Chal-Nakhjir Cave is located in Delijan, a town in Markazi Province. The beautiful cave has speleothems – commonly known as a cave formation – which look like cauliflower.
Natural ventilation of the cave which keeps it cool in the summer and warm in the winter is another fantastic feature of this self-revived cave.
Visitors to the natural beautiful place never face a shortage of oxygen while spending time inside the cave.
Images of the Chal-Nakhjir Cave put online by Mehr News Agency:
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has arrived in Tehran to hold talks with the country’s high-ranking officials.
Fabius, who arrived in Tehran on Wednesday morning, is scheduled to sit down with President Rouhani and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.
During his day-long visit to Iran, the top French diplomat is also expected to sit down with Iranian Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh as well as Director of the Environment Protection Organization Masoumeh Ebtekar.
Fabius’ visit to Iran is a first by a French foreign minister to the Islamic Republic in 12 years.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on the al-Aqsa Mosque, calling on the international community to stop the Israeli aggression against Palestinians.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham on Tuesday denounced the Tel Aviv regime’s provocative actions as well as repetitive attacks by extremist Israeli settlers on al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinian worshipers.
On Sunday, Israelis broke into the al-Aqsa compound and engaged in violent clashes with Palestinians.
Afkham further noted that such provocative measures take place with the approval of Israeli officials, stressing that the attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque again show the aggressive nature of the Israeli regime and its violation of the rights of the Palestinian nation.
The spokeswoman also called on all countries, especially the Muslim countries, and regional as well as international organizations to support the Palestinian nation and take action against the desecration of al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa compound and closed its gates after the clashes erupted between Palestinian Muslim worshipers and Israelis.
Israeli troops also fired sound bombs inside the compound and attacked Muslim worshipers. In response, the Palestinians threw stones at the Israeli soldiers in an effort to prevent them from storming into the complex.
Dozens of worshipers were injured and at least six of them were detained by Israeli forces. Many of them suffered breathing complications due to tear gas inhalation.
Illegal Israeli settlers, backed by Israeli forces, frequently force their way into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which usually ends up in clashes.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also on Sunday called on the United Nations Security Council to take measures for an end to Israeli attacks on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and violation of the Islamic holy site.
OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani said in a statement that Israel should be held responsible for the consequences of continued, systematic attacks on the mosque.
President Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini in Tehran on Tuesday evening.
President Rouhani said Iran and the EU can increase their mutual cooperation in political, cultural, technological and scientific areas after the implementation of the Vienna agreement.
‘The agreement that was struck will be very important and influential for the future of regional relations, Europe and the world,’ the Iranian president said during the meeting.
The Iranian president underlined that Iran-Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) agreement will harm no country in the region or the world, and said, ‘Now an opportunity has been created to think less about the past and instead think of a future which can be based on mutual respect and colossal interests.’
‘One of the advantages of the Vienna agreement is cooperation to fulfill our shared obligation with regard to humanity and human ideals to fight terrorism and end war and shedding of the blood of innocent people,’ President Rouhani added.
Earlier today, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Mogherini in a meeting in Tehran discussed bilateral ties and regional developments.
During the meeting in the Iranian capital today, Zarif and Mogherini agreed that Iran and the EU resume a new round of high-level talks.
‘Today we decided to start a new round of talks between Iran and the European Union which we call high-level negotiations,” Zarif said in a joint press conference with Mogherini.
Zarif said the talks would begin soon at the “level of deputies” and “will gradually” move to the ministerial level, adding that the talks would cover such issues as “energy, transportation, trade, environment, human rights and the campaign against drug trafficking.
The Iranian foreign minister, meantime, pointed to the regional crises, and said, ‘The ongoing crises in the Middle East are posing a serious threat to the entire world and particularly the EU member-states.
Zarif added that extremism, sectarianism and terrorism are causing violence in both the Middle East and EU.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that Mogherini’s visit would mark a fresh beginning for ties based on mutual respect.
He noted that he had held “good” discussions with Mogherini about the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the prospects of Iran-EU ties.
Zarif urged Western countries and the United States in particular to make efforts to build confidence among the Iranian nation by meeting their obligations.
