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Iran not to allow inspections beyond NPT: Defense chief

By
Emad Askarieh
-
General Dehghan

In an interview with the Lebanese Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news network aired on Tuesday, Dehqan said that the Islamic Republic plans to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) within the framework of the NPT.

“We are committed to our obligations, but we have no plans for the future to allow them access to whatever site they want,” said the defense chief.

Many US officials have repeatedly called on Iran to provide the international inspectors with access to its military sites under the pretext of the NPT.

He said that Tehran and the IAEA are determined to resolve the ambiguities surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

On July 14, Iran and the IAEA signed a roadmap for “the clarification of past and present issues” regarding Iran’s nuclear program in Vienna, Austria.

Earlier on August 27, the IAEA confirmed Iran’s compliance with its commitments regarding its nuclear program. IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano also confirmed on August 25 that Iran had delivered on its promises concerning informing the agency of the country’s nuclear activities.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Dehghan said Iran regards the United States and Israel as the true enemies of Islam and freedom-seeking movements of the world.

He said the Israeli regime attempts to expand its hegemony in other regions, saying that the Zionists have a key role in the US foreign policy.

What is the solution? Water imports or efficient management?

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Kahrom

The Iranian energy minister has recently said that Bandar Abbas, Bushehr and Kerman are facing acute drinking water shortages. Hamid Chitchian has also said that his ministry is contemplating a plan to import water from other countries and has opened talks with certain neighboring countries to that end.

Fararu.com on September 1 published a report on water scarcity in Iran and its possible solutions, saying that government officials have raised the issue of water import as a solution to the shortage of water in the country. The following is the translation of part of that report which includes Fararu’s interview with experts in this field:

The energy minister in May said that Iran was likely to bring in water from three neighboring countries, but the minister of agriculture frowned upon his comment. Mahmoud Hojjati said that unauthorized wells should be spotted, adding that officials and water users should cooperate to meet water demands in the country.

Despite the agriculture minister’s opposition, the country’s Fifth Development Plan has also identified imports of water [as a solution to the water crisis], saying that under Article 142 of the Fifth Development Plan the government can take measures to bring in water from other countries.

[…]

Should Iran import water or not?

At this juncture, is water import the best option for officials to tackle water shortages in Iran? Environment experts hold different views.

Esmail Kahrom, an advisor to the director of the Environment Protection Organization, has said that importing water would be possible only for drinking purposes, adding imports of water for agriculture purposes would be futile.

Kahrom, who is also an environmental activist and an ecologist, has further said that water imports will definitely raise water prices. […] The country needs piping and other facilities to transfer the imported water to the agriculture sector and this will trigger a drastic rise in agricultural products, which in turn will create serious problems in the country. He said that importing water for agricultural purposes is far from rational.

[…]

No need for water imports

An environmental activist has said that Iran has no water scarcity, blaming the country’s drought and the existing serious water shortages on management of resources in the country.

Hossein Rafi further said that Iran imported water to fill the reservoir of the [Iran–Turkmenistan] Friendship Dam [Doosti Reservoir Dam on the Hariroud River] in the northeast a while ago, adding it was not a good experience and we should learn a lesson from such that experience.

If water imports result in Iran’s dependence on water purchase, more problems will be created for the country, among them security issues, he said, adding that the exporting country is likely to halt its water exports to Iran sometime in the future.

Rafi also said that Iran does not have water scarcity problems, adding what the country lacks is proper water management, not water reserves. “For years, the country’s water management has been plagued by problems. We build a dam, but 35 percent of its water is wasted. So do we really need to import water from abroad? If we stop such a trend, there will be no need for importing water”.

He went on to say that it is also an issue at an international level. “For instance, Afghanistan lets water flow into Hamoon [Lagoon], but the water is left unattended thanks to mismanagement. Part of the water evaporates and the rest is used for other purposes. Before anything else, we need to correct water management techniques in this country. As long as Iran’s water management is beset by challenges, water imports would do little to solve the country’s problems,” he added.

 

Regulations governing tourism facilities approved

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Iran Historical itecture

Under the 20-year Outlook Plan, Iran is expected to host 20 million foreign tourists in 2025. That means the country should build 20 four- or five-star hotels each year over the course of the next decade.

