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IRAN FRONT PAGELatest News and Views From Iran, Middle East and the World

Iran News
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- Human Rights
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Culture
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Home Blog Page 4717

Enemies resent Iran independence: Leader

Emad Askarieh

October 1, 2015

“The system of the Islamic Republic is an independent system; and has, since the [1979] Revolution, openly pursued its policies and does not fear the roar of any power or opposing any power’s policies,” the Leader said in a Thursday meeting with Iranian military officials and commanders.

“The emergence of an independent nation that is opposed to the bullies and their affiliates is not tolerable for the hegemonic system,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.

‘Leniency won’t reduce enmity’

Ayatollah Khamenei also noted that the enemy seeks the surrender of the Islamic Republic.

“Enmities would not go away by backing down” in the face of the enemy, the Leader said, adding that it is wrong to think that if Iran practices leniency toward the enemy, the latter will reduce its enmity.

“Nations are delighted at seeing the Iranian nation progress and unequivocally defend its rights vis-à-vis powers,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

The Leader emphasized that, by accelerating their advances, the Iranian Armed Forces must gain such might that would have enemies not dare to even think of invading Iran.

“The advances of the military forces in different sectors today are very invaluable; but… the pace [of the progress] must be increased,” the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said.

A $700,000 dining table on display at Milad Tower

Golrokh Askarieh

October 1, 2015

Magnificent works of art have been put on show at Tehran’s Milad Tower, among them a stately wooden table with a price tag of more than $700,000.

Poolnews.ir on September 29 published a report on the expensive table which is on show at Milad Tower and remarks by Mostafa Khoushabi, the head of an artisan cooperative. The following is the translation of part of that report:

A group of 86 artists have displayed 2,600 works – fine pieces of craftsmanship – at the capital’s tallest tower. A six-person dining table stands out among the craftworks there. Master Rasoul Motamedi, a student of Mahmoud Farshchian [the master of Persian painting and miniatures], has done the painting on the table and a pricing committee at the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran has valued the magnificent table at $700,000.

This dining table features Iran’s history from the Median period to the Pahlavi era in six parts and displays the expanse of Iran’s territory in different historical periods. Each painting has a special background: another painting on the costumes of different historical periods. The artist has spent nine months to conduct research into the costumes of those periods.

Khoushabi rejected rumors that Master Motamedi has crafted the table following an order placed by an American, saying this is a unique piece of art which will be put on show in Munich. He stressed that nobody has placed an order for this table.

He further said that Master Motamedi had earlier exhibited a set of furniture at Milad Tower which was worth over $150 million. The committee in charge of pricing the artifacts has priced the furniture: three dollars for each square centimeter of the work.

[…]

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on October 1

October 1, 2015

The warning by the Supreme Leader to Saudi Arabia that Iran’s reaction would be “harsh and tough” and his call for the formation of a fact-finding mission following the Mina tragedy dominated the front pages of Iranian newspapers on Thursday. Also in the headlines was the reaction Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s handshake with President Obama drew in parliament.

Ettela’at: “Disrespect for Hajj pilgrims will result in a harsh reaction,” the Supreme Leader said at the commencement of Army cadets.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the need for the formation of a fact-finding mission featuring Islamic countries, including Iran, [to look into the Mina tragedy].

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on October 1

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on October 1

Abrar: “Iran has sent an official note to the Saudi embassy in Tehran to demand the repatriation of the bodies of Iranian pilgrims killed in the Mina tragedy,” said a deputy Iranian foreign minister.

Abrar: Foreign Minister Zarif has held talks with his Norwegian and Polish counterparts.

Abrar: US Secretary of State John Kerry claims he has held talks with Iranian officials over Syria.

Abrar-e Eghtesadi: Parliament deputies have opposed amending the trade law.

Abrar-e Eghtesadi: Iran’s oil exports are up 10 percent.

Abrar-e Eghtesadi: “There are no legal bans on the presence of American firms in Iran’s economy,” said the vice-president for legal affairs.

Afkar: The chairman of Iranian parliament’s Sunni Caucus has said that Saudi Arabia should send a delegation to Iran to apologize [over the Mina incident].

Aftab-e Yazd: Harsh objection to Foreign Minister Zarif [for his handshake with President Obama]

Aftab-e Yazd: “We shouldn’t think whatever Muslims do is right,” said the grandson of the late Imam Khomeini.

