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

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- Human Rights
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Home Blog Page 4828

Iran criticizes Bahraini opposition leader jail sentence

June 18, 2015

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham criticized a recent court ruling against prominent Bahraini opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, reaffirming Iran’s demand for his release.

It is seriously expected that the groups which have presented their demands in a completely peaceful manner be treated fairly, rationally and appropriately, Afkham said on Tuesday.

She added that resorting to security approaches would never help settle the ongoing problems in the Persian Gulf country.

“Engaging in dialogue and paying heed to the demands of moderate figures and groups will definitely guarantee security and peace” in Bahrain, the Iranian spokesperson stated.

Earlier in the day, a court in Bahrain sentenced Sheikh Salman, the head of the country’s main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, to four years in prison after convicting him on charges including collusion with foreign governments and instigating unrest. He was acquitted on seeking regime change charges.

Abdullah al-Shamlawi, Salman’s defense lawyer, said he can appeal the verdict.

Al-Wefaq dismissed the verdict against Salman, adding that the ruling is devoid of any legal merit.

Salman was detained on December 28, 2014 on charges of “attempting to overthrow the incumbent regime and collaboration with foreign powers.” The 49-year-old cleric has strongly denied the charges, emphasizing that he has been seeking reforms in the kingdom through peaceful means.

In a statement released on Monday, Amnesty International called on Bahraini authorities to release the prominent Shiite cleric “immediately and unconditionally.”

Amnesty also described Salman as “a prisoner of conscience detained solely for peacefully expressing his views.”

Point of no return: Nuclear deal has become more achievable

Emad Askarieh

June 18, 2015

Iran and P5+1, especially the United States, have reached a point where they have no other option but to ink a nuclear deal, says an expert in international affairs.

Ali Bigdeli, who is also a university lecturer, made the comment in an interview with fararu.ir on June 17 and added that the two sides are now preparing the ground for striking such a deal. He also said the preparation will make the [comprehensive] nuclear deal more achievable than before if the US tones down its stances.

The following is the translation of part of Bigdeli’s remarks in the interview which came after comments on Tuesday (June 16) by US Secretary of State John Kerry in a news conference:

There were new points in Mr. Kerry’s news briefing and in the answers he provided to questions [among them loyalty to the framework agreement in Lausanne on April 2, 2015]. [His] stress on such points has raised hopes of striking a comprehensive nuclear deal by the deadline.

The new, still important, part of Mr. Kerry’s words is where he says the [continuation of] talks [which is to draw on the Joint Plan of Action the two sides inked in the Geneva-I agreement] will no longer focus on the history of Iran’s nuclear program or the Possible Military Dimensions (PMD).

The settlement of questions on Iran’s past nuclear activities or PMD has turned into one of the main challenges to the talks between Iran and P5+1 ever since the two sides inked the Lausanne agreement in April.

[…]

To reach an agreement is not a decision to be made simply by the Americans. Basically, the world has got sick and tired of Iran’s nuclear talks. This is a fact which has been repeatedly echoed in stances adopted by world officials, including those in Germany and Russia.

That’s why other members of P5+1 have, in turn, asked for an end to Iran’s nuclear talks and conclusion of a nuclear agreement whose preparations seem to have been made. Now a [final] deal looks more achievable than before.

[Secretary Kerry said Tuesday that a full accounting of Iran’s PMD issue is not necessarily critical to reaching a nuclear deal with Tehran. He said the US and its negotiating partners are “not fixated” on the issue of so-called “possible military dimensions” because they already have a complete picture of Iran’s past activities. He said they are more concerned that those activities have stopped and about what Iran might do in the future, according to The Iran Project.]

Ireland keen for final Iran nuclear deal: Parliament Speaker

Emad Askarieh

June 18, 2015

Irish officials are very eager to see the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program result in a final deal in order to forge broader economic cooperation with Tehran, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said after a visit to the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking to IRIB on Thursday upon his arrival in Tehran after a 3-day trip to Dublin, Larijani said the Irish authorities are keen to see the successful conclusion of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and P5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

“After a meeting with the speaker of the Irish parliament, he said explicitly he has become confident that Iran is moving on the path of peaceful nuclear technology,” Larijani said.

While Iran and the six powers are negotiating to strike a lasting deal to settle more than a decade of impasse over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program, many countries are impatient to broaden economic ties with Iran following the removal of anti-Iran sanctions under the long-awaited nuclear accord.

Larijani also said that the Irish officials are willing to cooperate with Iran in counter-terrorism, particularly given concerns raised after European citizens joined terrorist groups in the Middle East.

