Israel seeks to distract Mideast nations from major issues: Zarif

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March 7, 2015

“The Zionist regime is trying to distract regional countries from major issues to minor matters and vigilance in the face of this Israeli ploy will benefit all in the region,” Zaif told his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Saturday.

Denouncing crimes by terrorist groups, including the recent burning alive of a Jordanian pilot by ISIL Takfiri militants, Zarif underlined the need for consultations and cooperation among regional countries on fighting extremism and terrorism.

“The bestial terrorist measures, an example of which we witnessed in the death of the Jordanian pilot, are unacceptable and will result in the tarnishing of the image of Islam,” Zarif said.

On February 3, ISIL released a video online showing the Takfiri terrorists purportedly setting alight Jordanian pilot, Moaz al-Kassasbeh, who had been taken hostage in December 2013. Kassasbeh was captured by ISIL on December 24, 2014, after his F-16 jet crashed while flying over northern Syria on a mission against the terrorists.

Elsewhere in the meeting, Zarif said Iran seeks serious interaction with regional countries on various issues.

He also described relations with neighboring countries as a top priority in Iran’s foreign policy, saying, “Iran is ready to cooperate with all regional countries on long-term plans for different issues.”

The Jordanian foreign minister, for his part, described Iran as an important country in the region and called for Tehran-Amman talks on different challenges facing the Middle East.

Judeh said terrorism and extremism are the main challenges in the region, saying both Sunnis and Shias are targeted by such threats.

Instability, violence, and extremism have plagued the Middle East over the past few years, and Jordan believes that stability and security must be restored to the region as soon as possible, Judeh said, calling for unity and solidarity among all Islamic countries toward this objective.

The ISIL terrorists control parts of Iraq and neighboring Syria. They have engaged in crimes against humanity in the areas under their control, committing crimes against different minorities and communities.

Renowned director to auction prize to help build a shelter for women rough sleepers

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, an internationally and critically acclaimed Iranian director and screenwriter, has offered the last international award she has won for The Tales – a series of seven short stories – to an initiative to build a shelter for homeless women in Tehran.

The Tales, Bani-Etemad’s latest drama, took one of the two jury grand prizes of the 8th Asia Pacific Screen Award (APSA) held in Australia in December 2014.

The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported the famous filmmaker’s decision to build a shelter for women with no housing on March 7. The following is the translation of the report:

The award will go under the hammer in an international auction and the proceeds will be invested in a housing project by Toloo Bi-neshanha Society, a charity, to accommodate female rough sleepers in the capital.

In a few days, her award will be transferred to the location of the housing project to be later sold to the highest bidder in an international auction.

Earlier the leading filmmaker had said her prizes would be sold after her death for establishing a foundation – supervised by her children – to support damaged women.

On Friday (March 6), Unruled Paper a film by Nasser Taghvai was screened at the charity institute to support the housing project for homeless women. After the screening, The Tales’ award was handed over to the institute.

[The Tales is composed of seven short episodes, in which Bani-Etemad reveals the fate of some of the main characters in her previous films like The Blue-Veiled, Under the Skin of the City and Mainline.]

Does Kerry’s Saudi visit mean a nuclear deal is looming?

By

IFP Editorial Staff

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March 7, 2015

US Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to explain a potential deal on Iran’s nuclear program to the conservative US ally that has expressed concerns about the terms of a deal.

Arman-e Emrooz daily on March 7 published an opinion piece by Reza Raeesi on Secretary Kerry’s Saudi visit, Riyadh’s tentative agreement to a possible nuclear deal between Iran and P5+1 and whether such a trip could produce positive or negative results. The following is a partial translation of the piece:

[…]

The visit of Secretary Kerry to Saudi Arabia immediately after intense, face-to-face talks with his Iranian counterpart in Switzerland could be studied from different angles.

On the one hand, his flight – with no delay – to Riyadh could be a sign that the progress made in the Swiss city of Montreux has been so remarkable that the American negotiator has headed to the Persian Gulf kingdom to consult with Saudi officials and win them over on a nuclear deal with Iran.

Kerry also seems to want to give reassurances to Saudi Arabia that a final nuclear deal with Iran will not pose any threat to the monarchy.

