Despite continued sanctions and economic pressure, the Islamic Republic found reason for cheer on Tuesday beyond the countrys football successes and the election of Hassan Rouhani imports from the United States rose a whopping 11% in the first quarter of the Persian year, since March 21.
Mehr News reports that Iran imported 4,000 tons of goods from the U.S. since March 21, while Irans exports to that country totaled 42 tons, or a value of $106,000.
That $106,000 breaks down into the following goods, according to Mehr: carpets, saffron, and raisins.
Iran imported packed butter, pharmaceutical and food complementary products, alloy sheets, vegetable seeds, antibiotics, and medical equipment were the main imported goods, from the US.
Pro-Khamenei Group Urged Jalili to Withdraw to Bolster Qalibaf in Presidential Election
Hossain Allah Karam of the pro-Khamenei think-tank Ammar Base Central Council has said that in the run up to the Presidential election the group urged nuclear negotiator and candidate Saeed Jalili to step down to improve the chances of Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
Karam remarked, We concluded on Wednesday [before the elections] that the Principlist current could only achieve victory if Jalili withdrew. Therefore we signaled for him to withdraw in favor of [Mohammad Bagher] Qalibaf [but he did not]. His comments give an indication of the level of discord and disunity among the principlist faction during the election. MP: Syria Crisis Signals Coming of 12th Shia Imam
In an interesting interpretation of the crisis in Syria, Hojjat al-Eslam Rouhollah Hosseinian has suggested that it is a precursor to the coming of the 12th Shia Imam. The Head of the Islamic Revolution Documents Centre said:
The emergence of [the Hidden Imam] is certain, but preparing for his arrival depends on the behavior and deeds of us Iranian people. In Sunni and Shia texts, the prophet has foretold [the emergence] of a people from the East, which in the language of [hadiths] means Iran, [who] will prepare the Mahdis power and then rule. For this reason, they have called the Iranian people those who prepare the Mahdis rule.
Imam Sadegh [Sixth Shia Imam] has said that when the carriers of yellow flags confront anti-Shias in Damascus and Iranian forces join them, it is the precursor and sign of the coming of [Mahdi], and we see that the carriers of the yellow flag, meaning Lebanese Hezbollah, are fighting anti-Shia groups in Damascus. Perhaps this is an event that points to the coming of [the Mahdi], and we must prepare ourselves. FM Salehi Condemns Anti-Shia Attack in Egypt
Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, has condemned the recent attack on Shia Muslims in Egypt in a phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr. On Sunday, the prominent cleric Sheikh Hassan Shehata and three of his followers were killed at his home in Giza Province by a large group of Sunni Muslims. Iranian relations with Egypt have in recent months, signified by President Morsis severing of ties with the Assad regime in Syria, which is strongly supported by Tehran. Detailed Results of Presidential Election
A detailed county-by-county breakdown of the results of the 14 June election has finally been posted on the Internet.