January 06, The Iran Project – Afghan Taliban arrived in Tehran, started negotiations: foreign ministry; SG of Islamic Jihad Movement visit to Tehran and meeting with senior officials; Leader: Palestine’s ultimate victory to occur in the “not too distant future”; Iraq says ‘not obliged’ to abide by US anti-Iran sanctions; No pain, no gain: Zarif tells Europeans as JCPOA hangs in balance; Europe still committed to Iran nuclear deal: Mogherini; Only way for Palestinians to gain own rights is resistance: Rouhani; Zarif derides US addiction to withdrawal from int’l deals; Leader’s envoy, Syrian patriarch discuss regional, religious issues; No country can claim it can decide world’s fate: FM Zarif; Rouhani: Iran not hesitating to empower defense capabilities; Rouhani accepts Hashemi’s resignation as health minister; Iran’s IRGC unveils latest military achievements; Iran rejects US warning against space launches, ballistic missiles; Dep. FM Araghchi visit to Kabul and meeting with senior officials and Ghasemi slams Hunt’s remarks as meddling in Iran’s internal affairs are among major headlines dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (December 31– January 06).
Politics
Iran’s Ghasemi denies knowledge of European ‘preconditions’ for trade
The spokesman of Iran’s foreign ministry has denied any knowledge of conditions set by Europe for launching a special mechanism to allow Iran to trade with European countries, despite U.S. sanctions.
Afghan Taliban arrived in Tehran, started negotiations: foreign ministry
Taliban representatives from Afghanistan arrived in Tehran on Sunday and started peace negotiations with Iran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said.
SG of Islamic Jihad Movement visits Tehran
Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement Ziad al-Nakhala paid an official visit to Tehran and held meetings with senior Iranian officials.
Leader: Palestine’s ultimate victory to occur in the “not too distant future”
Mr. Ziad al-Nakhala– secretary general of the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine– and his entourage met with Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, today morning December 31, 2018.
Iraq says ‘not obliged’ to abide by US anti-Iran sanctions
The Iraqi foreign minister says his country is “not obliged” to abide by unilateral US sanctions against Iran, adding that Baghdad is seeking ways to bypass those sanctions and continue trade with Tehran.
Iran’s presence in Iraq on Baghdad government request
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi stressed that Iran’s presence in Iraq was at the request of the Iraqi government to help that country in fighting Daesh (ISIS) and other terrorist groups.
President meets Iranian Armenian war veteran on eve of new year
President Hassan Rouhani met Armenian war veteran Hasou Keshish Danilian late on Monday on the threshold of the new Christian year.
Military chief: Iran maintains powerful, firm military presence in region
Iran’s top military commander says despite its mainly peaceful defense doctrine, the Islamic Republic maintains powerful and categorical military presence in the region, warning certain regional countries against inviting the US to the Persian Gulf to hatch plots against Iran.
Iran denounces Brazil embassy move to Jerusalem
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday slammed plans by Brazil’s President-elect Jair Bolsonaro to move their embassy to Jerusalem after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the move was imminent.
Iran to hold talks with Pak tribe leaders over kidnapped border guards
Iran is pursuing the issue of the Iranian border guards who were kidnapped on Iran-Pakistan border by holding talks with leaders of regional tribes, Iranian border guards commander Brigadier General Qasem Rezaei said.
Regional countries could not overcome challenges without Iran’s coop.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said all countries in the world in practice came to the conclusion that regional countries could not have resolved enduring challenges without Iran’s help.
Iran not beginner of any war: Deputy defense minister
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Defense Brigadier General Qassem Taqizadeh said on Sunday that Iran has never been the beginner of a war and will not be in the future.
No pain, no gain: Zarif tells Europeans as JCPOA hangs in balance
Iran’s foreign minister says Europeans are slow in honouring their pledges to salvage JCPOA, warning the EU it should work harder to convince Iran to remain in the pact as no gain comes without pain.