Aftab-e Yazd: “Wavering in opposition to the US will break the hearts of millions of people,” said the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces.

Arman-e Emrooz: The controversy surrounding Mohammad Javad Zarif’s handshake [with Obama]

A new wave of worries [by Worriers who oppose the policies of President Rouhani] has got underway.

Arman-e Emrooz: A hospital administrator in Behbahan has been shot at.

Once again doctors have come under attack.

Asr-e Rasaneh: Implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will bring $8 billion in profits to global companies and investors.

Asrar: “There will be no more inspections of Parchin,” said the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

Asrar: The price of water has increased by 15 percent.

Ebtekar: Diplomatic hands under fire

Insults have been hurled at Foreign Minister Zarif for a handshake.

Emtiaz: Police have attested 119 thieves and muggers in the capital.

Etemad: “President Obama and I exchange letters; sometimes he writes first, and sometimes I write first,” said President Hassan Rouhani in an interview with CNN.

Etemad: Parliament deputies Abutorabi-Fard and Motahari have rallied behind Foreign Minister Zarif.

Hemayat: “Paving the way for the presence of the enemy in the country amounts to espionage,” warned the judiciary chief’s first deputy.

Iran: Efforts are underway to amend the law that requires wives to secure the permission of their husbands [to get a passport] to travel overseas.

Javan: The smile diplomacy [a reference to the characteristic smile of FM Zarif] proved inefficient in the Mina tragedy.

Jomhouri Islami: Iran’s position in the Global Competitive Report by the World Economic Forum has improved nine notches.

Kaenat: Some 220 MPs have praised the performance of the Oil Ministry.

Kaenat: The entanglement of the homecoming of the bodies of Iranian pilgrims killed in Mina

Kayhan: A joint operation by the Iraqi Army and popular forces has resulted in the liberation of 13 villages in Kirkuk.

Resalat: “The slightest disrespect to Iranian Hajj pilgrims will be followed by a harsh reaction,” the Supreme Leader warned Saudi authorities.

Roozan: Critics of the [Zarif-Obama] handshake swear at handshake diplomacy.

Roozan: Reports that Iranian officials have been kidnapped in Mina have been denied.

Saheb Ghalam: Tehran and Paris to turn into “good partners”.

Sharq: A multi-prong attack on Zarif drew a [supportive] reaction from Abutorabi-Fard [the vice-speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly].

Tejarat: “The previous government caused a crisis by printing money,” said the economy minister.

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on October 1

Golrokh Askarieh

October 1, 2015

♦ “Disrespect for Hajj pilgrims will result in a harsh reaction,” the Supreme Leader said at the commencement of Army cadets.

Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the need for the formation of a fact-finding mission featuring Islamic countries, including Iran, [to look into the Mina tragedy].

♦ The economy minister has credited government’s commitment to financial discipline for economic stability of the country.

♦ Two more towns in northern and western Afghanistan have fallen to the Taliban.

In another development, 20 Taliban fighters were killed in air strikes by Afghan and NATO fighters.

♦ Russia has officially entered the war against IS in Syria.

Russian fighters launched attacks on Syrian opposition in two provinces Wednesday; a day earlier President Assad officially asked for Russia’s military assistance [in the fight against rebels].

♦ The director of the Environment Protection Organization has said that some are putting pressure on her agency to close its eyes to [environmental] offenses.

Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar further said that mismanagement of the past years [a reference to Ahmadinejad presidency] and failure to pay attention to rules when it came to climate change, drought, etc. is to blame for the environmental crises the country is now facing.

♦ “The imprudent Saudi government faces a heavy responsibility for the Mina tragedy,” said the grandson of the late Imam Khomeini.

Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, who was speaking at a ceremony to mark the start of the new academic year in the University of Faiths and Religions, further said that the problems plaguing coexistence among followers of different faiths in the world are now bigger than in the past.

Mohammadabad Caravanserai (PHOTOS)

Fatemeh Askarieh

October 1, 2015

Mohammadabad Caravanserai which dates back to the Seljuq era is located in a namesake village near the city of Qom.

The Caravanserai was registered on the list of Iran’s national monuments on October 31, 1998.

Images of the caravanserai posted online by the Islamic Republic News Agency:

Each and every Iranian pilgrim corpse must return home: Deputy FM

Golrokh Askarieh

October 1, 2015

Tehran has called for the immediate return of the bodies of Iranian pilgrims who were killed in a Hajj crush in Saudi Arabia, a senior Iranian diplomat says.

Official talks are currently underway between Iranian Health Minister Hassan Hashemi and Saudi officials about how the pilgrims’ remains will be transported to Iran, Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Wednesday.

Determining the fate of the missing people and the transportation of “every single body” is a priority for Iran, he added.

“Communications are being carried out between the two countries to speed up things and Dr. Hashemi’s trip as the representative of the government has been very effective,” he noted.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hashemi — who is in Saudi Arabia along with a special delegation — said Iran would be the first country to receive the remains and transport them home.

He noted that his team had been granted access to the morgues in Mecca, where the victims’ bodies were being held.

Hashemi stressed that he had gained confirmation that none of the Iranian bodies would be buried in Saudi Arabia without permission from family members or the Iranian government.

On September 24, two large crowds of pilgrims, who were on their way to participate in the symbolic stoning of Satan, a Hajj ritual, collided in Mina, resulting in a fatal crush.

According to the head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, Saeed Ohadi, 239 Iranian pilgrims have so far been confirmed dead in the incident. Twenty-seven Iranian pilgrims have also been wounded and 241 others remain unaccounted for.

Iran calls for ‘collective response’ toward global terrorism

Golrokh Askarieh

October 1, 2015

Iran has called for a “collective response” toward extremism, terrorism, and Takfiri ideology, which are all threatening the whole world.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the appeal during a UN Security Council meeting in New Yorkon Wednesday.

Zarif said the global community as a whole must be given the chance to battle terrorism. He added that Iran is fully aware that it must not “live in the past” and that serious talks over regional problems must be given a chance

Tehran views its “neighbors’ security” as its own, he said

He also warned that if the crisis in the region is left unchecked, none of the members of the global community will be left unscathed, adding since the threat is global it requires the whole world’s attention.

The Iranian foreign minister also voiced regret over the fact that “one or two neighboring countries have not been able to realize this common threat,” and over their “irresponsible” actions with regard to regional matters, especially the victims of the recent Hajj tragedy.

Earlier, in a meeting with Luxemburg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Zarif called on the European Union to play a more active role with regard to the Hajj tragedy and the situation in Yemen, where thousands of people have killed as a result of Saudi military aggression against the impoverished Arab country since March.

Iran’s possible reaction vis-à-vis Mina tragedy tough: Leader

Golrokh Askarieh

September 30, 2015

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Saudi Arabia has not made good on its obligations regarding the recent deadly Hajj incident, saying Iran’s possible response will be “tough and harsh”.

“Should we decide to show any reaction, our reaction will be tough and harsh,” said the Leader at a commencement ceremony for the graduates of the Iranian Army’s military academies in the city of Noshahr in northern Mazandaran Province on Wednesday.

Ayatollah Khamenei blasted Saudi officials for failing to live up to their commitments regarding the crush in Mina, near the Saudi city of Mecca, on September 24.

“Saudi Arabia failed to fulfill its duties concerning the desperate wounded [pilgrims],” said the Leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted, “Saudi authorities do not discharge their responsibilities and in some cases act slyly and contrary to their duties.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also lashed out at Riyadh for failing to ensure the safety of Hajj pilgrims.

“Our nation is grief-stricken; Hajj should be a place of security; is it [called] security when the lives of people are jeopardized during the [Hajj] rituals?” the Leader asked.

Ayatollah Khamenei further said representatives from Iran and other Muslim nations should probe the Mina tragedy.

The Saudi government has confirmed that the overall death toll from the Mina incident has reached 4,173 so far.

Meanwhile, head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Saeed Ohadi has announced that 239 Iranian pilgrims have so far been confirmed dead. Twenty-seven Iranian pilgrims have been wounded and 241 others remain unaccounted for.

A sailor who has sailed into unchartered waters

Emad Askarieh

September 30, 2015

When the topic of sea and navigation comes up, the very first thing that crosses your mind is the image of men with muscular builds huffing and puffing when weighing the anchor on a ship. Female naval officers piloting a ship or taking care of things on the deck are the last thing you may think of.

In Iran, female sailors are among those a reporter can create a newsworthy and eye-catching story on. Raheleh Tahmasebi Sarvestani, 31, is one of those outstanding women. Raheleh, who lives in Sarvestan in Fars Province, has chosen software engineering as her major.

