Turkmen people in Iran follow interesting wedding traditions. Wedding celebrations usually last for three to four days.
The following is a photo gallery featuring a Turkmen wedding in the northeast of Iran by Mehr News Agency:
Iran, P5+1 have removed all differences except writing the final deal: Jahangiri
First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri said on Saturday that Iran and P5+1 are in the final stages of working out a deal.
In Iran all people fully back the government, even the opponents of the government call for the removal of economic sanctions.
If the Zionist regime, certain Arab governments and the US Congress stop creating obstacles in the coming two months, the comprehensive deal will be clinched, he said.
Media should reflect the realities and avoid creating irrational expectations among people, he said.
Upcoming parliamentary elections should be on the agenda, he underlined, adding that the opponents of the government are determined to disappoint people.
This year is a very tough year as oil prices will remain low and the government revenues from oil are very minor, he said.
Will Zarif win a Nobel Prize? Experts weigh in.
The name of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is on the lips of many at home and abroad these days, particularly after Time Magazine put the Iranian top diplomat on the list of its top 100 influential figures.
Robin Wright, a journalist and foreign policy analyst with Woodrow Wilson Center, says Zarif has played a role in ending the Iran-Iraq war, in securing the release of American hostages in Lebanon and in the rise to power of a new government in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.
An article in Hindustan Times last week said as a result of their efforts [to hammer out differences and clinch a nuclear deal] Zarif and Kerry stand a good chance to walk away with the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.
Can the Iranian foreign minister be a candidate for the award? In light of the fact that some Iranian officials always react negatively to the prize, will such nomination spark a torrent of criticism by the so-called Worries [hardliners who support former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] against the top diplomat? And if he wins the prize, will he be able to collect it, especially if the prize is jointly won by Kerry and Zarif?
An April 18 issue of Aftab-e Yazd daily featured the answers four prominent experts produced to the questions above. The following is a partial translation of their answers:
Sadegh Zibakalam (Political Science Professor at University of Tehran): I can’t comment on whether or not Zarif will win the Nobel Prize. What I am certain about, though, is that the role of Mr. Zarif in the nuclear thaw which spares the nation a predicament, is similar to what Mr. Rafsanjani did during the war: saving the nation from continuing the Iraq war.
Mr. Zarif has proven that he is a dovish politician who favors détente. I can assure you that when the nuclear case is settled, he will take steps toward détente with the US and the West.
Principlists believe that the Nobel Prize is exclusively given to opponents of Islam and the revolution. If Mr. Zarif wins the prize, many of the things principlists say about the Nobel Prize will lose their credibility and the conspiracy theories surrounding the prize will be doomed.
If Zarif and Kerry jointly win the prize, the step Mr. Zarif wants to take toward détente would automatically materialize and hardline principlists wouldn’t be able to stop the improvement in ties, at least not on the international stage.
Davoud Hermidas-Bavand (Professor of International Law): Winning the Nobel Prize depends on the outcome of nuclear talks and what comes in their wake. If the upshot is positive, that could happen. When a crisis brewing for a long time is averted, what those who have played a role in easing or defusing it do can be described as quite a feat.
If there is a thaw in relations between Iran and the United States, Zarif and Kerry could be serious contenders for the Nobel Prize. Of course, the Nobel Prize for peace is different from literary and scientific awards. One cannot certainly say what factors play a crucial role in determining the winner. But Zarif and Kerry do stand a chance to jointly win the prize.
Ali Khorram (Expert in International Relations): It is too soon to predict whether Mr. Zarif will win the Nobel Prize. That a magazine puts the name of our foreign minister on the list of its top influential figures or that another publication stipulates about Nobel Prize candidates is not a reliable criterion.
Of course, Mr. Zarif deserves the prize in light of the efforts he’s put in [to settle the nuclear dispute]. But the disadvantages of talking about it too much in advance outweigh its advantages, because that would hand ammunition to opponents to target Mr. Zarif.
Fereydoun Majlesi (University Professor): At the beginning of the talks Iran was viewed as a defendant. However, a look at photos released at the close of the Lausanne talks shows that the defendant has taken on a new role, laughing on the stage with his counterparts. What else can you expect a diplomat to achieve?
Unlike former negotiators who were sullen, Mr. Zarif appeared in the talks with a trademark smile on his face. I believe he does have what it takes to win the Nobel Prize.
Messrs. Zarif and Kerry are likely to jointly win the prize because together they averted a problem that could have had very serious repercussions.
Those who make every effort to throw a wrench in the works, I mean the same people who won no more than 10 percent of the vote but still view themselves as representatives of the Iranian people will make a fuss if Zarif and Kerry are jointly nominated for the Nobel Prize. They will denounce the prize as imperialistic, but the Iranian people will definitely become happy and there will be marked improvement in the stature of Mr. Zarif overseas.
Tehran, Canberra concerned over ISIL: Iran FM
The Iranian foreign minister has reiterated Tehran’s concerns over acts of terrorism and extremism in the Middle East region.
In a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday, Mohammad Javad Zarif highlighted that both Tehran and Canberra are concerned over terrorism in the region, including acts of violence committed by the ISIL Takfiri terror group.
Zarirf said the fight against ISIL should be coordinated by the Iraqi government, saying, “Anything Iran does in Iraq is in coordination with Baghdad.”
Zarif noted, “A larger global campaign is required to deal with ISIL.”
Echoing Zarif’s remarks, the top Australian diplomat said Iran and Australia in cooperation with other countries and the Iraqi government should “contribute to the defeat of this terrorist organization (ISISL),” and noted that “a more dangerous form of global terrorism” is jeopardizing the world.
She underscored that every effort should be made to prevent the “spillover of terrorism from Iraq and Syria” to other countries.
Syria has been grappling with a deadly war since March 2011. The violence fueled by Takfiri groups has so far claimed the lives of over 222,000 people, according to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Human trafficking & situation of asylum-seekers
Elsewhere in their joint news briefing, the two foreign ministers voiced concern over the scourge of human trafficking and stressed the need to take measures to ameliorate the situation of asylum-seekers.
In recent years, the Australian government has been under fire at home and abroad for its strict immigration policies and treatment of refugees.
According to reports released by rights groups and humanitarian organizations, asylum seekers at the Australia-run detention centers live in dangerous and demeaning conditions.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has described the living conditions at Australia’s detention centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea as “harsh,” which “impact very profoundly on the men, women and children housed there.”
Recognition of Iran’s rights
Responding to a question on talks between Tehran and six world nations on Iran’s nuclear program, Zarif said the nation’s rights should be recognized.
“The best way is through recognition of Iran’s rights and mutual respect”, he noted, underscoring that “(The) Military option won’t work in dealing with Iran.”
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia – plus Germany reached a mutual understanding in Lausanne on April 2, following eight days of marathon talks.
According to the statement, no Iranian nuclear facility will be shut down while all political and economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic will be terminated.
At the head of delegation, Australian Foreign Minister arrived in Tehran early on Saturday.
President Rouhani regrets int’l community’s inaction on Yemeni crisis
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized the international community’s inaction on the ongoing catastrophe in Yemen, stressing that the crisis should be resolved politically not through bombing defenseless people.
The Yemeni crisis should be resolved through political means, President Rouhani stressed Saturday in a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop here in Tehran, adding that dropping bombs on defenseless people will yield no results.
He suggested that the UN could dispatch a fact-finding mission to Yemen to see for themselves that most of those killed in over 20 days of Saudi-led attacks on the war-torn country are innocent civilians.
The Iranian chief executive expressed deep sorrow over the international community’s failure to take action to resolve the Yemeni crisis, saying that there are many hurdles hampering even the transfer of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, to Yemen.
“We are ready to consult and interact with” countries in the region and beyond and “try our best” to help stop the bloodshed, he further stated.
On March 26, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies began to militarily interfere in Yemen’s internal affairs by launching deadly air strikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
The attacks have killed near 2,600 Yemeni people so far, according to sources in the Arab country.
Rouhani pointed to the spread of terrorist groups in the world and said the Islamic Republic is ready to cooperate with all countries, including Australia, to combat terrorism and extremism.
The Australian foreign minister, for her part, hailed the longstanding relations between Tehran and Canberra and emphasized the necessity for efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in all spheres.
Julie Bishop is Australia’s highest-ranking official who has visited Iran in the past 12 years.
Iran’s Zairf, Omani counterpart discuss Yemeni crisis
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Omani counterpart, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, held phone talks on a whole range of issues, including the latest developments in the war-stricken Yemen.
In the telephone call, the Iranian foreign minister described developments in the region, particularly in Yemen, as “sensitive” and said Iran is ready to provide any assistance needed “to help stop military operations and begin dialogue among all Yemeni sides.”
Both foreign ministers stressed the need to send humanitarian aid supplies, including medicine and food, to the victims of the Saudi-led war on Yemen.
The two further discussed ways to promote mutual cooperation between Iran and Oman in various areas.
On March 26, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies began to militarily interfere in Yemen’s internal affairs by launching deadly air strikes against the Houthi Ansarullah movement in an attempt to restore power to fugitive President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Riyadh.
The attacks have killed near 2,600 Yemeni people so far, according to sources in the Arab country.
On Friday, Iran’s foreign minister, in a letter to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, put forward Tehran’s four-point proposal to restore peace to Yemen.
Iran’s peace plan seeks the following objectives: ceasefire and an immediate end to all foreign military attacks; unimpeded urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to the people of Yemen; resumption of Yemeni-lead and Yemeni-owned national dialogue, with the participation of the representatives of all political parties and social groups; and establishment of an inclusive national unity government.
Iran never to allow foreigners to inspect military sites: Top commander
A top Iranian commander says Iran will never permit inspection of its military sites.
“Not only will we not grant foreigners the permission to inspect our military sites, we will not even give them permission to think about such a subject,” the Fars News agency quoted Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the second-in-command of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as saying on a live television broadcast on Saturday.
“They will not even be permitted to inspect the most normal military site in their dreams,” he added.
He added that a harsh response awaits anyone who talks about such inspections.
“Visiting a military base by a foreign inspector would mean the occupation of our land because all our defense secrets are there. Even talking about the subject means national humiliation,” he added.
Referring to the recent events in Yemen, the top Iranian commander denounced the Saudi regime’s “inane” aggression against the impoverished country, which he said exposed the pro-Israeli stance of the Al Saud family.
Salami reiterated Iran’s political support for Yemen, stating that if required, Iran will provide the war-torn country with humanitarian aid.
There have been reports in the Western media that a final deal between Iran and P5+1 could see Tehran allow international inspectors to visit its military sites. Tehran has categorically denied the reports, describing the reports as mere rumors and wrong interpretations of the understanding reached in early April in Switzerland.
Iran and P5+1– comprised of Russia, China, France, Britain, the US and Germany – reached a mutual understanding on Tehran’s nuclear program on April 2 in Switzerland. The two sides are expected to start drafting a final inclusive deal which they seek to sign by the end of June.
Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against Yemen started on March 26 – without a United Nations mandate – in an attempt to restore power to the country’s fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh.
According to reports, over 2,600 people, including women and children, have so far lost their lives in the attacks.
National Army Day parades across Iran (PHOTOS)
To mark the Army Day, parades were staged simultaneously in Tehran and the provinces across Iran on Saturday.
Snapshots by Fars News Agency, Islamic Republic News Agency, Iranian Labor News Agency, and Tasnim News Agency of the parades on the National Army Day on April 18:
A Kremlin decision that changed the game
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday lifted a self-imposed ban on the supply of S-300 air defense system to Iran. The presidential decree – which has come after a tentative agreement between Iran and P5+1 in Lausanne earlier this month – has been met with mixed reactions in Iran.
Now that Iran’s ties are warming with the West, Russia does not want to lose its biggest regional ally, some analysts say. Russia is not happy with the Lausanne agreement and is trying to affect the nuclear talks. Through this decision, perhaps Moscow wants to send a message to US and Israeli hardliners that Iran is after military hardware. This is very much likely to draw a reaction from the West.
Others maintain that the Kremlin is playing the Iran card, arguing that as always Moscow is making arbitrary use of Iran. Russia has its eye on Iran’s natural resources, including its oil, and Iran’s nuclear deal with the West has rendered politicians in Moscow unhappy.
Prior to Putin’s decision, Iran had announced that it has developed S-200 rocket system and no longer wants to acquire Russia’s S-300. Thus Russia wants to sell its S-300 system to Iran at any cost in order to portray itself as a regional ally and partner of Iran.
The controversial decision has also gained traction in Iran. Shoaib Bahman, a researcher who focuses on Russia and the Caucasus, wrote in an opinion piece in the April 15 issue of Arman-e Emrooz daily about the change of heart in Moscow, and overall ties between Iran and Russia. The following is the translation of the piece:
In recent years tensions between the Russian government and the West have increased. After the imposition of Western sanctions against Russia, Moscow is trying to rethink its diplomacy in dealing with its former allies.
The imposition by the West, the US in particular, of sanctions on Russia following the Ukraine standoff and the dispute over Crimea have fuelled speculations that the Russians are pursuing a policy of confrontation with the US by deciding to deliver S-300 air defense system to Iran.
Some build on remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov – who said: “The agreement in Lausanne wiped out the need for Moscow’s ban on the delivery of S-300 [and that the system was defensive, hence would pose no threat to Iran’s foe, Israel]” – and conclude that the system will be delivered to Iran in the near future.
Despite such speculations, Russian officials have insisted that removal of anti-Iran sanctions is the reason behind Moscow’s decision.
Ties between Iran and Russia are satisfactory, but international sanctions against Iran had overshadowed mutual ties, especially on the military front. A delay in the transfer of S-300 defense system to Iran was an example of the effect in question.
So it is unacceptable to suggest that international sanctions have not affected Iran, because Iran’s defense ties with Russia have taken a hit from the sanctions. Although the two sides try to pretend otherwise, the fact of the matter is that sanctions have taken a toll on Tehran-Moscow ties.
The mutual ties’ susceptibility to sanctions has not been confined only to military questions. On the economic front, trade between Iran and Russia has slipped to $1.5 billion from a previous $3 billion.
What is certain is that settlement of Iran’s nuclear case and development of [Tehran’s] ties with the West will not dent Iran-Russia ties, which are growing by the day thanks to tireless efforts by ranking officials of either side to upgrade their ties and boost their strategic policies.
At a time when Iran has been targeted by [international] sanctions, Iran and Russia have developed strong and deeper ties. For the first time in years, the two neighbors have developed intelligence, military and security ties.
They have found common ground in the Middle East, especially in Syria. Relations between Iran and Russia will be upgraded in the future, especially after conclusion of a nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1.
The two neighbors’ approach to questions in the Middle East is somehow similar. Although the two countries do not take a firm public stand as far as regional issues are concerned, they have similar interests [in the region].
President Rouhani received Australian top diplomat (PHOTOS)
President Hassan Rouhani welcomed visiting Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop Saturday.
Photos of the meeting by Mehr News Agency on April 18:
