Governor: No civil activists arrested over Ahvaz attack

TEHRAN – The governor of Khuzestan Province said on Monday that no civil activist has been arrested in connection to the recent terrorist attack in the southwestern city of Ahvaz.

Army ramps up border security ahead of Arbaeen pilgrimage

TEHRAN – The Iranian Army has dispatched combat and civilian service units to borders with Iraq in order to ensure the security of Arbaeen pilgrims and provide them with a range of services, a commander said on Monday.

Doha rejects claim Iran sending arms to Lebanon via Qatar

TEHRAN – The Qatari Transport Ministry on Sunday strongly rejected a Fox News report that Iran has smuggled weapons via the country’s airspace to Lebanon, Fars reported.

Document on Iran-Europe co-op should be ready by the next few days: MP

TEHRAN - Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said on Sunday that document on economic cooperation between Iran and Europe should be prepared in the next few days.

Officials should be transparent, Leader says

TEHRAN - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said that officials should be “transparent” and should not hide any secret from the people.

Pakpour goes to Pakistan to pursue case of kidnapped soldiers

TEHRAN - The IRGC Ground Force Commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, left for Pakistan on Monday to pursue the case of the Iranian border guards kidnapped to Pakistan by terrorist on October 15, IRGC spokesman Ramazan Sharif announced on Monday.

‘Trump must globally account for the Khashoggi-gate scandal’

TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian parliament speaker, said on Sunday U.S. President Donald Trump must globally account for the Khashoggi-gate scandal.

‘U.S. feels defeated after leaving nuclear deal’

TEHRAN – Iranian MP Ali Najafi Khoshroodi said on Monday that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that the U.S. feels “defeated” after leaving the 2015 nuclear deal.

IRGC able to accommodate 110,000 Arbaeen pilgrims

TEHRAN – The IRGC Arbaeen headquarters is able to accommodate as many as 110,000 pilgrims in the shrine cities of Najaf, Karbala and Samarra in Iraq during the Arbaeen pilgrimage, a military official said on Sunday.

Iranian Supreme Court endorses death verdict against ‘gold coin sultan’ 

TEHRAN – The Iranian Judiciary confirmed on Sunday that the Supreme Court has confirmed death sentences against two individuals, including Vahid Mazloumi, for manipulating the gold coin and foreign currency markets.

‘Govt. didn’t consult Hope faction on new ministers’

TEHRAN – A member of the presiding board of the Hope parliamentary faction has criticized the Rouhani administration for not seeking the faction’s advice before proposing new ministers to the parliament for approval.

Goods intended for smuggling detected in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – Iran’s investigation police officers have detected 6,986 household items intended for smuggling in the Bileh Savar County in the northwestern province of Ardabil.

‘Leader has agreed to allocate $500m for pharmaceuticals’

TEHRAN – Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said on Sunday that the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has agreed to the allocation of $500 million from the National Development Fund for pharmaceutical companies.

‘Those committing terror acts are Saudi mercenaries’

TEHRAN – Commander of the IRGC Ground Force has said enemies were after infiltrating the country through the recent abduction of the border guards in the Mirjavaveh border region with Pakistan, Tasnim reported on Sunday.

General warns of possible virus attacks

TEHRAN – Head of the Civil Defense Organization on Sunday warned of possible computer virus attacks by the enemy to harm the country’s infrastructure.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW by Mehdi Sepahvand

Tehran says still can’t understand why Canada unilaterally cut ties

TEHRAN - Tehran still cannot understand why Canada unilaterally severed diplomatic ties with Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told the Tehran Times on Sunday after a former Canadian diplomat had criticized Ottawa for the current diplomatic blackout.

Iran denies meddling in U.S. mid-term elections

TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has denied allegations of interference in the United States’ mid-term congressional elections, saying the Islamic Republic’s principled policy is not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. 

‘Humanitarian situation in Yemen is catastrophic’

TEHRAN - Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian parliament speaker, said on Saturday that the humanitarian situation in Yemen is catastrophic.

Rouhani nominates four new ministers

TEHRAN – Finally on Sunday President Hassan Rouhani officially released the names of four nominees to the parliament for the post of Labor, economy, industry, and transport ministers.

Iran to use artificial intelligence in legislation

TEHRAN – Yunes Adiani, an official at the research center of the parliament, has said that Iran will use artificial intelligence in legislation.

‘Stupid law’ preventing Canada’s re-engagement with Iran: retired envoy

The real reason the Liberal government hasn’t been able to re-establish relations with Iran is due to its adherence to a “stupid” Canadian law allowing the seizure of Iranian assets, says Canada’s recently expelled ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Iran sympathizes with India over train accident

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Friday expressed regret over a train accident in northern India which led to the death and injury of dozens of people.

‘Principlists have written to Rouhani on current issues’

TEHRAN – The Front for Followers of the Line of the Imam and the Leader and some other factions within the principlist camp have submitted a letter to President Hassan Rouhani with regard to Iran’s economic and current issues, to which the president has not responded yet.

Trump administration is unpredictable, ex-negotiator says

TEHRAN – A former Iranian diplomat believes the 2015 nuclear agreement can survive U.S. unilateral withdrawal provided that the other signatories to the deal – Russia, China, France, Britain Germany and the European Union – show persistence in saving the accord by securing Iran’s interests.

Iran asks Pakistan to crush terrorists

TEHRAN – Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has asked the Pakistani government to gather intelligence on the terrorists living in its territory in order to track and crush them, voicing Iranian armed forces’ readiness to cooperate with Pakistan to achieve that end.

Transport minister Abbas Akhoundi releases resignation letter

TEHRAN – Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi on Friday published his resignation letter, which was handed to President Hassan Rouhani on September 1. 

‘History to record Iran’s support for Iraq with golden pen’

TEHRAN – Secretary-general of the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba has hailed the role of IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani in fighting the terrorists in Iraq, saying history will register the hardships that Iran endured for helping Iraq in this struggle with a “golden pen”.

Bodies of Iranians from Nazmehr ship still in Baku: embassy

The bodies of the crew members of the Iranian Nazmehr dry cargo ship who died as a result of poisoning are still in Baku, the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan told Trend on Oct. 20.

Diplomat says has plans to strengthen Tehran-Seoul ties

TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Badamchi Shabestari said on Saturday that he has plans to expand ties with Seoul.

Expediency Council studies CFT

TEHRAN – On Saturday, Iran’s Expediency Council started deliberations on the bill to join the CFT, a legislation to combat financing of terrorism.