Iran stresses relations with Belarus
in a meeting with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey in Tehran on Monday, the Iranian speaker said Tehran seeks to forge “long-term” and “strong” relations with Minsk in various domains.
“The Majlis emphasizes [the need for] the expansion of friendly relations in various political, economic and industrial areas, particularly the parliamentary ties between [Iran and Belarus],” Larijani stated.
The Iranian Majlis speaker also pointed to the previously signed agreements between Iran and Belarus, saying the two countries should work to complete their joint projects.
Makey, for his part, described the Islamic Republic as an important and effective country in the Middle East, saying the common views of Tehran and Minsk on different global issues have paved the way for the further expansion of their ties.
The Belarusian foreign minister also described the US-led sanctions against Iran as unjust and stressed that Belarusian companies have always sought active participation in the Iranian market.
Makey also emphasized the need for Iran and Belarus to exchange views on the issues of regional and international significance, including the crisis in Ukraine.
Makey also met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Monday. The two officials explored ways to broaden bilateral cooperation in diverse areas.
Iran and Belarus have developed good relations in recent years, particularly in the economic and trade sectors, and have signed a number of agreements to shore up bilateral cooperation in many areas, including in technical and engineering projects.
India oil imports from Iran rise 43% in Q1 2014
India imported around 358,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude in the first quarter of 2014, up nearly 43 percent from a year ago, according to tanker arrival data obtained from trade sources, Reuters reported.
In March, India’s shipments from Iran rose 45.6 percent from February to about 387,000 bpd, more than twice the intake in March 2013, the data showed.
India’s imports from Iran also more than doubled in January, surging to 412,000 bpd, up from 189,100 bpd in December.
Iran’s January oil shipments to the Indian customer were 31 percent higher year on year.
India is among Asia’s major importers of energy, and relies on the Islamic Republic to meet a portion of its energy requirements.
Meanwhile, Yasushi Kimura, head of Japan’s oil refining industry said on Thursday that Tokyo may choose to raise Iranian crude imports once the Western sanctions against the Islamic Republic are lifted.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain – plus Germany sealed an interim deal in Geneva on November 24, 2013 to pave the way for the full resolution of the decade-old dispute with Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.
Under the Geneva deal, the six countries agreed to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. The deal came into force on January 20.
The sanctions relief for Iran also includes access to USD 4.2 billion of its oil revenues frozen abroad by eight money-transfer schedules through July.
In January, Japan became the first of Iran’s oil buyers to make a payment for crude imports following the Geneva deal. One source confirmed the Japanese payment was USD 550 million.
PRESSTV
Iran stresses ties with African states
In a Wednesday meeting with Burundian president’s special envoys Majid Sharif Abdulrahman and Leonard Comana in Tehran, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian attached special importance to dialog and consultation between Tehran and Bujumbura on regional and international issues.
The Iranian official also underscored the necessity of following up on the agreements already signed between the two countries.
The Burundian officials also submitted to Amir-Abdollahian their president’s message to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Abdulrahman, for his part, said the implementation of bilateral agreements will help further enhance mutual ties.
The enhancement of relations with African countries in all political, economic and cultural fields is a central plank of Iran’s foreign policy.
On February 10, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani described developing relations with African nations as the priority of his administration, saying there is great potential for expanding economic ties between Iran and Africa.
During their meeting, Amir-Abdollahian, Abdulrahman and Comana also reviewed the latest developments in the Central African Republic, where Muslim communities face daily attacks by Christian militias.
The Central African Republic has been facing deadly violence since December 2013, when Christian armed groups launched coordinated attacks against the mostly Muslim Seleka group that toppled the government in March 2013.
PRESSTV
Russia ‘bewildered’ over US visa denial to Iran UN envoy pick
“The recent decision of the US authorities to deny an entry visa to Mr. Hamid Aboutalebi, a new Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, has caused our bewilderment,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This move, which represents a departure by the United States from its commitments as a country hosting the UN headquarters, cannot be seen as anything else than a means of political pressure from Washington on a UN member state,” it added.
On April 10, the US House of Representatives unanimously approved a legislation that prevents Aboutalebi from entering the US. The White House has also said it would not issue a visa to Aboutalebi.
Under the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, the United States, as the host country of the UN, is required to allow access to the world body for foreign diplomats.
“Federal, state or local authorities of the United States shall not impose any impediments to transit to or from the headquarters district of … representatives of members or officials of the United Nations,” the Russian foreign ministry said, referring to the Headquarters Agreement.
The ministry added relations between the US and the countries of the representatives should have no effect on the implementation of the agreement.
This provision “shall be applicable irrespective of the relations existing between the governments of the persons referred to in that section and the government of the United States,” the ministry said, pointing to the Section 11 of the Headquarters Agreement.