Kerry in Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, raises concerns that nuclear talks could once again face a new challenge in the buildup to the conclusion of a final deal thanks to obstructionism by Saudi Arabia. If so, like what happened in Vienna, this will derail efforts [made so far].

Whether the trip is viewed as a promising sign or an alarming concern, two issues could not be overlooked. First, conclusion of a nuclear accord is around the corner. Second, Saudi Arabia – a regional heavyweight and a strategic US ally – cannot be removed from regional equations and from efforts to have a nuclear deal inked.

[…]

Does IS live by the Golden Rule?

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

The strong liking that IS militants have for beer has prompted the terrorist group to set up a brewery in the Iraqi province of Nineveh to produce non-alcoholic beer. The following is the translation of a report that Kayhan daily carried on March 7:

“IS Beer, made in Nineveh” is the soft beverage, which is enormously liked by IS fighters and is available in rebel-held regions in Iraq.

Following an attack by the Iraqi army on an IS position in the west of al Anbar Province, a number of beer bottles were found.

The stammering of an IS suicide bomber in a video recently released by the terrorist group reveals that he is under the influence.

IS terrorists, who are notorious for their interest in drugs, alcohol, lechery and a life of debauchery, preach ordinary people to do what they never practice.

They impose harsh rules on people. Members of the terrorist group use lame excuses such as smoking, not wearing proper hijab, and listening to music, to torture or even execute those who fail to abide by their rules.

Clash of Clans at a place of rest

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Don’t get surprised if you shortly hear that a ban has been imposed by Iran’s cyber police on coffeehouses, especially those in the capital. These hangouts of hookah smokers which are a headache for the country’s healthcare system and have time and again stood on the brink of shutdown, are putting a new item on the menu these days. The new offer is nothing edible, drinkable, or smokable if that was what came to your mind after reading the opening sentences of this article. It is a means of entertainment which serves as a money-making source for the coffeehouse owners.

What comes below is a partial translation of a report on February 25 by Haft-e Sobh daily on what is really going on in the coffeehouses these days and an online gaming which is now a profitable business of sorts:

[…]

That the coffeehouses serve hookah in Tehran and face no government reaction is nothing new. What comes as a surprise is that Clash of Clans [a 2012 freemium mobile Massively Multiplayer Online strategy video game] has turned into a permanent fixture at coffeehouses which provide it free of charge to all customers who own smart phones and tablets.

Unlike other smartphone users, regulars at the coffeehouses are not interested in logging into social networking sites; rather, they play Clash of Clans.

The interesting point about this video game is that unlike Subway Surfers – which is an endless running mobile game – it is the constant updates that attract gamers.

Rivalry is another factor. It helps pull in coffeehouse-goers who are hooked on action-packed challenges which usually push them into defensive and offensive maneuvering.

A Clash of Clans account is sold at hefty prices in unofficial trading outside Alaeddin Shopping Center – the capital’s cell phone hub.

The game’s capability – the transfer of force [based on the velocity you hit a portal to the exit] – has also become a source of income for traders who charge the operators with arbitrary prices for the transfer of force.

[…]

In Iran, Clash of Clans is not a game which is played just for fun; rather, it has turned into a lucrative job for some, albeit unofficial.

[Freemium is a pricing strategy by which a product or service (typically a digital offering or application such as software, media, games or web services) is provided free of charge, but money (premium) is charged for proprietary features, functionality, or virtual goods.

Zarif appreciates intelligence minister for release of diplomat

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sent a message on Thursday to Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi to appreciate the efforts of his ministry which resulted in the release of a kidnapped Iranian diplomat.

He said that there is no doubt that the release of the Iranian diplomat indicates the success of the government’s security forces to maintain full security as well as political status of the country.

Zarif appreciated the endeavors made by the Intelligence Ministry and security forces who spared no efforts for the release of the kidnapped diplomat.

Iranian diplomat Noor Ahmad Nikbakht was freed and arrived in Tehran on Thursday.

He was kidnapped in 2013 by an unidentified terrorist group in Yemen.

In efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped diplomat in Yemen none of the demands by the terrorists was accepted and the lowest possible cost was paid, the intelligence minister said on Thursday.

