defense Might: Commander

By
Emad Askarieh
-

Hajizadeh told the state television that enemies are seeking to undermine Iran’s defense and missile capabilities but the process of boosting the country’s defense power has not stopped even for a single day during the past 31 years.

He added that expansion of the Islamic Republic’s defense and missile might will insure the Iranian nation and deter enemies from even thinking to attack Iran.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian general downplayed the recent sanctions by the US against Iranian companies and individuals, describing them as futile.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday blacklisted two Iranian companies for supporting Iran’s missile program. It also sanctioned two British businessmen it said were helping an airline used by the IRGC.

The new US sanctions against Iran came following the successful test-firing of ballistic missiles by the IRGC earlier this month, which Iran insists are rightful and aimed at enhancing the country’s defense and deterrence capabilities.

The IRGC forces test-fired two types of Qadr ballistic missiles during the ‘Might of Velayat’ drills in north of Iran on March 9.

 

Iran to continue full support for Syria: Official

By
Emad Askarieh
-

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani made the remarks in a congratulatory message to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on the recent gains by Syrian forces against Takfiri militants and the liberation of the ancient city of Palmyra in the west-central Homs Province.

“The real resolve and determination of the Syrian nation, government and army to purge the territories occupied by terrorist and Takfiri groups is reason for praise and pride, and these sacrifices and acts of gallantry will be registered in the region’s history,” Shamkhani said.

“On this path, the Iranian government and armed forces will continue their full support for Syria and the axis of resistance,” he added.

Pointing out that the Takfiri Daesh terrorists threaten the entire world, Shamkhani described Syria as the front-line of the fight against terrorism, calling on the international bodies to support Damascus in its anti-terror campaign.

“International organizations and countries claiming [to fight terrorism] should stop whitewashing the image of certain terrorist groups and getting them involved in peace talks and, instead, focus their efforts on support for the Syrian government and a real fight against terrorism,” Shamkhani said.

On Sunday, Syrian armed forces successfully established full control over Palmyra, inflicting what the army called a “mortal blow” to militants.

The major gain came after Syrian army advances in the western and northern parts of Palmyra during the previous several days and intensive military operations in the south.

The ancient city had fallen to Daesh last May. The Syrian army and allied forces kicked off an assault earlier this month to take Palmyra back with the help of Russian airstrikes.

The liberation of Palmyra now opens up eastern Syria to the army and deals a heavy blow to the Takfiri Daesh terrorists, who are in control of most of the two provinces of Dayr al-Zawr and Raqqah.

Since 2011, Syria has been gripped by a militancy it blames on some foreign governments. The conflict has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 470,000 people.

1...4,5514,5524,553...5,123Page 4,552 of 5,123

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us

Popular Articles

Editor Picks