August 14, The Iran Project – Iranian, Azeri, Russian presidents trilateral summit in Baku, winning two gold medals by Iranian athletes in Rio 2016 Olympic Games and Zarif trip to Turkey dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (August 8–August 14).

 

Politics

Rouhani: Iran, Azerbaijan firmly determined to expand allout ties


President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that Tehran and Baku are strongly determined for all-out expansion of relations.





Former Iran president writes to Obama over $2B court ruling


Iran’s former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written a letter to President Barack Obama, asking him to “quickly fix” a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could cost Iran some $2 billion.



Putin: Baku Summit, new chapter in ties of Tehran, Moscow, Baku


Negotiations between Iranian, Russian and Azeri presidents in Baku is a beginning for unity and a new chapter in relations between the three captials, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.





Zarif: Interaction between Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan to grow


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the statement signed by Iranian, Russian and Azeri presidents in Baku will accelerate interaction between the three countries.





Intelligence ministry should remain fully committed to revolution’s path: Leader


Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei hailed the Intelligence Ministry as Iran’s shield against hostile plots, calling on the ministry to fully keep to the Islamic Revolution’s path.





US official says Ahmadinejad’s letter was referred to Justice Department


US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau has said that the letter sent by the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to US President Barack Obama was referred to the Justice Department.





Alleged reports on Iran’s support for Daesh absurd: Source


Alleged reports by some Zionist media about Iran’s support for Daesh (ISIS) terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula is ridiculous, an informed source in Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.





What Saudis are doing not rational: Zarif


What the Saudi government is doing is not what everybody expects a rational government to do, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says.





Nuclear deal not against Iran dignity: FM


Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that Iran has created a huge spiritual power in the past three decades and made a nuclear deal with the world powers that by no means was against the country’s dignity.





President Rouhani: Iran pessimistic about US


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined that his country still distrusts Washington which has acted against its undertakings based on the last year nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.




Economy




Top petroleum official says mega project to be signed by next 4-5 months


Deputy Minister of Petroleum for Trade and International Affairs Amir-Hossein Zamaninia said on Wednesday that by the next four to five months mega projects will be signed with foreign companies.





SEZO chief: Iran taking upper hand to Qatar in gas extraction from SP


Managing Director of Special Economic Zone Organization Mehdi Youssefi said on Tuesday that Iran will precede Qatar in extraction of gas from SouthPars.





Iran to attract $30bn for power projects


Iran’s Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian says the country has devised serious plans to overhaul its power industry within the next five years, adding that those plans need a collective investment of $30 billion to be materialized.



‘Turkey ready to increase Iran gas imports’


Turkey says it wants to increase the volume of natural gas it is currently purchasing from Iran in what could be a serious sign from Ankara that it wants to enhance economic ties with the Islamic Republic.



Boeing representatives in Tehran: Minister


Boeing representatives are currently in Tehran, discussing the US planemaker’s planned sale of commercial aircraft to Iran, an Iranian minister says.



Oil reshuffle in Poland – Urals out, Iran in


Poland is replacing Russian oil with Iranian oil and unsold Urals crude is being redirected to Asia, industry sources told Reuters.


 

Society

Northern marine tourism neglected


Although turning Caspian Sea into a marine tourism hub in northern Iran has been a major topic of discussion since a long time, no step has yet been taken by officials to realize that goal, leaving the private sector in limbo about whether or not to invest in the sector.



Iranian weightlifter escapes ISIL threat in Brazil


Two ISIL members traveling on board Iranian weightlifter and Olympics gold winner Behdad Salimi’s flight, were arrested by Brazilian police upon arrival in Sao Paulo.





Young Iranian promoting hijab fashion


A young Iranian woman Naeimeh Qadimi is a designer of ‘hijab’ apparel suitable for Muslim women.



Iran volleyball players overpower Egypt 3-0 in Rio Olympic Games


Iran’s national volleyball team has pummeled Egypt to achieve its second victory in a row at the volleyball tournament in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.



Sohrab Moradi gives Iran second gold medal in two days


Iran’s weightlifter Sohrab Moradi has lifted a total of 403 kilograms at the 94-kilogram category of Rio 2016 Olympics Games, and won the second gold medal for the Iranian squad at the event.


 

Regional Affairs

Saudi Arabia starts trials in 2015 case of crane collapse


Saudi Arabia has started court trials for 14 people suspected of malpractice that led to a deadly crane crash in the holy city of Mecca last year.



Zarif: Iran to continue support for democracy in Turkey


Iran is going to continue its support for democracy in Turkey, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday.





Nasrallah says 2006 victory shook Israeli military


Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, has hailed as a historic achievement Lebanon’s victory in the 2006 Israeli war.




Iran’s Shamkhani, Iraqi Kurdistan’s Sinjari discuss security issues


Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s Interior Minister Karim Sinjari held talks on a range of issues, including ways to boost cooperation on security issues.






Bahrainis hold demonstration in solidarity with Sheikh Qassim


Bahraini people have staged another mass rally to express their support for distinguished Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, who recently had his citizenship removed by the regime in Manama.