‘Saudi’s designating IRGC as terrorist, catering to demand of global arrogance’

TEHRAN – A senior Basij official has slammed the designation of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani, as terrorist by the Saudi and Bahraini regimes.

Korea continues to support humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees in Iran

The government of the Republic of Korea has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Afghan refugees in the Islamic Republic of Iran through the signing of a new Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Iran on October 15, 2018.

By Mohammad Ghaderi - Twitter: @ghaderi62 - Email: m.ghaderi62@gmail.com

The EU's purposeful delay in implementing the SPV

TEHRAN - Reuters has recently reported that a new European Union mechanism to facilitate payments for Iranian exports should be legally in place by Nov. 4, when the next phase of U.S. sanctions hit, but will not be operational until early next year, three diplomats said.

‘Iranians are victims of Taliban terrorist group’

TEHRAN – Iranians are the victims of the Taliban terrorist group, an Iranian lawmaker said on Saturday, while denouncing U.S. sanctions against Iran for alleged support of the Taliban.

All proposed ministers get votes of confidence

TEHARN – All four ministers proposed by President Hassan Rouhani received votes of confidence from lawmakers in a Saturday session of the Majlis.

Yazd to be first destination for water tourism in Iran

TEHRAN – Yazd will be the first destination for water tourism, an initiative that Iran Water House, a Tehran-based educational institution, aims to operate across Iran, ISNA reported on Saturday.

Zionist regime seeks division among Muslim countries: Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Friday that the Zionist regime of Israel seeks to cause division among the Muslim countries to cover 70 years of occupation and aggression.

WTTC ranks Iran’s tourism 20th among 185 in 2011-17

TEHRAN – Iran’s budding travel sector has come 20th in the latest World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) report that has ranked performance of 185 countries over 2011-17.

By Martin Love

A general overview of this era of discord

NORTH CAROLINA - Yes, it is obvious. Iran and a number of other countries would be far better off today, economically and thus socially, if the U.S. was not militarily attacking or threatening to attack someone, somewhere, and especially in the Middle East. It’s vital to know some facts about all this and try to analyze it and prognosticate what may or may not happen geopolitically, and the Tehran Times does as good a job of this as any newspaper I know.

Pakistan’s FIA sets up offices in Iran, Greece

TEHRAN – Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established its sub-offices in Greece and Iran to check increasing activities of organized criminal networks and illegal movements of Pakistani migrants.

Municipalities, Oil Ministry join hands to improve public transport

TEHRAN — Mayors of 9 Iranian metropolises and Iran Fuel Conservation Company, affiliated to Ministry of Oil signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to jointly improve public transport in the megacities.

Iranian, Iraqi RCSs to build hospital in Karbala

TEHRAN — Following a memorandum of understanding inked between Iraq’s Red Crescent Society and Iran’s Red Crescent Society a hospital will be jointly built in Karbala, ISNA reported on Friday.

Tehraners breathe clean air during first month of autumn

TEHRAN — Citizens of the busy metropolis of Tehran breathed clean air during the first month of autumn, ISNA news agency reported on Thursday.

Advisors misinform Trump, Iran says

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has said that President Donald Trump is being misinformed about the Middle East by the team of his advisors.

1.8 million Iranian pilgrims taking trek to Karbala

TEHRAN — Some 1.8 million pilgrims from Iran have received visas to participate in the Arbaeen trek, an official with Interior Ministry has said.

Health minister highlights Iran’s achievements at Global Conference on Primary Health Care

TEHRAN — The Iranian health minister put a spotlight on the country’s achievements in the health sector at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on October 25-26.

Russia says working to minimize sanctions effects of Iran

TEHRAN – Moscow is taking steps to minimize the adverse effect of U.S. sanctions on its relations with Iran, said the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, while describing the sanctions as “illegitimate”.

Saudi spy met with Team Trump about taking down Iran

General Ahmed al-Assiri, the Saudi intelligence chief taking the fall for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, hobnobbed in New York with Michael Flynn and other members of the transition team shortly before Trump’s inauguration. The topic of their discussion: regime change in Iran.

Tehran: Russia-Turkey deal on Idlib ‘was Iranian idea’ 

A deal reached between Russia and Turkey last month to attempt to peacefully resolve the issue of Syria’s Idlib Province, the last major stronghold of anti-government militants in the Arab country, was based in its entirety on an Iranian proposal, says Iran’s chief negotiator on Syria.

By Payman Yazdani

Khashoggi scandal not to affect U.S.-Saudi cooperation against Iran: Mammadov

TEHRAN - Energy scholar at the Middle East Institute says as Washington and Riyadh share the same strategic goals against Iran, Saudi Arabia will continue to remain loyal to her pledge to offset the lost volumes from Iran.   

UNESCO experts in Iran weighing Hyrcanian Forest

TEHRAN – A delegation of international experts has commenced assessing Hyrcanian Forest (also known as Caspian Forest) for its possible inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list, CHTN reported.

Iran’s military to unveil major products

TEHRAN – The military plans to unveil a series of new military products, including a major achievement in the naval industry, defense minister announced on Wednesday.

Exports from Iran to Africa 17% up in H1

TEHRAN – Iran’s exports to the African countries rose 17 percent during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-Septemebr 22) compared to the same period of time in the previous year, a director in Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization of (TPO) announced.

By staff and agency

EU mechanism for Iran trade to be symbolically ready on Nov. 4: diplomats

A new European Union mechanism to facilitate payments for Iranian exports should be legally in place by Nov. 4, when the next phase of U.S. sanctions hit, but it will not be operational until early next year, three diplomats said.

Exports of handicrafts up 9.5%, hit $107 million

TEHRAN – Iran’s handicrafts exports reached $107 million in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21), growing 9.5 percent year on year.

‘Greater security co-op needed between Iran and Pakistan’

TEHRAN – A senior Pakistani defense analyst says Iran must rest assured that Pakistan would take all the necessary measures to stop recurrence of terrorist attacks in common borders.

 Foreign minister says Iran will overcome sanctions 

Mutual respect, not mutual trust, needed for dialogue, Zarif says of U.S. 

Iran is open to dialogue with the United States without preconditions, but such talks remain elusive so long as Washington fails to show Tehran respect, its Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday.

By Martin Love

So many questions, so few answers so far

NORTH CAROLINA - It’s a bit of an imaginative stretch, if not a preposterous one, but there may be some reason to think that the murder of Jamal Khashoggi might set the stage for positive changes.

Crew members’ bodies sent home: embassy

TEHRAN – The bodies of three crew members, who died as a result of mass poisoning at the Iranian Nazmehr dry cargo ship, were sent home on Sunday night, the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan said on Monday.