Iranian bodybuilders have bagged seven medals to win the title in the 2015 World Bodybuilding Championships in Spain.
Thirteen representatives from Iran competed in the 13th edition of the world championships which opened on Saturday.
The Iranian athletes snatched four gold medals, two silvers and a bronze to rank first.
South Korea came in second.
Iran’s defense minister has warned his American counterpart to mind his words, following accusations by the US official that the Islamic Republic is militarily active in certain countries in the Middle East.
“US Secretary of Defense [Ashton Carter] had better go over his past record in this position of authority and reconsider his bully-like and aggressive stances and talk more sensibly and circumspectly henceforth,” Brigadier-General Hossein Dehghan said on Sunday.
Carter had better “save the US more troubles like the ones it is already bedeviled by in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen and [also] refrain from provoking the sentiments of the countries of the [Middle East] region by humiliating [them],” the Iranian minister added.
On Friday, American magazine The Atlantic published an interview with the US defense chief, in which he alleged, “If you look at where the Iranians are able to wield influence, they are in the game, on the ground” in a number of countries.
Dehghan also expressed wonder as to why “the complex and apparently powerful and ubiquitous American intelligence agencies” mislead their authorities into [taking] “unreal, irrational, and aggressive positions.”
The Islamic Republic “is after stability and security in the region,” he said, adding that the regional security will come with the absence of US and trans-regional countries and intervention.
The Iranian official further pointed to the strategy maintained by the United States and Israel to perpetuate insecurity, war, and bloodshed in the Middle East.
“The Americans can no longer hide their hideous and ugly aggressive face behind deceitful slogans. This guise came off years ago and no nation considers the US to be its well-wisher.”
Misinformed about regional affairs
Reacting to Carter’s remarks, Chief of Staff of the armed forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said, “We are certain that the US secretary of defense’s remarks are based on wrong information and the absence of correct perception of regional issues.”
“Our policy regarding neighboring and Muslim countries [is that of] Islamic unity, preservation of Muslims’ interests [as well as] independence, and sovereignty of all of them,” he noted.
Iran has summoned Saudi Arabia’s charge d’affaires following the execution of three Iranian nationals convicted by the kingdom of drug smuggling.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry called in Saudi Charge d’affairesAhmed al-Muwallid in the absence of the ambassador to convey its dismay over the executions on Sunday.
Hassan Ghashghavi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister, said earlier that “Unfortunately, by implementing the death sentence against three Iranian nationals, the government of Saudi Arabia did not do bilateral ties justice.”
“Countries refrain from executing such sentences by respecting bilateral relations and keeping in mind that implementing such sentences will not have a positive effect on the ties,” he noted.
“There are many foreign nationals sentenced to death in Iran. However, implementation of their verdicts has been prevented… due to expediency,” the official said.
He also said the Iranians had been denied legal representation and that Tehran would take proportionate diplomatic action following the executions.
The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Sunday the death sentences of the Iranians, who had been arrested while allegedly smuggling large amounts of hashish to the kingdom, were carried out in the city of Dammam, the capital of the Eastern Province, earlier in the day.
The sentences had been endorsed by the kingdom’s Supreme Court as well as King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Arsanjan, Fars Province, has hosted a Pomegranate Festival in a bid to promote the great potential of the southern town in pomegranate production.
The following are images of the festival published by Mehr News Agency:
The health minister says Iran can render health services to as many as 400 million people living in this region.
Dr. Hassam Hashemi made the remark on Sunday in a gathering of foreign-based Iranian ambassadors and added that Iran’s health system is among the leading systems in the region. The following is the translation of what else the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) quoted the minister as saying in the gathering:
The minister said that Iran’s health system is capable of offering services to as many as 80 million Iranians and cover a population of between 150 and 400 million living in regional countries, adding that Iran – in cooperation with its partners in this region – should turn into a regional hub for people to receive treatment.
Over the past two years, the Government of Prudence and Hope, the Foreign Ministry and the foreign minister have managed to “negotiate one of the revolution’s most insurmountable passes”, building on the guidelines of the Supreme Leader and advice of the president, he said, adding that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) [Iran has inked with P5+1) is not a small achievement and that the posterity will pass better judgment on the Iran nuclear deal.
Dr. Hashemi went on to say that the Foreign Ministry carried out its own responsibility and now the onus is on parliament and other agencies to put this big achievement to good use. “The Health Ministry will seize the opportunity that will open up in the post-sanctions era to upgrade the health services it renders to the public.”
The minister then touched upon the Healthcare Transformation Plan and said that over the past two years his ministry rode out a pharmaceutical crisis by implementing the giant healthcare plan, adding that as many as 2,000 Health Houses were built across the country, the ministry overcame the shortages of physicians in towns with a population of less than 20,000, and around 6,000-7,000 specialists were dispatched to less developed areas in the country.
Fringe dwelling triggered by drought and war is a headache for the country, he said, adding that his ministry has offered health coverage to about nine million fringe dwellers by implementing the Healthcare Transformation Plan.
The health minister also said that foreign investors can now seize multiple opportunities inside Iran and put their money into building hospitals and health system infrastructure, adding that foreign investment should be in line with the country’s policies of ensuring Iran’s independence and cutting its dependence [on others].
Iran can make maximal use of post-sanctions conditions by importing the know-how on the health front, he said.
Dr. Hashemi concluded that the country should take steps toward bringing in the technical know-how so that it can make progress and maintain its independence.