“The Irish officials acknowledged that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the most important and influential country with sustained security in the region, and believed that they should have close cooperation with Iran to be able to bring about security for the other countries,” Larijani added.

The Iranian speaker further noted that he held meetings with 10 ranking Irish officials during his 3-day stay in Dublin.

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on June 18

Emad Askarieh

June 18, 2015

Remarks by the Supreme Leader in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on the country’s efforts to take on terrorists and the need for unity between Shiites and Sunnis as well as comments by President Hassan Rouhani on Iran’s determination to help Iraq in its fight against ISIL dominated the front pages of most Iranian dailies on Thursday. The reformist dailies also highlighted moves by hardliners to disrupt a funeral procession which was held Tuesday for Iranian servicemen who were killed during the Iran-Iraq war.

Ettela’at: “Iraq’s resistance against terrorists ensures regional security,” said the Supreme Leader in a meeting with the visiting Iraqi prime minister.

Ettela’at: “Security should come with dignity and honor,” said Intelligence Minister Seyyed Mahmoud Alavi.

Ettela’at: Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has said that sanctions against Tehran will be removed the day the nuclear deal goes into effect.

Ettela’at: The Iranian president has said that ties between Tehran and Baghdad are strategic.

President Rouhani made the remark in a meeting with the Iraqi premier.

Ettela’at: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Moscow will give a painful response to border threats from NATO.

Ettela’at: Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has thanked the Iranian people for their massive participation in the funeral of the Sacred Defense martyrs.

Afarinesh: “Iran stands by Iraq in its fight against ISIL terrorists”.

President Rouhani made the remark in a meeting with the Iraqi prime minister in Tehran.

Aftab-e Yazd: “Iran registered three percent growth last year [ending March 20, 2015],” said the economy minister.

Arman-e Emrooz: Insult from public tribune to [President] Rouhani and [Parliament Speaker Ali] Larijani

Reactions pour in to the politically motivated move by the so-called Worriers in a national gathering [attended by people from all walks of life].

The daily takes a look at efforts by the Worriers [the supporters of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and critical opponents of the Rouhani administration] to hurl insults at the heads of the executive and legislative branches at a national funeral procession for the martyred Iranian soldiers.

Asrar: “The [lofty] ideal of the martyrs belong to all Iranians,” said Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Asrar: The interior minister has said that [organizers of] unauthorized gatherings will be seriously dealt with.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli made the remark in reaction to reports that a group of people have planned to stage a gathering outside the Ministry of Sports and Youth [to protest a possible plan which would allow women to enter stadiums and watch sporting events], adding that the police have been given the order to deal with illegal assemblies.

[The question of women’s presence in sporting arenas has stirred controversy in Iran after the International Volleyball Federation tied Iran’s hosting of the FIVB World League Finals to its permission for women’s presence in sporting events.]

Ebtekar: Warning by the families of the martyrs to disrupters of the funeral procession [of Iranian divers]

In a letter, family members of 110 martyrs condemned the unethical behavior of some individuals who disrupted the funeral service of 270 Iranian servicemen –including 170 divers – who were martyred in the Iran-Iraq war back in the 1980s.

Etemad: The governor of the Central Bank of Iran has said that a single foreign exchange rate system will be introduced [in Iran] in the near future.

Farhikhtegan: The martyrs are national.

Reactions by Cabinet members and other officials to efforts by some to score political points from the funeral of 270 soldiers who fell martyr during the Sacred Defense.

Government Spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht: Those who are behind such moves are acting against the country’s national interests, no matter what their motives are.

Iran: “The unity between Shiites and Sunnis should not be dented,” said the Supreme Leader in a meeting with the Iraqi prime minister.

Jomhouri Islami: The US withdrawal from its claims of military activities in Iran

The eighth round of nuclear talks – the longest – between Iran and P5+1 has opened with the two sides working toward drafting the comprehensive deal.

Kayhan: The Iranian MPs have overwhelmingly agreed to prioritize a motion which obliges the government to maintain the country’s nuclear achievements.

Nasl-e Farda: The health minister has said that [reports on] shortages of medicine are aimed to poison the atmosphere.

Resalat: “Early campaigning for [parliamentary] elections runs counter to law,” said the interior minister.

Sharq: Members of Ansar Hezbollah, a hard-line group, have staged a gathering [outside the Ministry of Sports and Youth] to protest women’s likely presence in stadiums.