Iranian armed forces at full strength: Cmdr.
–Iranian armed forces are fully prepared and strong to confront any threat, according to Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Ataollah Salehi.
Europe still committed to Iran nuclear deal: Mogherini
The EU foreign policy chief says that the 28 member states of the EU along with the rest of the international community are working to preserve Iran nuclear agreement.
Iran to appoint Baluchi Sunni woman as ambassador
Iran has plans to appoint a Baluchi Sunni woman as its ambassador to Brunei.
Only way for Palestinians to gain own rights is resistance: Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has described resistance against the Israeli regime as the only way for the Palestinian nation to obtain its own rights, stressing that all Muslims must support the Palestinians’ right of return and establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
Zarif derides US addiction to withdrawal from int’l deals
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message ridiculed US administration’s addiction to withdrawal from international agreements.
Leader’s envoy, Syrian patriarch discuss regional, religious issues
Leader of the Islamic Revolution representative to Syria Ayatollah Abolfazl Tabatabaei met and held talks with Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East John X Yazigi.
Iran’s policy towards Palestinian cause unchangeable: Qassemi
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi says the policy of the Islamic Republic towards the Palestinian cause and the Zionist regime is principled and unchangeable.
Iran always backs Palestinian people, resistance cause
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said that Islamic Republic of Iran always supports inalienable rights of Palestinian people and resistance movement.
Rouhani: Iran not hesitating to empower defense capabilities
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called the progress in the military field as positive while emphasizing Tehran’s determination to boost its defensive capabilities.
Leader appoints new member of Iran cultural watchdog
The Leader of Islamic Revolution appointed a university professor as new member of Iran’s cultural watchdog.
No country can claim it can decide world’s fate: FM Zarif
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the notion of being a superpower is weakening and no country can claim that it can decide the fate of the whole world.
Defense min. integrates production lines for advanced electronic equipment
Iranian Minister of Defense Amir Hatami inaugurated on Thursday the production lines for advanced electronic and defense equipment at an electronics industries company in Shiraz, south-central Iran.
Rouhani accepts Hashemi’s resignation as health minister
Appreciating Dr Sayyid Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi’s sincere work and efforts during his tenure, President Rouhani accepted his resignation and appointed Dr Saeid Namaki as Acting Minister of Health and Medical Education.
Iran’s IRGC unveils latest military achievements
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force on Thursday unveiled several domestically made advanced military gears.
Iran rejects US warning against space launches, ballistic missiles
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rejected a U.S. warning against carrying out space vehicle launches and missile tests, saying on Thursday they did not violate a U.N. resolution.
Iran says its warships are coming to the Atlantic for the 1st time
Iranian warships will sail for the first time into Atlantic waters early in 2019, the deputy commander of Iran’s navy has said. The long-distance voyage would bring Iran’s military forces closer to U.S. soil, and territorial waters, than they have been since the 1979 Islamic revolution which brought the current regime to power.
IRGC general: US military power, political savvy in decline
The Iranian nation has dealt so many blows to the US that not only its military strength, but also its political wisdom has been damaged, deputy chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said.
Dep. FM Araghchi arrives in Kabul
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul this morning to confer over a host of bilateral and regional issues.
Iranian MP: Talks with Pakistan for release of hostages in progress
An Iranian parliamentarian said consultations between Tehran and Islamabad are under way to secure the release of the Iranian border guards who were kidnapped by Pakistani-based terrorists in October.
15 Kosar jets to join Iran Air Force in 3 years: cmdr.
Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) said Saturday that 15 home-made Kosar jets will be delivered to the force during the next three years.
US heavy spending in region failed to weaken unity among Muslims: IRGC cmdr.
Deputy Commander of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the United States has spent some $7 trillion in the Middle East, a move that has led to unity Muslim states against the aggressive country.
