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Larijan: France incidents result of West’s behavior in Syria

Iran-Ali-Larijani

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said what is happening in France now is the result of the West’s behavior in Syria.

He made the remarks in his speech to the closing ceremony of the 28th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Friday.

He said the incidents in France in the past few days – which he described as an absolutely insane act of terrorism – are the outcome of what the West did in Syria.

Pointing out that the West now seeks to shout even more insults at Islam rather than making an apology for its behaviors, he said what the two terrorists did had nothing to do with Islam.

Thus, he added, the West had no right to offend the Holy Islam.

The speaker said that the West is behaving vengefully instead of trying to correct its mistake, thus wasting the chance to solve problems.

Stressing that Muslims were now determined to decide for their own destiny, he said France incidents were a proof of the fact that it was wrong for the West to support terrorists in Syria and provide arms for terrorists.

He said terrorists got their arms from the West or their puppets in the region so it is for the West now to answer why it supported terrorists.

He stated that Tehran was against terrorist groups from the very beginning and they at times even clashed with Iran.

The parliament speaker further referred to disparity and lack of convergence on the part of the governments as one major problem for the Islamic world.

He said some countries are now talking of opposing Iran’s policies but the question is whether hostility to Iran should be given top priority at the present juncture where the West is pressing these very same countries.

He said that unfortunately these countries which are even unable to analyze their own situation and use their own resources in a proper way are selling off their oil in return for nothing just for the Western countries to accumulate their own benefits.

They think that by doing so they are going to press Iran over its nuclear talks with the West but they are mistaken as Iran has endured conditions much worse than the present ones, Larijani added.

Noting that presently Iran’s non-oil exports stand at 50 billion dollars per year, he said situation has drastically changed in Iran so it is unbecoming of Islamic states to behave maliciously towards another Muslim country.

Praising the fact that the process of democratization has gained new momentum in Islamic countries, he referred to extremism and radicalism as the major threats to the Muslim world and regretted that enemies are misusing this as an instrument.

The 28th International Islamic Unity Conference concluded work here on Friday after issuing a statement on necessity of real solutions to Islamic world issues.

The international conference kicked off in Tehran on Wednesday with the participation of hundreds of Sunni and Shia scholars and intellectuals from more than 60 countries.

The participants discussed ways to promote unity and solidarity in the Muslim world and focused on problems facing the Islamic world, such as the threat posed by the Takfiri militants.

The theme of this year’s conference was United Muslim Ummah: Challenges and Strategies.

A look at Iranian newspaper front pages on Jan. 10

Iranian Newspapers Headlines
Iranian Newspapers Headlines

The comments of the Supreme Leader on the growing need for Muslim unity appeared on the cover of all Iranian newspapers on Saturday. The bloody incidents in France that claimed the lives of 20, including three terrorists, over the course of three days also dominated the front page of almost every daily. An announcement by the deputy foreign minister that the Iranian and American top diplomats are to meet on January 14 also made front-page headlines.

 

Arman-e Emrooz: “Regional countries which are anti-Iranian are committing a big mistake,” said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

 

Armane emruz newspaper 1- 10


Ebtekar: The Iranian president has condemned the terrorist attacks in France.

 

Ebtekar newspaper 1- 10


Emtiaz: “One fifth of all marriages end in divorce,” said the deputy minister of youth affairs and sports.

 

Emtiaz newspaper 1- 10


Ettela’at: The Iranian parliament speaker has told a conference on Islamic unity in Tehran that the World of Islam should adopt a common stance on terrorism.

 

Ettelaat newspaper 1- 10


Hambastegi: “Violence and terrorism are condemnable in the region, in Europe and in America,” President Hassan Rouhani said.

Hambastegi newspaper 1- 10


Hemayat: “The Shiism that is linked to MI6 and the Sunnism that is in the pay of the CIA are both anti-Islamic,” said the Supreme Leader.

 

Hemayat newspaper 1- 10


Jahan-e Sanat: “The Muslim world needs unity more than any other time,” said the Supreme Leader in a meeting with state officials and members of the public.

 

Jahane sanaat newspaper 1- 10


Kaenat: “Ground will be broken on two nuclear power plants next year [starts March 21],” said Director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi.

Kaenat: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold talks on Wednesday [January 14].

 

Kaenaat newspaper 1- 10


Kayhan International: Foreign intelligence behind Shia-Sunni rift: Ayatollah Khamenei.

 

Kayhan international newspaper 1- 10


Mardomsalari: Iran stands ready to export natural gas to Pakistan, but has not written off the compensation Pakistan owes it.

Mardomsalari: Veteran voice artist Ahmad Rasoulzadeh has passed away.

