April 22, The Iran Project – FM summons newly appointed French amb. over US French envoy’s tweets; Zarif reminds E3 no ban on Iran uranium enrichment; Some Arab rulers serving US, Zionists; waging war against Muslims: Leader; Iranian parliament committee passes motion to counter US’s IRGC blacklisting; Iranian FM trip to Syria and meeting with senior Syrian officials; ‘IRGC’s regional victories led to US blacklisting’; Iran’s parliament labels entire US army as terrorist; Zarif visit to Turkey and meeting with senior Turkish officials ; Leader receives Iran Army commanders on threshold of Army Day; Zarif warns of dangerous consequences of US anti-IRGC move; Iran celebrates National Army Day; President Rouhani: Iranian Armed Forces serve regional security; Gov. to pay for temporary housing of flood-hit families: Rouhani; Army Ground Forces unveil 6 achievements; Rouhani: Enemies’ plot to tell lies about drought in Iran; Google shuts YouTube channels of Press TV; Fajr International Film Festival kicks off in Tehran; Pakistani PM lands in Mashhad as first step of Iran state visit and Ayatollah Khamenei appoints new IRGC chief commander are among major headlines dominated the country’s media outlets in the past week (April 15 – April 22).

 

Politics

FM summons newly appointed French amb. over US French envoy’s tweets

Following the tweets of the French ambassador to Washington, Iran Foreign Ministry summoned the newly appointed French Ambassador to Tehran Philippe Thiebaud.

 

Spox blasts US claims on Iran’s role in Venezuela’s affairs

Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi condemned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statements on Iran’s alleged meddling in Venezuela’s internal affairs, describing them as ridiculous.

 

UN special envoy for Iraqi affairs confers with Iran’s Zarif

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Janine Hines Plachkart, met and held talks in Tehran on Monday.

 

Zarif reminds E3 no ban on Iran uranium enrichment

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif has reminded E3 partners in the nuclear deal that there is no prohibition on the enrichment of uranium by Iran under any agreements or treaties.

 

Ayatollah Khamenei receives participants of 36th intl. Quran competitions

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received the attendees of the 36th International Quran Competitions on Monday.

 

Some Arab rulers serving US, Zionists; waging war against Muslims: Leader

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has blasted leaders of “certain Islamic nations” for serving Israel and the United States in stark contrast to the teachings of Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an.

 

US officially designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group

The United States officially designated Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, according to a notice published in the U.S. Federal Register on Monday.

 

Iranian parliament committee passes motion to counter US’s IRGC blacklisting

The Iranian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy has passed a double-urgency motion to take a reciprocal measure against the United States’ move to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

 

Iran FM appoints special aide on Afghanistan’s affairs

Foreign minister on Monday appointed a veteran diplomat as Iran’s special assistant for Afghanistan.

 

FM Zarif lands in Syria for bilateral talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in Damascus, the capital of Syria, to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad to discuss development of bilateral relations, regional and global issues.

 

US blacklisting rooted in IRGC’s regional victories: Senior Iranian official

A senior Iranian official says the US’s decision to blacklist Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is rooted in Washington’s dissatisfaction with the elite military force’s numerous victories against terrorists in regional countries.

 

Iranian FM meets with Syrian President

Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif has held talks with Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday.

 

Zarif hails Syria for saving region from grave peril

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif admired Syria for its fight against terrorism that protected the entire region from a big threat.

 

Iran’s parliament labels entire US army as terrorist

Iran’s lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a bill labeling U.S. forces in the Middle East as terrorist, a day after the U.S. terrorism designation for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard formally took effect.

 

US terrorist designation of IRGC suggests ineffectiveness of sanctions: Hatami

The Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami has said that the US decided to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization after its sanctioning policy turned out to be not working.

 

Iran slams blocking IRGC Instagram account

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi on Tuesday condemned blocking Istagram accounts of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

 

Zarif, Cavusoglu held 1st round of negotiations

Iranian Foreign Minister and his Turk counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu held their first round of talks in Ankara on Wednesday.

 

Deploying Syrian army at borders with Turkey best to preserve regional security: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the deployment of the Syrian army along the borders with Turkey is the best way to preserve stability and security in the region.

 

Leader receives Iran Army commanders on threshold of Army Day

Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received a number of commanders of the Iranian Army on Wednesday.

 

FM Zarif, Erdogan discuss bilateral ties, regional issues

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif conferred with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on broadening of mutual cooperation and regional developments in Ankara on Wednesday.

 

What would happen to the region if IRGC and Army hadn’t got involved in the fight against ISIS?

Ahead of the National Day of the Army, commanders and senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army as well as a group of commanders and staff members of the Ground Forces met with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution—Ayatollah Khamenei—this afternoon April 17, 2019.

 

Zarif warns of dangerous consequences of US anti-IRGC move

In a letter to his foreign counterparts, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underscored the dangerous consequences of US measure of announcing IRGC a terrorist group.

 

Iran celebrates National Army Day

The Iranian Army servicemen held commemorative parades across the country on Thursday to celebrate the Army Day and the Ground Force Day.

 

President Rouhani: Iranian Armed Forces serve regional security

Tasnim – President of Iran Hassan Rouhani reassured the neighbors and all regional countries that the Iranian Armed Forces would stand against terrorism and foreign aggression, and slammed the US and Zionism as the root cause of all regional problems.

 

Home-grown fighter jets fly during Army day parades

Two domestically manufactured warplanes flew successfully during the military parades on the National Army Day on Thursday.

