Tehran, March 14,The Iran Project – Amano's plan for visiting Iran, Zarif’s Asian tour, marking National Week of Natural Resources and Iran testing ballistic missiles dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (Mar.7-Mar.12).

 
Politics
 
Amano invites Iran to fully participate in IAEA’s meetings, conferences


The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) invited Iran to participate actively and fully in the agency’s activities and conferences following the implementation of the JCPOA, a lasting nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.


Iran says billionaire can evade death sentence by returning cash


The death sentence of Iranian billionaire Babak Zanjani can be commuted if he cooperates by returning the money he is accused of embezzling from the state, Justice Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi said.


Iran test-fires two ballistic missiles during large-scale drills


Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has successfully test-fired two ballistic missiles in line with the country’s defense doctrine.


IRGC’s 2,000-km missiles built to hit Israeli targets: Commander


Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said the new long-range ballistic missiles of the IRGC have been designed and developed to hit Iran’s enemies, the Zionist regime of Israel in particular.


Iran president to visit Turkey in spring


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will visit Turkey in spring, head of Iran-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Group said.


Informed source denies Kerry-Zarif phone call


An informed source at the Foreign Ministry has rejected a US spokesman recent claim that Secretary of State John Kerry had talked to his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on Iran’s latest missile test.


Russia to deliver S-300 air defense systems to Iran in August-September


Russia will deliver the first S-300 air defense systems to Iran in September or August.


Leader: Enemies seeking to influence Iranian politics, decisions


Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned that enemies have hatched plots to find a strong influence on Iran in various economic, cultural and political aspects.


Defense min. Iran’s military might to threaten no country


Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Dehghan elaborated on the defensive principles of the Islamic Republic of Iran.


US to raise concerns over Iran’s ballistic tests at UN council Monday


US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said that the United States will address its concerns over a series of ballistic missile tests by Iran on Monday.


Iran to use everything for defense, except WMDs: Commander


A top Iranian military commander said the country will not hesitate to employ whatever capacities available in the world to defend itself, except the weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) whose application is forbidden by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.


Zarif: Enemies Disappointed by Iranians’ High-Turnout in Elections


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif praised the massive participation of people in recently-held parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections, saying that Iranians have defused enemy plot to undermine the Islamic Republic.


Israel’s PM seeks ‘punitive steps’ against Iran missiles


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again repeated his rhetoric against Iran, calling on world powers to take “immediate punitive steps” against Tehran over its recent ballistic missile tests.



Society
 
Nanocomposite surfaces adsorb air polluting gases


Iranian researchers from Amirkabir University of Technology succeeded in the production of surfaces that can adsorb air polluting gases, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, INIC reports.


Japan, US no longer monopoly in ultracentrifuge production


A tech company in Tehran has designed and manufactured ultracentrifuge with applications in vaccine and pharmaceutical industries.


Iranian books nominated as world’s best designed books


Two Iranian books were nominated to win the title of “the best designed books from all over the world” at the 2016 competition of Leipzig Book fair.


Japan to fund program for revival of Iranian lake


Japan’s government is going to make a contribution of about $3.7 million in aid for a FAO program to resuscitate the endangered Lake Oroumiyeh in northwest of Iran.


Hakim Sabzevari University inks contracts with European universities


Chancellor of Hakim Sabzevari University said on Wednesday that two memoranda of understanding were signed with academic center French and Italian universities.



Economy
 

Envoy: Iran, Norway to reinforce economic ties

Norwegian ambassador to Iran said that the economic ties between Iran and Norway are developing in the post-sanctions era.

 
Mittal signs €1bn iron deal in Iran


Global industrial giant Mittal Steel on Tuesday signed a contract worth €1 billion to produce iron in southern Iran.


Iran in talks to get first credit rating


An official says Iran is in discussions to get its first credit rating as the country is emerging from years of sanctions and seeking to put its economy on strong footing.


 
China’s EXIM bank to fund Iran projects


iran says the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) is set to provide funds for the development of the Iranian petrochemical and telecommunication projects.


Lufthansa inks deal to repair planes in Iran


Germany’s Lufthansa aviation giant is set to establish a repair and maintenance service unit in Iran.  The company is reported to have sealed a deal with Iran Air to the same effect which also envisages cooperation in several other key areas.


Russian investments for Iran online business


Two Russian businessmen have reportedly invested in leading Iranian online businesses.


Iran’s economic ties with EU will help boost security, stability


Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ali Rabiei said on Saturday that enhanced Iranian economic ties with EU members would help de-escalation and promote regional security and stability.


3rd APFF receives record-breaking number of submissions


The 3rd edition of Iranian national cinematic competition Ammar Popular Film Festival (APFF) 2016 received a record-breaking number of submissions.


Iran to launch major refinery project by mid-2016


Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh said the first phase of Persian Gulf Refinery will come on-stream by min-2016 with a production capacity of 12ml/d of Euro-4 gasoline.



Regional Affairs
 
FM Zarif: Islamic countries’ support for Israel ‘embarrassing’


Iranian FM Zarif said on Monday the moves by certain Muslim countries in getting closer to the Israeli regime is ‘embarrassing’.Following the OIC Extraordinary Summit in Indonesia on Monday, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Foreign Minister, told reporters “one of the major topics that gathered us together in the summit was the Judaization of Jerusalem and the Al-Asqa Mosque.”


OIC calls for ban on Israeli settlement products


A global Muslim body called for a ban on products from Israeli settlements and pledged full support for the “inalienable rights” of the Palestinians.


‘We Stand for Unity’: Damascus opposes federalization, partition of Syria


Syria’s leadership opposes the partition of the republic and does not support the idea of the country’s federalization, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Saturday.


Iranian medics arrive in Baghdad


Iran’s minister of health has said a group of medics has been sent to Iraqi city of Kirkuk following chemical attack on region by ISIL.


Hezbollah condemns Arab League’s blacklisting as ‘aggression’


The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says a recent move by the Arab League to designate the group as a “terrorist organization” is tantamount to a “declaration of aggression” by Saudi Arabia.


Damascus delegate arrives in Geneva for talks with opposition


A delegate from the Syrian government is in Geneva for a fresh round of UN-brokered peace talks with opposition groups to find a political solution to the five-year-long conflict in the Arab country.