 

Mardom salari newspaper 1- 10


Mardom-e Emrooz: Principlists say the political shelf life of Ahmadinejad has expired.

Mardom-e Emrooz: Renowned Iranian actor Peyman Moadi has said he would not appear in any movie which has an anti-Islamic or anti-Iranian theme.

 

Mardome emruz newspaper 1- 10


Payam-e Zaman: “Iran supports nations that stand up to terrorism,” President Rouhani said at a meeting between state officials and the Supreme Leader.

 

payame zaman newspaper 1- 10


Qods: The hostage drama in Paris has come to a bloody end.

 

Ghods newspaper 1- 10


Resalat: “Training Syria’s moderate opposition is a new mistake,” said the Iranian deputy foreign minister.

 

Resalat newspaper 1- 10


Sayeh: “By blocking websites one cannot stand up against the Cultural Onslaught,” said the minister of culture and Islamic Guidance.

Sayeh: A Chinese economic delegation has signaled Beijing’s readiness to invest in Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port.

 

Sayeh newspaper 1- 10


Sepid: Five physicians have been barred from practicing medicine for three months for failing to abide by the Health Ministry’s instructions.

 

Sepid newspaper 1- 10


Shahrvand: Snow and blizzard have hit 17 Iranian provinces.

 

Shahrvand newspaper 1- 10

 

Italian Companies Eyeing Investment in Iran

Iran-Italy

A senior Italian trade official has acknowledged that the Iranian economy is growing despite Western sanctions, stressing that a large number of Italian companies are ready to invest in Iran.

“We did not expect to see the Iranian people and companies in such welfare and comfort: rather we thought that the sanctions have paralyzed the life and economy of Iran,” Head of the Italian Chamber of Commerce Silvano Pascuno said on Thursday.

“Today we are witnessing a reverse condition and have been surprised; therefore next year we will come to Tehran along with two or three times as many businessmen,” he added.

He reiterated that the Italian companies like other European firms have been under pressure due to the sanctions imposed against Iran.

“The Italian companies have come to Iran with the help of the Italian government and after their close observations of Iran they are interested in cooperating in the field of industry, heavy machineries and other economic areas,” Pascuno said.

In November, Iran’s Ambassador to Rome Jahanbakhsh Mozaffari enumerated the various advantages of the Iranian market for investment, including oil and gas projects, and invited the Italian companies to seize the existing opportunities.

During a seminar to introduce Iran’s economic potential to the Italian businesses in Rome on Thursday, Mozaffari encouraged Italian companies to play a more active role in the Iranian markets.

During the meeting, members of Iran-Italy joint trade chamber discussed existing potential for bilateral economic cooperation, referring to Iran as a proper place in the region for investment and production.

Zarif, Kerry to meet in Geneva on January 14

Abbas Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold a bilateral meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on January 14 for talks on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program, a top Iranian negotiator said.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of the Iranian team of nuclear negotiators and a deputy foreign minister, announced on Friday that the top Iranian and US diplomats will travel to Geneva to “offer the necessary guidance” before their deputies hold nuclear talks.

According to Araghchi, negotiating teams from Iran and the US are slated to hold bilateral meetings in the Swiss city from January 15 to 17.

Later on January 18, Iran and the group of six world powers (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) will resume nuclear talks in Geneva at the deputy ministerial level, he added.

Araghchi also unveiled plans for bilateral meetings between Iran and Russia ahead of the Geneva talks.

“On Monday, January 12, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister and that country’s representative in the nuclear talks, will travel to Iran for bilateral nuclear negotiations,” he noted.

Negotiations on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will resume after a one-month hiatus. The parties concluded a round of deputy-level talks in Switzerland on December 17.

The talks in Geneva was the first round of negotiations between the two sides after they wrapped up a week of intensive nuclear talks in Vienna on November 24 without reaching a long-awaited deal they were supposed to hammer out by the November 24 deadline.

The parties, however, decided to extend for more 7 months the deadline for signing a comprehensive agreement.

Negotiations between Iran and the sextet aim to hammer out a final agreement to end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.

Iran ready to annul visa requirements with neighbors

Hassan Qashqavi

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to waive visa [requirements] or facilitate the process of issuing visas for all countries, especially the neighbors, if they take similar action,” said Hassan Ghashghavi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriates’ Affairs.

Ghashghavi cited Kuwait as an example, saying that Iran is planning to annul visa requirements for Kuwaiti nationals as the Arab country no longer requires Iranian visitors to obtain visas.

The high-ranking Iranian diplomat, who was addressing a national conference on health tourism, said that Iran has nearly halved tariffs for issuing health visas compared to the fees charged for ordinary visas.