 

Iran slams Trump’s veto of Yemen war bill

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced the US president’s veto of a congressional resolution to end US military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen, saying it demonstrates the alarming influence of the Zionist lobbies on America’s politics.

 

Iranian parl. delegation in Damascus to shore up bilateral ties

An Iranian parliamentary delegation arrived in the Syrian capital, Damascus, early on Saturday to meet and hold talks with the senior officials of the Arab country.

 

Rouhani arrives in Lorestan prov. to visit flood-hit regions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived at Khorramabad Airport this morning to visit flood-hit areas of Lorestan province.

 

Gov. to pay for temporary housing of flood-hit families: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the government will pay for temporary housing of the people in flood-affected areas of the country.

 

Army Ground Forces unveil 6 achievements

Six home-grown achievements, including a smart multirotor bomber and an anti-drone net launcher, were unveiled by the Army Ground Forces on Saturday.

 

President arrives in Ahvaz

President arrived in Ahvaz City in order to visit flood-hit areas in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

 

Google targeting Press TV for challenging ‘US hegemony’: Journalist

Historian and journalist Brecht Jonkers says the unprecedented US pressure campaign against Iran and Google’s targeting of Iranian alternative media without prior notice are “intrinsically linked” and politically motivated.

 

Rouhani: Enemies’ plot to tell lies about drought in Iran

President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that one of the enemies’ plots, especially the Zionist regime and the US, is to pretend prevalence of drought in Iran and impossibility of life in many parts of it.

 

Pakistani PM lands in Mashhad as first step of Iran state visit

The plane carrying Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and his accompanying delegation landed at Shahid Hashemi Nejad Airport in the northeastern city of Mashhad to start their official visit to Iran.

 

Zarif urges global action against terrorism after Sri Lanka bombings

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denounced Sunday’s terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, urging global action to counter the menace of terrorism.

 

Ayatollah Khamenei appoints new IRGC chief commander

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has appointed Hossein Salami, a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as the new chief commander of the military elite force, promoting him to the rank of major general.

 

SNSC congratulates new IRGC chief commander

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Vice-Admiral Ali Shamkhani in a message on Sunday congratulated appointment of Brigadier General Hossein Salami as new commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

 

Economy

Cabinet studying currency reconversion, lopping off 4 zeroes of nat. currency

According to the request of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), the economic committee of the cabinet has on agenda the plan to eliminate four zeros from the national currency rial and to introduce a new one.

 

Oil min.: Iran inks contract with Chinese firm to develop SP phase 11

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh revealed the conclusion of a contract with Chinese company for the development of phase 11 of South Pars Gas Field.

 

Tehran, Ankara to establish mechanism similar to INSTEX for joint economic ties: Zarif

Iran and Turkey accorded to create and utilize a similar mechanism to the European INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) in joint economic ties, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamamd Javad Zarif told reporters on Thursday morning after returning from his two-day trip to Turkey and Syria.

 

Tehran Municipality ready to carry out projects in Baghdad: mayor

Mayor of Tehran, Pirouz Hanachi, said that the municipality is ready to work with Baghdad to carry out different urban projects.

 

Tehran taking bite out of Apple? Company’s products may be banned in Iran

Earlier, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the Chairman of the National Security Commission of the Iranian Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said that “there are 15 plans to take countermeasures to counteract US anti-Iranian policy that will be reviewed and approved by the National Security Commission”.

 

Regional Affairs

Iraqi FM: Golan is Syrian territory

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali al-Hakim said on Sunday that his country rejects the US president’s allegations on the occupied Syrian Golan as it contradicts the international legitimacy, SANA reported.

 

EU rejects Israeli claim to Golan, other occupied territory

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has once again expressed the 28-nation bloc’s disapproval of the Israeli regime’s claim of “sovereignty” to Syria’s Golan Heights and other Tel Aviv-occupied territories.

 

Assad, Russian envoy discuss upcoming Astana meeting

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev on Friday dealt with the agenda of the upcoming round of Astana talks.

 

Military Source: Reports of some websites and media outlets about clashes between Russian and Iranian troops in Syria are untrue

A military source announced on Saturday that it is categorically untrue what has been broadcast by a number of websites and written media outlets about clashes that erupted between Russian and Iranian troops in Deir Ezzor and Aleppo.

 

Iraqi parliamentary summit kicks off in Baghdad

Iraq’s parliamentary summit kicked off in Baghdad on Saturday bringing together regional powers, including Iran, in a show of unity.

 

Society

WHO hails Iran’s efforts in containing contagious diseases

The World Health Organization says Iran’s success in containing contagious and non-contagious diseases after the recent deadly flash floods could be studied and used by other countries as well.

 

World’s oldest creature spotted at Hamoun wetland after two decades

An endangered tadpole shrimp, also known as ‘Triops Cancriformis’ was spotted by nature lovers in southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan following the recent heavy rainfall that brought Hamoun wetland to life and is said to be the world’s oldest creature.

 

Star streets: Tehran to name places after contemporary artists

Tehran City Council wants to name the Iranian capital’s streets after the contemporary artists who have won the hearts and minds of their nation.

 

Fajr International Film Festival kicks off in Tehran

The 37th edition of Fajr International Film Festival got underway in Tehran, featuring 160 motion pictures from around the world.

 

Iran’s Hadadi wins gold at Asian Athletics C’ships

Iranian discus thrower Ehsan Hadadi snatched a gold medal at 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in Qatar.