Ghasemi slams Hunt’s remarks as meddling in Iran’s internal affairs
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ghasemi has censured the “hasty”, “meddlesome” and “untrue” remarks by UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt concerning the case of Nazanin Zaghari.
Iran’s diplomat talks Afghan peace process with pres. Ghani
The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi met and held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on a Saturday visit to Kabul.
Enemy must feel heat of Iran’s power: EC chief
The head of Iran’s Expediency Council said that the enemy must feel that all the pillars and 3 powers of government are united and serve the people and solve the problems of the country with guidance of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
Veep: US aimig at Iranian people’s livelihood
First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said on Saturday that the Americans have taken aim at the Iranian people’s livelihood, as they impose sanctions on basic goods and raw materials needed for production.
Economy
Iran’s reliance on oil revenues to decrease by 28%: VP
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Baqer Nobakht reiterated the country’s policy to reduce its reliance on oil exports and said in the next Iranian calendar year (which will begin on March 21), the country’s dependency on oil would decrease by 28 percent.Iran parliament to discuss new budget bill mid-February
Lawmakers in Iran’s Majlis (Parliament) are expected to start brainstorming the county’s next year budget bill in mid-February, the Presiding Board of Majlis said on Tuesday.
Iran Gov’t allowed debt securitization in budget bill
In next year’s proposed budget the government is allowed to securitize up to 200 trillion rials ($2 billion) of its debts to banks.
Decrease in oil dependency most important point of budget bill: MP
A member of the Iranian parliament has said the decline in oil dependency is one of the most important strengths of the next Iranian year’s budget bill (will start on March 21, 2019).
Tehran stock exchange registers highest growth in Asian markets
Latest data by World Federation of Exchanges indicates that by November TSE had a market capitalization of $145.66 billion, registering 72.10% growth year-on-year.
Regional Affairs
New Saudi FM appointed to ‘balance out recklessness’ of MBS over Khashoggi case
An American political analyst said Saudi King Salman demoted Adel al-Juebeir and appointed Ibrahim al-Assaf as the new foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to “balance out the recklessness” of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman over the case of Jamal Khashoggi.
Palestine won’t let US sell occupied al-Quds to Israel: Abbas
President Mahmoud Abbas says Palestine will never allow the United States to sell Jerusalem al-Quds to Israel, reiterating that the occupied city will remain the eternal capital of the state of Palestine.
US says no timeline for Syria withdrawal as fighting continues
The United States has no timeline to withdraw troops from Syria but does not plan to stay indefinitely, a senior State Department official said on Friday, a strong signal that forces could stay until the fight against Islamic State militants ends.
Terrorist attack injures six in NW Pakistan
At least six people including two women were injured in a powerful blast in Pakistan’s north western city of Peshawar on Saturday.
Brazil’s president confirms Jerusalem al-Quds embassy move
Brazil’s new President Jair Bolsonaro has reaffirmed his plan of relocating the country’s embassy in the Israeli capital to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.
Society
Iran’s first tourism startup accelerator launched
A tourism startup accelerator was launched on Tuesday by Iran’s Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) in cooperation with Allameh Tabataba’i University to support companies active in the gradually growing sector.
Iran presents design of upcoming airship
Airships are mostly used either for military purposes, such as reconnaissance, or for civilian ones, such as tourist attractions, tours or as advertisement platforms. They are also occasionally used as transportation in some countries.
VP: Iran’s start-up activities in region unparalleled
Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology said that the activities of the start-ups in Iran were unparalleled and was growing and making progress.
Safety equipment exhibition kicks off in Tehran
The 4th International Safety Equipment, Fire Fighting and Rescue Exhibition started work with the attendance of over 50 domestic and international firms in Tehran Permanent International Fair Ground.
Sheikh Salman hands out ‘AFC Referees Special Award’ to Iranian referees
Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, the president of Asian Football Confederation, presented ‘AFC Referees Special Award’ of 2018 to world-class Iranian referees.