The ministry also touched upon the consequences of such a move by the US, saying, “One more reason for our anxiety is that such conduct impedes the normal routine of the United Nations.”
Washington says has denied a visa to Aboutalebi because he was involved in the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran during post-revolution incidents in 1979.
Aboutalebi denies any direct role in the embassy takeover, saying he worked as an interpreter while negotiations for the release of the hostages were going on.
On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian university students took over the US Embassy in Tehran, which they believed had turned into a den of espionage. Documents found at the compound later corroborated the claims by the students.
South Korea doubles Iran oil imports
According to the figures registered by the South Korean National Oil Company, the country imported 8,140,000 barrels of oil from Iran in February which shows a twofold increase compared to the same period last year.
It is the first time in the past five months that the amount of South Korean oil imports from Iran shows an increasing process.
In 2013, South Korea purchased a total amount of 48,210,000 barrels of oil from Iran.
South Korean media and press believe the Geneva agreement between Iran and the 5+1 as well as the easing trend of anti-Iran sanctions have affected the country’s decisions regarding oil trade with Iran.
Seoul is also interested in expansion of economic relations with Tehran.
Iran becomes champion of German Int’l Taekwondo Tournament
The team came ahead of its Spanish and Egypt rivals ranking second and third respectively.
On the closing day of the competitions, Nasr Azadani won the sixth gold medal in minus 74 category in final stage by beating his Spanish rival, bringing the number of Iranian medals to eight.
Earlier, he defeated his rivals from Brazil, US, Italy and Spain.
The G1 Class German International Taekwondo Tournament involving 865 taekwondo athletes from 62 countries opened in Hamburg on Friday and ended late on Sunday.
The rank holder taekwondo athletes of the world federation are competing in the tournament to gain more scores to berth for the Brazil 2016 Olympics.
Iranian FM Due in UAE Today to Pursue Expansion of Economic Ties
Prior to the Zarif’s arrival in Abu Dhabi, the expert-level meeting presided by the Iranian and Emirati deputy foreign ministers is to start work in Abu Dhabi this morning in order to study the development trend of relations between Iran and the UAE and implementation of previously signed agreements.
Later, bilateral agreements will be signed by the Iranian and Emirati foreign ministers.
The expert meeting will draft documents and agreements due to be signed by the two sides on Tuesday in presence of foreign ministers.
Iran attaches importance to strengthening ties with the Middle East’s countries in a bid to maintain security in the region.
Air Force Fighters Preparing for Army Day Parades
In these exercises different Air Force fighter jets, including F4, F14, Saeqeh (Thunder), F5, F7, Mig-29, Sukhoi 24, and C-130 transportation planes flew in different formations.
The Army Day ceremony will take place at the mausoleum of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, the Late Imam Khomeini, in Southern Tehran on Friday.
During the parades, the Army units will display different weapons and military tools and equipment, including different kinds of fighters, choppers, drones, ground-to-ground missiles, air-to-ground missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, tactical and armed vehicles, surface and underwater vessels, electronic and telecommunication equipment, light and mid-light weapons, different kinds of artillery and mortar-launchers, air defense systems and engineering and logistic equipment.
Senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, as well as a host of top military commanders attended the ceremony.
The occasion marks the establishment of the Islamic Republic’s Army.
The Iranian army has recently test-fired different types of newly-developed missiles and torpedoes and tested a large number of home-made weapons, tools and equipments, including submarines, military ships, artillery, choppers, aircrafts, UAVs and air defense and electronic systems, during massive military drills.
Defense analysts and military observers say that Iran’s wargames and its advancements in weapons production have proved as a deterrent factor, specially at a time of heightened threats by the US.
Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.
Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country’s military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.
Iran plans launching four new nuclear power plants
Ali Akbar Salehi’s comments came just days after the latest round of international talks in Vienna aimed at securing a long-term deal over Iran’s nuclear program.
“If we want to use the Natanz enrichment facility to produce the annual fuel of Bushehr nuclear power plant, we need to build 30,000 new centrifuges,” Salehi was quoted by the Fars news agency as saying.
Under an interim agreement reached last year that expires on July 20, Iran froze parts of its nuclear program as a confidence-building move in return for sanctions relief and a pledge of no new sanctions.
Salehi also said based on contract signed between Iran and Russia in 1992, Iran can build four more nuclear power plants, which its initial plans are being discussed by the Russian side.
He said the first step for launching new power plants is planned to be taken in the current year.
Salehi further said Iran does not plan to launch all four at the same time, because they want to have more share in building them and rely less on their Russian partners.
He said a two-year perspective has been forecasted to have them all started.
Iran, a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and an IAEA member, has being struggling with a Western standoff on its civilian nuclear program which it pursues for providing electricity for its 75 million population.