Leader message set up anti-extremism discourse: Zarif

Emad Askarieh

June 18, 2015

The Iranian foreign minister has referred to a January message by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei to European and North American youths as an exemplary endeavor to fighting extremism.

In a contribution to Harvard International Review, published by the journal on Wednesday, Mohammad Javad Zarif enumerated the requisite qualities of a consistent and coherent strategy to confront “violent extremism.”

The piece asserted that winning such strategy entailed that religious leaders from around the world “be at the forefront of efforts to denounce the false precepts of violent extremism and unequivocally reject sectarianism and attacks against religious and ethnic minorities.”

“In this context, the recent message of Ayatollah Khamenei to European and North American Youth is a serious endeavor to initiate such enlightened cultural and ideological discourse,” Zarif opined.

In the message, Ayatollah Khamenei called on younger generations to study the motivations behind the widespread efforts aimed at the vilification of Islam.

The Leader also stressed the importance of reading the Holy Koran and the life of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Ayatollah Khamenei used the message to call on the youths not to “miss the opportunity to gain proper, correct and unbiased understanding of Islam so that hopefully, due to your sense of responsibility toward the truth, future generations would write the history of this current interaction between Islam and the West with a clearer conscience and lesser resentment.”

Zarif also referred to the critical nature of the challenge posed to the world from violent extremism, bemoaning the exponential growth of extremism owing to the chaos created in the aftermath of the United States 2001 and 2003 invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan respectively.

“Today, no one can deny that extremists and terrorists are much stronger and operating in more places in the Middle East than their demagogic leaders could ever imagine or wish in 2001,” he said, and also noted, “There is consensus that violent extremists benefited from the chaos created in post-2003 Iraq.”

Iran’s Rouhani pledges continued support for Iraq in fighting terror

Emad Askarieh

June 17, 2015

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic will continue supporting Iraq in its fight against terrorism, noting that the country’s security is intertwined with that of Iran.

“The main responsibility for combating terrorism and finally defeating it falls undoubtedly on the shoulders of the Iraqi nation and army,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Wednesday.

“Nevertheless, the people and government of Iran have been and will continue to be beside the government and nation of Iraq,” the Iranian president emphasized.

Stability, security, and peace in Iraq and Iran’s other neighbors can help progress and development in the region, the Iranian president added.

Referring to attempts by some countries to sow discord among Iraqi people to achieve their short-term interests, he said Iraq should make an all-out effort to strengthen national unity to counter the enemies’ plans.

Abadi, for his part, hailed the Islamic Republic’s friendly support for Iraq in its anti-terror efforts and said the continuation of Tehran’s assistance to Baghdad will eventuate in the eradication of the ISIL terrorist group both in Iraq and the Middle East.

The Iraqi premier also called for the expansion of trade and cultural ties with Iran.

The Iraqi premier also met with Iranian First Vice-President Eshagh Jahangiri on Wednesday. Jahangiri, too, expressed Iran’s strong support for peace, stability, and development in Iraq.

During his meeting with Jahangiri, Abadi said that Tehran and Baghdad must create a “united front for battling terrorism.”

Acts of violence by ISIL have plagued Iraq since the terrorist group seized some parts of the Arab country in June 2014.

The Iraqi army, joined by volunteer fighters, has engaged in various military operations to flush the ISIL terrorists out of the areas they have under control, and has so far made some advances, including liberating the strategic city of Tikrit in the north.

West targeting Iraq unity: Leader

Emad Askarieh

June 17, 2015

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the West seeks to undermine the unity of Iraq.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday.

The Western intelligence agencies aim to destroy the pillars of Iraq’s political and national unity, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out, adding, “One should vigilantly and carefully stand against this plot and divisive attempt and not allow the unity among the Shiites and Sunnis and Kurds and Arabs to be damaged,” the Leader added.

The Leader highlighted Iraq’s battle against terrorists in the country, saying the resistance by the Iraqi nation and government will also provide security for regional countries.

Ayatollah Khamenei said, “One of the main characteristics of the Iraqi people, which was manifested more than ever before in the fight against terrorists, is the bravery, resolve and power of the popular volunteer and tribal forces in confronting the enemies.”

The Leader hailed the contribution of the popular volunteer forces to the campaign against terrorists in Iraq, stressing that the units can also play “an effective and influential role” in the progress and future of the country beyond the battlefields.

Ayatollah Khamenei further said that the ill-wishers of the Iraqi nation are against the “emergence of a massive popular force” in the country and urged the Iraqi people and officials to exercise vigilance about the divisive plots of foreigners.

