Tehran Times http://www.tehrantimes.com/ Wed, 22 May 2013 02:54:45 GMT FeedCreator 1.8.0-dev (info@mypapit.net) France playing Iran card to gain privileges from Washington http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/107927-france-playing-iran-card-to-gain-privileges-from-washington In his recent visit to Washington, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian asked U.S. officials to impose more sanctions on Iran in order to neutralize Tehran’s alleged strategy of wasting time in the talks with the six major powers and to protect the enforcement of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 
 
However, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton described her recent meeting in Istanbul with Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, as positive and constructive. Thus, the... Read more

]]> Ali Akbar Farazi Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:00 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/opinion/107927-france-playing-iran-card-to-gain-privileges-from-washington Frenetic search for survivors as 91 feared dead in tornado-hit Oklahoma http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107929-frenetic-search-for-survivors-as-91-feared-dead-in-tornado-hit-oklahoma MOORE, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Pre-dawn emergency workers searched feverishly for survivors in the rubble of homes, primary schools and an hospital in an Oklahoma City suburb ravaged by a massive Monday afternoon tornado feared to have killed up to 91 people and injured well over 200 residents.
The 2-mile(3-km) wide tornado tore through town of Moore outside Oklahoma City, trapping victims beneath the rubble as one elementary school took a direct hit and... Read more

]]> World Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:51:53 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/world/107929-frenetic-search-for-survivors-as-91-feared-dead-in-tornado-hit-oklahoma Bombings in Iraq kill at least 12 http://www.tehrantimes.com/middle-east/107926-bombings-in-iraq-kill-at-least-12 KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) Several bomb blasts killed at least 12 people in Iraq on Tuesday, police said, a day after more than 70 died in attacks on majority Shi'ites, stoking fears of all-out sectarian war with minority Sunnis.
More than 200 people have been killed in the past week as tensions fuelled by the civil war in neighboring Syria, threaten to plunge Iraq back into communal bloodletting.
 
In Tuesday's violence, three roadside... Read more

]]> Middle East Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:49:57 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/middle-east/107926-bombings-in-iraq-kill-at-least-12 IAEA would like to help Iran clarify its nuclear activities: Amano http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107924-iaea-would-like-to-help-iran-clarify-its-nuclear-activities-amano TEHRAN – In an interview with RT published on Tuesday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano said that the UN nuclear watchdog would like to help Iran clarify its nuclear activities. 
 
“What we can say about the nuclear activity of Iran is that Iran is conducting nuclear activities in a quite steady manner,” Amano said.
 
He also said, “We are not saying that Iran has nuclear weapons or that Iran has decided... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:48:50 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107924-iaea-would-like-to-help-iran-clarify-its-nuclear-activities-amano Eight presidential candidates confirmed by Guardian Council http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107930-eight-presidential-candidates-confirmed-by-guardian-council TEHRAN – In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry announced that the Guardian Council has approved eight candidates for Iran’s June 14 presidential election.
 
The Guardian Council approved the following candidates: Saeed Jalili, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, Mohsen Rezaei, Hassan Rohani, Mohammad Reza Aref, Mohammad Gharazi, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Ali Akbar Velayati.
 
Following are short biographies of the eight men: 
 
Saeed Jalili, a principlist candidate, is the secretary of the Supreme National Security... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:48:48 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107930-eight-presidential-candidates-confirmed-by-guardian-council Iranian armed forces to take delivery of new missiles http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107925-iranian-armed-forces-to-take-delivery-of-new-missiles TEHRAN – Iranian armed forces will take delivery of a large number of domestically manufactured missiles this week on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the liberation of Khorramshahr, Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced on Tuesday.  
 
Iran liberated the southwestern port city of Khorramshahr from Iraqi occupation on May 24, 1982. The Iraqis had captured the city early in the war on October 26, 1980.
 
Brigadier General Vahidi also said that the... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:48:46 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107925-iranian-armed-forces-to-take-delivery-of-new-missiles Iran’s principled policies will not change after presidential election: official http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107923-irans-principled-policies-will-not-change-after-presidential-election-official TEHRAN – The election of a new president in June’s presidential election will not have any impact on Iran’s principled policies, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.   
 
Abbas Araghchi made the remarks during his regular press briefing when asked about the next round of talks between Iran and the six major powers, namely the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany, which are known as the P5+1 group.
 
The latest... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:47:06 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107923-irans-principled-policies-will-not-change-after-presidential-election-official Iran approves agreement with Argentina to investigate AMIA attack http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107921-iran-approves-agreement-with-argentina-to-investigate-amia-attack TEHRAN – Iran has approved a memorandum of understanding with Argentina on forming a truth commission to investigate the bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires in 1994 in which 85 people were killed, AFP quoted an Iranian diplomat as saying on Monday.
 
Iran’s charge d’affaires in Buenos Aires, Ali Pakdaman, said the memorandum was approved on Sunday by the Iranian government without being submitted to the parliament.
 
Iran... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:41:40 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107921-iran-approves-agreement-with-argentina-to-investigate-amia-attack Iran holds conference on election ethics http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107922-iran-holds-conference-on-election-ethics TEHRAN – Iran’s State Endowment and Charity Affairs Organization held a conference on the theme of “election ethics and political epic” in Tehran on Tuesday.
 
A number of academics, seminary teachers, researchers, and cultural officials participated in the conference and delivered speeches to elaborate on Islamic principles and moral codes, which should be observed particularly during the election campaigns.   
 
Iran is scheduled to hold its 11th presidential election on June 14.  
 
At the opening... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:41:37 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107922-iran-holds-conference-on-election-ethics Working Group of Heads of Mission of IOR-ARC to meet in Pretoria on May 23 http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107920-working-group-of-heads-of-mission-of-ior-arc-to-meet-in-pretoria-on-may-23- TEHRAN – In a recent press release, the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation announced that the 14th Session of the Meeting of the Working Group of Heads of Missions of the IOR-ARC will be held at the India House, in Pretoria, South Africa, on May 23.  
 
The IOR-ARC, which is the only pan-Indian Ocean grouping, has 20 members, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran,... Read more

]]> Political Desk Tue, 21 May 2013 16:38:33 GMT http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/107920-working-group-of-heads-of-mission-of-ior-arc-to-meet-in-pretoria-on-may-23-