Tehran Times http://tehrantimes.com/ Mon, 12 Aug 2013 05:23:01 GMT FeedCreator 1.8.0-dev (info@mypapit.net) Iraq’s Barzani vows to defend Syrian Kurds from al-Qaeda http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109918-iraqs-barzani-vows-to-defend-syrian-kurds-from-al-qaeda- The president of Iraqi Kurdistan vowed on Saturday to defend the large Kurdish population in neighboring Syria from "al-Qaeda terrorists".
 
The comments from Masoud Barzani follow weeks of clashes in predominantly Kurdish parts of northeastern Syria between Kurdish fighters and foreign-sponsored insurgents that have killed dozens on both sides, The Associated Press reported. 
 
In a statement posted on the Kurdistan Regional Government's official website, Barzani called for a delegation to visit Kurdish areas in... Read more

]]> Staff & Agencies Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:45:55 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109918-iraqs-barzani-vows-to-defend-syrian-kurds-from-al-qaeda- Hezbollah more ready than ever for war: Israeli commander http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109917-hezbollah-more-ready-than-ever-for-war-israeli-commander An Israeli commander has admitted that involvement of Lebanon’s Hezbollah in the fight against militants in Syria has increased the defensive capabilities of the resistance movement for any future aggression by Tel Aviv.
 
“Hezbollah’s involvement in the war in Syria has not disrupted its preparedness for a war with Israel the opposite is true,” said Colonel Yaron Formosa, a chief artillery officer of Israel, in an interview with Ynetnews on Wednesday. 
 
He added... Read more

]]> Middle East Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:44:58 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109917-hezbollah-more-ready-than-ever-for-war-israeli-commander India, Pakistan exchange fire, ceasefire under strain http://tehrantimes.com/world/109916-india-pakistan-exchange-fire-ceasefire-under-strain JAMMU, India (Reuters) - India and Pakistan exchanged more gunfire across the disputed border in Kashmir on Sunday, Indian border guards said, as a 10-year ceasefire frays over accusations of killings of soldiers deployed on the frontline.
 
One Indian border guard was wounded after Pakistan Rangers opened fire on a post in Kanachak, some 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Jammu, the winter capital of India's Jammu and Kashmir state, the Border Security... Read more

]]> World Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:42:07 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/world/109916-india-pakistan-exchange-fire-ceasefire-under-strain Iran wins FIBA Asian Championship http://tehrantimes.com/sports/109915-iran-wins-fiba-asian-championship Iran won the 27th FIBA Asia Men's Basketball Championship by beating the Philippines on Sunday in Pasay City. 
 
The Iranian team defeated the Philippines 85-71 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. Both the teams secured berths in the World Championships in Spain next year.
 
Iran had already won the Asian titles in 2007 and 2009. 
 
"Today was the toughest game for us," said a visibly elated Iran coach Mehmed Becirovic. "We know that... Read more

]]> Sport Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:40:59 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/sports/109915-iran-wins-fiba-asian-championship Will Turkey return to policy of zero problems with neighbors? http://tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/52-guests/109913-will-turkey-return-to-policy-of-zero-problems-with-neighbors Turkey’s regional diplomacy is currently very focused on the Kurds. Prominent Kurdish political figures from Iraq and Syria have visited the Turkish capital over the past few days, which shows that the Kurdish issue has become a priority for Ankara. The lack of progress in the talks between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the developments in the border area between Turkey and Syria are the main factors behind the sudden... Read more

]]> Siamak Kakayi Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:39:27 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/52-guests/109913-will-turkey-return-to-policy-of-zero-problems-with-neighbors Persian Gulf power play: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood http://tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/52-guests/109911-persian-gulf-power-play-saudi-arabia-and-the-muslim-brotherhood “Qatar’s strategy of embracing the Muslim Brotherhood and putting itself at the cutting edge of change elsewhere in the region as well as its soft diplomacy contain risks that Saudi Arabia is likely to exploit.” James M. Dorsey, Senior Fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
 
 
The Persian Gulf petro-powers Saudi Arabia and Qatar are engaged in a struggle for ideological and geopolitical supremacy in the Sunni Islamic world. Both nations have been actively involved... Read more

]]> Yuram Abdullah Weiler Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:36:55 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/52-guests/109911-persian-gulf-power-play-saudi-arabia-and-the-muslim-brotherhood Car bombs kill scores across Iraq http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109914-car-bombs-kill-scores-across-iraq Scores of people have been killed and hundreds injured in a series of car bombs that rocked Baghdad and other Iraqi cities amid Eid al-Fitr celebrations, an interior ministry official said. 
 
A total of 17 car bombs and a series of shootings and other blasts killed at least 91 people and wounded over 300 across the country Saturday, security and medical officials said, as Iraqis celebrated the Eid al-Fitr holidays which follow the... Read more

]]> Staff & Agencies Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:36:53 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/middle-east/109914-car-bombs-kill-scores-across-iraq UK made big mistake by cutting ties with Iran: veteran diplomat http://tehrantimes.com/politics/109910-uk-made-big-mistake-cutting-ties-with-iran-vet-diplomat TEHRAN – Iran’s former ambassador to France, Sadeq Kharrazi, says Britain made a big mistake by severing its diplomatic relations with Iran.
 
In an interview with the Fars News Agency published on Sunday, Kharrazi said that the British government made a “hasty move” to cut diplomatic relations with Tehran, adding that London can seize the current opportunity, as the new Iranian President Hassan Rohani has taken office, to restore ties with Tehran.   
 
Britain withdrew... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:36:50 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/politics/109910-uk-made-big-mistake-cutting-ties-with-iran-vet-diplomat Biggest South Pars phase to start yielding gas in late September: Official http://tehrantimes.com/economy-and-business/109908-biggest-south-pars-phase-to-start-yielding-gas-in-late-september-official A high-ranking Iranian energy official says the largest phase of the South Pars gas field will start yielding natural gas by the end of September.
 
Executive Director of Petropars Projects, Seyyed Hadi Mirbagheri, said that the flare of the offshore platform of South Pars Phase 12 was lit in early August following the transmission of sweetened natural gas from onshore to offshore facilities.
 
He added that Petropars technicians together with experts from the Iranian... Read more

]]> Economic Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:17:06 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/economy-and-business/109908-biggest-south-pars-phase-to-start-yielding-gas-in-late-september-official Zimbabwe denies report of uranium contract with Iran http://tehrantimes.com/politics/109909-zimbabwe-denies-report-of-uranium-contract-with-iran TEHRAN – Zimbabwean Deputy Mining Minister Gift Chimanikire has denied the news report claiming that Zimbabwe has signed an agreement allowing uranium exports to Iran. 
 
“We have no capacity to handle uranium as a country, and besides we don’t even know the quantity of uranium” deposits viable for mining, Chimanikire, a member of the country’s opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, said in a phone interview with Bloomberg on Saturday. “We signed a memorandum of... Read more

]]> Political Desk Sun, 11 Aug 2013 16:17:06 GMT http://tehrantimes.com/politics/109909-zimbabwe-denies-report-of-uranium-contract-with-iran