Iran-P5+1 nuclear agreement, a win-win deal: Top cleric

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Senior Iranian Cleric Ayatollah Emami Kashani

“If this agreement is reached, both sides will have emerged winners, i.e. it would be a win-win [deal] but if it (a permanent accord) is not sealed, it would be a win-lose [game],” Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani said in his sermon to worshippers at the weekly Friday Prayers in Tehran.

He added that in case of failure of the nuclear talks between Iran and the six countries, Tehran would be the winner because it has already proven the reliability of its logic to the world.

Emami Kashani reiterated that Iran would never give up its nuclear rights, noting that Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the Iranian nation support such a stance.

The Iranian cleric said the six powers and their supporters would lose if the nuclear negotiations fail to reach an outcome because “they would show to the world that they favor bullying and ranting and wrongly imagine that Iran would bow to their hegemonic nature.”

A failure in the talks would disgrace P5+1 while a win-win outcome would be beneficial to the negotiating sides and the world, Emami Kashani pointed out.

Iran and P5+1– Britain, France, the United States, China, Russia and Germany – are seeking to seal a comprehensive nuclear deal by July 1. The two sides have already missed two self-imposed deadlines for inking a final agreement since they signed an interim one in the Swiss city of Geneva in November 2013.

Deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the six world powers wrapped up deputy-level negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Montreux, on Thursday.

The deputy-level talks came a day after Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his American counterpart, John Kerry, wrapped up intense negotiations in Montreux. Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi and US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz also attended the talks.

An informed source close to Iran’s negotiating team told a Press TV reporter that the next round of talks at ministerial level has been slated for March 15-20.

Iran won’t accept limits without deal: Foreign Minister Zarif

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the Islamic Republic will not accept any limitations on its nuclear program if P5+1fails to reach a deal with the Islamic Republic.

“I don’t know why people do not want to have an agreement. Because if we don’t have an agreement, then we don’t accept anything. Then we go back to the posturing of more pressure on Iran and more centrifuges. We’re not going to develop nuclear weapons. But if they put more pressure on us, they won’t get more transparency,” Zarif said in a Wednesday interview with NBC News.

The top Iranian diplomat, however, said that Iran is “willing to accept limitations” on its nuclear activities “in order to reach an international agreement. We are willing to accept extra transparency measures in order to ease the concerns that we believe are misplaced. We believe these are the concerns that have been fanned by the hysteria that has been fanned by people like [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and company.”

Referring to the Monday remarks made by US President Barack Obama that Iran should freeze sensitive nuclear activity for at least ten years if it wants a deal, Zarif said, “I’m not negotiating publicly. We are discussing various measures, both transparency measures, as well as limitations – voluntary limitations on our nuclear program… with 5+1, basically… primarily the United States, but other members of 5+1.”

“We believe these are not necessary. But we are prepared to take… to go the extra mile in order to convince the international community that our nuclear program is exclusively peaceful,” he said.

Highly technical discussions

“And we are engaged in very serious, high technical, discussions in which many nuclear physicists are involved, including the heads of… our atomic energy organization, and the US Secretary of Energy, both of them nuclear physicists, who are trying to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program will always remain peaceful. And we have no problem with that, because we want our nuclear program to be… we know that it’s peaceful.”

His remarks came as the representatives of Iran and P5+1 wrapped up deputy-level negotiations over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program in the city of Montreux, Switzerland, on Thursday.

Iran and P5+1– Russia, China, Britain, France, and the United States plus Germany – are seeking to seal a comprehensive nuclear deal by July 1. The two sides have already missed two self-designated deadlines for inking a final agreement since they signed an interim one in the Swiss city of Geneva in November 2013.

Illegal sanctions

The Iranian foreign minister reiterated that the sanctions imposed on Iran by the US and its allies are illegal.

“Sanctions were there. I mean we considered them illegal. We considered them ill placed. But those who believed in sanctions believed they were there to reach an agreement. Now, if we have an agreement, which we don’t yet, we’re trying to, if we can [have] an agreement, then why you need sanctions?” Zarif said.

Israel aiding al-Qaeda

Zarif said the Israeli regime is supporting al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front militants operating in Syria’s Golan Height.

He said that Israelis are “interesting bedfellows with Jabhat al-Nusra in the Golan. And if you look at Syria’s intelligence, you will see that. That is the problem that needs to be addressed.”