“The Americans on the one hand are seeking to plunder Iraq’s wealth as they do in some other Arab countries in the region and on the other hand impose their demands [on Iraq] as before. However, one should not allow this objective to be realized,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader said Iran will continue to support the Iraqi government and people and back unity among Iraqi revolutionary groups and fighters.

The Iraqi premier, for his part, praised Iran’s backing for his country in the fight against terrorism and said Tehran’s unwavering support and its friendly cooperation with Baghdad are indicative of the depth of the relations between the two nations.

Newspaper chief: Media feel no pressure from government

Golrokh Askarieh

June 17, 2015

The managing editor of Ettela’at newspaper, the oldest daily still in circulation in Iran, has described as favorable the current conditions for media in the country, saying the press is not under pressure.

Mahmoud Doaei made the remark in an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Tuesday and added, “We need to be logical when assessing the performance of media”. The following is the translation of his remarks in the interview:

Doaei said media enjoy by far better conditions today than in the past. “If we look back to see how the reformist print media were treated in the past, we can realize that overall conditions are much better today.”

He rejected claims by an MP that the principlist media are under pressure and face limitations and said evidence shows that the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance under the eleventh government has created good conditions [for media].

Currently the media are not under the strain because some media groups release what they like and target whoever they wish, he said.

The media veteran further said that the eleventh government has set the stage for media to exercise their right to freedom of speech, citing different [anti-government] materials that appear in certain media outlets.

His remarks came after Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati on June 9 said in the Islamic Consultative Assembly that his ministry has fully observed the Constitution when it comes to freedom of media, adding the culture ministry has not adopted double standards in dealing with media. He also said that everybody, proponents and opponents alike, can speak their mind.

Taliban warns ISIL against meddling in Afghanistan

Golrokh Askarieh

June 17, 2015

The Taliban have warned terrorist ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi against meddling in Afghanistan amid reports of deadly clashes between the two rival terrorist groups.

In a letter signed by the Taliban deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor on Tuesday, the group warned Al-Baghdadi “against waging a parallel insurgency in Afghanistan.”

The letter, published on the Taliban website in Pashto, Urdu, Arabic and Dari languages, also asked the ISIL leader to stay out of Afghanistan by withdrawing his support from certain elements who are recruiting young militants in the Taliban strongholds.

The Taliban have seen a string of defections in recent months. The ISIL is using a sophisticated social media campaign to woo local Taliban militants.

Fears are growing that the ISIL militants have been making inroads in Afghanistan. A series of violent clashes between the rival militant groups has been reported across Afghanistan over the past weeks.

On Sunday night, several militants were killed during clashes in Shirzad district of the eastern Nangarhar province.

At least 20 militants were also killed in fierce fighting between the rival terrorist groups in Anar Dara district of the western Farah province in early June. More than two dozen militants were killed in the Taliban-ISIL battles in Khaki Safed district of the same province in late May.

Afghanistan has been experiencing a massive influx of foreign militants from a host of countries over the past years.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently warned that the ISIL group is posing a serious threat to the county’s peace and security. Ghani has said that ISIL is worse than al-Qaeda for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has been facing bloodshed and insecurity nearly 14 years after the United States and its allies invaded the country in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror.

Ebtekar: Iran, world powers can strike final deal by deadline

Golrokh Askarieh

June 17, 2015

Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment (DoE) Masoumeh Ebtekar has underlined that Iran and the six world powers can produce a fair and balanced agreement.

“We expect a fair and balanced agreement which could guarantee our entire righteous nuclear rights,” Ebtekar said in a meeting with Norwegian prime minister in Oslo on Tuesday.

In relevant remarks earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi expressed hope that the nuclear talks between Tehran and P5+1 would lead to a final comprehensive agreement by the July deadline.

“Iran will seriously continue negotiations with P5+1 and the Iranian team is hopeful about achieving results by July 1,” Takht Ravanchi, also Iran’s senior negotiator in the talks with the world powers, said in a meeting with the Spanish foreign ministry’s political and security director, Enrica Mura, in Tehran on Tuesday.

After nine days of hard work in Lausanne, Switzerland, Iran and P5+1 reached an understanding on April 2 which laid the ground for them to start drafting the final nuclear deal over Tehran’s nuclear energy program ahead of a July 1 deadline.

Reading out a joint statement at a press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Lausanne on April 2, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said according to the agreement, all the US, EU and UN Security Council sanctions against Iran would be lifted under the final deal.

Talks are underway among the delegations of the seven nations to draft the final deal.