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UNSC Urges Turkey to ‘Comply with Intl Law’ in Syria

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

The closed-door meeting late on Tuesday was called to discuss recent Turkish shelling of Kurdish YPG militia targets in Syria’s north.

“UN Security Council members are concerned with the Turkish attacks on a number of Syrian regions,” Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Ramirez, who now chairs the UNSC, said after the meeting, Russia Today reported Wednesday.

The UN Security Council received a letter from the Syrian government in which Damascus condemned Turkey’s attacks in the north of Syria, Ramirez explained, noting that the entire council expressed “concern” about these violations.

“All members of the Security Council … agreed to ask for Turkey to comply with international law,” he added.

The UNSC also reiterated its commitment to the Munich agreement, expecting that all parties involved in the discussions will work toward a ceasefire to “allow humanitarian access for every place in the Syrian territory.”

When asked if the UNSC discussed the shelling of the hospitals and schools in Northern Syria on Monday which left close to 50 people dead, Ramirez said the Council indeed discussed the issue, but reached “no agreement” or “consensus” because of “different sources” of information on the incidents.

“Everybody is concerned about airstrikes over humanitarian installations,” said Ramirez, stressing that the UNSC is trying to get “more information.”

The UNSC president highlighted the need to have Kurds represented in the Syrian peace process, and for Ankara not to escalate the situation even further.

“One of the issues expressed by some countries, including Venezuela, is that the Kurdish people have to be included in the discussion. Now that is the principle concern of Turkey,” Ramirez said during the briefing.

“Something that is important – the Kurds are fighting against the terrorist groups on the ground and this is an important factor for everybody,” Ramirez emphasized.

Turkish artillery units have been shelling targets in Syria for the fourth day in a row, as Ankara maintains its commitment to stopping the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) from claiming more territory in the north of the country. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, both government and opposition-held towns over the border from Turkey have fallen under Ankara’s shelling.

Brazil ditching dollar to boost Iran trade

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

Trade Minister Armando Monteiro has said Brazil seeks to boost business relations with Iran after the lifting of sanctions on Tehran, even though Washington has opted to maintain its “primary” embargo on the country.

“Everyone is racing after Iran now. The trade potential is very big,” Monteiro told Reuters on Tuesday.

He said Brazil will find ways to settle payments and the type of payment and currency in transactions with Iran which President Dilma Rousseff could visit this year.

Rousseff lifted sanctions against Iran last week after meeting with the Iranian ambassador, hoping to bolster trade between the two nations, which have enjoyed warm ties for years despite tensions with the West.

Latin America’s biggest economy aims to triple trade with Iran to $5 billion by 2019, Monteiro said.

He said Iran has already contacted Brazil’s Embraer, the world’s No. 3 commercial plane manufacturer, for the purchase of commercial jets for regional aviation.

Iran is eyeing the four models of Embraer’s E1 family of regional jets, because of their low maintenance costs, Reuters said, quoting an official spokesman for the company.

“Iran is a very interesting market because there is a lot of repressed demand and it is a huge country so there is great potential for regional aviation,” the spokesman said.

Monteiro said Iran is also interested in Brazilian cars and trucks as well as machinery to renew its oil refinery network.

He visited Tehran with a delegation of 60 traders and state officials through October 26-29 to discuss strengthening commercial ties.

Monteiro said Brazil is interested in importing natural liquefied gas from Iran which possesses the world’s largest gas reserves.

Iran is the biggest economy to rejoin the global trading system since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than two decades ago.

Iranian officials say the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has decided to carry out all foreign trade in euros since the US is preventing its banks from doing business with Iran despite the lifting of sanctions.

Washington says it has eased “secondary” sanctions targeting companies outside the US and Americans seeking certain businesses in Iran but most “primary” sanctions related to terrorism and rights accusations remain in place.

Under the order, all foreign banks operating in the US are forbidden from clearing dollar-denominated transactions involving Iran through American banks.

The measures have only clipped the wings of US companies as major companies from Asia to Europe have been rushing to resurrect trade with Iran.

With a population of more than 80 million and annual output of $400 billion, Iran sits on the worlds’ biggest oil and gas reserves combined as well as sizable mineral deposits.