Prior to entering the realm of the binary digits [ones and zeros of the binary code] of computer, she tested the waters for a sailing job in 2010 and took maritime courses. Now she is working as second officer on vessels of less than 3,000 gross tonnages.

To mark World Maritime Day (September 29), SMT – an Iranian daily – has conducted an interview with Raheleh Tahmasebi Sarvestani about her career and its bitter and sweet moments. This female sailor says that she loves the sea and has chosen it as her home. She hopes she can one day become a captain. The following is the translation of part of what she said in the interview:

[…]

Q: In the eyes of people, maritime careers are more masculine than feminine. How has your family come to terms with your job?

A: The first time I talked about sailing, my family was surprised. They asked me to do a thorough research and test the waters before making up my mind. My father and sister bought into my decision. My dad was one of my supporters and assured me that I can make it even if what I had chosen was masculine in nature. That’s why he showed no opposition to my decision.

[…]

Q: How are you treated in your workplace? How do you come to terms with your work conditions?

A: The treatment I am given at work is appropriate. For those involved in maritime activities [in Iran], the presence of a woman sailor is a whole new thing and is – to some extent – odd. One cannot say that for a woman to get involved in maritime activities is as easy as working with other women.

I have overcome the challenges this gig has thrown my way because I love this job. I think you can find no traditionally male jobs in which women cannot prove themselves. I should say that female sailors can work with their male colleagues. […]

How a simple handshake stirs so much controversy

Golrokh Askarieh

September 30, 2015

An open session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly got off to a noisy start Wednesday when Bahram Biranvand, an MP representing Borujerd in the chamber, mouthed off about the handshake between Foreign Minister Zarif and President Obama. It ended in pretty much the same fashion.

The following is the translation of two separate reports filed by Khabaronline.ir on what happened in parliament and how other MPs, including Ali Motahari, reacted to Biranvand’s comments inside and outside the chamber:

“Who has allowed Zarif to shake hands with Obama?” Biranvand shouted. “Right at a time when death has embraced thousands of Hajj pilgrims in Mina, Zarif embraces Obama and the US secretary of state. Damn! Zarif has made a fatal mistake by shaking the hand of Obama as the Iranian foreign minister.”

At this point, Hassan Abutorabi-Fard, the vice-speaker of the chamber who was presiding over the open session, interrupted the MP and killed the microphone, urging him to respect the dignity of the foreign minister.

Loud shouts by deputies, who liked Biranvand to carry on, promoted the vice-speaker to allow him to continue.

Biranvand went on to say, “As an ordinary citizen, if Zarif hungers for an Obama embrace, he can resign and go take up residence in their house [a reference to the White House].”

The MP drew a harsh reaction from the vice-speaker again when he used foul language against the top diplomat.

“The religious zeal of people like Mr. Zarif in defending the revolution and the blood of martyrs is no less than mine. He may have done something, but that is no reason to use foul language in criticizing someone who has proven to be serving the late Imam and the Leader,” Abutorabi-Fard said.

Later, Ali Motahari, a principlist MP, told reporters disrespect for a servant of the Islamic establishment and individuals who have the support of the Leader is wrong.

“Too much sensitivity about a trivial issue is not right. That an Iranian official has shaken hands with Obama is not important. What is important is that we won’t renounce our causes such as support for the Palestinians,” Motahari said.

“The MP who showed disrespect should be asked why he hurls insults at an individual who is deemed reliable and pious by the Leader. Besides, a handshake with Obama won’t pave the way for US infiltration,” he said.

Motahari went on to say, “Most of such reactions are politically motivated. One cannot stop infiltration through sloganeering and shouts. As the Leader has said the door should be slammed shut to attempts at infiltration in the right place. These individuals seek to undermine the government. Why didn’t they react similarly when similar things happened during the tenure of the previous government?”

[Meanwhile, Ali Bigdeli, a university professor, said, “In light of the fact that the Iranian and US delegations had repeatedly said that they had no plans for the two presidents to meet, the encounter has definitely been unplanned.

“Mr. Zarif is a master diplomat well versed in diplomatic and consular protocols. When he bumped into President Obama in a corridor, he could not have made a U-turn to avoid an encounter. The protocol required the two to shake hands.”]