The following is the translation of part of an August 31 report by Donyay-e Eghtesad on a new directive issued by the Rouhani government to help the country achieve that goal:

Director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar said under recently approved regulations, tourism facilities will not operate under the supervision of a guild; rather, they will have their own rules and regulations which will be released in 10 days.

Speaking at the inaugural of a hotel on August 29, the tourism chief said, “The new regulations will help remove the ambiguities of the individuals involved in the tourism sector which will be known as an industry under new arrangements.”

In the new directive tourism facilities are defined and regulations governing the establishment, operations, rating and supervision of these facilities are specified, Soltanifar said.

Iran’s tourism needs read fast growth 

Soltanifar described Iran’s tourism sector as attractive to foreign investors and said, “For the very reason, hotel construction companies from Arab countries are already working on several projects in Iran; actually they have seven hotels under construction. European companies, which had stayed away [from Iran] because of the unfair sanctions have started working here after the Vienna nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1.”

He added, “We must encourage municipalities to offer incentives such as tax breaks for hotel construction.”

The director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said that if the country is determined to get itself ready for the arrival of 20 million tourists as stipulated in the 2025 Outlook Plan, its tourism industry needs to grow 14 percent annually; that is three times more than the global average.

Soltanifar described tourism as an effective way for communication between nations and said, “In 1950, five years after the end of World War II, 25 million tourists traveled across the world and that generated $2 billion in revenues for the host countries.”

He added, “In 2014 the number of global tourists stood at 1.2 billion. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), an affiliate of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has projected that the figure will rise 4.5 percent to reach 1.6 billion in 2020, 1.8 billion in 2030 and 2.6 billion in 2050.”

Soltanifar went on to say, “According to the 20-year Outlook Plan, Iran is expected to host 20 million tourists in 2025 who will bring in $25 to $30 billion in revenues. For a number of reasons, a decade after the launch of the plan, the number of tourists hasn’t gone beyond five million.”

He said that presently there are only 130 four- and five-star hotels in the country, adding, “If we want to raise the number of tourists by 15 million in a decade, we need to increase the number of these hotels to 400, and that translates into annual construction of 20 four- or five-star hotels in the country.”

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Iranian Newspapers Headlines
Iranian Newspapers Headlines

The comments of the Supreme Leader at a meeting with military commanders on the need to promote the country’s military preparedness and the remarks of the chairman of the Assembly of Experts on nuclear talks and the role of the Guardian Council in electoral oversight dominated the front pages of Iranian newspapers on Wednesday.

 

Ettela’at: “Defense options to counter threats should be diversified,” said the Supreme Leader at a meeting with senior officials of Khatamulanbia Air Defense Base.

Ayatollah Khamenei further said that officials in different sectors, especially with the armed forces, should appreciate the trust members of the public place in them, and reciprocate that trust by fulfilling their duties.

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on September 2

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Abrar-e Eghtesadi: Parliament is to conduct an investigation into imports of low-quality cars.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Afarinesh: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed Iran’s participation in talks on the fight against IS.

Afarinesh: The deputy director of the Cultural Heritage Organization has said that 1,020 projects with the potential to absorb local and foreign investment have been conceived.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Arman-e Emrooz: “The number of oil derricks which went missing [when Ahmadinejad was in power] stands at least at 17,” said Amir Abbas Soltani, a member of parliament’s Energy Committee.

Arman-e Emrooz: The UN secretary general is to visit Tehran; the Vienna nuclear deal was a huge international achievement.

Arman-e Emrooz: The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has said that his men would stage 20 maneuvers by the end of the year [March 20, 2016].

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Asr-e Azadi: Lack of interagency cooperation is the first hurdle standing in the way of foreign investors’ arrival in Iran.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Asr-e Rasaneh: It now takes less than 48 hours for Iranian authorities to issue visas to foreign tourists.

Asr-e Rasaneh: The country’s first pumped-storage hydro power plant has been inaugurated.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Asrar: The interior minister has said that there should be documentary reasons for possible disqualification of candidates.

Asrar: Mohammad Reza Bahonar, [a principlist MP], has said that presentation to parliament of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in the form of a bill is not necessary.

Asrar: Tehran Provincial Governor’s Office has said security forces will deal with those who take part in any unauthorized rally.

Asrar: “Implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is an opportunity for the US to build trust,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Ebtekar: Critics of the Vienna accord have appeared before a parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Saeed Jalili and Fereydoon Abbasi [former top negotiator and former nuclear chief] have defended their performance.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Eghtesad-e Pooya: Iran’s proven mineral reserves are now worth $700 billion.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Etemad: Rouhani is warned in the Assembly of Experts

The chairman of the assembly has said that parliament is entitled to reviewing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Ayatollah Yazdi further said that the kind of oversight the Guardian Council practices is not idle.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Hambastegi: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has told a news conference in Tunis that there is no need for neighbors to be locked in rivalry.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Hamshahri: The dust storm in the capital has seen a hike in the number of emergency room arrivals for respiratory and cardiovascular complications.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Iran: The Assembly of Experts has thanked the nuclear negotiating team.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Javan: The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps has said it was the authority of the armed forces that prevented war [not the negotiations].

Javan:Safdar Hosseini [a former economy minister] has criticized the Central Bank for withdrawing $12 billion form the National Development Fund.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Jomhouri Islami: “Nuclear talks [between Iran and P5+1] posed no threat to any country,” said Foreign Minister Zarif.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Kayhan: Principlists have been reinstated at the helm of Tehran City Council.

Kayhan: “The clear-cut comments of the Leader are the only criterion to gauge his nuclear stance,” a statement issued by the office of the Supreme Leader said.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Resalat: “American authority in the region is on the decline,” said the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Shahrvand: A storm with gusts of 70 km an hour has kicked up dust in the capital.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Sharq: The commander in chief of the armed forces has told the military to “have plans to counter all approaches the enemy could possibly adopt.”

Sharq: Following a directive by the Supreme Leader, the National Development Fund will no longer work under the supervision of the Central Bank.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Taadol: “A giant economic leap lies ahead,” said the Iranian parliament speaker.

 

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on September 2

 

 

Highlights of Ettela’at newspaper on September 2

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Ettelaat

♦ “Defense options to counter threats should be diversified,” said the Supreme Leader at a meeting with senior officials of Khatamulanbia Air Defense Base.

Ayatollah Khamenei further said that officials in different sectors, especially with the armed forces, should appreciate the trust members of the public place in them, and reciprocate that trust by fulfilling their duties.

♦ The economy minister has said that a 6-point bill to reform the banking system has been devised.

♦ A major industrial union in the US has joined an international campaign to boycott Israel.

The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America has said it wants Israel to end its anti-Palestinian apartheid.

♦ “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is unprecedented in the history of Iran’s diplomatic talks,” the chairman of the Assembly of Experts said.

Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi further said that US provision of arms to IS terrorists is designed to divide Muslims.

♦ To counter the negative impact of dust storms some 100,000 hectares of forests should be created.

♦ The German chancellor has said that Berlin welcome’s Iran’s constructive role in Syria.

♦ An interview with Seyyed Kazem Bojnurdi about the release of Encyclopedia Islamica

The important feature of Islamica, which is the English translation of the Greater Islamic Encyclopedia, is its Shiite approach to Islamic questions.

 

US using IS as leverage to achieve goals: Iran Commander

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Soleimani

Senior Iranian commander Major General Ghasem Soleimani has said the United States is using the IS Takfiri group as a tool against Muslims.

Major General Soleimani said Tuesday that the IS terrorist group is a product of Washington, adding that the US plans to maintain IS to keep Muslims dependent on Washington.

The commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps made the remarks while briefing members of Iran’s senior clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, on the developments in the region.

The senior military commander added that Iran has foiled Washington’s plans in the region.

He went on to say that the United States has turned this policy into a “lever” to achieve its goals in the region.

[…]

Saudi fear

The senior Iranian commander also pointed to the Saudi aggression against Yemen and hailed the Yemeni Ansarullah fighters’ resistance against the deadly onslaught.

“Ansarullah is a popular current and movement that many Yemeni people have been following,” he said.

Recalling the reasons behind the Saudi aggression against Yemen, General Soleimani said, “Saudi Arabia is afraid of Ansarullah’s rise to power and [has therefore] imposed this war against the Yemeni people.”

[…]

Oscar-winning musician highlights attention to details in movie ‘Muhammad (PBUH)’

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
139406101314012176006524

An Indian musician who has composed the score of Iran’s most expensive film ever, “Muhammad (PBHU), Messenger of God“, said renowned Iranian director Majid Majidi has paid undivided attention to details throughout the production of the biopic.

“It still hasn’t sunk in that the movie has released. The movie was in the making for the past six to seven years. I know how the director nurtured it with attention to details. We can only wish for good things. It has to happen. In this case all of us are lucky that the movie is getting rave reviews. It’s payback for all the hard work,” Indian double Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman said in an interview with Deccan Chronicle on Monday.

Answering a question about what went through his mind when Majidi approached him for this movie, he replied, “Whatever work I do, I always believe that it needs to be blessed for people to like it and love it. I just kept my fingers crossed and prayed in anticipation.

“It was a long-cherished dream to work in a beautiful Iranian movie and a director like Majidi. I learned a lot in the process working with a master director like him. We recorded the music across five countries including India, Iran, Germany, France and Egypt with 200 musicians and it has been mixed in Chennai. I think this is one of my most daring attempts at composing,” Rahman added.

He further said that the movie attempts to depict true features of faith, including compassion as opposed to violence and extremism.

“The director has gone back to the foundation of the faith, which is kindness and upliftment of humankind and not what has been portrayed by the misrepresentation, which has provoked violence and inhuman acts in the past. He has shown that division is a product of evil, and inclusion is divine. I seek to be excused for paraphrasing Jalaluddin Rumi’s words – Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.”

Muhammad, Messenger of God, which is the first part of Iran’s big-budget trilogy on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), premiered in cinemas across Iran on August 26, and attracted a large audience.

A number of internationally-acclaimed professionals, including Academy Award winning visual effects supervisor and filmmaker Scott E. Anderson, three-time Oscar-winning Italian director of photography Vittorio Storaro and renowned Croat production designer Milijen Kreka Kljakovic collaborated in the making of the film.

Majid Majidi is an internationally and critically acclaimed Iranian film director, film producer, and screen writer whose films touch on many themes and genres. He has won many international awards.

Iran’s Experts Assembly chairman rejects bilateral relations with US

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Yazdi

Chairman of Iran’s Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi strongly rejected the possibility of the resumption of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Washington, stressing that the nuclear agreement does not mean rapprochement between Tehran and Washington.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 18th meeting of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran on Tuesday, Ayatollah Yazdi said those in the US who dream of bringing their rulers back to power and turning Iran into their consumer market and source of revenue will never see the realization of their dream.

He said that the nuclear negotiations and agreement between Iran and P5+1have nothing to do with Iran’s relations, adding, “We are not to talk about bilateral and trilateral relations and the gradual flow of their companies into Iran.”

In July, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei underlined the nuclear agreement between Tehran and six world powers will not change Iran’s policy toward the US.

[…]

Iran ready to help solve Middle East woes: Zarif

By
Golrokh Askarieh
-
Zarif10

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the Islamic Republic is ready to hold talks with regional countries and help settle ongoing problems in the Middle East.

“There should be dialogue on regional issues between interested countries,” Zarif said in a meeting with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal in Algiers on Tuesday.

He added that Iran’s contribution to dialogue among these countries is one of the Islamic Republic’s most important diplomatic efforts.

The top Iranian diplomat further pointed to the recently concluded nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers, noting that the negotiations pose no threat to any country and even serve as an “appropriate opportunity for diplomacy in the region.”

He said the nuclear talks proved that the “language of threat” cannot be used against independent and developing countries.

[…]

The Algerian premier, for his part, said his country is determined to boost relations with Iran after the conclusion of the Vienna nuclear agreement.

Sellal urged all regional countries to adopt wise measures to solve the ongoing problems in the region.

Zarif arrived in the Algerian capital on Tuesday on the second leg of a two-nation trip which also took him to Tunisia.

In an earlier meeting between Zarif and Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, the two top diplomats discussed mutual relations and the latest developments in the region.

Book-reading campaign launched in Mashhad (PHOTOS)

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
-
Book-reading0

A young man in the capital of Khorasan Razavi Province has initiated a campaign dubbed “I Hope You Read the Book and Bring it Back” to foster the culture of book-reading among the people of his hometown.

He lends his books to others in a bid to encourage the youth to read more books.

Images of the young campaigner released online by Tasnim News Agency:

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