August 12, The Iran Project – North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho trip to Iran and meetings with senior officials; IRGC Ret. Gen. dismisses propaganda introducing Iran as mastermind of Yemeni attack on Saudi vessels; Iran finishes 1st at Intl. Army Games Depth Competition; Iran Envoy Mahmoud Vaezi submits Iran’s President message to Turkish counterpart; US crude sanctions against Iran could make maintaining the world’s oil supply ‘very challenging,’ IEA says; Iran, US officials won't meet on sidelines of UNGA meeting: FM Mohammad Javad Zarif; Guardian Council approves CFT amendment bill; Pres. Rouhani signs into law CFT amendment bill; Iran slams US sanctions on Turkey, vows full support; Caspian Sea ministerial meeting kicks off in Kazakhstan and Iran’s president arrives in Kazakhstan to attend Caspian Sea summit are among major headlines dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (August 06–August 12).


 

 

Politics

Awarding 2500 US Green Cards during nuclear talks sheer lie


Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi on Sunday strongly denied awarding some 2500 US Green Cards to Iranian officials and their children during nuclear talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and G5+1.

Iran’s IRGC, Army’s drone teams compete in Intl. Army Games 2018


The Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Army’s UAV teams that are participating in the International Army Games 2018 underway in Kazakhstan have competed at night combat contest.

Zarif rejects Trump admin claim of supporting Iranians


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message dismissed US Administration’s pretentious care for the Iranian people.

Rouhani: US not trustworthy for negotiations after quitting nuclear deal


Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the US administration is no more able to prove its trustworthiness for any negotiations after its withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and a number of other international treaties.



Iran, North Korea FMs hold talks in Tehran


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho met and held talks on Tuesday in Tehran.

IRGC Ret. Gen. dismisses propaganda introducing Iran as mastermind of Yemeni attack on Saudi vessels


A retired general of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) blasted western media efforts to portray Iran as the mastermind of the last week attack by Yemen’s Ansarullah movement on two Saudi warships in Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but his remarks prompted media hype after they were released with misquotes.

Standing against U.S. has logical, rather than emotional, rhetorical basis: Ayatollah Khamenei


Fighting against arrogance in the Islamic Revolution and among our people is a rational and reasonable movement that enjoys a scholarly source of support. And it is also a wise movement contrary to what some people want to pretend. Such people pretend that this is a merely slogan-based and emotional movement that is not reliant on reason and rationality. On the contrary, the movement of the people of Iran is one that is reliant on rationality.

Leader attends Dust Clearing ceremony at Imam Reza Shrine


Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei visited the sacred grave of Imam Reza (as) in Iranian northeastern city of Mashhad to attend an annual ‘dust clearing’ ritual.

Iranian airman chosen top drone pilot in Army Games


An Iranian officer was named the top operator of unmanned aerial vehicles in the International Army Games 2018 in Kazakhstan.

Iran finishes 1st at Intl. Army Games Depth Competition


Iranian Navy team of divers claimed first place in the Depth Competition event at the 2018 seven-nation Army Games in Nowshahr on Thursday after nine days of fierce competition.

Envoy submits Iran’s President message to Turkish counterpart


Special envoy of Iran’s President to Turkey submitted the message of Hassan Rouhani to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday.

Iran, US officials not to meet at UNGA: Zarif


Top Iranian diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif says no meeting between Iranian and US officials is scheduled to be held on the sidelines of this year’s UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

Guardian Council approves CFT amendment bill: spokesman


Iran’s Guardian Council has approved an amendment bill on combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) as part of standards set by the FATF, according to the Council’s spokesman.

Caspian Sea ministerial meeting kicks off in Kazakhstan


The foreign ministers of the Caspian Sea littoral states convened in Kazakh city of Aktau on Saturday to finalize the convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea.

Pres. Rouhani signs into law CFT amendment bill


In an official decree, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signed into law the CFT amendment bill which was passed by the parliament and approved by the Guardian Council this morning.

Iran’s president leaves for Kazakhstan to attend Caspian Sea summit


President Hassan Rouhani headed to Kazakhstan to participate in the Caspian Sea littoral states summit slated for Sunday (August 12).

 

Economy

Zangeneh sends letter of complaint to OPEC on JMMC fault


Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zanganeh send a letter to Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy & Industry of United Arab Emirates and the President of the OPEC Conference, to monitor a fault by JMMC in the implementation of the decisions taken at 171st Meeting of the OPEC Conference, as well as resolution No.174:513.

US crude sanctions against Iran could make maintaining the world’s oil supply ‘very challenging,’ IEA says


A U.S. plan to impose targeted crude sanctions against Iran could significantly impact global supply and exhaust the world’s spare oil capacity cushion, according to the latest monthly report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
US sanctions won’t affect Turkey ties with Iran: FM Cavusoglu
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu says his country is resolved to expand ties with Iran despite US threats to punish governments that violate recently-restored economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.


Punishment of convicts of economic corruption must be carried out urgently and justly


In response to a letter by Head of the Judiciary Branch, seeking permission to take especial measures in order to confront economic corruption, Ayatollah Khamenei approved the request and wrote: “Punishment of convicts of economic corruption must be carried on urgently and justly; and appropriate meticulousness must be given to the designation of sentences by courts.”

Iran official says gas field contract with Total, CNPC unchanged: SHANA


A gas field development contract with France’s Total (TOTF.PA), and China’s state-owned CNPC remains unchanged, a senior Iranian oil official said according to the oil ministry news agency SHANA on Saturday – hours after state new agency IRNA quoted him as saying CNPC had taken Total’s share in the project.

 

Regional Affairs



Iraq’s south witnesses new protests against corruption, power cuts


Less than a month after a surge of unrest in Iraq over poor public services, particularly power cuts and rampant corruption, residents in southern areas of the Arab country have once again staged protests.

Yemen’s Houthi Leader urges Canada to open embassy in Sana’a


The chairman of Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee called on Ottawa to open its embassy in Sana’a after Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador and recalled its envoy over claims of interference in its internal affairs.

Syria building up army beyond pre-war size: Israel’s Lieberman


Israel’s minister for military affairs admits that Syrian ground forces are recovering from the losses they suffered during over seven years of battles against foreign-backed terror groups, saying the Arab state is now building up a formidable army beyond its pre-crisis size.



UNSC calls for ‘transparent’ inquiry into Saudi-led strike in Yemen’s Sa’ada


The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has called for launching a “credible and transparent” investigation into a recent airstrike by the Saudi-led military coalition that killed dozens of schoolchildren in northern Yemen.

Syrian Army continues to advance in Sweida Badyiah, establishes control over new areas and strategic hills


Army units continued to advance in the depth of Sweida Badyiah (desert), establishing control over new areas and strategic hills in it.