‘Pompeo should thank Kerry for maintaining back channel to Zarif’

TEHRAN - Former Deputy Director of the CIA John McLaughlin has said that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo should thank John Kerry, former secretary of state, for maintaining back channel to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Velayati: Russia, China are Iran’s major economic and political partners 

TEHRAN – Senior Iranian politician Ali Akbar Velayati has provided an analysis of the Islamic Republic’s policy of orientation towards the East, saying Russia and China are Iran’s major political and economic partners in countering the U.S. hegemony, Tasnim reported.

Chinese envoy: We support JCPOA 

TEHRAN – China’s ambassador to Tehran says his country will support the Iran nuclear deal, aka the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Austria: Six men, Iranian included, attempt suicide in face of deportation

TEHRAN - Six men who were scheduled to be deported from Austria were brought to local hospitals in critical condition late on Friday night after apparently setting fire to their cells in a Vienna detention center. 

Some governors will be replaced: Rahmani Fazli

TEHRAN – Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on Sunday that a number of governors will be replaced in line with the plan to ban employment of the retirees.

Twitter has blocked Iranian accounts, Zarif protests

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Twitter has blocked the accounts of “real Iranians” but overlooks the “regime change” propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

Time to say goodbye to retired managers

TEHRAN – The plan to ban employment of the retired managers is scheduled to be implemented in two months.

Europe should safeguard Iran’s rights: Kharrazi

TEHRAN - Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, said on Saturday that Europe’s package to save the 2015 nuclear deal should safeguard Iran’s rights.

Kerry advises Trump to read his book to learn about nuclear deal

TEHRAN – Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday advised President Donald Trump to read his new book in order to “learn something” about the nuclear deal, which was struck between Iran and six world powers in July 2015.

By Mohammad Homaeefar

Bolton attack on ICC: A legal suicide by U.S.

On Sept. 10, John Bolton, the national security advisor to Donald Trump, made a harsh attack against the International Court of Justice (ICC), calling it “illegitimate” and a body that it is “dead” for the U.S.

Tehran says U.S. must stop breaking international law

TEHRAN – The Iranian ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said the Islamic Republic expects the international community to force the U.S. to put an end to its practice of violating international rights.

Treasury secretary ‘resisting’ Trump’s Iran strategy: Post

TEHRAN – U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is “resisting” President Donald Trump’s maximum-pressure strategy on Iran by neglecting to give the president a document he requested several weeks ago, said Josh Rogin in a Washington Post column on Thursday.

Diplomat: JCPOA to die if others bow to U.S. pressure

TEHRAN – The new Iranian ambassador to Japan said on Wednesday that the 2015 nuclear deal will die if other countries bow to U.S. pressure, urging Japan, China, Russia and the European Union to take essential steps to save the deal, officially referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

By staff and agency

EU to continue defending nuclear deal: Mogherini

The European Union will continue to defend the 2015 nuclear deal, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday.

Ambassador: Consulate attack won’t affect Iran-Iraq ‘strategic’ ties

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad Iraj Masjedi has said that the attack against Iran’s consulate in Iraq’s Basra will not affect the “strategic” and “friendly” relations between the two countries.

Defense minister urges closer ties with Pakistan

TEHRAN – Defense Minister Amir Hatami on Wednesday called for closer defense cooperation with Pakistan, expressing the hope that during the rule of the new Pakistani prime minister Iran and Pakistan would be able to make up for the past shortcomings in ties, Mehr reported.

Ahmadinejad aides sentenced to jail

TEHRAN – Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei and Ali Akbar Javanfekr, two aides of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have received prison sentences, the Judiciary announced on Wednesday.

Close co-op with Afghanistan necessary to fight terror: Araqchi

TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday underlined the necessity of close cooperation with Afghanistan in the war on terrorism, saying Tehran attaches great importance to the stability and security of its neighbors.

Iran will not sit silent if enemies continue hatching plots, General Baqeri warns

Military chief: Missile attack on terrorists shows accuracy and strategy

TEHRAN - Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said on Tuesday that Iran’s armed forces will not sit silent if enemies continue hatching plots.

Iran favors dialogue, but not under sanctions: Jahangiri

TEHRAN – Although Iran is in favor of dialogue, it will never agree to enter talks with the U.S. after the imposition of cruel sanctions, Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said on Tuesday.

Iran consulate in Basra resumes work in new building

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Tuesday that the Iranian consulate in Basra has resumed its work in a new building after the old building was set ablaze in a raid.

Zarif slams ‘rogue U.S. regime’ for threatening ICC

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday slammed the “rogue U.S. regime” for threatening to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and prosecuting its judges.

Expert: Trump’s better nuclear deal is an ‘illusion’

Kelsey Davenport says Trump is bent on fulfilling ‘irresponsible’ campaign promise on the nuclear deal

TEHRAN – President Donald Trump is doing his utmost to fulfill his “irresponsible” campaign promise on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, irrespective of situation and outcomes, the director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association has said, IRNA said on Monday.

Iran’s priority is to minimize human casualty in Idlib

TEHRAN - It is Iran’s priority to minimize human casualties in Idlib, a former Iranian envoy to Syria has said.

Sanctions should turn into opportunity, Shamkhani says

TEHRAN - Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said on Monday that sanctions should be turned into opportunities by tapping domestic capacities.

IAEA reaffirms Iran’s compliance to nuclear deal

TEHRAN – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Monday renewed its assurances that the Islamic Republic of Iran stays compliant to the 2015 nuclear deal - aka Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – that is backed the UN Security Council Resolution 2231. 

Tehran, Moscow confer on nuclear deal

TEHRAN – In a meeting in Tehran on Monday, high-ranking Iranian and Russian officials discussed issues related to the 2015 nuclear deal and ways to keep the internationally-backed agreement alive.

Trump’s JCPOA exit very ‘dangerous, ill-advised’: Kerry

TEHRAN – Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said that President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was a very “dangerous” and “ill-advised” move which works against American interests.

Tehran rejects Bahrain’s claim on Iranian nationals’ illegal entry

A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry on Sunday dismissed claims by the Bahraini security agency that it had arrested 14 Iranian nationals for illegal entry with fake Asian passports, stressing that Tehran has been provided with no documents in this regard.

Ex-CBI chief under investigation over corruption case: Judiciary

The Iranian Judiciary is investigating the former governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) over recent economic corruption cases, the Judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei announced.