Palestine seeks pressure on Israel over refugees

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September 6, 2015

Palestine authorities are calling on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to allow Palestinian refugees in war-torn countries in the region to enter their home land.

The Palestinian Authority official news agency Wafa reported on Saturday that President Mahmoud Abbas has tasked the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations (UN) Riyadh Mansour to work with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on “appropriate and necessary action” to allow Palestinian refugees to return to Palestine.

“This is not only a humanitarian issue but a right for every Palestinian living in exile in refugee camps,” a statement issued by Abbas’ office said.

Reports say that the Palestinian Authority is also in contact with other international bodies, including the European Union, on pressuring Israel to avoid prohibiting Palestinian refugees from returning to their homes.

Abbas’ office “has been making contacts with the UN, EU and other relevant actors, urging them to pressurize [Israel] to allow Palestinian refugees back into” the Palestinian territories, the report by Wafa added.

Israel has been tightly controlling Palestinian borders since it occupied Palestinian territories in 1967, denying Palestinian refugees the right to return to those territories.

Palestinian refugees in the region are living in camps in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the occupied territories.

According to the information on the website of theUN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), there are over 2 million registered Palestinian refugees in ten camps in Jordan, nearly 450,000 registered Palestinian refugees in 12 camps in Lebanon as of July 1, 2014, and over 526,740 registered Palestinian refugees in nine camps in Syriaas of January 1, 2011.

The turmoil in Syria has killed hundreds of thousands of people since 2011. As a result, hundreds of Palestinians have been also killed in Syria’s crisis. Yarmouk, the biggest Palestinian refugee camp located in the capital, Damascus, has been left all but deserted, following attacks on it by terrorists.

According to UNRWA, more than half of Palestinian refugees in Syria have been forced to leave their homes due to violence there.

Earlier this year, UNRWA announced that life for Palestinian refugees in Syria has become increasingly “unsustainable.”

Leader urges close relations among Muslim nations

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, in a meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s president on Saturday, underlined the necessity for further enhancement of relations among Muslim states.

“The principle of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s foreign policy is enhancing firm and all-out relations and bonds among brotherly Muslim countries,” Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said at the meeting with President Almazbek Atambayev in Tehran.

The Leader said opposition to the bullying of world powers is a “divine and Islamic principle.”

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the recent remarks by President Atambayev regarding Kyrgyzstan’s intentions to end access by US military forces to the Kyrgyz Manas air base, and emphasized the need to counter the bullying behavior of world powers.

“Hegemonic and aggressive powers are constantly conspiring against all nations in the world, but, Islam wants dignity of Muslims nations. The sole way to oppose and thwart the powers’ evil is resisting and strengthening relations among Muslim countries,” he noted.

During the meeting, which was also attended by President Rouhani, President Atambayev said he was pleased to be visiting Iran and said the Islamic Republic and Kyrgyzstan are two nations with brotherly ties and a common religion, history and culture.

“Both nations enjoy freedom and an independence-seeking spirit,” the Kyrgyz president said.

He also asked for the improvement of communication and transportation as well as road, rail and air links between the two countries.

“The level of ties between the two sides should go much beyond the current level,” he underscored.

Kyrgyz president hails Iran nuclear conclusion

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has extended his felicitations to Iran over the agreement the country clinched with six world powers over its nuclear program.

In a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran Saturday, the Kyrgyz president said the outcome of the Iran-P5+1 nuclear negotiations will be instrumental in boosting regional stability.

Atambayev also touched upon the significance of promoting Tehran-Bishkek relations, namely on the economic as well as transit and transportation fronts.

The visiting Kyrgyz president stressed the necessity of drawing up a 10-year cooperation plan in order to achieve shared goals while pinpointing the importance of Iran and Kyrgyzstan working together to fight terrorism and extremism.

Iran’s foreign minister, in turn, said that Iranian firms stand ready to set up business in Kyrgyzstan and expressed hope the 11th Joint Iran-Kyrgyzstan Economic Commission will meet in three months’ time.

The Iranian top diplomat further expressed hope the upcoming parliamentary election in Kyrgyzstan will be held successfully.

The visiting Kyrgyz president also held a joint press conference with Rouhani on Saturday and met with Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei later in the day.