♦ A new chapter opens in relations between Iran and the European Union.
The President of the European Parliament has met with senior Iranian officials.
President Rouhani told the visiting European top MP that the stage is set for measures to “deepen Iran-Europe cooperation”.
♦ Officials have released a list of [locally-produced] items that citizens can buy using the pre-paid cards they are to be provided with.
♦ IS has used chemical weapons against government forces in Syria.
The news comes ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Syria come Tuesday.
♦ The large gathering of the Iranian media in the Press and News Agencies Exhibition
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has said that it will have an active presence in the event.
♦ Iran will actively participate in the Vienna conference [on Syria], said Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Supreme Leader.
He said everyone has admitted that working out a political solution to the Syrian crisis without Iran is impossible.
♦ Banking authorities have agreed to cut interest rates as of November 22.
The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council says that ties between Iran and the United States can change for the better if Washington drops its harsh policies on Iran.
Ali Shamkhani made the comment on a TV news bulletin on Saturday and added that the US seems unlikely to shed its [troubling] past. The following is the translation of part of his remarks on the threat of outsider infiltration and ties with the US as reported by Entekhab.ir on November 8:
[…]
Shamkhani said that ‘infiltration’ can be looked at from political, economic and cultural angles, adding that turning ‘infiltration’ into a factional issue to eliminate rivals is the worst way of dealing with it.
He further said that all security and intelligence bodies in the country agree on [the fact that] ‘infiltration’ [poses a threat], adding that ‘infiltration’ and ‘differences of opinion’ were both touched upon by the Supreme Leader after the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He stressed that consensus is a must in dealing with ‘infiltration’ which should not be used as a tool to edge out factional rivals.
The top councilor went on to say that the world has been presented with a false picture of Iran, adding that Iranophobia is a PR campaign [by the West] against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but those championing this plot have failed to achieve their intended results.
“I asked foreign ministers who recently came to Iran about the image of Iran before and after their trips. They all admitted that there was a change in their perception. This is Iranophobia. I told them to take a walk around Tehran and see whether or not what they were fed by media actually existed in Iran,” he said.
[…]
He further said that Iran’s image will change in the post-JCPOA era, adding that Iranophobia will no longer make sense, and that support for the Palestinian people and vigilant defiance of colonial policies of the US will remain in place.
Asked about any change in ties between Iran and the US, he said that ties will undergo change if the United States alters its wolfish behavior, which is unlikely. If not, he said, nothing changes.
[…]
Shamkhani further said that the Iranophobia and the Shiite Crescent plots were engineered to overshadow Iran’s position as the anchor of stability, security and independence in the region, but Iran does not sit idly by so that others can decide for it.
The Americans imposed sanctions on the Iranian nation after the end of the imposed war and tried to transform Iran’s Islamic culture, he said.
[…]
In a key-note speech at the inaugural of a 21st edition of Press and News Agencies Exhibition on Sunday, President Rouhani said the country needs transparent media and regulations and that banning is the last thing one should ever do in dealing with the press.
The following is the translation of part of what else the Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the president as saying:
President Rouhani said with transparent regulations in place, individuals cannot use a single word or a sentence as a pretext to toy with press freedom, because transparent rules envision clear encouragements and punishments.
The president took a swipe at media outlets which “act with impunity and sometimes act as undercover agents. Some of these media outlets tell you who is expected to be arrested tomorrow, which [institution] is expected to be shut down tomorrow and whose reputation should be at the crosshairs!”
President Rouhani further said, “Iranians staged a revolution to preserve the blood, reputation and properties of citizens. Being a revolutionary means one should not lie. My understanding is that being a revolutionary means we should not level accusations against others; it means great figures who contributed to [the victory of] the Islamic Revolution, Sacred Defense and the Reconstruction drive should be respected.”
He added gone are the times when the media acted in a one-sided way. “It is a two-way street. People express their views not just on social networking sites. By buying or shunning certain publications on newsstands members of the public express their views.”
The president concluded his speech by saying that under the present circumstances, we need to instill hope in society and the press, mass media, IRIB and websites shoulder that heavy responsibility.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has detained managers of a number of mobile social networking groups on charge of acting against moral security in society.
Over 170 managers were identified following a complicated intelligence operation and a number of them were taken into custody by IRGC forces in Qazvin Province, west of Tehran.
Facilitating access to obscene content through social networks, encouraging immoral behavior, and publishing insulting content about ethnic groups, officials and national figures were among the illegal activities for which they were detained.
Those arrested have been handed over to related authorities following necessary judicial procedures.
Iran signed three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with South Africa to expand mutual trade ties.
The MoUs were signed Saturday during a meeting between Iran’s First Vice-President Eshagh Jahangiri and visiting South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Under the documents, the two countries have agreed to create a center to exchange information to fight money laundering, create joint markets and also expand technical and economic cooperation.
Jahangiri told Ramaphosa that Iran attaches great significance to expansion of ties with South Africa.
He described as unsatisfactory the current level of economic relations between the two countries and called for concrete measures to boost trade between the two countries.
Jahangiri emphasized that Iran and South Africa still can benefit from huge potential that exists in sectors such as mining, banking, agriculture, insurance and energy.
Ramaphosa, who is heading an 80-member trade delegation to Tehran, for his part emphasized that the expansion of relations between Iran and South Africa will mutually benefit both sides.
He also said South African companies are pursing serious plans to invest in Iran, adding that expansion of banking relations between the countries will specifically help investors from both sides.
[…]
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