Mogherini, for her part, said the nuclear agreement between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany) was a sign showing that diplomacy can succeed.
“The deal would be historical not only in the signing but also in the implementation,” she said.
Elsewhere she pointed to the opportunities brought about by the agreement.
She said the nuclear breakthrough also has an ‘added value’ in that it can serve as an example for addressing other issues around the world.
‘The deal is not the end of a process, it is the beginning,’ she added.
The EU foreign policy chief arrived in Tehran for talks on implementing a recent nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers in Vienna on July 14.
Mogherini, who is accompanied by her deputy Helga Schmidt, arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, from Saudi Arabia.
Mogherini was lead negotiator for the G5+1 in the long-running talks over Tehran’s nuclear program that culminated in the July 14 agreement.
According to Mogherini’s office, her visit ‘will provide an opportunity for exchanges on the implementation of the agreement.’
On July 20, the UN Security Council unanimously endorsed a draft resolution upholding the JCPOA. All 15 members of the body voted for the UN resolution in New York, setting the stage for the lifting of the Security Council sanctions against Iran.
Speaking at a press conference with visiting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Tuesday, Zarif said Iran-EU “high-level” talks are to resume in the “near future.”
“Today we decided to start a new round of talks between Iran and the European Union…which we call it high-level negotiations,” he said.
Zarif said the talks will begin soon at the “level of deputies” and “will gradually” move to the ministerial level, adding that the talks will cover such issues as “energy, transportation, trade, environment, human rights and the scourge of narcotics.”
He said ongoing crises in the Middle East are posing “a serious threat to the entire world and particularly members of the European Union.”
Zarif added that extremism, sectarianism and terrorism are causing violence in both the Middle East and EU.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that Mogherini’s visit would mark a fresh beginning for ties based on mutual respect.
He noted that he had held “good” discussions with Mogherini about the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the prospects of Iran-EU ties.
Zarif urged Western countries and the United States in particular to make efforts to build confidence among the Iranian nation by meeting their obligations.
Mogherini, for her part, said the nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1 was a sign that diplomacy can succeed.
“The deal would be historical not only in the signing but also in the implementation,” she said.
Elsewhere she pointed to the opportunities brought about by the agreement.
She said the nuclear breakthrough also has an “added value” in that it can serve as an example for addressing other issues around the world.
“The deal is not the end of a process, it is the beginning,” she added.
Mogherini said she has assured Saudi leaders that Iran’s nuclear agreement is a “good” accord which would benefit the “security” of the entire Middle East.
She noted that “full implementation” of the agreement would help Iran-EU relations, adding, “Europe and Iran are close.”
The EU foreign policy chief arrived in Tehran for talks on implementing a recent nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers.
Mogherini, who is accompanied by EU political director Helga Schmid, arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, from Saudi Arabia.
Mogherini was a lead negotiator for the P5+1 group of countries in the long-running talks over Tehran’s nuclear program that culminated in the July 14 agreement.
According to Mogherini’s office, her visit “will provide an opportunity for exchanges on the implementation of the agreement.”
On July 14, Iran and the six world powers – the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany — finalized the text of JCPOA in the Austrian capital of Vienna.
Under the JCPOA, limits are put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for a set of commitments by the P5+1, including the removal of all economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic.
On July 20, the UN Security Council unanimously endorsed a draft resolution upholding the JCPOA. All 15 members of the body voted for the UN resolution in New York, setting the stage for the lifting of the Security Council sanctions against Iran.
In a statement released on Friday, over 70 European political, diplomatic and military figures said the July 14 agreement provides a framework for an end to the Western dispute with Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
The EU statement urged all parties to implement the agreement and called on the international community to throw its weight behind it.
The Iranian government spokesman said Iran’s conditions to choose its trade partners are today very different from the past since world countries are in a rush to Tehran to win economic opportunities.
Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Tuesday, Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said Iran has many options to choose its trade partners.
“In the post-sanctions period, we are not forced to deal with only a handful of countries,” he said, adding that many things have changed compared to the past when companies and countries treated Iran from the position of exclusivity.
“The countries that had been calling for implementing tougher sanctions on Iran are today overtaking each other in a rush to Tehran in search for business opportunities. But they should realize that Iran will pursue its own interests.”
“We never get overexcited about the arrival of any trade delegation,” Nobakht underscored.
In similar remarks earlier on Sunday, President Rouhani had highlighted the country’s policy to seek win-win economic interaction with the world once the anti-Iran sanctions are lifted, adding that Tehran would not allow excessive imports of foreign products.
After the successful conclusion of nuclear talks with world powers, Iran is now ready for a win-win interaction with global economy, Rouhani said in the western province of Kurdistan Sunday.
“We are not going to open our doors to imports, but we are looking for investments and new technologies, and an increase in our exports,” the Iranian president said.
After Iran and six world powers reached a deal over Tehran’s nuclear energy program on July 14, many foreign companies from around the world have announced their readiness to enter the Iranian market.
Experts say the comprehensive nuclear deal and subsequent termination of anti-Iran sanctions would result in a hike in Iran’s trade with the world and boost foreign investment in the country.
Marzieh Afkham said that such moves are directly supported and guided by Tel Aviv regime.
She said that invasion against al-Aqsa Mosque displayed aggressive nature of the Zionist regime in violating human rights of the Palestinians.
The spokesperson called for support of different countries, especially Islamic states, international and regional organizations to stop desecration of the Islamic sanctities and violation of human rights of the Palestinians.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country will be able to “immediately” reverse its commitments under a final nuclear deal with world powers if it finds out that the other side has breached commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA).
Iran and P5+1 on July 14 finalized the text of a lasting agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program.
Dubbed JCPOA, the 159-page document has subjected Iran and the six other countries to comply with a series of commitments, resulting in the termination of sanctions on Iran in exchange for certain restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program during a defined period of time.
Afterward, the 15-memebr United Nations Security Council passed a resolution that endorsed JCPOA.
According to the UNSC Resolution 2231, all previous UNSC sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program will be terminated when JCPOA takes effect.
The new resolution has also devised a reversibility mechanism in condition that a party complains about a “significant non-performance of commitments under JCPOA”.
The resolution stipulates that once the UNSC receives a notification by a JCPOA participant state about a significant non-performance of commitments, it will have 30 days to vote on a draft resolution to “continue in effect the terminations” of the previous anti-Iran resolutions.
It also notes that if the UNSC does not adopt a resolution to continue in effect the termination of the past anti-Iran sanctions, all of the previous anti-Iran resolutions will be reinstated in the same manner as before.
The so-called “snapback” plan has caused concern for some Iranian critics. They say that even if Iran makes a complaint about breach of the JCPOA commitments by the other parties, again the UNSC will have the authority to adopt a resolution for keeping the Resolution 2231 in place. Otherwise, the previous anti-Iran resolutions will be automatically reinstated.
In response, Araghchi, who was also a senior negotiator in the nuclear talks, told the Tasnim News Agency that JCPOA and the UNSC Resolution 2231 should be taken into account together.
“The talk of reversibility begins from the agreement (JCPOA) and it includes a 60-day process,” he said.
Araghchi explained that in case a party cites any breach of the deal, “the issue should be put forward firstly in a joint commission, then in a meeting of foreign ministers of Iran and P5+1, and then in a three-member consultative council,” before the UNSC resolution could be considered.
“It is natural that if the complainant is Iran, the country will no more wait for the (UN) Security Council’s decisions if the issue will be referred to the Security Council after those stages, because the Security Council’s decisions will relate to its own members,” he explained.
Whenever Iran feels the other side has not honored its commitments, the “reversibility” of Tehran’s nuclear program will happen immediately, he said.
“While such reversibility for them requires the case to be sent to the Security Council and going through those processes, for us, it could happen immediately and after 30 days,” Araghchi pointed out.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi has stressed that counter-terrorism is one possible area for future cooperation between Tehran and Washington, but it is too soon to talk about such a matter.
Takht Ravanchi, who is responsible for European and American Affairs in the foreign ministry, helped to negotiate a comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and 5+1 (Russia, China, US, Britain, France, and Germany) announced in Vienna on July 14. In the aftermath of that accord – which he called a “new baby” – he laid out Iran’s view of relations with Washington.