The Kyrgyz president arrived in Tehran on Friday heading a high-ranking delegation at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart.

During Atambayev’s trip to Tehran, the two countries inked eight memoranda of understanding on cooperation in the fields of agriculture, extradition of criminals, media, energy, air transportation and consular affairs as well as cooperation between the two sides’ foreign ministries and chambers of commerce.

Iran welcomes enhanced ties with Kyrgyzstan: Speaker

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Iran welcomes expansion of long-term trade and economic ties with Kyrgyzstan.

In a meeting with the visiting Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev on Saturday, Larjani said Tehran and Bishkek can increase the level of their relations in agriculture, fisheries, construction, technical-engineering services, tourism, and science and technology.

Waiving visas can also help tourism and business, he added.

Larijani suggested cooperation of Iran and Kyrgyzstan in international organizations while Western powers are trying to misuse human rights as a tool to put pressure on independent countries.

Atambayev said the two countries’ love for freedom, independence-seeking spirit, and cultural- religious affinities have brought Iran and Kyrgyzstan closer together.

He said cooperation between parliaments of Iran and Kyrgyzstan can develop bilateral relations.

On trade ties, the Kyrgyz president said establishment of direct flights and connecting railways for transit of goods can contribute to economic relations between the two countries.

He welcomed the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers and said the deal gained through insistence of Iran on independence has opened a new chapter in its relations with other countries.

Iran foils sabotage operations at Fordow nuclear site

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Deputy Director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Asghar Zarean disclosed enemies’ attempts to carry out acts of sabotage at Fordow uranium enrichment plant and Iranian security forces’ swift reaction to foil them.

“Recently, a series of electronic boards were discovered that had been planted in certain equipment at Fordow nuclear site to carry out sabotage acts in the enrichment processes,” Zarean said in an interview with Khorasan daily Saturday.

He said that the swift action of the Iranian security forces thwarted the enemies’ plots to paralyze Fordow nuclear site.

Zarean said that Fordow nuclear site acts as a backup for Natanz nuclear facility and enemies are attempting to weaken this backup through methods other than military operations.

Fordow is a uranium enrichment facility deep down a mountain. According to Iranian and Western military analysts, it is immune to military operations.

[…]

Iran, Iraq could pump up trade to $20bn: Minister

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Iran’s minister of finance and economic affairs has said that Tehran and Baghdad could pump up mutual trade to $20 billion.

Iran-Iraq trade currently stands at $12 billion if transit and tourism are also taken into account, said Ali Tayyebnia, adding, “The figure could easily increase to $20 billion, and we will reach this target in the near future.”

“A rise in Iran-Iraq transactions will serve the interests of both countries,” Tayyebnia further said in a meeting Saturday with visiting Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

The two sides discussed mutual economic relations in the meeting, said the Iranian minister.

“In this meeting, trade and economic ties between the two countries were discussed, and we talked about some problems and limitations in [mutual] trade relations as well as in banking transactions and investment; solutions were also offered for them,” said Tayyebnia.

Also in the talks, said the top Iranian official, the two sides discussed three agreements on customs cooperation, avoidance of double taxation and foreign investment.

“Part of these documents will be signed tomorrow (Sunday),” Tayyebnia noted.

He said that talks have also been held between the central banks of both countries, adding the two sides underlined that the talks should continue and that the ideas discussed should be realized in the near future.

Zebari, for his part, expressed delight over his visit to Tehran and meeting his Iranian counterpart, saying the two sides discussed a whole lot of economic issues, namely investment and facilitation of trade deals as well as mutual cooperation to upgrade bilateral economic ties.

Back in June, a delegation of Iranian traders visited Baghdad to discuss investment opportunities in the two neighboring countries.

Also in June, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi traveled to Basra to launch work on the construction of a rail track to connect the southern Iraqi city with the southwestern Iranian city of Khorramshahr.

Iran’s Armed Forces prepared to combat threats: Cmdr.

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

“The Armed Forces’ preparedness has increased proportionate to enemies’ threats in different fields,” Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said on Saturday.

He added that Iran faced threats in the past given the massive presence of the US troops in the region.