“…this shows Iran’s cooperation … to ease traveling to Iran for foreign nationals,” he said.

He noted that Iran is a safe destination for foreign tourists as there has been no report of any incident for foreigners visiting the country over the past few years.

Terrorism, violence in name of Islam reprehensible: Rouhani

Rouhani

“We condemn extremism, violence and terrorism whether in Palestine, Lebanon and the Levant or in Paris and the US,” Rouhani said in a meeting with the delegates to the Islamic Unity Conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Friday.

“Those who are unrightfully killing people and carrying out acts of violence and extremism in the name of Jihad, religion or Islam are, wittingly or unwittingly, treading the path of [promoting] Islamophobia and [are actually] fighting against Islam,” he added.

Rouhani once again reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s support for nations that stand up and resist terrorism.

“We are very happy that Muslim people in the region from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine to Pakistan and Afghanistan resist extremism, violence and terrorism and achieve new victories on a daily basis,” the Iranian president stated.

Rouhani emphasized that Iran condemns any person who supports terrorism and violence whether in the regional countries or in Europe and the US.

The Iranian president’s remarks came after masked gunmen stormed the Paris headquarters of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, on Wednesday, gunning down a dozen people, including eight journalists, two police officers, a maintenance worker and a visitor.

A policewoman on Thursday also succumbed to injuries she sustained in a separate shooting in southern Paris.

On Friday, a shootout, followed by a hostage-taking at a kosher grocery shop northeast of Paris, left at least two people dead.

Tehran Friday prayer leader condemns France’s terror attack

Ahmad Khatami

The Friday prayer leader of Tehran Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami has strongly condemned Wednesday’s terrorist attack in Paris and said, “Islam does not approve of killing innocent people, whether in Paris, or in Syrian, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The following is the translation of part of Ayatollah Khatami’s sermon as reported by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on January 9:

In comments aimed at Western powers, the Friday prayer leader said, “These terrorists are part of a problem of your own making. They live off the political support you and your allies lend them.”

He urged Western powers to quit mischief and said the approach the West has followed in the past decade – support for terrorists – leads nowhere and should be abandoned.

Ayatollah Khatami also criticized the Bahraini government for its heavy-handed tactics in dealing with the peaceful protests of its people.

Divisive moves linked to Western spy agencies: Leader

Supreme Leader

“The hands that sow discord among Shias and Sunnis are linked to the spy services of the enemies of Islam,” said the Leader in a meeting with the delegates to the Islamic Unity Conference underway in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that the Western-style leanings alleged to be Islamic, in fact, run counter to Islam.

“The [so-called] Shiism linked to the UK’s MI6 is not [real] Shia [Islam], nor is the [so-called] Sunnism which is the mercenary of America’s CIA [real] Sunni [Islam], but both are against Islam,” the Leader said.

The Leader further called on Muslim nations to close ranks and foster their unity.

Ayatollah Khamenei then noted that certain Middle East states which are pursuing a hostile approach vis-à-vis Iran have set foot in the wrong path.

“Some regional governments have based their foreign policy on enmity toward Iran; this is a big mistake and runs counter to common sense and wisdom,” the Leader said.

“On the contrary, Iran has based its policy on friendship with neighboring Muslim nations.”

Afghan media team visits refugees’ schools in Tehran

Afghan Students in Iran

A media delegation from Afghanistan on Wednesday paid a visit to the schools the Afghan refugees and nationals attend. Fars News Agency released photos of the Afghan team’s visit in Tehran on January 7. Take a look:

 

Iran, OPEC states pursuing sliding crude prices

Zangeneh-Iran oil minister

Iran and other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are pursuing the issue of falling oil prices, says Iran’s oil minister.

“The issue of global oil prices is not that simple, but Iran and [other] OPEC members are following up the issue [of plummeting price],” Bijan Namdar Zanganeh told reporters on Wednesday.

He described plunging oil prices as complicated, saying that the issue is affected by both economic factors and political intentions.

A rise in the production of petroleum products could not help lower crude prices, Zanganeh added.

“Global oil supply and demand as well as products are all significant. More products will bring us further added value, but given the present circumstances, oil prices will not change. Nevertheless, the cost of petroleum products has fallen, too,” Zanganeh added.

On Wednesday, the price of Brent crude oil fell below $50 a barrel for the first time since May 2009. Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate crude has already fallen below $50.

Oil prices have plunged about 50 percent since June last year over increased supplies by certain countries such as Saudi Arabia, the largest OPEC producer, and slowing global economic growth.

Observers say that oil price could see further declines in the coming weeks as OPEC seems unlikely to do anything about over-output.