Iran and the US will have “opportunities” for greater cooperation in tackling terrorism if the nuclear agreement is implemented successfully, Takht Ravanchi said in a Tuesday interview with The Telegraph in Tehran.
He stressed that it is “premature” to go into detail, but the struggle against terrorism was one possible area for future cooperation.
“For the future, it is premature to see whether there will be possibilities for Iran and the United States to work together on regional issues. First we have to see how this new baby, if I can say, can be brought up,” he said.
“If everything goes well in the implementation of the agreement, I think there will be opportunities. I cannot say now to what extent Iran can cooperate with the West.”
For now, Takht Ravanchi said the priority was to ensure the nuclear deal was “nurtured, protected, and supported.”
“Suppose that this matter is being implemented properly and over time the necessary confidence is built, there are opportunities – and first and foremost is over how to deal with this problem of terrorism and extremism,” he added.
Takht Ravanchi further said, “This is an issue which is not confined to a specific region, which is not related to only one country. So these are the opportunities that can be discussed, can be elaborated, between Iran and others in the future.”
As for the timing of any future cooperation with the US, Takht Ravanchi stressed how the progress of the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), would be the decisive factor.
“It seems to us that we need four to five months before this JCPOA begins to be implemented. So we are talking about somewhere around six months to one year – and I think it is not really wise to talk about it now,” he said.
Takht Ravanchi stressed how the ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) “menace” transcended national boundaries. “This is an international threat and this needs an international response. We believe that all members of the international community should come together and try to address this problem.”
He also touched upon the recent war rhetoric by various US officials, saying that Iranians understand such remarks were “for domestic consumption”.
“Talking about the use of force is an empty threat and does not solve any problem. But we know they have difficulties back home, they have to address the concerns being raised in the Congress. As far as reaction to those comments in Iran is concerned, I think the Iranian people know these are not something they should really worry about,” he stressed.
“There is a bitter history between Iran and the United States. As I said, this nuclear deal can be the foundation for possible future interaction.”
Takhti Ravanchi’s remarks came as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on April 9 made it clear that the talks with the US revolve only around the nuclear issue and nothing else, but at the same time noted that such nuclear negotiations provide an experience to test the possibility of talking on other subjects if Washington puts aside objections.
Takht Ravanchi referred to the opening of Iranian and British embassies, making it clear that both embassies would soon reopen.
“There are a number of issues which need to be resolved, but I think these are not difficult issues,” he said. “We have not discussed officially when that specific date should be, but I don’t think this is going to be a major problem.”
Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary, suggested last week that Britain’s embassy in Tehran could reopen by December. For his part, Takht Ravanchi said, “I think we can do it even earlier, because these issues are not really serious issues.”
British Embassy in Tehran has been closed since 2011 after a group of angry Iranian students stormed the embassy and pulled down that country’s flag following Britain’s decision to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran.
Following the incident, Britain withdrew its diplomatic staff from the country on November 30 and asked Iran’s diplomatic delegation in London to leave within 48 hours.
“Extremism will have no other outcome than the death of innocent humans and strengthening of the roots of hatred and violence,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, said on Tuesday.
She extended the Islamic Republic’s condolences to the Somali government, nation and the bereaved families of the victims.
At least 15 people, including a Kenyan diplomat , a Chinese embassy guard and two journalists, were killed in a massive truck bomb that went off in front of a hotel in Mogadishu on Sunday.
The five-story luxury hotel, which houses the diplomatic missions of China, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, is very popular among government officials and foreign visitors. The United Nations and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) are also based in the hotel.
The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militants, who have attacked the hotel in the past, claimed responsibility for the blast in a statement.
The UN Security Council also condemned the attack “in the strongest terms.”
Somalia has been the scene of deadly clashes between government forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006.
The militants have been pushed out of Mogadishu and other major cities across the African country by government troops as well as AMISOM (African Union Mission to Somalia) forces, largely made up of soldiers from Uganda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Sierra Leone.
However, the al-Shabab militants, who have been attempting to oust the central government in Somalia, have continued to launch attacks on Mogadishu despite being driven out from their bases in the seaside city in 2011.
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