However, the commander said, Iran now faces the threat of proxy wars after the withdrawal of the American forces from the region.

“Takfiri groups such as Daesh are the most important players of proxy wars,” Pourdastan said.

The commander also noted that the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces would stage rapid response drills within the next few months in the western and eastern parts of the country to boost their defense capabilities.

This will assure the Iranian nation that the Armed Forces have the deterrent power to combat enemies, he added.

Iran has conducted major military maneuvers to enhance the defense capabilities of its Armed Forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art equipment.

The Iranian Army’s Ground Forces successfully staged a missile exercise, codenamed Beit-ul-Muqaddas 27, in the central province of Isfahan, in May.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

A desperate father tells about the tragic loss of loved ones

By

Emad Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Abdullah Kurdi is the only member of a family of four who escaped unscathed when a group of migrants at sea failed to make it to their desired destination and were left at the mercy of the driving waves. The tragic incident unfolded when a boat carrying his family and a number of Syrian refugees capsized off the Greek island of Kos.

Alef.ir on September 5 released a report on the human tragedy. The report includes comments by Abdullah Kurdi, the distraught father of two Syrian children who drowned with their mother and several other migrants as they tried to reach Greece. The shocking image of the lifeless body of Aylan, Abdullah’s three-year-old boy, made headlines around the world. The following is the translation of part of that report:

In remarks after the incident, Abdullah said, “When the boat foundered, I was overwhelmed by fear”.

Abdullah, who was too weak to speak loud enough to be heard, continued, “We all had life jackets on. With one hand, I was holding my wife’s hand and with the other the hands of my two sons. But at the spur of the moment, the kids’ hands slipped off my hand. We tried to reach the boat, but it capsized in an instant. No longer could I hear the voice of my wife and kids. […]

“I thought they may have had to return to Bodrum [in Turkey where their journey originated] out of fear. I went back to our meeting place, but I found no trace of them. Right there, I went to the city’s hospital and faced the home truth, the bitterest in my life.”

As many as 12 people who are said to be all Syrians lost their lives in the incident. Aylan, the three-year-old boy who grabbed the world headlines, his five-year-old brother Galip, and mother were among the victims. This toll should be added to the number of the victims of the recent migration crisis in Europe.

Abdullah, 40, further said that before this fateful voyage he had tried twice to flee Syria, adding that they failed to reach their destination. “Prior to this, I paid money to the traffickers twice to take us to the island of Kos. First we were stopped by the Turkish coast guard, but we were released a few hours later. The second time, the traffickers did not live up to their promise and did not provide us with a boat.”

[…]

Is Ottawa to blame for the death of Aylan?

Tima, Abdullah’s sister who migrated to Canada 20 years ago and now lives in Vancouver, told reporters, “I did what was needed for their immigration to Canada. A number of our friends and neighbors accepted to financially support my brother’s family. To our disbelief, officials turned down our request”.

Grief-stricken Abdullah, who was to bury his loved ones in the war-torn Syrian town of Kobani, desperately makes an appeal to the international community: “Make sure [Aylan] is the last.”

Nomadic sport festival in southern Iran (PHOTOS)

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

Sepidan, a town in Fars Province, hosted a fifth nomadic sports festival on September 3. At the two-day festival about 120 nomadic sportsmen and sportswomen from southern and southwestern Iran competed against each other in different events, including archery, horse-riding and wrestling.

The following are images of the festival published by Fars News Agency:

Iranian dolls handed to war-stricken Syrian, Palestinian children (PHOTOS)

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

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September 5, 2015

At a ceremony in Damascus on September 4, dolls purchased by Iranians benefactors – as part of a campaign dubbed “Silent Dolls” – were handed out to over 150 war-stricken Syrian and Palestinian children.

As a token of appreciation, the children drew some pictures and handed them to the Iranian representatives at the event.

Iranian singer Taha Choganbaz sang a song in two languages at the ceremony and after his performance said that the least he could do was to show solidarity with the stricken children and try to alleviate their suffering. He expressed hope he had provided a good day for the long-suffering children.

After Zionist atrocities came to a head in Gaza last summer, the Silent Dolls Campaign was launched and was welcomed by people across Iran.

Images of the ceremony released online by Tasnim News Agency: