Only nations can solve Syria, Yemen crises: Iran

By

-

August 29, 2015

Iran’s parliament speaker has said the crises in Syria and Yemen can be resolved only if the wishes of the two nations are taken into account.

“Some powerful countries proposed plans to resolve the crises in Yemen and Syria. We believe that such proposals would not work, since they do not address the wills of the nations,” Ali Larijani told reporters early on Saturday before leaving Tehran to attend the fourth World Conference of the Speakers of Parliaments in New York.

He stated that Tehran is going to offer new plans for the fight against terrorism and promotion of peace at the upcoming conference.

“There is a great gap between words and deeds. We see wars in the battlefields and in conferences, everyone talks about democracy,” Larijani noted, adding that during his speech at the conference he will try to define how democracy can realistically and practically promote peace in the region and the world.

He also pointed to the deadly military aggression against the Yemeni people, saying political dialogue is the only way out of the crisis in the impoverished Arab country. “Some countries suppose that they can solve problems through pressure and militarism, but the age of such theories is long over.”

Some 180 parliamentary leaders from 140 countries will take part in the New York conference, (August 31 to September 2) which will focus on tackling the challenges to peace and democracy.

Iran ready to offer reciprocal visa-free travel: Zarif

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said the country is ready to offer visa-free travel to citizens of the countries that are willing to engage in reciprocal visa waiver mechanisms with the Islamic Republic.

Citizens of the countries which are ready to waive visa requirements for Iranian nationals will also receive visa waivers from the Islamic Republic in a reciprocal move, Zarif said Friday on a visit to Isfahan, a major tourist hub in central Iran.

The top diplomat said Iran has held negotiations with many countries on the issue of visa requirements, saying the diplomacy apparatus is prepared to provide anything needed to facilitate the growth of Iran’s tourism sector.

Iran has dropped visa requirements for nationals of seven countries as part of its plans to boost the country’s tourism. Citizens of Turkey, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bolivia, Egypt and Syria can travel to Iran and stay in the country without visa from 15 to 90 days.

Intelligence officials in Iran have also approved a plan to expand the list to include 12 more countries, but sources in Iran’s tourism sector say the Foreign Ministry opposes the move, arguing visa-free travel is basically a reciprocal mechanism.

According to the Visa Restrictions Index, holders of an Iranian passport can visit 40 countries visa-free or with visa on arrival.

Many observers say the July 14 nuclear agreement between Iran and P5+1 – Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – will significantly boost the Islamic Republic’s tourism sector and increase demands for Iranian visas.

Iran denounces British FM Hammond’s ‘unconstructive’ remarks

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham dismissed the recent remarks by British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond as “unconstructive”, saying that such comments are part of continued moves to cast doubt on Iran’s relations with its neighbors.

Speaking to Tasnim News Agency on Friday, Afkham lashed out at Hammond for his recent remarks in a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart, emphasizing that such statements are divisive.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy toward its neighbors is based on ensuring collective interests, strengthening friendship and peaceful coexistence with an emphasis on religious commonalities,” she said.

Countries outside the region had better avoid raising false and divisive issues through their words and deeds, she added.

Afkham also made it clear that the opening of the Iranian and British embassies in London and Tehran does not mean Iran will not oppose Britain’s regional policies.

In a joint press conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in London on Wednesday, Hammond said he had reassured al-Jubeir that the reopening of British embassy in Iran does not imply London will relax pressure on Tehran to stop what he called interfering in other Middle Eastern countries’ affairs.

Hammond was in Tehran on August 23 to reopen the British embassy in the Iranian capital after a 4-year closure.

Simultaneously, Iran’s embassy in London resumed its diplomatic activities.

World Stars defeats Iran’s All-Star in charity match

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

World Stars football team beat Iran’s All-Star 3-0 in a charity match held in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium in front of about 50,000 fans on Friday.

Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos was on target in the 24th minute with a free-kick.

Former FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo made it 2-0 in the 31st minute. He chipped the ball over Iranian legendary goalkeeper Ahmad Reza Abedzadeh.

With one minute remaining to the halftime, Pauleta scored for World Stars.

“I am so happy to be here. We expected Iran coach Carlos Queiroz to lead us in the match but I don’t know what happened he didn’t sit on the bench; however he stays in our hearts forever,” World Stars captain Michel Salgado said after the match.

World Stars included Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Fabio Cannavaro, Guti, Fernando Hierro, Fernando Couto, Vitor Baia, Fernando Morientes, Marcel Desailly, Gaizka Mendieta, Edgar Davids and Jari Litmanen.

Former international players Abedzadeh, Karim Bagheri, Ali Karimi, Alireza Mansourian, Farhad Majidi, Yahya Golmohammadi, Javad Zarincheh, Majid Namjoo Motlagh, Hamid Estili, Rasoul Khatibi and Khodadad Azizi appeared on the pitch for Iran’s All-Star team.

The match was held to raise money for MS patients.

The World Stars team takes the field once a month in a country to raise funds for people who are suffering from a disease or disaster. Support for Ebola patients in Africa was one of the latest fundraisers of this team.

Senior cleric hails government performance

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Kazem Sediqi appreciated the government’s endeavors over the past two years, saying that it has taken proper measures in various fields.

He addressed the worshippers on Friday and said that Government Week is an opportunity to commemorate the two eminent martyrs, [former] President Mohammad-Ali Rajaei and Prime Minister Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, who served people sincerely and led a simple life despite their high positions.

As for the performance of President Rouhani’s government, he said that the Cabinet has taken positive steps to curb inflation and counter currency fluctuations, adding that the public health plan are among other outstanding works of the government.

He noted that the government has also managed to get the nuclear deal to a conclusion.

Today, the US and its Western allies are spreading violence across the world and trying to distort the image of Islam, he said, adding that Iran is seeking to counter ISIL, but the West is supporting the terrorist group.

On regional developments, Ayatollah Sediqi said that the issue of Yemen should be among concerns of the “dead” UN Security Council and “useless” United Nations.

A nation has come under fire by an aggressive government, but unfortunately they are just lookers-on, he added.

Free people are behind bars in Bahrain for just seeking to have a share in the government, he said.

The Americans, Brits and the Zionists want Iraq, Syria and Yemen to split, he said, noting that they are after weakening Muslim nations.

Islam religion of peace, friendship: Majidi

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

Director of Muhammad (PBUH) said the movie shows that Islam is the religion of peace and friendship.

Speaking at a press conference in Montreal, Canada, Iranian Oscar-nominated Majid Majidi added that the film aims to correct misconceptions about Islam in the world.

The movie seeks to present Islam as the religion of peace, friendship and compassion to the world.

The film, the first part of Iran’s big-budget trilogy on the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), opened the 39th edition of Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF) on Thursday, August 27.

It also premiered in various cinemas in Iran on the same day, IQNA [the International Quran News Agency] reported.

The 171-minute epic on the early years of the Prophet of Islam is, with a ‎budget of over $50 million, the most expensive film ever made in Iran, and has been in production for ‎five years.

The film production saw many international figures on its set including cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, costume designer Michael O’Connor, and Indian musician Allah-Rakha Rahman.

Reactionaries and Westernized people waste Iran’s young talents

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

The secretary of the Expediency Council says United States failure to lift sanctions against Iran and its measures to frustrate our efforts to boost our defense capabilities would amount to a declaration by Washington that it does not want to befriend the Iranian nation.

Mohsen Rezaei made the remarks in a ceremony – in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province on Wednesday – to honor the memory of Rajaei and Bahonar, former Iranian president and prime minister who were killed in a bomb explosion [34 years ago], and added that the US government has a long record of animosity toward the Iranian nation over the past 70 years. The following is the translation of part of his remarks as reported by tabnak.ir on August 26:

Imam’s path

The path the late Imam walked down was neither the path of Westernized intellectuals nor the path of care-free reactionaries [those who favor ossification]. His path was neither the path of American-style Islam nor that of the clergymen of the royal court. He walked down the path of Pure Muhammadan Islam. Imam and the martyrs walked down the path of freedom and independence of the Iranian nation. The path he took helped the Iranian nation gain power and win glory and pride.

Domestic enemies

Two groups fit into this category: those with extreme liberal views because they say Iran will not make progress and achieve prosperity as long as it fails to give in to the demands of the West, led by the US; and reactionaries who hold that economy is not what matters and should not be given priority in our lives. The fruit of these two lines of thinking is the stoppage of the progress of the Iranian nation. Those who say “Economy does not matter and worldly affairs should be abandoned” and those who say “Wait until the US comes” both cause the Iranian nation to lose time and cause the youth’s potential at national and local level to remain untapped.

[…]

According to Imam’s line of thinking, it is nothing but a mirage if we wait for the US. Do not waste the time of the Iranian nation. The liberals and Westernized people proudly tell the revolutionaries about the West’s headway, US support for its allies such as South Korea, Germany and Japan or they cite Sino-US cooperation as an example to claim that cooperation with the US is the only way for the Iranian nation to make progress.

[…]

Now that you have closed your eyes, how can we make you understand that the US does not want to help the Iranian nation? The US does not want to see the Iranian nation make progress. If it had sought to help Iran, it would not have staged a coup against the national government of Mossadegh who extended a hand of friendship to the US. As for your examples about South Korea, Japan and China, I should say that they tapped into self-belief and self-confidence before they embarked on their plans.

[…]

Nuclear misunderstandings

If the US accepted a nuclear Iran, it had to do so; it is not out of its well-wishing or friendship. In other words, the Iranian nation and the Supreme Leader left no options for the US other than: honorable withdrawal. Therefore, the US pulled back, but the Americans showed hostility and resorted to double-dealing as they were pulling back. Let’s say that they have opened the route, but it is full of landmines.

The restrictions they have imposed on [Iran’s] nuclear activities or the longtime [limits] they have set are dubious and tricky. They hope to see a regime change in Iran in ten years [the time P5+1 has set to restrict part of Iran’s nuclear activities], and they see the downfall of the Islamic Republic in their dreams.

[…]

US behavior

Some may say that the US has acknowledged its mistakes and is trying to strike up friendship. [In response] we say that friendship has some signs. Is the US ready to display such signs? Is it ready to drop meddling in Iran’s internal affairs and stop efforts to influence and divert people’s slogans? Is it ready to lift sanctions once and for all and not prevent other countries from doing business with and making investment in Iran and not impose new sanctions?

Another sign is that the US should not hamper Iran’s efforts to expand its defensive capabilities, boost security and develop missiles. The US should also unfreeze Iran’s assets.

If the US is seeking to improve its position in the region, it should not bear hostility toward Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and not engage in confrontations in the region.

If Israel gets crazy and wants to attack Iran, we will smack it hard enough in the mouth to lose all its teeth. If this happens, will the US support Israel and stand up against Iran? If the US is honest, it should come forward and say that it seeks to break with the past. United States failure to lift sanctions against Iran and its measures to frustrate our efforts to boost our defense capabilities would amount to a declaration by Washington that it does not want to befriend the Iranian nation. […]

The return of people like me to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps indicates that we are ready to fight to the bitter end and defend the revolution’s values.

Iran’s demands

Gone are the days of unilateral interaction with the West in Iran. I want to once again tell Westerners that they should abandon the dreams of ties [similar to] the Qajar and Pahlavi periods. The Iranian government and nation want to have equal ties based on respect.

The Iranian people are not ready to deviate from the path of Imam and the martyrs. They don’t want to stay silent because of you and keep mum over the injustice and aggression you and your friends pursue in the region. The Iranians are not willing to trade their national wealth with your consumer products. The Iranian nation does not want to stop its progress simply to win your consent. The nation does not let you interfere in its domestic affairs.

Some may say that the revolutionaries like you – thanks to your morale – cannot open a door in international relations and will be isolated in the world. If it had been the case, the world’s six big powers would not have sat at the negotiating table with Iran for 12 years and would not have given any concession to Iran. We believe we will open our way in international relations through power and logic and break the West’s monopoly in global trade.

Fifteen years ago prior to the imposition of sanctions, the Supreme Leader stressed the need for producing science and technology and developing modern sciences such as peaceful nuclear technology. This helped Iran acquire this knowhow and forced the West to negotiate with Iran. The Supreme Leader’s prudence earned Iran nuclear science and contributed to the country’s development. […]

If the noble endeavors of Iran’s courageous diplomats have produced a result, it is the result of the Leader’s guidelines during the previous governments encouraging development of nuclear science.

Darabad Botanical Museum in Tehran (PHOTOS)

By

Fatemeh Askarieh

-

August 29, 2015

Darabad Botanical Museum, which seeks to make the public familiar with different medicinal and ornamental plants, houses 600 of the 8,000 plant species that exist in Iran.

The species on display have been collected in two years.

The following are photos of the museum posted online by tpaa.ir:

Resalat daily urges reaction to Hammond comments

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 27, 2015

Resalat daily-26 August — Resalat newspaper front page on August 26

President Rouhani has always insisted on staying true to the late Imam Khomeini’s line of thinking. But an editorial by Seyyed Masoud Alavi published by principlist daily Resalat on August 26 argued that the remarks of British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond during his Iran visit cast doubt on such commitment.

The following is the translation of an excerpt of the editorial:

[…]

Iran, a Persian-language daily which is affiliated with the government, published an opinion piece by the British foreign secretary on August 25 titled “Iranian Audacity to Explore New Ways”.

In an interview with the BBC before meeting with President Rouhani toward the end of his Tehran visit, Philip Hammond said that Iran has shown a more nuanced approach toward Israel.

His comments came despite the fact the whole world knows well that during more than three decades since the Islamic Revolution, Iran’s stance on usurping Israel has remained unchanged.

The key question here is what Hammond meant by saying that Iran has shown a more nuanced approach with Israel.

Time and again, the late Imam Khomeini said that every Muslim is duty-bound to equip himself against Israel. The late Imam also said “I have repeated warned about the threat posed to the nation by the Israeli government and its agents.” He also said that Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth.

Given the clear stance of the late Imam on the Zionist regime of Israel, is it right for Hammond to talk of a shift in the stand of the Iranian government toward Israel in Tehran?!

If the government, as the president says, feels committed to fulfilling the ideals of Imam Khomeini, the editorial of the government-run daily should have criticized Hammond for his remarks and laid out the stance of the establishment on Israel rather than let the British foreign secretary write a piece in the state-run newspaper and talk about “testing the new waters” in Iran.

In a speech at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, the president said “We should not let the late Imam’s line of thinking and ideals be misinterpreted by some”. That remark is very true. But, shouldn’t president have fleshed out a foreign policy in line with the late Imam’s principles and talked about the unwavering stance of the late Imam on the US and Israel?

Shouldn’t he have – in his speech at the late Imam’s mausoleum – touched on the ominous anti-Iran plots of hegemonic and arrogant powers who seek to extend their influence in the country and across the region? Shouldn’t he have elaborated on his government’s measures to prevent the infiltration of the intelligence services of the enemies and the danger of seditionist return to the political scene?

[…]

At Imam’s mausoleum, the president should have said that the US is still the enemy of the Iranian nation, and a classic example of an arrogant power. He should have said that on behalf of the Iranian nation, his government would not let the American dream of regime change in Iran come true.

In support of the late Imam’s beliefs, the president should have said loud and clear in his speech that his administration would stand up to the US bullying even if it involved use of force and that Iran seeks to wipe out the corrupt roots of Zionism around the world.

Such a stance would have stopped any possible misinterpretation by the enemies of the establishment and would have presented a correct interpretation of Imam Khomeini’s brave stance in the face of the sworn enemies of the establishment.

On top of that, it could have reaffirmed the fact that the foreign policy of the 11^th government is in line with the Imam Khomeini’s positions.

Women braver than men in bungee jumping

By

Emad Askarieh

-

August 27, 2015

The mountain resort of Touchal in northern Tehran was the first place in Iran to put up a bungee-jumping pole (40 m in height). But women were not allowed to bungee jump there.

The following is the translation of a report filed by the Iranian Students’ News Agency on August 25 about the passionate interest of women in bungee jumping in Tehran:

Four years ago, another bungee-jumping center opened in Velayat Park in Tehran where women were allowed to jump off its 40-m pole. That attracted many tourists.

Even the holiday resort of Ganjnameh in Hamedan, which is home to the highest bungee-jumping pole in the Middle East, did not impose a ban on women keen on jumping off its 45-m-high platform.

It’s still unclear why unlike the other two centers, women are not allowed to go for the extreme sport in Touchal, nor has the reason behind the ban been officially announced, but some believe that religious issues may play a role in it.

Managers of Touchal are now seeking to lift the ban on the bungee jumping of women.

Interestingly, according to those in charge of bungee-jumping centers, female bungee jumpers outnumber men.

A bungee-jumping trainer at Tehran’s Velayat Park says 80 percent of those who apply for a jump are women aged between 14 and 60, adding, “I have never seen a woman climb up the pole and then back off, but there have been many men who have gone back on their decision to bungee jump.”