Iran Daily


Iran reports higher oil sales to BP, Shell
Iran has increased its sales of crude oil as well as gas condensates to global energy giants Shell and BP.

Turkish committee clears draft expanding Erdogan�s powers
A Turkish parliamentary commission on Friday cleared a set of draft constitutional amendments that would greatly expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Syria cease-fire in place despite clashes
A Russian- and Turkish-brokered cease-fire that aims to end nearly six years of war in Syria and lead to peace talks appeared to hold on Friday but was tarnished by clashes since it took effect at midnight.

Putin decides against expelling US diplomats in response to sanctions
President Vladimir Putin ruled out on Friday expelling anyone in retaliation for Washington�s decision to throw out 35 Russian diplomats and impose sanctions on two of the country�s intelligence agencies.

Romania gets new PM, ending political turmoil
Romania�s president on Friday named Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu as the nation�s new prime minister, bringing to a close weeks of uncertainty since the left won a parliamentary vote on December 11.

Saudi Arabia invites Iran for talks on Hajj
Saudi Arabia has invited Iran to discuss a return of its nationals to next year�s Hajj after Iranians could not take part in the annual pilgrimage following a major diplomatic row, reports said Friday.

Iranians mark 2009 pro-establishment rallies
Iranians on Thursday staged nationwide rallies to commemorate the seventh anniversary of demonstrations held on December 30, 2009 in support of the Islamic Republic.

Zarif hails Syria truce as �major achievement�
Iran�s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif praised the Syria-wide cease-fire deal, brokered by Russia and Turkey, as a �major achievement� on the diplomatic front, saying the world must now work to target terrorism at the roots.

Iran MP: Upcoming PA-Israel talks fruitless
Negotiations between the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their planned meeting in Moscow would certainly bear no fruit, said a senior Iranian lawmaker.


Tehran Times

Iran marks 2009 rallies
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets across the country on Thursday to mark the seventh anniversary of mass rallies staged on December 30, 2009 to guard the principles of the Islamic Revolution.

Zarif, Lavrov welcome truce in Syria
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, held a phone conversation on Thursday welcoming a nationwide truce in Syria.

Daelim wins $1.9b refinery construction deal in Iran
Daelim Industrial Co., a major South Korean construction firm, said Thursday that it has secured a 2.3-trillion-won ($1.9 billion) deal to expand refinery facilities in Iran.

U.S. must �make the Russians feel pain�: John Bolton
The United States Republican hawk John Bolton has described the sanctions against Russia announced by the Obama administration as an insuffi- cient response for Moscow�s �attack on our constitutional system.�

Indian FM looks into Narges Ashtari case
On Thursday, in a tweeter text message Sushma Swaraj, India�s minister of external affairs, stated that she will look into the case of Narges Kalbasi Ashtari.

Nearing exit, Obama seeks to tie Trump�s hands
The United States President Obama has taken a flurry of unilateral actions in the waning days of his tenure that appear designed to box in President-elect Donald Trump.

Stocks rise as strong 2016 nears the end
Global stocks mostly rose on the year�s last day of trading. The euro jumped higher against the dollar for no clear reason, with thin trading volumes likely exacerbating volatility.

Sadeghzadeh crowned Pahlavani wrestling champion
Jaber Sadeghzadeh has been named as the new Pahlavan of Iran on Friday.

MP: Netanyahu-Abbas talks doomed to fail
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian parliamentary committee for national security and foreign policy, says the planned talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Zionist regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will bear no fruit, insisting that resistance defines the fate of the Palestinians.

IRGC figure: Satellite channels depicting gloomy picture of Iran
Persian-speaking satellite channels and some of the Persian Gulf littoral states are depicting a gloomy picture of Iran, working towards the goals of the Israeli regime.

Rafsanjani calls for efforts based on �Islam� and �wisdom�
To maintain dignity of the country and the people, efforts should be made based on �Islam� and �wisdom�, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of the Expediency Council, said on Thursday.