Tehran, Riyadh ties vital for regional peace, stability: Envoy

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

In an interview with France24 TV broadcast on Tuesday, he said Iran has always pursued friendly relations with other countris because its national interests require joint cooperation whereas Saudi Arabia is after tension.
About Iran’s presence in the region as a key player including in Iraq and Syria, he said, ‘When they ask for our defense assistance, we are completely ready to help them because the future of the people of Syria and Iraq and their countries should be considered.’
He said Iran has been skeptical about the Western-led coalition against terrorism in the region and added that fighting against the menace of terrorism demands good-will and a serious determination.
Ahani said that President Hassan Rouhani in recent meeting with his French counterpart expressed Iran’s readiness for cooperation with France in the joint fight against terrorism because it is a global threat.
The Iranian envoy stressed that terrorism in Syria has to be curbed and eradicated adding that Iran supports a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
Regarding the upcoming parliamentary elections in Iran, he said that Iranians can express their voice through democratic means.
Ahani also said that majority of executions in Iran have been related to drugs-related convictions because the country is used as a transit route to smuggle narcotics from Afghanistan to Europe.

Zangeneh: Iran to export gas to Georgia

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze on Tuesday, Zangeneh said export of Iran’s gas to Georgia was discussed in the meeting as the Caucasian nation needs gas and there is possibility of joint investment in petrochemical sector.
He said that in light of joint investment in the petrochemical sector of Georgia, Iran will supply its feedstock and invest along with Georgian companies in the sector.
He referred to Georgia’s advantage for export of goods to European Union and said the issue will absolutely be conveyed to Iranian private sector for investment.
He added that studies should be conducted in the field and ‘we hope it will be successful and investment will be made.’
He also said the two countries will introduce to each other their companies for cooperation.
The Georgian minister said details of gas exports from Iran to his country will be investigated. ‘We hope bilateral ties will expand in the post-sanctions era.’
He noted that prospects of cooperation is clear regarding extensive historical relations.
On gas imports from Iran, Kaladze said talks on volume and price of gas will continue and meetings will be held to this end.
He suggested two options for export of gas from Iran to Georgia: Firstly through Azerbaijan and secondly through Armenia.
‘Further details on gas exports of Iran to Georgia will be mulled in the upcoming sessions,’ he added.

Iran’s Bank Sepah reconnected to SWIFT

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

Bank Sepah Governor Mohammad-Kazem Chogazardi has been quoted by the media as saying that the reconnection to SWIFT was established on Monday afternoon (15 February 2016).

“After the reconnection of the bank to the global services network, a group message was sent out to the clients that the international activities have been re-established and the bank has officially returned to the global scene,” added Chogazardi.

He further emphasized that Bank Sepah has tried to live up to its commitments toward its clients in face of the sanctions.

The official added that the bank has prepared the required infrastructure over the past two years to perfectly handle international services as soon as the sanctions against Iran are lifted.

SWIFT is used by nearly every bank around the world to send payment messages that lead to the transfer of money across international borders. It provides a wide range of service including transmitting letters of credit, payments and securities transactions among 9,700 banks in 209 countries.

However, it became off limits to Iranian banks in 2012 after the implementation of the US-led sanctions against the country. Accordingly, around 30 Iranian banks were blocked from using SWIFT services, literally cutting off Iran from the global banking system.

Last month, the economic sanctions against Iran were lifted after a nuclear deal that the country had sealed last year with the P5+1 group of countries – the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany – was implemented.

A central theme of the sanctions was putting restrictions on Iran’s banking transactions with the international financial institutions through various mechanisms including closing SWIFT services to the country.

Iran’s VP Assures Syrian PM of Iran’s Continued Support

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, Iranian Vice-President said Iran’s resolve and determination to support the Syrian nation and government’s resistance against terrorist groups “continues unabated”.

“Iran will support Syria in this time of hardship as much as possible,” he underscored.

He further lauded the recent achievements made by the Syrian forces and allied volunteer fighters in the north of the country in pushing militants out of areas across the province of Aleppo.

Jahangiri at the same time underlined the necessity for finding a political solution to the crisis in the Arab country, and said, “Putting an end to the Syrian crisis has definitely a Syrian-Syrian solution and a political approach and political negotiations are the only solutions to the Syrian crisis.”

He further noted that only the Syrian people are entitled to make a decision about their country’s fate and future.

During the conversation, Halqi thanked Iran’s assistance for Syria’s campaign against terrorism, and expressed the hope that he would pay a visit to Iran soon to discuss ways to further expand Tehran-Damascus relations.

Riyadh Failed in Spreading Takfiri Ideology: Lebanese Politician

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

Saudi Arabia has recently expressed its readiness to deploy special forces to the war-hit Syria if the US-led coalition allegedly hitting the Daesh terrorist group decides to deploy ground troops.
Rodrick Khoury, the Leader of the Lebanese orthodox party Masarik, lashed out at the Saudi decision as a plot to spread Takfirism across the Middle East, but at the same time noted that Riyadh’s direct or indirect interventions have always been doomed to failure.

“In the Middle East, we are witnessing two types of conflicts and disputes. The conflicts are between two projects, namely the moderate project led by Russia, Iran, and Syrian government, and the Takfiri and extremist project, which is being implemented by certain countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey,” Khoury said in an interview with Mehr News Agency on Tuesday.

“Past experiences indicate that Saudi Arabia always try to deploy certain groups to different region to have its plots implemented,” he went on to say.

However, Khoury added, when Saudi hirelings fail to bring achievements for Riyadh in a region, Saudis raise the issue of direct interference.

“We witnessed such an instance in Yemen. Saudi Arabia could not realize its goals in Yemen through its hirelings and allies, so it decided to directly deploy troops to the Arab country,” he added.

He further pointed to the Saudis’ decision to deploy ground troops to Syria, saying, “In recent years, Saudis have being supporting Takfiri terrorist groups in Syria, and in fact, these groups were Riyadh’s instrument in Syria, but now that Russia has incurred a heavy defeat on Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria, Saudi Arabia is talking about the project of direct military presence in the country.”

“Saudi Arabia has failed in imposing its ideology in Syria; especially after Russia’s military aid and the Syrian nation’s sacrifices defeated the Saudi plots in Syria, they have raised the issue of direct interference,” he noted.

Khoury went on to say that the Takfirism and its spread across the region, from Yemen to Lebanon and Syria, is the Saudis’ plot for the region.

“Riyadh is trying to implement its plots whether through its hirelings or via direct intervention in regional countries,” he added.

However, he said, the important fact is that Saudis’ direct or indirect intervention in the region has always been doomed to failure.

For example, Khoury mentioned, on Iran and its Islamic Revolution, the entire world was against Iran, but the Iranian nation proved that it can realize its demands and stand against the world through its resolve.

The Syrian nation has also decided to resist the project of Saudis, namely the Takfiris, the Lebanese figure added.

“Currently, the situation in Syria is better that that of Iran in the course of the Islamic Revolution (1979), because the global system has now changed, and the unilateralist viewpoint does not exist anymore. The US and its allies cannot impose their will on today’s world,” he said.

The Masarik party leader further described Russia as a powerful country and Iran as an influential one in the Middle East.

Therefore, he added, whether Saudis send their ground forces to Syria or have an indirect presence there through their proxies, they would not be able to make any achievement, because “we will resist all these plots.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Khoury referred to the election of Lebanese president, and stressed that both Suleiman Frangieh and Michel Aoun are powerful and loyal Maronites and candidates of March 8 Alliance, none of whom can be preferred to the other.

The issue, therefore, needs further and closer investigations, he said, reiterating that Aoun and Frangieh are distinguished figures who have supported the Resistance project against Zionism and Takfirism.

“Masarik party is an orthodox Christian one with popular bases in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine,” he said about the party he leads.

“This party believes that Christians are both targeted by Takfiris and Zionists, and we have witnessed that in Palestine,” he added.

“As a Christian party, we are proud of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and I think the most important message of this Revolution was that Islam is not an enemy of Christianity, and the divine religions of Islam and Christianity share common values,” Khoury said.

International Tourism Exhibition Kicks Off in Tehran

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
-

The 9th International Tourism Festival has kicked off on Tuesday in Tehran, the opening ceremony has seen Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli and Masoud Soltanifar, head of Cultural Heritage Organization.

The international fair will go on until February 19.

 

 

 

Iran Signs Deal with Turkey to Smooth Financial Transactions

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Iyzico, an Istanbul-based payments startup, said the company has signed a deal with an Iranian firm, which would allow its customers to process international transactions inside the Islamic Republic.

Iyzico’s agreement with Tehran-based electronic payments platform PECCO lets its customers process transactions from some 230 million payment cards that until recently weren’t connected to any financial system outside Iran, according to Barbaros Ozbugutu, Iyzico’s German-Turkish chief executive.

The deal is the first of its kind, he said, according to a Bloomberg report.

Since visiting Tehran last year, the founders of the World Bank-backed company have been working on expanding in Iran, Ozbugutu said. That gives them a foothold in a country that’s been so far untapped by US-based competitors Paypal Holdings Inc. and Stripe Inc.

“We’re fulfilling the role Paypal was providing in places like Germany, where they were the preferred provider during that country’s digitalization phase,” Ozbugutu said of Iyzico’s home market. It made sense to expand to Iran because there are “two major markets in the region with high card penetration, and they’re Iran and Turkey. Both have populations of 80 million, a very young population and quite high Internet penetration.”

While PayPal’s website says it’s active in more than 200 markets, Iran isn’t one of them. San Francisco-based Stripe also says it does not support transactions in the Iranian rial.

While Iyzico to expanding to Iran is “a no-brainer,” larger competitors may have more difficulty making the move, according to Sal Karatas, founder of mobile security company SAASPASS. More established companies are “slow to move into weird foreign markets because it’s a whole lot of effort in order to benefit from a market that’s basically the size of Michigan.”

If Iran’s economy’s is worth just less than Michigan’s now, its integration into the global economy will spur growth of 4.5 percent to 6 percent by next year, Renaissance Capital estimates.

Iran’s development will probably be similar to Turkey, and Turkish corporations will be the ones rushing in to drive the change, according to Mike Harris, head of research at Renaissance.

In Iran, all banks are integrated into one unitary clearance system, called Shetab, which means Iyzico’s clients can sell to any card holder in the nation without establishing relationships with individual Iranian banks, Ozbugutu said.

Iyzico last year raised $6.2 million in a round led by the International Finance Corporation, or IFC, the investing arm of the World Bank. Its customers in Turkey include BMW, Allianz and online marketplace Sahibinden.com.

Iyzico signed the deal to enter Iran after restrictions excluding the country from the SWIFT banking system began to be dismantled as part of the nuclear deal finalized by Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) in July 2015, and implemented in mid-January.

The comprehensive nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), terminated all nuclear-related sanctions on Iran after coming into force, and has led to expectations for an economic boom in Iran.

German banks ready to inaugurate branch offices in Iran

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-

Aigner told Chairman of Tehran Chamber of Commerce Masood Khansari , who is visiting Germany at the head of a commercial delegation, that in her upcoming visit to Iran she will carry good messages to Iran on part of his country for opening banking and insurance offices in Iran.
Khansari, for his part, noted that inter-banking issues, insurance of contracts and commercial exchanges are among obstacles to expansion of mutual relations.
The Iranian official said he had informed the German party of ongoing problems in related sectors.
Khansari said that over the past months, economic facilities have been provided by Iran and certain European countries, including Italy and France. ‘One of the factors that can give an impetus to mutual economic cooperation is establishment of banking and insurance relations and in this connection, French and Italian industries have been able to take appropriate and serious steps.
He also highlighted the responsibility of Iranian and German private sectors for removing problems facing the small- and medium-sized institutions of Iran and Germany. He said for the time being, exchanges between Iranian and German banking systems is the requisite for expansion of mutual cooperation.
He suggested that German companies contribute to renewable industries, water and sewage treatment, auto manufacturing, steel, mining, pharmaceuticals, chemical industries, electronics and tourism and embark on joint investment with Iranian institutions.

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