Israel is known to have been providing medical, intelligence and military support for the militants fighting to topple the Syrian government.

Late last year, a UN report confirmed contact between militants in Syria and the Israeli army across the Golan cease-fire line, especially during heavy clashes between the terrorists and the Syrian troops.

The report also confirmed that militants had been taking their wounded comrades into the Israeli-occupied part of the Golan Heights for treatment. The UN also confirmed the delivery of boxes with unknown content by the Israeli army to militants on the Syrian side of the ceasefire line.

A man who swims against the elements (Photos)

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

For many people trying to cool off in the searing heat of summer, swimming is the sport of choice, but in the dead of winter when snow and ice are everywhere swimming is out of the question for most of us.

Untrue to type is Rasoul Soleimani, a 52-year-old man who is known as Ice Man in Meshginshahr, Ardebil Province. He goes swimming in winter when temperatures are minus 20º Celsius.

The Islamic Republic News Agency on February 28 posted online a collection of photos featuring the Iranian Ice Man swimming in a river whose banks are coated with snow. Take a look:

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on March 7

By

Emad Askarieh

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March 7, 2015

Comments by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif upon return home from Switzerland where he led another round of nuclear talks with the US dominated the front pages of Iranian newspapers on Saturday. The release of an Iranian diplomat abducted in Yemen also appeared on the covers of the dailies.

Abrar: State managers [who wish to run for parliament] have until June 17 to resign their current positions.

The announcement was made by the deputy interior minister for political affairs.

Abrar-e Eghtesadi: Conclusion of American oil deals with Iran is nearing its final stages.

Afkar: “We made more progress in Montreux,” said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi of nuclear talks with the US in the Swiss city.

Aftab-e Yazd: Hashemi’s run for chairmanship [of the Assembly of Experts] has become more likely.

It came after the likelihood of Ayatollahs Jannati and Mesbah Yazdi’s candidacy for the top post increased.

Arman-e Emrooz: Secretary Kerry’s Saudi Arabia visit shows that a deal is around the corner.

Riyadh has joined the club of nations who favor a nuclear agreement with Iran.

Asr-e Rasaneh: The Saudi Hajj minister has vowed to settle the visa-related problems of Iranian pilgrims.

The promise came at a meeting with the director of the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization.

Asrar: “Not even a single rial of next year’s budget is tied to nuclear talks,” said the government spokesman.

Ebtekar: Very far; very very close

Foreign Minister Zarif has said that we don’t need to settle every single problem we have with the US. Iran won’t accept any limits in the absence of a deal.

Etemad: “I don’t seek to win popularity.”

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the comment upon return home following the end of another round of nuclear talks in Switzerland.

“I will spend the New Year eve in talks; that Israel poses a threat is a reality”.

Etemad: “President Rouhani is not a reformist; we’re all moderate,” said Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli.

Ettela’at: “Technical talks are over; political decisions lie ahead,” said the Iranian foreign minister of negotiations with P5+1.

Ettela’at: “Everyone should make efforts to prevent environmental catastrophes,” said President Rouhani as he planted a tree to mark the Natural Resources Week.

Iran: “Netanyahu is worried a deal with Iran might expose his fabrications,” said Zarif in an interview with NBC News.

Jomhouri Islami: The Iraqi town of Tikrit is close to complete liberation.

Kayhan: A ten-year suspension [of certain nuclear activities] is even more deceptive than a two-stage deal.

Mardomsalari: A human history Holocaust

After taking a hammer to ancient items in the Mosul Museum, IS terrorists have now bulldozed the historic city of Nimrud.

Siasat-e Rooz: “The US and Israel do not dare take action against Iran,” said the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

Tejarat: “Inflation will slip to around 14 percent next year,” said the government spokesman.

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

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

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

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

Israel seeks to distract Mideast nations from major issues: Zarif

Renowned director to auction prize to help build a shelter for women rough sleepers

Does Kerry’s Saudi visit mean a nuclear deal is looming?

Does IS live by the Golden Rule?

Clash of Clans at a place of rest

Zarif appreciates intelligence minister for release of diplomat

Iran-P5+1 nuclear agreement, a win-win deal: Top cleric

Iran won’t accept limits without deal: Foreign Minister Zarif

A man who swims against the elements (Photos)

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on March 7

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